California recommends changes to leasing properties under freeways after major fire

By CHRISTOPHER WEBER
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three months after an arson fire at a state-leased storage space shut down a major Los Angeles freeway, California transportation officials are recommending changes to the leasing program. Officials say the new guidelines would explicitly ban storage of hazardous materials like wood pallets and gasoline. The state would provide more scrutiny of people who want to rent out the properties. Recent inspections found fire risks and other potential lease violations at an unspecified number of sites. One tenant was storing propane tanks and several others had improperly stored lumber or wooden pallets, officials said this week.