Though there is little the City of Los Alamitos can do at this time, a proposed project along Katella Avenue at Enterprise Drive was the big topic of debate at Monday’s city council meeting.
Though there is little the City of Los Alamitos can do at this time, a proposed project along Katella Avenue at Enterprise Drive was the big topic of debate at Monday’s city council meeting.
The proposed project is a 33-acre complex that will reportedly be a distribution center that could increase truck traffic along Katella Avenue. The company Prologis, had scheduled a public open house on Tuesday night (past our deadline) but as word got around the community, residents began reaching out to city officials for answers.
The project is in Cypress, which had Los Alamitos residents concerned that another city’s benefit will come at the cost of Los Alamitos streets and increased traffic. Prologis has already purchased the property and plans to develop it somehow, but said that they are looking for input from area residents and that was why the open house was scheduled.
“We want to hear their concerns and incorporate them into the Environmental Impact Report, if possible,” Prologis representative Nancy Schultz said.
But residents are concerned that the facility will direct all of its truck traffic onto Katella Avenue, creating even more hazards than the heavily traveled street already has. Questions were brought up as to why another access road can’t be constructed to move traffic to Cerritos Avenue, or another major street. While the project is reportedly set to begin construction by the end of the year, officials say they will be able to have the concerns of Los Alamitos heard in the process.
“We want a preemptive position that preserves all options,” Councilman Troy Edgar said.
But residents are concerned that their council will not stand up for their concerns for fear of disrupting relations with Cypress. Mayor Pro Tem Gerri Graham-Mejia reassured residents that they will be more concerned for their residents than any relationships with other cities. She said they want to make sure all ideas are considered.
“Before we say we can’t do something, we at least need to try it,” Graham-Mejia said.
However, the council seemed to agree that they will need more information and time to decifer what is the best course of action or Los Alamitos. Though the project is in Cypress, the City of Los Alamitos could have a say in the development if it can show that it will negatively affect Los Alamitos. The council heard the report and filed it for future referrerance.
“I don’t think we know enough about the project,” Councilman Dean Grose said.