United Technologies Corp., the owners of the Rocketdyne property in Warner Center, have asked the state to change the cleanup requirements of the property from residential to commercial standards. The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, which is in charge of remediation, determined that the property is “not suitable for unrestricted use and that a land-use restriction is necessary for the protection of present and future human health, safety or the environment as a result of the presence of hazardous materials.” Rocketdyne, when it occupied the site, produced rocket engines. Toxic chemicals detected at the site include cancer-causing trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethane and tetrachloroethane. “In its current condition no residential use is allowed on the site,” according to the documents. “The site meets the established cleanup goals for industrial/commercial land use,” said Renee Purdy with the Water Quality Board. UTC is currently attempting to sell the parcel to Triple Five, owners of the Mall of America. Initial plans were to develop the parcel into a multi-use commercial, retail and residential development. Cleanup of groundwater will continue with or without approved for soil cleanup. State officials are reviewing the date submitted by UTC and will issue a determination on future use of the site. It is unclear how this ruling will affect the development plans.
