Officials approve landscaped berm plan for C Street despite community call for flat 'Polo Park'

The Los Angeles City Council approved an engineering contract amendment authorizing work on a landscaped berm and related buffering improvements along C Street in Wilmington, a measure intended to separate residential areas from port traffic.

Community members urged the council to delay action and asked for fuller review by the Port Community Advisory Committee. Skip Baldwin and other speakers urged the council to consider an alternative “Polo Park” concept — a flat-park plan along C Street that would preserve open playing fields for youth — and to delay expenditures until advisory committees had examined the community alternative. Baldwin told the council he had collected more than 500 signatures in favor of a flat-park plan and said community proposals had not been acknowledged by port and city agencies.

Councilmember Janice Hahn described the negotiated approach as a landscaped berm that includes a walkway and preserves harbor views while addressing truck congestion. Hahn said the current design was chosen after community meetings and included a community soccer field near the base of the berm. Hahn and other councilmembers stressed the consultant/engineering contract requires ongoing community input as design details are finalized.

Port and city officials told the council the original plan for a 20-foot wall was removed from consideration; the currently proposed solution is a landscaped berm with planting and pedestrian access. The council approved the contract amendment on the floor. Members who spoke said community input must continue during implementation.

Ending: The council approved the item while noting requests for further engagement; proponents and opponents said they expect continued design meetings and review during construction.