WILMINGTON’S WOES

LAND-USE CONFLICTS Problem: Lack of planning has allowed a chaotic mishmash of land uses, resulting in schools and homes being located near factories and hazardous waste plants. Response: Los Angeles Councilwoman Joan Milke Flores said the ongoing revision of the area’s community plan will likely include rezonings to ease the problem. AUTO SALVAGE YARDS. Problem: Wilmington’s salvage yards--estimated by Flores’ office to number 150 and by the Los Angeles Police Department, 200--collect and sell old metal and car parts. Residents say they are unsightly and deter high-quality private development. Flores said many yards are located in what is slated to become an industrial park and will disappear when the project--20% completed after 11 years--is finished. Response: Robert Steinback, a city inspector, said the city checks licensed salvage sites once a year to make sure they have fences and comply with other code requirements. Unlicensed sites often are not discovered for lack of staff, he said. TOXIC-WASTE FACILITIES. Problem: With six hazardous waste facilities and another major operation proposed, Wilmington has more than its share, many residents say. They also complain that they didn’t even know where many of the plants were located until a Times story last December said which Wilmington industries were authorized to handle hazardous waste. Response: Flores said the facilities are probably located in Wilmington because a lot of hazardous waste is generated by industries in the community. She said the city also was unaware until recently which plants handled such wastes. Flores said she has sponsored legislation that would provide the community with inspectors to monitor the facilities and has supported proposals to require new operators to obtain city permits. LACK OF POLICE PROTECTION Problem: The city has assigned two police cars per shift to Wilmington, which many residents consider inadequate for a community of 40,000. Response: Harbor Division Police Cmdr. Robert A. McVey says Wilmington is not in want of police protection, but he acknowledged that on some nights as many as 20 calls to his division--which also includes San Pedro, Harbor City and Harbor Gateway--are backed up and awaiting response. LACK OF ADEQUATE SCHOOL FACILITIES Problem: For more than 10 years parents have sought a cafeteria for Wilmington Park Elementary School. They also say the school needs a paint job, window replacements, a math laboratory, a reading laboratory, more restrooms, security and teaching aides. In addition, many residents complain that all of Wilmington’s public grammar schools are overcrowded.

Response: School board member John Greenwood acknowledged that Wilmington Park needs improvements and said that the strapped Los Angeles Unified School District is applying for state money to pay for them. He also acknowledged the overcrowding in Wilmington schools and said it is a districtwide problem that officials are trying to resolve. DUMPS Problem: Wilmington has 12 former dump sites, among the largest concentrations in the city. Residents who live near the most recently closed dump complain of rodents, odors and unsightliness. Response: Flores said that she has received no complaints, but said the city made the owner of the recently closed dump install a wall several years ago to shield it from residents. TRUCK TRAFFIC Problem: Because industries are located among homes, trucks frequently run through residential neighborhoods. Some signs prohibiting truck traffic are posted, but the rules are not enforced, residents say. Response: Flores said the community plan revision may help to resolve traffic problems by helping to separate homes from industries and by including a community traffic plan. Enforcement of violations is not a priority for the strapped police department, McVey said. DOWNTOWN DECLINE Problem: The old business district has needed revitalization for years, residents say, but has received no city help. Even services such as curb painting take years to be performed, they complain. Response: Flores said she is trying to determine what can be done, whether the city has any money for improvements and whether merchants are interested in some sort of project. City agency officials say they perform such services as curb painting on citywide schedules and Wilmington receives services equal to other areas. ABANDONED CARS Problem: Police Detective John Woodrum estimated 400 to 500 seemingly abandoned cars clutter Wilmington’s side streets. He said many of these vehicles belong to wrecking-yard owners and some are dumped by citizens from many areas because they go unnoticed in Wilmington. The city agency that handles automobiles abandoned on public property acts only on complaints. Response: With only one inspector for the harbor area and 120 complaints a week from Wilmington, responses are often backed up, said supervisor Mary Moss. About one-third of cars for which complaints are filed are picked up by the city, said senior traffic supervisor W. Smith, who said the other cars are moved before the city gets to them. Steinback’s agency, which handles vehicles abandoned on private property, faces a similar manpower problem, he said. LITTERED LOTS AND RUNDOWN BUILDINGS Problem: Residents complain that the area’s numerous vacant lots--many of which have been left undeveloped because of the oil pumps planted atop them--are cluttered with debris and that deteriorated buildings should be inspected. Response: Steinback said his department, with just six employees citywide to conduct inspections of commercial property and 21 to monitor residential areas, responds only to complaints. He said his department receives about 1,000 complaints a year from Wilmington. Inspections are performed and complaints are answered within 10 days, Steinback maintained. HOMELESS PEOPLE. Problem: The homeless live in junked boats, cars, buses and trailers without sewage or electricity. Some of the vehicles are part of a “tent city” next to the Beacon Light Mission, where officials say the homeless population is larger than ever. Estimates range from 100 to 150. Response: County officials say subsidized housing is available in area hotels for those who seek help and say Wilmington’s homeless problem is part of a larger countywide phenomenon that they are trying to alleviate.

LACK OF STREET SWEEPING Problem: Residents say sweeping is infrequent and that no signs are posted alerting residents to move their vehicles on sweeping days. Edward Longley, director of the city’s street maintenance bureau, said unposted Los Angeles streets are swept every three to four weeks on the average and only one-fifth of city curbs are posted. Response: Sweeping for posted streets ranges from once a day to once a week. The City Council stopped funding for posting streets in 1974, he said.