Dozens of Lake Balboa residents gathered Wednesday to protest a city proposal that would turn a Metro parking lot into a storage yard for impounded RVs.
The site in question is the Balboa Station Park and Ride lot at 6338 Balboa Boulevard, located along the Metro G (Orange) Line. Councilmember Imelda Padilla introduced a motion in July that would allow the city to lease the 94,500-square-foot lot from Metro for this purpose.
City officials say they need more space to store vehicles, especially RVs, as part of their effort to clear homeless encampments from public rights-of-way. The vehicles would not be lived in.
The lot sits at the entrance to the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area. Critics argue the location is inappropriate due to its proximity to homes, schools, and popular public spaces. A flyer distributed ahead of the protest raised concerns about toxic runoff into the L.A. River, fire risks, and increased presence of rodents.
Residents held signs that read “Just Say No to RVs Here” and questioned why the city was targeting a transit hub rather than using already-zoned land elsewhere.
Linda Gravani, president of the local neighborhood council, said the plan would hurt commuters and violate zoning laws.
“It’s not zoned for a salvage yard. It’s zoned for public park-and-ride,” Gravani said. “There are 61 acres near Laurel Canyon that are already zoned for salvaged vehicles. That’s where they belong, not across the street from a high school.”
The Van Nuys Orange Line lot is currently closed for construction until 2027. Without the Balboa lot, commuters may be left with limited options for accessing public transit in the Valley, according to local news outlet the Valley Current.
Padilla’s proposal would allow the city to negotiate and sign a lease agreement with Metro. The Mayor’s Office says it is aware of residents’ concerns and is working to address them.
