A 10-story development on the corner of Ashby and Shattuck Avenues will move forward after labor unions and residents brought forward environmental concerns to the City Council on March 25. … Concerns about benzene levels initially came from the project site’s listing in the State Water Resource Control Board’s Geotracker database, when in 2013 and 2014, soil sampling revealed elevated levels of benzene, petroleum hydrocarbon gasoline and more chemicals. However, since 2022, soil sampling has confirmed that benzene levels were within acceptable limits. … Further concerns about air quality, soil toxins and groundwater were negated by the city because, upon review, it found toxins and air quality standards to be within the accepted limits.