History: The abandoned service station at La Cienega / Fairview / La Tijera has been the number one eyesore of North Inglewood for more than a decade.

The property is privately owned by owned by Thrifty Oil. For many years it was leased to BP-ARCO, the corporation that also closed down the station. That long- term lease ended on May 2012. In 2008, in an attempt to bring about a solution to this eyesore, I was able to get the Inglewood Municipal Code (IMC) amended to permit ancillary uses of this parcel. The ancillary uses consisted of a park, community garden, dog park, parking lot, etc. Members of the community were hopeful that something was finally going to be done and attended the Planning Commission and city council meetings in full support of the changes to the IMC. As a result of these changes, during the former tenant, BP-ARCO went through the application process to request that the site be converted into a small parking lot. Their plan was to tear down the current structures, install a grassy mound around the perimeter of the property to make it appear more “park-like” when viewed from the surrounding streets, and build approximately 20 videomonitored parking spaces. There was to be no over- night parking; vehicles that violated this statute would be subject to immediate towing. At the request of neighbors, the cut-out on the La Tijera side where vehicles currently park was to be eliminated. The estimated cost of these improvements was $150,000 and was to be borne solely by BP-ARCO. The community would have preferred pure open space but the decision was not ours to make.

After all the approvals for this project had been grant- ed to BP-ARCO, a final sign-off was required of the owner, Thrifty Oil. After first granting their approval at the Planning Commission level, Thrifty Oil changed their mind and notified the City that they would not permit the new use. Thus, the application “died” and the property remains in the same blighted condition that we see today. For those of you who have done research on this matter over the years, you know that there is a statute in the IMC that requires abandoned service stations to be torn down if they are blight- ed and are no longer operable. However, a legal opinion from Inglewood’s city attorney informed the City Council years ago that this code section, if acted upon, would subject the City to potential litigation and therefore was unenforceable.

Update: Thrifty Oil recently approached the City with a proposal to clear and landscape the property and install a two-sided V-shaped LED billboard, with one sign facing southbound La Cienega and one sign facing north- bound La Cienega. The submitted design has the display boards sloped in such a way as to diminish the light that might affect the residential properties to the west. The residential properties to the east would be mostly looking into the backside of the billboards where there is limited illumination.

Current zoning (R-1) does not permit the installation of billboards. In addition, billboard regulations in the IMC requires that seven square feet of existing bill- board space must be eliminated for every one square foot of new billboard space being created.
We are all tired and frustrated with the status quo blight and the rag-tag northern entrance into our city.

At the District 2 Town Hall meeting held on October 25, 2012, copies of Thrifty Oil’s proposal were distributed to those in attendance. If you would like a copy of this proposal, please call my office at or email us at .

In Conclusion: This property was NEVER in a Redevelopment Project Area, the City has NEVER had excess General Fund money with which to purchase it nor did we ever have any control over this property, and our attorneys would NEVER al- low staff to enforce the IMC statute which demands that the blighted structures be demolished. The city’s hands have been tied.

Please contact my office to let me know what you think about Thrifty Oil’s proposal to clear the site and install an LED billboard. Thank you!