Dual lawsuits in Carson put proposed development in limbo

CARSON, Calif. (KABC) -- The city of Carson found a tenant for a vacant 5-acre empty lot next to property owned by the company Tesoro, which is being re-branded as Andeavor. Tesoro-Andeavor has now filed a lawsuit which has put the project on hold.

"But for the act of one poor neighbor, Tesoro, whose selfishness and greediness prevented this project from proceeding," said Albert Robles, the Mayor of Carson.

The city of Carson fired back with their own lawsuit Thursday. They won't release the name of the business that wanted the land, but said they're a global brand name in the high-tech manufacturing industry.

The fear is that the prospective tenant will look elsewhere.

"350 jobs means additional revenue in the city, additional sales in the city, additional opportunities for Carson employers and employees. Why shouldn't we want that?" said the city attorney of Carson, Bill Wynder.

As part of the agreement between Tesoro and the city of Carson, this road is shared by both parties. In their complaint, Tesoro says they're worried that increased traffic would cause injury to joggers who use this street. The city of Carson said that's inaccurate.

"I submit to you, you could stand here for an entire year and you wouldn't see one person jogging up and down that street. Nobody jogs up and down that street, but they actually had the audacity to come to the city council meeting and say that was their concern," said Robles.

In a statement, Tesoro-Andeavor said, "When our office building was designed we purposefully intended for the roadway to accommodate light vehicles only and we provided alternate access roads for heavy duty trucks to enter the refinery. Our only objective is to protect the safety of our employees and the public."

"Tesoro's position is, they get to control the amount and kind of character of traffic that comes on that road and if it's traffic they don't like, they're going to object to it. We think that's an unreasonable and unfair position," said Wynder.