CANOGA PARK : Official Plans to OK Car Storage on Lot

Although one neighbor protested that it would add ugliness to an already ugly place, a city zoning administrator Monday said he would approve storage of up to a dozen towed cars on a vacant lot in Canoga Park.

James Tallman of Camino Real Towing requested a variance to store abandoned, wrecked and impounded vehicles on the property at 7900 Canoga Ave. as part of a 24-hour towing business in the industrial neighborhood.

Jay Greene, owner of a warehouse property across Canoga Avenue from the proposed site, objected to the variance, saying that the neighborhood was already trash-strewn and crime-ridden.

“Storing automobiles that are not operable would add to the ugliness,” Greene said.

“It’s an ugly strip,” agreed zoning administrator Albert Landini, who then said he would approve the variance provided Tallman agreed to build an eight-foot wall around the property, leaving enough room for landscaping, to hide the business from the street.

Camino Real Towing recently contracted with the California Highway Patrol to tow cars from the freeways and needed the variance on the 20,230-square-foot lot to accommodate its increased business.