ELYSIAN VALLEY : Factory Owner Loses Bid for Parking Lot

The owner of a cleaning-solvent factory suffered another setback after a city zoning appeals board denied his bid to turn a vacant, 1.75-acre parcel into a 25-space parking lot for employees.

“I’m disappointed,” said Bob Rosenbaum, president of Mission Kleensweep Products Inc., after the hearing Tuesday. “I’ve been trying very hard to do a good job for the community. We want to be a good corporate citizen.”

“The people won,” said an elated Virginia Adams, one of the Elysian Valley residents who led the drive to oppose a parking lot at 2428 Birkdale St., next to the company.

Residents feared that a parking lot would enable Rosenbaum to expand his business, creating more noise.

Rosenbaum asked the Board of Zoning Appeals to overturn a zoning administrator’s denial of the project earlier this year.

He and his attorney said the lot would benefit the community by reducing the number of vehicles on residential streets.

Rosenbaum also reviewed a list of improvements he has made or is making to curb complaints about truck traffic, odor and noise from the factory.

Nearly 80 residents from Elysian Valley, Echo Park and other communities who oppose the company’s plan packed the meeting. Some played a tape of what they said was constant grinding noise from the business, while others showed pictures of trucks lining residential streets.

Though he can appeal the board’s decision to the City Council, Rosenbaum said he first plans to find ways to appease residents, while looking into the possibility of moving his company.