Shut Down the Oil Well in South Park
Our neighborhood is home to an active oil well – between Hill and Broadway and Pico and 14thPlace. It is easy to miss seeing the oil well because it is well fenced, but it exists. And it is a health hazard for South Park residents.
We have an opportunity to voice our concerns and ask for action. On Thursday, July 27 at 10 am a public hearing will be hosted by LA City Planning and public comment is needed. We need to speak up! The meeting will be on Zoom – https://planning-lacity-org.zoom.us/j/81470091676
Enter Meeting ID: 814 7009 1676 and Passcode: 752821
Last September SPNA (South Park Neighborhood Association) wrote a letter in support of a proposed city ordinance to address the issues with the oil well. The oil well site has a record of numerous violations as noted by City Planning (Case number ZA 16926).
In our letter we stated – “Oil wells in dense urban areas are inconsistent with the environmental goals of the State of California as well as the City of Los Angeles. South Park is a rapidly growing residential area with residential buildings being planned and built within sight of this well. As an example, there is a proposed project at Hill and 14th St. with 235 total units, construction of a seven-story building featuring 154 apartments on Olive, south of Pico, and the former California Employment Development site on South Broadway where a developer has proposed an affordable housing project including a park for residents.”
The letter also stated, “The densification of South Park is a goal of City Planning, and this well discourages that kind of development which the SPNA supports. What’s more, the expanding California Hospital is close by and the leaks from this facility are hazardous to the patients and staff. The oil well is incompatible with health care. Methane is a major cause of global warming and climate change. An oil well is incompatible with our state’s goal of switching from oil to electricity to power for vehicles. We urge the ordinance be advanced with our suggested modification.”
Mark your calendars for Thursday, July 17 at 10 am to add your voice to the request to shut down the oil well and make South Park a safer living environment. If you have any questions or comments, write to us at spnadtla@gmail.com.
By Debra Shrout