Wilmington Greening Infrastructure Projects

Wilmington Neighborhood Greening Project and Wilmington-Anaheim Green Infrastructure Corridor Project

Page updated: March 18, 2025

The City of Los Angeles (City) Bureau of Engineering (BOE) is beginning the environmental review process for the proposed Wilmington Greening Infrastructure Projects (Projects) consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). 

PROJECT LOCATION AND SETTING: The Projects would be located in the Wilmington neighborhood in the South Bay and Harbor Region of the city of Los Angeles. The Projects are both located in Los Angeles Council District 15. The Projects are within the area covered by the Wilmington-Harbor City Community Plan. The area surrounding the Projects is urbanized and includes many different land uses, including the Wilmington Waterfront Park, low- and medium-density residential buildings, schools, commercial developments, light manufacturing, and light industrial areas. According to the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), Wilmington is considered a disadvantaged community disproportionately affected by various sources of pollution (CalEPA 2024).

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: 

Wilmington Neighborhood Greening Project

The Wilmington Neighborhood Greening Project would be located primarily within the southern portion of the park known as the Wilmington Recreation Center. The Wilmington Recreation Center is an 8.4-acre park managed by the City Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) in the community of Wilmington and is located at 325 North Neptune Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90744. The park is bounded by North Neptune Avenue to the east, West C Street to the south, and Bay View Avenue to the west. To the north, the park is bound by the Harbor Community Teen Center, the Neptune Service Yard, and a two-story apartment building; north of these uses is West E Street. This proposed Project includes the installation of a stormwater diversion system at the Wilmington Recreation Center park, as well as improved recreational amenities, streetscape infrastructure, and landscaping. The proposed stormwater diversion system would include a 5.5-acre-foot detention basin, which would be installed underneath the existing ballfields in the southwestern area of the park. This Project is estimated to capture approximately 22 acre-feet per year of stormwater flows from an approximately 65-acre drainage area to the north of the park. A diversion structure would be installed underground between the playground and the Bay View Avenue parking lot, which would capture stormwater flows up to 5.4 cubic feet per second from the existing 36-inch storm drain. Stormwater would pass through a pretreatment system and then enter the detention basin, where it would remain for a maximum of 72 hours before being discharged to an existing sewer line for treatment and reuse. Upon completion, the ballfields would be upgraded, and new drinking fountains, batting cages, dugouts, horseshoe pits, bleachers that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and a picnic area would be installed in the southeast corner of the Project site. The Project would be limited to a 3.3-acre area in the southern portion of the park, which would interrupt access to the multipurpose ballfields as well as the horseshoe courts. Construction of the Project would not interrupt access to the skate plaza, teen center, outdoor basketball courts, playground, picnic area, or any of the activities within the indoor gymnasium.

Wilmington-Anaheim Green Infrastructure Corridor Project

The features of the Wilmington-Anaheim Project would generally be within approximately four blocks to the west, the north, and the east of the Wilmington Recreation Center. The diversion structure would be installed underground within West C Street near the intersection with North Fries Avenue. The diversion structure would be coupled with a pretreatment structure and inflow pump station, which would pump the stormwater to the detention basin at the Wilmington Recreation Center park through a new pipeline installed within West C Street. Approximately 50 new street trees and up to 1,500 linear feet of streetside landscaping designed for water absorption and filtering, such as bioswales, would be installed along various segments which could include North Fries Avenue, West Anaheim Street, West D Street, West E Street, West F Street, West G Street, and North Bay View Avenue. The landscaping would be installed within existing sidewalk parkways and is not expected to result in the reduction of streetside parking. Additionally, two alleyways adjacent to West Anaheim Street between Wilmington Boulevard and Island Avenue would be resurfaced with permeable pavement. The Saint Peter and Paul K-8 School is adjacent to the proposed green street improvements along North Bay View Avenue and the George De La Torre, Jr. Elementary School is adjacent to the proposed green street improvements along North Fries Avenue. All Wilmington-Anaheim Project elements would be installed within the public right-of-way and would not alter existing buildings or structures. 

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Notice of Preparation/Initial Study and Public Scoping Period

The BOE is beginning the environmental review process for the proposed Project consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The City is the Lead Agency under CEQA. As the Lead Agency, the City has prepared an Initial Study (IS)/Environmental Checklist in accordance with current City of Los Angeles Guidelines for Implementation of CEQA of 1970, Article I, and CEQA Guidelines Section 15082. The City identified a potential for significant impacts and proposes to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The EIR will address the proposed Projects’ potential effects to the following environmental resources:

• Air Quality
• Biological Resources
• Hazards and Hazardous Materials
• Hydrology and Water Quality
• Noise
• Traffic
• Tribal Cultural Resources

The City is requesting input from agencies, stakeholders, and other interested parties on the scope and content of the EIR. Using the information obtained through the environmental scoping period, the City will prepare an EIR to analyze the environmental impacts of the proposed Projects and alternatives. The BOE welcomes comments and/or concerns related to the content of the environmental information presented and invites you to attend a virtual public meeting held via Zoom to learn more about the proposed Project and participate in the environmental review process.

PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD: In accordance with CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines, the Notice of Preparation is being circulated for at least 30 days for public review and comment. The public review period for this IS will begin on Thursday, March 6, 2025, and will conclude on Monday, April 21, 2025. The IS or a notice where the IS can be reviewed has been distributed to public agencies, organizations, neighbors, and other interested parties for review and comment. The IS is available for public review during normal operating hours at the following locations:

• City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Engineering, 1149 South Broadway, Suite 600, Los Angeles, California 90015
• Los Angeles Public Library, Wilmington Branch, 1300 North Avalon Boulevard, Wilmington, California 90744
• Los Angeles Public Library, Harbor City – Harbor Gateway Branch, 24000 South Western, Harbor City, California 90710

Copies of the Notice of Preparation and Initial Study/Environmental Checklist may also be obtained by contacting Rachel McPherson at the BOE at (213) 485-1505 or by arranging a visit to the office address listed below.

All comments must be submitted in writing no later than 4:00 p.m. on April 21, 2025 by mail or email (please include “Wilmington Greening Infrastructure Projects” in the subject line) to:

Rachel McPherson, Environmental Supervisor I
Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering, Environmental Management Division
1149 S. Broadway, Suite 600
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Rachel.McPherson@lacity.org

Two public scoping meetings will be held to obtain input on the NOP/IS and the scope and contents of the EIR. The first meeting will be held virtually via Zoom, and the second meeting will take place in-person at the Wilmington Recreation Center:

Scoping Meeting No. 1 (virtual):

Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. on Zoom 

Link to the Zoom meeting: https://bit.ly/wilmingtonGIP 

Scoping Meeting No. 2 (in-person):

Saturday, March 22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in the Wilmington Recreation Center

325 North Neptune Avenue, Wilmington, California 90744

Live interpretation in Spanish will be available at both meetings.

During the scoping period, the public can provide written comments on the information contained within this IS or provide comments at a public meeting. Comments on the NOP/IS will be included in the record and considered by BOE during preparation of the EIR.