Plans to develop an 18-acre truck parking lot near the Port of Los Angeles have sparked opposition from local residents and community groups, who fear the project would worsen traffic congestion and environmental pollution in the Wilmington neighborhood. The proposed John S. Gibson Truck & Chassis Parking Lot, originally introduced by the Port of Los Angeles in 2023, would create 393 designated stalls for cargo trucks awaiting pickup of port shipments.

Port officials maintain that the facility would help reduce congestion by providing a dedicated staging area for trucks, preventing them from idling on nearby streets and highways. They also note the current site is undeveloped and underutilized, requiring frequent police patrols to discourage criminal activity.

However, many Wilmington residents and neighborhood representatives oppose the project. Gina Martinez, chair of the Wilmington Neighborhood Council’s executive board, emphasized that the land serves as a critical buffer zone between port operations and residential areas, and should remain open space as originally designated. The lot would require an amendment to the Port of Los Angeles master plan to change the land’s status from open space to maritime support.

Martinez also cited concerns over environmental impacts, including increased air pollution from diesel truck emissions and heightened noise levels, issues residents say have long plagued the community due to the proximity of port activities. She added that the land is part of the California State Lands Commission’s tidelands trust, which mandates that certain coastal areas be preserved for public use.

In contrast, some neighboring groups have expressed tentative support after negotiations with developers. Noel Gould of the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council indicated that mitigations such as native coastal plant landscaping and the removal of truck idling near schools and parks could yield community benefits.

The Los Angeles Harbor Commission approved the project on June 11, but the Los Angeles City Council this week invoked its authority under a rarely used “245 motion” to veto the approval temporarily. The motion allows for additional review and community input before any final decision is made. Councilmember Tim McOsker, representing Wilmington and surrounding harbor communities, sponsored the motion, citing widespread local opposition to expanding port industrial uses into residential neighborhoods.

“There is already truck staging space set aside,” McOsker said, underscoring the community’s desire to limit port operations’ footprint rather than expand it.

This latest dispute follows recent tensions between the port and coastal communities, notably surrounding a rejected proposal to raise the Vincent Thomas Bridge to accommodate larger cargo ships. While the bridge’s redecking remains scheduled, increasing its height would have extended closures and disrupted local traffic for more than two years.

The truck parking lot plans now return to the Harbor Commission for further study and possible revisions, as stakeholders seek a balance between port efficiency and neighborhood quality of life.