The Transportation Commission on the record continued consideration of a resolution of necessity for the Star Scrap Metal property on South Firestone Boulevard in La Mirada, moving the item to the commission's Nov. 12 meeting to give Caltrans and the property owner more time to negotiate.

Caltrans District 7 Director Carrie Bowen told commissioners the department needs approximately 1.8 acres in fee, 0.15 acres in temporary construction easement and 0.26 acres in temporary demolition easement from the roughly 3‑acre site to realign ramps and widen Interstate 5 as part of the I‑5 South Corridor project. Bowen said Caltrans reviewed an owner‑requested shift of the alignment and concluded that shifting the freeway north would affect more properties, double the acreage purchased statewide and disrupt other I‑5 segments; she also said the department provided a revised offer including compensation for improvements and began relocation assistance in 2013.

Owner Rose Stein and her attorney, Eric Rowen of Greenberg, asked the commission not to adopt a resolution of necessity. Rowen argued Caltrans failed to perform the statutorily required comparative analysis of alternative alignments before adopting the current alignment, said the owner offered an unconditional consent to a full acquisition, and alleged Caltrans' appraisal process improperly shifted value from real property to personalty and therefore understated fair market value. Rose Stein described the business history at the site, said the recycling operation employs about 60 people and said she has been unable to find a suitable replacement site after three years of searching.

Commissioners questioned Caltrans and the owner's representatives about relocation site options, appraisals and whether a full take had been requested. Andy Narenberg, deputy district director for Right of Way, said Caltrans believed the consent presented earlier was constrained and not unconditional; Lisa Bram, assistant chief counsel at the Department of Transportation, said Caltrans needs a resolution of necessity (RON) to utilize an unconditional consent for a full take. Bowen said Caltrans remains willing to negotiate toward a full acquisition.

Vice Chair Dunn moved to continue the item to the commission's November meeting to allow the parties to pursue negotiations; Commissioner Medaffer seconded. Commissioners discussed the time needed, potential construction schedule impacts and whether Caltrans could proceed with a full take if it received unconditional consent from the owner. The commission then amended the motion to set the hearing for Nov. 12 and voted to continue the matter. The clerk reported the count as 9 in favor, 1 opposed.

Caltrans said in its presentation that the approved southern alignment was developed in coordination with local agencies, including Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the I‑5 Consortium Cities Joint Powers Authority and Orange County Transportation Authority, and that environmental review and feasibility studies supported the selected alignment. The owner’s counsel disputed that claim at length and provided the commission with materials alleging inadequate analysis of comparative private harms and appraisal methodology.

The commission’s continuation leaves the current Caltrans partial‑take staff request unresolved; commissioners asked Caltrans to pursue updated appraisals and for both parties to continue relocation and acquisition negotiations before the Nov. 12 hearing.

"The department requests that the commission approve the resolution of necessity for Star Scrap Metal property," Bowen said during her presentation; the commission instead set a new hearing date after motions and discussion.