* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. I'D JUST LIKE, [00:00:01] UH, FOR YOU TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND REFLECT ON SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU. [CALL TO ORDER] [ROLL CALL] ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. STAND UP IF YOU CAN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS. ONE NATION UNDERGONE INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. WE HAVE A FULL CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT, UH, WITH ALL OF OUR MEMBERS HERE, SO THAT'S GOOD. WE HAVE, UH, THREE PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING, 16 ITEMS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. WE HAVE, UH, UH, THEN WE'LL GO TO ITEM 22 WITH, UH, A PRESENTATION FROM THE GATEWAY CITIES. APPARENTLY WE GOT AN AWARD THAT'S GOOD NEWS. UH, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON THROUGH THE HEARINGS AND THE, OH, ACTUALLY WE'RE GONNA MOVE UP, UH, THE LOW ANDAL TRADE AND EDUCATION CENTER NAMING. THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT HEARINGS AND THE REST OF THE AGENDA. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO WE'LL START WITH THE FIRST PRESENTATION, CONSERVATION CORPS URBAN LUMBER PROGRAM BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. WELL, UM, WE'RE SO HAPPY, UH, TONIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR AND I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE CONSERVATION CORPS OF LONG BEACH, WHO HAS RECEIVED ONE OF 3 20 24 PROJECTS OF THE YEAR AWARDS FROM THE CORE NETWORK IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR URBAN LUMBER PROGRAM. THE CORE NETWORK IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN 140 CORES ACROSS THE COUNTY AND PROJECTS OF THE YEAR, [ CONSERVATION CORPS URBAN LUMBER PROGRAM] PRESENTED TO PROGRAMS FOR THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE BOTH A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR CORE MEMBERS AND MEANINGFUL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY. THE LUMBER YARD ALIGNS WITH THE CORE'S MISSION OF PROVIDING SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO CORE MEMBERS. THIS PROGRAM TAUGHT CORE MEMBERS ABOUT ARBOR CULTURE, AND THE PARTICIPANTS BROADEN THEIR KNOWLEDGE BASE TO INCLUDE THE USE OF SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT THAT WILL HELP THEM IN THEIR FUTURES. FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, THIS PROGRAM REMOVED 1000 DEAD TREES, DEAD OR DYING TREES, AND REPLACED THEM WITH 2000 NEWLY PLANTED TREES WITH THE THIRD DISTRICT FIELD OFFICE LOCATED IN THE HEADQUARTERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH OF THE CONSERVATION CORPS. IT'S A PLEASURE TO TALK AND MEET WITH SO MANY CORE MEMBERS WHO ARE TAKING STEPS TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVES. AND IT'S AN HONOR TO WORK WITH THE CORE LEADERSHIP SO FREQUENTLY. IT'S AN HONOR TO RECOGNIZE THIS WONDERFUL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO SERVE OUR CITY SO WELL. AND THANK YOU TO DAN KNAPP, UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND I'M GONNA PASS IT OFF TO COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. UH, THE CONSERVATION CORPS OF LONG BEACH IS A LONGSTANDING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH A DEEP COMMITMENT, COMMITMENT TO BETTERING OUR CITY. STARTED IN 1987, THE CONSERVATION CORPS HAS PROVIDED A 12 MONTH JOB TRAINING PROGRAM THAT CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS THROUGHOUT LONG BEACH AND THE GATEWAY CITIES REGION TO REVITAL TO REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL AS CORE MEMBERS. PARTICIPANTS GAIN PRACTICAL SKILLS, ENVIRONMENTAL WORK EXPERIENCE, AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, ALL DESIGNED TO SET THEM UP FOR FUTURE SUCCESS. WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT THE CORE MEMBERS DO TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY, FROM RECYCLING COLLECTIONS, TO PLANTING TREES IN OUR PARKS AND ALONG OUR STREETS, WILDFIRE MITIGATION AND SO MUCH MORE. THEY ARE TIRELESSLY WORKING TO MAKE OUR URBAN LANDSCAPE A GREENER PLACE. I BET YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THEM AND NOT EVEN NOTICED SOME OF THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE. THEY WORK ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS ALL OVER THE CITY, INCLUDING THE WRIGLEY GREEN BELT IN DISTRICT SEVEN, THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER IN DIV AT DIVORCE PARK IN DISTRICT NINE. UH, DISTRICT FIVE HAS SEEN THE BENEFITS OF WORK OF REPLANTING TREES ALONG OUR ATLANTIC CORRIDOR JUST IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. AND OF COURSE, THIS BIG PROJECT AWARD-WINNING PROJECT AT WILLOW SPRINGS PARK. UH, WE JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU DO, UM, AND CONGRATULATE YOU ON THIS NATIONAL RECOGNITION. UH, WE KNOW THAT THIS SERVES AS A PATHWAY TO REAL GOOD JOBS IN OUR CITY. OH, AND I DID HEAR THAT YOU MIGHT BE WORKING WITH A RANCHO TOO. SO, UM, THEY'RE SO MUCH MORE THAN THEY STARTED OUT BEING AND HAVE BLOSSOMED INTO SUCH A BENEFIT TO OUR CITY, UH, BRINGING INCREDIBLE TALENT AND RESOURCES TO SOME GREAT PROJECTS. SO, CONGRATULATIONS. WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU HERE. SO THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL. THANK YOU, MAYOR AGAIN, COULDN'T BE PROUDER OF THE YOUNG FOLKS AT THE CONSERVATION CORAL LONG BEACH. WE HAVE 130 YOUNG FOLKS ANY GIVEN DAY OUT THERE DOING ALL THIS GREAT WORK. AND WE HAVE A WAITING LIST OF 50 FOLKS AT LEAST TRYING TO GET INTO THE COURSE. SO THIS IS ONE OF OUR MARQUEE PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, OUTTA 150 PROGRAMS NATIONWIDE. THIS YOUNG FOLKS IN LONG BEACH, WERE ABLE TO PULL IT OUT AND BE AWARDEE OF THREE OF OUT OF 150 NATIONWIDE. WE HAVE A REAL SHORT [00:05:01] VIDEO WE'LL SHOW YOU AND WE HAVE A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EACH ONE OF YOU TODAY AS WELL. HI, I'M DAN KNAPP OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CONSERVATION CORPS LONG BEACH, AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT OUR URBAN LUMBER PROGRAM. WITH ME, I HAVE JAVIER VIA OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, HENRY HERRERA FROM CAL FIRE AND ERIC LOPEZ, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS CITY OF LONG BEACH KEY PARTNERS IN THIS AWESOME PROJECT. 2017, WE APPLIED FOR THIS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANT TO ALSO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THIS PROJECT WAS FUNDED USING GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION FUNDING, CALIFORNIA CLIMATE INVESTMENT FUNDS. AND IT TOUCHED ON MANY COMPONENTS. THERE WAS A TREE PLANTING COMPONENT. 2000 TREES PLANTED. TREES THAT WERE DEAD, DYING HAZARDOUS WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WERE DIVERTED FROM ENDING UP INTO LANDFILL AND INSTEAD BEING USED TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR WOOD HERE LOCALLY THROUGH THIS URBAN LUMBER MILL THAT HELPED SEQUESTER THE CARBON AS WELL. UH, WHEN, UH, YOU FIRST APPROACHED US, UH, WITH THE IDEA, UH, WE WERE IMMEDIATELY IN THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROGRAM. ALIGN BEAUTIFULLY WITH THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL'S GOALS ON CLIMATE ACTION. I LOVE THE FACT THAT FOR EVERY TREE THAT COMES DOWN, YOU ARE ABLE TO TAKE THAT WOOD AND REUSE IT. IN ADDITION TO HAVING ALL THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS THAT WE JUST MENTIONED, UH, YOU ALSO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF BEING ABLE TO CREATE SOMETHING SPECIAL, SOMETHING THAT MAY BE, UH, PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATION. WE HAVE AN AWESOME RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY AND, YOU KNOW, AND WE CHERISH OUR PARTNERSHIP. IT WASN'T UNTIL JAVIER CAME ONTO THE TEAM TO REALLY MAKE THIS AND LIFT THIS PROJECT AND SEE IT TO FRUITION OUT OF ALL THE CORE MEMBERS THAT WE HAD IN OUR PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, THEY ALL, EVERY TIME, EVERY DAY, THEY WILL SHOW UP HERE AT SIX IN THE MORNING, YOU KNOW, HAPPY RAINING, HOT, THEY WERE HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO WORK HERE. HI, MY NAME IS TITO LE LUSO. UH, I'VE BEEN WITH THE CONSERVATION COURSE FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS, START OFF AS A CORPS MEMBER THAT I WEIGHED MY WAY UP TO A SUPERVISOR. HI, MY NAME IS MAURICE LOPEZ. I AM A CREW LEADER. I CAME IN AS A CORPS MEMBER. I'VE BEEN IN THE CORPS FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A FEW MONTHS. HELLO. HI, I'M JUAN GARCIA. I'M A CREW SUPERVISOR. I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR CONSERVATION CORPS FOR OVER 10 YEARS. SO, MAURICE, UH, SINCE WE'VE BEEN IN THE LUMBER YARD, CAN YOU KIND OF EXPLAIN TO ME THE STUFF THAT YOU'VE LEARNED SO FAR? I'VE LEARNED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WOOD. WE HAVE WEST COAST ARBORS. I REMEMBER SOME OF THE CORPS MEMBERS, THEY HAVE NEVER USED A CHAINSAW, SO THEY WERE TEACHING US THE PROPER WAY TO USE IT AND HOW TO TAKE CARE OF IT, SHARPEN IT, CHANGE THE OIL, AND ALSO HOW TO LOAD IT UP PROPERLY ON THE MILL SO THAT WAY IT CAN CUT SMOOTHLY AND MAKING SURE EVERYBODY HAS A DISTANCE FROM THE MILL. 'CAUSE IT'S A SHARP BLADE. WE'RE SO PROUD AND PRIVILEGED TO BE A PART OF IT. RIGHT BACK AT YOU, ERIC HENRY, JAVIER. WHAT, WHAT AN AWESOME TEAM. SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, YOUR CORE, OUR CORE LONG, BEACH'S CORE GOT GREAT RECOGNITION IN WASHINGTON DC SO TODAY WE HAVE MAURICE, WHO WAS UP, UP ON THE VIDEO THERE, AND FELIPE, TWO OF OUR CORE MEMBERS WHO WERE PART OF THE PROGRAM, THEY MADE YOU ALL A LITTLE IL LITTLE SOMETHING SPECIAL. JUST JUMP OVER THE, THE THERE A LITTLE SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR Y'ALL. UM, OUT OF WOOD FROM LONG BEACH, YOU KNOW, BORN IN LONG BEACH, RAISED IN LONG BEACH, NOW IT'S IN LONG BEACH IN YOUR HANDS. SO STAFF AND THE CORPS MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO EACH ONE OF THOSE PLAQUES HAS A, A MAP OF EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT ON THE MAP. YEAH. ISN'T ISN'T THAT COOL? YEAH. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH LONG BEACH AND HEY, WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED. YOU KNOW, STAY TUNED. SUMMER OF 24, OUR SHORE CORE PROGRAM'S GONNA BE HITTING THE, THE BEACHES OF LONG BEACH. THANK YOU ALL. WELL, DAN, HANG, HANG ON A MINUTE. YOU DON'T BRING US THESE COOL THINGS AND JUST WALK AWAY. WE HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. WE WANT YOU TO, YOU KNOW, COME BACK FOR MORE. YEAH, WELL, WELL, I'LL TELL YOU DAN. UH, WE ARE JUST SO PROUD OF THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE PARTNERSHIP THAT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAS CULTIVATED, UH, WITH THE CONSERVATION CORPS. WE HAVE THE BEST CONSERVATION CORPS IN AMERICA. WE DO, WE'RE INNOVATIVE, WE ABSOLUTELY DO. YEAH. CREATED HERE IN LONG BEACH. UH, WE'VE SEEN SOME INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS AND COUNCIL MEMBER KERR MENTIONED SOME OF THE PROJECTS. BUT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, WE GOT TO WORK TOGETHER FIRSTHAND ON THE DEFOREST PARK ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER. THIS WAS A, A SITE AND A PARK WHERE THE CITY WAS IN A FINANCIAL PLACE WHERE WE HAD TO DIVERT PROGRAMS AND CONSOLIDATE TO HOUGHTON PARK. AND SO IT WAS UNDERUTILIZED. CONSERVATION CORPS STEPPED UP, AND NOT ONLY DID WE TURN IT INTO AN ASSET FOR THE COMMUNITY, IT'S A REGIONAL ATTRACTION. NOW, WE, YOU WERE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH US TO BUILD A NEW COMMUNITY CENTER, MAKE IT YOUR HUB OF OPERATIONS FOR THE LOWER LOS ANGELES RIVER, AND HELP WITH MAINTENANCE AS [00:10:01] AN INTEGRATED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE, MAINTENANCE OF OUR DEFOREST PARK WETLANDS. THAT'S THE KIND OF INNOVATION THAT TAKES A CHALLENGE, LIKE A BUDGET, AND SAYS, IF WE LOOK AT PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, WE LOOK AT CULTIVATING LONG RANGE RELATIONSHIPS, WE CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE HERE. UH, SOMETHING THAT WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED IN, IN A MODEL FOR OTHER PARKS TO FOLLOW. SO I'M JUST, I'M JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW, UH, PROJECT. UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS IS A GREAT USE FOR THE TREES THAT SOMETIMES, UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TO REPLACE IN OUR CITY, BUT YOU'RE ABLE TO MAKE SOMETHING COOL OUT OF IT AND BE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS THROUGH THE PROCESS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SOMETHING, SOME THINGS THAT THEY WANNA SAY. COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS. THERE YOU GO. UM, DAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU AND CONSERVATION COURT DO. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I'M MOST PROUD OF IS THAT THE PARTNERSHIP, I WOULD SAY THE PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE WITH DISTRICT ONE, AND OBVIOUSLY EACH AND EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT UP HERE ON THE DAES, UM, I, I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THIS LITTLE PIECE OF WOOD, UM, AS I'M SURE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE AS WELL, THIS MEANS SO MUCH. UM, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES SUCH A BIG DIFFERENCE, UM, TO NOT ONLY OUR RESIDENTS BUT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND GIVING THE YOUTH AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE AND GIVE THEM A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN FEEL SAFE AND BE ABLE TO LEARN AT THE SAME TIME AND BE ABLE TO, UM, EXCEL ON DOING STUFF OUTSIDE OF THE ORDINARY STUFF. I THINK JUST IT GETS ME ALL EXCITED FOR THEM. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING OUR YOUTH WITH OUR THAT SPACE AND FOR CONTINUING TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO BETTER, UM, AND, AND ALL WITH ONE GOAL IN MIND, AND THAT'S TO BECOME A GREENER CITY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. AND YOU KNOW, I, I, I DID FORGET TO MENTION THAT. SO WE HAVE ALL THIS LUMBER. WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH ALL WE'RE, YEAH, WE'RE GONNA DO A COUPLE OF THESE THINGS, BUT THE IDEA IS FOR IT TO BE A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LONG BEACH HAS SUCH A VIBRANT ART ARTISAN COMMUNITY, AND SO THIS WOOD'S GONNA START GOING ON SALE. WE HAVEN'T DONE IT YET, SO WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY AFRAID THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET ALL OF OUR DUCKS IN A ROW. BUT PRETTY SOON YOU'LL BE ABLE TO, IF A TREE FALLS DOWN IN YOUR FRONT YARD, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GEOTAG THAT TREE. SO YOU CAN GO BACK AND YOU CAN MAYBE BUY A SLAB OF THAT WOOD AND MAKE A COFFEE TABLE A BENCH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT OUT OF IT, YOU KNOW, AND ALSO, I, I DID, I WAS A LITTLE REMISS. SO YEAH, WE'RE DOING ALL THIS GREAT WORK IN THE LONG BEACH AND THERE'S YOUNG FOLKS FROM THE LONG, LONG BEACH CORE ARE DOING GREAT WORK AND LONG BEACH AND BEYOND. YOU KNOW, THIS LAST FALL, WE SENT A CREW OUT TO FLORIDA TO HELP WITH SOME DISASTER RELIEF WITH THEIR HURRICANES THERE. WE'RE GONNA BE DOING MORE AND MORE OF THAT. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR FOLKS TO GIVE BACK BEYOND THEIR COMMUNITY AND REALLY EXPAND THEIR HORIZONS. AND AGAIN, THIS IS A TRUE PARTNERSHIP. WE ARE SO, WE ARE SO HONORED TO BE PART OF THE CITY. WE ARE YOUR CORE. LET'S MAKE SOME BIG THINGS HAPPEN. I'M SO EXCITED. SO YEAH, I LOVE THAT WE ARE YOUR CORE. NEXT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, RICK SOTE, UH, I WAS GONNA LAUGH AND SAY, AS THE CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE NINTH DISTRICT, THE MAYOR STOLE MOST OF MY TALKING POINTS ABOUT THE FOREST PARK, BUT IT'S ALL RIGHT. . UM, BUT YEAH, NO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC PARTNERS IN THE NINTH DISTRICT, EVEN AS LIKE A RESIDENT. YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN DE FOREST PARK. UM, WE WERE JUST OUT THERE ON SATURDAY FOR EARTH DAY, YOU KNOW, GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN YOU AND CAMPFIRE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP CENTER. I GOT A FANTA I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO, TO SEVERAL OF YOUR STUDENTS WHO WERE JUST SUPER ENGAGED, LOVED THE MISSION, AND ALSO JUST LOVED OUR CITY, AND WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT OTHER WAYS THEY COULD GIVE BACK, OTHER WAYS THAT THEY COULD WORK, UM, AND, AND BE SUPPORTIVE, RIGHT? AND THEY, THEY TALKED SO MUCH ABOUT THE MISSION AND HOW, YOU KNOW, EVEN TALKING TO THEIR PARENTS, RIGHT? THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE CORE EXISTED, RIGHT? AND THE FACT THAT THEY FELT PRIVILEGED TO ACTUALLY HAVE THAT INFORMATION, RIGHT? HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, HAVE THE INTERNSHIPS, HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, RIGHT? AND WHAT THEY WERE GONNA CARRY WITH THEM. AND I SAID, I THINK THAT'S THE LEGACY OF THE CORE. UM, I KNOW YOU WORK ALL A, A LOT WITH OUR UPTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND CLEANLINESS, RIGHT? SO THERE'S JUST, YOU ALL HAVE YOUR FINGERS AND TENTACLES IN SO MANY PLACES IN OUR CITY. AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND THE CORE FOR YOUR SERVICE. YEAH. THANK, THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. THANK YOU. SO, YEAH, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SARR. UM, HI DAN. HEY. AND DAVID, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA NOT BE REPETITIVE, BUT ADD TO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT A, WHAT A, YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN AMAZING. I MEAN, IT REALLY WAS YOU FOR A LONG TIME, AND THEN YOU BROUGHT DAVID ON BOARD TO HELP OUT AND THEN JUDY TO HELP WITH THE FUNDRAISING. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF YOUR VISION ABOUT HOW YOU WANTED TO SEE THE CORE GROW, AND, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IT. I MEAN, YOU HAVE THAT SLAB OF WOOD IN YOUR OFFICE, YOU'RE LIKE, YEAH, WE'RE GONNA BE STARTING LIKE A SOCIAL ASK. LIKE, OKAY. UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IT, YOU KNOW, AND I, I THINK THAT ALL OF THAT IS DEFINITELY SHOWN IN HAVING OUR, THE RIVER RANGER, HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU IN A CAPACITY WHEN I [00:15:01] WAS AT THE RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY, SEEING FIRSTHAND HOW MUCH LIVES ARE CHANGED WHEN WE HAVE, UM, PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY, YOUNG PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY, BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND TO NOT ONLY JUST WORK, BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL AT THE SAME TIME AND SUPPORT THEM AS WHOLE BEINGS. UM, AND, AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT, UH, THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, ESPECIALLY IN THE GREEN WORKFORCE. SO, I JUST DON'T WANNA SAY HOW PROUD I AM OF YOU, HOW HARD YOU WORK TO BE ABLE TO GET IT TO THIS POINT. AND I'M IMPRESSED. I CHECKED YOUR WEBSITE, YOU HAVE PICTURES NOW, AND IT LOOKS GREAT, . THANK YOU. YOUR COMMUNICATION IS AMAZING. NOW, I LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU A LONG TIME AGO WHEN I STARTED THE CORE, I, I, I DIDN'T DRINK THE GO KOOL-AID. I GUZZLED IT. BUT I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE ON BOARD. YOU'RE ALL KOOL-AID DRINKERS. WE'RE ALL DOING THIS TOGETHER, SO APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. WE'RE DOING THIS TOGETHER, REALLY. IT'S, IT'S ALL OF US. SO THANK YOU ALL, THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY. IT'S A LOT MORE COMMENTS BEFORE YOU GIVE ALL YOUR THANK YOUS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA, UH, THANK YOU. AND I, UH, WHAT ADD MY, UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NATIONAL AWARD BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO YOU DO EFFECTIVE WORK HERE IN LONG BEACH, CERTAINLY IN MY DISTRICT, YOU HAD A, YOU WERE VERY IMPACTFUL WITH OUR WRIGLEY GREEN BELT, WHICH WAS A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT THAT YOU GOT DONE IN A VERY TIMELY MANNER AND FASHION. AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL. YOU GUYS DO SOME GREAT WORK, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE, I TOUCHED THE, THE, THE CORE, LIKE, UH, MS. SORROW, DR. SORROW WITH THE MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY. YEAH. YOU GUYS ARE ALL OVER PLACE. MM-HMM. . SO IT'S NOT JUST WHAT YOU DO FOR LONG BEACH, BUT WHAT YOU DO REGIONALLY AS WELL FOR THIS AREA. SO CONGRATULATIONS ON KNOW WELL DESERVED A MOURN, AND YOUR ENTHUSIASM IS INFECTIOUS . EVEN MY VOICE IS GETTING BETTER, . THANK YOU, DAN. I LOVE IT. LOVE IT, LOVE IT. SO, NO, AND AGAIN, AND WE, WE DO CHERISH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC WORKS, WITH PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF GREAT STUFF AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THAT MUCH MORE. SO THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN AUSTIN. THANK YOU. AND, UH, DAN, I JUST WANT TO JUST WEIGH IN ON THE CHORUS OF A CONGRATULATIONS. UH, THE, UH, CONSERVATION CORPS OF LONG BEACH CONTINUES TO BE A VERY INNOVATIVE, UH, PARTNER IN OUR CITY, UM, AND CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, UH, UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP. AND WE APPRECIATE THAT GREATLY. YOU KNOW, I CAN REMEMBER SEVERAL YEARS BACK, US, UH, YOU KNOW, GETTING TOGETHER EVERY OTHER WEEK ON THE LOWER LA RIVER, UH, VISIONING PROJECT. UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING, UM, ALONG THE DEFOREST WETLANDS, THAT PROJECT WOULD NOT BE WHAT IT IS. AND THE, THE WELL AS WELL MAINTAINED IT AS IS, IS, UH, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE CONSERVATION CORE OF LONG BEACH PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR, OUR UPTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICTS, UM, THAT WAS INVALUABLE, UM, WHEN WE WERE IN PARTNERSHIP THERE. AND THEN MANY NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUPS. YOU GUYS MAKE YOURSELVES AVAILABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. YOU'RE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, YOU'RE ABOUT THE CITY. AND, AND, UH, WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT. UM, AND NUMEROUS SPECIAL EVENTS THAT WE HAVE. YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEVER SHY ABOUT CALLING ON THE CONSERVATION CORPS OF LONG BEACH FOR, FOR SUPPORT. SO I, I WANNA JOIN IN. CONGRATULATIONS. UM, I RECEIVED A, A NEWSLETTER TODAY THAT WAS, UH, ENJOYABLE TO READ. I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN THAT, BUT, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE YOUR COMMUNICATIONS IS ACTUALLY STEPPING UP. AND SO THAT'S JUDY. YEAH. , CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TEAM THERE. AND, UH, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT'S NEXT. UH, YOU CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND, YOU KNOW, YEAH, I, I WANT WHATEVER YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SIPPING ON IN THE MORNING, . THAT'S GOOD. WELL, WELL, DAN, UH, THAT'S THAT, THAT'S OUR COMMENTS. WE'RE, WE'RE PROUD. WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A COLLEGE CORE, WE'VE GOT A CLIMATE CORE, WE'VE GOT A PUBLIC SERVICE CORE, AND WE'VE GOT A CONSERVATION CORPS. AND, AND WE'RE JUST FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE SO MANY GREAT PROGRAMS IN LONG BEACH THAT CULTIVATE, THAT ULTIMATELY SORT OF CULTIVATE OUR YOUTH AND THEIR OPPORTUNITIES. AND YOU ALL WERE THE FIRST, YOU WERE THE FIRST CORE PROGRAM RIGHT HERE. YOU CAUGHT ME THERE. I'M READY TO TELL YOU. OH, I, I WAS GETTING TO IT. YEAH. , RIGHT? BUT, UH, YOU WERE THE FIRST, YOU'VE SET THE STANDARD. YOU CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE EXCELLENCE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WORK. THANKS MAYOR. THANKS. UH, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. THANKS. YOU. THANKS EVERYBODY. YEAH, YOU HAVE, WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE ACTUALLY. AND WE WANNA COME DOWN AND TAKE A PHOTO? YEAH, YEAH. COME ON GUYS. ALRIGHT. STAFF GET TO COME TOO. . OH WAIT, I JUST GETTING, THERE'S GONNA BE BIG [00:20:03] THAT ALRIGHT. OH NO. YOU CAN ALL SEND OUR OUR ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE NATIONAL, AN ANIMAL THERAPY DAY PRESENTATION LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SUPERMAN. OKAY, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UH, THANK YOU TO DISTRICT FOUR RESIDENT NIKKI CONING FOR, UH, BRINGING THIS MATTER TO MY ATTENTION OF NATIONAL THERAPY ANIMAL DAY. UH, NIKKI WAS THE THERAPY ANIMAL HANDLER FOR MANY YEARS. SINCE SHE AND HER ST. BERNARD HELPED MANY PEOPLE THROUGH THEIR HEALING PROCESS. UH, WHILE NIKKI COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE RITA GOER, DIRECTOR OF CHILD LIFE PROGRAM AT MILLER CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, UM, TO BE HERE IN HER PLACE AND SPEAK ABOUT NATIONAL THERAPY ANIMAL DAY AND THE WORK OF THESE ANIMALS. [ RECOGNIZING NATIONAL THERAPY ANIMAL DAY] AND, UH, THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR FOR SUPPORTING THIS PRESENTATION AND THE PROCLAMATION THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT. SO, RITA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. HI EVERYBODY. HELLO, MAYOR RICHARDSON. HI, MEGAN KERR. ALL MY FRIENDS ARE HERE. THEY COME AND VISIT ME AT THE, OH, IS IT NOT ON? HERE WE GO. I HAVE TO GET CLOSER. SORRY. ALL MY FRIENDS THAT COME AND VISIT US AT THE HOSPITAL ALL THE TIME, I AM SO HONORED TO BE HERE. I'VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE, SO I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS. SORRY, , I, THERE'S A CO THERE'S ONE OF OUR PET THERAPY DOGS RIGHT THERE. AND SOME OF OUR TEAM THAT'S COACH. SO I'VE WORKED AT THE HOSPITAL FOR 37 YEARS, SO I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD PET THERAPY TEAMS AT MILLER CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOR AT LEAST 37 YEARS AND PROBABLY MORE THAN THAT. AND NIKKI WAS ONE OF OURS, NIKKI AND WINSTON. HER ST. BERNARD WAS ONE OF OUR, UH, PET THERAPY TEAMS FOR A LONG TIME. I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD OF THE BENEFITS OF PET THERAPY, BUT SPECIFICALLY THAT'S BO THIS WAS AT HALLOWEEN, SO HE WAS DRESSED UP AS SUPER DOG THERE. UM, . BUT THE BENEFITS OF PET THERAPY ARE, UM, COUNTLESS REALLY, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR PEDIATRIC PATIENTS THAT ARE HOSPITALIZED, IT'S SUCH A SCARY AND TRAUMATIZING TIME FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO, THE, THE, THE LOOK ON A PATIENT'S FACE WHEN WE BRING A DOG INTO THEIR HOSPITAL ROOM IS AMAZING. JUST THEIR FACE JUST LIGHTS UP. THEY CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE THAT WE EVEN HAVE DOGS IN THE HOSPITAL. AND UM, IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE. I'VE SEEN CHILDREN LITERALLY TEAR UP BECAUSE THEY MISS THEIR OWN DOGGY SO MUCH AT HOME BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN HOSPITALIZED. JUST THE COMFORT THAT THEY PROVIDE, THE ENCOURAGEMENT, MAYBE EVEN ENCOURAGING A CHILD TO GET UP AND WALK A LITTLE BIT THAT MAYBE IS PAIN IN PAIN AFTER SURGERY. UM, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON. BUT OUR THERAPY DOG TEAMS ARE AMAZING AND, UM, I HAVE HAD THE GREAT FORTUNE OF WORKING WITH THEM, AS I SAID FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS NOW. AND, UM, I AM JUST HONORED TO BE HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THIS. AND I THANK NIKKI FOR BRINGING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION. OKAY, WELL THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND DON'T MAKE THIS, UH, THE LAST TIME. COME BACK NEXT YEAR PLEASE. AND THE MAYOR HAS A PROCLAMATION FOR YOU. WE HAVE A CITY PHOTOGRAPHER COME UP AND ARE YOU READY TO BE PROCLAIMED? SURE. RIGHT. AND COME AND GET PRO, GET YOUR, UH, PHOTO AND UM, IS THERE A CITY PHOTOGRAPHER? READY? OKAY, WE GOT IT. YOU WANT EVERYBODY OR JUST WELL, YEAH, I THINK JUST HAVE YOUR NAME. I SHOULDA MY ONE, TWO. [00:25:02] THANK YOU. PERFECT. YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. TO SEE YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT PRESENTATION IS, UH, PROJECT STREET VET VET LED BY VICE MAYOR ALLEN. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I'M GONNA DO A QUICK INTRODUCTION OF, UH, DIANA, AND THEN SHE'S GOT A QUICK PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL DO A PHOTO AFTERWARDS. SO, UM, DIANA GANO IS A CAROL PARK RESIDENT WHO LEARNED ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION, PROJECT STREET VET, AND ACTUALLY MADE IT HER MISSION TO BRING THEIR WORK, UM, TO LONG BEACH. AND, UM, THANKS TO DIANA'S LEADERSHIP, THE CITY'S MULTI-SERVICE CENTER [ PROJECT STREET VET] WAS ABLE TO HAVE MULTIPLE PROJECT STREET VET EVENTS WHERE HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS RECEIVED, UM, THEIR MUCH NEEDED, UH, HEALTHCARE. SO PROJECT STREET VET IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED NONPROFIT, AND, UH, I'M JUST VERY PROUD TO HAVE RESIDENTS LIKE DIANA WHO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, UM, FOR OUR, OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M GONNA HAND THIS OVER TO, UH, DIANA, AND I KNOW SHE HAS A PRESENTATION. IF WE CAN GET THAT QUEUED UP. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE OTHER TWO GROUPS. YOU GUYS ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AND I THOUGHT I WAS AN ENTHUSIASTIC PERSON, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE VICE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR INVITING ME HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT PROJECT STREET VET AND HOW WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THIS FABULOUS PROJECT HERE TO LONG BEACH. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK, UH, VICE MAYOR ALLEN'S, UH, ALIYAH KHAN, WHO PUT TOGETHER A PICTURE POWERPOINT FOR ME. UM, TODAY. I'VE NEVER DONE A POWERPOINT BEFORE, SO I'VE BEEN PRACTICING WITH MY TV CONTROLS, MAKING SURE THE PICTURES MATCH UP WITH WHAT I SAY. SO WISH ME LUCK. FIRST ONE, I'M ALL GOOD HERE. PROJECT STREET VET AS A NONPROFIT CHARITY THAT OFFERS FREE VETERINARY CARE, TREATMENT AND SUPPORT TO PETS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR HOUSING VULNERABILITY. THEIR MOTTO IS NO JUDGMENT, JUST HELP. I LEARNED ABOUT PROJECT STREET VET IN AN IN MAY OF 2022 FROM AN A A RP ARTICLE ON FIVE PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS. DR. KWAN, OH WAIT, PUSHING THE WRONG ONE. UM, GOOD SAN DIEGO'S. DR. KWAN STEWART IS A VETERINARIAN WHO GAVE UP HIS REGULAR VET SERVICE AND PRACTICE TO BE ABLE TO HELP THE PETS ON THE STREET. HE ALSO GOES STREET TO STREET AND DRIVES AROUND DIFFERENT CITIES LOOKING FOR HOMELESS WHO HAVE PETS THAT NEED CARE. AN AMAZING, AMAZING MAN. THE PROJECT CAPTURED MY HEART AND I FOUND AN EMAIL EVERY OFFICE IN THE CITY THAT I THOUGHT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP. EVERYONE THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA, BUT NO ONE THOUGHT WE HAD IT HERE IN LONG BEACH. I CALLED PROJECT STREET THAT IN SAN DIEGO AND FOUND THE AREA THEY COVER IS FROM LONG BEACH, FROM SAN DIEGO TO SKID ROW IN LOS ANGELES. SO LONG BEACH WOULD BE COVERED. THEY ALSO HAVE OUTREACHES AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS AS PART OF THEIR PROGRAM. MY GOAL WAS TO GET AN OUTREACH HERE IN LONG BEACH. I WAS ASKED THE PERCENTAGE OF UNHOUSED PEOPLE IN LONG BEACH WHO HAD PETS AND IF THEY WERE IN A SPECIFIC AREA IN LONG BEACH. AND IF LONG BEACH NEEDED A PROJECT LIKE THIS. OFFICER DEBOIS AT ANIMAL CARE SERVICES POINTED ME TOWARDS THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. AND ARMED WITH TREATS FOR THE PETS AND PROJECT STREET VET CARDS, I WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH MANY OF OUR UNHOUSED PEOPLE WITH PETS. AND THEY WERE REALLY RECEPTIVE ABOUT THIS IDEA. OFFICER RICK ARMAND OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT PUT ME IN TOUCH WITH QUALITY OF QUALITY OF LIFE TEAM MEMBER AND LIEUTENANT ERIC MATUS. AND HE GAVE ME PERMISSION TO GO ON RIDE-ALONGS WITH ALL FOUR TEAMS. WHAT AN EDUCATION. I LEARNED THAT THE UNHOUSED WITH PETS RARELY USE DRUGS OR ALCOHOL. THEY LIGHT UP LIKE CHRISTMAS TREES WHEN YOU ASK THEM ABOUT THEIR PETS, MOST OF WHICH ARE DOGS. THEIR DOGS ARE THEIR BEST FRIENDS, THEIR FAMILY, OFTEN THEIR ONLY FAMILY. MANY HAD THEIR PET LONG BEFORE THEY LOST THEIR HOME. AN UNHOUSED PERSON WILL FEED THEIR PET BEFORE THEY EAT AND WILL REFUSE HOUSING OR SHELTER. IF THEY CANNOT BRING THEIR PET, THEY WILL STAY ON THE STREET. AND THAT IS WHY SHELTERS HERE IN LONG BEACH AND AL ACTUALLY ALL ACROSS THE STATES, ARE NOW ALLOWING A UNHURT PER PERSON, AN UNHOUSED PERSON TO BRING A PET. NOW I COULD ANSWER. YES. LONG BEACH QUALIFIES AND NEEDS YOUR HELP. TYLER ANTONIN AT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER TOLD US THEY WOULD HOST OUR EVENT. AND ON JULY 21ST, 2023, WE HAD OUR VERY FIRST OUTREACH. THIS THEY [00:30:01] CAME WITH TWO VOLUNTEER VETERINARIANS. TWO VOLUNTEER TECHS, DANA DAVIS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PROJECT STREET THAT DENE WOULD BRING EVERYTHING WE NEEDED, MEDICINES, VACCINES, FLEA MEDS, ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE NEEDED, AND GOODIE BAGS FILLED WITH FOOD TREATS, COLLAPSIBLE WATER BOWLS, POOP BAGS, AND RESOURCES FOR OUR UNHOUSED. AND FOUR OF MY FABULOUS FRIENDS WERE THERE TO HELP. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER FOR THE FIRST OUTREACH, THERE WERE THREE DOGS. PROJECT STREET THAT USUALLY DOES 20 TO 25 DOGS AT AN OUTREACH BY 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. THERE WERE OVER 45 PEOPLE AND WE HAD TO TURN PEOPLE DOWN BECAUSE WE DIDN'T, WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE ALL OF THEM. EACH PET WAS GIVEN AN EXAM AND NECESSARY VACCINES OWNERS CONCERNS WERE ADDRESSED, FLEA MES, NAILS WORRIES, LIMPING, EYES, EARS, WHATEVER THEY NEED. WE WERE TAKEN CARE OF. THERE WERE ALSO LEASHES HARNESSES, AND THIS IS, AND EVEN PAW PROTECTORS IN HOT WEATHER. IF FOLLOW UP WAS NEEDED, THE OWNER WOULD BE SET UP WITH AN APPOINTMENT WITH A VET HERE IN LONG BEACH AND PROJECT STREET VET WOULD PAY THE VET DIRECTLY AND IMMEDIATELY FOR THEIR SERVICES. WHATEVER WAS NEEDED WAS GIVEN. IF A PET PARENT WAS READY FOR THEIR PET TO BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED, THEY WERE GIVEN A CALL TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT ONCE AGAIN HERE IN LONG BEACH AND PROJECT STREET VET WOULD PAY THE BILL. WE ALSO PROVIDE VACCINATIONS, OFTENTIMES REQUIRED FOR PET-FRIENDLY HOUSING. THIS OUTREACH WAS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING AND DEFINITELY ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING DAYS OF MY LIFE. THE PETS WERE GREAT. THEIR OWNERS WERE BEYOND GRATEFUL WITH 20 MORE PETS AND ONE AND A HALF HOURS LONGER THAN PET THAT USUALLY SPENDS. WE WERE, OUR TEAM WAS TOTALLY AND HAPPILY EXHAUSTED. ACTUALLY. I WAS AFRAID WE HAD TOTALLY OVERWHELMED PROJECT STREET VAN AND WE'D NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN. I SOON AFTER OUR EVENT, I WAS GIVEN A CALL BY QUALITY OF LIFE TEAM OFFICER JAMES STEINMAN, WHO SAID HE WANTED ME TO KNOW THE WORD ON THE STREET WITH HOMELESS PEOPLE WAS PROJECT STREET VET. EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT US VERY QUICKLY THEREAFTER, PROJECT STREET VET COMMITTED TO HAVING AN OUTREACH HERE IN LONG BEACH EVERY QUARTER. AND THEY WOULD HELP WITH 45 PETS EACH TIME. OUR SECOND OUTREACH WAS DECEMBER 8TH. THIS TIME OWNERS SIGNED UP ALISON CRIP, WHO MANY OF YOU MIGHT KNOW, WHO'S THE VETERAN SPECIALIST FOR THE HOMELESS SERVICE BUREAU, WHOM IT SEEMS MOST OF THE HOMELESS PEOPLE IN LONG BEACH KNOW AND RESPECT WAS THERE TO HELP US ORGANIZE AND KEEP EVERYTHING GOING SMOOTHLY BETWEEN THOSE WHO HAD SIGNED UP AND THOSE WHO WERE HOPING FOR HELP. OUR THIRD OUTREACH WAS HELD THIS MARCH 22ND AND TYLER ANTON HAS US BEYOND ORGANIZED NOW WE HAVE PETS SIGN UP INSTEAD OF PEOPLE. AND WE HAVE A WAITING LIST OF AN ADDITIONAL 10. WE ARE A WELL-OILED MACHINE. OUR NEXT OUTREACH WILL BE TOWARDS THE END OF JUNE. BETWEEN OUTREACHES PET PARENTS CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE OR CONTACT P STREET VET WITH CONCERNS OR HELP THEY NEED, THEY GIVE A CALL TO VAL NASRA, THE PROGRAMS COORDINATOR, AND SHE WILL GET BACK TO THEM AND DIRECT THEM TO VETS HERE IN LONG BEACH. AND ONCE AGAIN, PAY THE BILLS WITH OUR OUTREACHES PET VISITS. SPAY AND NEUTER PROJECT STREET VET SPENDS THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS HERE IN LONG BEACH FOR OUR UNHOUSED PETS. EACH QUARTER. IN ONE OF THE PROJECT STREET VET VIDEOS, DR. KWAN WAS TALKING ABOUT SETTING UP A FOOD PANTRY IN SKID ROW IN LA BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A SHORTAGE OF FOOD FOR THE PETS. SO I CALLED AND SAID, WHAT ABOUT A FOOD PANTRY HERE IN LONG BEACH? CAN WE HAVE THAT? AND DR. KWAN, A FEW WEEKS AGO VISITED THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER TO LOOK AT LOCATIONS FOR A FOOD PANTRY AND ALSO TO SEE WHERE WE WERE HOLDING OUR OUTREACHES. CONSIDERATION IS BEING GIVEN TO THIS IDEA. PROJECT STREET FIT WOULD HAVE THE PANTRY AND THE FOOD SHIPPED TO US ONCE AGAIN AT THEIR EXPENSE. A QUICK ASIDE, EACH YEAR, CNN GETS NOMINATIONS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES WHO ARE DOING REALLY GREAT THINGS AND PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD VOTE ON THEIR FAVORITE NOMINEE. WELL, THIS PAST DECEMBER, DR. KWAN WAS ELECTED THE CNN HERO OF THE YEAR, HERO OF THE YEAR FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD. PRETTY COOL. IN CLOSING, I HAVE TWO REQUESTS. IF YOU KNOW OF A VETERINARIAN WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED IN OUR OUTREACHES OR DO STREET WORK HERE IN LONG BEACH OR WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT US, PLEASE HAVE THEM REACH OUT AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO LET THEM KNOW HOW THEY CAN HELP. AND FINALLY, THE NEED FOR PROJECT STREET VETS VETERINARY VITAL SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY IS GREAT. WE HAVE AN EXTRA HIGH TURNOUT FOR EVERY EVENT AND MANY MORE PET OWNERS ARE REQUESTING ASSISTANCE BETWEEN EVENTS. IT WOULD BE AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL IF OUR CITY COUNCIL WOULD MAKE A DONATION TO PROJECT STREET VET [00:35:01] TO HELP OUR ONGOING WORK AND OUR LONG BEACH COMMUNITY DONATIONS AND GRANTS ARE WHAT MAKES US AMAZING WORK POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. DO YOU HAVE A CERTIFICATE? UH, YES. SO, UM, DIANE, IF, IF YOU AND YOUR VOLUNTEERS COULD COME UP, UM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A QUICK PICTURE AND MAYOR, CAN WE ASK THE COUNCIL TO COME DOWN AND TAKE A PICTURE? ABSOLUTELY. TAKE A PICTURE. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATIONS. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 16. AND LET'S PULL ITEMS SEVEN AND 16 PLEASE. OKAY, I SEE CONSENT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. THERE ARE, THERE'S ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SIGN TO SPEAK, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY, WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT. HILDA GUYON. UM, HI, MY NAME IS HILDA GAAN. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE, UM, WHAT, NINE DISTRICT [CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 16.)] AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE CLIMATE ACTION AND SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT. ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, YOU HAVE IN ITEM NUMBER NINE THAT IT HAS A RECOMMENDATION TO GO OVER THE POLICIES FOR THE GREEN IN INFRAS STRUCTURE. NOW, I WANT YOU TO FOLLOW ME. I WANNA SHARE, I REMIND YOU OF A DREAM. A DREAM WHERE EVERY ALLEY IT HAS, IT IS GREEN, IT HAS A, UM, ART, LET ME TELL YOU HOW THEY HOLD IT. THAT EVERY ALLEY, PA, PAT, AND, AND TRAIL HAVE A WAY FINDING SIGN. PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING ARE PUBLIC ART AND ENHANCING THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER AND PROVIDING A WORKABILITY AND PLACE FOR THE KID TO SA TO PLAY SAFE, RIGHT? SO ALSO THE DREAM, AND I MEAN, TALK ABOUT THE TREES THAT WE HAVE, TREES EVERYWHERE THAT WE HAVE, UH, PAYMENT PER PERMEABLE PAYMENT THAT IS COLLECTING THE WATER WHERE IT, IT, IT RAINS. SO IMAGINE THAT ONE DAY THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS GONNA BE ON ALL THE NEWS SAYING THAT WE ARE THE MOST SUSTAINABLE CITY IN CALIFORNIA AND MAYBE IN THE NATION. RIGHT? AND THE ONLY THINGS THAT IT TAKES GUYS, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF THING, IF YOU GO AND READ THE CAP, IF YOU GO AND READ THE URBAN DESIGN, YOU CAN TOTALLY SEE THERE IS A LOT OF DREAMS, A LOT OF DREAMS OF THE PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THESE LGE PLANS. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE ONLY THING THAT IS MISSING, THE ONLY THING THAT IS WAITING FOR THESE DREAMS TO WAKE UP IS THAT ONE OF YOU, OR MAYBE EVERYBODY FROM YOU, IS GOING TO AGREE THAT THE CODE, [00:40:01] THE MUNICIPAL CODE, IS NOT MATCHING THESE DREAMS. THE ONLY THING THAT WE NEED IS TO BRING THE MUNICIPAL CODE, UM, UP TO DATE AND PROVIDE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LONG BEACH, TO HAVE PERMEABLE PAYMENT, TO HAVE MORE TREES, TO HAVE BIOSWELLS, TO HAVE ALLEYS. NOT A PLACE THAT IS GONNA BE FOR TRASH, IN TRASH, UH, TO PUT IN TRASH, BUT A CRIME. BUT FOR HAVING A PLACE WHERE THE KIDS CAN HAVE A NICE AREA TO PLAY SAFE RIGHT ON THE BACKYARD OR OUTSIDE THE BACKYARD. AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT IT TAKES. I TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF THE NINE OF THE PROPOSAL FOR THE, UM, SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT, THAT IT SAYS TO GO TO THE POLICIES AND REVIEW THE POLICIES, WHY WE DON'T GO FARTHER, WHY WE DON'T CHANGE THE CODE, REVIEW IT, MATCH IT, AND GO FORWARD. AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS NEEDED. AND BESIDES THAT, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA WAIT FOR THE PUBLIC TO GO BACK AGAIN, I WANNA THANK YOU BECAUSE TODAY I WENT TO ARTESIA AND GUESS WHAT, WHAT I SAW, I SAW A BUNCH OF TREES, NO PANTRIES, NONE OF THE PANTRIES. AND I TALKED TO SOMEONE THAT WHO WAS THERE AND HE SAID THERE IS NO PALM TREES IN THE PLANT, MAAM. AND I WANNA THANK WHOEVER WAS THE ONE WHO DECIDED. MAYBE MA'AM TIMES CONCLUDED OF MAYBE REX. I HAVE NO IDEA, BUT WHOEVER DID IT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S IT. ALRIGHT, WELL, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, PLEASE. MOTION IS CARRIED. ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO TO ITEM SEVEN, PLEASE REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND GRANT FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF 50,000 FOR THE CLIMATE LB MICRO GRANT PROGRAM DISTRICTS ONE AND SEVEN. ALRIGHT, UH, WE'LL GO TO STAFF FOR PRESENTATION. WE HAVE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER MEREDITH REYNOLDS FOR A BRIEF STAFF REPORT ON THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, UH, TONIGHT BEFORE YOU IS AN ITEM, UH, TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT, UH, FOR THE CLIMATE LB MICRO GRANT PROGRAM. THE YOUTH CLIMATE ACTION [7. 24-52993 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement and any necessary documents with the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors to accept and expend grant funding in the amount of $50,000 for the ClimateLB Microgrant Program, with a term ending December 31, 2024; and Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund Group in the City Manager Department by $50,000, offset by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors grant funds. (Districts 1, 7)        Office or Department: City Manager         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] FUND, UH, IS A GRANT PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FUNDING TO SUPPORT APPROXIMATELY 150 CITIES WORLDWIDE TO ENGAGE YOUTH AGES 15 TO 24, UH, THROUGH THE LOCAL DISTRIBUTION OF MICROGRANTS TO YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL ADVANCE CLIMATE GOALS. THE CITY WAS AWARDED $50,000 TO DISTRIBUTE MICROGRANTS TO SUPPORT YOUTH LED CLIMATE PROJECTS IN WEST LONG BEACH. UH, THROUGH THE END OF THIS YEAR, 2024, UH, ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS, UH, IS THE FIDUCIARY THAT WILL PROVIDE THE CITY WITH THAT INITIAL AWARD OF 50,000, UH, TO RAPIDLY LAUNCH AND SUPPORT A MINIMUM OF EIGHT MICRO GRANTS TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS. IF THE CITY SUCCESSFULLY COMMITS, UH, TO THE INITIAL $50,000 WITHIN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE PERFORMANCE PERIOD, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS. UH, THROUGH THIS CLIMATE LB MICRO GRANT PROGRAM, THE CITY WILL INVEST IN YOUTH AND YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS TO IMPLEMENT LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE CLIMATE SOLUTIONS FROM TREE PLANTING TO EDUCATION TO PUBLIC ART. SO CONSISTENT WITH THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS, UH, THE PROGRAM WILL PRIORITIZE PROPOSALS FROM YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS, UH, FOR THINGS LIKE YOUTH-LED REFORESTATION AND TREE PLANTING CAMPAIGNS, YOUTH-LED CLIMATE EDUCATION PROGRAMS, YOUTH CLIMATE AMBASSADORS, AND YOUTH DESIGN, PUBLIC ART AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS. THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION AND SUSTAINABILITY WILL ALSO ENGAGE THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND THE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL TO MAKE GRANT SELECTIONS. UH, THAT CONCLUDES MY STAFF REPORT AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA, NO QUESTIONS TO COMMENT THAT THIS SOUNDS LIKE A WONDERFUL PROGRAM AND WE ALWAYS ACCEPT FREE MONEY. WELL, MONEY'S NOT FREE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I SAY, A GIFT. THANK YOU. NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH. EXACTLY. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS DEJAS, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER WODONGA FOR PUTTING THAT OUT OF CONSENT. UM, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THAT CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR YOUTH, NOT ONLY TO ENGAGE THEM, BUT ALSO TO HAVE THEM LEAD AND, YOU KNOW, LEAD IN THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS RELATED TO CLIMATE IS VERY IMPORTANT AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT INVESTMENT TO MAKE THIS TYPE OF WORK GETS OUR YOUTH ON A PATHWAY TOWARDS A GREENER, UM, SUSTAINABLE CAREER AND HELPS ADVANCE A GREEN ECONOMY. I'M ALSO VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT APPLICATIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM WILL BE, UH, COMMUNICATED IN THE CITY THROUGH WITH, UM, ALL THROUGH FOUR, ALL FOUR LANGUAGES, WHICH AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS SOMETHING I'M, I AM VERY, ALWAYS, VERY ROOTING [00:45:01] FOR. UM, A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY, THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND THE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR WORKING ON THIS PROJECT. AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE ITEM 16. WE HAVE SOME, UH, SOME RECUSALS. WELL, ONE RECUSAL ITEM 16. LET'S SEE, READ ITEM 16 FIRST. REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDATION TO DETERMINE THAT THE GRANTING OF FACILITY PIPELINE PERMITS SUPPLEMENT NUMBER S DASH TWO DASH 23 UNDER EXISTING FACILITY PIPELINE PERMIT NUMBER P DASH 1 57 DASH 89 TO SIGNAL HILL PETROLEUM INC. WILL NOT BE CONTRARY TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO ISSUE SAID PERMIT. THANK YOU. UH, COUNT. WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER TI OH, UH, YES, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE, UH, SECTION 8 4 3 8 OF THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE. I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM THIS ITEM BECAUSE I ACCEPTED A CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $250 FROM AN AGENT IN THE SUBJECT PROCEEDING. [16. 24-53020 Recommendation to determine that the granting of Facility/Pipeline Permit Supplement No. S-2-23 under existing Facility/Pipeline Permit No. P-157-89 to Signal Hill Petroleum, Inc., will not be contrary to the public interest; and authorize City Manager, or designee, to issue said permit supplement in accordance with Section 15.44.060, Permit Issuance, of the Long Beach Municipal Code. (District 4) Levine Act: Yes       Office or Department: Public Works         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. UH, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED AS ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. COUNCILWOMAN MASSARO. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS THAT ARE TIMELY, UH, SOME, SOME TIME CERTAINS HERE. SO WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM 22. PLEASE REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION OF A 2023 GATEWAY CITIES ENERGY ACTION GOLD AWARD CITYWIDE. ALRIGHT, SO LET'S HAVE A, UH, A BRIEF PRESENTATION HERE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, TO PRESENT THIS EVENING, WE HAVE HECTOR DELATORRE FROM GATEWAY CITIES COG TO PRESENT THIS, UM, GATEWAY CITY ENERGY ACTION AWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU COUNCIL FOR JOINING US, US CONGRATULATIONS. [22. 24-52973 Recommendation to receive and file presentation of a 2023 Gateway Cities Energy Action Gold Award earned by the City of Long Beach for achievements of excellence in furthering sustainable energy goals. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Public Works         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, YOU GET THE GOLD ENERGY ACTION AWARD. UH, WE'VE ONLY GIVEN THEM OUT THREE YEARS, SO YOU'VE WON ONE EVERY YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS. UM, THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER CITY, UH, OUT OF THE 27 WHO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS. SO I'M VERY, UH, PROUD OF YOU FOR DOING IT, FOR ENGAGING IN THIS. UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL ENERGY NETWORK IS WHAT, UH, DOES ALL OF THIS WORK THROUGH THE COG AND, UH, WHAT WE DO IS SUPPORT OUR CITIES IN YOUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY EFFORTS. UH, THERE ARE ONGOING PROJECTS THAT ARE JUST AVAILABLE ALL THE TIME, LIKE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AUDITS, BASELINE SETTING BASELINES FOR YOUR EMISSIONS IN YOUR CITY. AND WE'RE, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL CITY GOVERNMENT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, ET CETERA, WITHIN THE CITY. UM, AND THEN WE HAVE ONE-OFF OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE FUNDED BY THE COUNTY OR THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND WE MAKE THOSE AVAILABLE TO YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC WORKS FACILITIES, FOR YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS, WHATEVER, UH, UH, CITY FACILITIES YOU HAVE TO GREEN THOSE. YOU HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF SO MANY OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES. YOU'RE VERY AGGRESSIVE IN TRYING TO BE SUSTAINABLE, AND THAT IS WHY YOU GET THE AWARD. UM, I ALSO WANTED TO SAY FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE GATEWAY CITIES COG, ALTHOUGH MULTIPLE OF YOU ARE AND HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD, UM, THE, THE GATEWAY CITIES IS A JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY OF 27 CITIES AND 11 UNINCORPORATED AREAS WITH, UH, OVER 2 MILLION RESIDENTS. IF WE WERE ONE CITY, NOT THAT WE'RE PROPOSING THIS, BUT IF WE WERE ONE CITY, WE WOULD BE THE FIFTH LARGEST CITY IN AMERICA. IF WE WERE ONE STATE, WE WOULD BE THE 38TH LARGEST STATE IN AMERICA. AND YET WE'RE JUST A SMALL PART OF LA COUNTY. UH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST ALL THE TIME, IS EXPLAINING WHO WE ARE TO FOLKS OUTSIDE AND BRINGING THOSE RESOURCES IN FOR TRANSPORTATION ENVIRONMENT, HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND NOW, UH, HEALTH AND WELLNESS THAT WAS ADDED RECENTLY. SO, UH, WE'RE HERE TO, TO BE PART OF, OF WHAT YOU DO TO COLLABORATE WITH YOU TO HELP YOU IN ANY WAY WE CAN. SO, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS. THREE YEARS [00:50:01] IN A IN A ROW. THREEPEAT IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, HECTOR, FOR COMING DOWN. AND IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GATEWAY CITIES COG COMES DOWN AND ADDRESSES OUR CITY COUNCIL THEMSELVES. SO THAT SHOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGED. LET'S HEAR FOR HECTOR DELATORRE IS DOING A GREAT JOB AS THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GATEWAY CITIES CALL. I, SECONDLY, I'LL SAY THAT, UH, WE UNDERSTAND WHEN WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY EXPLAIN, UH, HOW BIG WE ARE, RIGHT? WHEN WE'RE THE 42ND LARGEST CITY IN AMERICA AND, UH, SECOND LARGEST IN SIX COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. AND SO, UH, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT'S LIKE. SO WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER. UH, THE FINAL THING I'LL SAY IS, YOU KNOW, WE BELIEVE IN, WE BELIEVE IN CLEAN ENERGY. UH, WE WERE JUST ON EARTH DAY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE JUST, YOU KNOW, UNVEILED A NEW SOLAR CANOPY AT LONG BEACH AIRPORT. THIS IS THE NINTH OF 11 PROJECTS THAT ARE IN QUEUE THAT WILL BE UNVEILING, UH, OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. UH, AND IT'S A PART OF A BIGGER COMMITMENT THAT WE HAVE JUST TO, TO CLEAN ENERGY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR BUDGET, WE FULLY PURCHASED CLEAN POWER FOR THE CITY, VERY FIRST TIME IN THIS BUDGET. THAT'S FANTASTIC. SO WE, WE BELIEVE IN THESE THINGS AND WE KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THE BIG CITIES LIKE LONG BEACH NEED TO STEP UP AND SHOULD LEAD THE WAY SO THAT SOME OF OUR SMALLER CITIES UNDERSTAND AND CAN FOLLOW IN, IN OUR WAY. SO AS LONG BEACH GOES, SO GOES, SO GOES OUR REGION. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND WE COME DOWN, TAKE A PHOTO, UH, WITH THIS AWARD. LET'S BRING THE WHOLE COUNCIL DOWN FOR THIS AWARD. THANKS. THERE WE GO. THERE WE GO. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. COUNCIL MOTION IS CARRIED. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE ITEM 27, PLEASE REPORT FROM DARRYL AUGH, COUNCILMAN FOURTH DISTRICT CHAIR OF THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE. RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE, APPROVE NAMING OF THE THIRD FLOOR DEVELOPMENT TO CONGRESSMAN ALLEN LOWENTHAL GLOBAL TRADE AND EDUCATION CENTER AT THE PORT OF PORT ADMINISTRATION BUILDING. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. WELL, LET'S LET, OKAY, LET'S HEAR IT FOR CONGRESSMAN ALLEN LAL. ALL RIGHT, SO, SO, UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF FRAMING. SO THIS IS OUR SECOND READING, UM, UH, OF OUR, OUR PROCESS. AND WE'RE GONNA GO TO, UH, COUNCILMAN SUPERMAN IN A MOMENT BEFORE WE HEAR [27. 24-53008-01 Recommendation to approve naming of the Third Floor Development to Congressman Alan Lowenthal Global Trade and Education Center at the Port Administration Building, a process which is in accordance with City of Long Beach Administrative Regulation AR 8-7, Policy and Procedures for the Naming of City-owned Land, Buildings, and Facilities.       Office or Department: Daryl Supernaw, Councilman, Fourth District, Chair; Government Operations and Efficiency Committee         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] FROM, UH, UH, CONGRESSMAN LOWENTHAL. UH, BUT WE'RE ALL SUPPORTIVE OF THIS STEP. AND WE WERE, WE WERE THRILLED WHEN THE, UH, PORT, UH, ANNOUNCED, UM, THAT WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND RECOGNIZE CONGRESSMAN LOWENTHAL FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS. BUT LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE VENUE. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE LEVEL ON OUR, ON OUR PORT HEADQUARTERS THAT'S REALLY ENVISIONED TO BE A PLACE FOR TOURS, FOR EDUCATE AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT SIMILAR PORTS, UH, ACROSS THE WORLD THAT HAVE THESE, THESE FLOORS. AND THEY REALLY ARE, UH, THEY'RE, THEY, THEY'RE REALLY INSTRUCTIVE. YOU LEARN ABOUT NOT JUST YOUR PORT, BUT GOODS MOVEMENT IN GENERAL. UH, AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT SUPPORTS, YOU KNOW, ONE IN SIX JOBS IN, IN, IN LONG BEACH AND, AND LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS ACROSS OUR REGION. AND IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. BUT WHY DID WE RECOGNIZE, UH, CONGRESSMAN LAWAL? WELL, UH, HE'S BEEN A LEADER ON THE, THE PETROLEUM COKE, UH, ISSUES AND GOODS MOVEMENT ISSUES. HE WAS A BIG ADVOCATE FOR PORT INFRASTRUCTURE AND CLEAN AIR, UH, FUGITIVE DUST, UH, THE NEW BRIDGE, THE LONG BEACH INTERNATIONAL GREAT WAY BRIDGE. SO WHO BETTER TO, TO RECOGNIZE WHEN PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF [00:55:01] THE PORT? IT'S REALLY BEEN A HISTORY OF PEOPLE. IT'S BEEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN STEPPING UP ON CLEAN AIR, ON GOODS, GOODS MOVEMENT ON THE ECONOMY THROUGHOUT, UH, GENERATIONS. AND SO WHO BETTER THAN OUR LOCAL, UH, A LOCAL NEIGHBOR, A LOCAL RESIDENT, A LOCAL CITIZEN WHO STEPPED UP, UH, RAN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE AND REALLY HAS BEEN A REAL CHAMPION. SO, UH, SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS TODAY. I WANNA GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER SUPERMAN. OKAY, THANK YOU MAYOR. AS CHAIR OF THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE, I HAVE THE DISTINCT HONOR OF MOVING THIS ITEM, AND BY THE WAY, THAT RECEIVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE ON OUR COMMITTEE AND WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER BRICK ODI. UM, I'M JUST GONNA ECHO MY, UH, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DARREL SUPER NA, UH, WHEN THE, UH, DIRECTOR FOR THE PORT MARK CORDERO CAME, HE GAVE A JUST A KIND OF RESOUNDING, UM, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSION AROUND JUST LIKE YOUR BACKGROUND, UM, AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE IN OUR CITY AND HOW MUCH YOU HAVE MOVED, UM, OUR CITY FORWARD AND OUR PORT FORWARD WHEN IT, WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT JUST LIKE GREEN ENERGY, HERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, JUST OFF OF EARTH DAY. AND SO I KNOW, I PERSONALLY WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND I'M JUST CONGRATULATING YOU ON THIS HONOR. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. WE'LL, NOW GO TO, WE'LL NOW GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, CONGRESSMAN AL LAWAL. WELL, FIRST, I AM THANKFUL TO THE MAYOR AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THERE'S A TREMENDOUS RECOGNITION THAT I DID NOT EXPECT, UH, WHEN, I'LL GET A LITTLE BACKGROUND. WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR THE SECOND DISTRICT CITY COUNCIL IN 1992, I WALKED MY DISTRICT, WHICH I'VE NEVER STOPPED DOING. WHEN I RAN FOR OFFICE, I'M A GREAT BELIEVER IN POLITICS AND MEETING PEOPLE AND ALWAYS GOING BACK AND TALKING TO THEM. AND, UH, WHEN I WALKED THROUGH THE SECOND DISTRICT, WHICH IN 1992 WENT OUT TO REDONDO AVENUE FROM THE OCEAN, UH, UP TO SEVENTH OR 10TH STREET, DEPENDING UPON WHERE, UH, I WOULD TELL 'EM WHY I WAS RUNNING. AND THEY'D SAY, ALAN, THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING THAT YOU'RE DOING THAT, BUT COME INTO MY HOUSE, OPEN UP THIS WINDOW AND TELL ME WHAT'S THIS BLACK SOOT IN MY WINDOW? AND THAT STARTED OVER A 30 YEAR KIND OF CRUSADE BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST STARTED, UH, IT WAS JUST KIND OF EXPECTED OR ACCEPTED, MAYBE THAT THERE WAS BLACK SOOT THAT CAME FROM THE PORTS. BUT I SAID AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CLEAN AIR. THEY ARE NOT INCOMPATIBLE. WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO FOSTER THAT. IT CAN BE WHO WE ARE. UH, AND AT FIRST PEOPLE THOUGHT IT COULDN'T BE DONE, BUT THEN OVER THE YEARS, THE PORTS ADOPTED THAT. AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THEY HAVE BECOME, AND THE CITY HAS BECOME THE NATION'S LEADER IN, UH, CLEANING UP THEIR PORTS AND CLEANING UP THEIR OCEAN AROUND IT. SO I'M JUST HONORED TO BE PART OF THAT. I STAYED ON THAT ISSUE THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL. FIRST THING I DID WAS TO SUE THE CITY OF LA WHEN I WAS ELECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THEY WERE A LITTLE UPSET ABOUT THAT, BUT I GOT THE CITY ATTORNEY TO DO IT BECAUSE THEY WERE DOING OPEN COKE PILES WAY BEFORE MANY OF YOU WERE THERE ON THE WEST SIDE OF LONG BEACH. AND, UH, THAT AIR WOULD BLOW INTO THE WEST SIDE, AND THERE WAS NOBODY TO FIGHT FOR THAT. AND IT WAS RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THE PORT OF LA THEY WERE ALLOWING THIS. AND SO THAT'S WHAT STARTED IT. AND WE NEVER STOPPED FIGHTING TO CLEAN UP THE AIR TO SAY, WE CAN HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WE CAN BE SUSTAINABLE AND CLEAN. AND SO I WENT ON TO CHAIR TRANSPORTATION IN THE, IN THE CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE, UH, LIKE LENA. AND, UH, IT'S JUST A GREAT, GREAT HONOR, UH, TO RECEIVE THIS, TO KIND OF BE THE CAPSTONE OF MY 30 YEAR RUN, UH, AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING ME. IT'S, IT, IT'S JUST WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE, UH, A FEW MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO JUST OFFER SOME COMMENT. WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AS PART OF, OF THE COMMITTEE, ALSO, CONGRESSMAN WELCOME. AND I, UH, I AM JUST SO THRILLED ABOUT THIS AND I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, SUPER NA FOR, UM, FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS. UM, THAT'S SO AWESOME. AND I'M JUST THRILLED THAT THIS IS GONNA BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT IS EDUCATIONAL NOT ONLY FOR OUR YOUTH, BUT FOR SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. AND I THINK IT'S SO FITTING YOU BEING, COMING FROM THE EDUCATIONAL REALM AND, UM, YOU KNOW, GO BEACH. VERY PROUD OF YOU, UM, FOR BEING A PROFESSOR THERE AS WELL. AND, UM, JUST SO AMAZING THAT YOU'RE GONNA [01:00:01] LEAVE A LITTLE PIECE OF LEGACY HERE AND OF ALL THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE WITH THE PORT WITH YOUR HELP. SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS OUTSTANDING AND VERY, VERY DESERVING RECOGNITION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES. I JUST WANNA ECHO THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES. YOU ARE A TEACHER FIRST. YOU HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT. UM, AND IT IS ABOUT WORKING TO FIND WAYS WHEN WE KNOW BETTER, WE DO BETTER. UM, AND LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER ZENDEJAS SAID THAT YOUR LEGACY CONTINUES TO BE, NOW THAT YOU'VE RETIRED FROM YOUR OFFICIAL PUBLIC LIFE, WE KNOW, UH, YOU CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY. UM, BUT THE LASTING LEGACY IS TO CONTINUE TO REMIND US TO KEEP LEARNING, UH, KEEP KNOWING MORE, AND THEN KEEP SETTING POLICIES THAT MOVE US INTO THE FUTURE IN A MORE HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE WAY. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR ALLEN. YES. UH, CONGRESSMAN LOWENTHAL, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE A ICON, A MENTOR. UM, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, TO OUR, TO OUR GREAT CITY. AND I COULDN'T THINK OF ANYONE THAT DESERVES THIS, UH, MORE THAN YOU, UM, MORE THAN THE THIRD FLOOR. LET'S NAME THE WHOLE BUILDING AFTER YOU, BUT, UH, I THINK YOU'RE AMAZING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. YEAH, I SAID WE SHOULD DO THE BRIDGE. UH, COUNCILMAN AUSTIN. THANK YOU. UM, SO I'VE HAD THE BENEFIT OF, UH, WATCHING, UM, OUR RETIRED CONGRESSMAN'S CAREER FOR I THINK, MOST OF THE LAST 30 YEARS. UM, AND IT WAS A REAL HONOR AND PRIDE TO HELP, UH, BE A PART OF THE TEAM THAT GOT HIM ELECTED TO THE STATE ASSEMBLY, UM, AS A YOUNG DEMOCRAT, UM, IN THE CITY. NOT A YOUNG DEMOCRAT ANYMORE, BUT, YOU KNOW, NEITHER IS THE CONGRESSMAN . UM, BUT, BUT, UM, HIS STORY IS SO INSPIRING. STARTING OFF AS A, YOU KNOW, ACTIVIST IN THE CITY, UM, WITH LE BCE. HE RAN FOR OFFICE AND HE ALWAYS HAS LED WITH HONOR AND PURPOSE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I GREATLY APPRECIATED ABOUT YOU. HE'S ALWAYS BEEN A CHAMPION FOR LONG BEACH'S VALUES THAT I WOULD JUST SAY HE'S BEEN A, A TRAILBLAZER AND REALLY ESTABLISHING WHAT THOSE VALUES ARE TODAY. AND SO WE OWE HIM A GREAT DEAL OF GRATITUDE. UM, UH, THIS, I BELIEVE THIS HONOR IS, UH, WELL DESERVING, UH, AND, AND, UH, APPROPRIATE. AND I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE US WAIVE OUR TRADITIONAL POLICIES OF WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO HAVE PASSED ON TO, TO, TO, TO HONOR THEIR NAME. UH, CONGRESSMAN ALAN LENTAL, YOU ARE A LIVING LEGEND IN OUR CITY, AND WE'RE GLAD TO SEE YOU, UH, GET THESE ROSES TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA. WELL, UH, I'M GONNA AGE MYSELF. I'M KNOWN DR. AL YES. TO DEAL WITH A PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY AT LOBBY STATE BACK IN THE DAY. MM-HMM. . SO I'M VERY HONORABLE TO BE HERE. ONE LITTLE KNOWN FACT IS THAT HE WOULD'VE BEEN ELECTED TO THE SECOND DISTRICT, BUT FOR THE WORK THAT WE DID IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET HIM ELECTED, IT WAS REDISTRICTING AT THE TIME. HE WAS REDISTRICTED OUT OF HIS AREA. AND THROUGH HARD WORK, HE CAME BACK IN AND WON. AND THE REST IS HISTORY. SO, THANK YOU, ALAN, FOR ALL YOU DO, ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS, ESPECIALLY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR THE WEST TO BEACH AREA AS WELL. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ROBERTO. THANK YOU. NEXT IS COUNCILMAN SORROW. HELLO, CONGRESS MEMBER. I, IN ADDITION TO, I THINK YOUR BACKGROUND AS BEING AN EDUCATOR AND, UM, A FIGHTER FOR ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S APPROPRIATE. AND I THINK FITTING FOR THE NAMING OF THIS, UM, GLOBAL TRADE AND EDUCATION CENTER IS YOUR RELENTLESS FIGHT FOR PROMOTING DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ABROAD. RIGHT. I THINK FOR, FOR ME, BEING IN THE CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY, THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT I ONLY KNOWN YOU AS FOR. AND WHEN I FOUND OUT ALL THE OTHER THINGS YOU DID, I WAS LIKE, UH, YOU'RE ONE OF MY HEROES IN THE CITY AND HOW I LOOK UP TO YOU AND HOW, UH, YOU, YOU WORK AND DO PUBLIC SERVICE, UM, YOU'RE ALWAYS AN INSPIRATION. UM, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THAT EVERY TIME I THINK ABOUT SITUATION, I THINK, WELL, WHAT WOULD ALAN DO? WHAT WOULD CONGRESS MEMBER FEL DO? RIGHT? SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE HOW MUCH I'VE ADMIRED YOU AND CONTINUE TO ADMIRE WHAT YOU, YOU DO AND, AND THE PATH THAT YOU'VE SET FOR ALL OF US. UM, AND JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WE'RE NOT DONE YET. COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, CONGRESSMAN LOWENTHAL, I LOOK AT AND I HEAR THE 30 YEARS, UM, OF WORK THAT YOU DID, AND HERE WE ARE NOW WITHOUT THE BLACK SOOT ON THE, ON THE WINDOW SILLS. I'LL NEVER FORGET THE, UH, PRESENTATION. [01:05:01] WE SAW THE PICTURES THAT AT THE STATE OF THE PORT THAT THE EXECUTIVE, UH, MR. CORDERO GAVE. AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT. I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU HAVE THE THIRD FLOOR DEDICATED TO THE WORK THAT, THAT YOU HAVE OBVIOUSLY MOVED FORWARD FOR THE PORT, AND YOU'RE AN INSPIRATION. SO 30 YEARS OF WORK WELL WORTH IT. YOU'VE MOVED SO MANY, SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE GOOD FOR, FOR OUR CITY AND OUR STATE, AND OUR COUNTRY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. WELL, CONGRESSMAN, THANK YOU FOR BEING A CHAMPION AND A STEWARD OF OUR COMMUNITY, OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND OUR PORT. UH, MEMBERS. PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. CONGRATULATIONS. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE NOW GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL DO THE PICTURE AT THE, AT THE GRAND OPENING. CONGRESSMAN. ALRIGHT. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. SO I SEE, UH, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. I SEE TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, WAIT, NO. WE HAVE 10 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNING UP TO SPEAK. UM, DANA BUCHANAN, PAUL BUCHANAN, UH, KAREN RESITE, HILDA GATON, UH, CHRISTINA RE, BILL STEVE, JIM OBRIST, TONY DIAZ KIN FAY AND KIM WARRICK WARICK. DANNY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. HI. GOOD EVENING, ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES. MY NAME IS DANNY BUCHANAN, OWNER OF PRIMAL ALCHEMY CATERING, AND A 44 YEAR [ PUBLIC COMMENT: OBTAIN SPEAKER CARD FROM THE CITY CLERK Opportunity to address the City Council (on non-agenda items) is given to the first 10 persons who submit Speaker Cards to the City Clerk beginning at 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the meeting. Each speaker is allowed three minutes to make their comments. ] RESIDENT OF THE THIRD DISTRICT WHERE A BUSINESS HAS ALSO BEEN LOCATED FOR 23 YEARS. AND I THINK I'M GONNA BE CONTRACTING WITH THE CONSERVATION COURT TO MAKE CUSTOM CHARCUTERIE BOARDS FOR US. OUT OF THEIR WOOD, I GAVE HIM MY CARD. UM, I'M HERE IN CELEBRATION OF EARTH DAY AND SINCE ALL THE, EVERYTHING SUSTAIN ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR CITY, AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE A FEW THINGS WITH YOU AND EVERYONE. PRIME LOCK BE CATERING WAS ASKED BY THEN MAYOR ROBERT GARCIA AND THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY TO SUB SUBMIT, TO QUALIFY AS A GREEN BUSINESS FOR THE CALIFORNIA STATE CERTIFICATION. A NEW PROGRAM AT THAT TIME ADMINISTERED BY THE CITY. WE WERE THE FIRST TO QUALIFY AS WE WERE ALREADY DOING THE WORK AND WALKING THE TALK. WE HAD A LOVELY MEDIA EVENT IN FRONT OF OUR KITCHEN BY THE SEA, DOWN BY THE BELMONT PIER, WHICH LAUNCHED THE PROGRAM. SINCE THEN, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS BUSINESSES ACROSS OUR CITY THAT HAVE JOINED US IN THIS IMPACTFUL GROUP THAT WE ARE ALL HONORED TO BE PART OF. IT IS ALWAYS NICE TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FOR HARD WORK, ESPECIALLY AFTER SO MANY YEARS. ALSO, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL PRETTY MUCH KNOW EACH OTHER BECAUSE THIS IS OUR COLLECTIVE PASSION AND THAT WE ALL SHARE, LIVE AND BREATHE THIS, WE CAN'T HELP OURSELVES. IT'S WHO WE ARE. WHAT YOU MAY NOT YET KNOW IS THAT PRIMAL ALCHEMY HAS BEEN AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS AND INAUGURAL SUSTAINABILITY AND EVENTS AWARD BY OUR PEERS IN THE EVENTS INDUSTRY AT THE ANNUAL CATER SOURCE AND SPECIAL EVENTS CONFERENCE IN AUSTIN EARLIER THIS YEAR. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE WERE PROUD TO HAVE BROUGHT THIS AWARD HOME TO LONG BEACH. I'M SHARING THIS WITH YOU BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR PAST AND FUTURE SUPPORT OF ENTITIES LIKE OURS AND ALL THE OTHER CERTIFIED GREEN BUSINESSES. I LOVE THE SUSTAINABILITY AS A UNIFYING ISSUE. WE CAN ALL RALLY AROUND. YOU CAN SHOW YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR GREEN BUSINESSES BY RECOMMENDING US, CONTRACTING WITH US, HIRING US, AND UTILIZING US AS VENDORS WHENEVER AND WHEREVER POSSIBLE. AND IN DOING SO, SOLIDIFIES YOUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR CITY. YOU CAN ALSO DIRECT STAFF THAT MIGHT BE SEEKING SERVICES OF BUSINESSES THAT THEY DO, THAT THEY DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE TO ROOT OUT GREENWASHING AS AN AS IT IS AN ONGOING ISSUE AND JUST MAKES EVERYONE INVOLVED LOOK BAD. UPHOLDING THE INTEGRITY OF SUSTAINABILITY THAT OUR CERTIFICATION PROCESS BRINGS IS PARAMOUNT. I'M SO THANKFUL WE HAVE THAT IN OUR CITY. OUR CERTIFIED GREEN BUSINESSES COVER A VAST ARRAY OF BUSINESSES. SO EVEN IF THERE'S NOT THE ABILITY TO OFFICIALLY CONTRACT WITH THEM, YOU CAN PERSONALLY FREQUENT THEIR ESTABLISHMENTS, AS CAN ANY OF US. THERE IS NOTHING GREATER YOU CAN DO FOR A SMALL BUSINESS THAN TO REFER US. IT'S FREE AND IT MAKES SUCH A BIG IMPACT AS A LEADER IN THE SUSTAINABILITY MOVEMENT IN LONG BEACH. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE BUSINESSES THAT TRULY MAKE THIS CITY GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS, PAUL. HELLO, ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AND HAPPY EARTH DAY. I AM CHEF PAUL BUCHANAN, THE CO-OWNER OF PRIAL LOCKY CATERING, AWARDED THE MOST SUSTAINABLE [01:10:01] CATERING COMPANY OF THE NATION, AND A LONGTIME RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER IN THE THIRD DISTRICT. I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR, AND YOUR PREDECESSORS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO THE CREATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE POLICIES IN OUR CITY. SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH MAY KNOW THAT I HAVE STOOD BEFORE THIS BODY TO ADVOCATE ON MANY ENVIRONMENTAL ITEMS, GETTING SODAS OUT OF THE CITY, L-B-U-S-D, VENDING MACHINES, BAN OF THE SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAGS, BAN OF THE PLASTIC STRAWS BAN ON STYROFOAM, POLYSTYRENE AND OTHERS. I HAVE A QUESTION THAT YOU MIGHT ALSO HAVE REGARDING THIS CITY'S PRIORITIES. AND BY THAT I MEAN PRIORITIES OF THE CONSTITUENTS THAT YOU REPRESENT. THE QUESTION IS, WHAT MORE CAN WE AS A COUNCIL DO TO HELP WITH SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR CITY? YOU CAN ENSURE THAT THE POLICIES AND LEGISLATION THAT YOU VOTE TO EMBRACE ARE ENFORCED. YOU MAKE IT A POLICY TO ABOLISH SINGLE USE PLASTIC BOTTLES AT CITY FUNCTIONS, ALL CITY FUNCTIONS. YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THE CITY MIGHT BE PARTICIPATING IN GREENWASHING AND CORRECT THOSE AREAS. LEADERSHIP COMES FROM THE TOP DOWN. YOU CAN SET A PRIORITY TO UTILIZE GREEN PRACTICES. YOU CAN REQUIRE THE STAFF TO CREATE RFPS THAT CONTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR VENDORS TO ADHERE TO SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE. YOU CAN CONSIDER TAX BREAKS, DISCOUNTS ON PERMITS AND OTHER FEES FOR STATE CERTIFIED GREEN BUSINESSES, URBAN AG AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS. IN OUR CITY. I HAVE MANY MORE, BUT AN INTEREST TIME. FINALLY, YOU CAN MAKE CITY HALL THE LEADER BY SETTING THE EXAMPLE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY BY WALKING THE TALK AND EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES. YOU CAN MAKE SUSTAINABILITY THE UMBRELLA OF STANDARDS ACROSS THE ENTIRETY OF ALL DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING THE PORT, THE AIRPORT, UM, L-B-U-S-D, ALL DEPARTMENTS, SO THAT MEASURING DECISIONS AND PROCESSES ARE DONE BY THAT LENS. AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PAST SUPPORT AND MOSTLY FOR YOUR CONTINUED FUTURE SUPPORT IN SUSTAINABILITY POLICIES. I AM ABLE TO MEET WITH YOU AND DISCUSS ANY OF THESE ITEMS I MENTIONED HERE AS I BRING 30 YEARS OF KNOWLEDGE IN THIS AREA TO THE TABLE, AND I'M WILLING TO SHARE IT WITH ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN REZA. AFTER KAREN IS HILDA. GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL MAYOR, VICE MAYOR. UM, I'M KAREN RE SIDE. I'M PRESIDENT OF THE LONG BEACH GRAPE PANTHERS, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT IN SUCH ESTEEMED, I'M JUST AMAZED AT HOW MUCH LEADERSHIP IS DEMONSTRATED BY OUR CITY. IT MAKES ME SO PROUD TO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WITH ALL THESE PEOPLE PONG, DANA, I REMEMBER SUPPORTING THEM WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED OUT, UM, AND TO SEE THE GROWTH IN ALAN LOWENTHAL. HE IS A NATIONAL TREASURER. HE'S NOT JUST A LOCAL TREASURER. UM, TONIGHT I WANNA TALK ABOUT OUR SEVENTH ANNUAL SENIOR FEST. UM, APRIL IS ALMOST OVER MAY IS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH. AND WE ARE GONNA BE CELEBRATING OUR SEVENTH ANNUAL SENIOR FEST ON MAY 4TH. AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE, UH, A PANEL DISCUSSION ON LONELINESS AND SOCIAL ISOLATION. UM, THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH NOT JUST OLDER ADULTS, BUT ALSO WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS. SO IT'S SOMETHING AS A COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO BEGIN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT AND THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP ELIMINATE, UH, SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS. UH, SOCIAL ISOLATION IS EQUIVALENT TO SMOKING 50 15 CIGARETTES A DAY, HEALTHWISE. SO THERE ARE BIG IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING TO START TO DEAL WITH THIS PROJECT PROBLEM. UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR US, AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE FOURTH. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT IS HILDA. HI, DR. HILDA. IT'S CHRISTINA. I KNOW THAT I SAY THAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IT AGAIN, BUT I KNOW NOW WHO MAKE THE CHANGE FOR, FROM, FROM PALM TREES TO TREES. AND FOR THOSE THAT DO, YOU DON'T KNOW THE ARTIFICIAL BOULEVARD. IT'S A GREAT PLANT THAT COMES TOGETHER, RIGHT? AND THEY CUT A LOT OF TREES. THE COMMUNITY WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE THE NORTH LONG BEACH HAS THE SECOND MORE POLLUTED AIR IN THE [01:15:01] AREA IN LONG BEACH. SO REMOVING TREES, IT WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING. AND THEN SOMEBODY COME OUT WITH THE IDEA OF PUTTING PALM TREES THAT ACTUALLY DOESN'T HELP THAT MUCH TO CLEAN THE AIR. SO EVENTUALLY WE WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED, BUT NOTHING TO THAT THAT WE CAN DO. BUT AS I TOLD YOU TODAY, I WAKE UP AND I WENT TO ARTISIA BECAUSE I HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH THERE AND I SEE A LOT OF TREES. AND I'M NOT GONNA SAY WHAT KIND OF TREES, IF YOU SAY GOOD OR BAD, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA BE TOO NEGATIVE. BUT DEFINITELY IT WAS MUCH, MUCH BETTER TO HAVE TREES INSTEAD OF PANTRIES. AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JOHNNY. IT WAS AMAZING. SOMETIMES WE BELIEVE, WE, WE THINK THAT WE DON'T, THAT YOU DON'T HEAR, BUT YOU DON'T NEED TO BE THERE. YOU DON'T NEED TO ARGUE WITH US. YOU JUST NEED TO HEAR AND DO WHATEVER. WHAT IS RIGHT. AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT. MY NAME IS HILDA . ALL RIGHT, HILDA. ALL RIGHT. NEXT IS CHRISTINA. AFTER CHRISTINA IS BILL. GOOD EVENING, CHRISTINE. I RETURN TODAY TO CONTINUE SHARING ABOUT THE IMPACT OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS ON RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH. TO BEGIN, I SHARE THE FOLLOWING REFLECTIONS. UNHOSTED STIRS MEANS NO ONE LIVES ON SITE TO PREVENT, MANAGE, OR MITIGATE PROBLEMS. NOT ALL UNHOSTED STIR OWNERS AND OR OPERATORS ARE RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH. COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF UNHOSTED STIRS COME FROM THOSE THAT OWN AND OR OPERATE STIRS. COMMENTS IN OPPOSITION OF UNHOSTED STIRS COME FROM RESIDENTS LIVING NEXT TO OR NEAR STIRS. LIKE MYSELF. OVER THE SUMMER, I EXCHANGED EMAILS WITH THE CITY MANAGER TO INQUIRE ABOUT A NEW SURVEY, GIVEN THAT AN ORDINANCE WAS NOT ENACTED UNTIL 2020, BASED ON TWO TO 3-YEAR-OLD DATA, AND NOW IT'S THREE TO FOUR YEARS AFTER THE ORDINANCE WAS ENACTED. I NOTED RESIDENTS AT THAT TIME WERE NOT LIVING NEXT TO OR NEAR STIRS BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE DID NOT EXIST. THE CITY MANAGER SHARED. AND I QUOTE AS TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD SURVEY PEOPLE. ONCE AN ORDINANCE IS PASSED, WE WOULD NOT SURVEY AFTER THE FACT. DOES THE CITY NOT PARTICIPATE OR BELIEVE IN CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS? WHY WOULDN'T THERE BE A SURVEY TO DETERMINE THE EFFICACY OF THE ORDINANCE? WHY NOT SURVEY THE RESIDENTS LIVING NEXT TO OR NEAR STIRS? THAT INFORMATION WAS NOT PART OF THE ORIGINAL SURVEY AND WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY PROVIDE A WEALTH OF INFORMATION. WHY NOT ASK THE NEEDED QUESTIONS TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF STIRS ON YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND REFINE THE ORDINANCE ACCORDINGLY? ONE COUNCIL MEMBER RECENTLY SURVEYED CONSTITUENTS REGARDING SCOTERS ON THE BIKE PATH, SCOTERS ON THE BIKE PATH, BUT NOT RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY UNHOSTED STIRS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. UNLIKE HOTELS OR HOSTED STIRS WITH UNHOSTED STIRS, THERE IS NO ONE AVAILABLE TO PREVENT OR MITIGATE PROBLEMS. RESIDENTS LIVING NEXT TO OR NEAR STIRS ARE LEFT ALONE TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUES. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE SAFELY AND COMFORTABLY WITH THIS TYPE OF ENFORCEMENT? THE COUNCIL CREATED THESE CONDITIONS WITH WHICH WE, THE RESIDENTS, YOUR CONSTITUENTS MUST LIVE UNDER. THE ORDINANCE FAVORS, VISITORS, NON-VOTING INDIVIDUALS. THAT AND THAT MESSAGE, WE THE CONSTITUENTS ARE HEARING. LASTLY, IN MY REVIEW OF APPROXIMATELY 25 UNHOSTED STIRS IN LONG BEACH ON AIRBNB, THE DESCRIPTIONS READ AND I QUOTE, CLOSE TO DISNEYLAND KNOT, BERRY FARM AND LOS ANGELES CONCERT VENUES. WHY PUT THIS UNDUE BURDEN AND PROBLEM ONTO THE RESIDENTS SUCH AS MYSELF OF LONG BEACH? I AM TIRED OF FEELING UNSAFE, BEING AWAKENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT BY SLAMMING DOORS, SMOKING CIGARETTES, AND MARIJUANA OUTSIDE MY BEDROOM WINDOWS, AND PEOPLE PARTYING IN THE BACKYARD. ALL BECAUSE NO ONE LIVES ON SITE TO PREVENT OR MITIGATE THE PROBLEMS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS BILL, BILL C UH, HELLO, MAYOR RICHARDSON. HI HERE. COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD ALL HAVE A FLYER LAWYER. HONOR YOUR L-G-B-T-Q ELDERS DAY NEXT MONTH, AS WAS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, IS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH. IT'S ALSO LONG BEACH PRIDE. AND IN THE L-G-B-T-Q WORLD MAY 16TH IS HONOR OUR L-G-B-T-Q ELDERS DAY. AND SO THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT A NEW THING. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MAYBE SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS, TWICE A YEAR AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH FOR THE GERONTOLOGY PROGRAM FOR THE FACULTY AND STUDENTS. I'VE ALSO DONE THIS FOR LOYOLA MARYMOUNT, SADDLEBACK VALLEY COLLEGE, CAL STATE UNIVERSITY FULLERTON, UM, ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY. I'VE ALSO DONE THIS PRESENTATION FOR THE LA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES IN THE LA COUNTY, UH, OLDER ADULT CONSULTATION TEAM. [01:20:01] I DO A NUMBER OF WORKSHOPS. BESIDES THIS, I DO SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS. I DO ELDER ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA THROUGH AN L-G-B-T-Q LENS AT OUR FIRST YOUTH EVENT, RIGHT, THAT WE HAD A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, I WAS THE ONLY L-G-B-T-Q PRESENTATION, AND THAT WAS ON HOW YOU CAN APPLY FOR LGBT SCHOLARSHIPS AND LIFE BEYOND THE, UH, EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT FOR BUSINESS NETWORKING AND RESOURCES. THE GOAL OF THIS IS TO BRING MORE TYPES OF DISPARATE, UH, TYPES OF PRESENTATIONS TO THE COMMUNITY, THESE TYPES THAT I NORMALLY DO. UH, FOR INSTANCE, I PARTICIPATED IN A FORUM TWO WEEKS AGO ON TRANSGENDER HEALTH AND AGING. WE DON'T HAVE THIS COMMUNITY TYPE OF EDUCATION HERE, SO I'M FILLING A GAP, AND I'M VERY FORTUNATE THAT, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE FLYER, GRACE METHODIST CHURCH ON THIRD AND JUAN APPAREL BEING THE CHURCH WAS A COLLABORATIVE OF THE, OF THE METHODIST CHURCHES HERE IN LONG BEACH. AS WELL AS THE, UH, THE KEY SPONSOR FOR THIS IS THE GERONTOLOGY PROGRAM AT CAL STATE UNIVERSITY OF LONG BEACH. AFTER THE FLYER WAS CREATED, THE CENTER FOR SUCCESSFUL AGING AT THE UNIVERSITY ALSO STEPPED UP, AS WELL AS THE COLLEGE OF NURSING FROM THE UNIVERSITY. SO I HAVE THIS TREMENDOUS BACK BACKING FROM THE UNIVERSITY AS WELL AS THIS LOS ANGELES L-G-B-T-Q CENTER, THE ORANGE COUNTY LGBQ CENTER. THE LOGO THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY UNFAMILIAR WITH IS BLACK AND WHITE MEN TOGETHER, WHICH IS HERE IN LONG BEACH. THEY'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 40 YEARS. AS WELL AS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN. UM, THIS HAS BEEN AWESOME. LONG BEACH PRIDE ALSO STEPPED UP TO ENDORSE THIS PROJECT. THEY'RE PUTTING IT, ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE PUTTING IT OUT TO THEIR NETWORKS. I AM JUST LIKE OVERWHELMED WITH THE GENEROSITY THAT I'VE RECEIVED. UM, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS BASICALLY ALONE, BUT I'VE JUST, IT'S BEEN AMAZING THE SUPPORT I'VE GOT. AND EVEN MORE RECENTLY, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES WITH KEVIN HATCHER AND RYAN MAGINI. UH, RYAN IS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, BQI TWO TWOS PLUS HEALTH EQUITY COORDINATOR FOR COLLECTIVE IMPACT. I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HIM BECAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE AN LGBTQ NEEDS ANALYSIS COMING OUT IN THE CITY, AND I'VE SENT SOME OF MY RESEARCH TO HIM TO HELP START THE FRAMEWORK TO GET THAT DONE. SO THERE IS A LOT THAT I DO THAT FLIES UNDER THE RADAR, AND NOW IT'S SURFACING LIKE A SUBMARINE ABOUT A LOT OF THE WORK THAT I DO. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT IS JIM OBERST. YEAH, MY NAME IS JIM OBERST. I'M WITH CHILDREN'S DAY USA. SOME OF YOU HERE, ESPECIALLY HON, REMEMBERS CHILDREN'S DAY IN SUMMER HANSEN. UH, CHILDREN'S DAY STARTED IN 1995. UM, IN 2018, UH, UH, MAYOR ROBERT IRAN, MAYOR ROBERT, AGREED TO CREATE A CHILDREN'S DAY COMMITTEE. UM, AND THEN COVID HIT SHORTLY AFTER THE RECOVERY FROM COVID, MY MOTHER DEVELOPED DEMENTIA. SHE RIGHT NOW IS AT END STAGE DEMENTIA AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE THE CUSTOM. HOWEVER, THE 35 ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAKE UP CHILDREN'S DAY AS AN EVENT CHOSE TO CONTINUE THE CUSTOM, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS NOT CAPABLE OF PHYSICALLY DOING IT. UM, AND I HAD TO TAKE CARE OF HER UNTIL NOW SHE'S IN, UH, A HOME WHERE SHE WILL UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO BE THERE TILL SHE DIES. UM, WHAT IT IS THAT I'M HERE FOR, UM, AND I KNOW NORMALLY CHILDREN'S DAY IS A LOT MORE ACTIVE IN INTRODUCING YOU TO CHILDREN'S DAY. UM, BUT THIS YEAR WAS VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH MOM. UM, AND WE WERE HOPING, JUST LIKE WITH CARSON, WHICH HAD THEIR 10TH YEAR OF HAVING THEIR COMMITTEE PUT ON THEIR CHILDREN'S DAY EARTH DAY EVENT, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO ACTUALLY CREATE HER DREAM AND MAKE IT A REALITY OF BEING ABLE TO TRAVEL TO OTHER CITIES, OTHER LOCATIONS AS A CUSTOM, JUST LIKE WHAT WAS DONE IN NEW ZEALAND, WHERE WHEN SHE WENT, UM, TO NEW ZEALAND AND WITHIN TWO YEARS AFTER THEM ADOPTING CHILDREN'S DAY, THEY MADE IT A NATIONAL CUSTOM. UH, WE ARE HOPING TO TALK WITH YOU AFTER THIS YEAR. THIS YEAR IT WAS JUST ABOUT GETTING THE EVENT DONE AND MAINTAINING THE ORGANIZATION SO THAT WE, UH, CAN REINTRODUCE OURSELVES TO YOU, WHICH AFTER THE 27TH, WHICH WHEN CHILDREN'S DAY WILL BE, WE'LL BE COMING BACK HERE TO TALK TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ABOUT HOW CHILDREN'S DAY, UM, IS, WILL BE CHANGING. AND WE HOPE, UM, THAT YOU WOULD REOPEN ROBERT GARCIA'S, UM, COMMITTEE, JUST LIKE THEY DO IN CARSON. UM, AND THERE ARE 37 ORGAN, THERE ARE 30 ORGANIZATIONS PREPARED TO MAINTAIN THE CUSTOM FOR YOU. JUST AS LONG AS THE CITY CREATES THE CUSTOM, CREATES THE COMMITTEE AGAIN. [01:25:01] UM, AND I JUST AM HERE IN PART BECAUSE THIS IS MY MOM'S LEGACY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, THREE MORE. WE HAVE ANTONIA DIAZ, AND THEN SAI KIN FEY, AND THEN KIM WARICK. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. UM, MY NAME IS ANTONIO DIAZ, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO, AND I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A SURVIVOR AND ADVOCATE FOR SAFER STREETS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SOME OF, SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL MY PRESENCE HERE BACK IN JANUARY WHERE I SHARED MY TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE OF BEING A VICTIM OF A OR THE HIDDEN RUN ON ATLANTIC AVENUE IN OCEAN BOULEVARD. SORRY, IT'S A LITTLE HARD. I OWE MY LIFE TO THE QUICK ACTIONS OF AN OFF-DUTY BIG BEAR FIREFIGHTER WHO HAPPENED TO BE PASSING BY DURING THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. I, UM, HE PERFORMED CPR AND HELPED ME UNTIL I WAS PICKED UP BY THE AMBULANCE. RECOVERY HAS BEEN AN UPHILL JOURNEY FILLED WITH RELEARNING BASIC TASKS AND COPING WITH ONGOING HEALTH CHALLENGES. DESPITE MY CAUTIOUSNESS, I'VE ALMOST BEEN STRUCK BY VEHICLES MULTIPLE TIMES. JUST YESTERDAY, WHILE I WAS CROSSING THE INTERSECTION OF OCEAN AND ALAMITOS ON MY WAY HOME FROM THE GYM, SOMEONE ALMOST HIT ME. THAT'S WHAT PUSHED ME TO COME BACK HERE AGAIN, TO ASK FOR OUR CITY TO TAKE SAFETY MEASURES. I WALK THE STREETS DAILY TO RUN ERRANDS, VISIT LOVED ONES, AND ENJOY AND ENJOY OUR LOCAL AMENITIES ACROSS THE STREETS. AND IT'S REALLY SAD TO SEE THAT NOBODY CARES. NOBODY CARES ABOUT PEDESTRIANS WHEN WE CROSS THE, WHEN WE CROSS THE STREETS, THEY'RE EITHER DRIVING RECKLESSLY, DISTRACTED ON THEIR PHONES OR WHO KNOWS WHAT. I IMPLORE OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PRIORITIZE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO OVERLOOK THE URGENT NEED FOR CHANGE. IT'S TIME TO TAKE ACTION. OUR PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES ARE MEANINGLESS IF WE CANNOT SAFELY ACCESS THEM. LET'S ALLOCATE RESOURCES TOWARDS INITIATIVES TO THAT PRIORITIZE THE WELLBEING OF OUR RESIDENTS. I WOULD SUGGEST IMPLEMENTING CITATIONS FOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. RED LIGHT CAMERA TICKETS, LOWERING THE SPEED ON OCEAN BOULEVARD. IT'S CURRENTLY 30 MILES PER HOUR, MAYBE REDUCING IT TO 20 20 25 SPEED LIMIT, ADD MORE STREET LIGHT IN CERTAIN INTERSECTIONS, ADDING A BIKE LANE ON OCEAN AND SHORELINE FOR CYCLISTS AND E SCOOTER RIDERS. MA'AM, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. I HAVE ONE LAST ONE. PLEASE GO AHEAD. CON CONCLUDE. SOME AREAS CAN HAVE A FULL STOP SIGN INSTEAD OF A BLINKING CROSS SIGNAL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SANAI. OKAY. UH, SONAI. KEN FAYE SIX DISTRICT RESIDENT. UH, DEFINITELY AS SOMEONE THAT WALKS A LOT, I HAVE TO SAY, IT'S, IT'S, UH, MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION. UH, EARLIER TODAY I WAS WALKING AROUND IN, UH, COW HEIGHTS. I GUESS I WAS ON WARDLOW, AND I HAD TO WAIT LIKE FIVE, 10 MINUTES TO CROSS, UH, UP THE BRIDGE, THE, THE FREEWAY, THE 4 0 5 NORTH FREEWAY ENTRANCE. AND I, UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THIS, I HAD A RANDOM ENCOUNTER WITH OUR MAYOR. I THINK HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO GET A HAIRCUT OR SOMETHING. I'M NOT SURE , BUT, UH, I WAS COMING FROM THE AREA. OH, OKAY. OKAY. WELL, I STAND CORRECTED. UM, SO I'M, I'M WITH YOU ALL THE WAY. UM, I'M HERE TODAY. I JUST WANNA SAY, FIRST I WENT THROUGH ALL THE PROPER CHANNELS. THANK YOU TO MY SIXTH DISTRICT OFFICE ARTS COUNCIL. PUBLIC WORKS, EVERYONE. SO PLEASE, I KNOW I DON'T HAVE ANY, THERE'S NO BEEF. UM, I JUST WANNA SPEAK TOWARDS SOMETHING THAT'S REOCCURRING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. [01:30:01] UM, SO I GO TO CHURCH AT AL SHARIF. IT'S ON, UH, UH, 21 0 4 ORANGE AVENUE. AND I WALK, I WALK THERE FROM MY HOUSE AND I WALK BACK. AND, UH, OFTENTIMES THERE'S A UTILITY BOX THERE. IT'S WITH THE, UM, COVERED, UH, WITH, UH, THE IMAGE OF, UH, MARTIN LUTHER KING. AND, UH, IT, IT REPEATEDLY GETS TAGGED, UM, WITH GANG, UH, GRAFFITI. UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IT GETS COVERED. I USED TO GO LONG BEACH APP, YOU KNOW, IT GETS, COMES WHAT, UH, WITH THE TERRITORY. UH, BUT I'VE STARTED TO NOTICE A REOCCURRING PATTERN TOWARDS A LOT OF THE IMAGERY OF, UH, AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. UH, IF YOU REMEMBER, A FEW YEARS AGO IN THE PARK, WE HAD PEOPLE, UH, PUT SWASTIKAS ON THE, UH, UH, STATUE OF MARTIN LUTHER KING. AND I DON'T KNOW THE MEDIA, THIS IS THE MEDIA TOPIC LATER, SO WE CAN GET INTO THAT. BUT THE MEDIA MADE IT SEEM AS IF SOME RANDOM WHITE SUPREMACIST FROM THE IMAGINARY LAND OF, UH, HUNTINGTON BEACH OR SOMETHING, CAME TO LONG BEACH AND GRAFFITIED OVER THAT. THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST NOT WHAT'S, THAT'S NOT REALISTIC. THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY. WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY IS THE, UH, THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT, UH, THAT'S REPRESENTED BY, UH, AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LATINOS ARE ADVERSARIAL ONE ANOTHER. AND OFTENTIMES IT PARLAYS ITSELF INTO THE ATTACK OF IMAGERY THAT'S SYMBOLIC OF EITHER COMMUNITY. AND SO, I WAS JUST CURIOUS TO SEE IF THERE'S GONNA BE SOME TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP WITH HATE CRIMES, UM, CONNECTED TO THIS. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD EIGHT OR NINE IMAGES OF BLACK AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS IN THE AREA. I MEAN, ROSA PARKS, EVEN RIGHT NOW, HAS A, UH, GRAFFITI OVER IT RELATED TO, UH, THE ATTACK ON, UH, A CRIMINAL GANG. AND, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WOULD LIKE FOR MORE EMPHASIS TO BE PUT ON IT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WITH THE CHILDREN IN THE AREA, IT KIND OF ADDS INTO THIS DYNAMIC BETWEEN EACH OTHER OF US VERSUS THEM. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE MORE UNITY. SO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS KIM. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KIM WARBECK. I'M A SINGLE MOM AND A RESIDENT OF CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS IN DISTRICT FIVE, UH, FOR MORE THAN EIGHT YEARS. I'M HERE TO VOICE MY OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF A FIVE STORY 70 PLUS UNIT BUILDING WITH ONLY 50 PARKING SPACES AT THE CORON OF WARDLOW AND CERRITOS. UH, IN THREE MINUTES, I ONLY HAVE TIME TO ADDRESS MY PROCEDURAL OBJECTIONS TO THIS, THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMPANY PURCHASED THE PROPERTY INTENDING TO BUILD A LARGE DEVELOPMENT UNDERCOVER OF DARKNESS WITHOUT ANY COMMUNITY INPUT OR OPPORTUNITY TO PROV TO PROVIDE SUGGESTIONS FOR BETTER LOCATIONS, OR AN OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT. THE CITY HAS HELD ONE COMMUNITY MEETING WHERE THE CITY AND DEVELOPERS TALKED AT US IN A SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED WAY. THEY HAD PASSED, PASSED OUT LITTLE CARDS, UH, QUESTION CARDS THAT NOT EVERYONE GOT, I DID NOT GET. AND IN THE END, THEY, THEY CHOSE WHICH CARDS, WHICH QUESTIONS TO ASK AND TO ANSWER. WHEN, UH, THE TENSIONS GOT A LITTLE HEATED BECAUSE THE, IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED, BUT PROBABLY OVER 300 PEOPLE ATTENDED, MOST OF THEM, UH, OBJECTING TO THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF THE SIZE AND SCALE, NOT BECAUSE IT, IT, IT'S LOW INCOME HOUSING, THE SIZE AND SCALE IS WHAT IS THE PROBLEM. AND THE, WHEN PEOPLE BECAME AGITATED, PEOPLE DEMANDED TO BE HEARD AND STARTED TO TO SPEAK. AND THEN THEY WERE ABRUPTLY TOLD TO STOP SPEAKING BECAUSE THEY WERE TAKING TOO LONG AND OTH SOMEBODY ELSE NEEDED TO TALK, AND IT WOULD JUST REPEAT. SO THERE WAS NO, AND THEN, BECAUSE THE CITY HAD NOT THOUGHT TO, UH, BOOK A SUFFICIENT TIME FOR THIS MEETING, THEY ABRUPTLY ENDED THE MEETING AND SAID, OOPS, TOO BAD, , WE'RE DONE HERE TODAY. NOW, LAST WEEK I ATTENDED WHEN YOU ALL, UH, UNANIMOUSLY, UH, VOTED TO MAKE THIS PROPERTY SURPLUS LAND SO THAT THIS PROPERTY COULD, THE, THE DEVELOPMENT COULD GO FORWARD WITHOUT, AND HAVING SUFFICIENT OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AND THE, THE, THE, THE PEOPLE, THE DEVELOPMENT PEOPLE FROM THE CITY SAID, OH, WELL, BASED ON THAT MEETING THAT OCCURRED, AND ALL OF THE, THE INPUT WE RECEIVED, UH, THE, THE DEVELOPER HAS GONE BACK AND IS WORKING ON A NEW ARCHITECTURAL PLAN. [01:35:01] WHAT MEETING WAS THAT? BECAUSE I WAS AT THAT MEETING. YOU MEAN THE MEETING THAT NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO SPEAK AT ? THE EXERCISE IN GASLIGHTING THE FARCE THAT, THAT OCCURRED. THAT IS, THAT IS SO SHAMEFUL. YOU ALL ARE, ARE LETTING US DOWN. SO I WANT, MA'AM, IS YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED? IF YOU CAN WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS, OF COURSE. I DON'T GET TO SPEAK, OF COURSE, I DON'T GET TO. MAYOR RICHARDSON, I INVITE YOU TO COME PLEASE TO OUR COMMUNITY. THANK, AND COME WALK THE STREET, SEE WHAT IS, WHAT YOUR PROPOSAL IS GOING TO DO TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND I'LL BE BACK. THANK YOU. UNTIL YOU HAVE, WE THANK YOU. WE HEARD, MA'AM, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. HEARD ME. WE'VE ALREADY INVITED COUNCIL PERSON, HER THANK YOU, AND SHE REFUSED TO COME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. UH, COUNCILMAN URANGA, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? I'LL BE BACK. STAND NEXT. COUNCILMAN URANGA. UH, MY COMMENTS ARE DIRECTED TO MR. BILL SIV. I KNOW YOUR MOM, SONNY. WHAT A WONDERFUL LADY. SHE WAS ALWAYS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE, UH, CHILDREN'S DAY EVENT, AND I ALWAYS TRIED TO SUPPORT HER AS WELL. WHEN I REPRESENTED KELLY HEIGHTS IN THE SEVENTH DISTRICT BEFORE DISTRICTING, SHE WAS ALWAYS AROUND, ALWAYS AVAILABLE, AND ALWAYS VERY ACTIVE. AND I'M SADDENED TO HEAR OF HER SICKNESS. PLEASE GIVE HER MY, MY BEST ON BEHALF OF MY WIFE, TONY RE, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, TONY REGA, WHO ELSE WORKED WITH SONNY FOR MANY YEARS. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT, UH, CHILDREN'S DAY, AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. WELL, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 20, COMMUNICATION FROM REX RICHARDSON. MAYOR, RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST CITY MANAGER TO WORK WITH THE LONG BEACH ECONOMICS PARTNERSHIP, LOCAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS TO EXPLORE OPTIONS TO ESTABLISH A MEDIA INCUBATOR INITIATIVE. AND REFER TO ENTER GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS ADDING SUPPORT FOR STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION THAT AIMS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND FUNDING FOR LOCAL MEDIA. THANK YOU. SO, UH, I'M, I'M PROUD TO BRING THIS, BRING THIS ITEM TO FORWARD TODAY. UH, THERE'S SOMEWHAT OF AN, AN EMERGENCY AND [20. 24-53047 Recommendation to request City Manager to work with the Long Beach Economic Partnership, local educational institutions, and other relevant organizations to explore options to establish a media incubator initiative to support the resilience and success of Long Beach’s local media and journalism sector; and Refer to Intergovernmental Affairs Committee to discuss adding support for state and federal legislation that aims to provide support and funding for local media and journalism entities, such as the California Journalism Preservation Act, to the City’s legislative agenda.       Office or Department: Rex Richardson, Mayor         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] A CRISIS HAPPENING, UH, WITH LOCAL MEDIA ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. AND, UH, I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, TALKING WITH LOCAL MAYORS AND, UH, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, DIFFERENT FOLKS ABOUT HOW CITIES ARE STEPPING UP AND COMMUNITIES ARE RESPONDING TO THIS CHALLENGE. AND SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES ARE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. FIRST, I WANNA JUST SAY THAT LONG BEACH HAS INCREDIBLE STORIES TO TELL. WE HAVE GREAT NEW, GREAT BUSINESSES. WE HAVE GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS, AND REALLY IS CENTERED ON THE PEOPLE. AND I KNOW AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, WHEN I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER, ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES WAS HOW DO WE TELL THE STORY OF OUR COMMUNITY? 'CAUSE WE'D HEAR ONE THING ABOUT NORTH LONG BEACH, BUT WHAT OUR EXPERIENCE WAS WAS VERY DIFFERENT. SO WE SPENT THAT TIME, UH, CULTIVATING BUSINESSES AND TELLING THOSE STORIES, AND IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE HAD A ROBUST LOCAL MEDIA. WE WERE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO DIFFERENT GROUPS TO BE ABLE TO TELL THAT STORY. AND I WILL TELL YOU, LONG BEACH HAS, UH, SHOWN JUST EVEN WHAT WE'VE SEEN JUST TODAY IN TERMS OF THE RECOGNITION AND THE LEADERSHIP. LONG BEACH IS LEADING ON CLIMATE. WE'RE, WE'RE HOME TO SOME INCREDIBLE ASSETS. WE'VE RECLAIMED OUR POSITION AS THE SECOND LARGEST PORT IN THE UNITED STATES. WE'VE GOT EXCITEMENT WITH SPACE SPEECH, ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING SPACE CLUSTERS IN THE UNITED STATES. WE'RE EXPANDING AND GROWING IN OUR ENTERTAINMENT AND TOURISM. LOTS OF EXCITING THINGS HAPPENED IN OUR CITY. AND MOST RECENTLY, UH, JUST THIS PAST WEEK, WE HOSTED A, A SITE SELECTOR CONFERENCE WHERE WE INVITED SITE SELECTORS FROM ACROSS AMERICA TO COME TO LONG BEACH AND TELL US, UH, GIVE US FEEDBACK ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO, TO ATTRACT COMPANIES TO OUR CITY. UH, AND THEY WERE VERY COMPLIMENTARY ABOUT HOW WE WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, HOW OUR BUSINESSES SAID VERY COMPLIMENTARY THINGS ABOUT OUR CITY. BUT THERE WAS SOME UNANIMOUS FEEDBACK ON FRIDAY. WE HAD BREAKFAST, AND THEY GAVE SOME FEEDBACK TO THE AUDIENCE, AND THE FEEDBACK WAS UNEQUIVOCALLY CLEAR. WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER STORY AT TELLING OUR CITY, UH, WE TELLING THE STORY OF OUR CITY, WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB AT THAT. AND A BIG PART OF IT IS, UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING LOCAL MEDIA, UH, TO BE ABLE TO TELL STORIES AND HIGHLIGHT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. IT'S, IT'S TIME THAT WE GROW OUT OF THIS, UH, THIS THE BIGGEST SECRET IN AMERICA. YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS SECRET TREASURE OF LONG BEACH. IT'S TIME FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW WHO WE ARE. AND I BELIEVE AS MAYOR, THAT BIG CITIES AND CITIES LIKE LONG BEACH, WE SHOULD HAVE AN INDEPENDENT, A STRONG OR THRIVING LOCAL MEDIA SECTOR. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. UH, AND IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, [01:40:01] TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNITIES CAN TELL THEIR STORIES. AND UNLESS WE CULTIVATE A LOCAL MEDIA AND JOURNALISM SECTOR, PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPRECIATE OR UNDERSTAND JUST HOW INCREDIBLE OUR COMMUNITY IS. SO THERE'S A CHALLENGE, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, ACROSS AMERICA, UH, NEWSROOMS ACROSS AMERICA, LOCAL MEDIA ACROSS AMERICA HAVE ENCOUNTERED SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES. BETWEEN 2005 AND 2022, AMERICA LOST TWO THIRDS OF HIS NEWSPAPER JOBS. CALIFORNIA TODAY HAS 68% FEWER WORKING JOURNALISTS THAN IT DID IN 2005. AND WE'VE FELT THOSE EFFECTS HERE LOCALLY AS WELL. LONG BEACH IS NOT UNIQUE. UH, I WOULD TELL YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE ALL SEEN, YOU KNOW, THE CHANGES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TAKE PLACE IN LONG BEACH. I DON'T THINK IT'S HEALTHY FOR OUR CITY. AND I'VE REACHED OUT, I'VE MET WITH MAYORS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THEY'RE DEALING WITH THE VERY SAME THING. NOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS, UM, FOLKS ARE FIGURING OUT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO. YOU KNOW, OBVI, THE OBVIOUS CHALLENGE IS, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T CONTROL MEDIA, RIGHT? THAT'S NOT OUR JOB. BUT HOW CAN WE HELP CULTIVATE AND SUPPORT AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE LOCAL JOURNALISM CAN THRIVE? WHERE LOCAL STUDENTS AT LONG BEACH STATE AND LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE CAN HELP BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION, WHERE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS KNOW THAT, HEY, I HAVE AN IDEA. I WANT TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL, THAT THERE'S INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO DO SO. WE ALREADY DO THIS IN OUR CITY THROUGH INCUBATORS AND, AND OTHER, OTHER IDEAS. AND SO, I BELIEVE THAT LONG BEACH, UH, NEEDS TO TAKE SOME ACTION TO REINFORCE A STRONG LOCAL ECOSYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR BUSINESSES, GET THE COVERAGE THAT THEY DESERVE. UH, THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WANNA PURSUE A CAREER IN JOURNALISM OR IN DIGITAL MEDIA HAVE A THRIVING JOB MARKET THAT THEY CAN GO TO AND CONTRIBUTE TO. AND SO, THE PROPOSAL I'M BRINGING FORTH TODAY EXPLORES SOME OF THOSE IDEAS THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT ARE GAINING SOME TRACTION IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. UH, AND, AND, UH, IT'S REALLY TWO PIECES. ONE IS TO WORK WITH THE LONG BEACH ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AND OUR EDUCATION COMMUNITY USE. OUR BIGGEST POWER THAT WE HAVE IS THE POWER TO CONVENE, USE OUR POWER TO CONVENE, TO BRING OUR STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER. WE'RE A COLLEGE TOWN. WE'VE GOT LONG BEACH STATE HERE. WE'RE PROUD THAT THEY SUBMITTED A LETTER OF SUPPORT OF THIS IDEA. LET'S WORK WITH OUR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS. LET'S WORK TOGETHER, UH, WITH OUR LOCAL NONPROFITS TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP SUPPORT LOCAL, MORE ROBUST LOCAL MEDIA. AND SO THAT'S THE FIRST IDEA, IS TO ESTABLISH, UH, A NONPROFIT MEDIA INCUBATOR. AND THE SECOND IS TO HELP, HELP SUPPORT EFFORTS STATEWIDE TO HELP SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM JOURNALISM. SO, THE BIG QUESTION, WHAT IS A MEDIA INCUBATOR? SO, A MEDIA INCUBATOR IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S DESIGNED TO SUPPORT EMERGING OR EXISTING BUSINESSES BY PROVIDING THEM WITH FOUNDATIONAL RESOURCES. IT COULD BE OFFICE SPACE, IT COULD BE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GUIDANCE. IT COULD BE TECHNICAL SUPPORT, IT COULD BE ACCESS TO PARTNERS THEY MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO. IT COULD BE BE CUSTOMERS, IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, UH, WHO KNOWS. JUST FIGURE OUT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND MAKE SURE THERE'S A, A INCUBATOR IN PLACE TO HELP SERVE THOSE NEEDS AND HELP PROMOTE AND GROW THOSE, THOSE ENTITIES. AND SO, UH, THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF MEDIA INCUBATORS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ALL ACROSS THE WORLD. THE KNIGHT LAB BASED OUT ABOUT, BASED OUT OF NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY. MANY OF THESE ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. SO, KNIGHT LAB BASED OUTTA NORTHWEST WESTERN UNIVERSITY, THERE'S MEDIA INNOVATION IN EUROPE, UH, THAT WORKS WITH, UH, LITERALLY DOZENS OF, OF MEDIA OUTLETS, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT HELPS CULTIVATE MEDIA INNOVATION. UH, THERE'S 360 INNOVATOR PLUS BY BLACK MEDIA PROGRAM THAT CULTIVATES, UH, DEI AND, AND, UH, INCUBATORS OF COLOR. UH, THERE ARE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR SKILL BENDING WORKSHOPS, NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES. ONE-ON-ONE MENTORSHIP FROM LARGER MEDIA TO SMALLER MEDIA. UH, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS A LOCAL NEWS MEDIA PROJECT THAT'S LISTED HERE AS WELL, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR, OUR, OUR CORES THAT WE HAVE. WE HAVE A PUBLIC SERVICE CORE. WE HAVE A COLLEGE CORE. THOSE ARE, THOSE PROGRAMS ARE NOT EVEN FUNDED BY THE, THE CITY, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 50 FELLOWS HELPING, UH, LEARN AND WILL BE FUTURE PUBLIC SERVANTS. WHY ISN'T THERE A MEDIA CORPS? WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A CALIFORNIA, UM, CLIMATE CORE. WE HAVE A COLLEGE CORPS. WE HAVE A CONSERVATION CORPS. WE'VE GOT A PUBLIC SERVICE CORPS. WHY ISN'T THERE A MEDIA CORPS? UH, THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE IF WE LEVERAGE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE AND THE PARTNERS WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. UH, THE NEXT THING HERE, UH, IS, IS THIS MOTION REQUESTS OUR INTERGOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE TO REVIEW AND ADD TO THE CITY'S CITY'S OFFICIALS SUPPORT BEHIND STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION THAT AIMS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND FUNDING THE LOCAL MEDIA AND JOURNALISM INDUSTRIES, UH, SUCH AS THE CALIFORNIA JOURNALISM PRESERVATION ACT TO THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. AND SO THERE'S STATE LEGISLATION THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS IS A CHALLENGE THAT CITIES ARE, ARE HAVING. UH, THE STATE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, DOUBLE DOWN ON BEING A DESTINATION. CALIFORNIA'S FOCUSED ON BEING A DESTINATION AND TELLING BETTER STORY, YOU KNOW, TELLING STORIES ABOUT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. AND SO, UH, AND SO, UH, THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED, UH, PARTNERSHIPS TO SUPPORT FELLOWSHIPS, BUT THEY'VE ALS, YOU KNOW, LEGISLATORS ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS, UH, TO HELP SUPPORT LOCAL MEDIA. AND I THINK WE NEED TO SUPPORT THAT. AND SO, UH, SO, YOU [01:45:01] KNOW, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YOU KNOW, I THINK, AGAIN, THIS IS MOSTLY ABOUT OUR POWER TO CONVENE AS A CITY. THAT IS THE BIGGEST POWER THAT WE HAVE AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, TO BRING TOGETHER THE RIGHT PARTNERS TO SHAPE VISION AND GOALS OF THESE EFFORTS. THE EVENTUAL PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT, UH, SHOULD REMAIN FULLY INDEPENDENT FROM GOVERNMENT. THESE ARE NOT THINGS THAT PROGRAMS THAT WE SHOULD DEVELOP, BUT WE, WE, AS THE POWER OF CONVENE, WE CAN SAY, OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS THIS. HOW CAN WE HELP? AND SO, UH, THESE PARTNERSHIPS WILL HELP TO ENSURE CRITICAL MEDIA INSTITUTIONS, UH, CAN CONTINUE TO, UH, KEEP OUR RESIDENTS WELL INFORMED, TELLING THE STORIES OF LONG BEACH'S FUTURE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. I WANNA THANK THE LONG BEACH STATE JOURNALISM DEPARTMENT AND LONG BEACH ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP FOR EXPRESSION, THEIR INTEREST IN BEING A PART OF FINDING SOLUTIONS, UH, TO HELP SUPPORT LOCAL MEDIA, OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY IN LONG BEACH. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTERS TO SUPPORT. SO THANK YOU. THAT'S MY MOTION. I MEAN, THAT'S MY PROPOSAL. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO TO COUNCILMAN RICK ODE. HMM. UH, THANK YOU. YEAH, LET'S GO TO COUNCILMAN RICK SODE. OKAY, WE'RE GOOD. OKAY. . YEAH. UH, YEAH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB OF JUST KIND OF FRAMING THE IDEA. I REMEMBER, UM, INITIALLY, UH, READING THE ITEM AND JUST THINKING TO MYSELF, I WAS LIKE, HUH. I WAS LIKE, THAT'S A REALLY, JUST, IT WAS JUST KIND OF A FASCINATING IDEA AROUND ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE THAT YOU PRESENTED. UM, AND THEN ALSO JUST THINKING, UM, AND I THINK YOU ANSWERED THIS AROUND, ARE THERE ANY EXEMPLARS ACROSS THE NATION THAT WE COULD LOOK TO RIGHT? THAT, THAT DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS? UM, AND JUST TO KIND OF, UH, ECHO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED, I ALSO GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH SOME OF THOSE SITE SELECTORS. AND SO, JUST FOR, YOU ALL KNOW, UH, WHO MADE IT NO SITE SELECTORS ARE, ARE ENTITIES, UH, FROM AROUND THE NATION, YOU KNOW, THAT STEER, YOU KNOW, CORPORATIONS, COMPANIES, DIFFERENT ENTITIES TO LOOK AT A SPECIFIC CITY. UM, AND THE MAYOR'S, RIGHT? EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE ONES THAT I SPOKE TO, UM, ONE-ON-ONE SAID THE EXACT SAME THING, WHICH IS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAS A LOT TO OFFER. UM, BUT NOBODY KNOWS WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER BECAUSE IT JUST, WE ARE, WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME TELLING OUR STORY, UM, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, RIGHT? AND SO WHAT AND HOW DO WE DO THAT? UM, AND THEN JUST THINKING ABOUT THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, NATIONALLY AROUND JUST MEDIA, WE'VE SEEN WHAT'S HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, HERE LOCALLY, WE'VE SEEN WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING WITH LA TIMES. UM, YOU KNOW, I'M ORIGINALLY FROM CHICAGO, THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING WITH SOME OF THE MEDIA THERE. UM, SO IT'S A CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE ALL FACING. AND SO I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, AS THINKING ABOUT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, NOT DICTATING WHAT MEDIA DOES, BUT CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE IT CAN, IT CAN FLOURISH. AND FOSTER IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DONE NOT, I THINK, NOT ONLY IN THIS PARTICULAR SECTOR, WHEN OTHER SECTORS. AND SO, UM, I THINK THIS IS VERY TIMELY. THE OTHER THING THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, DURING A TOUR AS A NEW COUNCIL MEMBER IN JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL, AND LOOKING AT OUR, OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN MEDIA, AND THEY DO, YOU KNOW, INTERVIEWS OF, OF, UH, OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES, THEY WANTED TO INTERVIEW ME AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, RIGHT? THEY DO A, UH, THEY DO THEIR OWN NEWS BROADCAST. LIKE, HOW GREAT WOULD IT BE TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN THEIR OWN, IN THEIR OWN CITY, RIGHT? UH, WITH MAKING NEWS FOR THEIR OWN CITY THROUGH SOME TYPE OF INC UH, INCUBATOR. UH, AND THE OTHER THING IS, YOU ALL KNOW THAT I, I WORK FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIGHT? SO I THINK ABOUT OUR INSTITUTIONAL AND OUR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS. UM, HOW CAN WE ALL COME TOGETHER TO CREATE SPACE FOR, 'CAUSE OUR STUDENTS ARE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT INTERNSHIPS. WE WANT REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE, RIGHT? SO HOW CAN WE CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY CAN GET THAT TYPE OF EXPERIENCE, UM, WHILE THEY'RE IN SCHOOL? SO I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES HERE, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, COMING WITH A MEDIA INCUBATOR. SO, THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SAAR. YES. UM, SO I, TOO, WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS, IN THINKING IN THE WAY THAT MEDIA HAS CREATED ITS CURRENT CULTURE, IS, IS IT ABOUT CREATING, UM, A PROCESS TO DETERMINE, TO DICTATING WHAT STORIES ARE TELL? BUT IT'S NOT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT FOR A LONG TIME, MEDIA HAS BEEN IN THE HANDS OF THOSE WITH MONEY TO TELL STORIES. THOSE WITH POWER, TO BE ABLE TO TELL THOSE STORIES THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THESE FORMAL KIND OF, UM, MEDIA STRUCTURE. AND I THINK BACK TO WHEN I WAS WORKING FOR MY GIRLS IN ACTION, WE CAN CREATE A PROGRAM CALLED CULTURAL HISTORICAL ARTS, BECAUSE IT WAS A TIME IN WHERE, UM, MANY OF THE CAMBODIAN YOUTH DIDN'T HEAR STORIES ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE BEING CHILDREN OF GENOCIDE, SURVIVOR CHILDREN, OF REFUGEES EXPERIENCING, YOU KNOW, VIOLENCE IN THE STREETS AND TRYING TO SURVIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING A TEENAGER, BUT MEANWHILE TRYING TO SUPPORT YOUR FAMILY FINANCIALLY. SO THEY, THIS WAS, I SEE THIS AS A TOOL TO REALLY GIVING, UM, PEOPLE BACK THE POWER TO TELL THEIR STORIES, AND, BUT GIVING THEM THE RESOURCE AND THE TOOLS TO DO SO IN A WAY WHERE THEY ARE CREDIBLE JOURNALISTS. BECAUSE OFTENTIMES I GET A LITTLE CONFUSED WHO, WHAT IS JOURNALISM ANYMORE? IS IT SOMEBODY WHO HAS, UH, A JOB WITH A LOCAL MEDIA OR A MEDIA COMPANY AND THEY'RE CONSIDERED JOURNALISTS, SO WHATEVER THEY WRITE IS, UH, THE TRUE STORY OR A PERSPECTIVE. BUT IT IS ONE PERSPECTIVE. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S KIND OF THE OPPORTUNITY THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS, IS BEING ABLE [01:50:01] TO LOOK AT THE WIDER WAY, UH, WAYS THAT WE TELL OUR STORY. BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY WANT THINGS POLISHED. THEY WANNA HEAR REAL, REAL STORIES AND STORIES THEY CAN CONNECT WITH. AND I THINK WE NEED MORE OF THOSE. AND I THINK IT'S BEST THAT IT CAN COME IN A WAY WHERE, UH, IT'S SUPPORTED, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH RESOURCES, EDUCATION AND TRAINING, UM, THAT WOULDN'T OTHERWISE BE PROVIDED. SO, UM, THAT'S WHY I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM AND, AND LOOK FORWARD IN THE WAYS THAT IT CAN BE SHAPED IN A WAY WHERE WE CAN ALL TELL STORIES THAT SHAPE, UH, LONG BEACH TO BE, UM, A CITY MORE THAN WHAT A FEW, I THINK MEDIA SOURCE HAS BEEN ABLE TO TELL ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE ARE, WE WE'RE GONNA GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS OF PUBLIC SIGN UP TO SPEAK, SONKE FAYE AND JENNIFER FLEMING, UM, SONKE FAYE SIX DISTRICT RESIDENT. I APPRECIATE THE RARE MOMENTS WHERE I GET TO PRONOUNCE AND PONTIFICATE MY ELITE NATURE. UH, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE IS, UH, BEING A MEMBER OF THE 7% OF AMERICANS WHO READ THE NEWSPAPER, I'M ONE OF THEM. UH, NOT ONLY THAT, I THINK I, I DON'T WANT TO MISQUOTE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW OUR SURVEY, I HATE WHEN, OR SORRY, I DISLIKE WHEN, UH, PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE USE MY, MY E SCOOTER REFERENCE. I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO CREATE ANY TENSION WITH DATA THERE, BUT I, I KNOW THERE'S ONLY FOUR OR THREE OR 4% OF PEOPLE EVEN PAY FOR THE NEWSPAPER. I'M ONE OF THEM AS WELL. I PAY FOR OVER NINE DIFFERENT NEWSPAPERS, UH, BECAUSE I, I RESPECT, UH, THE FOURTH ESTATE. IT'S ONE OF THE BIG BEST THINGS ABOUT BEING AN AMERICAN IS THIS, UH, RELATIONSHIP THAT WE CAN HAVE SOMEHOW SOME WAY ACCESS TO SOME TYPE OF, UH, ENTITY THAT WILL, UH, PLAY INTO OUR CONFIRMATION BIAS AND NARRATIVE. UH, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, I WANT TO COMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR FOR STEPPING UP AND BEING PROACTIVE. I THINK WE CAN SEE ACROSS THE COUNTRY THE ATTACK ON FREE THOUGHT AND FREE PRESS. UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ME AND JASON , WE HAVEN'T SEEN EYE TO EYE FOR, FOR YEARS. AND, UH, IRONICALLY, THIS, UH, CURRENT INTERACTION WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW WITH, UH, THE LONG BEACH POST AND THE LONG BEACH WATCH DOGS HAS BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, REPAIR AND REFORM, UH, OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER. BECAUSE I, I FIRMLY AM, UH, IN THE BELIEF THAT WE CAN'T BE A FIRST RATE CITY IF YOU DON'T HAVE, UH, A NEWSPAPER OR YOU DON'T HAVE ANYONE, UM, MONITORING WHAT THE GOVERNMENT'S DOING, WHAT THE COMMUNITY'S DOING, UH, AND PROVIDING SPACE FOR, UH, PEOPLE TO JUST BE AWARE. AND SO, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING, UH, JOURNALISM IN THIS CITY, AND I HOPE TO SEE SOME YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE, UH, REGARDLESS OF, UH, HOW MUCH MONEY THEY MAKE, UH, FIND THEMSELVES FALLING INTO THIS, UH, CAREER BECAUSE, UH, THE COUNTRY NEEDS THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS JENNIFER. JENNIFER FLEMING. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, MY NAME IS JENNIFER FLEMING. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM AND PUBLIC RELATIONS AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH. AND THIS IS MY COLLEAGUE CHRIS KOFF, WHO ALSO WORKS IN THE DEPARTMENT. WE ARE HERE TO ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT EFFORTS TO EXPLORE AND ESTABLISH PROGRAMS THAT ENSURE THE VITALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF INDEPENDENT FACT-BASED NEWS SOURCES IN LONG BEACH. AS YOU KNOW, A VARIETY OF FACTORS HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY ERODED THE BUSINESS MODEL FOR NEWS ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, LEAVING MANY TOWNS, CITIES, AND EVEN REGIONS WITH LITTLE OR NO NEWS, MEDIA COVERING ISSUES, EVENTS, AND PEOPLE IMPORTANT TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. SIMPLY PUT, LONG BEACH IS AT RISK FOR BECOMING THE NEXT NEWS DESERT, MEANING A CITY HOME TO ALMOST A HALF A MILLION PEOPLE. A THRIVING TECHNOLOGY CENTER AND ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST PORTS IN THE WORLD, SORRY, MAY NO LONGER BE COVERED IN THE NEAR FUTURE BY A DAILY LOCAL NEWS PROVIDER. UNLESS ACTION IS TAKEN NOW, UH, WE VIEW THE MAYOR'S LONG BEACH MEDIA INCUBATOR PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE AS AN IMPORTANT FIRST AND FORWARD THINKING STEP. NOT MANY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE DOING THIS, UH, TOWARDS ENSURING THAT LOCAL LONG BEACH JOURNALISM STAYS ALIVE AND STAYS LOCAL. IN ADDITION, THE INITIATIVE COMPLIMENTS AND ADVANCES RECENT ACTIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL, INCLUDING THE CALIFORNIA JOURNALISM [01:55:01] PRESERVATION ACT AND THE CALIFORNIA LOCAL NEWS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH IS STATE FUNDED PROGRAM DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN AND SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM ACROSS CALIFORNIA. LAST MONTH, ONE OF OUR VERY OWN LONG BEACH POLY, UH, FRESHMAN STUDENTS DISCU, UH, WON A NATIONWIDE CSPAN VIDEO, A SECOND PLACE IN A NATIONWIDE YOUTH VIDEO COMPETITION FOR HIS, UH, VIDEO WHO PAYS DUES FOR NEWS. IN IT, HE DISCUSSED THE FORCES THAT IT LED, HAS LED TO THE DEMISE OF LOCAL NEWS. HE EXPLORES EMERGING NON-PROFIT MODELS, THE ONES WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY. AND AT THE END, HE SAYS, DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON HIGH QUALITY, UNBIASED JOURNALISM, AND IT'S UP TO US TO HELP SAVE IT. WE ALSO BELIEVE HIGH QUALITY JOURNALISM IS THE BEDROCK OF DEMOCRACY AND THE LIFEBLOOD OF COMMUNITIES, AND WE APPLAUD THE MAYOR'S INITIATIVE AIMED AT SAVING IT IN LONG BEACH. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. SO, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BGA, THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND I AGREE WITH THOSE COMMENTS. BACK IN THE DAY, UH, I HAD A PERIODICAL MYSELF CALLED ULA LATINO AMERICANA BACK IN THE DAY. AND IT WAS DURING A TIME WHEN THERE WAS, UH, BLOOD, IF YOU WILL, OF NEWS, NEWS NEWSPAPERS IN LONG BEACH. THE LA TIMES HAD A LITTLE SECTION CALLED LONG BEACH, AND IT WOULD COVER LONG BEACH AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD HERE. AND, UH, I CAN'T REMEMBER THOSE DAYS. AND IT WAS A GOOD SOURCE OF NEWS, GOOD, BAD, OR INDIFFERENT. REGARDLESS, COMMUNICATION IS KEY. AND WITHOUT COMMUNICATION, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AND EVERY LAND UPON THEMSELVES TO ATTEND COUNCIL MEETINGS OR ATTEND EVENTS TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN THEIR CITIES. SO NEWS AGENCIES AND NEWS SOURCES PROVIDE A VERY IMPORTANT SOURCE OF INFORMATION. AND I'M GLAD THAT THIS COMING FORWARD BEING SO DESPERATELY, DESPERATELY, NEED A NEWS SOURCE HERE IN LONG BEACH WITH HALF A MILLION PEOPLE, HALF A MILLION PEOPLE IN LONG BEACH. WE ARE IMPORTANT AND A LOT OF HAPPENS HERE THAT NEEDS TO BE TOLD, OUR STORY NEEDS TO BE TOLD. SO I WANNA THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A, A GOOD PROJECT IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER CUR. YES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM AS WELL, AND SENDING YOUR THOUGHTS TO US. I'M A STRONG SUPPORTER OF JOURNALISM, LOCAL JOURNALISM, HYPER-LOCAL JOURNALISM SPECIFICALLY, UH, LIKE MR. KEN FE, I, I, UH, MAINTAIN SUBSCRIPTIONS TO SEVERAL NATIONAL NEWS ORGANIZATIONS, TO REGIONAL, UM, AS WELL AS TO HYPER-LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. I THINK ONE OF THE WAYS WE HELP SAVE THIS IS WE SUBSCRIBE THOSE OF US WHO CAN WE SUBSCRIBE, SUBSCRIBE, SUBSCRIBE, WE PAY FOR IT AS WELL. UM, I VALUE THE WORK THAT JOURNALISTS DO TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY INFORMED, AND I APPRECIATE THE INTENT TO SUPPORT AND UPLIFT NONPROFIT AND LOCAL JOURNALISM. SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE INCREDIBLE JOURNALISTS THAT LIVE IN THIS CITY, UM, WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, WORK FOR THE LA TIMES L AIST, CNN. UM, THEY LIVE ALL OVER. THEY LIVE HERE, AND THEY'RE REPORTING ON, UH, MOSTLY THINGS AROUND US. UM, BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY CARE DEEPLY ABOUT INFORMATION HERE. AND I THINK THERE'S VALUE IN THE CITY RESOURCES BEING USED TO SUPPORT A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR AN INCUBATOR, UM, THAT WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN AND UPLIFT HYPER, HYPER LOCALISM, HYPER-LOCAL JOURNALISM AND NEWS MEDIA OUTLETS. I WILL SAY, THOUGH, I'M HESITANT TO SUPPORT INVOLVEMENT PAST THAT. I THINK ONCE WE HAVE THE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THIS COULD BE, WHAT RESOURCES WE NEED TO SHARE, UM, WE BRING IN THOSE PARTNERS AND GRANTORS AND STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING, UM, FOUNDATIONS THAT ARE DOING THIS WORK, UM, TO REALLY SET UP WHAT THAT INCUBATOR LOOKS LIKE, BECAUSE I WANT THIS TO BE THE MOST LEGITIMATE LOCAL NEWS INCUBATOR POSSIBLE. AND I THINK BY BRINGING IN EXTERNAL RESOURCES TO DO THE SETTING UP OF, WOULD BE THE MOST FEASIBLE WAY TO ENSURE FOR PEOPLE THAT THERE AREN'T CITY RESOURCES BEING SPENT, AND THEREFORE THERE'S AN OPINION ABOUT INFORMATION THAT IS SHARED THROUGHOUT THOSE PLATFORMS. UM, SO FOR THE INTEGRITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO DO THE WORK, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE NEXT STEPS BEYOND A FEASIBILITY STUDY, IF FULLY SUPPORT A FEASIBILITY STUDY. UM, AND THEN FROM THERE THAT WE'RE REALLY INTENTIONAL, UM, OR WHOMEVER THE NONPROFIT IS THAT CREATES, THIS IS VERY INTENTIONAL, UH, WITH THE FUNDING SOURCES THAT COME IN TO ENSURE, UM, THAT THOSE REALLY INDEPENDENT VOICES ARE HEARD. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE MAYOR BRINGING THE IDEA FORWARD. UH, AND I LOOK [02:00:01] FORWARD TO WHAT'S NEXT. THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR ALLEN. OH YEAH. VICE MAYOR ALLEN. YES. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND I DO, I, I APPRECIATE, UH, THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY AND, UM, AND, AND, AND I SUPPORT THAT. UM, I DO HAVE, UM, JUST, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I, I JUST WANNA SHARE. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT JOURNALISM STAYS ALIVE. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THIS ROOM THAT'S INVESTED MORE MONEY THAN I HAVE IN LOCAL JOURNALISM AND MY TIME OF OWNING THE POST AND PAYING PAYCHECKS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE REPORTED. UM, BUT I DO, MY, MY CONCERN WITH THIS IS, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A CITY, WE'RE NOT MAKING NEWS. I I DO LIKE THIS LETTER THAT WAS SUBMITTED, UM, BY CAL STATE LONG BEACH AND, AND THE WORD INDEPENDENT. AND SO I JUST THINK THAT, AND AS WE, UH, FIGURE THIS OUT WITH AN INCUBATOR, THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, INDEPENDENT, UM, UH, MAYOR TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EMERGING BUSINESSES. AND SO, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT HAS TO STAY EMERGING. WE DO HAVE, UM, AND I KNOW THERE WAS, UM, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS, THIS DESERT, BUT YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE THE LONG BEACH POST THAT'S ALIVE AND WELL, THE LAST I READ, IT'S STILL, UM, OPERATING. AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE WRITING STORIES. IN FACT, THEY'RE WRITING, I THINK THEY'RE DOING BETTER THAN THEY DID BEFORE. SO THEY'RE STILL ALIVE. GAZETTE PRESS, TELEGRAM, BUSINESS JOURNAL, UM, THOSE ARE STILL AROUND. SO, UM, I DON'T, DON'T, UM, DON'T COUNT ALL THESE FOLKS OUT. I MEAN, SOMETIMES IN BUSINESS, AND I KNOW, UM, IN MY, MY TIME SERVING, UM, AND, UH, AND OWNING, UH, UH, THE LONG BEACH POST IS SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT YOUR, YOUR PRIORITIES AND YOUR FINANCE, YOUR FINANCES, AND, AND, AND YOU HAVE TO MOVE IN ANOTHER DIRECTION. BUT DON'T COUNT 'EM OUT. I THINK THEY'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, A GOOD JOB. AND, UM, AND THEN I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, TRUST IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. UM, I THINK THEY'LL DO A BETTER JOB AT COVERING JOURNALISM, UM, THAN WHAT, UH, AND, AND THAN WHAT, UM, THEY'LL BE MORE UNBIASED THAN WHAT WE CAN AS A GOVERNMENT. SO THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN, MAYOR, IS JUST MAKING SURE AS WE DO THIS VISIBILITY STUDY THAT WE HAVE, WE PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THIS. AND, UM, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S AN ARM LENGTHS AWAY, HOWEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE. UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST ONE OF THE THINGS I'M GONNA LEAVE YOU WITH IS IF YOU WANNA SUPPORT LOCAL MEDIA, THEN I HOPE YOU ALL ARE SUBSCRIBING, UH, TO THE LOCAL MEDIA AND HELPING THEM, YOU KNOW, UH, READ YOUR NEWSPAPER, SUBSCRIBE, AND, AND I EVEN WITH THE, UH, WHAT, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE LONG BEACH POST, THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE A NEW GROUP THAT'S COMING OUT OF THAT SUPPORT THAT TOO, I THINK. UM, AND 'CAUSE EVERYONE'S GONNA HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A DIFFERENT PRIORITY THAT THEY'RE GONNA FOCUS ON. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I AM GONNA, UM, SUPPORT THIS, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT WE, UH, WE PROTECT OURSELVES AND DON'T, DON'T PRETEND TO BE OR ACT LIKE THAT. WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, BECOME, YOU KNOW, A MEDIA ORGANIZATION AS A GOVERNMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR. AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S WELL NOTED. I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR, UM, IN THE PRESENTATION AND IN THE RECOMMENDATION, IT TALKS ABOUT WORKING WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS TO ESTABLISH A LOCAL MEDIA. AND, YOU KNOW, AND THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT I CHOMPED AT THE BIT TO BRING FORWARD. IT TOOK SOME, I MEAN, WE WA WE'RE WATCHING THINGS HAPPEN, RIGHT? THIS ISN'T RESPONSE TO ONE ENTITY OR ORGANIZATION. THIS IS A TREND THAT'S HAPPENING NATIONALLY. AND IT'S AWKWARD BECAUSE GOVERNMENT TRADITIONALLY STANDS BACK, BUT WE CAN'T STAND BACK. WHILE OUR COMMUNITY TURNS INTO A NEWS DESERT, WE SHOULD EXPLORE, WHAT CAN WE DO FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, UH, MAINTAINING OUR ETHICAL STANDARDS. UH, WE DON'T WANT TO BECOME THE MEDIA, UH, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP CULTIVATE THE ENVIRONMENT? THAT'S THE QUESTION. AND, AND A VEHICLE THAT'S EMERGING, UH, YOU KNOW, EMERGING ACROSS AMERICA AND ACROSS THE WORLD ARE INCUBATORS, RIGHT? THOSE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE HELP SUPPORT LONG BEACH STATE OR HELP SUPPORT ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP. AND THESE ARE JUST ENTITIES EXPRESS INTEREST. WHO KNOWS, THERE MAY BE MORE PHILANTHROPY, THERE MAY BE OTHERS, BUT WE JUST WANNA FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN CULTIVATE THAT ENVIRONMENT. SO I ACTUALLY DON'T WANT TOM TO ESTABLISH AN INCUBATOR. SO JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, LIKE TOM WILL TELL YOU, I'M NOT ASKING HIM TO START AN INCUBATOR. I'M ASKING HIM TO USE THE POWER TO CONVENE AND HELP SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION LIKE LONG BEACH, UH, ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP IN LONG BEACH STATE. LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP USE OUR POWER TO CONVENE, TO SAY, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. HOW CAN WE, AS A BROADER COMMUNITY HELP STEP UP AND RESPOND? BUT THANK YOU AS WELL. NOTED WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE. YEAH. AND JUST, AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULDN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ON THE, THE MONEY AND THE RESOURCES WE SPEND AS A CITY ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS TOO. SO WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, I KNOW I LOOK FORWARD TO THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, BUT THOSE ARE JUST, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME, MAYOR, JUST TO SHARE SOME OF MY CONCERNS. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. AND THERE'S NO FUNDING REQUESTS ATTACHED TO THIS, RIGHT? THIS IS GO OUT AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND START TALKING AND COME. YOU CAN REPORT, CERTAINLY REPORT BACK ON WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, BUT WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY FREE, ANY RESOURCES IN THIS MOTION. OKAY. NEXT IS, UH, COUNCIL [02:05:01] MEMBERS ZENDEJAS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AS THE ITEM ALLUDES TO DEMOCRACY, RUNS ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF PRESS, AND ON THE PUBLIC HAVING ACCESS TO MEDIA AND NEWS. I'M SADDENED TO HEAR WHAT'S GOING AROUND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT EVEN MORE SADDENED TO SEE THE LOCAL IMPACTS OF NEWSPAPER TRENDS RESULTING IN LAYOFFS OF SO MANY OF OUR INCREDIBLE LOCAL JOURNALISM HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM AND I SUPPORT SUSTAINING A STRONG LOCAL MEDIA RESOURCE. UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK THE CHAIR OF CAL STATE LONG BEACH, THE GENERALISM DEPARTMENT AND PROFESSOR, UM, PROFESSOR CHRIS K FOR COMING OUT HERE AND REPRESENTING, AND ALSO FOR, UM, ALWAYS INVITING ME TO SPEAK TO YOUR CLASSES SEMESTER AFTER SEMESTER, UH, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. UM, AND I AM ALWAYS INVITED TO GIVE A INSPIRATIONAL SPEECH OR TO TALK TO YOUR STUDENTS. AND THE ONE THAT LEAVES THE MOST INSPIRED BY THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, UP AND COMING JOURNALISTS IS ME. AND SO, UM, THEIR QUESTIONS ARE PHENOMENAL. THEY'RE DEEP, THEY'RE INVESTIGATIVE, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE JUST ON THEIR QUESTIONS. AND, UM, THAT, THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF BEING AT IN THESE SPACES. AND I THINK THAT AN INCUBATOR IS EXACTLY, UH, WHAT WE NEED FOR STUDENTS LIKE THAT TO BE ABLE TO GROW AND GROW INTO THE AMAZING JOURNALISTS THAT I THINK THAT THEY CAN BECOME. UM, SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS ITEM, AND VERY SUPPORTIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN AUSTIN. THANK YOU. AND, UM, I, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE REPRESENTED AN AREA OF THE CITY THAT HAS BEEN A DIRT JOURNALISTIC DESERT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. UH, CONTINUES TO BE, UH, I REMEMBER FIRST TAKING OFFICE AND BEING VERY FRUSTRATED THAT THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING IN NORTH LONG BEACH WAS NOT BEING COVERED BY THE REST OF THE CITY. AND SO I SAT DOWN WITH MANY OF OUR NEWS LEADERS AND I ASKED, WHY, WHY CAN'T WE GET A, UM, UM, UH, IT WAS AN UPTOWN, UPTOWN GAZETTE AT THE TIME. WHY CAN'T IT GO NORTH OF DEL LAMO? UM, AND THEN THE NORTH UPTOWN GAZETTE WENT AWAY. WHY CAN'T THE SIGNAL HILL TRIBUNE GO NORTH OF DEL LAMO, RIGHT? UH, WHY CAN'T THE, UM, UH, PRESS TELEGRAM? WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY IS THERE SO, SO MUCH? UH, WHY, WHY IS THIS DEARTH OF INFORMATION? UH, AND IT WAS ALWAYS CAME BACK TO ME. AND THIS WAS AN EQUITY ISSUE IN, IN A LOT OF WAYS. UM, UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE, UM, WE CAN'T GET THE AD BUYS AND THE CUSTOMER BASE IN THESE LOWER INCOME AREAS. AND SO THE AREAS IN NORTH LONG BEACH, I WOULD'VE SENT, I WOULD'VE SUBMIT THE WEST SIDE THAT HAVE BEEN NEWS DESERTS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. AND SO, UM, MR. MAYOR, WHEN I READ, FIRST READ THIS ITEM, I HADN'T HAD A OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY ENGAGE ON THIS. UH, IT WAS CONCERNING BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A HEALTHY DISTANCE IN, UM, BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT AND, AND THE PRESS. IT'S ALMOST LIKE OIL AND WATER. THEY REALLY DON'T MIX. UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE IS A, I DO RECOGNIZE A VERY SAD STATE, STATE OF AFFAIRS HAPPENING, UM, LOCALLY, BUT IN, IN THE REGION AS IT RELATES TO NEWS AND, AND THE IMPACT THAT THAT HAS ON, ON, ON PEOPLE. UM, THEIR ABILITY TO BE INFORMED, THEIR ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN DEMOCRACY AND, AND HAVE GOOD, FAIR INFORMATION. UH, I THINK SOCIAL MEDIA HAS CHANGED MEDIA FOREVER. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE QUICK, GETTING QUICK INFORMATION AND, AND, AND BEING INFLUENCED BY, BY QUICK SNAPS AND, AND CLICK BAIT. OFTENTIMES, I THINK THAT THE PAYWALLS ARE IMPACTING, YOU KNOW, UH, INDIVIDUALS WITH ABILITY TO ACCESS THE, UH, INFORMATION AND NEWS. UH, I'M PAYING MYSELF OVER $150 A, A MONTH OR, OR A YEAR FOR NEWS MYSELF. UH, AND, AND THAT THAT'S JUST TO BE INFORMED. UH, MYSELF, DID, DID I RUN OUTTA TIME? ? I HEARD A NOISE. , UH, THE MEDIA. SO, SO THAT, THAT SAID, UM, I, I WILL, UM, I DO PLAN ON VOTING TO SUPPORT THIS. I'M CAUTIOUSLY GONNA DO SO. I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT WILL COST US, YOU KNOW, HOW THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT NONPROFITS ARE GONNA BE INVOLVED, WHAT THE, WHAT THE GUARDRAILS ARE GOING TO BE FOR, FOR CITY COUNCIL AND ELECTED OFFICIALS INFLUENCE ON, ON THAT PROCESS. I THINK THOSE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE STAFF BE MINDFUL OF AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FEASIBILITY AND BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL NOT TO CROSS THE LINES. UM, JOURNALISTS THEMSELVES HAVE ETHICS [02:10:01] THAT, THAT I'M SURE THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO BE COMPROMISED AS WELL, UM, IN THEIR ABILITY TO REPORT THE TRUTH. SO, UH, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM AND, YOU KNOW, BE VERY CRITICAL OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WHEN IT COMES BACK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. WELL, I THINK THIS IS AN INTERESTING ITEM, AND I'VE RECEIVED SO MANY PERSPECTIVES BEFORE TODAY, AND NOW I'M HEARING MORE, UM, FROM MY COLLEAGUES. BUT I THINK THERE ARE SOME OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS. WE ALL KNOW LOCAL MEDIA IS THE WATCHDOG OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND THEY PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN GETTING INFORMATION OUT ABOUT WHAT OUR CITY IS DOING. AND LIKE WE'VE HEARD FROM THE VICE MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER KERR, COUNCIL MEMBER AUSTIN, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW WE CAN CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE MEDIA BUSINESSES CAN BE SUCCESSFUL, UM, BUT NOT CREATE WHAT WE WOULD SEE AS A GOVERNMENT FUNDED MEDIA OUTLET. WE WANT TO SEE, UM, THE MEDIA AS THE CHECKS AND BALANCES STILL FOR THE CITY AND NOT THE MOUTHPIECE OF THE CITY. SO I THINK PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF THE NEWS IS THE INTENT OF THE PROPOSAL. I, I THINK, MAYOR, THAT YOU, YOU'VE SPOKEN ON THIS, YOUR PRESENTATION WAS GREAT. I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY, UM, TAKES SPECIAL CARE STAFF, TAKES SPECIAL CARE IN CREATING A SYSTEM THAT WILL BUILD THE CREDIBILITY OF OUR LOCAL NEWS, UH, AND AVOID ANY PERCEPTION THAT WE WILL HAVE EDITORIAL INFLUENCE ON THEM DURING THE PROGRAM OR AFTER. I LIKE A HEALTHY DISTANCE BETWEEN JOURNALISM AND GOVERNMENT, AND I THINK DR. FLEMING SAID IT VERY WELL. HIGH QUALITY, UNBIASED JOURNALISM IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. THANK YOU. GOOD. WELL, TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, I DON'T BRING VERY MANY OPTIONS. YOU KNOW, VERY MANY, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL OUTSIDE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS ARE, DID YOU QUEUE UP COUNCIL MEMBER SOR? YES. OKAY. LET ME JUST FINISH MY STATEMENT, THEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU. UH, I DON'T BRING VERY MANY THINGS FORWARD OUTSIDE OF THE COUNCIL, BUT I THOUGHT THIS WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH, UH, TO BRING IT TO THE FULL COUNCIL TO HEAR THIS KIND OF FEEDBACK, BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT. AND, AND THE REALITY IS, UH, IT'S, YOU KNOW, MANY CITIES ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE SAME THING. AND I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO HELP AND THE BEST WAY TO BE SUPPORTIVE. UH, AND I THINK ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HEARD TODAY, UH, WE EXPECT IT TO HEAR, RIGHT? UH, I THINK IT'S MY EXPECTATION THAT WE'RE AN ARM'S LENGTH, UH, THAT IS INDEPENDENT, UH, THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE PLAY A ROLE AS A CONVENER AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S ENOUGH INTEREST ACROSS, UH, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, NON-TOP PROFIT PARTNERS TO REALLY BUILD SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR LONG BEACH. MY VISION HERE, UH, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A GREAT, WE'RE A GREAT CITY. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, NORTH LONG BEACH, WEST SIDE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE EQUITY ISSUES THAT COUNCILMAN AUSTIN TALKED ABOUT. I DEALT WITH THE VERY SAME THING AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A ROBUST LOCAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE STUDENTS LIKE THE CS SPAN STUDENTS WE HEARD AND, AND OTHERS, UH, OUT AND, AND, AND HAVING A PROFILE THAT LONG BEACH IS AN AREA THAT REALLY SUPPORTS LOCAL, LOCAL, INDEPENDENT MEDIA, AND PEOPLE CAN SEE THEMSELVES IN CAREERS THERE. UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES IN THESE NEXT FEW YEARS AS LONG BEACH IS IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT, HEADING INTO 2028 TO HIGHLIGHT OUR FOOD RENAISSANCE, OUR, OUR INVESTMENTS AT THE DESTINATION VENUES, UH, THE GROWTH, UH, THAT WE'VE WE'RE SEEING IN SPACE BEACH AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING. IT'S GREAT. UM, BUT, BUT I TELL YOU, UH, THE, THE POTENTIAL NEWS DESERT IS A THREAT AND IT SHOULD RECEIVE A LITTLE BIT OF ATTENTION FROM THE LEADERS OF OUR CITY. UH, AND THE QUESTION IS, HOW DOES, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? HOW DO WE PROCEED? AND THAT'S REALLY THE QUESTION THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. SO THIS IS ONE PROPOSAL, RIGHT? MEDIA INCUBATOR, OTHER IDEAS COULD COME OUT, RIGHT? THERE COULD BE OTHER THINGS THAT COME OUTTA THIS CONVERSATION. SO, UH, COUNCILMAN SORROW? ANYTHING? YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO, I MEAN, I KNOW YOU DID A PRESENTATION THEN TO DESCRIBE WHAT INCUBATION IS. MM-HMM. . I JUST WANNA KNOW, WHEN I HEARD INCUBATION, I'M THINKING IT'S NOT ANY DIFFERENT FROM, WE TALK ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP WHEN WE, RIGHT, WHEN WE INCUBATE BUSINESSES TO HELP, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE CAL STATE LONG BEACH HAS AN INCUBATION PROGRAM FOR BUSINESSES, AND OUR CITY PLAYED A ROLE IN SUPPORTING THAT. WE DID. SO IS THAT SOMETHING SIMILAR THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AS HELPING TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO COULD BE INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS TO EVEN MAYBE WANTING TO DO A NONPROFIT? I MEAN, I, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SET NONPROFIT WHEN REALLY IT'S NOT SET RIGHT. WE'RE GONNA EXPLORE, SORRY, I'M LOSING MY VOICE. UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA EXPLORE THESE DIFFERENT ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN MEDIA, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT [02:15:01] SET IN STONE YET, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM FOR CONVERSATION, RIGHT? I'M JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE TO CLARIFY THAT, RIGHT? IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE LOOKING FOR A NONPROFIT, IT'S BEING ABLE TO EXPLORE AS MANY OPTIONS AS POSSIBLE, RIGHT? UM, I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION FOR INC THE INCUBATION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, LIKE, SO THIS PROPOSAL SAYS, GO ENGAGE WITH LONG BEACH ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND WHOEVER ELSE MAY BE INTERESTED IN THIS. SO, SO WHY DON'T WE, WHY DON'T WE, 'CAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANNA DO IS OVER-PRESCRIBE THIS THING RIGHT NOW. IT'S A PROPOSAL, IT'S AN IDEA, BUT I'D LOVE TO, WHEN YOU'RE DONE, I'D LOVE TO JUST HEAR, HEAR FROM, UH, HEAR FROM TOM AND STAFF ON WHAT HE'S, WHAT HE'S HEARD, HOW HE WOULD HANDLE A, A, UH, A MOTION LIKE THIS. WELL, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO JUST CLARIFY. AM I OVERTHINKING IT OR WE'RE JUST BARELY JUST RIGHT. STARTING THE INITIATION OF THE IDEA WHAT IT COULD BE. ALRIGHT. COUNT, UH, UH, MANAGER MOCA. I THINK THIS WAS A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION TONIGHT. UM, I THINK THIS, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT IS A CONCERN ABOUT THE LOCAL MEDIA DESERT. UM, I THINK WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED THAT, AND I THINK WE ALL WANT TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR COMMUNITY INFORMED. UM, UH, I THINK, UH, ROBERTO SAID IT REALLY WELL WAS, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE INDIFFERENT, THE, THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, THEY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT. UM, IT'S A, IT'S A IMPORTANT PART OF DEMOCRACY IS TO HAVE A REALLY STRONG LOCAL MEDIA. UH, AND SO, UM, WE, UH, EMBRACE THAT AS STAFF. UH, I APPRECIATE THE, THE FURTHER CLARIFICATION HERE TONIGHT. AND, AND I THINK THE MAYOR WAS VERY CLEAR THAT WE'RE A CONVENER IN THIS CASE. SO, UH, THAT HELPS IN, IN UNDERSTANDING KIND OF OUR ROLE. UH, I THINK WE WOULD LOOK AND, AND LOOK FOR SUGGESTIONS AS WELL FOR GROUPS THAT CAN COME TOGETHER THAT HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE IN THIS THAN WE DO. SO, UH, WE BRING THEM TOGETHER. I THINK WE CAN START WITH THE LONG BEACH NON, OR THE LONG BEACH ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP. UH, CAL STATE LONG BEACH HAS A JOURNALISM DEPARTMENT. UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ENGAGING THE MEDIA THEMSELVES AND SEEING ARE THERE OTHER GROUPS? ARE THERE INDUSTRY GROUPS THAT CAN HELP TO INFORM US ON, ON WHERE WE NEED TO GO WITH THIS? UH, AND THEN REALLY LISTEN TO THAT. UM, UH, I THINK THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE WHAT OTHER FOUNDATIONS ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE NON-GOVERNMENT SOURCES THAT CAN HELP PROVIDE THE FUNDING. 'CAUSE ULTIMATELY WE'LL COME DOWN TO FUNDING. WE'LL NEED AN ORGANIZER AND WE'LL NEED A FUNDER. AND I HEARD VERY CLEARLY FROM, FROM ALL OF YOU, UM, THE ORGANIZER'S NOT THE CITY AND THE FUNDER'S, NOT THE CITY. SO THAT MEANS WE GOTTA FIND OTHER PARTNERS THAT CAN HELP US DO THAT WORK, UH, AND, AND MAINTAIN THAT INDEPENDENT DISTANCE. SO, UH, WE'RE LEARNING HERE TOO. WE WILL COME TOGETHER AND TRY TO FIGURE THIS OUT AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE EXAMPLES THAT, UH, SOME OF THE CITIES HAVE LOOKED AT. BUT I THINK THIS IS A PRETTY UNIQUE PROPOSAL. UH, THANK THE MAYOR FOR, UM, FOR GIVING US SOMETHING TO, TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE, I IMPROVE, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HELP OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENT, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW GO TO ITEM 18. PLEASE REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION INTO THE RECORD. CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND GRANT THE ISSUANCE OF A PARKLET PERMIT TO AROMA DE ROMA AT 47 0 8 E SECOND STREET, DISTRICT THREE. THANK YOU. AND OATH IS REQUIRED, CORRECT? YES. SO THOSE TESTIFYING IN THIS ITEM, WILL YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND? DO YOU, AND EACH OF YOU SOLEMNLY STATE THAT THE TESTIMONY YOU MAY GIVE AND THE CAUSE NOW AND PENDING BEFORE THIS BODY SHALL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP YOU GOD. THANK YOU. YOU MAY BE SEATED. THANK YOU, MR. MOCA. [18. 24-52976 Recommendation to receive and file supporting documentation into the record, conclude the public hearing, and grant the issuance of a Parklet Permit to ADR Due LLC dba Aroma Di Roma, at 4708 East Second Street. (District 3) Levine Act: Yes       Office or Department: Public Works         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] THIS EVENING WE HAVE, UH, DIRECTOR LOPEZ FROM PUBLIC WORKS AND HIS TEAM. THANK YOU. SO, UH, WE'RE HERE FOR A, UH, PROPOSED, UH, PARKLET AT AROMA DI AROMA. WHERE'S THE CLICKER? OH, IF WE CAN GET A SECOND ON THE ITEM. IS THIS THE CLICKER? THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A CLICKER? OKAY. THE PROPOSED, UH, PARKLET, UM, IS LOCATED ON SECOND STREET IN BELMONT SHORE. UM, THE, UH, PROPOSED HOURS OF POP OF OPERATION FOR THE PARKLET ARE LISTED, UH, ON THE SLIDE, UH, MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, AND THEN THE DIFFERENT HOURS FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAYS. UH, WHAT IS SERVED AT THE, UH, ESTABLISHMENTS, UH, IS, UH, FOOD, UH, SAW DRINKS, UH, COFFEE. UM, WE, THE, UH, THE BUSINESS DID WHOLE DAY TEMPORARY PERMIT DURING THE OPEN STREETS INITIATIVE PROGRAM, AND THEY SUBMITTED A PUBLIC WORKS APPLICATION FOR A PERMANENT PARKLET, UH, BARRICADE ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF SECOND STREET. THE CAR, THE PARKLET WAS SERVE THE PUBLIC AND THE BUSINESS AS A NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERING SPACE. UH, THE PARKLET AREA [02:20:01] WOULD HOUSE SIX SEATS AND SIX TABLES AND ONE TABLE DEDICATED FOR A DA CITY. DURING THE 30 DAY PUBLIC NOTICE, WE RECEIVED FOUR LETTERS OF OPPOSITION, UH, FOR THAT, FOR THE PARKLET APPLICATION. UH, SOME OF THE OPPOSITION, UM, INCLUDES, UH, UH, SOME COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, POTENTIAL VIOLATION OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PARKLET ORDINANCE, UH, BY CROSSING OVER THE PROPERTY LINE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD RE RETAIL. UM, IT ALSO INCLUDED SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, UH, YOU SEE THERE, OUR RECOMMENDATION. UM, WE REVIEWED ALL THE MATERIALS, UH, VERY CAREFULLY, UH, AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE ISSUANCE OF THE PARKLET PERMIT, UH, TO AROMA THE AROMA. UH, WE, UH, WROTE OUT THE POLICY HERE, UH, OF THE, UH, ORDINANCE THAT WAS, UH, REVISED BY COUNCIL, UH, LAST YEAR. UM, AND, UH, THE COUNCIL MAY IMPOSE CONDITIONS RELATED TO THE OPERATION OF THE PARKLET. THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE, UH, UP TO 180 DAYS AFTER CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL IF APPROVED TO MEET ALL OF THEIR CON ALL OF THEIR, UH, CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL. AND THEN FAILURE TO DO SO WOULD VOID THE PERMIT APPLICATION. SO WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER, UH, ANY QUESTIONS RELATED, UH, TO THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. WE'LL, NOW GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. UH, I'LL READ THEM ALL. PLEASE COME DOWN IN ORDER. ESTELLA TEDO, UH, HEATHER KERN, KURT SCHNEIDER. LET'S SEE. WE HAVE EDWARD GILLIAN, TIM TERRELL, CHRISTOPHER HAYES, BRIAN COCHRAN, AND JULIE DEAN. UH, SO ESTELLA IS UP FIRST. HI, GOOD EVENING. HI, AROMA ROMA AND OPEN SESAME ARE MY TWO FAVORITE RESTAURANTS ON SECOND STREET. AND AS MUCH AS I LOVE THOSE PLACES, THIS STILL DOES NOT WARRANT GIVING AWAY PARKING SPOTS IN THIS VERY POPULATION DENSE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE PARKING SITUATION HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPACTED IN RECENT YEARS, MUCH MORE SO THAN THE PAST DECADES. THE BELMONT SHORE PARKING AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT COMMISSION HAS DONE NOTHING TO ALLEVIATE THIS CONDITION. COINCIDENTALLY, CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED ITS FIRST PARKLET GIVING TWO PARKING SPOTS OF PUBLIC PROPERTY TO A RESTAURANT MANAGED BY THE LONGSTANDING PRESIDENT OF THIS COMMISSION. THIS IS NOT A DEMOCRACY OF THE PEOPLE. THIS IS PANDERING TO SPECIAL INTEREST. THE PARKLETS DETERIORATE THE LIVABILITY OF THE COMMUNITY. FOR THE DOZEN OR SO RESTAURANTS THAT ARE ON THE PARKLETS LIST, THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WILL HAVE INCREASED DIFFICULTY FINDING A PLACE TO PUT THEIR CARS AT NIGHT. FOR THE TWO OR THREE TIMES A YEAR THAT SOMEBODY DINES IN A PARKLET, THE RESIDENTS WILL SUFFER IMPACTED PARKING EVERY SINGLE DAY. PLEASE DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON THE HARDWORKING TAX PAYING AND NON-RESTAURANT BUSINESSES WHO CAME TO THE SHORE WHEN PARKING CODES WERE ENFORCED. PLEASE DO NOT APPROVE PARKLETS. THANK YOU. MY NEXT SPEAKER IS HEATHER KERN, AND THEN KURT. HELLO EVERYONE. HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT? GOOD TO SEE YOU. IT'S BEEN A GREAT COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT, BY THE WAY, . UH, MY NAME IS HEATHER KERN. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE BELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION. UH, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ASSOCIATION TO SUPPORT THE PARKLET REQUEST FROM AROMA DE ROMA AND OPEN SESAME. THERE'RE TWO CHERISH LOCAL ESTABLISHMENTS WITH A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF EXCELLENCE WITH LONG BEACH'S RENOWNED CLIMATE AND BELMONT SHORES BEACH DISTRICT ALLURE. THESE PARKLETS WILL ENHANCE THE, UH, VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND FOSTER COMMUNITY CONNECTION. I URGE YOU TO APPROVE THESE. UM, I JUST WANNA ADD THAT WHEN YOU PUT PEOPLE FIRST IN FRONT OF CARS, YOU BUILD COMMUNITY. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. AND THEN WHILE I'M HERE ON A TANGENT, I WORK DAY EVERY DAY WITH CONSERVATION CORPS, LONG BEACH, AND I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR HARD WORK. THANK YOU SO MUCH, HEATHER. UH, NEXT IS KURT SCHNEIDER, THEN EDWARD GILLIAN. GOOD EVENING. I'M KURT SCHNEIDER. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION. THE FIRST SPEAKER STATED SOMETHING ABOUT FREE PARKING TO THE PRESIDENT. SHE MUST BE MISTAKEN IF SHE'S TALKING ABOUT ME. I'VE NEVER GOTTEN A FREE THING EVER FROM THE CITY, AND, UH, IF YOU CAN FIND IT, I'LL BUY YOU LUNCH AT THE BEST RESTAURANT IN TOWN, WHICH IS IN BELMONT SHORE. UH, AGAIN, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN BELMONT SHORE. EVERY DAY IS, AND THE PARKLETS DEFINITELY ADD TO THE AMBIANCE IN BELMONT SHORE, THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION WORKS TIRELESSLY AS HEATHER IS A GREAT PROPONENT OF WORKING SYMBIOTICALLY WITH OUR RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION. THE LARGEST RESIDENT ASSOCIATION [02:25:01] IN THE AREA IS THE FRIENDS OF BELMONT SHORE, NOT THE BELMONT SHORE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION. THEY DWARF FROM DRAMATICALLY. AND THAT ASSOCIATION HAS WRITTEN MANY LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THESE PARKLETS. THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT THESE PARKLETS IS AS MUCH AS WE TALK ABOUT 'EM BEING PERMANENT, THEY'RE NOT PERMANENT. THERE'S A YEARLY RENEWAL. SO IF THEY DO NOT ADHERE TO THE STANDARDS THAT YOU HAVE SET FOR THEM, YOU CAN EASILY YANK IT. THE GENTLEMAN THAT IS SPENDING 50 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IS TIM TERRELL. THAT IS THE AMERICAN DREAM. HE COMES TO AMERICA. HIS FAMILY'S NOT ALL FROM AMERICA. HE HAS STAKED THIS CLAIM, AND HE'S DOING WHAT WE ALL DREAM TO DO, HAVE OUR OWN JOB, CREATE OUR SIGN, THE FRONT OF A CHECK. HE IS THE AMERICAN DREAM, AND TODAY HE'S WILLING TO STAKE 50 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO POSSIBLY HAVE IT TAKEN AWAY. IT'S NOT PERMANENT. ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT, UM, I'VE GOT A LOT OF PAGES WHY IT'S SO POSITIVE. FIRST OF ALL, IT INCREASES SALES VOLUME FOR THAT BUSINESS, WHICH HENCE INCREASES REVENUE TO YOUR CITY. IT INCREASES JOBS AGAIN, INCREASES TAXES TO YOUR CITY, INCREASES HOME PRICES. BY MAKING THIS A MUCH MORE PROSPEROUS AREA. IT'S LIVELY. THE MORE LIVELY IT IS ON THE OUTSIDE. MORE LIKELY PEOPLE WILL GO TO THE INSIDE. IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO GET PEOPLE TO GO OUTSIDE AND ENJOY THE FRESH AIR. WHY IS BELMONT SHORE A WONDERFUL PLACE? WE GET MORE SUNSHINE THAN ANY OTHER BEACH IN ALL OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. GET PEOPLE OUTSIDE, AND I GET TO BRING MY BEST FRIEND, MY DOG TO SIT OUT THERE VERSUS INSIDE THE RESTAURANTS. ACCESS NOT JUST FOR DOGS, BUT FOR THE HANDICAP. IT'S A WIN, WIN, WIN, WIN, WIN. BELMONT SHORE LOVES THIS IDEA. I BROUGHT PARKLETS TO LONG BEACH. WE DID THE FIRST PARKLET AT FINGERPRINTS AND BERLIN. IT'S BEEN A ROUSING SUCCESS. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN. WE HAVE BEEN AN EXAMPLE FOR THE OTHERS IN TOWN, AND I HOPE THAT AROMA TO AROMA CAN BE THAT EXAMPLE FOR MORE AND MORE INSIGHTFUL DEVELOPMENT HERE IN TOWN. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR TAKING A RISK AND YOU WON'T BE SORRY. AND I HOPE TO SEE EVERY ONE OF YOU OUT THERE ENJOYING THE FINEST COFFEE IN TOWN AT AROMA. AROMA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS EDWARD. AFTER EDWARD IS TIM. UH, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, MAYOR RICHARDSON, IT'S PLEASURE TO INFORMALLY MEET YOU. UH, MY NAME IS EDWARD GOULIAN. I'M THE PRINCIPAL AT GOULIAN DESIGN ARCHITECTS. UH, WE PROVIDED THE DESIGN DOCUMENTS FOR AROMA. AROMA. UM, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD TO SAY THE LEASE. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND COAST COMMISSION AND ALL THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT WE WERE, UH, TOLD WE HAD TO GO THROUGH. UM, SINCE THE START, WE FOLLOWED THE GUIDELINE THAT WAS HANDED OUT. IT WAS VERY COMPREHENSIVE. WE FOLLOWED EVERYTHING TO THE LETTER. UM, THAT GUIDELINE EVOLVED. IT, YOU KNOW, WAS JUST, UH, ANOTHER DOCUMENT NEEDED AND, BUT WE DI DILIGENTLY, UH, GOT IT RIGHT BACK AS SOON AS THEY NEEDED IT. WE DIDN'T HOLD ANYBODY UP. ANYTHING THEY ASKED, WE PROVIDED FOR THEM. UM, YEAH, IT'S BEEN A MOVING TARGET TO SAY THE LEAST. UM, HOPING, HOPEFULLY THIS IS A, WE ARE CLOSE TO A FINAL HERE. UM, THIS DECISION TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THE RESTAURANT AND ALL THE RESTAURANTS TO HAVE BE PERMITTED TO HAVE OUTDOOR SEATING. UM, I KNOW THIS IS PROBABLY NOT THE FORM, BUT, UM, I'LL HANG OUT AND WAIT IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY DESIGN OR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, UM, I'LL JUST GO ASIDE. BUT THANK YOU FOR THIS AND, UM, HOPEFULLY WE HAVE A RESOLUTION TONIGHT. THANK YOU. YOU NEXT IS TIM. AFTER TIM IS CHRISTOPHER. GOOD EVENING, YOUR HONOR. I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS WRONG SPEECH. SORRY. PUBLIC SPEAKING ISN'T MY FORTE, SO I HAD TO LOOSE MYSELF UP. UM, MY NAME IS TIM TERRELL AND I STARTED IN, I'VE OWNED AROMA TO AROMA FOR 21 YEARS NOW. I OWN FOUR LOCATIONS, INCLUDING AN AROMA ACROSS THE STREET AND ANY NEIGHBORHOOD I OPEN A COFFEE SHOP IN, I DON'T GO IN TO DISRUPT, BUT INSTEAD TO BE A PART OF THAT COMMUNITY, I WOULDN'T ADD A COMPONENT TO MY BUSINESS UNLESS I THOUGHT IT WAS A COMPLIMENT TO NOT ONLY MY OPERATIONS, BUT ALSO TO THE COMMUNITY THAT HELPS KEEP ME IN BUSINESS. UM, PARKLETS PROMOTE, UH, OUTDOOR DINING AS CONCERNS OF COVID ARE EVER LINGERING. A GREAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY, MORE WALKING, LESS DRIVING, AND AN AVENUE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO HIRE AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES THAT ARE THE BACKBONE OF SMALL BUSINESSES. IN AROMA'S CASE, WE'D ONLY BE TAKING ONE, METERED PARKING, NOT TWO AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, PARKING SPOTS, BUT DO OFFER 11 FREE, UH, ON PROPERTY PARKING SPACES. THE SPACES ARE MONITORED AND KEPT SAFE BY SECURITY GUARD WE HIRED WHO ALSO HELPS COORDINATE, UH, DELIVERIES MADE TO THE BACK BY VENDORS, [02:30:01] UH, DELIVERY TRUCKS. 90% OF MY STAFF UBER'S INTO WORK USES A TRANSIT SYSTEM OR WALKS INTO WORK. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT IS CHRISTOPHER. AND AFTER CHRISTOPHER IS BRIAN. UM, HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO, UH, HEAR ME. I'M, UM, THE GENERAL MANAGER OF OPEN SESAME. FOR THE LAST, UH, SIX YEARS I'VE SEEN THE BIRTH OF THE PARKLETS AND THE REMOVAL. AND, UM, EVER SINCE THE BEGINNING INTO WHERE WE HAVE NOW, WE'VE HAD NOTHING BUT, UH, POSITIVE THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THE PARKLETS. UM, GUESTS ARE DRAWN TO BEING OUTSIDE OF LONG BEACH, CLEAN AIR, LESS SOOT. UM, THANK YOU. BUT, UM, I HAVE FROM THE RESIDENTS TO OUR MEMBERS THAT HAVE COME INTO OPEN SESAME, WHICH A LOT OF 'EM ARE RESIDENTS OR FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA. I HAVEN'T HEARD ONE NEGATIVE THING TO SAY ABOUT THE PARKLETS, SO I'M HERE JUST TO SAY, UM, WE SUPPORT OPEN SESAME AND OBVIOUSLY OMA DEO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS BRIAN, THEN JULIE DEAN. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, MR. MR. MAYOR, YOU'RE ON RECORD OF SAYING PUBLICLY THAT THE ISSUE OF PARKLETS IN A COMMUNITY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUE TO BE DETERMINED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND YET HERE WE ARE, THERE WILL BE NINE COUNCIL MEMBERS DECIDING AN ISSUE THAT IS AFFECTED BY ONE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT IS DISREGARDED OUR COMMUNITY. AND ALMOST EVERY TURN ON THIS ISSUE, WE HAVE OVER 700 SIGNATURES VERIFIED AND SHARED WITH HER AND HER STAFF REPEATEDLY OF COMMUNITY RESIDENTS, ALL WITHIN THE THIRD DISTRICT, ALL WITHIN BELMONT SHORE, LARGELY, WHO ARE OPPOSING THESE AND ALL PARKLETS IN OUR COMMUNITY IN A ONE HALF TO THREE QUARTER MILE AREA. THIS PROCESS, AS OUTLINED IN THE STAFF REPORT, SAYS THE INTENT OF A PARKLET SHOULD BE TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC, NOT JUST THE PRIVATE USER. THAT IS A MOCKERY. THESE PARKLETS BENEFITS SOLELY THE PRIVATE USER. THEY DO NOT BRING COMMUNITY TOGETHER RESIDENTS OPPOSE THEM. IT DISCOURAGES PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. IT CREATES FURTHER HAZARDS AS THESE CARS MOVE AROUND. THE SUM TOTAL OF PARKLETS AND THE ISSUES OF TO DATE, IF THESE TWO ARE APPROVED, WOULD BE 29 TABLES, 66 SEATS, FIVE PARKING SPACES LOST. THE 66 SEATS, IF YOU GENEROUSLY LOOK AT THAT AS TWO PEOPLE DRIVING TOGETHER, THAT'S 33 PEOPLE COMING FOR EACH OF THESE. AND THERE ARE MORE THAN A DOZEN. PARKLETS IN THE WORKS DOES NOT FOSTER NEIGHBORHOOD INTERACTION. THE IDEA OF THESE SPACES BEING A PUBLIC SPACE AND USABLE BY ANYONE WHO'S NOT A PATRON IS A SOP AND AN AN ILLUSION. THESE WILL BE MONITORED AND USED BY THE BUSINESSES FOR THEIR OWN BENEFIT. THE PROCESS TO DATE ON THIS HAS BEEN TRAGICALLY MISREPRESENTED. WE HAVE E ERIC LOPEZ, THE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE CITY, REPEATEDLY REP MISREPRESENTING DATA TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING AT THE LEGENDS HEARING ON FEBRUARY 13TH. AND NO, NO COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONED THEM. IT WAS TRAGIC TO SEE THAT ONLY CHRISTINA ASKED QUESTIONS OF THE, UH, PARTICIPANTS AND THAT NO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AFTER TWO PLUS YEARS OF DEBATE ON THIS CAME FORWARD WITH ANY QUESTIONS. THE, UM, CITY STAFF HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE UTTERLY TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON THIS. MY OWN REQUEST OF MARCH 12TH AND APRIL, APRIL 2ND HAVE NOT BEEN RESPONDED TO REGARDING THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA REQUIREMENTS, WHICH ARE IN THE CONDITIONS OF U USE, BUT WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN DISCUSSED IN THIS BODY AT ALL, AND WHICH NO CITY STAFF MEMBER HAS RAISED AND HOW THAT WILL BE MONITORED. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE, UM, ANY OVERSIGHT OF THE APPLICATION STATUS AND THE, UH, OTHER RELATED ISSUES THERE. UM, THERE'S INCONSISTENCY IN POSTING OF THE SIZE AND PLACEMENT OF THE, THE NOTIFICATION. THE NOTIFICATIONS FOR THESE TWO ESTABLISHMENTS WERE DONE IN THE NOVEMBER DECEMBER PERIOD WHEN THE HOLIDAYS WERE OCCURRING, AND ALMOST NO RESIDENTS WOULD'VE SEEN THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE THUMB IS ON THE SCALE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THAT'S TALLIED HERE. IT OFTEN SAYS THAT THERE WERE ONLY X NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN OPPOSITION. IT'S BECAUSE ONLY ONE NEEDS TO BRING IT TO COUNCIL. THOSE MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO WEIGH IN, BUT THEY'VE SAID THESE 700 TIMES, YOU RECEIVED MORE THAN 70 EMAILS FOR THE LEGENDS HEARING JUST LAST MONTH. AND THOSE WERE UTTERLY IGNORED, NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED IN THE ROOM. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT THE COMMUNITY DOES NOT WANT. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE MAGIC NUMBER IS, TELL ME WHAT THE MAGIC NUMBER OF RESPONSE WOULD BE TO GET THE INTEREST FROM YOU GUYS TO PAY ATTENTION AND SAY NO TO ONE OF THESE, SIR, LET ALONE THE DOZENS BEFORE YOU. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU. NEXT, IT'S JULIE DEAN. THANKS. HELLO, HONORABLE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JULIE DEAN, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE 98-YEAR-OLD AND ENERGETIC BELMONT SHORE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION. AND I'M OPPOSED TO PARKLETS IN THE DENSE NEIGHBORHOOD [02:35:01] AND SMALL LANED SECOND STREET OF BELMONT SHORE, THE PUBLIC WORKS ARRO, SORRY. UH, YEAH, THE PUBLIC WORKS. AROMA, AROMA DOCUMENTS AND POWERPOINT WE JUST SAW, REFERENCED THE LETTERS RECEIVED DURING JUST THE 30 DAYS OF THE PUBLIC NOTICE, WHICH WAS DECEMBER 6TH OF 23 TO JANUARY 6TH OF 24. FIRST, THERE WERE NO LETTERS OF SUPPORT, WHICH WASN'T NOTED. SECOND, THE HOLIDAYS ARE BUSY TIME FOR EVERYONE, WHICH IS WHEN THAT TOOK PLACE. WHO'S FOCUSING ON RANDOM EIGHT AND A HALF BY 11 SIGNS IN RESTAURANT AND BAR WINDOWS. AND THIRD, THIS IGNORES THE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF EMAILS. IS THIS, IS EVERYONE PAYING ATTENTION TO ME? THANKS. UM, SO THIS IGNORES THE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS TO COUNCIL OFFICES FROM RESIDENTS OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS EXPRESSING UNEQUIVOCAL OPPOSITION TO PERMANENT PARKLETS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S AS IF THESE MINIMAL TIME PERIODS, THESE 30 DAYS, ARE USED TO MANIPULATE THE DATA TO CREATE AN IMPRESSION OF SUPPORT OR LACK OF OPPOSITION. THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE FOR LEGENDS IN FEBRUARY, THE 70 EMAILS SENT BY PEOPLE FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITHIN THE 10 DAYS PRIOR TO THAT HEARING WERE NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS OR CITY OFFICIALS. THE PROCESS HAS FURTHER IGNORED THE 700 PLUS SIGNATURES THAT WERE PRESENTED TO COUNCILWOMAN DUGGAN AND HER STAFF, MAKING CLEAR THAT PERMANENT PARKLETS ARE NEAR UNIVERSALLY UNWELCOMED BY IMPACTED RESIDENTS AROUND SECOND STREET. AS THE PREVIOUS ZONING ADMINISTRATOR SAID, WHEN WILL ENOUGH BE ENOUGH? HAS ANYONE CONSIDERED WHEN THE PARKLETS ON SECOND STREET WILL BE MAXED OUT? IS IT AT 3 7, 10 15? IN THE MEANTIME, KNOW THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE NOT HAPPY. THEY DO NOT WANT PARKLETS ON SECOND STREET. BELMONT SHORE IS ALREADY TOO DENSE. IN FACT, BUS DRIVERS HAVE TOLD ME HOW MUCH THEY HATED DRIVING THROUGH THE SHORE. WHEN THE TEMPORARY PARKLETS WERE UP, THEY DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS SAFE. AND FINALLY, AROMA ROMA HAS ALREADY GOTTEN PUBLIC SPACE AT NO COST IN THE FORM OF SIDEWALK DINING, AND NOW THEY'RE ASKING FOR MORE PUBLIC LAND. THEY SHOULD NOT GET ADDITIONAL SPACE VIA PARKLET BECAUSE THEY ARE AND HAVE BEEN VIOLATING THE SIDEWALK DINING CONDITIONS BY GOING OUTSIDE OF THE PARAMETERS ALLOWED. WHY WOULD WE CONDONE THIS AND SUPPORT THEM WHEN THEY'RE ALREADY FAILING? PLEASE VOTE NO ON THE AROMA. AROMA, PARKLET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO THAT, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL NOW TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL. WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER DOUG MAY. MAYOR, IF I MAY MAKE A CLARIFICATION. OKAY, SURE. PLEASE. BEFORE, BEFORE WE GO, UM, I FORGOT TO POINT OUT THAT A LOCAL COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, UH, WAS ISSUED, UH, FOR THIS, UH, PERMANENT PARKLET. THE FINAL ACTION, UH, WAS, UH, ON, UM, NOVEMBER 27TH, 2023 FOR THE LOCAL COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT. UH, FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU. OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. ALRIGHT, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, STAFF FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS PROJECT, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. UM, THE CITY HAS HAD THE PARKLET PROGRAM. IT WAS A DIFFERENT PROGRAM DURING THE PANDEMIC, BUT IT REALLY WAS RELEVANT, RELEVANT DURING THE PANDEMIC. WHILE WE'RE NOT IN A PANDEMIC ANYMORE, I THINK THERE ARE NUMEROUS PEOPLE WHO ENJOY OUTDOOR DINING BETWEEN PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO SIT IN A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE OR SITTING OUT IN THE SUN ENJOYING DINING. I THINK IT'S, I PERSONALLY HEAR ALL THE TIME, IT'S GREAT TO WALK DOWN THE SIDEWALK AND SIT OUTSIDE AND EAT. UM, FOR THIS PROGRAM, WE ARE TAKING WHAT WE'VE LEARNED, OF COURSE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS ABOUT PARKLETS, AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH A FEW WELL-DESIGNED PARKLETS. I HAVE A QUESTION. UM, EDWARD GIAN, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU. I JUST, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT HE MENTIONED 50 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, THESE PARKLETS, UM, DIRECTOR LOPEZ, APPROXIMATELY HOW MUCH ARE THESE, UH, IS BEING INVESTED IN THESE PARKLETS WITH COUNCIL MEMBER? UH, IT VARIES. UH, UH, WE'VE SEEN THE COST GO FROM, UH, ANYWHERE FROM 30,000 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND. SO THE NUMBERS THAT WERE UH, REFERENCED EARLIER, UH, CAN BE APPROPRIATE DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL OF PARKLETS. THESE PARKLETS, UH, HAVE A LOT MORE REQUIREMENTS THAN THE TEMPORARY OPEN STREETS, UH, PARKLET PROGRAM. UH, THESE HAVE TO MEET ALL KINDS OF ENGINEERING, UH, REQUIREMENTS, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE AND APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SPECIFIC LOCATION. THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THESE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AND [02:40:01] WHERE THAT IS IN THE CUP? YES. UH, IT'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE LOCAL COASTAL, UH, DEVELOPMENT PERMIT CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL. UH, UH, CONDITION NUMBER 17, UH, REQUIRES THAT SECURITY CAMERAS SHALL BE INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED IN GOOD OPERATING ORDER TO ENSURE MONITORING OF THE OUTDOOR PATIO. SO THAT IS, UH, PART OF THE LOCAL COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT APPROVAL. AND I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, VANESSA, DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY VANESSA IBARRA. I JUST WANNA CLARIFY FOR THE RECORD THAT THOSE, UH, CONDITIONS WHAT, UH, THE DIRECTOR JUST READ, THOSE WERE ADDED AS A MATERIAL SUPPORTING DOCUMENT TO THE AGENDA PACKET YESTERDAY. UH, THEY WERE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC YESTERDAY AND ALSO AVAILABLE TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THOSE. IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE A COPY OF THOSE, WE HAVE THOSE COPIES AVAILABLE AS WELL. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION ON THE RECORD. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, THE OTHER ITEM I WANT TO BRING UP IS THE ANNUAL REVIEW. SO ONCE THEY ARE PERMITTED AND THEY'VE BEEN BUILT AND INSTALLED, WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A YEAR? UH, YEAH. SO, UH, ON A YEARLY BASIS, THEY HAVE TO REAPPLY FOR A RENEWAL PERMIT. UM, AND, UH, WE, UH, RECIRCULATED, UH, WITHIN OUR, UH, PARTNER DEPARTMENTS, UH, TO, UH, UH, UH, SOLICIT INPUT ON, ON, ON THE PERFORMANCE. AND THEN WE MAKE THE DETERMINATION WHETHER OR NOT TO APPROVE THE RENEWAL, IF THERE, OH, WHO DOES THE ENFORCEMENT FOR CUP ITEMS? YES. YEAH. SO IT'S UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MYSELF. UH, AND WE HAVE, UH, OUR INSPECTORS THAT HELP US, UH, MANAGE, UM, UH, THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY. UH, AND THEY'RE, THEY HAVE ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY TO ENSURE THAT OUR MUNICIPAL CODE IS BEING FOLLOWED. GREAT. OKAY. UM, THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT, THAT I HAVE. UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT PARKING IS STILL A CONCERN. PARKING WILL ALWAYS BE A CONCERN IN BELMONT SHORE FOR 50, 60 YEARS, AND THERE'S ALWAYS IDEAS ON HOW TO GET MORE PARKING. UM, AND THESE PARKLETS, WELL, AROMA OMA IS GOING TO REMOVE ONE PARKING SPOT. AND I THINK THAT A GOOD THING ABOUT THIS IS BUSINESSES HEAR IT AND THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT BETTER. THEY'RE FOLLOWING A PROGRAM. UM, THE BELMONT SHORE PARKING COMMISSION, UH, HAS A PROGRAM CALLED THE LONG BEACH TRANSIT BUS PASS PROGRAM. THIS PROVIDES EMPLOYEES BUS PASSES THEY CAN GO TO AND FROM WORK. AND AT LAST REPORT, I SAW IT'S OVER 10,000 CAR TRIPS HAVE BEEN SAVED FROM JANUARY TO MARCH IN BELMONT SHORE BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM. THESE ARE BUSINESSES. I SEE THE REPORT, I CAN SEE ALL THE BUSINESSES WHO HAS ENCOURAGED THEIR EMPLOYEES TO USE THIS BUS PASS PROGRAM. AND THIS IS WHAT IS HELPING KEEP FEWER CARS HERE, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING THERE. UM, HEATHER, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR REALLY WORKING ON THIS PROGRAM. I THINK YOU'VE PROMOTED IT AND YOU'VE PUSHED IT AND YOU'VE INSISTED ON IT. AND, UM, BUSINESSES KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS. UM, SO THE OTHER WAY THAT WE ARE PUSHING, UH, FEWER CARS IS THE CIRCUIT PROGRAM. AND NOW THE CIRCUIT PROGRAM GOES FROM BELMONT SHORE TO DOWNTOWN AND BACK, BUT THE CIRCUIT PROGRAM I SEE USED QUITE A BIT IN BELMONT SHORE, AND WE'RE GONNA KEEP PUSHING THAT. SO WE'RE GONNA KEEP EXPANDING THE PROGRAM. UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO APPROVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO RE RECEIVE AND FILE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION INTO THE RECORD, CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND GRANT THE ISSUANCE OF A PARKLET PERMIT TO A DR DUE L-L-C-D-B-A AROMA. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT MOTION. IT HAS BEEN SECONDED. UH, THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT, NO ADDITIONAL COMMENT FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS OVER THERE. OKAY. UH OH, COUNCILMAN AUSTIN, GO AHEAD. YES. UM, FOR PURPOSES OF, UH, DISCUSSION, I, I DID SECOND THE MOTION. UH, SECOND STREET IS, UH, OBVIOUSLY A TREASURE IN OUR CITY. UH, FOR MANY PEOPLE IT'S A DESTINATION PLACE, UH, GREAT BUSINESSES, GREAT RESTAURANTS, AND A GREAT OVERALL [02:45:01] VIBE. UM, IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, SHOULD BE. AND I THINK WHAT WE ASPIRE TO HAVE IN MANY AREAS OF, OF THE CITY, UM, I, I, I TRUST, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S JUDGMENT, AND THIS IS WHY I SECONDED THE MO MOTION. SHE'S MOST IN TUNE WITH THE RESIDENTS AND THE BUSINESSES AND, AND THE GOINGS ON OF WHAT'S HAPPENING ON, ON SECOND STREET AS THE THIRD DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES, UH, ALSO, UM, TICKED MY HATS TO THE, MY HAT, TO THE BUSINESSES, UH, WHO HAVE, UH, GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, UH, WHO ARE TAKING RISK AND INVESTMENT, UH, IN THESE PARKLETS IT'S, IT'S, IT'S THAT THAT IS A RISK, AND THERE THERE'S A CHANCE THAT THEY DON'T WORK OUT AND THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR LOSS. UM, I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, JUST BASED ON PUBLIC COMMENT. HOW MANY, UM, APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN, UM, APPROVED THUS FAR ON SECOND STREET THAT WE ARE AWARE OF? I'M, I'M ONLY AWARE OF ONE OR TWO, MAYBE FOR PARKLETS. ONE HAS BEEN APPROVED, BUT THEY HAVE NOT YET PULLED THE PERMIT. OKAY. AND IN BELMONT SHORE. AND THEN, UH, THE FOLLOW UP TO THAT IS HOW MANY APPLICATIONS ARE IN THE QUEUE OR HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED ROUGHLY, APPROXIMATELY 12 RIGHT NOW? UH, IN, UH, IN DIFFERENT PRO, UH, POINTS IN THE PROCESS. PROCESS, OKAY. PROCESS. WELL, FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BECAUSE I, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS GONNA GET, UH, MORE AND MORE COMPETITIVE AND MORE TOUGHER TO, TO APPROVE, UH, OVER TIME. UM, I'M, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, BUT I WANTED TO JUST KIND OF GET AN IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FORECASTING OUT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER BROOK SODI. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. 19. PLEASE REPORT, REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION INTO THE RECORD. CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND GRANT THE ISSUANCE OF A PARKLET PERMIT TO OPEN SESAME AT 5 2 1 5 EAST SECOND STREET, DISTRICT THREE, MR. MOCA. AND THEN WE HAVE THE SAME TEAM FROM PUBLIC WORKS AND CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND THERE IS AN OATH FOR THIS ITEM AS WELL. WILL THOSE TESTIFYING IN THIS ITEM? PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. DO EACH OF YOU SOLEMNLY STATE THAT THE TESTIMONY YOU MAY GIVE AND THE CAUSE NOW IMP PENDING BEFORE THIS BODY SHALL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP YOU GOD. THANK YOU. [19. 24-52977 Recommendation to receive and file supporting documentation into the record, conclude the public hearing, and grant the issuance of a Parklet Permit to Kobeissi Inc., dba Open Sesame, at 5215 East Second Street. (District 3) Levine Act: Yes       Office or Department: Public Works         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] OKAY. UH, THE SECOND, UH, APPLICATION FOR A PARKLET IS, UH, AT OPEN, UH, SESAME. UH, THE LOCATION IS ALSO IN BELMONT SHO AT 52 15, UH, SECOND STREET. UH, THE HOURS OF OPERATION ARE LISTED ON THE SLIDE, AND THE SERVICES INCLUDE FULL FOOD, MENU, SOFT DRINKS, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, AND, UH, VENUE FOR, UH, PRIVATE, UH, EVENTS. UM, FOR THIS ONE AS WELL, WE HAD A LOCAL COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT THAT WAS APPROVED ON OCTOBER 19TH, 2020 THIRD. A COPY OF THAT PERMIT WAS ADDED TO THE AGENDA, UH, YESTERDAY, AND WE HAVE EXTRAS AVAILABLE TODAY IF ANYONE, UH, FROM THE PUBLIC, UH, DESIRES A COPY. THE, UM, THE, UH, THIS BUSINESS ALSO HELD A TEMPORARY PARKLET DURING THE OPEN STREETS INITIATIVE. UM, AND THEY SUBMITTED, THEY HAVE SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION, UH, FOR A PARKLET UNDER OUR PARKLET AND SIDEWALK DINING PROGRAM. UH, THEY'RE PROPOSING A BARRICADE ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF SECOND STREET. ADJACENT TO THE BUSINESS, THE PARKLET WILL SERVE, UH, THE PUBLIC AND THE BUSINESS AS A NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERING SPACE. THE PARKLET AREA WILL HOUSE 17 SEATS AND FIVE TABLES WITH ONE TABLE DEDICATED FOR A DA SEATING. UH, WE AN THE ALCOHOL AND BEVERAGE, UH, COMMISSION, UH, IS ANTICIPATED TO ISSUE AN EXTENSION OF USE PERMIT TO SERVE ALCOHOL WITHIN THE PERMIT IS BASED IF CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL FOR THE PARKLET IS GRANTED. UM, DURING THE 30 DAY NOTICE, DURING THAT 30 DAY NOTICE, WE RECEIVED 10 LETTERS OF OPPOSITION AND 39 LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THIS, UH, UH, PARKLET APPLICATION. UH, SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED IN THE LETTERS INCLUDES, UH, UH, REMOVING TWO, REMOVING TWO METERED, UH, PARKING SPACES TO ACCOMMODATE 17 NEW, UH, PATRONS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. IT, IT IS PARKING IMPACTED ALREADY. UH, AND THEN YOU ALSO, WE ALSO HAVE TWO OF THE OTHER COMMENTS THERE. SOME OF THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT COMMENTS INCLUDES, UH, BRING THE PARKLETS BACK. LET'S MAXIMIZE THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF BELMONT CHO, UH, UNQUOTE. UH, AND WE HAVE TWO OF THE OTHER, UH, COMMENTS AS WELL THAT WE GOT. UH, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE, UH, COMMENTS DURING THE COMMENT PERIOD, THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, IS TO, UH, APPROVE [02:50:01] THE, UH, APPLICATIONS, UH, AND ISSUE, UH, A PERMIT FOR THE PARKLETS, UH, UH, FOR THIS ONE FOR OPEN SESAME AT 52 1 5 EAST SECOND STREET. UM, I THINK WE'VE ALREADY REVIEWED THE, UH, OH, THE ORDINANCE AND THE POLICY, AND IT'S HERE LISTED AGAIN. AND, UH, THAT CONCLUDES STAFF PRESENTATION. AND WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS IF I CAN HAVE THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE LINE UP. UM, LET'S START WITH ESTELLA, KIRK SNYDER, TIM TERRELL, CHRISTOPHER HAYES AND YASIN. SO, UM, ESTELLA, YOU'RE UP FIRST. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, KURT. THANK YOU. HI, I AM KURT SCHNEIDER WITH THE BELMONT SHORE PARKING COMMISSION. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR LISTENING TO ME TONIGHT. UH, A COUPLE THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THE PRIOR NUMBER 18, THE GENTLEMAN NAMED BRIAN HAD STATED ABOUT THE 12 PARKLETS ARE IN THE WORKS. THAT MAY BE SO AN APPLICATION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, BUT IT'S NOT. SO TODAY, THERE ARE SOME OF 'EM THAT HAVE PULLED BACK AND ARE NOT MOVING FORWARD. AND I CAN SPEAK FACTUALLY OF THIS BECAUSE IF I WAS ONE OF THE APPLICANTS FOR THE KNICKS GO Y AND NORTHERN CAFE, WE HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD WITH THAT. WE SPENT ALL THE MONEY SO FAR, BUT THERE IS NO PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD. OUR GOAL ORIGINALLY WAS JUST TO HAVE A SPATTERING OF THE PARKLETS ON SECOND STREET TO ENHANCE THE CHARACTER OF THE SHORE. I DON'T SEE A BENEFIT AT THIS POINT FOR THAT ONE. THERE MAY BE DOWN THE ROAD, BUT LET'S SEE HOW THE OTHER ONES GO. AND I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE I LIKE TO SEE ARE WE, IT'S, UH, PROOF OF, UH, CONCEPT. AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THAT THESE THREE THAT'LL BE THERE ARE GONNA BE WONDERFUL. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I THINK IT'S, UH, JULIE OR, OR AS BRIAN BROUGHT UP, ABOUT 700 PETITIONERS. NOW THESE ARE PROBABLY THE SAME PETITIONERS THAT MENTIONED DOGS, AND THEY WROTE THAT ABOUT OTHER PARKLETS WAY BACK. THEY WEREN'T CONSISTENT AND THEY WERE NOT ABOUT AROMA, AROMA OR OPEN SESAME. SPECIFICALLY, I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY BUSINESS, WE TALKED ABOUT A PARKLET. WE PUT IT OUT ON UH, CHANGE.ORG AND IN 10 DAYS WE HAD 1100 PLUS IN FAVOR OF PARKLETS ON SECOND STREET OR ON OCEAN BOULEVARD OR OLYMPIC PLAZA. SO THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE POSITIVELY LOOKING AT THESE. UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS TO MENTION IS ABOUT FINANCIALS. THESE PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR THOSE PARKING SPACES, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF MONEY, SO IT'S NOT HURTING THE PARKING COMMISSION. IN ADDITION, I BELIEVE IT INCREASES MORE PARKING REVENUE BY THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE AREA. ALSO, I CHAIRED THE PARKING COMMISSION IN BELMONT SHORE FOR 12 YEARS AND HAVE ADDED 28 PARKING SPACES DURING MY TENURE. PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT DRIVING HABITS HABITS HAVE CHANGED. UBER, LYFT, BIRD, BIKE LANES, ET CETERA. I USE UBER MORE THAN I COULD EVER IMAGINE I WOULD USE. I DIDN'T THINK I'D EVER USE IT. HELL, AMERICAN EXPRESS GIVES ME $10 A MONTH TO GO USE UBER. THEY'VE INCENTIVIZED ME AND NOW I'M ADDICTED, . SO AGAIN, WE'VE ALL CHANGED OUR WAYS, AND I THINK ALL OF YOU WILL FIND THAT THESE PARKLETS WILL HELP CHANGE YOUR WAYS TO WHERE YOU'LL ENJOY. OUR BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAYS ARE NICE CRISP NIGHTS. UM, AL AUSTIN, THANK YOU, UM, FOR RECOGNIZING THAT SECOND STREET AS A TREASURE. AS SO MANY OTHER AREAS ARE UNIQUE IN OUR CITY AND ARE WONDERFUL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US VISITS ALL THESE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS. REMEMBER, THE PARKLETS STARTED ON FOURTH STREET DOWNTOWN OVER AT FINGERPRINTS AND BERLIN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IDEA HAS NOW FOSTERED TO BELMONT SHORE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN. THANK YOU. OKAY, TIM, YOU ARE UP. HELLO AGAIN. I'D LIKE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT OF ALI AND OPEN SESAME'S EFFORT TO OBTAIN APPROVAL FOR A PARKLET SAY OPEN SESAME IS ONE OF BELMONT SHORE'S LONGSTANDING SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES. THAT'S QUITE SIMPLY, THEY DO EVERYTHING RIGHT. YOU NEVER HEAR ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT THEM. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHRISTOPHER. SO IF YOU GUYS CAN LINE UP PLEASE FOR ME, CHRISTOPHER, AND THEN YASMIN, YOU'RE NEXT. IF YOU CAN GET LINED UP PLEASE. SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR MY NAME. UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HEARING ME. UM, ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT WE SAID BEFORE, UH, WE'VE HEARD NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS FROM OUR GUESTS, GUESTS FROM OUT OF TOWN, UM, NEIGHBORS THAT FREQUENT OPEN SESAME. AND I'M SURE NOT JUST SAYING [02:55:01] THAT BECAUSE OF OUR, UM, SHAWARMA, BUT UM, LIKE AROMA, OMA, OPEN SESAME, UM, ISN'T A, A BAR. IT'S NOT LATE NIGHT DOESN'T ATTRACT, UM, YOU KNOW, UNSAVORY INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE A SAFE SPACE, COMMUNAL SPACE, UM, THAT'S OPEN AIR. UM, LOTS OF SUN PEOPLE COME TO, UM, LONG BEACH FOR THE SUN AND THE, THE, THE TEMPERATURE LIKE MYSELF. UM, BUT IN MY TIME IN SIX YEARS, WE HAVEN'T, HAVE NEVER HAD TO USE, UM, 9 1 1 OR ANY POLICE ACTIVITY TO OBSESS ME BECAUSE OF INDIVIDUALS OR ANYTHING LIKE, LIKE THAT. SO, UM, PLEASE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO YASSIN ADIAN AND BRIAN, IF YOU GUYS CAN GET LINED UP PLEASE. OKAY. GO AHEAD. UM, HELLO, I'M YASMIN KABAI, BORN AND RAISED IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. AS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HEAVILY RELIES ON THE WALKABILITY OF MY CITY, I SEE PARKLETS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER EXPAND ON A GREENER AND BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR LONG BEACH. IN ORDER FOR US TO MOVE AWAY FROM OUR CAR DEPENDENCY AS A COMMUNITY, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE BELMONT CHO MORE INCLUSIVE FOR PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, AND THOSE ALIKE. I OBSERVED IN THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO MAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION MORE ACCESSIBLE LIKE THE NEW SHUTTLE. UM, WE AS A PEOPLE HAVE TO MOVE WITH THOSE EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE THE IDEA THAT MOBILITY THROUGH CARS ALONE IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. AS SOMEONE WHO PERSONALLY HAS WORKED ON SECOND STREET FOR SEVERAL YEARS, SPECIFICALLY OPEN SESAME, I WILL NOTE THAT MANY OF MY COWORKERS WALK TO AND FROM WORK. THAT EXAMPLE ALONE SHOWS THAT THE SCARCITY OVER PARKING ISN'T AN AN ISSUE. IF WE CONSIDER A DIFFERENT APPROACH, ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY BENEFITS ASIDE. THE PARKLETS ADD TO THE BEAUTY OF OUR COMMUNITY. WITH FAMILIES SHARING MEALS AND STORIES OUT IN THE OPEN, IT TRULY ADDS ANOTHER ELEMENT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I THINK WE CAN ONLY BENEFIT FROM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO, AIDEN PETERSON, RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH. I AM ABSOLUTELY IN FAVOR OF ADDING PARKLETS FOR OPEN SESAME AND AROMA TO ROMA. I FEEL THAT THE ISSUE AT HAND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PARKING AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH INFRASTRUCTURE. WE DRIVE EVERYWHERE 'CAUSE WE OFTEN FEEL LIKE THAT'S THE ONLY OPTION. ADDING PARKLETS IS A SMALL STEP INTO A BRIGHTER FUTURE, ONE WHERE WE MAKE OUR CITY MORE WALKABLE, MORE ACCESSIBLE, AND MORE CONVENIENT FOR EVERYONE. I LOVE THAT LONG BEACH IS A CITY THAT THINKS FOR CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS, BUT IT'S FAR FROM PERFECT. BRINGING THE PEOPLE OUT TO THE STREETS FORCES DRIVERS TO BE MORE AWARE OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS AND GIVES PEOPLE THE POWER TO WALK WITHOUT FEAR OF TRAFFIC. SECOND STREET IS ONE OF THE MOST ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT AREAS IN ALL OF LONG BEACH, YET TO MEET FEELS INTIMIDATING. I BIKE EVERYWHERE AROUND LONG BEACH, AND I'VE ALWAYS FELT SECOND STREET TO BE UNSAFE FOR CYCLISTS. JUST TODAY I SAW THREE SEPARATE CYCLISTS USING THE SIDEWALK INSTEAD OF RIDING DOWN THE STREET VEHICLE. FORWARD CITY PLANNING HAS BECOME A DANGEROUS COMMODITY THAT IS HURTING PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY. BRINGING OUR CROWDS TO THE STREET IS A SIMPLE AND EASY WAY TO HELP PEDESTRIANS FEEL SAFE WHILE ENJOYING ALL THAT BELMONT SHORE HAS TO OFFER. WE NEED ACCOMMODATING PUBLIC TRANSPORT SPACES THAT FEEL WELCOMING IN WAYS TO EMPOWER THE PEDESTRIAN. THIS IS THE SOLUTION, NOT A FEW MORE PARKING SPACES. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. THANK YOU. HEY, BRIAN. GOOD EVENING AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU. UM, I WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN AUSTIN FOR SAYING THE PHRASE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED, BECAUSE THAT MIGHT BE THE MOST CONCRETE EVIDENCE WE'VE RECEIVED AS A COMMUNITY TO DATE, THAT THERE MAY IN FACT BE A LIMIT OF THE PARKLETS ON OUR, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ON SECOND STREET. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER AND NO CITY OFFICIALS EVER SAID WHAT THAT CRITERIA MIGHT BE. THE PARKING, UH, AUTHORITIES, THE, UH, EVERY, EVERY DEPARTMENT WE'VE TALKED TO CAN ONLY VAGUELY CITE REFERENCES TO. THERE'S SOME LIMIT, SOME GEOGRAPHICAL THING, SOME CONSIDERATION. BUT AS WE JUST HEARD THE EVER BLOVIATING MR. KURT SCHNEIDER SAY IN HIS RAH RAH APPROACH TO THINGS HE'S LOOKING AT AS A PILOT PROGRAM. SO WITH 12 IN THE WORKS THAT ARE ALREADY STATED THERE, AND THEN THE OPENNESS OF WHATEVER MIGHT COME AT THIS POINT GOING FORWARD, THAT'S RIDICULOUS. TO ASSUME THAT THERE IS A LIMIT THAT THE FIRST COME FIRST SERVE MIGHT ACTUALLY RUN OUT. UM, OPEN SESAME'S OWNERS STATED IN THEIR APPLICATION THAT THEY HAVE QUOTE, WORKED VERY HARD DURING THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF WITH OUR BUSINESS AND RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORS WHILE OPERATING OUR TEMPORARY PARKLET TO PROVIDE ENJOYABLE AND SAFE OUTDOOR DINING EXPERIENCE. NOT A SINGLE RESIDENT HAS RECEIVED ANY OUTREACH FROM THE OWNERS OF OPEN SESAME REGARDING THE, UH, CONFLICTS THEY'VE HAD. NONE OF THE COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT I, WE'VE BEEN PART OF HAVE RECEIVED ANY OUTREACH FROM THEM REGARDING THE EGREGIOUS OFFENSIVE DANGEROUS OVERREACH INTO THE PEDESTRIAN SPACE THAT WE SEE AND DOCUMENT REGULARLY. IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS TOO SINCE, UH, EVERYONE SEEMS TO NOT LOOK AT THAT, UH, AS A RELEVANT FACTOR. IF YOU TAKE THE REAL ESTATE VALUE OF RETAIL SPACE ON SECOND STREET RIGHT NOW, I LOOKED UP A LISTING JUST THIS MORNING. THEY VALUED A SINGLE SPACE THAT'S RIGHT NOW AT FOUR, $4 AND 16 CENTS PER SQUARE [03:00:01] FOOT. THAT WOULD MEAN FOR OPEN SESAME THAT WOULD AMOUNT TO TOTAL FREE LAND IN THE EQUIVALENT AMOUNT OF $22,364 PER YEAR. THAT'S A CONSERVATIVE AMOUNT. THOSE FIGURES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HIGHER, BUT THAT'S THE BASELINE THAT WE DREW FROM. UM, THE OWNER OF, OF AROMA ROMA ONCE STATED TO ME OFF THE RECORD THAT HE WAS MAKING $22,000 PER MONTH FROM A SINGLE SPACE OF THE PARKLET THAT HE WAS OCCUPYING UNDER THE TEMPORARY CONDITIONS. THERE'S NO REASON, THERE'S OF COURSE REASON FOR THEM INCENTIVIZE TO KEEP GOING THIS FORWARD. WITH THIS, THEY WILL MAKE MONEY. THEY'RE NOT INVESTING A HIGH RISK THING. THEY CAN AMORTIZE THAT THE APPEALS PROCESS THAT COSTS CITIZENS $400 TO GO TO PAR TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH A FIRST APPEAL. IT'S NOW BEEN RAISED TO $700 PLUS PER FOR PRE APPEAL. THAT IS A PROHIBITIVE AND ONEROUS TO THE COMMUNITY FOR SURE. UM, THE BURDENS OF THIS FOR THE COMMUNITY IN EVERY TURN APPEAR ARE EVIDENT. AND HOW DO, AND MS. MS. DUGGAN, SINCE YOU OFTEN CITE THAT YOU'RE DRIVEN BY DATA, WHERE DO YOU THINK THESE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO? THESE 66 SEATS THAT ARE, ARE GOING TO BE APPROVED TODAY. THEY'RE NOT COMING AND WALKING FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY'RE DRIVING FROM OTHER PLACES. THEY'RE CAUSING HAZARDS TO A NEIGHBORHOOD, DISPLACING CARS. IT'S NOT JUST THE PARKING ISSUE, IT'S THE SUM TOTAL OF THE AGGREGATE OF AMOUNT OF PEDESTRIANS BEING DISPLACED, WORKERS COMING IN THERE, PATRONS THAT ARE VOMITING, URINATING, AND DISPLACING PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, JULIE, YOU ARE UP. THANKS. HELLO AGAIN. HONORABLE VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JULIE DEAN, AND AS YOU KNOW, I'M A POST TO PARKLETS ON SECOND STREET IN BELMONT SHORE. OPEN SESAME, UM, IS JUST REALLY BAD AT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE SIDEWALK RIGHT OF WAY BELONGS TO PEDESTRIANS. OPEN SESAME DOES NOT CONTROL THE MANAGEMENT OF THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THEIR BUSINESS AND THEY NEVER HAVE. SO WHEN OR WHY DO WE THINK THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE THIS BEHAVIOR? LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE TIME I SCOOT BY THERE, WHEN THEIR BUSINESS IS OPEN, THE SIDEWALK IS BLOCKED BY THEIR CUSTOMERS WAITING TO GET IN. NO ONE IS MANAGING THIS ISSUE. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE RESIDENTS OF BELMONT SHORE HAVE WRITTEN AND CALLED THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICES OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS STATING EMPHATICALLY THAT THEY ARE OPPOSED TO PARKLETS ON SECOND STREET. THERE'S BEEN A VAST OUTPOURING OF CRITICISM BY OUR NEIGHBORS. BUT WHERE ARE ALL OF THESE MESSAGES STASHED? MOST OF THEM ARE GONE, RIGHT? I MEAN, SOME OF THEM PROBABLY LEFT WITH SUSIE WHO WAS HALLING THEM AND KEEPING AN EYE ON THOSE NUMBERS. NO ONE RIGHT? ALL OF THAT WASTED DATA FROM THE RESIDENTS WHO WILL BE HERE LONG AFTER CITY OFFICIALS ARE GONE, HAVING TO DEAL WITH PARKLETS THAT THEY NEVER WANTED. AND REMEMBER, CRUCIALLY THAT THOSE COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF THE PARKLETS ARE THE BUSINESS'S OWN LOYAL CUSTOMERS, MANY OF WHOM DO NOT LIVE IN BELMONT SHORE. THE APPLICATIONS HAVE INNATE INCENTIVES TO GET GIN UP SUPPORT WHILE THE OPPOSITION IS ORGANIC AND DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY OF ACTUAL RESIDENTS DIRECTLY AND ADVERSELY IMPACTED BY THESE INCURSIONS. I JUST PULLED UP THE APRIL 1ST, 2024 EMAIL FROM MANUEL SDO AND PUBLIC FROM PUBLIC WORKS THAT POINTED OUT THAT 10 PARKLETS ARE ON THE APPLICATION LIST RIGHT NOW. TWO OF THOSE WITH TWO SPACES. SO THAT'S 12 PARKING SPACES. BUT REMEMBER, IT'S NOT JUST 12 PARKING SPACES. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE PARKLETS HAS ANYWHERE FROM EIGHT TO 20 PEOPLE COMING TO THEM. AND SO YOU'VE GOT THOSE PARKING, THOSE, UH, PARKING SPACES BEING TAKEN UP BY THOSE CARS. AND YOU'VE GOT THE CARS TAKEN UP BY THE, UM, IF ALL CURRENT PARKLET APPLICATIONS ON SECOND STREET ARE APPROVED. SORRY, I ALREADY SAID THAT. FINALLY, THE TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT PLAN MUST BE CREATED AND IMPLEMENTED EARLIER IN THE PROCESS. NOT AT THIS LATE STAGE. THESE BUSINESSES SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN PROVIDING COMMUNAL BICYCLES AND OR COMPANY VEHICLES FOR EMPLOYEE USE ORGANIZING CARPOOL PROGRAM AND PROMOTING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THE FREE BUS PROGRAM. THE FREE BUS PROGRAM IS NOT BEING USED THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. THERE IS, THERE ARE MINIMAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE USING IT ON A MONTHLY BASIS, AND I HAVE THAT DATA. I CAN EMAIL IT TO YOU. THE PETITION WITH MORE THAN 700 BELMONT SHORE SIGNATURES OPPOSING PARKLETS SPECIFICALLY AND ONLY ADDRESSED PARKLETS DOGS WAS NOT ADDRESSED IN ANY WAY. SO PLEASE AGAIN, VOTE NO ON THE OPEN SESAME PARKLET. THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU JULIE. OKAY, WE HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER ALLY FOR THIS ITEM. ARE YOU HERE? OKAY. [03:05:02] HI. HI. IF YOU NEED TO RAISE THE PODIUM UP, YOU CAN DO THAT. IT'S GOOD. OKAY. YOU'RE GOOD, ALI. GO AHEAD, ALII. I'M THE OWNER OF OPEN SESAME. UM, I'M GONNA GO UP SCRIPT AND I'M TERRIFIED TO DO THIS, BUT I'M JUST GONNA DO IT. MOST OF THE THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED BY A COUPLE OF THE GENTLEMEN AND THE LADY IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. AND I'M NOT GONNA GO FURTHER INTO DETAILS BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE SILLY. UM, IF THERE YOU GO, LITTLE HIGHER. SO I'M TALL, A LITTLE HIGHER. GOOD . GREAT. UM, SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL, MR. MAYOR'S GONE. SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. AGAIN, MY NAME IS ALI KUI. I'M THE OWNER OF WEAPONS SESAME, A RESTAURANT I FOUNDED 20, 25 YEARS AGO. THIS COMING SUMMER, WE HAVE BECOME CENTRAL PART OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, EMPLOYING MANY LOCAL RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THE GROWN CHILDREN OF, OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, WE PRO WE PROPOSE REPLACING TWO PARKING SPACES WITH PARKLET, A FORWARD THINKING INITIATIVE THAT ALIGNS WITH GROWING DEMAND FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. THIS CHANGE SUPPORTS THE CITY OBJECTIVES UNDER THE LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION AND ADOPTION PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES ENHANCING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND ENCOURAGING WALKING AND BIKING, AND REDUCE READINESS TO REDUCE RESIDENCE ON PRIVATE VEHICLE. THE PLAN ADOPTED BY THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 16TH, 2022 TARGETS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION BY 2030 AND AIMS FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2045. AS YOU HAVE MENTIONED ON THE LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION PLAN SITE HELP BE A CLIMATE CHANGE MAKER IN YOUR COMMUNITY. AND THIS IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, AT LEAST ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. THIS PROPOSAL IS NOT A MANDATORY GRAB. IT'S NOT JUST FOR MONEY. IT IS A RESPONSE TO OUR GUEST, STRONG DESIRE FOR A MORE ENJOYABLE, HEALTHIER, AND ACCESSIBLE OUTDOOR DINING EXPERIENCE. IT IS ALSO IT, IT ALSO SUPPORTS LOCAL BUSINESSES LIKE OURS BY FO FOSTERING A VIBRANT COMMUNITY SPACE. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR NONS SAYERS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROCESS IS NOT FREE FOR US AT ALL. IT INVOLVES SIGNIFICANT PLANNING, PERMIT, COST, AND AN ANNUAL FEE TO COMPENSATE FOR LOST PARKING REVENUE. IN CONCLUSION, GRANTING US THE PERMIT FOR THIS PARKLET WOULD REINFORCE OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO A THRIVING FORWARD LOOKING COMMUNITY. IT'S ABOUT CREATING A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER, PRIORITIZING COMMUNITIES, WELFARE OVER ADDITIONAL PARKING AND MORE CARS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY. THAT CONCLUDES, UH, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. AND I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO THE COUNCILMAN OF THIRD DISTRICT DUGGAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VICE MAYOR. UM, I'M NOT GONNA SAY, I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT EVERYTHING THAT I DID FROM THE FIRST APPLICATION, BUT I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT OPEN SESAME USED THE BUS PASS PROGRAM REALLY PUSHED THE HIS EMPLOYEES AND THERE WERE OVER 330 TRIPS LAST MONTH. SO THAT IS REALLY GOOD, AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED MORE OF. WE NEED EMPLOYEE EMPLOYERS TO PUSH THE PROGRAM. I THINK OPEN SESAME IS A GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNER AND, UH, PEOPLE ENJOYED THE PARKLET WHEN IT WAS THERE BEFORE. I BELIEVE THAT WE, THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE AS RESPONSIBLE OPERATORS, AND THEY ARE LOOKING TO LIMIT THE IMPACTS ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THEY'RE BRINGING SOMETHING THAT ALSO WITH INPUT, BELIEVE THAT NEIGHBORS ARE, DO WANT THE PARKLET. UM, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ADDITIONAL PEOPLE COMING TO THE PARKLET THAT ALSO IS DRIVING THE SHOPPING AND THE ECONOMY AND THE WALKABILITY OF SECOND STREET. SO RETAIL IS APPRECIATIVE OF THAT, THOSE COMING TO DINE FROM OUTSIDE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I MOTION TO SUPPORT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION INTO THE RECORD, CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND GRANT THE ISSUANCE OF A PARKLET PERMIT TO CO BC INC. DBA OPEN SESAME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KIRK? YES. UH, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT TO SHARE, UM, THEIR EXPERIENCES AND THEIR INSIGHTS ON THIS ISSUE. I KNOW SOME OF YOU REACH OUT TO OTHER OFFICES THAT, THAT AREN'T IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT, [03:10:01] AND I APPRECIATE YOU INCLUDING US IN THE CONVERSATION. AND I JUST WANNA THANK COUNCILWOMAN DUGGAN. UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT AS THIS PROGRAM HAS CONTINUED TO ROLL OUT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T DIRECTLY AFFECT DISTRICT FIVE. I CALLED AND SAID, HEY, CAN WE HAVE COFFEE? AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR RESIDENTS? TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR THINKING. UM, AND I REALLY WANNA THANK HER FOR DOING THAT. UH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT SHE TAKES LIGHTLY. SHE IS INCREDIBLY THOROUGH. UH, SHE ACKNOWLEDGES CONCERNS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH HER AND THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH OUR OFFICE. UM, AND I, I TRUST HER JUDGMENT ON THIS ONE. SO HAPPY TO SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WELL, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. THANK YOU. EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT AND SPOKE. UH, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG DISCUSSION ON, UH, PARKLETS. UH, WE KNOW THAT THEY SERVED A PURPOSE DURING THE, THE, UH, THE PANDEMIC. WE KNOW THAT THEY SAVED A LOT OF BUSINESSES, AND NOW WE'RE IN A PERMANENT PROCESS. WE KNOW THAT IT'S GONE FROM A LOT OF APPLICATIONS DOWN TO FEWER. UH, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT IS, IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP SUPPORT BUSINESSES, BUT ALSO THESE, THESE LOCAL RESIDENTS RESTAURANTS. BUT ALSO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE STICK TO THE PROCESS THAT WE OUTLINED FOR THE PUBLIC TO ENGAGE. I THINK THAT'S THE BALANCE THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO STRIKE. SO, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DUGGAN FOR ENGAGEMENT. UH, I ALSO THINK THAT THE, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR MADE A REALLY GOOD POINT WHEN I SAID EARLIER ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE LOCAL DECISIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD DRIVEN DECISIONS. WHAT WE MEAN IS THERE IS, THERE IS A COURTESY AMONGST COUNCIL MEMBERS. I KNOW THAT I'VE SERVED AS A COUNCIL MEMBER TO WHERE YOU EXPECT THE COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE AREA TO BECOME A LOCAL EXPERT. AND YOU TYPICALLY TRY TO TALK WITH THEM AND WORK WITH THEM WHEN IT ISSUES SORT OF DEVELOP INTO LARGER CITYWIDE ISSUES. AND IT'S, IT'S SENSITIVE. BUT I I, I LIKE TO SEE THAT THERE'S A SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION AMONGST THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HAVE AN OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION TO DISCUSS SOME OF THESE ISSUES, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE ULTIMATELY SEE IMPROVEMENT IN THE PROCESS OVERALL. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE FOR VOTES. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, ITEM 17, PLEASE REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE BIENNIAL REPORT ON PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY REGARDING TAXI CAB SERVICE. CONCLUDE THE HEARING. DETERMINE THAT THE NUMBER OF TAXI CABS IS SUFFICIENT FOR THE NEEDS OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. EXTEND THE TERM OF THE TAXI REGULATION MODERNIZATION PILOT PROGRAM AND REQUEST CITY ATTORNEY TO WORK WITH LONG BEACH YELLOW CAB AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TO PREPARE APPROPRIATE REVISIONS TO THE RELEVANT LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE SECTIONS AND CURRENT TAXI CAB ORDINANCE CITYWIDE. THANK YOU. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RECUSALS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LEVI ACT. I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF IN THIS ITEM BECAUSE I'VE [17. 24-52975 Recommendation to receive and file the Biennial Report on Public Convenience and Necessity Regarding Taxicab Service and conclude the hearing; determine that the number of authorized taxicabs is sufficient for the needs of the City of Long Beach; find that Long Beach Yellow Cab Cooperative, Inc. (LBYC), is in full compliance with the terms and conditions of the current permit; direct that the period for filing of taxicab applications remains closed; and Extend the term of the Taxi Regulation Modernization Pilot Program for a period of two years and request City Attorney to work with Long Beach Yellow Cab and Financial Management Department to prepare appropriate revisions to the relevant Long Beach Municipal Code sections and current taxicab ordinance. (Citywide) Levine Act: Yes       Office or Department: Financial Management         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] ACCEPTED A CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $250 FROM LONG BEACH YELLOW CAB, WHO'S A POTENT, UH, PARTICIPANT IN THE SUBJECT, UH, PROCEEDING. SO I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO COUNCILMAN AUSTIN TO FACILITATE THIS ITEM. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE SAME RECUSAL OF MYSELF, AND I'LL ALSO BE ADDING TO THE SAME RECUSAL FOR MYSELF. UH, I'M ALSO RECUSING FOR THE SAME REASON. SAME, SAME HERE. I FEEL LIKE WE LEFT OUT . I'M SORRY. SO MADAM CLERK THE HOUSE. HENRY, PLEASE RECITE EM AGAIN. ARE YOU ACCUSING YOURSELF OR, YES. OKAY. WAIT. THANK YOU. THAT'S FIVE. THAT'S FIVE. WE DO HAVE FIVE. SO WE HAVE A QUORUM FOR THE SIDE. WE STILL HAVE A QUORUM. BARELY. YES. DON'T LEAVE YOUR SEATS, PEOPLE . SO, UM, THE ITEM'S BEEN READ ALREADY, SO I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO, UH, STAFF. THIS IS A HEARING. YES. FOR THIS ITEM, WE HAVE AMANDA HALL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, AND JACQUELINE DMAC, ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS OFFICER. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT BEFORE YOU, YOU HAVE THE BIENNIAL REPORT ON PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR TAXI CAP SERVICE. AS WELL AS THE REPORT ON THE TAXI REGULATION MODERNIZATION PILOT PROGRAM STAFF HAS COMPLETED ITS INVESTIGATION INTO THE PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY, AND IS RECOMMENDING THAT CANCEL FIND THE NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED TAXI CABS IS SUFFICIENT FOR THE NEEDS OF THE CITY. THAT COUNCIL FIND LONG BEACH YELLOW CAB IS IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THEIR CURRENT PERMIT, AND THAT THE PERIOD FOR FILING OF TAXI CAP APPLICATIONS REMAIN CLOSED. STAFF HAS ALSO COMPLETED ITS EVALUATION OF THE TAXI REGULATION MODERNIZATION PILOT PROGRAM. THE PILOT PROGRAM ALLOWED [03:15:01] VEHICLES IN THE YELLOW CAB FLEET TO BE SUBJECT TO ALTERNATE REGULATIONS, WHICH INCLUDED THE USE OF VARIAL VARIABLE DEMAND BASED RATES, A SMARTPHONE BASED ELECTRONIC APPLICATION AND EXPEDITED DRIVER ONBOARDING STAFF FINDS THAT THE PILOT PROGRAM HAS BEEN AN EFFECTIVE TOOL TO ASSIST YELLOW CAB IN REMAINING COMPETITIVE IN THE TNC DRIVEN MARKET, WHILE PROVIDING QUALITY TAXI CAB SERVICES TO THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY. THEREFORE, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE PILOT PROGRAM BE EXTENDED FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS, AND THAT COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND CITY ATTORNEY TO WORK WITH LONG BEACH YELLOW CAP TO PREPARE APPROPRIATE REVISIONS TO THE CURRENT TAXI CAB ORDINANCE STAFF, AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE LONG BEACH YELLOW CAB ARE PREPARED TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS COUNSEL MAY HAVE. AND THAT CONCLUDES THIS REPORT. THANK YOU. GREAT. UM, SO I, UH, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE ITEM. I THINK LONG BEACH YELLOW CAB HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER IN OUR CITY. UM, AND, UH, THE, THE, THE PILOT PROGRAM HAS OBVIOUSLY WORKED. UM, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ABOUT, UH, CHANGING DYNAMICS IN THE, THE MEDIA. I'M SORRY. WE TALKED ABOUT THE CHANGING DYNAMICS IN THE MEDIA. UH, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE RIDE SHARE AND TAXI SERVICES, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES AND TO, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO ALL WE CAN TO, TO KEEP THESE BUSINESSES THRIVING, UH, IN OUR CITY. AND SO, UM, I, UH, WILL MOTION TO, UH, TO, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR MADE THE MOTION. GO RIGHT AHEAD, THOUGH. YOU'RE GONNA SAY EXACTLY WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY. SO A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO, UH, AND RECEIVE THIS HEARING INTO THE FILE. , DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? ? YES. WASN'T A VERY SURE, SURE. UH, YEAH, NO, UH, I CONCUR WITH MY COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS. THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM THAT OBVIOUSLY WAS STARTED BEFORE I WAS ON COUNCIL, UM, BUT HAVING BEEN BRIEFED BY STAFF TALKING ABOUT THE SUCCESSES AND THE WAYS THAT, UH, YELLOW CAP HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLY, UH, GREAT PARTNER, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES AROUND THE CITY. UM, GRATEFUL FOR THEIR WORK AND HAPPY TO SUPPORT HEARING. NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE, UH, COUNCIL? IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. NO PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE. MEMBERS, LET'S VOTE. TWO THREE, DARRELL. SO, MOTION IS CARRIED. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT ITEM, PLEASE. AS THE REST OF THE COUNCIL JOINS US. SO I WILL READ UNFINISHED BUSINESS ITEM 25, COMMUNICATION FROM AL AUSTIN. COUNCILMAN EIGHTH DISTRICT SULI SORO, COUNCILWOMAN SIXTH DISTRICT, JONI RICKS ODI COUNCIL MEMBER NINTH DISTRICT RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE MUNICIPAL CODE WITH PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS OUTLINED IN THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING CONTRACTOR AND SUBCONTRACTOR VERIFICATION FOR ADDITIONAL WAGE PROTECTIONS AND LABOR STANDARDS. REPORT BACK TO COUNSEL IN 60 DAYS. REQUEST CITY AUDITOR TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT OF ALL LABOR COMPLIANCE VIOLATIONS REPORTED BY SUBCONTRACTORS OVER FIVE YEARS, AND REQUEST INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE [25. 24-52970-01 Recommendation to request City Attorney to prepare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code with proposed recommendations outlined in the Feasibility of Implementing Contractor and Subcontractor Verification for Additional Wage Protections and Labor Standards, including the disclosure whether contractors allocate any healthcare expenditures to their construction workers, and report back to council in 60 days; Request City Auditor to conduct a comprehensive audit of all labor compliance violations reported by subcontractors over five years from the adoption of the contractor verification ordinance; and Request Intergovernmental Affairs Committee to consider adding language in the Legislative Agenda to advocate greater compliance enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations.       Office or Department: Al Austin, Councilman, Eighth District; Suely Saro, Councilwoman, Sixth District; Joni Ricks-Oddie, Councilmember, Ninth District         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] TO CONSIDER ADDING LANGUAGE IN THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO ADVOCATE GREATER COMPLIANCE ENFORCEMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS. ALRIGHT, UH, WE'LL GO TO STAFFER STAFF REPORT. OH, WHAT ARE WE DOING? SORRY, I'M, I'M FIGURING THIS OUT. COUNCILMAN AUSTIN SAYS, YES. I'M, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, CONTINUE THIS ITEM UNTIL MAY 7TH. UM, DUE TO, UM, THE FACT THAT OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR IS, UH, NOT AVAILABLE. OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. CONTINUE. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT IS I DON'T SEE A SECOND. MAYOR, WE NEED A SECOND CONTINUED ITEM. THANK YOU. SHE DID RESET ITSELF. I SEE A SECOND ZENDEJAS. YEAH, IT JUST WENT UP. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. [03:20:02] MOTION IS CARRIED. 21 REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND GRANT FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF 1 MILLION FOR INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY PROGRAM WITH THE TERM ENDING MARCH 18TH, 2029. DISTRICTS 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, AND NINE. PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE CITY. ALRIGHT, WELL THIS IS, THIS IS GOOD NEWS. WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE SOME OF THE RESOURCES FOR INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, UH, WHICH IS, UH, ONE OF THE, THE BROADER PACKAGES, UH, IN THE, IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO HELP ADDRESS CLIMATE CHALLENGES. AND, AND [21. 24-52971 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement and any necessary documents including subsequent amendments, with the United States Forest Service to accept and expend grant funding in the amount of $1,000,000 for the Inflation Reduction Act, Urban and Community Forestry Program, with a term ending March 18, 2029; and Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund Group in the City Manager Department by $1,000,000, offset by US Forest Service grant funds. (Districts 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)       Office or Department: City Manager         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST GRANTS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING, UH, OF 10 YEARS OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'LL, THAT WE'LL HAVE ACCESS TO. SO WE'LL START WITH A BRIEF STAFF REPORT. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I'LL HAVE MEREDITH REYNOLDS, OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, WHO OVERSEES A LOT OF OUR SUSTAINABILITY AND OUR GRANTS, UM, UH, PROCESSES TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS ITEM. THANKS TOM. UH, MAYOR MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, UH, BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, UH, IS AN ITEM FOR THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY PROGRAM. UH, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, UH, WAS AWARDED GRANT FUNDS, UH, THROUGH THE UNITED STATES. FOREST SERVICE IS PART OF ITS URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY PROGRAM, WHICH AIMS TO SUPPORT URBAN TREE PLANTING, URBAN FOREST PLANTING AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED ACTIVITIES, UH, PARTICULARLY IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. THIS FUNDING HAS BEEN AWARDED FOR A, A PROJECT WE SUBMITTED CALLED GROWING A CLIMATE RESILIENT LONG BEACH, A COMMUNITY BASED APPROACH TO URBAN FORESTRY. THIS MULTI-BENEFIT PROJECT WILL PLANT TREES TO ENHANCE OUR URBAN FOREST COVER, IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, MITIGATE EXTREME HEAT IN OUR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, AND STIMULATE THE GREEN JOBS WORKFORCE. AS STIPULATED BY THE GRANT AWARD REQUIREMENTS, THE PROJECT ACTIVITY WILL TAKE PLACE IN AREAS DESIGNED AS THE TOP 25% OF DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES BY THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, CAL EPA. THIS INCLUDES DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN NORTHWEST CENTRAL AND PARTS OF DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH. THE PROJECT ADDRESSES MULTIPLE GOALS AND PRIORITIES LISTED IN THE FEDERAL JUSTICE 40 PROVISIONS, THE CALIFORNIA STATE FOREST ACTION PLAN, THE 10 YEAR URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY ACTION PLAN, AND THE LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, JUST TO NAME A FEW. UM, SO THIS IS A, A BIG WIN, UH, AND HAPPY TO BRING IT FORWARD, UH, FOR YOU THIS EVENING IN HONOR OF EARTH WEEK. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO HELP WITH OUR URBAN FOREST IN LONG BEACH. THAT CONCLUDES MY STAFF REPORT. I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. WE'LL TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL. UH, A MILLION BUCKS OF OF RESOURCES TO HELP GREEN OUR COMMUNITY. GOOD NEWS. VICE MAYOR ALLEN? NO, JUST, JUST REALLY EXCITED AND, AND IN SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. SAME. GRATEFUL FOR THE MONEY. ALRIGHT, WELL NOW GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE FOUR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, VANESSA COVINGTON. UH, NEXT IS BEN FISHER. AFTER VANESSA, THEN ALAN TOLKOFF AND HILDA GUYTON. UH, GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR RICHARDSON. MY NAME IS VANESSA COVINGTON. I'M A MEMBER OF THE SIXTH DISTRICT AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE LONG BEACH, UH, CITY OF LONG BEACH TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. UM, I THINK THAT THIS FUNDING, UH, WOULD BE AMAZING AND ESPECIALLY SINCE, UM, WE KNOW THAT UNDER UNDERREPRESENTED UNDERSERVED DISTRICTS LIKE DISTRICT SIX, FIVE AND SEVEN, WHICH IS NORTH LONG BEACH, CENTRAL LONG BEACH, AND THE WEST SIDE, UM, ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF URBAN CANOPY. UM, THE FUNDS CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN CLEANING THE AIR AND FIGHTING AGAINST THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, WHICH WE KNOW WILL INCREASINGLY GET WORSE AS THE YEARS COME DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. UH, AND THE FUNDS SHOULD SPECIFICALLY BE USED, UH, TO ENSURE IRRIGATION FOR THE TREES THAT ARE PLANNED, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TREES CAN SURVIVE AND ALSO HAVE A ROBUST CANOPY, UM, WHICH WILL INCREASE, UH, SH SHADE AND ALSO NUMEROUS HEALTH BENEFITS. BUT FOR NOT JUST US, BUT ALSO FOR THE OTHER LIVING CREATURES THAT LIVE AND SHARE SPACE WITH THEM. UM, THE CHOICE OF TREES IS REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, ESPECIALLY SINCE MOST OF OUR CANOPIES, CRE, MYRTLES AND BRISBANE BOX TREES. SO IT'D BE REALLY GREAT IF, UH, THE SELECTION FOR THE TREES, UH, HAD A LOT OF INTENTION AND INCREASED, UH, THE DIVERSITY, ESPECIALLY INCLUDING OAKS WHEN POSSIBLE. UM, SINCE THEY ARE A STATE PROTECTED TREE AND WE WOULD, WE NEED MORE OF THEM, UM, TO INCREASE, UH, ECOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. UM, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS GREAT AND I REALLY HOPE THAT THE FUNDS ARE USED TO [03:25:01] ENSURE THAT THE TREES SURVIVE, UM, AND THAT THEY'RE PLACED IN AREAS THAT NEED IT THE MOST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS BEN FISHER. GOOD EVENING. BEN FISHER, FIRST DISTRICT. I'M A CERTIFIED ARBORIST. I'M ALSO ON THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND SHE DIDN'T SAY THIS, BUT SHE USED TO BE IN CHARGE OF PLANTING EVERY TREE FOR LONG BEACH. SO YOU HAVE PRETTY QUALIFIED PEOPLE HERE. UM, WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU CAME FROM ME. UM, THERE'S AN IMAGE OF WHAT A LOT OF THE RENTALS IN LONG BEACH LOOK LIKE BECAUSE TWO THIRDS OF OUR CITY IS RENTALS. IF WE COUNT ON THE FOLKS WHO OWN THOSE PROPERTIES TO DEFINE OUR PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, THEY WILL LOOK LIKE THAT. THAT'S ON FIFTH, THAT'S ON DAISY BETWEEN FIFTH AND SIXTH. THE NEXT PHOTO NEXT TO THAT IS ON DAISY, UM, BETWEEN, SORRY, THAT'S FOURTH AND FIFTH. AND THE NEXT ONE'S BETWEEN FIFTH AND SIXTH. THE TREES ON THE RIGHT WERE IRRIGATED FOR ESTABLISHMENT. THE TREES ON THE LEFT WERE NOT. SO IF YOU GO AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD THERE, WE PARTICIPATE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD TREE PLANTING OF CREPE MYRTLES AND UM, A LOT OF THOSE TREES ARE NOT ALIVE AND THE ONES THAT ARE ALIVE ARE USUALLY NOT DOING VERY WELL. AND THIS IS AMAZING. YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO IS INVOLVED IN THIS. A MILLION DOLLARS FOR TREES. HOW GREAT IS THAT? BUT IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. WE BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THESE PUBLIC DOLLARS. THE US FOREST SERVICE OWNS STUDY SAYS WE GET $2.70 FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND. SO THIS IS ALMOST $4 MILLION OF PUBLIC ASSETS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. BUT WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT THEY BE IRRIGATED FOR ESTABLISHMENT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A HEALTHY URBAN CANOPY. BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHAT WE GET INTO IS WE GET INTO COUNTING TREES, BUT COUNTING TREES DOESN'T DO ANYTHING FOR US. YOU CAN COUNT A BUNCH OF STICKS LIKE THIS AND THEY DON'T REALLY PROVIDE BENEFITS TO OUR COMMUNITY. CANOPY COVER IS WHAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON. CAN IT BE COVERED IN LONG BEACH? IS 13% CAN IT BE COVERED IN LA? IS 18% CAN IT BE COVERED IN LA COUNTY IS RIGHT AROUND 18, 19% AS WELL. SO WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO AND THIS IS AN AMAZING START. AND WE HAVE SOME GREAT PEOPLE THAT I'VE WORKED WITH THE CITY DOING GREAT WORK AND MOVING US IN THIS DIRECTION. IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY AS AN ARBORIST THAT WE TAKE THE ONUS UPON OURSELVES TO WATER THESE TREES SO THAT THEY CAN BE ESTABLISHED OR ELSE ALL OF THIS MONEY WILL BE A WASTE AND WE WILL NOT GET THE EXTRA $2.7 MILLION THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY GET IF WE WERE TO TAKE CARE OF THESE TREES. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYBODY WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS. A MILLION BUCKS FOR TREES LIKE WARMS MY HEART. I'M SO HAPPY WITH THAT. AND PLEASE HELP US TO BE ACCOUNTABLE, GOOD STEWARDS OF THE PUBLIC DOLLAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ALAN. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, ESPECIALLY ON THIS SIDE. I'M ALAN TOLKOFF, UH, SEVENTH DISTRICT. THANK YOU ROBERTO. THE PRIOR TWO SPEAKERS COVERED I THINK THE MAIN THING. SO I'D LIKE TO JUST SAY SOMETHING TO ALL OF YOU PLEASE, MR. MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MANAGER MOCA AND ALL STAFF, I THINK IT WAS SOLOMON WHO SAID IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN. AND I AM DOWN HERE LATE AT NIGHT AND THE FACES ARE DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S ALL STILL THE SAME THING. AND I WANT TO TELL YOU ALL THAT YOU HAVE MY GRATITUDE AND MY SYMPATHIES SO , THEY'RE NOT PAYING ANY OF YOU ENOUGH. BUT, UH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION AND PATIENCE. UH, OBVIOUSLY I'M HERE TO, UH, ADVOCATE FOR, FOR THIS. I HAPPEN TO BE A MEMBER OF THE, UH, LONGEST NAME IN THE HISTORY OF LONG BEACH, THE CLIMATE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE CITY COMMISSION. I THINK I GOT MOST OF THOSE THINGS IN THERE AS WELL. I HAPPENED TO CHAIR ERIC LOPEZ'S STREET TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND I CAME DOWN HERE THINKING THERE'S GONNA BE ME AND MAYBE ONE OTHER PERSON. THE NEXT THING I KNOW I'M WEARING A T-SHIRTS BECAUSE THERE'S SO, UM, I WANNA REEMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT JUST PLANNING 'CAUSE IT'S GREAT PHOTO OPS, GOOD PRESS. IF WE HAVE PRESS WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY SURVIVE TO MATURITY OR WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING OTHER THAN WASTING OUR MIND AND FE OUR MONEY AND FEELING GOOD ABOUT SOMETHING THAT DID NO GOOD WHATSOEVER. MY PROPOSAL IS EITHER WE HELP FUND A WAY TO SUSTAIN THESE, THESE SAPLINGS UNTIL THEY ARE MATURED CAN SURVIVE ON THEIR OWN. OR WE, UH, START A PROGRAM CALLED ADOPT A TREE. WE HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE ALL IN FAVOR OF THE URBAN [03:30:01] CANOPY. I'M PRETTY SURE WE CAN GET A LOT OF 'EM TO SAY, I'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT TREE AND MAYBE IT DOESN'T COST US ANYTHING. SO I WOULD, I I WOULD SUGGEST WE CONSIDER THAT. UM, I HAVE A, JUST A BIT OF TIME LEFT. UM, ONE OF MY PREDECESSORS MENTIONED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY. I JUST LOOKED AT A PIE GRAPH, MAYBE YOU'VE SEEN IT AS WELL. IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT ONE THIRD OF ALL OF OUR NEW PLANTINGS ARE OF TWO SPECIES AND APPROXIMATELY 50% OF ALL OF OUR NEW PLANTINGS ARE FROM FOUR. IF WE GET ONE INFESTATION ON ONE OF THOSE SPECIES, WE COULD LOSE 17%. NO. UH, YEAH, 17% OF ALL OF OUR NEW PLANTINGS, WE NEED A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UH, SPECIES PLANTED. OTHERWISE, AGAIN, WE'RE WASTING OUR MONEY. THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY REALLY QUICKLY, UH, OH, THREE SECONDS. UM, THESE TREES DO A LOT MORE THAN CLEAN OUR AIR. THEY DO A LOT MORE THAN COOL OUR AIR. IT'S PROVEN OVER AND OVER. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF STUDIES, TREES MATURE, REDUCE CRIME, THEY INCREASE RETAIL SALES, AND AS, UH, BEN JUST SAID, IT'S UH, $1 INVESTED FOR A TREE YIELDS $2 AND 70 CENTS. IT'S GONE UP IN THE 15 YEARS I LAST SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT THIS ISSUE, IT WAS THEN $2 AND 69 CENTS. SO PLEASE OBVIOUSLY ACCEPT THIS, BUT MAKE SURE WE ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR, OUR PRECIOUS DOLLARS AND WE CAN GET SOMETHING SO MUCH BETTER OUT OF THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALAN. WE'RE DOING OUR BEST. BEST. ALRIGHT, UH, HIL, IS HILDA STILL HERE? SHE, UH, SHE, UH, WORE OUT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. OKAY. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. OH, COUNCIL MEMBER KER. YEAH, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, AND THIS, UM, HEARKENS BACK TO OUR EARLIER CONVERSATION. I KNOW, UM, WHEN SUSTAINABILITY GOES OUT AND DOES TREE PLANTING, THEY DO IT IN PARTNERSHIP IN OUR, IN THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE OFTENTIMES WITH THE CONSERVATION CORPS. UM, AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE, WE JUST DID SOME TREE REPLACEMENT ON ATLANTIC. UM, THE BUSINESSES IN FRONT OF THOSE, OR, OR ADJACENT TO WHERE THOSE TREES WERE BEING PLANTED HAD THAT SAME QUESTION ABOUT WHAT IS THE WATERING SCHEDULE AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE. CAN WE SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO, UM, SOME OF THE WORK THAT THE CONSERVATION CORPS IS DOING, UH, FOR THAT REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF? YES, COUNCILWOMAN, UM, FROM THE CONSERVATION CORPS STANDPOINT, THEY'RE A STRONG PARTNER WITH US IN THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, UH, WHERE WE DO A LOT OF WORK WITH THEM AROUND THE WATERING OF THESE TREES. UM, SO THERE IS, UH, AS THE TREES GO IN, IN PARTNERSHIP, OFTEN WITH THE COMMUNITY GROUPS OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, UM, THEY ARE THE, UH, NEW PLANTED TREES ARE PUT ON A SCHEDULE, UH, THAT THE CONSERVATION CORPS THEN DOES GO BACK AND WATER ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR THAT ESTABLISHMENT PERIOD. UM, INCLUSIVE IN THIS GRANT, UH, IS A VERY SIMILAR STRATEGY, UH, SO THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO ENSURE THAT THE, AS MANY OF THE TREES THAT WE PLANT, UH, CAN SURVIVE TO MATURITY FOR THE TREE CANOPY AND THE COVER, UH, THAT WAS DISCUSSED THIS EVENING. GREAT, THANK YOU. AND ALAN, WE HAVE SOME BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS WHO HAVE, UH, SEEN THAT NEW TREES WENT IN AND SAID, IT'S ME. I'LL, I'LL DO THE WATERING. SO WE APPRECIATE, UH, THE REMINDER TO EVERYONE THAT IT'S ALL OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO, IF WE SEE ONE THAT'S JUST NOT QUITE DOING. SO WELL THROW A BUCKET OF WATER ON IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW. THANK YOU. I JUST WANNA APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS. IT'S, I AGREE. UM, I LOVE TREES AND PLANTS MYSELF, BUT I DID WANNA TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IN THE CENTRAL AREA WE ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO URBAN HEAT ISLANDS AND, YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN WE DO PLANT TREES, I KNOW THERE'S A DOPA TREE PROGRAM. UM, BEFORE WE CONSIDER, UH, PLANTING TREES, WE DO WANNA MAKE SURE SOMEBODY TAKES CARE OF. COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT THAT THERE IS A ADOPT A TREE PROGRAM, ISN'T THERE? UH, OVER THE YEARS WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND THROUGH THAT PROGRAM TO, UH, ADOPT A TREE AND HAVE SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, PLANT SOMETHING AND TAKE CARE OF IT, UM, WE HAVE SORT OF VARYING DEGREES OF SUCCESS, UH, IN THAT CAPACITY. UM, WE CERTAINLY HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED AND SAID, I WILL BE WILLING TO TAKE CARE OF IT AND, AND, AND WATER, UH, THE TREE, WHICH WE'RE VERY MUCH APPRECIATIVE OF. UM, IT SEEMS TO BE THAT WHEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO PLANTINGS AND TO DO ESTABLISHMENTS, WE DO THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS WHERE THAT'S WHERE WE SEE THE MOST SUCCESS FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN AUSTIN. THANK YOU. UM, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF TREES PLANTED DURING MY TIME OVER ON THE CITY COUNCIL, PARTICULARLY IN MY DISTRICT. AND, UH, I WAS REALLY JUST CURIOUS, DO WE HAVE, UH, ANY SORT OF, UH, TOOL OR ASSESSMENT TO DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY TREES WE HAVE ACTUALLY PLANTED IN, IN DURING A PERIOD OF TIME AND HOW WILL WE GO ABOUT GETTING THAT INFORMATION? SURE. THANK YOU. OUT TO THE PUBLIC TOO. YES, THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. SO, UM, WE HAVE INTERNAL TRACKING OBVIOUSLY FOR, UM, THINGS LIKE GRANT REQUIREMENTS, UH, WHERE WE HAVE RECEIVED GRANT FUNDING AND ALSO FOR, UH, OTHER FUNDING THAT WE HAVE [03:35:01] RECEIVED. SO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION. IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, WE DID A PILOT, UH, WITH, UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS GOOGLE PREVIOUSLY, WHERE WE HAVE A TREE APP THAT WE HAVE CREATED IN A BETA VERSION, UM, THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THE LOCATIONS WHERE NEW TREES HAVE PLANTED. UH, WE'D LIKE TO FINALIZE THAT AND ARE WORKING WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION DEPARTMENT, UH, TO MAKE THAT BE SOMETHING THAT CAN GO LIVE THAT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE. UM, EVENTUALLY WE'D LIKE TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE INCLUDE ALL OF OUR REMOVE TREES, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE MAGIC NUMBER IS TO PLANT MORE TREES THAN WE REMOVE. UH, AND SO AN APP LIKE THAT WILL HELP US, UH, BE, UH, TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE IN OUR TREE PLANTING ACTIVITIES. UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD ANTICIPATE WOULD BE, UH, AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC, UH, IN THE NEXT YEAR. I AGREE. I THINK THAT WILL BE A, A GREAT TOOL AND IT'LL ALSO SHOW US WHERE, WHERE THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE TO, TO EVEN EXPAND OUR IMPACT. THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RICK OTI. UH, JUST KIND OF PIGGYBACKING A LITTLE BIT ON THAT, UH, MEREDITH. SO, UH, I THINK ONE OF THE SPEAKERS MADE A GOOD POINT AROUND LIKE JUST DIVERSITY AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I LIKE FULLY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT. SO FOR THE, THE TOOL THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AUSTIN WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT YOU WERE SHARING, DOES, WOULD THAT, UM, ALSO TELL US WHAT TYPES OF TREES ARE BEING PLANTED IN A PARTICULAR AREA? UH, WE DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR THE TYPES OF TREES, UH, AS WE PURCHASE THEM, UH, FOR PLANTING AS WELL. UM, AND WE DO LOOK FOR, UM, BIODIVERSITY AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE SPECIES. UH, WE RELY ON A NUMBER OF, UM, SOURCES OF FOR, FOR TREE LISTS, UM, TO IDENTIFY, UH, THINGS THAT WOULD BE, UH, MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THE LOCATION, UH, FOR NATIVE, UH, TREES, CALIFORNIA NATIVE TREES. UM, AND THEN WE ALSO DO A, UH, CHECK FOR ANYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SUSCEPTIBLE TO PESTS. UM, SO FOR INSTANCE, IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD THE SHOT HOLD BORE BEETLE THAT HAS REALLY DECIMATED A LOT OF OUR SYCAMORE TREES. AND SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHEN WE PLANT, YOU KNOW, SYCAMORE TREES AS THAT PEST HAS IN, HAS AN INFESTATION, UH, BECAUSE WE DO WANT THE TREES TO SURVIVE. SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT WHEN WE PLANT TREES FOR BIODIVERSITY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WELL, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL AT SOME POINT NEXT FEW MONTHS THAT WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE BRING A FULL PICTURE ON LIKE THE THINGS WE'RE GOING AFTER WITH, WITH INFLATION REDUCTION ACT. THIS IS THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT OF CLIMATE SUSTAINABLE, SUSTAIN SUSTAINABILITY THAT THE NATION'S EVER MADE. AND IT'S CREATING SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR US. SO I THINK AT SOME POINT WE SHOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, UH, BRIEF THE COUNCIL, UH, OR YOU KNOW, ON WHAT THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE IN THE YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MEMBERS. PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN WE HAVE ITEM 23 REPORT FROM TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH BANK OF AMERICA PUBLIC CAPITAL CORP FOR THE FINANCING OF PERSONAL COMPUTERS. PURSUANT TO THE AGREEMENT WITH DELL MARKETING LP PAYABLE OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD FOR 2,100,000 CITYWIDE. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. 24 REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE APPROVING A ZONE CHANGE FROM [23. 24-52974 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute a lease-purchase agreement, and related financing documents, with Banc of America Public Capital Corp, of San Francisco, CA, for the financing of personal computers, pursuant to the agreement with Dell Marketing, LP., utilizing the approved Region XIV Education Service Center, OMNIA Partners agreement, payable over a four-year period for $2,100,000 in addition to principal interest and escrow fees at an interest rate to be determined when the agreement is executed. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Technology and Innovation         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] TWO FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT WITH STANDARD LOTS TO COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL ON PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 41 51 FOUNTAIN STREET AND 42 20 RURAL COURT RED AND ADOPTED AS RED DISTRICT THREE. THIS IS A SECOND READING OF THE WORK WE DID LAST WEEK. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN. SECONDED. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. 26. PLEASE REPORT FROM CINDY ALLEN, VICE MAYOR. SECOND DISTRICT RECOMMENDATION TO INCREASE APPROPRIATIONS IN [24. 24-52821-01 Recommendation to declare ordinance approving a Zone Change (ZCHG22-005) from Two Family Residential District (R-2-N) with standard lots to Community R-4-N Commercial (CCN), which allows medium density residential development pursuant to R-4-N densities on properties located at 4151 Fountain Street and 4220 Wehrle Court, read and adopted as read. (District 3)       Office or Department: Community Development         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] THE GENERAL FUND GROUP IN THE CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT BY $1,950. OFFSET BY SECOND COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE-TIME DISTRICT PRIORITY FUNDS TO PROVIDE CONTRIBUTIONS OF 1000 TO SUPPORT THE FIRST ANNUAL LONG BEACH MARIACHI FESTIVAL. $200 TO UETA TORTILLAS AND 750 TO BURBANK COMMUNITY TEAM. ALRIGHT, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. Q WILL NOW GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT [26. 24-53068 Recommendation to increase appropriations in the General Fund Group in the City Manager Department by $1,950 offset Second Council District One-Time District Priority Funds, transferred from the Citywide Activities Department, to provide contributions of: $1,000 to support the First Annual Long Beach Mariachi Festival on May 4th, 2024; $200 to Pueblita Tortillas for Catering Services for the Junipero Beach Cleanup on May 19th, 2024; $750 Burbank Community Team to support their fundraising event at Pigeon’s Roller Rink on April 17th, 2024; Decrease appropriations in the General Fund Group in the Citywide Activities Department by $1,950 to offset a transfer to the City Manager Department; and  Restate the recommendation approved by the City Council on March 19, 2024, to correct the name of the recipient receiving the $1,523 donation of Second Council District One-time District Priority Funds from Robert Earls BBQ to Robert E. Cox.       Office or Department: Cindy Allen, Vice Mayor, Second District         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] NUMBER TWO. WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. JOSEPH OF NEW GUINEA, SOUTH A SOUTH AFRICA IS JOSEPH HERE? OKAY, SECOND IS SETH FREEMAN. IS SETH FREEMAN HERE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. [03:40:04] I THINK I'M THE LAST ONE SO WE'LL MAKE IT QUICK, HUH? UM, SO I'M SETH FREEMAN, UH, RESIDENT DISTRICT TWO. UM, AND BASICALLY WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT IS JUST WE ARE FAILING OUR VISION ZERO PLAN. OUR, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS MADE A COMMITMENT THAT BY 2026 WE HAVE ELIMINATED TRAFFIC DEATHS IN THE CITY. AND AS WE HEARD A FEW PEOPLE TALK ABOUT EARLIER TONIGHT, WE JUST HAVEN'T DONE THAT. UM, LAST [ PUBLIC COMMENT: IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT Opportunity is given to those members of the public who have not addressed the City Council on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes unless extended by the City Council. ] YEAR THERE WERE 36 THE YEAR BEFORE THAT AND I THINK THE THREE YEARS PRIOR THERE WERE AT LEAST 40, 45. I MYSELF HAVE ALMOST BEEN KILLED RIDING TO WORK A FEW TIMES AND YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT WANTING TO BE A WORLD CLASS CITY AND I JUST DON'T THINK WE WILL BE UNTIL WE ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL. AND SO MY QUESTION AND MY COMMENT, MY CHALLENGE TO YOU IS WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO ACTUALLY GET THERE? I READ THE REPORT RECENTLY THIS YEAR THAT CAME OUT, OR LAST YEAR THAT CAME OUT ABOUT THE PROGRESS AND WE ARE NOT ON TRACK. UM, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE CITY REALLY NEEDS TO GET ITS PRIORITIES IN ORDER TO PUT THAT UP AT THE TOP OF THE LIST WHERE IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE RIGHT NOW. UM, AND I THINK IT BELONGS RIGHT UP THERE WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND BUILDING SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENTS OUT THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT SUPER HAPPY ABOUT BUT WILL, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE US AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SAVE LIVES IN THE PROCESS BY DENSIFYING AND MAKING OUR TRANSPORTATION BETTER. UM, SO I WON'T TAKE UP THE WHOLE TIME JUST SO WE CAN GO GET DINNER. UM, BUT I WOULD REALLY URGE YOU AND ENCOURAGE YOU TAKE A REAL HARD LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE SPENDING OUR DOLLARS, WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING, AND THINK ABOUT IS THIS WORTH THE LIFE OF A 4-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO WAS KILLED CROSSING THE STREET A FEW WEEKS AGO? IS THIS WORTH THE LIVES OF DOZENS OF OUR RESIDENTS IF IT COULD BE SPENT SOMEWHERE ELSE IMPROVING OUR TRANSIT OR IF IT COULD BE SPENT BUILDING REALLY FUNCTIONAL AND EFFECTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE? BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES WE'RE HAVING IS WE'RE DOING THINGS THAT AREN'T ACTUALLY EFFECTIVE. SO WE NEED AN EFFECT DRIVEN, A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH TO SOLVING THIS PROBLEM THAT JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO EXIST AT THE MOMENT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WELL THAT CONCLUDES THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WE'LL NOW GO TO ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ADJOURNMENT. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. UH, WANNA INVITE ALL OF YOU TO JOIN ME, MY TEAM AND THE BIXBY KNOLL STROLLERS, WHICH IS A WEEKLY NEIGHBORHOOD WALKING GROUP FOR A, FOR A SPECIAL OFFSITE FIELD TRIP, UH, WITH A STROLL BEGINNING AND ENDING AT OUR FIFTH DISTRICT FIELD OFFICE AT WARDLOW PARK. SO WE'RE GONNA LEAVE THE KNOWLES AND HEAD OVER TO WARDLOW PARK THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 27TH. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU BRIGHT AND EARLY AS THE WALKERS BEGIN THEIR THREE MILE ROUTE AT SEVEN 30 SHARP. WE INVITE YOU TO STICK AROUND FOR SOME COFFEE AND LIGHT REFRESHMENTS AFTER. WE ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO STOP BY LONG BEACH EXCHANGE FOR THEIR WEEKLY POPUP MARKET ON SATURDAY THE 27TH FROM NOON TO FIVE. ENJOY SHOPPING LOCAL FROM VENDORS, GREAT FOOD AT THE HANGER, EATERIES, AND SOME FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES. THIS WEEK'S THEME IS FUN IN THE SUN. AND THEN ON APRIL 28TH, UH, CRITICAL MASS IS BACK, THE MONTHLY NEIGHBORHOOD BIKE RIDER THROUGH BIXBY KNOWLES, UH, WILL TAKE OFF FROM BEHIND BIXIE TOYS ON ATLANTIC AVENUE AT 11:00 AM. RIDERS OF ALL AGES ARE WELCOME AND DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR HELMET. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA. THANK YOU. PLEASE JOIN COUNCIL MEMBER MARY ZEN AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR CITY COUNCIL AND OUR AT THE UPCOMING MARIACHI FESTIVAL AT HARRY BRIDGES PARK ON SATURDAY, MAY 4TH. THE DAY LONG EVENT WILL FEATURE AMAZING MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT, A KIDS ZONE, AND MANY OTHER GREAT FEATURES I WAS GOTTA ENJOY. [ANNOUNCEMENTS] SO PLEASE COME OUT AND JOIN US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN AUSTIN. THANK YOU. IN CELEBRATION OF EARTH WEEK, THE LITTLE OWL SCHOOL INVITES YOU TO JOIN ON FRIDAY, APRIL 26TH FROM 11:00 AM TO 1:00 PM FOR A GATHERING DEDICATED TO SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION AND LOCAL ENGAGEMENT. UM, YOU'RE INVITED TO BRING A NEIGHBOR OR A FRIEND, AND TOGETHER WE CAN WORK TOWARD A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. AND WISHING EVERYBODY A HAPPY, HAPPY EARTH WEEK, UM, COME OUT TO DAINTY DISCOS SMALL BUSINESS. GET TOGETHER THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 27TH AT 12:00 PM THIS GET TOGETHER IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR CREATIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY TO NETWORK AND COLLABORATE ON FUTURE PROJECTS. AND LASTLY, JOIN ME AT THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTERS HEALTHY EATING FAIR ON TUESDAY, APRIL 30TH AT 5 5 9 9 ATLANTIC AVENUE FROM 4:30 PM TO 7:00 PM GOOD FOOD, LIVE MUSIC, AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH NEIGHBORS. IT'S A FREE EVENT, SO DON'T MISS OUT. IF YOU NEED ANY MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT MY OFFICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VICE MAYOR ELLEN. YES, I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS SATURDAY, UH, ON, UM, NO, THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY, MAY 4TH IS THE SEVENTH ANNUAL SENIOR FEST AT THE SENIOR CENTER. SO THERE'LL BE FUN PRIZES AND RESOURCES ADDRESSING SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS. SO I HOPE YOU CAN MAKE IT. AND THEN ALSO [03:45:01] THE, UH, NATIONAL, UH, HONOR, OUR L-G-B-T-Q ELDERS DAY WILL BE HAPPENING ON MAY 16TH ON THURSDAY, SO I HOPE, UH, AND THAT'S AT GRACE CHURCH ON THIRD STREET, SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN MAKE IT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. SO SORROW. YES. UM, A OC SEVEN DAYS LONG BEACH AND LONG BEACH FORWARD IS GOING TO BE DOING A RETREAT ISH EVENT AT WHITTIER ELEMENTARY THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 27 FROM 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AND IT'S ON 1761 WALNUT AVENUE. UM, IT'S HIGHLY ENCOURAGED, IT'S A FREE EVENT. HIGHLY ENCOURAGED FOR RSVPS. THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ELLI? UH, YES, I HAVE A, A NUMBER OF, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, UM, COMING UP. SO, UM, MY OFFICE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU OUT TO ATTEND THE COLLEGE SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING ON TUESDAY, APRIL 30TH, FROM SEVEN TO 8:00 PM THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY. UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO INVITE YOU OUT TO ATTEND THE STAR KING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 1ST FROM SEVEN TO 8:00 PM THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD AT THE HOLY TRINITY CHURCH AT 200 EAST 68TH STREET. UH, AND THEN LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU OUT TO THE HOUGHTON PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING ON THURSDAY, MAY 2ND FROM SEVEN TO 8:00 PM THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD AT THE DORIS TOP SEA ELVER, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER AT 63 0 1 MYRTLE AVENUE. UM, FOR ANY INFORMATION ON HOW TO ATTEND THE COLLEGE SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE STAR KING, OR THE HOUGHTON PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING, PLEASE CONTACT MY OFFICE AT 5 6 2 5 7 0 6 1 3 7 OR EMAIL US AT DISTRICT9@LONGBEACH.GOV. THANK YOU. WELL, THAT CONCLUDES, UH, OUR AGENDA. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, JOINING US THIS EVENING. THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. SEE YOU IN TWO WEEKS. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.