Carson staff brief council on Philip 66 cleanup review and citywide paving program

City staff provided two substantive infrastructure briefings at the June 3 meeting: an environmental‑review notice for the Philip 66 Diamond Gateway Redevelopment Project and a status update on the city's multiyear street‑repair program.

Nathan Freeman, Community and Economic Development Director, described the Philip 66 project as an environmental cleanup and long‑term redevelopment effort covering about 223 acres of former refinery property. He highlighted that the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board would host a public workshop Thursday, June 4 at the Carson Event Center focusing on soil vapor and groundwater assessment; the notice of preparation for the project's environmental review remains open for public comment through June 12. "Community members interested in learning more about the cleanup process are highly encouraged to attend," Freeman said.

Council then engaged staff at length about the multi‑phase citywide paving program and capital improvements. Public Works staff reported the program has completed the majority of residential streets and was finishing phase 10, with phase 11 under development; a detailed report that will list every street and dollars spent is being finalized for council review. Council members emphasized prior council direction to touch every street and alley and asked for a clear chart of phases and targeted streets per district so constituents can be given timelines. The public‑works director described the approach: streets in worst condition are prioritized for grind‑and‑overlay while others receive slurry seal, and some arterial work (including University and MLK corridors) is tied to separate federal or Caltrans funding streams. "We're finishing phase 10 now ... we're probably about one to two more phases of the residential streets," staff said.

Several council members pressed for transparency on how the previously allocated funds (roughly $32 million in prior appropriations) have been spent and asked staff to return with a district‑level spending plan and, if additional funds are needed to meet the council's goal of touching every street, a budget proposal ahead of the next budget cycle.

What residents should expect: staff said a published street‑by‑street report and an updated capital improvement program will be delivered to council. The Philip 66 water‑board workshop on June 4 will present technical detail on contamination investigation and cleanup options; the public comment deadline for that environmental review process is June 12.

For follow-up: staff committed to providing the requested street list and expenditure accounting and to returning with a budget recommendation if the council wishes to accelerate or expand the program.