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AND GOOD EVENING.IT IS FEBRUARY 13TH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE, UH, REGULAR COUNSEL TO ORDER.
CAN I HAVE EVERYONE SH THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO COUNCILMAN KERR FOR THE PLEDGE IN THE MOMENT OF SILENCE.
UH, BEFORE WE DO THE PLEDGE, IN THE MOMENT OF SILENCE, IF I COULD JUST DO A ROLL CALL REAL QUICK.
COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN KERR? YES.
WELCOME TO THOSE OF YOU JOINING US HERE AT LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE AND THOSE WATCHING FROM HOME.
I WOULD ASK THAT YOU TAKE A MOMENT AT THIS TIME TO JOIN US ALL IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABLE, IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND AND JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
NOW, UM, LET'S HAVE A REPORT OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION.
UH, WE HAVE ONE REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, WE ARE SETTLING A MATTER OF CAROL MARTIN VERSUS NORMA MCKENNA IN CITY OF LONG BEACH, UH, FOR THE AMOUNT OF $120,000.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY, LET'S GO TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, CONSENT ITEMS. UM, ONE THROUGH 10.
ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS? THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT.
ALRIGHT, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
UM, AND NOW LET'S GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER ONE.
THERE IS ONE SPEAKER, MR. ANTHONY HOLMES, IF YOU CAN COME TO THE PODIUM.
HOW'S IT GOING? VICE MAYOR? YOU KNOW, THIS ALL STARTED WITH A COMPLAINT THAT I WANTED THE EEO TO TAKE SERIOUS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY DIDN'T.
AND AGAIN, AS FOR TOM MOCA, ALL YOU DID WAS DISRESPECT REX RE REX THE MAYOR FOR A YEAR, ALL OF 2020, 22, 23.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME RETURNING BACK HERE.
ALL YOU DID IS DISRESPECT REX THE WHOLE YEAR, 2023, AND DISRESPECT OUR CULTURE WHEN THINGS WAS GOING ON IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO PRETTY MUCH YOU DROP THE BALL, AS IN ERIC LOPEZ, YOU DROP THE BALL.
YOU, YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO DROP THE BALL.
THE GUY KYLE SEALS THAT I'VE BEEN BRINGING DOWN HERE, WE BROUGHT YOU GUYS RECEIPTS.
THIS GUY'S NO LONGER WORKING IN OUR DEPARTMENT, SO HE HAD TO GO HOME AND TELL HIS KIDS THAT HE'S NO LONGER WORKING BECAUSE SUPERVISORS THREATENED HIM.
LIKE YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO LET THIS STUFF GO ON.
AND WHEN WE CONTACT THE EO, THEY CONTINUE TO DO THE SAME THING.
LIKE WON'T ALL YOU GUYS, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU, CHRISTINA, EVERYBODY UP THERE.
ONCE Y'ALL COME DOWN TO OUR DEPARTMENT AND TALK TO THE EMPLOYEES, YOU CANNOT BE A LEADER IF YOU DO NOT LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE.
AND YOU, AND YOU SAY YOU GUYS WANT PEACE, BUT IT CAN'T BE NO PEACE.
IF YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO DO WHAT Y'ALL DOING IN THAT DEPARTMENT AND SUEY THE BLACK COMMUNITY, I'M TRYING TO STAR YOU OUT.
I'VE BEEN STALLING YOU OUT FOR A MINUTE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT'S COMING FOR YOU.
AND WHEN JACKIE RA SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT YOU IN LONG BEACH POST, REX SHOULD NOT RESPOND ON YOUR BEHALF.
AND IT'S OUR OWN PEOPLE THAT'S DOING IT TO US.
AND ANOTHER THING TO MY BLACK PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF COLOR, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR NOTHING ELSE ABOUT.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU YOUR FLOWERS.
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I DON'T DESERVE MY FLOWERS.MY HOW ABOUT YOU GUYS? I'M GONNA TRY TO SAY THIS IN THE MOST RESPECTFUL WAY AS POSSIBLE.
HOW ABOUT YOU GUYS? GET ON A BOAT, DRIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN AND PUT MY FLOWERS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN.
BUT MY ANCESTORS, THAT'S STILL FLOATING IN THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN THAT WAS THROWN OFF THE SLAVE SHIP BY THEM SLAVE MASTERS.
I AM, I'M REALLY ONE OF THEM ONES.
KEEP COMING BECAUSE YOU GUYS NEED TO HAVE A STRICTER LAW WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES.
WE DON'T, EMPLOYEES DON'T GET OPTIONS WHEN WE DO SOMETHING WRONG.
BUT WHEN MANAGEMENT GETS SOMETHING, DO SOMETHING WRONG, Y'ALL.
I SLAP 'EM ON THE, GIVE 'EM A SLAP ON THE WRIST.
THEY GET AN OPTION TO RETIRE OR THEY GET TO KEEP THEY JOB AND CONTINUE TO WORK THERE.
I JUST WANNA KNOW LIKE HOW MANY TIMES I GOTTA KEEP COMING UP HERE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO, UM, ITEM NUMBER 11, REPORT FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION INTO THE RECORD.
CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.
CONTINUING THE BELMONT SHORE PARKING AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA ASSESSMENT LEVY FOR A PERIOD OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024, DISTRICT THREE.
SO THERE'S NO OATH REQUIRED FOR THIS.
SO I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO, UM, APRIL WALKER.
TONIGHT WE HAVE JULIAN SUNDA, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BUREAU MANAGER, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THANK YOU, UH, HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE BELMONT SHORE PARKING AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN 1983, ALLOWING FOR THE LEVY OF AN ANNUAL ASSESSMENT TO BE PAID BY BUSINESSES LOCATED IN THE DISTRICT.
THE CITY CONTRACT WITH THE BELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION TO MANAGE THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
AND THE ASSOCIATION'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS SERVES AS AN ADV ADVISORY BOARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON MATTERS RELATED TO THE DISTRICT STATE LAW GOVERNING THE DISTRICT REQUIRES AN ANNUAL REPORT BE SUBMITTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL BY, UM, BY ADVISORY BOARD.
IN OCTOBER, 2023, THE BUSINESS, UH, BELMONT BUSINESS ADVISORY BOARD VOTED TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE 20 23 20 24 ANNUAL REPORT EXHIBIT A TO THE RESOLUTION.
THIS REPORT DESCRIBES BOUNDARIES, PROPOSE ACTIVITIES, UH, BUDGETARY INFORMATION, AND THE METHOD AND BASIS FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE ASSESSMENT.
ANNUAL REPORT PROPOSES NO CHANGE TO DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, METHODS OF ASSESSMENT, AND NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO THE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES AS WELL.
STATE LAW ALSO REQUIRES THAT A PUBLIC MEETING BE HELD ON THE PROPOSED PROGRAM AND ASSESSMENT.
UM, FURTHERMORE, AT ITS JANUARY 9TH, 2024 MEETING, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A RESOLUTION GRANTING APPROVAL OF THE ANNUAL REPORT, DECLARING THE INTENTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO LEVY THE ASSESSMENT AND SET TODAY AS A DAY FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HERE AND CONSIDER ALL PROTESTS AGAINST THE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM PROGRAM, BOUNDARIES OF THE AREA, AND OR ANY BENEFIT ZONE AS PROPOSED IN THE ANNUAL REPORT.
THIS CONCLUDES MY STAFF REPORT.
OKAY, I'M GONNA, UH, GO AHEAD AND CALL ON, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THERE ARE FOUR SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM.
HEATHER KERN, IF YOU CAN COME TO THE PODIUM.
AND THEN KURT SCHNEIDER, BRIAN COCHRAN, AND JULIE DEAN.
I JUST WANNA TAKE A CHANCE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR BELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
I BROUGHT SOME BOARD MEMBERS WITH ME, AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE BID PROGRAM AND SUPPORTING THE BELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
HI, I AM KURT SCHNEIDER, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
I JUST WANTED TO REMIND ALL OF YOU, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN BELMONT SHORE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE LATELY.
A LOT HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST THREE TO FOUR YEARS.
OUR COMMUNITY IS BLOSSOMING, BLOSSOMING WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE RUIN OF SOCIETY, THE ECONOMIC ISSUES OF TODAY, INFLATION AND SO FORTH.
I SAY, FORGET ALL THOSE THINGS.
WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL RESTAURANTS.
WE HAVE A GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE.
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FRIENDLY.AND AS WE TALK LATER ABOUT PARKLETS, YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THOSE PARKLETS ARE WONDERFUL FOR DOGS.
IN ADDITION, WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY, HEATHER HAS BEEN WITH US NOW.
SHE'S GOING ON HER SECOND YEAR.
SHE'S DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
I GOTTA SAY THAT TWICE OUTSTANDING.
WE'VE BEEN DOING RIBBON CUTTINGS LEFT AND RIGHT.
UH, CHRISTINA, YOU'VE BEEN THERE FOR MORE THAN A FEW.
WE'VE HAD 400 PEOPLE SHOW UP SOMETIMES FOR AN OPENING OF A BUSINESS.
WE ARE NOW BRINGING IN BUSINESSES THAT WOULD ONLY GO TO THE BEST PLACES IN LA FROM VENICE TO MELROSE.
THEY ARE COMING TO BELMONT SHORE.
SHANNON IS, I AM, AND SO MANY OF THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE PART OF BELMONT SHORE.
SO I HOPE TODAY, UH, YOU PASS THIS AND ALSO UNDERSTAND WE ARE NOT SITTING BACK IN BELMONT SHORE.
WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THIS THE BEST IT'S EVER BEEN, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL.
THERE'S NO OTHER, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER, UH, CON THERE'S ONE MORE.
HELLO, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I AGREE THAT HEATHER KERN IS DOING A GREAT JOB IN, UH, BELMONT SHORE ON SECOND STREET.
SHE, THE, THE PROGRAMS THAT SHE'S BEEN RUNNING HAVE BEEN AMAZING.
UM, BUT I DO WANNA VOICE MY OPINION ON THE BELMONT SHORE PARKING AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA, UH, COMMISSION, AND THE FACT THAT THE SINGLE RESIDENT POSITION IS, UM, COVERED RIGHT NOW BY SOMEONE WHO YES, IS A RESIDENT, BUT THEY'RE ALSO A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNER, UM, WHICH DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT.
UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, YOUR PRIOR FELLOW COUNCILWOMAN SUSIE PRICE, UM, ELIMINATED A, UH, REQUIREMENT FOR THAT POSITION.
SO THE RESIDENT USED TO HAVE TO BE A PART OF THE BEL BELMONT SHORE RESIDENCE ASSOCIATION, AND THE BELMONT SHORE RESIDENT ASSOCIATION BOARD KIND OF HAD TO ALSO APPROVE IT.
AND SUSIE BROUGHT IT A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE SHE LEFT TO COUNCIL AND SAID TO YOU GUYS, UM, THAT IT WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING.
AND IT WASN'T JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING, IT WAS SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTED THE RESIDENTS.
AND THAT DOES NOT EXIST TODAY ON THE PARKING COMMISSION IN BELMONT SHORE.
UM, AND IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING TO ME.
SO I APPRECIATE IF YOU COULD JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AND MAYBE WE CAN CHANGE THAT SOON.
THIS CLOSES, UM, THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, TO ECHO JULIE SENTIMENTS AND SOME OF THE COMMUNITY THAT'S HERE TONIGHT, THE, UH, THE WORK DONE BY HEATHER KERN IS OUTSTANDING.
SHE'S ENGAGED WITH THE RESIDENTS IN HER AREA.
SHE HAS DONE OUTREACH ON A LEVEL THAT WAS NOT SEEN PREVIOUSLY IF YOU WERE TO BELIEVE KURT SCHNEIDER, HOWEVER, AND FOLLOW THE HYPE AND THE FANFARE AS HE TALKS ABOUT IT, IT'S ALL ABOUT HIM AND HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AND NOT ABOUT THE BUSINESSES HE REPRESENTS.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT HE'S, UH, OSTENSIBLY THERE TO SERVE.
UM, AS JULIE SAID, UNTIL THERE'S REPRESENTATION ON THE PARKING COMMISSION THAT'S MEANINGFULLY REFLECTIVE OF RESIDENT INPUT, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
THEY TAKE MONEY FROM THE PARKING METER, REVENUE FROM THE CUSTOMERS WHO COME THERE.
THEY PUT IT INTO THE COMMUNITY COFFERS.
THEY DON'T LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY IN ANY REGARD.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO PUT THOSE CAVEATS INTO THE RECORDS SO THAT YOU'RE AWARE WHEN YOU, UH, ADVISE TO CONTINUE THE FUNDING.
NOW THAT CONCLUDES, UH, CLOSES PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO I'M GONNA TAKE THIS BEHIND THE DIOCESE.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, ANY COMMENTS? OKAY.
I'M GONNA HAND THIS OVER TO COUNCILMAN DUGGAN.
I AM SO GLAD TO SEE A THRIVING BELMONT SHORE, AND SO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY THOSE VOLUNTEERS IN THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP BELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
UM, I AM GLAD TO SUPPORT AND ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION FOR THE BELMONT SHORE PARKING AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA.
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO SECOND STREET TO KEEP IT THRIVING BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THINGS THAT ARE KE THAT RESIDENTS WANT FOR QUALITY OF LIFE.
THEY WANT THEIR SIDEWALKS CLEAN.
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WANT THINGS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE.AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT IS DONE FOR THIS, UH, AREA ASSESSMENT AND KEEPING TRACK OF IT.
SO THANK YOU TO THE WORK YOU ALL ARE DOING AND, UM, FULLY SUPPORT.
I DO NOT SEE ANY OTHER, UH, UH, COMMENTS BEHIND, UH, THE DIOCESE.
SO THAT CONCLUDES, UM, COUNCIL DELIBERATION.
AND I DON'T WANT TO, UM, DISREGARD WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT REPRESENTATION ON THIS, UM, COMMISSION.
SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, I WILL TAKE THAT, I WILL TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND WE CAN RECONSIDER.
MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ITEM NUMBER 12, PLEASE REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION INTO THE RECORD.
CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND DETERMINE THE ISSUANCE OF A PARKLET PERMIT TO SUPPLY AND DEMAND BAR AT 2 5 0 0 EAST ANAHEIM STREET, DISTRICT TWO.
THIS ITEM DOES REQUIRE AN OATH.
SO WILL THOSE TESTIFYING IN THIS PLEASE STAND.
DO, DO YOU, AND EACH OF YOU SOLEMNLY STATE THAT THE TESTIMONY YOU MAY GIVE AND THE CAUSE NOW IMPENDING BEFORE THIS BODY SHALL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.
I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO ASSISTANT, UH, CITY MANAGER, APRIL WALKER.
FOR OUR STAFF PRESENTATION TONIGHT, WE HAVE A DIRECTOR, ERIC LOPEZ FROM PUBLIC WORKS, ALONGSIDE HIS PUBLIC WORKS TEAM, PA LEON, MANNY SALGADO, PAUL VAN D**E, AND VANESSA IBARRA WITH THE CITY MANAGER OR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
VICE MAYOR, MEMBER MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, SO THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO HEARINGS, UH, ON PARKLET, UH, PARKLETS.
THESE ARE THE FIRST HEARINGS SINCE THE CITY COUNCIL UPDATED THE MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND, UH, AN APPROVAL OF, OF THESE PARKLETS.
SO, UH, WE'RE GOOD TO GLAD TO BE HERE.
WE BROUGHT A WHOLE TEAM, UH, IN CASE, UH, THERE WAS, UH, ANY QUESTIONS.
AND, UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING INTO THE DETAIL.
SO, UH, THE FIRST PARKLET, UH, THAT WE HAVE SUPPLY AND DEMAND BAR, UH, IT'S LOCATED IN THE SAIA NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO, UH, THE PROPOSED, UH, PARKLET, UH, IMPACTS, UH, TWO PARKING SPACES.
UH, THE SPECIFIC ADDRESS IS 2,500 EAST ANAHEIM STREET, UH, HERE IN LONG BEACH.
AND THE HOURS OF OPERATION ARE THURSDAY TO SUNDAY, 7:00 PM TO TWO TO 2:00 AM AND YOU HAVE THE SERVICES LISTED THERE IN TERMS OF WHAT THE BUSINESS, UH, PROVIDES.
UM, UH, THERE, THERE WAS A TEMPORARY, UH, PARKLET PERMIT HERE.
UH, TEMPORARY PARKLET PERMITS ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM PERMANENT, UH, PARKING, UH, PERMITS.
AND WE'RE HERE TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, PERMANENT, UH, PARKLET, UH, PERMIT APPLICATION, UH, THAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED, REVIEWED AND, UH, AND DELIBERATED ON.
SO SUBMITTED, UH, THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION TO REQUEST, UH, IMPROVEMENTS, UH, FOR THEIR PARKLET.
UH, THE PARKLET WILL SERVE THE PUBLIC IN THE BUSINESS AS A NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERING SPACE.
THE PARKLET AREA WILL ALSO HOUSE, UH, TO BENCHES, UH, THAT WILL BE OPENED, UH, TO THE PUBLIC, UH, FOR USE.
UH, WE DO, UM, THE ALCOHOL AND BEVERAGE COMMISSION, UH, WE DO ANTICIPATE WILL ISSUE AN EXTENSION OF USE PERMIT TO ALLOW SUPPLY AND DEMAND TO SERVE ALCOHOL WITHIN THE PERMITTED SPACE.
IF THE C CITY COUNCIL WERE TO APPROVE THE PARKLET, UH, TO TODAY, UM, THE, UH, THE NOTICING REQUIREMENTS, UH, WERE CLARIFIED, UM, UH, A WHILE BACK.
UM, AND, UH, WE DID RECEIVE, UH, SOME LETTERS OF OPPOSITION, UH, THAT TRIGGERED, UH, THE, UH, THE, THIS HEARING.
UM, AND ONLY ONE LETTER OF OPPOSITION IS REQUIRED TO TRIGGER A HEARING UNDER THE NEW ESTABLISHED RULES.
UH, THERE WAS ALSO ONE PHONE PHONE CALL THAT WE GOT TO OPPOSE.
UM, WE DID ALSO THOUGH RECEIVE A PETITION, UM, THAT WITH 163 SIGNATURES, UH, THAT WAS SUBMITTED ON DECEMBER 1ST, 2022, UH, IN SUPPORT.
SO, UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE COMMUNICATED, UH, THIS, UH, TO, TO THE FULL COUNSEL.
UH, THE, UH, SOME OF THE, UH, OPPOSITION COMMENTS RELATED TO THE IMPACTS OF REMOVING TWO PARKING SPOTS.
UM, AND, UH, SOME OF THE IMPACTS DURING THE OPEN STREETS INITIATIVE PROGRAM WHEN THE TEMPORARY PARKLETS, UH, WAS, WAS AROUND.
UM, AND ANOTHER ONE JUST OPPOSED PERMANENT PARKLETS JUST IN GENERAL.
UM, SO, UM, HERE WE ARE, UH, WE DO HAVE OUR PERMANENT PARKLET, UH, PROGRAM THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL A FEW YEARS AGO.
SO WE'VE REVIEWED THE APPLICATION BASED ON ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS, UM, IN, IN OUR SIDEWALK, UM, UM, DINING AND PARKLET PROGRAM GUIDELINES.
UH, ALL THE REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.
THERE WAS NO OPPOSITION FROM OTHER DEPARTMENT,
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CITY DEPARTMENTS.UM, AND WE ARE HERE, UH, TO SEEK, UH, DIRECTION, UM, ON THE, ON THE APPLICATION TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, ERIC LOPEZ, UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND GO TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I SEE THAT WE HAVE SIX PEOPLE, UH, UM, SIGNED UP.
SO IF YOU COULD LINE UP IN THIS ORDER.
NUMBER ONE, KEVIN NORTON, JERMAINE GLENN PIKE, MARISSA PFEIFFER, SNE, AND LESLIE COLTER.
GOOD EVENING, VICE MAYOR ALLEN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I'M ONE OF THE OWNERS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
UH, MY WIFE AND I BOTH LIVE IN LONG BEACH.
WE'VE OPENED FOUR BUSINESSES IN LONG BEACH, INCLUDING LOLA'S, MEXICAN CUISINE, THE SOCIALIST SUPPLY AND DEMAND, UH, CONSULTING BUSINESS.
AND, UM, WHEN WE OPENED SUPPLY AND DEMAND, THERE WAS A NEED FOR, UH, WE THOUGHT THERE WAS A PRETTY GOOD DEMAND FOR ART, MUSIC, AND COMMUNITY IN THE ANAHEIM DISTRICT.
UM, WE CHOSE RIA 'CAUSE WE LIKE THE COMMUNITY.
WE LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE.
IT'S A VIBRANT PLACE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, IT JUST GOT AN ENERGY TO IT THAT WE REALLY LIKED, AND WE THOUGHT IT WORKED, WAS WORKED GOOD FOR OUR CONCEPT.
WE OPENED SEVEN MONTHS BEFORE THE COVID LOCKDOWNS.
UM, WE'VE OPERATED THROUGH PROBABLY THE FOURTH FOUR WORST YEARS IN THE HISTORY OF THE BAR BUSINESS SINCE PROHIBITION MAYBE.
UH, WE REINVENTED OURSELVES A BUNCH OF TIMES TO ADAPT TO WHAT WAS GOING ON.
WE'VE HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, ARTISTS FROM KOREA, WE'VE HAD DJS FROM, UH, ENGLAND.
WE'VE HAD BANDS FROM FRANCE, AS WELL AS A TON OF LOCAL LONG BEACH LA AND ORANGE COUNTY MUSICAL ARTISTS AND DJS TO PERFORM THERE.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR PATRONS LOVED WAS WHEN WE HAD THE PARKLET, WE HAD IT, AS YOU SEE, FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT THEN.
WE'VE HAD TO POST FOUR TIMES OVER THE, OUR MEETING KEPT GETTING MOVED.
SO I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO THE, MAYBE THE, EVERY, EVERY, UM, POSTING OR SO WE GET A COMPLAINT OR, OR ANOTHER.
BUT, UM, OUR NEIGHBORS, WE'VE BEEN AROUND, WE TALK TO 'EM, THERE'S 160 SIGNATURES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT BEFORE I GOT 500 MORE RIGHT HERE OF OUR CLOSE GOOD FRIENDS.
I COULD HAVE GOT 5,000, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I HAD TO STOP AT SOME POINT.
YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA WORK AND DO OTHER STUFF.
BUT, UM, WE'VE GOT A LETTER FROM ZACHARIA DISTRICT.
WE'VE GOT, UH, LETTER FROM SOME PROMOTERS.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FRIENDS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
IT, IT REALLY MEANS A LOT TO OUR BUSINESS.
WE'RE, UH, COMING OUT THE PANDEMIC AND WE'RE STILL IN THE STRUGGLE BUS A LITTLE BIT.
AND IT'LL REALLY GIVE US A BOOST.
AND PARKLETS ARE GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, SUPPORT OURS AS WELL AS THE ONE ON SECOND STREET, BECAUSE IT MAKES A VIBRANT WALKING AREA WHERE PEOPLE ARE OUT AND IT'S, IT'S GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ANYWAY, THAT'S, THAT'S MY COMMENTS.
UM, I'M A RESIDENT OF THE ZARIA DISTRICT AND JUST WANT TO APPLAUD KEVIN AND ERICA FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH THAT CORNER OF STANLEY AND ANAHEIM.
THAT PARTICULAR CORNER'S ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A SHADY SPOT, I GUESS YOU CAN SAY.
THEY'VE DEFINITELY BROUGHT SOME LIGHT TO THAT CORNER.
AND, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THE, OUR DOGS ALSO DESERVE A PARKLET TO HANG OUT IN AND OUR DISTRICT AS WELL.
SO, YES, WE OPENED UP SUPPLY AND DEMAND THINKING THAT WE WERE GONNA BRING A VIBRANT MUSIC, YOU KNOW, UH, ENTERTAINMENT CENTER TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN OPENING LOLA'S AND SOCIALIST, IF ANYBODY IS HERE, THAT WAS, UH, A, YOU KNOW, A MEMBER OR A, A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH PRIOR TO LOLA'S FOREST STREET WAS STRUGGLING FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND IT WAS REALLY LOLA'S AND THE PIKE THAT ANCHORED THAT SIDE OF, UH, OF FOURTH STREET WHEN WE OPENED IT.
IT WAS NOT A FANTASTIC NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, OR IT IS, IT WAS NOT AS VIBRANT AS IT IS TODAY.
UM, WE REALLY HOPE THAT, UH, SUPPLY AND DEMAND WAS GONNA DO THAT FOR THE ZARIA DISTRICT.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT I'M ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ZARIA DISTRICT.
SO, UM, MY, MY GOAL FOR OUR BUSINESS IS TO KEEP A THRIVING BUSINESS IN THAT AREA, TO INVITE OTHER BUSINESSES TO OPEN UP AND FEEL SAFE IN THAT AREA.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF TIMES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE THERE AND WE ARE A LIGHT FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF COME IN AND FEEL SAFE BECAUSE WE DO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, THE PARKLET WAS INSTRUMENTAL TO US STAYING ALIVE DURING COVID.
IT IS INSTRUMENTAL FOR US TO STAY ALIVE NOW.
UM, SINCE WE HAVE LOST THE PARKLET, WE'VE LOST 30% IN SALES, WHICH AS A STRUGGLING BUSINESS ALREADY, THAT IS NOT GOOD.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO KEEP US ALIVE.
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS, BECAUSE I
[00:25:01]
ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY, WHENEVER WE HAVE THE PARKLET, WE HAD PEOPLE OUT THERE AT LEAST POLICING OUR CORNER.UM, WE HOPE THAT YOU SUPPORT IT, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
I'M A, I'M A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT, UH, SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
I'VE BEEN, UH, TRAVELING THE WORLD FOR 27 YEARS, UH, TRAVELING ALL ACROSS THE WORLD, PLAYING MUSIC.
AND I FEEL LIKE I CAN VOUCH FOR THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE A SPECIAL, A REAL GEM OF A MUSIC VENUE HERE IN LONG BEACH.
I THINK OVER THE YEARS, WHEN I THINK ABOUT GREAT VENUES AND MUSIC SPACES, IT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY CENTERS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE ARRIVED AT, IS A COMMUNITY CENTER WHERE THEY BRING ALL KINDS OF FOLKS TOGETHER AND, UH, BUILD BRIDGES BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND HELP TO FOSTER NOT ONLY THE ARTS BUT COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S CRUCIAL IN THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN, IS BUILDING COMMUNITY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM CONTINUE TO BUILD THOSE BRIDGES AND IN THIS CASE, BUILD THAT PARKLET.
UM, MY NAME IS MARISSA PFEIFFER AND I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ZEPHYR BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, OR THE ZBA.
UM, SOME OF YOU ALREADY KNOW ME.
UM, I AM HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF ONE OF OUR BUSINESS MEMBERS, SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
UM, THE ZEPHYR BUSINESS ASSOCIATION WOULD LIKE TO VOCALIZE THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE OWNERS OF THIS BUSINESS, UM, AND WE FULLY SUPPORT LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR VENUE THROUGH THE INSTALLATION OF THE PERMANENT PARKLET.
THE ZEPHYR BUSINESS DISTRICT HAS A LONG, RICH HISTORY AS A DESTINATION FOR MUSIC ENTHUSIASTS AND ARTISTS WITH MUSIC VENUES, ARTIST GALLERIES, AND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT RUNNING UP AND DOWN THE CORRIDOR FROM ALEX'S BAR TO D PIAZZA'S TO THE LONG BEACH PLAYHOUSE.
AND SUPPLY AND DEMAND IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE VITALITY OF ZEPHYR.
ONE OF THE OWNERS, ERICA NORTON, WHO YOU JUST HEARD FROM, ALSO SERVES ON THE BOARD OF THE ZBA AND DONATES HER TIME AND EFFORTS TO IMPROVING THE BUSINESS DISTRICT.
UM, AND SHE ALSO OFFERS SUPPLY AND DEMAND AS A MEETING PLACE FOR OUR BOARD ME, UH, MONTHLY BOARD MEETINGS.
UH, WE FEEL THAT THE ADDITION OF THE PARKLET ON THAT BLOCK IS AN ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY.
IT ADDS EYES TO THE STREETS AND BRINGS LIFE TO THE OUTDOOR SPACE IT OCCUPIES.
STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT PARKLETS POSITIVELY IMPACT THEIR HYPER HYPERLOCAL COMMUNITIES.
UM, THEY BRING IN MORE FOOT TRAFFIC, NEW VISITORS, AND THEY CONTRIBUTE JUST TO A SENSE OF SAFETY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THEY'RE ALSO INCREDIBLY SOCIAL SPACES.
THEY BRING FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TOGETHER, AND THEY IMPROVE THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY EXIST IN.
SO I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR LETTING US TAKE THE TIME TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT THEY TAKE OUR WORDS INTO CONSIDERATION.
SAI UH, SAI CAN PHASE SIX, DISTRICT RESIDENT, UM, MR. SUPERAL, I, I ALWAYS FORGET, YOU KNOW, DUE TO THIS REDISTRICTING, UH, ENDEAVOR THAT WE DEALT WITH, THIS IS NO LONGER YOUR, UH, STOMPING GROUND.
THIS IS NOW A FIRM FIXTURE OF THE SECOND DISTRICT.
UM, BUT AS IT WAS FORMALLY THE FOURTH DISTRICT, YOU KNOW THAT THIS PARTICULAR STRIP OF ANAHEIM IS FILLED WITH A LOT OF LEGACY, UH, BUSINESSES IN THE AREA.
AND, UH, SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND, UH, THEIR PRESENCE, UH, IN THIS CORRIDOR IS BRINGING A, A NEW LIFE AND VITALITY TO THE AREA.
UM, IT'S BRINGING A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE INTO A PART OF THE ANAHEIM CORRIDOR THAT DIDN'T EXIST BEFORE.
UM, MY AUNT AND UNCLE OWN A, UH, UH, APARTMENT BUILDING ON 14TH AND STANLEY JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET, UH, BEHIND ANAHEIM.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, AS ONE OF THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS NOTED, IT, IT, IT'S AN, IT'S AN ACTIVE AREA IN, UH, WAYS THAT MAYBE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS WOULD NOT APPRECIATE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN, UH, ILLEGAL GROW HOUSES AND GAMBLING OPERATIONS JUST, UH, ACROSS THE STREET.
AND SO, UH, THE ABILITY OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND TO BE PRESENT HERE, UH, NOT JUST BRINGS NEW FACES AND FEET INTO THE SPACE, BUT IT ALSO IS POURING LIFE INTO A CORRIDOR THAT DESERVES THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTENTION.
AND SO, WITH RESPECT TO THE PARKLET, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HELP A SMALL BUSINESS THRIVE.
AND, UM, UH, AS MS. NORTON, UH, PREFACE WITH RESPECT TO HER EXPERIENCE WITH LOLA'S, IF WE CAN REPLICATE THE, UH, INVIGORATION REINVIGORATION OF THE FOURTH STREET CORRIDOR ON ANAHEIM CORRIDOR, I'M ALL FOR IT.
UH, I'VE TEND, I'VE NEVER BEEN TO JO JOS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A INSIDE JOKE WITH ME AND SUPERMAN.
BUT, UH,
[00:30:01]
BEEN TO SUPPLY AND DEMAND.AND SO, UH, THAT'S JUST MY CUP OF TEA.
AND, UM, MAYBE IN THE NEXT SUPER, UH, MAYBE, SORRY, SEE, MAYBE THE NEXT SUPER BOWL, UH, MAYBE THEY CAN SHOOT IT IN, UH, SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
SO I'M HERE IN FAVOR OF THE PARKLET.
HELLO, MY NAME'S LESLIE COULTER.
I'M ALSO A RESIDENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ECHO WHAT A LOT OF THESE, UH, PEOPLE BEFORE ME WERE SAYING ABOUT THE SAFETY ASPECT.
I WALK ALONE SOLO TO A LOT OF THE BARS AND RESTAURANTS IN THAT AREA, AND IT CAN AT TIME FEEL VERY SKETCHY.
UM, DURING COVID, WHEN THE PARKLETS CAME INTO EXISTENCE, UH, IT HELPED MY SAFETY, UH, A LOT BECAUSE HAVING PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT ON THE STREETS CONDUCTING BUSINESS, JUST BEING, LET'S JUST SAY, UM, THE NOT SKETCHY ELEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT ABLE TO BE AROUND WAS GREAT.
I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS, NOT ONLY FOR SUPPLY, BUT ALSO FOR THE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT REQUEST THEM REALLY CONSIDER SAYING YES.
GOOD EVENING COUNCIL AND ESTEEMED AUDIENCE, AND PEOPLE ARE WATCHING FROM AT HOME.
I JUST WANNA SPEAK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PUMPING SYSTEM.
UM, I STILL, I LIVE IN, LIVE IN NORTH FROM LONG BEACH, AND I'VE BEEN BRINGING UP THIS ISSUE FOR A WHILE, SO I JUST WANNA SAY, READ THIS REAL FAST.
ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO ACT ACCORDINGLY IN ACTING THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS' SAFETY OR PROTECTION.
SIR, IS THIS ON? IS THIS IT'S COMMENTS ON SUPPLY AND DEMAND? NO, I THOUGHT YOU CALLED MY NAME.
IF I SAID I HAD MY THING UNDER, UH, NON AGENDA.
I THINK HE MUST HAVE SLIPPED IT.
YEAH, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS ON SUPPLY AND DEMAND, SO WE'LL CALL YOU BACK ON THE NON AGENDA.
SHE CALLED MY NAME, THAT'S WHY I SPOKE.
HI, I'M, I'M LATE BECAUSE I WAS WORKING.
UM, MY NAME'S JOE OLIVAS AND I'M HERE TO HELP APPROVE THE PARKLET FOR SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALSO ON EIGHTH AND H APP, PERRO.
UM, I DON'T WANNA SEE ANYBODY GO OUT BUSINESS.
I WANT THINGS TO FLOURISH THERE.
I LIVE THERE AND WE LOVE SUPPLY AND DEMAND, AND THE PARKLET IS VERY HELPFUL.
LIKE THEY'RE SAYING JUST AS FAR AS EYES ON THE CORNER, UM, PEOPLE OUTSIDE AND THE BUSINESS DOING WELL, AND I WANNA SEE ALL THE BUSINESSES DO WELL.
I DON'T LIKE TO SEE THINGS GO OUTTA BUSINESS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND WE'LL TAKE THIS BACK, UM, BEHIND THE DAIS.
I WANNA FIRST OF ALL SAY, KEVIN, THANK YOU, UH, FOR COMING OUT.
AND, UH, I'M SORRY THAT THIS, UH, PROCESS TOOK SO LONG.
UM, BUT WE NEEDED TO GO THROUGH THIS.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK ERIC AND, AND ALL OF YOUR TEAM FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, SUPPLY AND DEMAND IS A FIXTURE IN THE ZARIA NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IT CONTRIBUTES, AS YOU HEARD, UM, TO OUR ARTS AND TO THE, OBVIOUSLY TO THE MUSICAL SCENE HERE IN, UM, IN LONG BEACH.
UM, YOU CAN ASK ANYONE, UM, PRETTY MUCH ANYONE WHO LIVES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY'VE BEEN TO, UH, SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
SO YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB, KEVIN.
UM, AND, AND I TELL YOU, IT BRINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MUSICIANS, ATTRACTIONS, AND VISITORS FROM ALL OVER, UM, TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, TO SEE, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE BUSINESS HAS, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TALKED, YOU HAVE RECEIVED SOME COMPLAINTS OVER THE SPAN OF YEARS, BUT, UM, I JUST WANNA REMIND PEOPLE THAT THIS IS A BAR AND IT IS LOCATED, UM, IN AN ENTERTAINMENT, UH, AREA.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESS, UM, THAT I I, THAT I'VE SEEN HAS RECEIVED OVER 163 SUPPORTERS, AND THEN KEVIN SUPPLIED ANOTHER 500.
SO OBVIOUSLY, UM, YOU'RE VERY SUPPORTED.
SO I DO WANNA THANK ALL THE RESIDENTS AND EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT TODAY, UM, TO SPEAK.
UM, I ALSO KNOW THAT THE OWNERS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND WILL COMPLY WITH ALL THE CONDITIONS LISTED AND, AND JUST MAKE EVERY EFFORT, YOU KNOW, TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TOO.
UM, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS PERMIT TONIGHT.
I WILL BE SUPPORTING, UM, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT YOUR BUSINESS.
AND, UM, I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE GREAT MUSIC AND DO GREAT BUSINESS THERE AT SUPPLY AND DEMAND, UM, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
SO I MAKE A MOTION TO CONCLUDE THE HEARING AND ISSUE THE PARKING PERMIT TO SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
SO, UM, NOW, UM, I'M GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO I, I, UM, NEXT, UH, COUNCIL PERSON TO SPEAK IS, UH, AL AUSTIN.
YES, THANK YOU, UH, VICE MAYOR.
I JUST WANNA, UM, LEND MY VOICE
[00:35:01]
OF SUPPORT AS WELL.UH, THIS BUSINESS HAS, YOU KNOW, I'VE ACTUALLY HAD THE, THE GOOD, GOOD PLEASURE TO, UM, TO KNOW ERICA AND KEVIN FOR, FOR MANY YEARS.
AND I'VE SEEN THEM STAND UP BUSINESSES.
UM, I'VE SEEN THEIR STRUGGLES WITH BUSINESSES, BUT I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, ALMOST 20 YEARS OR SO OF, OF EXPERIENCES, UH, REALLY, UH, MADE THEM INTO TO MODEL BUSINESS, UH, LEADERS IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THIS IS NOT IN MY DISTRICT, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I DO ON, ON OCCASION TRY TO GET AROUND TOWN AND HAVE A GOOD TIME.
AND, UH, SUPPLY AND DEMAND IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES THAT YOU CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THIS BUSINESS REPRESENTS A, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT CORRIDOR TO REALLY TURN THE CORNER.
UM, THIS, THERE'S THIS ONE AND A FEW OTHERS THAT I, I CAN THINK OF THAT ARE, THAT ARE THERE, THERE ARE BRIGHT LIGHTS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND IF ANY BUSINESS DESERVES A, A PARKLET AND, AND WE HAVE TO BE DISCRETIONARY AND, AND TAKE 'EM ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, OBVIOUSLY, BUT SUPPLY DEMAND IS ONE.
AND SO, UM, I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS.
NOW I'M GONNA PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME RIGHT.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, VICE MAYOR.
I, UM, AM IN SUPPORT OF, UH, SUPPLY DEMAND, HAVING A PARKLET.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE SAIA DISTRICT IS RIGHT NEXT TO, UH, THE MIDTOWN BUSINESS, UH, IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER AS A WHOLE QUARTER TO MAKE SURE WE'RE INCREASING ACTIVATION AND SUPPORT TO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, AND SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S REALLY HELPED, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTE TO, UH, ENSURING THAT WE ARE COMING OUT TO THAT QUARTER AND ENCOURAGING OTHER BUSINESSES TO ALSO, UM, UH, OPEN THEIR BUSINESS THERE.
AND SO THERE'S LOTS OF VISIONS AND I KNOW UPCOMING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE STREET.
AND I LOOK FORWARD IN WAYS THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, UH, ACTIVATING AND WORKING TOGETHER, UM, TOGETHER WITH VICE MAYOR AND THE RIA AND THE MIDTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
UM, THAT CONCLUDES, UH, THE COUNCIL COMMENTS.
MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
UH, VICE MAYOR, JUST QUICK CLARIFICATION.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE COUNCILWOMAN KERR IS SECONDING THE MOTION THAT YOU MADE ON THE FLOOR.
ARE YOU SECONDING THE MOTION THAT I MADE ON THE FLOOR? COUNCILMAN KERR? YES.
COUNCILWOMAN KERR? YES, SHE IS.
ALRIGHT, UH, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ITEM 13 IS A REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION INTO THE RECORD.
CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND DETERMINE THE ISSUANCE OF A PARKLET PERMIT TO LEGENDS SPORTS BAR AT 52 36 EAST SECOND STREET, DISTRICT THREE.
THERE IS ALSO AN OATH REQUIRED FOR THIS.
SO IF THOSE TESTIFYING IN THIS CAN RAISE YOUR HAND, DO YOU, AND EACH OF YOU SOLEMNLY STATE THAT THE TESTIMONY YOU MAY GIVE IN THE CAUSE NOW AND PENDING BEFORE THIS BODY SHALL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP YOU GOD.
ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA BE RECUSING MYSELF DUE TO THE LEVI ACT, AND I WILL BE TURNING THIS OVER TO COUNCILMAN AUSTIN.
I BELIEVE COUNCILWOMAN DUGGAN HAS A STATEMENT.
IN REGARDS TO THE LEVINE ACT, I RECEIVE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM, FROM MUTOSCOPE FILM LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF $550 WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS.
MATTHEW PETERSON IS AN AGENT OF MUTOSCOPE FILM, LLC AND SHORE RESTAURANT GROUP, LLCI RETURN THE AMOUNT LEGALLY MANDATED WITHIN THE REQUIRED TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCEEDING IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 8 4 3 0 8.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO, UH, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER TO, UH, TO KICK THIS ITEM OFF.
AND WE HAVE ERIC LOPEZ, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS BACK WITH HIS PUBLIC WORKS AND CITY ATTORNEY TEAM FOR THE PARKLET, UM, PERMIT APPLICATION, UH, FOR, UH, THIS ONE.
THIS ONE IS IN, UH, DISTRICT THREE IS FOR LEGENDS, RESTAURANTS AND SPORTS BAR.
UH, THE PROPOSED, UH, PARKLET WOULD IMPACT
[00:40:01]
TWO, UH, PARKING SPACES.THE ADDRESS, UH, OF THE PROPOSED, UH, PARKLET IS 52 36, UH, SECOND STREET.
UH, THE HOURS OF OPERATIONS ARE LISTED ON THE SLIDE, AND THEY'RE THE, UH, AS ARE THE SERVICES PROVIDED, UM, AT THIS ESTABLISHMENT IN, IN THE PARKLET.
UH, THE, UH, THIS, UH, THIS VENUE ALSO DID HOLD A TEMPORARY PARKLET, UH, DURING THE OPEN STREETS INITIATIVE.
UH, TODAY THOUGH WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE PERMANENT PARKLET AND THEIR APPLICATION.
UH, THE APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED, UH, TO REQUEST THE INSTALLATION OF THE PARKLET, UH, ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF SECOND STREET.
ADJACENT TO THEIR BUSINESS, THE PARKLET WAS SERVED THE PUBLIC IN THE BUSINESS AS A NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERING SPACE.
UH, THE PARKLET AREA IS, UH, INTENDED TO, IS DESIGNED TO HOUSE 32 SEATS, 12 TABLES WITH TWO TABLES DEDICATED TO A DA SITTING.
UH, ALSO SIMILAR TO THE LAST ONE, ALCOHOL AND BEVERAGE COMMISSION IS EXPECTED TO ISSUE AN EXTENSION OF USE PERMIT TO ALLOW LEGENDS TO SERVE ALCOHOL WITHIN THE PERMITTED SPACE.
IF CITY COUNCIL, UH, APPROVAL OF THE PARKLET WERE, WERE TO BE GRANTED.
UM, SO FOR, UH, FOR THIS, UH, APPLICATION, UH, WE DID RECEIVE, UH, 23 LETTERS OF OPPOSITION DURING THE 30 DAY PUBLIC NOTICE.
UH, SUB SUBSEQUENTLY, WE DID RECEIVE 26 LETTERS OF SUPPORT, UH, FOUR D UH, APPLICATION AFTER THE 30 DAY, UH, NOTICE, UH, THE, UH, COMMENTS ALONG THE COMMUNITY OPPOSITION, UH, WERE, UH, CENTERED AROUND, UM, THE PARKING IMPACTS, UM, UM, AND, AND THE POTENTIAL, UH, NEGATIVE, UH, UH, IMPACTS TO, TO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, IT IS, UH, HERE YOU SEE A COUPLE OF QUOTES, UH, FROM SOME OF THE COMMENTS, UH, THAT WERE RECEIVED.
UM, THE, UH, COMMUNITY SUPPORT YOU SEE, SOME OF THE QUOTES, UH, THAT WERE RECEIVED THAT WERE SUBMITTED.
UH, FOR THE RECORD, UH, AS PART OF THE SUPPORT, UM, I READ ONE OF THE OPPOSITIONS, SO I'LL READ ONE OF THE SUPPORT AS WELL, THAT BARCLAY REPRESENTS NOT JUST AN IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR LOCAL AREA, BUT A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND YOUTH INVOLVEMENT.
UM, SO, UH, HERE WE ARE, UH, AS WELL.
UH, THE APPLICANT MEETS ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN OUR, UH, SIDEWALK, UH, DINING AND PARKLET PROGRAM GUIDELINES, THE GUIDELINES, WHICH WERE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL A FEW YEARS AGO.
UH, AND WE ARE HERE BASED ON THE, UH, REVISIONS TO THE, UH, ORDINANCE, UM, TO, UH, SEEK, UH, EITHER, UH, APPROVAL OR DENIAL OF THE, UH, PERMIT APPLICATION.
UH, MY TEAM AND I ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
UM, MR. LOPEZ, UH, SO SEEING NO QUESTIONS BEHIND THE DAAS, I'D LIKE TO TAKE IT.
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU READ THE COMMENTERS? YES.
WE HAVE 23 INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'LL READ THE FIRST FIVE NAMES.
DAVID LINK, DAVID NEWELL, TIMOTHY MORIARTY, GLENNY HALBROOK, AND DAVID COPLEY.
IF YOU CAN PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM, DAVID LINK.
AND SO, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES, THE FIRST 10 SPEAKERS, SINCE WE HAVE 23 SPEAKERS, ARE WE TALKING IN 90 SECONDS? YES.
ONE AND A HALF MINUTES FOR THE FIRST, FOR THE SPEAKERS, SINCE WE HAVE OVER 10, ONE AND A HALF MINUTES EACH.
I AM A RESIDENT OF BELMONT SHORE.
UM, I'VE BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE PARKLETS, UM, UH, MAINLY BECAUSE I BELIEVE THEY CONTRIBUTE SO MUCH TO THE STREET LIFE OF SECOND STREET, WHICH WAS A JOY WHEN WE HAD THEM, UH, IN FULL OPERATION.
UM, WITH RESPECT TO THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION, UM, I HAD SOME TIME TO LOOK OVER THE COMMENTS.
UM, AND MOST OF THE OPPOSITION THAT I READ DOES SEEM TO, UH, BE CONCERNED WITH THINGS THAT, UM, THE ORDINANCE AND THE, UH, VARIOUS, UH, ANALYSES HAVE ALREADY ADDRESSED.
THE QUESTION IS GOING TO BE WHETHER THEY ARE ENFORCED, A DA TRAFFIC, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THOSE ARE CONSTANT PROBLEMS FOR, UH, UH, MODERN GOVERNMENT.
AND I DO APPRECIATE, UM, THE CONCERN, UM, ON THAT FRONT.
ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK THIS IS, UH, AN EXCELLENT, UH, PROGRAM.
LEGENDS IS A WONDERFUL, UH, UH, FIRST APPLICANT, UH, FIRST, SECOND STREET, AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT IT.
I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE LEGENDS APPLICATION, UH, FOR A PARKLET THERE.
LEGENDS IS SOMEWHAT OF A ICONIC, UH, NAME IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, IT'S ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR ESTABLISHMENTS.
THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 45 YEARS.
UH, IT, UH, A LOT OF VISITORS WHEN THEY COME TO TOWN, THEY WANT TO GO TO LEGENDS, AND IT'S, UH, BECAUSE OF IT HIGH POPULARITY.
[00:45:01]
AND THERE'S OTHER REASONS WHY I THINK, UM, UH, LEGENDS SHOULD, UH, GET THIS PARKLET AND OTHER PLACES TOO.UH, BELMONT SHORE IS A BEACH COMMUNITY, UH, VERY OUTDOORSY.
UH, PEOPLE LIKE TO BE OUT THERE.
UM, UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S MORE, IT'S HEALTHIER.
WE LEARN FROM THE COVID ERA THAT OUTDOOR DINING WAS HEALTHIER.
UH, MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN LONG BEACH, UH, HAVE THEIR DOGS.
THEY LIKE TO BRING THEIR DOGS WITH THEM.
UH, I HAVE A CAT, BUT I'LL PETT EVERYBODY ELSE'S DOG.
BUT IT, WE, IT'S, IT'S JUST AN AREA WHERE YOU HAVE THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND IT'S OUTDOORS.
UM, OTHER THINGS THAT, UH, I, I NO LONG, UH, BELMONT SHORES, UH, IT'S THE RESIDENTS AND THE BUSINESSES ARE INTERTWINED.
WE'RE ALL IN ALLEY, SEPARATES THE BUSINESSES FROM THE RESIDENCES, AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, DINING DOWN THERE.
WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF ON THAT SAME TEAM.
AND RECENTLY, MAYOR RICHARDSON CAME TO, UM, UH, BELMONT SHORE, UH, A RESIDENCE MEETING WE HAD, AND HE MENTIONED THE THREE TS, UH, TRADE TECHNOLOGY AND TOURISM.
WELL, TOURISM TOURISTS, WHEN THEY COME TO TOWN, THEY LIKE TO DINE OUT.
UH, IF YOU GO TO MANY EUROPEAN CITIES, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED OUTDOOR DINING IS POPULAR.
SIR, I SUPPORT THIS AND I HOPE YOU ALL DO TOO.
I'M REPRESENTING LEGENDS AND SHORE RESTAURANT GROUP AS A MANAGING MEMBER.
UH, FIRSTLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE CITY STAFF, UH, SPECIFICALLY LONG BEACH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, THE PLANNING BUREAU, AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PROFESSIONALISM THROUGHOUT THIS LENGTHY CAMPAIGN.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR, UH, A 40 MINUTES TIME THIS EVENING.
UH, I'D GO REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK THE MANY RESIDENTS THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROCESS, IN PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE WITH US AND, UH, WOULD LIKE TO SEE US AND US FILL OUR NEED FOR PARKLET OUT FRONT.
WE THINK IT'S A, A BIT OF A, UH, LEGEND WITHIN LONG BEACH, NO PUN INTENDED.
AND WE'D LIKE TO, UH, HOPEFULLY STAY THERE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
UH, WE DID APPLY WITH, UH, UH, UH, STANDARD PROCESS.
THERE SEEMED TO BE THREE MAIN OBJECTIONS, UH, A LAND GRAB, PARKING CONGESTION, AND OPERATIONAL HEADACHES.
ALL THREE WERE ADDRESSED IN THE, IN THE PROCESS.
WE WERE APPROVED ACROSS ALL, ALL THREE, THE TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, UH, SOLVE THE PARKING ISSUES.
WE ALSO WORKED WITH CONJUNCTION WITH A DA ACCESS TENDERNESS, ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES CAME UP WITH A LIST OF CONDITIONS THAT WE READILY AGREED TO AND THAT WE WILL ADHERE TO GOING FORWARD.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THOSE ISSUES HAVE ALSO BEEN ADDRESSED.
UH, AND TO ENCLOSURE, I JUST THINK IT'S A WIN-WIN WIN FOR EVERYBODY, A WIN FOR US IN TERMS OF, UH, HELPING OUR, OUR ENVIRONMENT, A WIN FOR THE CITY IN PROMOTING, UH, PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC AND A WIN FOR BELMONT SHORE IN GENERAL BY, UH, PROVIDING EXTRA LOCATIONS FOR VISITORS AND TOURISTS.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
UM, I OPPOSE FINAL APPROVAL AT THIS TIME FOR ANY PARKLET.
THIS IS NOT SPECIFICALLY FOR LEGENDS NECESSARILY.
THEY BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE INTO BELMONT SHORE AND, UM, I'M SURE A LOT OF REVENUE FOR THE CITY RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE CONSENSUS ON HOW MANY PARKING SPACES ARE REALLY AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW ON SECOND STREET AND WILL BE GOING FORWARD.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT PARKING SPACES FOR PATRONS OF LEGENDS AND ANY OTHER BUSINESS.
UNTIL WE GET THAT, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE APPROVING ANY PARKLET.
UM, THERE WAS A PAR A CURB STUDY DONE, UH, I THINK LAST SUMMER.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S YET CONSENSUS ON HOW MANY SPACES ARE AVAILABLE BASED ON THE STUDY.
WE ALSO HAVE A NEW LAW, A STATE LAW AB TWO 13, THE DAYLIGHTING ORDINANCE THAT COULD RESULT, UH, IN THE LOSS OF SOME ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACES FROM SECOND STREET, BECAUSE THERE WILL NEED TO BE SOME MORE RED CURBING, UM, PAINTED ALONG CERTAIN OF THE INTERSECTIONS.
SO FOR THAT REASON, THOSE REASONS, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HOLD OFF ON APPROVING SOMETHING WHEN WE REALLY DON'T KNOW THE TOTAL IMPACT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND IF YOU'VE EVER LOOKED FOR A PARKING SPACE IN BELMONT SHORE, YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE VERY, VERY PARKING IMPACTED.
SO PLEASE GIVE A THOUGHT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND LET'S DO A LITTLE BIT MORE STUDYING ON AVAILABLE PARKING SPACES.
[00:50:06]
MY NAME IS TIMOTHY MORIARTY.I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF BELMONT FOR 30 YEARS.
UM, AND I BELIEVE IN A POSITIVE SYNERGY BETWEEN THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OR THE BUSINESSES AND THE RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
I BOUGHT MY HOUSE IN 1992 FOR $380,000.
IT'S NOW 1.6, I THINK PO POSSIBLY.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS THE, UH, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT'S BEEN CREATED THERE IN BELMONT SHORE WITH THE SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES NOW IN REFERENCE TO, TO LEGENDS.
THE CITY PROVIDED THREE CRITERIA FOR THEM TO MEET TO, UH, TO GET THIS PARKLET.
THEY HAVE MET ALL THREE OF WHAT YOU PEOPLE WANT THEM TO DO.
THEY ARE A VERY POSITIVE AND TRANSPARENT, UM, BUSINESS OWNERSHIP.
AND I SUPPORT THEM CO UH, COMPLETELY BEFORE I GO IN REFERENCE TO THE OPPOSITION, THESE PEOPLE HOLDING UP THE SIGNS, I REFER TO THEM AS CAVE PEOPLE, CITIZENS AGAINST VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING.
AND, UM, I THINK WHO'S NEXT ON THE LIST IS PROBABLY THE GIRL SCOUTS.
LET'S GET RID OF THOSE TABLES.
AND THAT A ANNOYING PERSON IN FRONT OF RITE AID WHERE EVERY TIME I COME OUT, SHE WANTS MONEY, SHE BLOCKS THE SIDEWALK, AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
I COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY SUPPORT THE PARKLET AT LEGENDS.
THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS, ESTELLE TO HEDO, JEFF COZART, JULIE DEAN, HEATHER KERN, AND ROBIN PATTERSON.
IF YOU CAN LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.
HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I'M ESTELLA TE HEOR, A CAVE PERSON, YET A GIRL SCOUT.
I HAVE LIVED IN THE SHORE FOR 30 YEARS.
I HAVE A CUTE LITTLE HOUSE WITH NOT ENOUGH CLOSET SPACE, AND I WORKED VERY HARD TO PAY FOR THAT MORTGAGE THROUGHOUT VARIOUS WORK STRIKES AND THE PANDEMIC.
I'M NOW CLOSE TO RETIREMENT AND I CAN'T PARK NEAR MY HOUSE.
THE ADUS AND POPULAR AIRBNB ON MY STREET HAVE MADE ME PARK AT THE OTHER END OF THE BLOCK.
ONCE THE PARKLETS COME, I WON'T BE ABLE TO PARK ON MY STREET AT ALL.
THE TEMPORARY PARKLETS HAD LIMITED UTILIZATION.
THEY WERE USED MOSTLY ON WARM WEEKEND EVENINGS, BUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS GOING TO SUFFER THE LOSS OF THOSE SPOTS 24 HOURS A DAY EVERY DAY.
THE CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER HAS PROPOSED A CURB MANAGEMENT STUDY THAT WILL CREATE PERMANENT LOADING ZONES FOR DELIVERY TRUCKS ON SECOND STREET.
THIS STUDY ATTEMPTS TO SOLVE A SECONDARY PROBLEM WHILE EXACERBATING A MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM, WHICH IS LACK OF PARKING IN THIS POPULATION DENSE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS STUDY CALLS FOR 15 ADDITIONAL SPOTS TO BE TAKEN FROM SECOND STREET.
THE POPULARITY OF OUTDOOR DINING DOES NOT MAKE IT OKAY TO OPPOSE YEARS OF PARKING CODE.
IT IS UNETHICAL TO GIVE AWAY PUBLIC LAND TO A FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS.
AND IT'S RIDICULOUS TO DO SO IN A PARKING IMPACTED NEIGHBORHOOD.
PLEASE DO NOT GRANT THIS PERMIT.
IT IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE RESIDENT'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
I AM A BUSINESS OWNER ON SECOND STREET.
I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT TAKE ON THIS ISSUE THAN A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS DO.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY NOT COMPLETELY OPPOSED TO THE CON CONCEPT OF PARKLETS.
EAT THEIR REGULAR BASIS, LOVE THEIR WINGS, GOOD JOB.
UM, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT SUPPLY AND DEMAND PROBABLY WILL BE GETTING THEIRS.
UM, MY PROBLEM IS BEING A BUSINESS OWNER ON THAT SAME PARKING IMPACTED STREET IS I'M LOOKING AT PARKING SPACES FOR MY BUSINESSES GOING AWAY.
I UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE WANT TO EAT OUTSIDE.
I GET WHY PEOPLE WANT TO EXPAND THEIR, UH, RESTAURANTS.
YOU KNOW, YOU TURN MORE TABLES, MAKE MORE MONEY.
I WOULD DO THE SAME THING, BUT SOMEBODY HAS TO BE THE ADULT IN THE ROOM.
[00:55:01]
JUST TRYING TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF SOME OF THE OTHER BUSINESSES ON SECOND STREET.WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR 44 YEARS.
WE NEED PARKING TOO, AND LIKE TO BE THERE FOR ANOTHER 44.
NEXT SPEAKER IS JULIE DEAN, HEATHER KERN, AND ROBIN PATTERSON.
GOOD EVENING VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M JULIE DEAN, A 27 YEAR RESIDENT OF BELMONT SHORE AND PRESIDENT OF THE NEARLY 100-YEAR-OLD BELMONT SHORE RESIDENCE ASSOCIATION.
I REGULARLY ATTEND THE BELMONT SHORE PARKING COMMISSION AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION MEETINGS.
I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT MY COMMUNITY AND I LOVE SECOND STREET, AS DO MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS WHO ARE SIMPLY NOT AWARE PARKLETS ARE COMING BACK TO THE SHORE.
ALL OF US FELT STRONGLY THAT THE RESTAURANTS NEEDED THEM DURING 20, 20 AND 21.
HOWEVER, WE DO NOT WANT THEM LONG TERM.
AS I AND OTHERS TALK TO RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY'RE COMPLETELY THROWN OFF WHEN THEY REALIZE BUSINESSES ARE TRYING TO MAKE PAR, TRYING TO BRING PARKLETS BACK PERMANENTLY, AND THEY FEEL THEY ARE NOT BEING LISTENED TO.
THE PEOPLE FOR PARKLETS GENERALLY DON'T LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND JUST SAY, I LOVE EATING OUTSIDE AND DRINKING OUTSIDE.
WHILE THOSE OPPOSED HAVE DETAILED REASONS, PLURAL AS TO WHY WE NOW HAVE 700 PETITION SIGNATURES, WHICH WE SHOWED TO THE COUNCIL, TO OUR COUNCILWOMAN FROM DISTRICT THREE, FROM PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR AND ARE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY PARKLETS.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE SENT IN EMAILS.
A GOOD NUMBER OF FOLKS ATTENDED THE VERY FIRST DISTRICT THREE TOWN HALL TWO WEEKS AGO.
SOME SPOKE UP AND DOZENS CHEERED IN OPPOSITION TO PARKLETS IN BELMONT SHORE.
SORRY, WHAT WAS THAT SECOND TIME? SORRY.
UM, MY NAME IS HEATHER KERN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE HAVE 260 MEMBERS OF OUR ASSOCIATION, AND I'VE ONLY HEARD FROM THREE MEMBERS THAT HAVE VOCALIZED OPPOSITION TO THE PARKLETS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT OUR MEMBERS SHOULD BE GIVEN THE SAME PO UM, POSSIBILITIES.
IT'S ALL THESE OTHER BUSINESSES, SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
I PERSONALLY HAVE ENJOYED THE PARKLETS ON FOURTH STREET.
THAT'S FIVE PARKLETS WITHIN A THREE BLOCK ZONE THAT IS ADJACENT TO THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED NEIGHBORHOOD AND MOST PARKING IMPACTED NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY.
AND IF THEY CAN HAVE FIVE, I DON'T SEE HOW IT'S FAIR.
THE BELMONT SHORE COULDN'T HAVE THEM TOO.
WHILE THE NEXT SPEAKER'S COMING UP, UH, MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU CALL THE NEXT FIVE AFTER MR. PATTERSON, GEORGE G. ROSS TURNER, MICHELLE SIMON, KURT SCHNEIDER, NIKKI, CLAIRE, IF YOU CAN LINE UP.
CAN I GO? OKAY, PLEASE PROCEED.
I'VE BEEN A, A RESIDENT OF THE SHORE FOR 30 YEARS.
UM, I DID HAVE A THREE MINUTE SPEECH HERE, BUT IT'S BEEN CUT DOWN TO A MINUTE AND A HALF.
AND A LOT OF THE PRIOR PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS GONNA HIGHLIGHT.
SO I'M JUST GONNA SAY TWO THINGS.
UH, SECOND STREET IS UNIQUE BECAUSE IT IS BASICALLY A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE.
IT'S AN EXTENSION OF OCEAN BOULEVARD TRAFFIC COMING DOWN, HEADING TOWARDS PCH.
SO IT'S NOT JUST THIS UNUSED SLOW BUSINESS RESTAURANT DISTRICT.
IT, UM, HAS A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND, AND THEN IT HAS A VERY HIGHLY IMPACTED PARKING SITUATION.
AND I, AND I JUST THINK THAT, THAT WE NEED TO SOLVE THE PARKING PROBLEM FIRST BEFORE WE START TAKING SPOTS AWAY.
AND, AND WHETHER THAT'S BUILDING A PARKING STRUCTURE, DOING PERMIT PARKING FOR RESIDENTS, WHICH SOME PEOPLE WANT, SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT, BUT TO START TAKING TWO SPOTS TODAY, TWO SPOTS TOMORROW, AND THEN ULTIMATELY 20 OR 30, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE OTHER RESTAURANTS COMING IN THAT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THOSE SPOTS AND THERE WILL PROBABLY BE A MORATORIUM WHERE YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO OFFER THEM.
AND SO I'M, I JUST DON'T SEE THE FAIRNESS AND THE BALANCE IN THAT.
SO I, I JUST THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT.
THERE'S ANOTHER INTERESTING THING.
UH, THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL FOR HEARING THIS MATTER OUT TODAY.
JUST TO ADDRESS, UM, THE PARKING STUDY THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED
[01:00:01]
JUST ISN'T, IT WAS A PROPOSAL THAT ERIC LOPEZ CAN SUBSTANTIATE VERSUS THE INNUENDO YOU'VE BEEN HEARING FROM SOME OF THE, UH, BELMONT SHORE RESIDENTS, UH, ASSOCIATION.IT'S A VERY SMALL GROUP VERSUS THE FRIENDS OF BELMONT SHORE SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER.
UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA LOSE, WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT 15 LOADING ZONES ON SECOND STREET.
WHEN LEGENDS BURNED DOWN, IT ROSE AGAIN.
BECAUSE LEGENDS IS AN INSTITUTION WHERE FRIENDSHIPS ARE CREATED, MEMORIES ARE MADE, LEGENDS FILLS A NEED.
AND OUR COMMUNITY IS BETTER BY HAVING LEGENDS AS A HUB OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THE ADDITION OF THE PROPOSED PARKLET WILL INCREASE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, ESPECIALLY DUE TO LEGENDS COMMITMENT TO BELMONT SHORE.
WHY SHOULD WE ALLOW A PARKLET PROMOTING OUTDOOR DINING? IT'S GREAT WEATHER, A GREAT WAY FOR YOU TO MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS.
IT BRINGS ENERGY AND VITALITY TO THE STREET.
IT'S A WONDERFUL EXISTENCE FOR US.
AND BY THE WAY, IT'S DOG FRIENDLY.
THEY'RE AS CLOSE TO BEING A SON AS I'M EVER GONNA HAVE.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, WHEN I GO OUT AND I WANNA WATCH A GAME, I WANNA TAKE MY SON.
ALRIGHT, SOUNDS STRANGE, BUT THEY TALK ABOUT ALL THESE GROUPS GONNA COME TO TOWN AND DO MORE PARKLETS.
IT'S OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO DO IT.
I SPENT 10,000 UP FRONT AND I DECIDED NOT TO DO IT FOR, FOR NICK'S AS WELL AS OUR SUSHI PLACE.
IT'S JUST NOT SO YOUR TIME FOR EVERYBODY.
PLEASE VOTE AND SUPPORT AND YOU'LL BE ENJOYING A BEER WITH ME OUT THERE.
I'M A RESIDENT OF BELMONT SHORE.
I'M, UH, SPEAKING OUT, UH, IN OPPOSITION, UH, TO THE PARKLETS.
UH, WHEN I BOUGHT MY HOME IN BELMONT SHORE, JUST OFF SECOND STREET LAST YEAR, I HAD TO SIGN A PIECE OF PAPER, UH, FROM THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TELLING ME, HEY, DON'T THINK ABOUT TEARING DOWN YOUR TWO CAR GARAGE BECAUSE THIS IS A PARKING IMPACTED ZONE YOU LIVE IN NOW.
AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AND I SAID, WELL, I GUESS THAT MAKES SENSE.
IF I TEAR DOWN MY GARAGE AND I, THAT MEANS I HAVE TO PARK ON THE STREET AND I'M IMPACTING PARKING THEN FOR PEOPLE WHO WANNA SHOP ON SECOND STREET OR PEOPLE WHO WANNA VISIT THEIR FRIENDS ON UH, WHO WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I FELT LIKE, WELL, SHOOT, I WILL, I WILL BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
I'LL SIGN THIS PIECE OF PAPER.
I'LL BUY THAT DARN HOUSE EVEN THOUGH THE PARKING'S IMPACTED BECAUSE THAT RULE APPLIES TO EVERYBODY.
WE'RE ALL GOING TO SAVE PARKING IN BELMONT SHORE.
SO IT'S ODD TO ME THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, TAKING AWAY PARKING THAT APPARENTLY IS SO DEAR IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
MY NAME IS MICHELLE SIMON AND I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF BELMONT SHORE.
I LIVE JUST A COUPLE OF HOUSES IN FROM SECOND STREET.
AND UM, I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE PROBABLY THE BIGGEST FANS AND PARTICIPANTS, CUSTOMERS OF THE INCREDIBLE SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS AND BARS ON SECOND STREET, RIGHT? WE LIVE RIGHT THERE.
AND YET WE ARE NOT REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, RIGHT? NOBODY IS AGAINST LEGENDS.
WE ALL LOVE OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
IT'S JUST THAT THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER.
WE'VE HEARD SOME OF THEM HERE.
I WANNA RAISE THE UNFAIRNESS ISSUE.
TO ME IT MAKES NO SENSE FOR THE GIVEAWAY OF PUBLIC LAND TO A SMALL SUBSET OF BUSINESSES ON SECOND STREET.
SO YOU HAVE RETAILERS, YOU HAVE A MASSAGE PLACE.
WHY SHOULDN'T THE MASSAGE PLACE DO MASSAGE IN THE LOVELY OUTDOORS? RIGHT? I MEAN, I JUST FEEL LIKE WHY ARE WE, YOU KNOW, SINGLING OUT BARS AND RESTAURANTS FOR THIS SPECIAL PRIVILEGE OF PUBLIC PROPERTY? THE OTHER ISSUE AROUND PARKING, I FEEL LIKE WE DON'T, I THINK ABOUT IT ENOUGH, IS THE WORKERS.
SO ON OUR BLOCK, WE'RE RIGHT NEAR RESTAURANTS, AND SO WE SEE THE WORKERS ACTUALLY DONING THEIR, YOU KNOW, WE STAFF CLOTHING FOR THEIR SHIFT.
AND I ALWAYS, I'M ALWAYS VERY AWARE OF THAT.
THANKFULLY WE HAVE OFF STREET PARKING, BUT I'M ALWAYS AWARE IF WE HAVE VISITORS, OH GOSH, DON'T TAKE A PARKING SPOT AWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, A WORKER WHO DOESN'T WANNA WALK, YOU KNOW, THREE, FOUR BLOCKS TO GET TO THEIR SHIFT.
SO I JUST REALLY WANT US TO TAKE A BROADER VIEW OF THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, THE BROADER IMPACT OF THESE PARKLETS BEFORE MAKING A DECISION.
AND BEFORE THE NEXT SPEAKER BEGINS, CAN I GET THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS TO LINE UP? TRAVIS GUNN, ENKA NORTON, BRIAN COCHRAN, CARRIE JABAL HAS, AND CHRIS
[01:05:01]
GROUCH.SORRY IF I MISPRONOUNCE YOUR NAMES.
BRIAN, CARRIE AND CHRIS, IF YOU CAN LINE UP.
UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, COUNSEL.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, HEARING US OUT TONIGHT.
I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE PARKLETS.
I'VE BEEN IN THE SHORE FOR 42 YEARS, AND I'M A BUSINESS OWNER IN THE SHORE AND HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST 18 YEARS.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE BIGGEST REASON WE STAYED ALIVE WAS BECAUSE OF THOSE PARKLETS, BUT THEY SHOWED US SOMETHING THAT WE WERE MISSING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT SHOWED US THAT, THAT EUROPEAN VIBE, THAT BEACHFRONT COMMUNITY THAT GIVES US THE SPACE, THE OUTDOOR SPACE.
WE DON'T NORMALLY HAVE PEOPLE WALK BY ALL THE TIME, AND WHEN THEY SEE THEIR FRIENDS, THEY STOP AND SAY HELLO AND THEY CHAT.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE MISSING IN OUR CITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PET FRIENDLY PEOPLE.
PEOPLE ARE WALKING THEIR DOGS ALL DAY LONG.
ON SECOND STREET, I HAVE TWO SMALL PATIOS WITH TWO, TWO TOPS ON EACH SIDE.
BUT I LOSE ONE TABLE BECAUSE SOMEBODY CAN'T SIT AT THE OTHER TABLE.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHEN WE HAD THOSE PARKLETS, EVERYBODY SAT OUT.
PEOPLE COULD BRING THEIR DOGS.
UH, NOW I HAVE PEOPLE SAYING I'LL HAVE TO COME BY NEXT TIME WHEN I DON'T HAVE MY DOG.
SO WE'RE LOSING A LOT OF MONEY.
I AS WELL AS, UM, THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND HAVE GONE DOWN 30% WITHOUT THE PARKLETS.
IT'S REALLY AFFECTING OUR BUSINESS.
WE ALSO, I UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY ABOUT PARKING.
I AM A WORKING BUSINESS OWNER.
I GO TO WORK MORNING AND NIGHT IN THE SHORE, AND I FIND PARKING ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE UBER, WE HAVE LYFT, WE HAVE THE CIRCUIT, WHICH IS WONDERFUL THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE USING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE MORE ADVANTAGE OF.
AND I'M OUT OF TIME, BUT I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.
GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS TONIGHT.
IN REGARD TO THIS APPLICATION, I ASK YOU TO CONTEMPLATE ONE WORD IF, IF THE RETAIL RUS RETAIL RESCUE NECESSITATED BY COVID HADN'T OPENED THE DOOR TO PARKLETS AND BARS AND RESTAURANTS, SEEING BIG BUCKS IN FREE LAND FOR PARKLETS, WOULD LEGENDS BE HERE TONIGHT? IF FORMER MAYOR GARCIA'S VISION OF PARKLETS AND GENUINE COMMUNITY SPACES IN 2018 HAD BEEN REAL, WHY AREN'T THERE MORE OF THOSE USES AND NOT JUST ENDLESS GIVEAWAYS TO BARS AND RESTAURANTS? IF THE PARK, THE CITY HAD UNDERTAKEN A MEANINGFUL SURVEY ABOUT PARKLETS WITH FULL ENGAGEMENT FROM RESIDENTS, WOULD PUBLIC WORKS HAVE HAD THE RATIONALIZATION TO CLAIM THE COMMUNITY IS PRO PARKLETS BACK IN 2020? IF CITY ENFORCEMENT DID PROACTIVE INSPECTIONS, WOULD RESIDENTS FEEL A LITTLE LESS ANXIOUS ABOUT ANOTHER GIVEAWAY? ANOTHER GIVEAWAY TO BUSINESSES THAT ALREADY HAVE SIDEWALK DINING, IF IT ENFORCED EXISTING RULES, WOULD THERE BE SO MANY REASONS FOR RESIDENTS TO WORRY IF CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL HAD ANY TEETH IN THEM WHATSOEVER? WOULD NEIGHBORS BE SENDING DOZENS OF EMAILS AND SIGNING PETITIONS BY THE HUNDREDS? IF OUR FORMER COUNCILWOMAN HADN'T ACTIVELY CONVEYED THE IMPRESSION THAT ALL THE PARKLETS ON SECOND STREET WOULD BE GOING AWAY AND THE PERMANENT PARKLETS WOULDN'T BE A THING, WOULD ALL OF US BE HERE TONIGHT MISLED AND ANGRY? IF THIS PROCESS WERE FAIR TONIGHT, WOULD THE RESIDENT APPELLANTS BE ALLOWED TO MAKE A FULL PRESENTATION? AND IF, IF LEGENDS ACTUALLY CARED ABOUT ITS NEIGHBORS, INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING, WE CARE PLATITUDES AND ALL THE OTHER BUSINESSES AS WELL, WOULDN'T THEY HAVE WITHDRAWN THEIR APPLICATION AND ALTOGETHER AND CARED ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY? THANK YOU, SIR.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOUR DISTRICT, YOUR COMMUNITY WERE AFFECTED BY THIS, WOULD YOU BE HAPPY? WOULD YOU BE VOTING THIS WAY? THANK YOU, CARRIE.
AND THEN AFTER IT'S GABLE HOUSE, AND IT'S OKAY.
WELL, I JUST FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE I LIVE ON COVINO, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE THE LEGEND STREET.
AND I DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF A CAVE PERSON.
I GO TO ALL THE BARS AND RESTAURANTS ON SECOND STREET, AND I LOVE IT.
BUT WHAT I DON'T LOVE IS WHEN I CAN'T PARK WITHIN THREE TO FOUR BLOCKS OF MY HOUSE, BECAUSE EVERYONE IN THEIR JERSEYS PARK AT OUR HOUSE AT A CERTAIN TIME AND ARE THERE FOR EIGHT TO 10 HOURS.
WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING FROM CLEAN VOMIT OUT OF OUR TREES TO HELP PEOPLE TO THEIR CARS, TO TAKE PEOPLE'S CAR KEYS AWAY.
AND THAT'S NOT ALL THE TIME, BUT IT IS SOME OF THE TIME.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT MAKES PEOPLE UPSET, BUT IT IS A REALITY.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO ECHO WHAT I THINK.
UM, THE GENTLEMAN WHO OWNS THE YOU OWN THE WORKOUT PLACE SAID IT'S NOT THAT IT'S
[01:10:01]
A NO FOREVER, AND IT'S NOTHING AGAINST LEGENDS IN PARTICULAR BY ANY MEANS.I JUST THINK IF WE WERE GOING TO DO THIS, WE SHOULD TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THE PARKING AND HOW IT IMPACTS THE SIDE STREETS, THE RESIDENTIAL STREETS, AND LET'S COME UP WITH A REAL SOLUTION SO THAT IF WE DO WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, IT'S DONE IN A WAY WHERE EVERYONE FEELS MORE COMFORTABLE.
THERE'S A LITTLE GIVE ON EACH SIDE, AND IT JUST MAKES IT MORE OF A REAL COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYBODY FEELS LIKE MAYBE THEY DIDN'T GET EVERYTHING, BUT THEY AT LEAST GOT SOMETHING.
AND THEN FOLLOWING CHRIS IS JEFF MILLER.
GREG COSTELLO, MELINDA COTTON.
I AM A HOMEOWNER ON COVINA IN BELMONT SHORE.
UM, AS I'VE SAT HERE TONIGHT AND LISTENED TO ARGUMENTS, I'VE WARMED UP A LITTLE BIT TO THE ARGUMENT OF THE OTHER SIDE.
UH, I AM AGAINST THE PARKLETS AND I'M STILL TODAY SPEAKING ABOUT IT.
UM, I UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THEIR SIDE AND APPRECIATE IT.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, I'VE ALSO HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT WE NEED TO TABLE THIS AND HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF BETTER PLANNING IMPLEMENTED BEFORE WE GO FORWARD THIS.
I THINK THAT IS THE WISEST CONCLUSION.
'CAUSE ONCE WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IT'S PERMANENT.
UM, PARKING ON MY STREET COVIN IS, IS IS DIFFICULT.
IF YOU REMOVE EVEN TWO PARKING SPACES FOR ONE THING, IT WILL BECOME MORE DIFFICULT.
I HAVEN'T HEARD SOLUTIONS FOR US.
UH, SECONDLY, I I CAN OFFER A VERY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AS I AM A RESTAURANT OWNER TOO.
I HAVE A PARKLET IN FRONT OF MY BUSINESS THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP.
UM, THE THING THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD ADDRESSED IS HOW ARE WE GONNA MAINTAIN LONG TERM AND KEEP THESE CLEAN LONG TERM? AND HOW ARE WE GONNA, UH, KEEP THESE BUSINESSES ACCOUNTABLE LONG TERM FOR KEEPING THESE CLEAN? BECAUSE AS SOMEONE WHO HAS ONE STILL, I CAN TELL YOU IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET YOUR STAFF, YOUR SERVERS, TO MAINTAIN CLEAN AND KEEP THESE GOING LONG TERM.
THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR CLEANLINESS AND HOW THESE WILL BE MAINTAINED LONG TERM TO ADD THE GREAT COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL AGREE WE WANT.
JUST GONNA MAKE SOME GOOD POINTS.
GREG COSTELLO, MELINDA COTTON.
THIS REQUEST BY LEGENDS SPORTS BAR FOR A PERMANENT PARKLET SHOULD BE DENIED.
PERMITTING OF PARKLETS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC ISSUE AND IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT A ONE-OFF ISSUE.
SECOND STREET IS NOT AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT TO BE MANAGED IN ISOLATION.
ANY ISSUES AFFECTING THE SHORE MUST INCLUDE AND CONSIDER THE INPUT AND THE NEEDS OF THE 8,000 RESIDENTS OF BELMONT SHORE, A DECISION ABOUT PARKLETS MUST NOT CATER ONLY TO THE DOZEN OR SO RESTAURANTS THAT WOULD BE PROFITING FROM A GIFT OF PUBLIC SPACE TO INCREASE THEIR REVENUE.
PARKLETS WOULD INCONVENIENCE EVERYONE EXCEPT THOSE FEW BUSINESSES, WHICH HOPE TO PROFIT FROM IT.
WHILE PARKLETS MAY BE APPROPRIATE IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY, BELMONT SHORE IS NOT ONE OF THEM.
THE SHORE IS SIMPLY TOO CROWDED AND TOO PARKING IMPACTED.
PLEASE REFERENCE THE MANY COMMENTS IN YOUR PACKET FROM CONCERNED RESIDENTS IN BELMONT SHORE, EACH OF WHICH STATE SPECIFIC MEANINGFUL REASONS WHY THIS AND ANY PARKLETS SHOULD BE PROHIBITED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
CONTRAST THIS WITH THE COMMENTS TO SUPPORT THE PARKLETS, WHICH ARE FROM PATRONS AND EMPLOYEES OF LEGENDS, WHICH MOSTLY STATE NOTHING MORE THAN I SUPPORT THIS PARKLET.
THESE ONE SENTENCE STATEMENTS DO NOT BEAR CONSIDERATION.
PLEASE VOTE TO DENY THIS REQUEST.
HELLO, MY NAME IS GREG COSTELLO.
THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT PARKING IN, UH, BELMONT SHORE THAT I'VE HEARD TONIGHT ARE GROSSLY EXAGGERATED.
THEY, WE LIVE IN A BEACH TOWN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
IN ANY BEACH TOWN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THERE ARE GOING TO BE INCONVENIENCES WITH PARKING.
YOU LIVE IN A BEACH TOWN, YOU'RE GONNA BE INCONVENIENCE NOW AND THEN WITH PARKING.
I'VE LIVED HERE THREE TIMES IN MY LIFE, ONCE WHEN I WAS YOUNG, ONCE WHEN I WAS MEDIUM,
[01:15:01]
AND ONCE WHEN I'M, WHATEVER I AM NOW,AND I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT LONG BEACH IS GOING THROUGH A RENAISSANCE RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT IS NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THESE GREAT BUSINESS OWNERS, LIKE THE OWNERS OF LEGENDS IN GEORGIA'S WHO ARE GREAT CITIZENS, GREAT BUSINESS OPERATORS.
WE NEED TO EMBRACE THEM AND NOT STOP THE WHEELS OF PROGRESS.
IT'S NEVER BEEN THIS GOOD HERE.
AND IT'S A COOPERATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS AND THE CITIZENS.
THE CITIZENS ACTUALLY OPEN THE BUSINESSES.
THE BUSINESSES PAY MONEY TO THE GOVERNMENT TO HAVE THE PARKLETS.
THE GOVERNMENT GIVES THAT MONEY BACK TO THE CITIZENS IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES.
IT GOES ROUND AND ROUND LIKE THAT.
FINAL SPEAKER, MELINDA COTTON.
I'VE LIVED HALF A BLOCK FROM SECOND STREET ON PARK AVENUE SINCE 1983.
AND, UH, THE REASON THAT THE TRAFFIC ENGINEER HAD TO DO A CURB MANAGEMENT STUDY, IT'S BECAUSE THE HUGE DELIVERY TRUCKS THAT DELIVER BEER AND FOOD TRUCKS TO ALL OF THESE RESTAURANTS TAKE OVER THE PARK, THE, THE PARKING SPACES FOR THE BUSES THEY TAKE OVER AND BLOCK THE BUS STOP REGULARLY.
AND THAT WAS THE REASON THAT WE HAD TO HAVE, AND THAT HE DID THE STUDY.
WE NEED A PLACE FOR THOSE, UH, UH, HUGE TRUCKS TO PARK RIGHT NOW IN THE EARLY PART OF THE DAY.
THE TRUCKS CAN PARK IN FRONT OF LEGENDS.
AND AT THAT TIME OF DAY, EARLY IN THE DAY, THERE ARE NO VEHICLES PARKED THERE EITHER.
SO ONCE YOU START PUTTING IN PARKLETS, YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE AWAY PARKING, NOT ONLY FOR RETAIL PEOPLE AND OTHERS WHO ARE COMING TO WORK OR GOING TO BUSINESSES.
THERE, YOU'RE GOING TO, AGAIN, FOR MORE OF THESE TRUCKS TO THINK, I HAVE NO PLACE TO PARK.
UH, ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN HERE TONIGHT SAID THAT THERE WAS ONE OF THESE HUGE TRUCKS, THEY PARK IN THE LANE ON SECOND STREET BLOCKING TRAFFIC.
THEY LOWER THEIR RAMPS AND DELIVER.
UH, SO THESE ARE VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS. WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE BUSES AND ENCOURAGE PUBLIC TRANSIT.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'LL TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL FOR COUNCIL DELIBERATIONS.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, THE MAKER OF THE MOTION.
I WANNA THANK, UH, STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, PUBLIC WORKS, OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEERING, UH, EVERYONE WHO'S, UM, WORKED ON THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
AND I ALSO WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTS AND OPPOSES THIS AS RESIDENTS WHO'VE COME TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I'VE HAD A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
THIS IS THE WAY WE COME TO A DECISION.
SO PARKLETS AREN'T NEW TO LONG BEACH.
UH, THE CITY HAS HAD A PROGRAM FOR BUSINESSES TO, UM, HAVE PARKLETS FOR YEARS SINCE 2018.
BUT IT REALLY EMERGED AS A POSITIVE CONCEPT.
WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT BRICK AND MORTAR BUSINESSES WERE STRUGGLING, PEOPLE WERE FORCED OUTSIDE, THAT'S WHERE THEY WANTED TO EAT.
UM, THE PANDEMIC BROUGHT ON CHALLENGES, BUT IT ALSO REVEALED A LOT OF THINGS.
AND ONE OF THEM IS THE NEED FOR PEOPLE TO SEE OTHERS AND TO BE SEEN, AS WELL AS HOW IMPORTANT OUTDOOR SPACE IS FOR PEOPLE TO BE IN.
THE PANDEMIC LINGERED FAR LONGER THAN WE ALL EXPECTED.
AND THE TEMPORARY PARKLETS BECAME, THEY WERE NECESSARY, BUT THEY WERE THROWN UP WITH GLUE AND PLYWOOD, AND THEY BECAME DIFFICULT.
UM, THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF, UH, TRAFFIC SAFETY WASN'T REALLY PUT INTO THE TEMPORARY PARKLETS.
WE WERE IN A FEARFUL MODE AND WE WERE TRYING TO HELP BUSINESSES DURING THE PANDEMIC.
UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR, JUST A COUPLE MONTHS INTO
[01:20:01]
MY FIRST TERM, I WENT TO PUBLIC WORKS AND ASKED, WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THE PARKLETS? WHERE ARE WE AT IN THE PROCESS? UM, AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHERE WE WERE WITH THE TEMPORARY PARKLETS.THEY LOOKED REALLY BAD AT THAT POINT.
I KNOW PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO EXTEND THE TEMPORARY PARKLETS ANYMORE.
UM, AND THERE WERE FAR TOO MANY OF THEM AT THAT POINT.
UM, AT THIS TIME, THE CITY REVISED THEIR PRE PANDEMIC PARKLET PROGRAM.
THEY USED THE THINGS THAT THEY LEARNED DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND THEY USED GUIDELINES TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC WITH THE TEMPORARY PARKLETS.
I'D LIKE TO ASK ERIC LOPEZ, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS A FEW QUESTIONS SO WE CAN, WE CAN HEAR WHAT SOME OF THOSE DIFFERENCES ARE.
UM, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE CHANGES MADE FROM THE PANDEMIC PARKLET PROGRAM TO THE CURRENT PROGRAM? YOU'RE GONNA REALLY TEST MY MEMORY, UH, TONIGHT.
SO, UM, AND I MIGHT NEED HELP FROM, UH, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND, AND MY TEAM HERE.
UH, BUT ONE OF THE, UH, ONE OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WAS CLARIFYING THE PROCESS, UH, FOR, UM, FOR, UM, COMMUNICATION FROM, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
UM, AND THE WAY THE ORDINANCE WAS WA WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN.
THERE WAS CONFUSION ABOUT WHO, UH, WHAT ORGANIZATIONS, WHAT ASSOCIATIONS CAN SUBMIT A LETTER OF SUPPORT, UH, TO THE, UH, APPLICANT FOR A PERMANENT PARKLET.
THERE WAS, THERE WAS, UM, THERE WAS, UM, THERE WAS A GENERAL SENSE THAT WE NEEDED TO CLEAN THAT UP.
AND, UH, THE ORDINANCE, UH, GAVE US A PATH TOWARD CLEAR CLARIFYING, A VERY CLEAR PROCESS, UH, OF, UH, OF POSTING THE NOTICE OF A PENDING, UM, A PERMIT OF SCHEDULING, UH, THE HEARING IN ADVANCE.
AND THEN THE COUNCIL, UM, HAVING THE AUTHORITY TO, UH, DENY OR APPROVE BASED ON, UH, ON THE FACTS PRESENTED DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.
THIS IS THE FIRST PARKLET, UH, THE, UH, PARKLET APPLICATIONS FOR TONIGHT, WHERE THE ARE THE FIRST ONES UNDER THE NEW ORDINANCE.
UM, AND WE FOLLOWED ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE OUTLINED, UH, IN, THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE MUNICIPAL CODE.
UH, BASED ON, ON THE CHANGES, UH, THAT YOU JUST REFERENCED, THERE WAS SOME OTHER ADDITIONAL CLEANUP ITEMS, UM, FOR, UH, THAT, THAT I RECALL.
BUT I WILL NEED HELP IN TERMS OF THE SPECIFICS.
THE BIGGEST ONE WAS RELATED TO THE PROCESS OF THE COUNCIL REVIEWING AND APPROVING PARKLETS WHEN THERE WAS, UH, ANY, UM, ANY OPPOSITION.
ALL IT TAKES IS ONE LETTER OF OPPOSITION TO TRIGGER IT COMING IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL.
UH, AND THAT WAS A DELIBERATE REQUEST, UH, FROM THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME.
SO THE PRESENTATION IS, IS DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO EXTENDING TIME TO COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN FOR THIS? OKAY.
MANY RESIDENTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT PUBLIC WORKS LOOKS AT REGARDING THE SAFETY OF THE PARKLETS? YES, AND I'M, UH, I'M GONNA ASK, UH, PAUL VAN D**E TO COME UP AND, AND, UH, HELP ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UH, SAFETY IS A BIG PART OF THE CONSIDERATIONS AND ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS ARE REVIEWED, UH, BY OUR CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER, UM, AND HIS TEAM, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT CREATING ANY UNSAFE CONDITIONS.
UH, PAUL VAN D**E, CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
UM, YOU HAD ASKED EARLIER WHAT THE DIFFERENCES WERE BETWEEN THE PANDEMIC ERA, TEMPORARY PARKLETS, AND THE CURRENT, OR THE PERMANENT PREVIOUS PROGRAM.
UM, WE HAD A LOT OF, UM, STAFF THAT WERE WORKING VERY HARD DURING THE PANDEMIC TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR THESE BUSINESSES TO STAY ALIVE RATHER THAN STAYING AT HOME WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
ON THE 4TH OF JULY, THEY WERE OUT DEPLOYING THESE BARRICADES TO KEEP THESE BUSINESSES AFLOAT.
UM, AND SO WHILE THEY WERE DOING THAT, WE WERE USING WHATEVER MATERIALS WERE AVAILABLE, INCLUDING BARRICADES, WHICH WERE A BIT HIGHER THAN WHAT WE WOULD'VE LIKED.
UM, ACCORDING TO THE PREVIOUS PROGRAM, UM, THE CURRENT PARKLETS ARE MUCH LOWER PROFILE, SO THEY'RE LESS OF, UM, A BARRIER BETWEEN THE REST OF THE STREET AND THE PARKLET SPACE.
SO THEY'RE MORE OPEN AIR, THEY'RE MORE INVITING.
UM, THEY'RE EASIER TO SEE THROUGH, WHICH I'M A BIG FAN OF.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT'S DIFFERENT, UH, THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR PERMANENT PARKLETS ARE THE WAY, UM, THAT THEY RELATE TO
[01:25:01]
THE SIDEWALK.UM, AS PART OF OUR PROGRAM GOING FORWARD, WE'VE IDENTIFIED, UH, PEDESTRIAN, UH, HIGH VOLUME PEDESTRIAN ZONES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PARKLETS ARE NOT ENCROACHING INTO THE PEDESTRIAN REALM, UM, SO THAT FOLKS CAN CONTINUE TO WALK THROUGH AND PASS THE PARKLETS.
UM, THAT'S BEEN ADDED, UH, SINCE THE PANDEMIC.
SO WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF THE CONCERNS BASED ON FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE PUBLIC TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE BUILDING, UM, IS THE BEST IT CAN BE, AND IT'S REVITALIZING, UM, THESE BUSINESSES.
ANY ADDITIONAL, UM, SAFETY ITEMS? I KNOW PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT TRAFFIC AND SPEEDS.
CAN WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? UH, YEAH, HAPPY TO.
UH, SO PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN HARD AT WORK OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THOUGH I'VE BEEN HERE, UH, A NUMBER OF TIMES TALKING ABOUT SPEED LIMITS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S CHANGED IN RELATION TO, UM, LEGENDS HERE VERSUS THE PANDEMIC IS DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD A 25 MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT, UH, ON SECOND STREET IN BELMONT SHORE THAT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO 20 MILES AN HOUR, UM, IN BELMONT SHORE.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE EXTRA CONSIDERATIONS WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT DOES EXCEED 25, 30 MILES AN HOUR, UM, TO HAVE EXTRA PROTECTION.
UM, THIS LOCATION HERE AROUND LEGENDS HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST SPEED LIMITS IN THE CITY, UM, AND HAS, UM, SIGNAL TIMING PROGRESSION THAT ENCOURAGES SLOWER SPEEDS.
UM, AND YOU HAD MENTIONED IT PREVIOUSLY THAT, UM, HAVING PEOPLE BEING SEEN IN PUBLIC ALSO HAS A NATURAL TRAFFIC CALMING EFFECT.
UM, THERE'S BEEN RESEARCH DONE THAT WHEN MOTORISTS SEE A HUMAN FACE WHILE THEY'RE DRIVING, THEY ARE MORE ALERT, THEY ARE MORE, THEY ARE MORE AWARE OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
UM, SO PARKLETS ALSO HAVE THAT BENEFIT OF, UM, CREATING A MORE HUMAN SPACE.
THEY SEE A FACE, THEIR, THEIR TRAFFIC COMING.
I THINK THE NEXT QUESTION IS FOR ERIC.
UM, PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED AND SAYING THAT WE'RE GIVING AWAY THIS PROPERTY.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT A BUSINESS PAYS FOR THIS SPACE? YEAH, YEAH.
SO, UH, THERE, UM, THIS, UH, THE, THE RIGHT OF WAY IS THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO THE RIGHT OF WAY IS NOT PRIVATE.
PRIVATE PROPERTY WILL NEVER BE PRI PRIVATE PROPERTY.
UH, WHAT WE ALLOW UNDER THE, UH, PERMANENT PARKLET PROGRAM IS, UH, THE, WE ALLOW USES THAT ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE ORIGINAL, UH, THE ORIGINAL USE IN THIS CASE, PARKING, UH, TO, UH, CREATE A SPACE, UH, THAT, UM, THAT, UM, YES, HAS A BENEFIT TO THE, UH, APPLICANT TO THE BUSINESS, UH, BUT ALSO HAS A PUBLIC BENEFIT, UH, IN TERMS OF BRINGING PEOPLE OUT, CREATING ACTIVITIES, SYNERGY, CALMING TRAFFIC IS THE NEW ONE THAT I'M ADDING TO THE LIST.
UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE ALL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALL PUBLIC BENEFITS.
UM, THE, THERE IS A FEES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS THAT AN APPLICANT HAS TO PAY, AND THE CONSTRUCTION TO MEET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS WE'VE PUT ON THAT WE REQUIRE PER OUR, UH, PARKLET PROGRAM IS PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, DEPENDING ON THE BUSINESS AND ON THE LEVEL OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED THAT, UH, A BUSINESS MUST INVEST IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO BUILD OUT THE PARKLET AS WE VERY DETAILEDLY REQUIRE.
IN OUR, UH, GUIDELINE, UH, OUR GUIDELINE BOOK, UH, THE FEE TO PUBLIC WORKS IS, UH, AROUND $2,000.
UM, UH, WE, WE CHARGE THAT, UH, FOR OUR STAFF TO REVIEW, UM, AND, AND CONSIDER THE APPLICATION.
THESE, UH, PERMITS ARE ONLY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
SO, UM, AFTER A YEAR BEFORE THE YEAR IS OVER, UH, THE APPLICANT NEEDS TO APPLY TO RENEW THE, UH, THE APPLICATION.
IF THE APPLICATION, UM, IF THERE ARE ISSUES, UM, WITH THE APPLICANT MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, THE, UH, DEPARTMENT HAS THE, THE AUTHORITY TO, UH, TO DENY RENEWALS, UM, AND, AND TELL, UH, IF, IF, IF IT DEEMED, IF IT'S DEEMED NECESSARY.
BUT YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS AN ANNUAL PROCESS.
THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF FOLLOW UP THAT'S REQUIRED IN ADDITION TO THE INSURANCE, OBVIOUSLY, THAT THE BUSINESSES ARE, ARE REQUIRED, UH, TO, TO CARRY.
UM, SAY LEGENDS WASN'T FOLLOWING THE RULES.
CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH HOW FREQUENTLY THE PERMIT IS REVIEWED? YOU JUST DID, IT'S ANNUALLY.
UM, HOW CAN THE, CAN THE PARKLET BE TAKEN DOWN BEFORE THAT YEAR IF THERE IS ENFORCEMENT NECESSARY? CAN YOU GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, PLEASE? YES.
UH, SO, UH, THIS IS ONE OF PUBLIC WORK'S CORE RESPONSIBILITIES IS TO MANAGE THE PUBLIC
[01:30:01]
RIGHT OF WAY.UM, UH, THE MUNICIPAL CODE GIVE, UH, GIVES, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, UH, THE AUTHORITY AND MYSELF AS THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUES RELATED TO NON-COMPLIANCE FOR THINGS LIKE, UH, PER, UH, PARKLET, UH, CONDITIONS.
SO, UM, TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE, SAY THERE'S CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL THAT, UH, THAT THE, UM, UH, THAT THE, UH, APPLICANT DOES NOT, UM, DOES NOT FOLLOW.
UM, THEY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE INSPECTORS THAT WILL DOCUMENT IT.
UH, WE SEND OUT A NOTICE OF NON-COMPLIANCE.
UH, YOU KNOW, USUALLY THERE'S, UH, THERE'S, UH, TWO TO THREE NOTICES.
WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO FINE FOR NON-COMPLIANCE OF, OF, UH, OF REQUIREMENTS IN OUR PERMITS.
UM, AND IF, IF IT'S A REALLY EGREGIOUS, UH, ISSUE THAT'S BEEN CREATED, UM, UH, WE DO THE PUBLIC WORKS DOES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO NOTICE AND REMOVE, UH, REQUIRE THE APPLICANT TO REMOVE THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, AND IF THEY DON'T, UH, THEN I HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REMOVE THAT PROPERTY FROM THE PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY.
UM, I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT I DO WANNA SHARE, I'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST WEEK, UM, AND I HAVE SOME CON CONCERNS THAT I WANNA ADDRESS.
PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED THAT WE SHOULDN'T LET PRIVATE BUSINESSES PROFIT FROM PUBLIC PROPERTY.
I WANT TO BRING UP THE FACT THAT WE, THE CITY COUNCIL JUST SPENT A YEAR TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN ENCOURAGE VENDING BUSINESSES TO OPERATE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY WITH MANY LESS RESTRICTIONS THAN THE BRICK AND MORTAR BUSINESSES WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THIS YEAR TALKING ABOUT ALLOWING FOOD TRUCKS TO PARK ON THE STREET IN THE SAME AREAS.
UM, I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, IF YOU LET ONE, YOU HAVE TO LET THEM ALL, AND THAT WILL BE THE END OF PARKING ON SECOND STREET.
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE CITY THAT WE LIMIT.
THE AMOUNT PUBLIC WORKS, LIMITS THE AMOUNTS OF PERMITS ISSUED.
IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE TO ALLOW THE SLIPPERY SLOPE ARGUMENT TO WIN.
AND IF WE DID, WE WOULDN'T PROGRESS AT ALL.
I WANNA FOCUS ON THE PARKING ASPECT.
UM, I HAVE LIVED IN BELMONT SHORE FOR 25 YEARS.
I LIVE TWO BLOCKS OFF OF SECOND STREET.
I UNDERSTAND THE PARKING ISSUES IN BELMONT SHORE.
WE HEAR THE HISTORY SINCE 1970, WE'VE BEEN HEARING THE SAME PARKING ISSUES IN BELMONT SHORE.
WHEN I MOVED HERE 25 YEARS AGO, I WAS WARNED THAT PARKING WAS AN ISSUE, BUT I MOVED THERE.
ANYWAYS, BELMONT SHORE IS A FABULOUS DESTINATION FOR PEOPLE.
IT IS BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE HAVE THE OCEAN, WE HAVE THE THRIVING BUSINESSES.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO RAISE YOUR KIDS, WALK THEM DOWN.
SECOND STREET PARKING WAS BAD BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
IT WAS BAD DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND FRANKLY, THE PARKING DIDN'T GET ANY BETTER WHEN THE PARKLETS WERE REMOVED.
AND I HEARD THAT FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE OPPOSING THIS.
WE JUST, UM, WANNA MAKE SOME CHANGES.
WE WANNA REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLE TRIPS ON SECOND STREET.
SO WE'VE ACTUALLY CONNECTED THE CIRCUIT PROGRAM FROM BELMONT SHORE TO DOWNTOWN TO COUNCIL WOMAN'S IN DEJAS AREA.
AND THAT WAY IT'S GONNA BE EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO GO FROM DOWNTOWN TO BELMONT SHORE, BELMONT SHORE TO DOWNTOWN.
THEY ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS CHANGE.
THEY USE SCOOTERS, THEY USE BIKES.
IT'S GOOD HOW WE ARE LOOKING AT MAKING OUR SECOND STREET THRIVE.
WE ALSO COMPLETED THE CURB MANAGEMENT STUDY TO SEE HOW WE COULD MAKE BUS STOPS MORE ACCESSIBLE ON SECOND STREET.
I KNOW THERE WERE PROBLEMS THERE.
THERE IS, WE CAN'T SAY IT'S GOING TO BE MAKING PARKING NOTICEABLY BETTER WITH THIS CURB STUDY.
WE ARE LOOKING AT MAKING IT BETTER WITH BUS STOP ACCESS.
I JUST DON'T THINK REMOVING TWO PARKING SPACES IS GOING TO MAKE IT NOTICEABLY WORSE IN BELMONT SHORE.
I DO WANT SOME CLARITY THOUGH, AND I WANNA SEE IF WE CAN HAVE A THRESHOLD DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARKLET PROGRAM.
WE SAID WE WOULD LOOK AT THE APPLICATIONS, UM, HOW MANY PARKING SPOTS WERE TAKEN UP OR WERE GOING TO BE ALLOWED.
[01:35:01]
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW WE ARE GOING TO CONSIDER A THRESHOLD AS BELMONT SHORE GROWS.UM, I ASKED FOR THIS STUDY INITIALLY SO WE WOULD, COULD RESOLVE THE ISSUES OF DELIVERY TRUCKS IN BUS STOPS.
I THOUGHT WE COULD JUST SITE, SITE AND SITE.
THE DELIVERY TRUCKS NEED TO BE CITED.
SO THEY NEED TO KNOW THEY ARE ILLEGALLY PARKED AND THEY HAVE A CONSEQUENCE.
I STILL THINK THIS WOULD'VE WORKED, BUT THE STUDY DID MOVE FORWARD.
UM, I THINK WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH THAT STUDY WE'RE GOING TO WATCH OVER THE NEXT YEAR HOW THIS PARTICULAR APPLICANT GOES, GETS APPROVED NOW FOR THE APPLICANTS.
UM, YOU'RE THE FIRST TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AFTER THE PANDEMIC, YOU ARE INVESTING 50 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN YOUR PLANS TO CREATE OPEN SPACE, AND THAT'S ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE TO USE.
I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ASK ABOUT LANDSCAPING.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW THAT THE BEAUTIFICATION OF LANDSCAPING IN YOUR PARKLET WOULD BE PART OF YOUR PROCESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M EXCITED TO EXPAND SPACE FOR RESTAURANTS.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO ENJOY OUR SECOND STREET.
WE LIVE IN BEAUTIFUL SUNSHINE, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
AND I, PART OF MY JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT LEGENDS IS BEING NEIGHBORLY.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE IT IS BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO BE HAPPY AND CONTINUE TO THRIVE.
I'M GOING TO MOVE TO APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, THERE IS NO RECOMMENDATION ON THIS.
YOU HAVE TO EITHER MOVE TO ISSUE A PERMIT, OR TO DENY A PERMIT.
SO I'M MOVING TO ISSUE A PERMIT FOR LEGENDS.
AND WE HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA AS A SECOND TO THAT MOTION.
UH, YOUR QUESTIONS MADE ME A LOT SMARTER ABOUT PARKLETS IN GENERAL.
I THINK THEY WERE VERY COGENT COMPELLING AND STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONING, YOUR LINE OF QUESTIONING AND THE RESPONSES.
UH, MR. LOPEZ, GREAT PRESENTATION ON THAT.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, THIS PARKING LOT PROGRAM IS A BOON FOR THE CITY.
I THINK IT'LL PROVIDE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY AND GREATER ACCESS TO OUR RESTAURANTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO EAT OUTDOORS.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS, THIS MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO PERMIT A PERMIT.
PERMIT A PERMIT, ALL FOR PERMIT.
AND I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL AND SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS.
AND JUST TO CONFIRM, THE VOTE IS TO RECEIVE AND FILE ALL THE PRESENTATION TO CONCLUDE THE HEARING AND TO APPROVE ISSUANCE OF A PARKLET PERMIT.
OH, UH, LET'S, UH, MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
ITEM 14 IS A REPORT FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT TO MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH SMG FOR PROJECT AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AT THE LONG BEACH CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, LOCATED AT 300 EAST OCEAN BOULEVARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $551,250.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS? THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
[01:40:01]
REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 YEAR-END BUDGET PERFORMANCE REPORT AND INCREASE APPROPRIATIONS IN SEVERAL FUNDS ACROSS SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES TO REFLECT FINAL EXPENDITURES CITYWIDE.ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? SHOULD WE GET A PRESENTATION? THERE IS ONE PUBLIC COMMENT, SAIFE.
I WAIT BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, IS THERE A PRESENTATION ON THIS? UH, IF YOU'D LIKE, WE CAN DO A BRIEF, UH, MORAL PRESENTATION.
I WILL TURN TO NADER KAMO, UH, FOR OUR, UM, UH, BUDGET PRESENTATION.
UH, GOOD EVENING, VICE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE REPORT WE BRING TO YOU TODAY IS THE FINAL YEAR END STATUS OF THE FY 23.
AS A REMINDER, IN MIDYEAR PERFORMANCE REPORT THAT WAS BROUGHT TO COUNCIL IN JUNE, THE GENERAL FUND PROJECTED AN ESTIMATED $20 MILLION SURPLUS, WHICH WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A $40 MILLION REVENUE PROJECTION IMPROVEMENT, UM, COMPARED TO THE ADOPTED BUDGET, EXCLUDING MEASURE A AND SIGNIFICANT PROJECT PROJECTED ONE-TIME SAVINGS DUE TO THE IMPACT OF VACANCIES CITYWIDE, A MAJORITY OF THESE SURPLUS ITEMS WERE PROGRAMMED AS PART OF THE FY 24 BUDGET FOR ONE-TIME PRIORITIES, PROJ PROJECTS OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, WHICH INCLUDED HOMELESS AND HOUSING PROJECTS, PUBLIC SAFETY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS OTHER INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE PARKS AND OTHER CRITICAL OPERATIONS.
THIS REPORT SHOWS THAT THE GENERAL FUND ENDED FY 23 WITH SUFFICIENT FUNDING AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THE $20 MILLION OF ONE-TIME FUNDING ALLOCATED AS PART OF THE ADOPTED FY 24 BUDGET.
ADDITIONALLY, THE REPORT ALSO INCLUDES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 4.6 MILLION OF GENERAL FUND FY 23 FUNDS.
AVAILABLE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE PRIORITY PROJECTS IDENTIFIED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AS PART OF THE FY 24 ADOPTION NIGHT ACTIONS, INCLUDING TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL AND SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL ONE-TIME PRIORITY NEEDS FOR HOMELESSNESS, PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE, AND NEIGHBORHOOD LIVABILITY.
ALL RECOMMENDATIONS CAN BE FOUND ON TABLE TWO OF THIS REPORT, AND WE'LL RETURN TO CITY COUNCIL AS PART OF THE FY 24 FIRST BUDGET ADJUSTMENT LETTER FOR A FORMAL CONSIDERATION OF APPROPRIATION AUTHORIZATION, WHICH IS PLANNED FOR MARCH, 2024.
DESPITE ENDING THE YEAR WITH SUFFICIENT FUNDING TO COVER THESE CRITICAL PROJECTS.
THE FY 23 YEAREND PERFORMANCE REPORT REFLECTS AN UNDERPERFORMANCE OF KEY REVENUE STREAMS SUCH AS SALES AND USE TAX, INCLUDING MEASURE A, ALSO DEPARTMENT EXPENDITURES END OF THE YEAR HIGHER THAN PREVIOUSLY ESTIMATED DURING THE FY 23 MIDYEAR REPORT.
AT THE POINT OF THE MIDYEAR FY 23 PROJECTION TRENDS SEEM HOPEFUL TO ALLOW THE CITY TO PRESERVE PLANNED RESERVES, INCLUDING THE $8.5 MILLION SET ASIDE TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF MEASURE A, I'M SORRY, MEASURE M AND THE $12 MILLION OF LBRA SECURING CITY'S FUTURE DUE TO THE LOWER REVENUE PROJECTIONS AND HIGHER EXPENDITURES.
THE 8.5 MILLION PREVIOUSLY ATTEMPTED TO BE PRESERVED FOR MEASURE M WAS RELEASED IN THE FY 23.
THE CITY DID UTILIZE THE FULL 15.5 MILLION OF RESERVES ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR THE FY 23 BUDGET, BUT WAS STILL ABLE TO PRESERVE THE LBRA SECURING CITY'S FUTURE FUNDING SUPPORT OF $12 MILLION FOR, UH, PROJECTED SHORT FUTURE PROJECTOR FOR SHORTFALLS.
FY 23 DID NOT REQUIRE ANY NEW USES OF LBRA FUNDING THAT WASN'T ALREADY TRANSFERRED IN PRIOR YEARS.
ADDITIONALLY, OUR GENERAL FUND IN OPERATING IN EMERGENCY RESERVES WERE MAINTAINED THROUGH FY 23 WITH NO DRAW DRAW DOWN.
ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO USE OF EMERGENCY RESERVES, THE RESERVES ENDED THE YEAR SLIGHTLY BELOW THE 8% MINIMUM DUE TO MINIMUM CITY POLICY.
DUE TO THE OVERALL GROWTH OF THE GENERAL FUND, STAFF WILL EVALUATE THE PLAN DURING THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS TO RECALIBRATE THE RESERVE BACK TO THE CITY'S POLICY LEVELS.
ALSO, IN THIS REPORT, YOU CAN FIND DETAILED INFORMATION ON REVENUE EXPENDITURE TRENDS FOR OTHER CRITICAL FUNDS.
FOR NOW, I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW FUNDS THAT HAVE YEAR-END RECOMMENDATIONS.
BOTH THE UPLAND AND TIDELANDS OIL FUNDS ENDED THE YEAR WITH FUNDS AVAILABLE, WHICH IS RECOMMENDED TO SET ASIDE FOR FUTURE OIL WELL ABANDONMENT.
THIS IS 236,000 IN THE UPLANDS OIL FUND AND THE ADDITIONAL 601,000 IN THE, UH, TIDELANDS OIL REVENUE FUND.
AFTER SETTING ASIDE 7.5 MILLION FOR USES FOR THE APPROVED FFY 24 BUDGET, THE MEASURE A PLAN ENDED THE YEAR AT 500 7500 $20,000 OF FUNDS AVAILABLE.
[01:45:01]
LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED, 3.6 MILLION FUNDS AVAILABLE AT THE MID-YEAR PERFORMANCE, UH, PROJECTION.AND THIS IS TIED TO LOWER REVENUE PROJECTIONS DUE TO SALES TAX PERFORMANCE.
THE QUEEN MARY FUND IN THE THAILANDS AREA FUND GROUP ENDED THE YEAR WITH A FUND BALANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 2.8 MILLION.
UM, THESE FUNDS WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR FURTHER ENHANCEMENTS SURROUNDING THE QUEEN MARY AREA AND INVESTING IN THE FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS FOR A TEMPORARY AMPHITHEATER AND ALSO OTHER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AROUND THE QUEEN MARY AREA.
FINALLY, LARGELY DUE TO TOT REVENUE, THE SPECIAL ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL FUND GROUP INCREASED BUDGETARY FUNDS AVAILABLE FROM 7 MILLION TO 8.3 MILLION IN FY 24.
THE FUNDS AVAILABLE WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT TWO FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT POSITIONS IN THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AND PROVIDE TIMELY PUBLIC INFORMATION DELIVERY FOR INCREASED AMOUNTS OF CITY PROGRAMS, EVENTS, AND INITIATIVES.
ADDITIONALLY, 80,000 IS RECOMMENDED TO SITI SET ASIDE IN THIS REPORT TO PROVIDE ONE-TIME SUPPORT FOR THE 2024 LONG BEACH PRIDE PRIDE PARADE.
THIS CONCLUDES MY STAFF REPORT AND I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT REPORT.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILWOMAN DR.
I THOUGHT THAT THE, UM, THE BUDGET PERFORMANCE REPORT WAS REALLY WELL WRITTEN, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, SO ONE IS UNDER THE, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, TALKING ABOUT THE, THE HEALTH FUND, UH, THERE WAS THE DISCUSSION AROUND THE EXPANSION OF THE MSC.
COULD SOMEONE JUST KIND OF TALK AROUND THE, THE, THE SPECIFICS OF THAT AND WHAT THAT MIGHT ENTAIL? UH, YES.
I BELIEVE WE MIGHT HAVE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO TALK MORE ABOUT, OH, WELCOME ALLISON.
THE, UM, CHANGES THAT WILL BE MADE AT THE MSC ARE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE HAVING IN THE BUILDING.
UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES.
THERE ARE LEAKS THAT WERE, UM, VERY PROBLEMATIC DURING THE RECENT RAINS.
SO THE FUNDS ARE COMMITTED FOR THE WORK THERE.
AND SO IS THAT THE, SO IS IT IS AN ACTUAL EXPANSION OR JUST A REPAIR? THERE IS SOME EXPANSION THAT WILL TAKE PLACE, BUT IT'S, AND, AND FORGIVE ME 'CAUSE I AM NOT ENTIRELY CERTAIN.
BUT BASED ON WHAT I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE READ IS ABOUT FIXING THE CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO FIXING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE MSC TO MAKE IT HABITABLE AND USABLE YES.
FOR THE CURRENT STAFF THAT ARE THERE.
UH, AND THEN THE LAST COMMENT AND WHAT KIND OF A, IT WAS REALLY MUCH MORE OF A COMMENT WAS, UH, JUST TO GIVE KUDOS TO WHOEVER, UM, MANAGES OUR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FUND GROUP.
THERE WAS A WHOLE SECTION IN THERE ABOUT HOW THEY, UM, USE THE, I GUESS THE, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT, THE INCREASES IN THE INTEREST RATES IN ORDER TO, UM, MAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY IN OUR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS GROUP AS OPPOSED TO PREPAYING CALPERS.
UM, WHICH, UM, RESULTED IN US GOING IN FROM $24.7 MILLION IN OUR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FUND TO A HUNDRED 0.4 MILLION.
SO WHOSE EVER IDEA THAT WAS, MAYBE THEY NEED A BONUS.
THAT'S, I WAS GONNA SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU COUNCIL, ME AND I WILL POINT OUT THAT'S, UM, MANAGED BY HR, BUT ALL THE CASH MANAGEMENT IS A DECISION THAT, UH, OUR FINANCE TEAM DOES, AND THEY LOOK AT THAT EVERY YEAR.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO SPEND THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY? AND, AND SOMETIMES WE GIVE IT TO CALPERS AND WE SAVE, AND OTHER TIMES, UH, WE DECIDE TO INVEST, UH, AT, AT VERY, UM, CONSERVATIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, INVESTMENTS AND BE ABLE TO MAKE, UH, UH, MONEY THERE AS WELL.
SO THEY DO A GREAT JOB ANALYZING THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
ALSO, I ALSO JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE REPORT.
I MEAN, CLEARLY WE ARE EXPERIENCING SOME SHORT BALLS AND, AND CHALLENGES, BUT I'M IMPRESSED WITH THE, UH, PLA STANDING, UH, UH, PLANNING AND THEIR MITIGATION EFFORTS TO OFFSET, UH, REVENUE LOSS.
SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR PLANNING.
UM, SO NOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, I DON'T SEE ANY MORE COMMENTS.
OH, CHRISTINA, FOR SOME REASON IT ISN'T.
WHO'S UP? COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL, LEMME, SORRY.
ALRIGHT, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS ALSO.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU, UM, ADDRESSED ONE OF THEM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT, BY THE WAY, WAY.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A $4.5 MILLION SURPLUS THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, BUT THIS SURPLUS WAS CREATED BY RELEASING 15.5 MILLION IN RESERVES.
[01:50:01]
PROCESS WHY WE, WE RELEASED THE 15.5 MILLION RATHER THAN SAVING SOME TO COVER NEXT YEAR'S $32 MILLION DEFICIT? YES, OF COURSE.SO THE PROCESS OF BALANCING THE BUDGET IS ACTUALLY A, A BO UH, A PROCESS THAT USES MANY RESERVES THAT ARE PLANNED FROM PRIOR YEARS TO BALANCE THE CURRENT, UH, FISCAL YEAR FOR THE FY 23 BUDGET, THERE WAS FUNDING SOURCES TO BALANCE THE FY 23 BUDGET, WHICH INCLUDED THE 15.5 MILLION PLUS THE $12 MILLION OF LBRA SECURING CITY'S FUTURE.
UH, THE CITY WENT BEFORE MOVED FORWARD WITH RELEASING ALL THE PLANNED RELEASES THAT WERE PLANNED FOR FY 23, BUT WAS STILL HELD.
THE $12 MILLION ANTICIPATED TO BE USED FROM THE LBRA SURPLUS, UH, SECURING CITY'S FUTURE, WHICH WOULD HELP MITIGATE THE SHORTFALLS THAT WE SEE IN FY 25.
IN ADDITION TO THE MEASURE, OH, I'M SORRY, THE LBRA RESERVE, THE CITY WAS ALSO ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE UNFUNDED UH, NEGOTIATION LABOR RESERVE, WHICH WAS A BALANCE OF 8.9 MILLION, WHICH IS NOW BEING HELD TO ALSO HELP HELP RESERVE THE, UH, THE SHORTFALL IN FY 25 WITH THE TWO BALANCE OF THOSE RESERVES.
WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THOSE WILL COVER THE EARLY PROJECTION OF $28 MILLION SHORTFALL IN FY 25.
THAT WAS BROUGHT TO COUNCIL IN JA EARLY THIS LAST MONTH IN JANUARY.
BUT ALSO THAT WAS AN EARLY PROJECTION.
WE DO SEE THAT THAT COULD CHANGE, BUT WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE COULD TRY TO COVER IT WITH ONE TIME RESERVES BASED OFF WHAT WE DID IN FY 23.
BUT IF THE RESERVE, IF THE SHORTFALL GROWS OR SHRINKS, WE'LL HAVE TO RE-REVIEW AND SEE WHAT FUNDING SOLUTIONS, WHAT WE CAN FIND.
AND THAT WILL BE A STRATEGY WE BRING BACK TO COUNCIL SOMETIME IN MID-MARCH TO DISCUSS THE FINAL OUTLOOK OF FY 25.
THAT WAS A LOT OF NUMBERS
WHEN I HEAR THE WORD HOPEFUL, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE COMING BACK AGAIN IN MARCH TO REVIEW THAT BECAUSE WE NEED TO KNOW THOSE NUMBERS AND, AND KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT.
ONE, ONE MORE QUESTION, WHICH YOU, UH, BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON.
UM, THE REPORT SAYS WE'RE AT 2.7% FOR OUR OPERATING RESERVE AND OUR POLICY IS TO BE BETWEEN 2% AND 7%.
UM, IT SHOWS WE'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FISCAL POLICY STATING THAT WE NEED AN EMERGENCY RESERVE OF 8% IN OPERATING EXPENSES.
WE'RE AT 7.6, WHICH YOU TOUCHED ON.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DECISION TO FUND THE SURPLUS PROJECTS RATHER THAN BRING, UH, BRING THIS TO THE EMERGENCY RESERVES TO BE COMPLIANT WITH OUR POLICY? YEAH, OF COURSE.
UM, AS FAR AS THE EMERGENCY RESERVE, THE FUNDING AMOUNT, OR I'M SORRY, THE BOUNCE BALANCE AMOUNT OF 47 POINT, I BELIEVE SEVEN DID FALL UNDER THE 8% THRESHOLD, BUT LUCKILY THERE WAS NO WITHDRAWAL FROM THAT AMOUNT.
THE AMOUNT WAS ALL, UM, PER POLICY.
IF THERE WAS A DRAW DOWN, WE WOULD NEED TO PRIORITIZE THREE FUNDING OF THAT DRAW DOWN THE ACTUAL RESERVE FELL BELOW THE MINIMUM, UH, POLICY REQUIREMENT DUE TO THE, OVER THE, THE, THE GROWTH IN THE GENERAL FUND, JUST THE COST IS KEEPS GROWING YEAR OVER YEAR.
SO AFTER THE PANDEMIC, THESE BEEN, IT'S BEEN KIND OF A INTERESTING FEW YEARS WITH LEVELS OF EXPENDITURES IN THE FUND, BUT WE SEE A NORMALIZED OPERATING COST NOW IN THE GENERAL FUND.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE PAST THE PRE, THE PAST THE PANDEMIC LEVELS THAT WE CAN EVALUATE THE, THE EMERGENCY RESERVE AND SEE HOW TO RECALIBRATE IT TO BE WITHIN POLICY.
THAT COULD BE DONE EITHER THROUGH SURPLUS OR IT COULD BE DONE THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS OR TRY TO EVALUATE OTHER FUNDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN RESERVE THAT MAY NOT BE NEEDED TO REALLOCATE TO THAT RESERVE.
SO THAT WILL BE UNDER EVALUATION AND BROUGHT BACK TO COUNCIL AS PART OF, UH, FUTURE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THAT ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION.
UM, THERE IS $800,000 DEDICATED TO PROJECT HOME KEY SITE.
UM, WE HAVE 13 MILLION ALLOCATED IN THE HOMELESS EMERGENCY, UH, TO THE HOMELESS EMERGENCY WITH 12 MILLION THAT IS, UM, UNSPENT.
I THINK IT'S ALLOCATED ALREADY.
BUT UNSPENT, WHY DIDN'T THIS $800,000 ALLOCATION COME OUT OF THE 12 MILLION LEFT IN THE HOMELESS EMERGENCY FUNDS? UM, SURE.
UH, JUST AN OVERALL LOOK AT WHAT THE ALLOCATIONS WERE PER PROJECT, WE LOOKED AT WHAT WAS AVAILABLE IN THE IMMEDIATE NEED AND OVERALL THE ATTENTION TO RESPOND TO ALL THE PROJECTS FOR HOMELESS ARE A KEY PRIORITY FOR THIS CITY.
SEEING THIS FUNDING AS AVAILABLE AND ALLOCATING IT TOWARDS THAT PROJECT CAN HELP THE PROJECT, THE PROJECT HOME KEY LAUNCH SOONER THAN LATER BECAUSE IT IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO START CONSTRUCTION SOON.
AND IS ONE OF THE MORE TOP PRIORITIES THAT CAN BE PUT, THAT WE CAN PUT, UH, SURPLUS FUNDING TOWARDS AS PART OF THE EMERGENCY.
YOU CAN PUT THAT SURPLUS TOWARDS IT.
[01:55:01]
IT COULD BE BROUGHT INTO THE BUCKET OF HOMELESS EMERGENCY TO BE HELPING THE OVERALL NEED, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW IT'S MORE FOCUSED ON COVERING COST ESCALATION TO THE PROJECT AND JUST THE OVERALL TENANT IMPROVEMENT NEEDS THAT WERE JUST UNDERESTIMATED DURING THE FIRST INITIAL ESTIMATE AND THE 12 MILLION THAT WAS LEFT IN THE HOMELESS EMERGENCY, WE COULDN'T USE THAT.LIKE WE COULD USE THIS SURPLUS, UH, IF USED, WE WOULD HAVE TO SELECT A SEPARATE PROJECT TO DEFUND.
THANKS FOR BEING ANSWERING ALL OF THAT ON THE SPOT.
I DO NOT SEE ANY OTHER, UH, MEMBERS ON MY SCREEN TO SPEAK.
SO, UH, AT THIS TIME LET'S GO TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
YOU KNOW, UH, SAIFE SIX DISTRICT RESIDENT, YOU KNOW, SINCE, UH, THE DOWNTOWN PLANNED, UH, MR. MOCA, I'VE NOTICED THAT YOU GUYS DON'T DO THE, UH, HARD COPIES ANYMORE, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A FLUCTUATE NUMBERS.
SO WHEN WE SEE IT ON THE PAPER WITH THE PDFS, YOU CAN, YOU CAN INTERNALLY CHANGE IT, BUT, UH,
UH, COUNCILWOMAN DUGGAN ASKING SOME VERY, UH, UH, MEAT AND POTATO QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, GETTING DOWN TO, UH, I'M ASSUMING THAT PROJECT HOME KEY SITE IS THE LUXURY INN OR WHATEVER ON VICTORIA THAT WE GOT, YOU KNOW, PAID PROBABLY FIVE, $6 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT IT WAS WORTH, THAN HAD TO PUT IN ANOTHER.
THAT'S PROBABLY WHY THE MONEY'S NOT BEING SPENT 'CAUSE THEY OVERCHARGED US.
BUT WITH RESPECT TO THE PRESENTATION, YOU GUYS DID A, A GREAT JOB.
IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE HOW OUR INTERNAL, UH, DO ANY OF YOU OR ANY OF YOU A CPA OR, I DON'T KNOW YOUR ACCREDITATION, I'LL HAVE TO LOOK THIS UP ON YOUR LINKEDIN LATER, BUT, UM, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO MENTION, UM, IT SEEMS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THE, AND I'VE BROUGHT THIS UP AT THE COMMUNITY BUDGET MEETINGS.
IT SEEMS THAT WE'RE JUST GONNA KEEP JOBS, CERTAIN AMOUNT OF NON-CLASSIFIED POSITIONS UN UNFILLED.
'CAUSE THAT'S HOW WE'RE GONNA MAYBE SAVE SOME DOLLARS.
UM, UH, JUST, UH, YOU CAN LOOK AT PAGE 29.
THIS IS A 725 PAGE, UH, DOCUMENT.
BUT, UM, UH, FROM PAGE 29 DOWN WHERE YOU SEE CITY COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FY 23 BUDGET, YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, CULTURAL, UM, UH, ENGAGEMENTS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT WHEN YOU SCROLL DOWN TO PAGE 30, OH YEAH, 33 HERE, YOU CAN START TO SEE THE WAYS THAT, UM, WE'RE KIND OF PLUGGING THE HOLES.
AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIT CONCERNING.
I THINK THIS IS TO THE POINT THAT THE COUNCILMAN WAS JUST REFERENCING MOVING FORWARD ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA COUNT, UH, THE CERTAIN DEFICITS.
I MEAN, AS IT STANDS NOW WE'RE BETWEEN LIKE 24,000,030 5 MILLION, NOT 30 TO, UH, I THINK HE SAID 32.
UH, AND IT'S ONLY GONNA COMPOUND, UH, TO ABOUT 71 MILLION IN THE NEXT THREE, FOUR YEARS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT CONCERNING IN TERMS OF AS WE HAVE MORE COSTS LIKE SURF AND OTHERS.
YOU TOOK 31 SECONDS AWAY FROM ME THERE, UH, SURF AND OTHER PROJECTS WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO START TRUCKING TO LANDFILLS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA REALLY HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH OUR OIL MONEY AND HOW WE'RE GONNA PLUG THE HOLES, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
SO I'M JUST INTERESTED TO SEE WITH RESPECT TO THE NEXT YEAR END BUDGET PERFORMANCE REPORT, UH, NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT BESIDES JUST NOT KEEPING CERTAIN POSITIONS FILLED.
BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT WAS OVER 808 POSITIONS THAT WERE WENT UNFULFILLED IN FY 23.
SO WE'LL LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE NUMBER WILL BE IN FY 24.
OKAY, SO THAT CONCLUDES A PUBLIC COMMENT.
MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
OKAY, NOW LET'S GO TO ORDINANCES.
UH, ITEM 16, PLEASE REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT A TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT FEE CREDIT IS DUE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT LOCATED AT 2 4 0 1 EAST WARDLOW ROAD IN THE AMOUNT OF 555,547 AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH GCC LONG BEACH.
READ THE FIRST TIME AND LAID OVER THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL READING.
[02:00:01]
UM, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM.ITEM 17, REPORT FROM CITY ATTORNEY.
RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE AMENDING AND RESTATING THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE, ALL RELATING TO REGULATIONS OF CITY COUNCIL ESTABLISHED ADVISORY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES READ AND ADOPTED AS READ.
ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NOT SEEING ANY.
THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM.
ITEM 19, REPORT FROM CITY ATTORNEY.
RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE BY ADDING SECTION 16.52250 RELATING TO THE DESIGNATION OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 3 9 1 7 LONG BEACH BOULEVARD AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK, READ THE FIRST TIME AND LAID OVER THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL READING AND ADOPTED RESOLUTION.
ESTABLISHING A HISTORIC RESOURCE DESIGNATION FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 3 9 1 7 LONG BEACH BOULEVARD AS PRESCRIBED BY CHAPTER 2.63 OF THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE TO BE RECORDED PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 2 7 2 8 8 0.2 AND PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE SECTION 5 0 2 9.
UH, ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS? I DON'T SEE ANY.
THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM.
WE ARE AT THE PART OF THE MEETING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER TWO, CITY CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE SPEAKERS? MR. LESLIE SANDERS? UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I WOULD JUST WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE SAME THING.
I'VE BEEN COMING FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS BEFORE.
IT WAS A PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE PUMP SITUATION, I DID SPEAK TO GO TO A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AND THEY WERE SAYING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BRING TO COMMITTEE THAT THEY HAD APPROVED THE MONEY TO GET THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PUMPS STARTED WORKING ON THOSE.
BUT I WAS TRYING TO THINK, GET AN UPDATE OF WHEN THAT STATUS WAS GOING TO COME.
BECAUSE EVERY TIME SOMEONE'S TELLING ME WE ARE GOING TO, UH, ADDRESS THAT, AND THEN I GO TO SOMEONE ELSE, THEY SAY WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
AND COMMITTEE HOW, AND I WAS JUST READING HERE BECAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS OF HOW DO WE GO BRING IN SOMETHING TO MOTION? DO WE HAVE TO PARTITION OUR COUNCIL PERSON TO BRING A MOTION BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL SO WE CAN GET SOME MORE TRACTION ON THAT? BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING MORE SEVERE, UH, WEATHER PATTERNS COMING THROUGH ALL THROUGH EVERYWHERE.
AND IF YOU NOTICE, THEY'RE ALL ON THE TELEVISION AND WE JUST WANNA BE MORE PREPARED BECAUSE ALL THE WATER THAT COMES DOWN THE CHANNEL, IF WE KNOW IS THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE IS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH PUMPS.
AND WHEN THOSE PUMPS, IF THEY'RE NOT OPERATING AT A TOTAL EFFICIENCY, WE CAN HAVE, UH, EXTREME FLOODING BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH AND THE OUTNESS OF THE PUMPS BECAUSE THESE PUMPS WERE DESIGNED IN THE FORTIES.
SO THEY HAD A 50 YEAR LIFE EXPE EXPECTANCY.
SO IF THEY'RE ALREADY AT 1946, AROUND 19, EXCUSE ME, AROUND 1991, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INTEREST ON THE THEME BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE REPORTS I GOT FROM THE, UH, UH, FLOOD DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA FLOOD DISTRICT AND VERY, UH, FLOOD AGENCIES THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, IS THAT THESE PUMPS COULD HAVE BEEN UPDATED AND, AND ALL UPDATED WITH NEW EQUIPMENT.
AND THE PIPES THAT ACTUALLY LEAD UP TO THESE PUMPS ARE RESTRICTED.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU ALWAYS HAVE EXCESS STREET FLOODING AUTOMATICALLY BECAUSE THE PIPES ARE TOO LITTLE AND THE VENTILATION, WHICH WILL, IS INADEQUATE OF THESE OLDER SYSTEMS. SO THEY NEED TO BE ADJUSTED.
ALL EXCUSE, UH, EXCUSE ME, ADJUSTED ALSO.
SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GO INTO INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU'RE MAKING, MAKING NEW BUSINESSES AND ALL THAT, BUT IT'S NOT JUST A PUMP 13, WHICH IS ONE OF THE WORST PUMPS IN THAT AREA IN DISTRICT NINE.
BUT ALL THESE, THIS REPORT HAD MORE THAN JUST PUMP, UH, 13 ON IT.
IT HAD A LOT OF OTHER PUMPS THAT PROTECT OUR LONG BEACH, THE BASIN IN THIS AREA.
AND WE ARE, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBLE.
IF WE ARE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE IN LONG BEACH, WE SHOULD ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THESE PUMPS WILL BE
[02:05:01]
FIXED.WE SHOULD ADDRESS THESE ISSUES BECAUSE NOT ONLY NORTH LONG BEACH IS AFFECTED, WE HAVE ALL THE OTHER DISTRICTS IN LONG BEACH GONNA BE AFFECTED ALSO BECAUSE THE INADEQUACY OF THESE PUMPS.
SO THAT'S INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MENTIONING EARLIER, WHICH WE ARE CURRENTLY PURSUING LEGAL ACTION OUTSIDE OF THIS RIM TO GET RECOVERED FROM ACTIONS THAT HAPPENED IN 2009.
BUT AS MY, AS I INVESTIGATED, THE REPORT HAPPENED, CAME OUT IN 1991.
SO YOU TELL ME FROM 91 ALL THE WAY TO 2019 THAT WE COULD NEVER GET ANYTHING DONE.
SO THIS IS WHY WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, GO AHEAD AND TRY TO HANDLE THIS PROBLEM.
ARE THERE ANY OF THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER TWO.
UM, NOW WE'RE GONNA GO TO ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ADJOURNMENT.
UM, I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO COUNCILMAN AUGH.
I WOULD LIKE TO PASS TO CLOSE TONIGHT'S MEETING IN HONOR OF REAGAN CORDA, WHO PASSED AWAY ON JANUARY 28TH, 2024 FOR SERVICE IN THE VIETNAM WAR TO THE LABOR MOVEMENT.
RAY GOODELL'S LIFE WAS A TESTAMENT TO HISS, UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE LABOR MOVEMENT, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND DEMOCRATIC VALUES.
AS CHAIR OF SAS COUNTY LABOR, RAY WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ADVANCING FAIR WAGES, WORKERS' RIGHTS, AND THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR MODERN LABOR MOVEMENTS IN ORANGE AND LOS ANGELES COUNTIES.
RAY WAS A MENTOR, A MAN, A FAMILY MAN, AND A PATRIOT WITH A DEEP COMMITMENT TO HIS VALUES, RAISE CONTRIBUTIONS TO JUSTICE, WORKERS' RIGHTS, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE WILL BE REMEMBERED AS GAINING LIFE AND FUTURE GENERATIONS IN THE STRUGGLE FOR DIGNITY IN THE STRUGGLE, FOR DIGNITY, EQUALITY.
HIS PASSING LEAVES A VOID IN THE HEART OF THOSE WHO HE TOUCHED.
BEDO IS CALLED TO HIS FAMILY AND HIS WIFE FOR 50 YEARS, 56 YEARS SOON.
HE FATHER, PERSONAL NOTE, I KNEW RAY PERSONALLY WHEN I FIRST MET HIM.
HIS POMO DOOR WAS ABOUT THAT BIG THE LAST TIME I SAW HIM.
HIS POMODORO WAS ABOUT THAT BIG, BUT HE STILL HAD A, HE STILL HAD A GREAT ALAD DOOR AND HE WAS A, A GREAT HUMAN BEING, GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR AND UH, AND WE ALL LOVED HIM.
THANK YOU, RAY WILL BE MISSED.
UM, THAT AMBER ALERT THAT WE JUST HEARD IS A LOCAL AMBER ALERT HERE IN LONG BEACH.
SO PLEASE KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN, UH, FOR THAT YOUNG BOY.
UH, THIS WEEKEND I INVITE ALL RESIDENTS TO ATTEND THE GRAND OPENING OF COFFEE DRUNK IN THEIR NEW LOCATION.
UH, BIXBY KNOWS THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH, WE'RE EXCITED TO WELCOME 'EM INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S ACTUALLY THEIR SECOND STORE IN D FIVE.
SO PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT THEM AT 43 74 ATLANTIC AVENUE.
UH, GRAB A COFFEE AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.
THERE'S A PALATINES MARKET HAPPENING AT LONG BEACH EXCHANGE THIS SATURDAY, THE 17TH.
FROM 12 TO FIVE, BRING YOUR FURRY FRIEND TO SHOP PET FRIENDLY VENDORS AND YOU CAN EVEN PARTICIPATE IN A PET PARADE AND COSTUME CONTEST.
AND THEN ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, I INVITE YOU TO JOIN CRITICAL MASS.
THEY'RE BACK FOR 2024, THE NEIGHBORHOOD BIKE RIDE THROUGH BIXBY KNOWLES.
MEET IN THE BACK PARKING LOT OF PIXIE TOYS ON ATLANTIC AT 11:00 AM FOR A GROUP BIKE RIDE WITH NEIGHBORS OF ALL AGES.
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU ALL OUT TO THE DEFOREST PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING.
ON THURSDAY, JAN, UH, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH.
UH, THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD AT 6 2 5 5 DEFOREST AVENUE FROM SEVEN TO 8:00 PM.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, I'M EXCITED TO BE HOSTING, UH, MY FIRST AQUARIUM NIGHT ON FEBRUARY 26TH.
UH, THIS WILL BE EVENT WILL BE HELD AT THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC FROM SIX 30 TO 8:30 PM SO I INVITE ALL, UH, DISTRICT NINE RESIDENTS TO COME AND ENJOY US FOR A WONDERFUL EVENING AT THE AQUARIUM.
UH, AND THEN LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO, UM, CLOSE THE MEETING IN HONOR OF JOSE RAJAS.
UH, JOSE BEGAN HIS CAREER WITH THE CITY IN 2007 IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
IN 2018, HE TRANSFERRED TO THE SEWER OPERATIONS AS A WATER UTILITY MECHANIC, UH, ONE, AND WAS PROMOTED TO WATER UTILITY MECHANIC TWO IN 2019, JOSE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, UM, REALLY, AND THREE YOUNG CHILDREN.
JOSE, UH, KNOWN BY HIS NICKNAME DRIPPER, WAS A GENTLE GIANT AND A FRIEND AND MENTOR TO ALL.
HE'LL BE VERY MUCH MISSED BY HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COWORKERS HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG
[02:10:01]
BEACH.UH, I ASK THAT WE CLOSE TONIGHT'S MEETING IN RECOGNITION OF THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF THE VERY FIRST BASEBALL COACH AT LONG BEACH STATE, DR. JOHN MCCONNELL.
JOHN WAS RAISED IN ILLINOIS AND SERVED IN THE US MARINE CORPS DURING WORLD WAR II.
HE INTRODUCED MASTERS AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY AND HIS DOCTORATE IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA.
HE THEN HEADED WEST IN 1954 TO COACH 49 ER BASEBALL FOR SIX YEARS.
HE LEFT COACHING TO BECOME A PROFESSOR AND ASSOCIATE DEAN AT C-S-U-L-B UNTIL 1986.
DR. MCCONNELL HAS BEEN A FOURTH DISTRICT RESIDENT FOR DECADES AND WILL FEATURE HIM IN OUR NEWSLETTER.
THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON, FRIDAY NIGHT, COACH MCCONNELL WILL THROW OUT THE FIRST PITCH AT BLAIR FIELD TO OPEN THE DIRTBAG SEASON TO JOHN MCCONNELL.
CONGRATULATIONS ON REACHING THE CENTENNIAL MILESTONE.
OUR THOUGHTS GO OUT TO ALL OF THE FAMILIES DURING THESE TYPICAL TIMES.