Aug 13, 2024 City Council Special Meeting - Revised

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS, I SAY BONIS TO ALL OF YOU.

WELL, AS I JUST GOT BACK FROM, UH, HELPING BRING, UH, THE OLYMPICS BACK TO, UH, LONG BEACH

[ROLL CALL]

I HOPE YOU GOT A CHANCE TO SEE LONG BEACH FEATURED IN THE CLOSING CEREMONIES.

UH, AND AND ABSOLUTELY BRING ATTENTION WORLDWIDE TO OUR CITY.

UH, WE ARE HAPPY TO BE HOME.

WE ARE HAPPY TO BE HOME, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

UH, AND I WANNA ALSO WISH A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA, UH, WHO IS HERE WITH US TONIGHT.

IT'S, IT'S AUGUST.

IT'S WE'RE, WE ALMOST HAVE THE SAME BIRTHDAY.

WE'RE 30, 30 YEARS APART, BUT ALMOST THE SAME DAY.

SO HE OLDER.

YEAH, I'M A LITTLE OLDER.

THE SPIRIT OF THE OLYMPICS, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO RECOGNIZE ALL THE ATHLETES OF THE PARIS OLYMPICS AND THE POSITIVE

UH, WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE LED BY VICE MAYOR ALLEN.

WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UH, AND IN

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

[00:05:01]

ROLE MODELS, UM, THAT THEY WERE AND ARE IN A WORLD THAT NEEDS JOY AND INSPIRATION.

SO LET'S KEEP THEM ALL IN OUR THOUGHTS AND ALL THE ATHLETES AS THEY PREPARE FOR LA 28.

LET'S BOW OUR HEAD.

IF YOU'RE ABLE TO PLEASE STAND UP.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER FRAUD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

SO LET'S, LET'S JUST GET THIS OUTTA THE WAY.

LET'S REPORT OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.

WE HAVE TWO REPORTS FROM CLOSED SESSION, UH, IN THE MATTER OF GREGORY LEE VERSUS AMCO CORPORATION.

THE CITY, CITY HAS SETTLED THAT MATTER IN THE AMOUNT OF $975,000, AND IN THE MATTER OF LEO LYNN BOYER VERSUS CITY OF LONG BEACH.

THAT CASE HAS SETTLED FOR THE AMOUNT OF $650,000.

SOCAL BALLET SCENE, A NEIGHBORING CITY, CITY ATTORNEY IN THE CITY OF CARSON.

WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING.

UH, LET'S INTRODUCE OUR FIRST SOCAL BALLET SCENE AND BALLET FESTIVAL INAUGURAL IN LONG BEACH.

AND SO FOR THIS EXCITING PRESENTATION ON LONG BEACH'S IN INAUGURAL BALLET, BALLET FESTIVAL, NOT VALE FESTIVAL, THAT'D BE A DIFFERENT KIND OF FESTIVAL.

I WANNA INVITE SONNY SOLTANI, WHO'S A BOARD MEMBER FROM SOKE

[ SOCAL BALLET SCENE GALA & FESTIVAL: INAUGURAL IN LONG BEACH]

WELCOME, UH, GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

UH, THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY FOR ME.

I'M ON THIS SIDE OF THE, UH, PODIUM.

UH, FIRST CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU IN THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY FOR THE OLYMPICS.

AND MAYOR, I SAW YOUR PICTURE WITH MAYOR LEILA LULA DAVIS HOMES, AND IT CERTAINLY WAS A PROUD MOMENT, UH, FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, ESPECIALLY THE SOUTH BAY AREA.

UM, I WANT TO, UH, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY.

UH, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK, UH, YOUR DEPUTY MAYOR, UH, UH, RASHINA YOUNG, UH, FOR, UH, CONNECTING ME WITH YOUR WONDERFUL STAFF SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT OUR BALLET FESTIVAL.

UH, AS THE MAYOR INDICATED, I'M ACTUALLY A CITY ATTORNEY.

UH, I HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO PUBLIC LAW, MY ENTIRE LEGAL CAREER.

AND, UH, I DANCED AS AN OUTLET.

AND WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS, UH, TO MANY BALLET CLASSES, NOR COULD I AFFORD TO TAKE BALLET CLASSES.

AND, UH, I HAD TO KIND OF LEARN HOW TO DO THINGS BY MYSELF.

UH, WHEN I BECAME AN ADULT AND I HAD A CAREER, UH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY, UH, GIVE BACK IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.

UH, COMMUNITIES BIG FOR ME, AND THAT'S WHY I DO LOCAL, UH, LAW, LOCAL POLITICS OR LOCAL LAW.

AND, UH, WHEN I MET, UH, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, RENA, WHO'S HERE, UM, AND, UH, SHE TOLD ME ABOUT HER VISION ABOUT HAVING A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BALLET FESTIVAL, UH, WHERE THE COMMUNITY CAN COME TOGETHER, ALL DANCES OF OUR SIZES, ALL COLORS, ALL GENDERS CAN BE RECOGNIZED.

AND THE SECOND MISSION THAT SHE EXPLAINED TO ME WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SO MANY GREAT LOCAL DANCERS, AND, UH, FOR SOME REASON BALLET IS SUCH A YUPPIE, UM, IS THAT THE WORD? YUPPIE? , UH, UH, PERFORMANCE THAT, UH, OUR LOCAL ARTISTIC DIRECTORS WERE ALWAYS BRINGING DANCERS FROM NEW YORK OR COMPANIES FROM OTHER, UH, UH, COUNTRIES.

AND SHE WANTED TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM WHERE OUR LOCAL DANCERS CAN HAVE A HIGH CALIBER FESTIVAL OR A GALA WHERE THEY CAN PERFORM AND SHOWCASE WHAT THEY CAN DO.

SO THOSE TWO, UM, MISSIONS REALLY RESONATED WITH ME.

AND, UH, I GOT INVOLVED.

I'M ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

UH, WE, WE HAD OUR FIRST FESTIVAL IN CITY OF COSTA MESA.

IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL, SOLD OUT, UH, THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER.

AND THIS YEAR WE STRATEGICALLY PICKED LONG BEACH.

UH, WE BELIEVE, UH, THAT BALLET NEEDS TO BE INTRODUCED IN THIS COMMUNITY.

WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S STRATEGICALLY LOCATED, SO WE CAN DRAW FROM THE WEST SIDE DANCERS AND THE ORANGE COUNTY DANCERS.

AND SO WE ARE HOPING, UH, THAT WE CAN BUILD A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND HAVE THIS BE AN ANNUAL FESTIVAL.

YOU'RE ALL INVITED.

I WILL COORDINATE WITH YOUR STAFF AND I HOPE YOU CAN ALL MAKE IT THE COMMUNITY.

UH, WE HAVE TWO SHOWS AND I WILL ALLOW OUR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR TO TALK ABOUT IT.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE A FREE FESTIVAL, UH, BETWEEN THE TWO PERFORMANCES.

FROM FOUR O'CLOCK TO SEVEN O'CLOCK, THERE WILL BE FOOD VENDORS, THERE WILL BE LIVE MUSIC, THERE WILL BE SHORT DANCE PERFORMANCES.

SO IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T WANT TO INVEST THE MONEY TO GO TO THE TWO, UH, PERFORMANCES, THEY'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME TO THE FREE FESTIVAL.

IT'S AT THE CARPENTER CENTER, SEPTEMBER 14TH.

[00:10:01]

BUT WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE RENA.

I CAN'T PRONOUNCE HER LAST NAME, SO I'M NOT EVEN GONNA TRY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.

AND I HAVE TO INTRODUCE MY FAVORITE ALL TIME BALLET DANCER, RACHEL, WHO DANCED WITH THE NEW YORK CITY BALLET.

SHE WILL BE PERFORMING ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT BALLET PIECES AT THE FESTIVAL, AND SHE WANTS TO SHARE ABOUT HER JOURNEY AND WHY WE THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO INTRODUCE OUR YOUTH TO THIS BEAUTIFUL ART FORM AT A YOUNG AGE AND CREATE A COMMUNITY AROUND IT.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER.

SO MY NAME IS RENA KATAKI.

I'M ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF SOCAL BALLET SAINT.

UM, OUR MISSION IS TO FEATURE THE BEAUTY OF BALLET, UM, BRINGING IN DIVERSITY OF ETHNICITIES AND BODY TYPES, AND JUST SHOWING ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE CAN BE INVOLVED IN BALLET AND INCLUDED IN BALLET.

UM, WE WANT TO REACH NEW AUDIENCES, UM, WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL ART FORM AND INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY TO THIS ART FORM, UM, TO ALL COMMUNITIES.

UM, GO AHEAD, NEXT SLIDE.

AND I'M GONNA LET RACHEL STEP IN.

THAT'S A PICTURE OF RACHEL ON THE LEFT THERE.

VERY ATHLETIC, BEAUTIFUL .

HI, MY NAME IS RACHEL HUTZEL.

UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME.

I AM CURRENTLY A BALLERINA IN LOS ANGELES.

BEFORE THAT, I WAS WITH STATE STREET BALLET IN SANTA BARBARA.

AND THEN I HAD THE ABSOLUTE BLESSING OF BEING ABLE TO DANCE WITH NEW YORK CITY BALLET FOR FIVE YEARS BEFORE THAT, UM, WHEN I WAS A YOUNG GIRL, I HAD ONE DREAM, AND THAT WAS TO DANCE BALLET.

AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, BY THE GRACE OF GOD AND THE BLESSING OF MY PARENTS AND PUTTING ME IN LESSONS, AND THEN TRUSTING MY DECISION TO MOVE AWAY FROM HOME AT THE AGE OF 15 TO TRAIN IN NEW YORK CITY AT THE SCHOOL OF AMERICAN BALLET, WHICH IS THE FEEDER SCHOOL TO NEW YORK CITY BALLET.

WHILE I WAS AT SAB, AS WE CALL IT, I WAS ONE OF, UH, I WAS IN A GROUP OF KIDS THAT THEY WOULD TAKE TO COMMUNITIES THAT MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITIES OR THE EXPOSURE TO THE ARTS.

AND WE WOULD DO A SERIES OF LECTURE DEMONSTRATIONS AROUND DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND SEEING THE LITTLE FACES LIGHT UP IN THE AUDIENCE.

WHILE WE DID, YOU KNOW, 30 SECONDS OF THIS BALLET, 32ND DEMONSTRATION OF PARTNERING WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF A BALLERINA, UM, YOU KNOW, WAS DANCING WITH A MAN OR BY HERSELF.

UH, JUST SEEING THEIR FACES LIGHT UP WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR ME.

AND I KNOW THAT HAD I HAD THOSE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS A KID, I PROBABLY WOULD'VE, YOU KNOW, JUMPED INTO BALLET EVEN FASTER.

UM, I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT RENA IS DOING HERE WITH THIS FESTIVAL IN BRINGING ACCESSIBILITY AND VISIBILITY FOR YOUNG DANCERS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, ALL RACES, ALL GENDERS, TO BE ABLE TO, TO SEE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO DO SO BEFORE.

UM, I THINK THAT WHEN OUR AUDIENCE LOOKS OUT ONTO THE STAGE, THEY'RE GONNA SEE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE THEM, WHETHER IT'S IN THE INDIVIDUAL DANCERS OR IF IT'S THROUGH THE STORIES THAT WE'RE TELLING.

THIS IS A VERY IMPACTFUL FESTIVAL.

IT'S VERY DIGESTIBLE AS WELL.

EVERY, EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING IS, YOU KNOW, THOUGHT OUT TO WHERE YOU CAN SEE SOMETHING THAT'S BEAUTIFUL AND NOT HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, SIT THROUGH A DRAGGING PERFORMANCE.

WE'RE MAKING IT BITE SIZE AND DIGESTIBLE FOR AN AUDIENCE TO ENJOY.

SO HOPE YOU'LL BE THERE.

WELL, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THIS IS, UH, UH, SURE.

IF YOU CAN CONCLUDE, DO YOU WANNA WRAP IT UP? SURE.

UH, JUST TO WRAP UP, I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT, UM, LAST YEAR, UH, WE DONATED 111 TICKETS TO UNDERSERVED YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY.

OUR GOAL IS TO TRIPLE THAT.

THIS YEAR WE'RE REACHING OUT TO DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, DONATING TICKETS TO THE UNDERSERVED YOUTH AND JUST EXPOSING THEM TO CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY BALLET.

SO, UM, WE HAVE TWO SHOWS.

I HOPE YOU COME SEE YOUR SHOWS.

ALRIGHT, WELL, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU.

AND WHERE CAN FOLKS FIND YOU, UH, TO BUY TICKETS? DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD? UM, SO CAL BALLET SCENE.COM AND, UH, IF YOU GO FORWARD A COUPLE OF SLIDES.

UM, IT'S GONNA BE AT THE CARPENTER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH.

SEPTEMBER 20, SEPTEMBER 14TH.

UH, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS EVENT.

THANK YOU EVERYBODY CITY TO LONG BEACH.

BYE.

TAKE CARE.

NEXT, UH, TONIGHT WE'LL BE CELEBRATING THE 30TH GRADUATING CLASS OF THE NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.

RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'RE PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.

UH, IN THIS PROGRAM REPRESENTING EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT.

GOOD.

OUTSTANDING.

AND SO, THE CITY'S BEEN DEVELOPING NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS FOR DECADES, UH, AND IT HAS 33 RESIDENTS,

[ NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM]

AND TO PROVIDE THIS PRESENTATION, WE'RE WELCOMING UP MARGARET MADDEN, HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SAY THAT AGAIN.

WE'RE WELCOMING MARGARET MADDEN .

THAT'S RIGHT.

[00:15:01]

COME ON, COME ON IN.

HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU THE 33 RESIDENTS GRADUATING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT'S NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM CLASS OF 2024.

THIS IS A SPECIAL YEAR AS THIS CLASS REPRESENTS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH'S 30TH GRADUATING CLASS SINCE 1992.

AND AS THE MAYOR SAID, THERE ARE 32 RESIDENTS THAT HAVE COMMITTED THE, UH, PAST FIVE MONTHS TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, LEARNING HOW TO WORK TOGETHER AND COMPLETING FOUR COMMUNITY CLASS PROJECTS ALL ALONG THE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

AVENUE CORRIDOR.

IT'S MY PLEASURE TONIGHT TO INTRODUCE JAMES SILVA ESQUIRE, WHO HAS BEEN ELECTED BY HIS CLASS MEMBERS TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THEIR CLASS THIS EVENING.

UH, MAYOR RICHARDSON AND CITY COUNCIL STAFF AND TO ALL OF MY CLASSMATES.

UM, MY NAME IS JAMES SILVA AND I'M A RESIDENT, UH, IN RETRO ROW AND, UM, IN THE RETRO AREA.

AND I'M PROUD TO BE AN ALUMNUS OF THE 30TH GRADUATING CLASS OF THE LONG BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.

UM, I'VE HEARD IT WIDELY WISELY SAID THAT A DREAM IS A, IS A, A GOAL, IS A DREAM WITH A DEADLINE.

UM, HOWEVER, TURNING A DREAM INTO A GOAL IS EXPONENTIALLY MORE CHALLENGING WHEN IT'S DONE ALONE.

HAVING LIVED IN LONG BEACH FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS, I LIKE MOST OF YOU, UH, HAVE A DEEP AFFECTION FOR THE CITY.

BUT AS WONDERFUL AS THE CITY IS, WE ALL KNOW IT'S NOT PERFECT.

AND EVERY DAY I WAKE UP DREAMING HOW TO MAKE IT BETTER.

UH, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW, UH, MANY OF MY FELLOW RESIDENTS ALSO HAD THOSE SIM SIMILAR DREAMS. THE LONG BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM HAS BEEN A TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE FOR ME.

IT'S REALLY INTRODUCED ME TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY WHO ALSO HAVE DREAMS OF MAKING A BETTER, BETTER COMMUNITY.

IT'S INTRODUCED ALL OF US TO THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US, UH, AND IT'S MADE US MORE, UM, ENCOURAGED TO MAKE OUR CITY A HAPPIER AND MORE PROSPEROUS CITY.

NOT ONLY DO I BELIEVE THAT OUR DREAMS ARE ATTAINABLE, I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE INEVITABLE.

THROUGH THE PROGRAM, WE BUILT BONDS, LEARNED VALUABLE SKILLS, AND HAVE BECOME EMPOWERED TO MAKE OUR DREAMS COME TRUE TOGETHER.

I'M DEEPLY, DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR OUR RELATIONSHIPS AND I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE OUR CITY COUNCIL LEADERS TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.

UH, AND I'D LIKE TO CONCLUDE BY WISHING YOU BOTH A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL.

IS IT 32 OR IS IT 33? 33? ALRIGHT.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL 32, UH, GRADUATES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.

THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE, UH, PROGRAM.

I'VE SEEN FOLKS WHO, YOU KNOW, BEGIN AS A, A LEADER AND THEY JUST WANNA SEE SOMETHING CHANGE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT REALLY CREATES A SPARK.

THEY CREATE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, THEY JOIN CITY COMMISSIONS, THEY EVEN RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.

AND SO, UH, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

WE ARE, YOU KNOW, JUST A FEW YEARS OUT OF A PANDEMIC, ONE OF THE WORST THINGS TO IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES.

THERE'S STILL A LOT OF THINGS TO DO.

AND SO WE'LL BE COUNTING ON YOU TO STEP UP, HELP US, YOU KNOW, CLEAN UP OUR COMMUNITIES, HELP US PREPARE, UH, TO LEAVE IT IN BETTER HANDS THAN IT WAS WHEN WE RECEIVED IT.

SO, CONGRATULATIONS.

THERE MIGHT BE A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.

LEMME JUST CHECK.

WELL, CONGRATULATIONS, UH, AND WELCOME TO THE CITY FAMILY.

UH, WE WILL NOW BEGIN WITH THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS, UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ON, UM, UH, LET'S SEE, WE HAVE SOME CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS, AND THEN WE'RE GOING INTO THE, UH, BUDGET PRESENTATION.

SO LET'S START WITH, OR ACTUALLY, WE'RE GONNA TAKE TWO ITEMS BEFORE WE DO THE BUDGET PRESENTATION.

SO LET'S, LET'S DO THE CONSENT

[CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 28.)]

CALENDAR.

WE'RE GONNA PULL ITEMS 25 AND 26.

SO LET'S MOVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR FIRST.

THAT THE SAME ZIP CODES, THE SAME CENSUS TRACKS, THE SAME AREAS OF TOWN, UH, AS IT'S REPEATED OVER AND OVER AGAIN THROUGHOUT THE STATE, HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS.

ON CONSENT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, AND WE HAVE TWO MEMBER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

DAVE SHUKLA AND ABIGAIL MATLOCK.

PLEASE COME FORWARD.

GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MR. MAYOR, MY NAME'S DAVE SHUKLA.

I'M SPEAKING ON ITEMS 17, 19, AND 22, ALL OF WHICH RELATE TO THE BLACK INFANT HEALTH PROGRAM.

I'D LIKE, UH, TO SUPPORT THESE, UH, ITEMS, UH, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE CONSENT, UH, AND PRETTY PRO PRO FORMA, UH, BECAUSE THERE IS AN ITEM BEFORE YOU, UH, 35 THIS EVENING THAT ACTUALLY DISCUSSES THE CONTENT OF THE WORK FOR THESE THREE DIFFERENT FIRMS THAT WILL BE HIRED TO PILOT THIS, UH, STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN.

STATEWIDE PROJECT.

IT'S IMPORTANT.

UH, WE DO HAPPEN TO KNOW

[00:20:01]

AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT ONLY RECOGNIZE THEM, BUT WE TAKE MEASURES SUCH AS THESE TO FIX THEM.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.

ABIGAIL.

UM, I'M ADDRESSING NUMBER 20, THE DESIGNATION OF A, OF THE RON AREAS HEALTH AND EQUITY CENTER AS A CA YOUTH ZONE.

UM, I'M THIS, I'M DOING THIS PROJECT FOR MY CAMPFIRE JILO PROJECT, AND THIS IS, AND I'VE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS WRITING EMAILS, FUNDRAISING, MAKING PHONE CALLS, OR EVEN BEING IN MEETINGS FOR THIS, TO GET THIS PROJECT MOVING AND TO GET THIS PROJECT HERE IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS TODAY.

THIS PROJECT OR CREATING OR DIGNIFYING THE ROTTEN AREAS HEALTH AND EQUITY CENTER AS A SAFE YOUTH ZONE WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO THE YOUTH OF LONG BEACH BECAUSE IT WOULD HELP YOUTH WHO ARE IN DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCES WHO ARE BEING TRAFFICKED OR ABUSED, OR THOSE WHO ARE IN DANGER OF BEING TRAFFICKED OR ABUSED, GET THE HELP NECESSARY TO THEIR SAFETY AND SURVIVAL.

AND, AND I'LL TELL YOU ON THAT, UH, ITEM THAT'S, IT'S RIGHT THERE AT A PARK RIGHT NEXT TO A HIGH SCHOOL.

IT WAS DESIGNED TO HAVE AN STI CLINIC AND, AND THE OFFICE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT THERE.

THE WHOLE POINT WAS FOR IT TO BE A A, A SAFE ZONE.

AND SO THIS IS, UH, CONSISTENT.

SO THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH FOR COMING DOWN.

SPEAKING TO SUPPORT OF THIS MEMBERS.

PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

MOTIONS CARRIED.

EMISSIONS VEHICLE AND INFRASTRUCTURE PILOT PROGRAM.

WE'LL NOW HAVE ITEM 25 PLEASE.

ITEM 25 IS REPORT FROM LONG BEACH AIRPORT.

RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS WITH THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION TO ACCEPT THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AIRPORT ZERO

[25. 24-54379 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents, including any necessary amendments, with the Federal Aviation Administration, to accept the Federal Aviation Administration Airport Zero Emissions Vehicle and Infrastructure Pilot Program grant funds for federal Fiscal Year 2024 funding, for the acquisition of six electric airside operations vehicles and two solar-tree chargers, in an amount not to exceed $782,980. (Districts 4, 5) Office or Department: Long Beach Airport Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

GRANT FUNDS FOR FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2024 FUNDING DISTRICT FOUR AND FIVE.

OKAY, WE'LL GIVE IT A STAFF REPORT AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.

JUAN LOPEZ RIOS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE AIRPORT.

ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

THIS ITEM SEEKS COUNCIL'S APPROVAL TO ACCEPT A GRANT FOR THE ACQUISITION OF ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES FOR THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT.

THE AIRPORT HAS HISTORICALLY ACCEPTED FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING FOR CRITICAL SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND PROJECTS.

AS FAR BACK AS THE MID 1950S, THE FAA PROVIDES MORE THAN 3 BILLION ANNUALLY TO MORE THAN 3,300 ELIGIBLE AIRPORTS.

AS AN ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENT, THE AIRPORT HAS A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE FINANCIALLY SELF-SUSTAINING OPERATIONS.

THEA'S ZERO EMISSIONS VEHICLE AND INFRASTRUCTURE PILOT PROGRAM STRIVES TO IMPROVE AIRPORT AIR QUALITY AND FACILITATES THE USE OF ZERO EMISSION TECHNOLOGIES AT AIRPORTS.

THE PROGRAM FUNDS THE PURCHASE OF ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES REFERRED TO AS ZEVS, AS WELL AS THE CONSTRUCTION OR MODIFICATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO USE THE ZEVS.

THIS PROGRAM EXPANDS THE SUPPORT OF FEDERAL FUNDING TO INCLUDE VEHICLES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

THE AIRPORT ANTICIPATES A FEDERAL GRANT FOR SIX ZEV VEHICLES AND TWO FREESTANDING SOLAR TREE CHARGING UNITS.

THESE VEHICLES WILL BE UTILIZED BY THE AIRPORT'S AIRSIDE OPERATIONS TEAM AND WILL FURTHER REDUCE THE AIRPORT CARBON EMISSIONS.

THE VEHICLES WILL BE ACQUIRED THROUGH THE CITY'S FLEET SERVICES BUREAU AND WILL INCLUDE PURCHASING, OUTFITTING, AND CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE AS NEEDED.

THE AIRPORT'S EFFORTS ALIGN WITH THE LONG BEACH ACT, CLIMATE ACTION PLAN TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND THE AIRPORT STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

TO BE A GREEN AIRPORT LEADER, TO ADOPT ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY POLICIES AND INCENTIVES TO PROMOTE CARBON NEUTRALITY AND TO IMPLEMENT SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AND OPERATIONAL PRACTICES.

STAFF REQUEST COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDED ACTION.

THIS CONCLUDES THE STAFF REPORT.

ONE OF OUR OBJECTIVES IS TO BE AS CARBON NEUTRAL.

COUNCIL MEMBER KERR? YES.

UH, THANK YOU DEPUTY DIRECTOR RIOS, YOU ANSWERED MY THREE QUESTIONS IN YOUR PRESENTATION, SO I WON'T ASK YOU AGAIN.

UM, BUT IT WAS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE GRANT FUNDING AND YOU SAID BACK FROM THE 1950S, SO COUNCILS FROM THE FIFTIES HAVE ACCEPTED GRANT FUNDING, UH, FOR THE AIRPORT.

AND COULD YOU JUST, UH, SPEAK ONE MORE TIME.

UH, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE CITY'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, BUT I THINK YOU ALSO MENTIONED STRATEGIC GOALS OF THE AIRPORT.

UM, COULD YOU JUST SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY THIS, UM, IS IMPORTANT TO THOSE? UH, YES.

COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN, UM, WITHIN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY, THERE IS A, AN ORGANIZATION, AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL AND SUITE.

AND SO

[00:25:01]

AND, UM, WE GO THROUGH ANNUAL, UH, IN AN ANNUAL ACCREDITATION PROGRAM.

WE ARE NOW AT LEVEL TWO WITHIN THE INDUSTRY.

UM, WE ARE, WE SEEK TO GET TO LEVEL THREE, WHICH IS A BIG JUMP.

IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING BEHIND THE SCENES TO TRY TO MAIN, TO TRY TO MAINTAIN OUR LEAD AS RE UH, AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN, UH, IN AIRPORT, UH, IN OUR EFFORTS TO CURB THE CARBON EMISSIONS, UM, LOOK AT WASTE, UH, FOR BETTER SUSTAINABILITY.

UM, SO THAT'S, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WORK ON BEHIND THE SCENES.

ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

WE KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE, SUPER IMPORTANT TO THE, TO THE RESIDENTS AND ESPECIALLY RESIDENTS IN THE FIFTH DISTRICT.

SO, UH, CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING TO ADVANCE ZERO EMISSIONS, UH, AT THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT.

MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

SERVICES IN AN TOTAL ANNUAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $21,017 CDY.

WE'LL GO TO ITEM 26 PLEASE.

ITEM 26, REPORT FROM POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH BROWNING FERRIS INDUSTRY OF CALIFORNIA FOR SPECIAL WASTE DISPOSAL

[26. 24-54409 Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract, and any necessary documents including any necessary amendments, with Browning-Ferris Industries of California, Inc., of Sylmar, CA, for special waste disposal services, in a total annual amount not to exceed $21,017, for a period of three years, with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods at a 13 percent increase from the original term, at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide) Levine Act: Yes Office or Department: Police Department Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

WE HAVE SOME LEVINE ACT.

RECUSALS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER XTI.

I AM SORRY.

YOU LEVINE, ACT RECUSAL.

OH, UH, YES I AM.

UM, I'M SORRY MY STAFF DIDN'T FLAGGED FOR ME THERE.

YEAH, I'LL DO, I'LL DO MINE AND THEN YOU CAN SAY ME TOO.

UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH LEVINE ACT, I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF THIS ITEM, HAVING ACCEPTED A CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $250 FROM AN ASSOCIATE OF BROWNING FERRIS INDUSTRIES, WHICH IS PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCEEDING.

UH, I'M ALSO RECUSING FOR THE SAME REASON.

ALRIGHT, SO WE'LL STEP OUT, HAND IT OVER TO YOU, VICE MAYOR.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS AS THEY'RE STEPPING OUT? WAIT TILL THEY GET OUT.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

ANY COMMENT FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES? I'M NOT SEEING ANY.

MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

OKAY, MAYOR, WE'RE ALL DONE.

YOU CAN COME BACK IN.

EMAIL THAT I SENT SO THAT IT JUST KIND OF EXPLAINS WHAT WE DEALT WITH AND HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE SOME RESOLVE LATER BECAUSE THERE'S SOME PROCEDURES THAT SHOULD BE CHANGED.

NOW WE'LL GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER ONE.

SO WE HAVE, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, 10 PEOPLE SIGN UP, PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, YOU HEAR NAME PLEASE COME FORWARD.

KIMBERLY LEWIS.

UH, ANTHONY HOLMES, TED ZELMER JR.

ALEX MARTINEZ, LESLIE SANDERS, RONNIE BARNES, JULIE HYEN, UH, MICHAEL DURHAM, RILEY CARPENTER, AND ELIZABETH MARQUEZ.

KIMBERLY, YOU ARE UP FIRST.

HI EVERYONE.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING THIS PUBLIC COMMENT.

UM, MY NAME IS KIMBERLY.

I RUN A NONPROFIT HERE CALLED I DID SOMETHING GOOD TODAY FOUNDATION.

I'M ALSO A COMMISSIONER ON THE HOMELESS COMMISSION HERE IN LONG BEACH.

UM, AND I WANT, MY REASON FOR BEING HERE IS JUST TO ADDRESS A FEW ISSUES.

WE WERE GONNA BE PUTTING ON A WONDERFUL END OF SUMMER EVENT FOR THE SENIORS, BUT WE RAN INTO A LOT OF UNNECESSARY ISSUES WITH, UM, PARKS AND REC AND SPECIAL EVENTS.

AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LOVE TO READ THE

[ 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. ]

SO, UM, OUR SUMMER, UH, GOLDEN NOMAD SUMMER SPECTACULAR BREATHING EASY TOGETHER, WHICH WAS OUR FIRST TIME GETTING SUPPORT FROM THE LONG BEACH PORT.

UM, FOR THIS PROGRAM, IT WAS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE NEXT WEEK, AUGUST 24TH, AT CAESAR CHAVE PARK.

THIS EVENT WAS DESIGNED TO BRING JOY, UM, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION TO THE SENIORS OF LONG BEACH.

UNFORTUNATELY, DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS AND MONTHS OF PLANNING, WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED A SERIES OF UNNECESSARY CHALLENGES IN DISORGANIZATION ON THE CITY'S PART, WHICH HAS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EVENT.

FIRST, WE SUBMITTED OUR APPLICATION FOR THE FEE WAIVER ON JUNE 17TH.

WELL, IN ADVANCE OF THE PARKS AND REC COMMISSION MEETING, WHICH WAS TAKING PLACE ON JUNE 18TH, I'M SORRY, JULY 18TH.

AND WE WERE NOT ON THE AGENDA.

THEY DID NOT HAVE OUR PAPERWORK FOR

[00:30:01]

WHATEVER REASON.

UM, GLADYS, UM, WHO GET GLADYS KAISER, WHO WAS THE COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES MANAGER, SHE CAME OVER, SAID TO, UM, CONTACT HER, SHE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT.

AFTER MULTIPLE CALLS, EMAILS NEVER HEARD ONE WORD FROM HER TO THIS DAY.

ADDITIONALLY, FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS, NO ONE IN THE PARKS AND REC, UM, RECREATION OR SPECIAL EVENTS OFFICE COULD PROVIDE CLEAR INFORMATION ON OBTAINING THE NECESSARY PARKING PERMITS.

WHEN I WAS STANDING THERE IN THE PARKS AND REC OFFICE, I ASKED, HOW DO WE GET THE PARKING PERMITS SO THAT WE CAN BLOCK OFF PARKING FOR OUR STREET VENDORS? I MEAN, I'M SORRY, OUR FOOD VENDORS.

AND NO ONE KNEW.

THEY SAID, CALL, CALL, UM, SPECIAL EVENTS, CALL THEM.

I GOT PASSED TO FOUR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

NO ONE KNEW THAT ANSWER.

SO EVEN, UH, THANK YOU.

UM, MARYS AND SEJA, SHE, HER STAFF DID TRY TO HELP.

SHE REACHED OUT AS WELL.

THEY TOLD HER TO CONTACT, UM, THAT I NEEDED TO CONTACT A TRAFFIC VENDOR, WHICH I KNEW WAS WRONG.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO OFFER TO AUTHORIZE A PARKING PERMIT.

THEY JUST EXECUTE WHATEVER THAT PERMIT IS.

SO, IN ANY CASE, UM, IT WAS THE PARKING PERMIT.

PEOPLE WHO TOLD ME, I'M SORRY, THE PARKING VENDORS WHO TOLD ME TO REACH OUT TO BRILEY MANZELLA AND BRILEY MANZELLA IS IN, UH, .

SHE IS IN SPECIAL EVENTS.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHY NO ONE IN HER OFFICE KNEW THAT SHE HANDLED THAT.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN I MET WITH HER OR ON THE PHONE, SHE WAS EXTREMELY RUDE, CONDESCENDING, AND JUST WAS VICIOUS.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.

WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT, AND SORRY YOU HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE AND WE'LL MAKE SURE SOMEONE FOLLOWS UP WITH YOU.

THANKS.

A MI A MINOR, A MI, A MINOR MISDEMEANOR, , WE CAN'T EVEN GET A JOB.

SO I HAVE, I HAVE ANTHONY HOLMES NEXT.

UNLESS YOU WANNA DEFER, HE CAN GO.

HE CAN GO.

GO FOR IT.

PLEASE RESPECT, Y'ALL DON'T HAVE TO LIKE ME, BUT Y'ALL WILL RESPECT ME.

IT'S FOUR THINGS I'LL DIE FOR MY SON, MY DAUGHTER, THE BLACK CULTURE AND MY RESPECT.

YOU KNOW, I COME DOWN HERE AND Y'ALL SEE JUST ME SOMETIMES, BUT I GOT A THOUSAND PEOPLE WITH ME OUT THERE IN THE QUAD, INSIDE HERE IN THE CHAMBER.

MY ANCESTORS NOT IN A PHYSICAL FORM, BUT SPIRITUAL.

YES, AS I STAND IN FRONT, AS I STAND IN FRONT OF Y'ALL TODAY, SUPER NA AND MEGAN, IF I WAS WHITE, I'LL BE DOWN HERE DOING THE SAME THING.

VOING USING MY VOICE TO FIGHT FOR US.

IF WE GOT TREATED, IF WE GOT TREATED LIKE AFRICAN AMERICANS GET TREATED IN THIS CITY, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR NO BLACK ELECTED OFFICIALS TO COME SAVE ME.

BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW BLACK FACES IN HIGH PLACES ARE NOT GONNA SAVE US.

I WANT TO DIRECT, I WANT TO DIRECT THIS, I WANT TO DIRECT THIS TO EVERY BLACK ELECTED OFFICIAL.

EVERY WHITE ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

IF YOU CAN'T COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, YOU JUST A PART OF THE PROBLEM.

AND ANDREW, ANDREW QUALO, AGAIN, A KNOWN PEDOPHILE THAT'S ON MEGAN'S LAW.

JUST THE OTHER DAY IN THIS, IN THE DEPARTMENT, A COUPLE OF KIDS FROM LAKEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL CAME UP THERE AND HE WAS THE MAIN PERSON THAT WAS DOING THE TOUR.

AGAIN, HE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE AROUND PARKS.

HE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE AROUND KIDS.

I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT LIKE, HOW DID HE GET THIS JOB IN THE FIRST PLACE? IS IT SOMEONE IN HR THAT HE KNOW? WE ALL HAVE KIDS.

MOST OF YOU GUYS UP THERE, THERE'S A CRISIS GOING ON IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK EMPLOYEES.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW, TOM MOCA RUMOR HAS IT THAT, UM, YOU AND CHRIS GARDNER'S ARE BEST FRIENDS.

HE'S THE HEAD OVER, HE'S THE HEAD OF DEPARTMENT OVER THERE, RIGHT? HE SHOULD DO HIS DAMN JOB.

REX, ME AND YOU CAN WALK A MARATHON AND GO TALK TO EVERY BLACK ELECTED OFFICIAL UP IN HERE.

YOU SHOULD HEAR THE STORIES THAT THEY CALL AND TELL ME HOW IS IT THAT ALL THESE AFRICAN AMERICANS IS CALLING ME? AND THEY DON'T CALL THE EEO, THEY DON'T CALL THE HR.

THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM.

IT BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYE WHEN I HEAR THE STORIES.

I'VE BE GETTING PHONE CALLS SINCE LAST MARCH.

I'VE BEEN HOLDING THIS INFORMATION WITH ANDREW QUALA FOR OVER A YEAR.

I DON'T WATCHED HIM SIT BY PARKS SCHOOLS.

THEIR YARD IS 882 FEET FROM A PARK IN THE SCHOOL, AS I STATED.

SO I'M JUST BRINGING THIS TO Y'ALL ATTENTION BECAUSE SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE.

I JUST PRAY ONE DAY THAT YOU GUYS COME IN EVERY DEPARTMENT AND GET ON THESE HEAD OF DEPARTMENT'S ASSES BECAUSE THEY'RE PLAYING YOU.

AS I STATED WITH TOM IKA.

THIS IS A JOB HE'S SUPPOSED TO HANDLE.

HOW IS EVERYBODY GETTING THROUGH? BUT

[00:35:01]

AND THIS A FOUR FELONY COUNT.

YOUR TIME UP, YOU GUYS HAVE A NICE DAY.

I SEE Y'ALL AT THE NEXT ONE.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER IS TED ZELMER JR.

THEN ALEX MARTINEZ.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO ALL OF YOU.

CAPTAIN TED AT YOURS.

YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, NOT IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT I, WE DELIVERED OUR CITIZENS COMMITTEE REPORT AT THE PRIOR MEETING AND WE WERE BLESSED TO BE FOUNDED BY BARBARA FAYE, UH, AS THE LIGHTHOUSE MUNCH UP AND COMING.

2028 OLYMPIC SAFETY AMBASSADORS, YOU HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF YOU.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO DISPLAY ON JULY 4TH OUR PROPOSAL TO CREATE A MOTION TO SAVE A PORTION OF OUR VETERANS MEMORIAL PIER.

AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE CREDIBILITY, HISTORY, CAME BACK IN 84.

MY MOM, I MOVED HERE IN 67 NEW YEARS WHEN MY MOM OPENED UP THE HOLIDAY INN LOUNGE AT THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT.

PLANAR MUSIC TOOK MY BROTHER EAST.

I MOVED IN WITH MY GRANDPARENTS.

MY GRANDFATHER WAS A DISTRICT MANAGER, LA TIMES LAKEWOOD HIGH CLASS SIX NINE, CAME BACK IN 84 AND BECAME A GENERAL CONTRACTOR.

STARTED COACHING MY DAUGHTERS FROM 85 ALL THE WAY TO OH ONE WHEN MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER, 10TH GRADE WILSON HIGH SCHOOL, MADE THE JUNIOR OLYMPICS FOR SOCCER IN 2000.

IT WAS MY DAUGHTER, ABIGAIL MISTY MAY AT CAL STATE.

AND MY DAUGHTER'S BEST FRIEND, TONY ACEVEDO, AWARDED BY MAYOR BEVERLY O'NEILL, THE CENT AWARD, ATHLETES OF THE YEAR, CITY OF LONG BEACH.

WE HAVE THIS, WHICH IS DISASTER PREPAREDNESS GUIDE THAT WE PLAN ON DISTRIBUTING WITH THE LIGHTHOUSE BUNCH, WHICH YOU HAVE.

AND WE'RE THE UP AND COMING 2028 OLYMPIC SAFETY AMBASSADORS.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CRIME WHERE WE LIVE DOWN THERE IN BELMONT SHORE.

AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP.

UH, WE ALSO WANNA REMIND YOU THAT WE DID PRESENT SAVING THAT PIER TO YOU AND MAKING IT PRETTY AGAIN, RED, WHITE, AND BLUE.

AND MAYOR REX, I THINK YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AND WE DEMONSTRATED IT NICELY ON JULY 4TH, THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND.

BUT WE REMOVED OUR DEMONSTRATION.

NO TRACE LEFT BEHIND.

SO WITH THAT SAID, IT'S AN HONOR AND IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT IT TAKES FOR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT POLICE DEPARTMENT KEEPING THIS CITY SAFE.

AND THAT'S WHY THE LIGHTHOUSE BUNCH IS IGNITING NOW SO THAT WE CAN BE OUT THERE KEEPING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS NICE AND SAFE.

IT'S BEEN TERRIBLE NEWS LATELY, BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT FOR THOSE THAT SHARE THE NEWS.

SO CAPTAIN TED AT YOUR SERVICE AND AT THAT I'M GONNA PRESENT YOU WITH ALEX, WHO I'VE DONE BUSINESS WITH ALL THESE YEARS.

AND HE'S GOT CITY PROJECTS IN STATE NOW.

SO WE HAVE CAUGHT UP FROM A LOT, UH, WITH, UH, AS FAR AS GETTING, UH, PROPOSALS IN AND GETTING EVERYTHING SET UP.

OH, ALEX, YOU'RE NEXT.

UM, YEAH, SO THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE, UM, WE WERE JUST KIND OF GETTING STARTED.

UH, ACTUALLY I'M WORKING WITH TED.

HE'S BEEN, BEEN WORKING WITH MY COMPANY FOR A WHILE, REPRESENT SMITH PAINT IN LONG BEACH.

AND, UH, I'M DOING THE PAINTING AND CONSTRUCTION PORTION OF IT.

UH, HE'S ACTUALLY DOING MOST OF THE WORK, BUT I'M JUST THERE TO KIND OF ASSESS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, THE DETAILS, UH, WITH THE CONSTRUCTION, UM, AND GETTING THE CONTRACTORS AND EVERYTHING AVAILABLE.

SO, UH, AS OF RIGHT NOW, LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT ALL THE BASES COVERED.

UH, WE'RE JUST WAITING ON THE COST ASSESSMENT, LITTLE DETAILS HERE AND THERE.

UM, AS FAR AS THE REPRESENTATION OF COLORS AND THE RENDERINGS, AND HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY GETTING THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION COMBINED WITH THE DECONSTRUCTION OF THAT PIER, UH, TO KIND OF REALLY SHOW SOMETHING.

UH, ESPECIALLY THE UPCOMING OLYMPICS, UH, COMING IN.

IT'S GONNA BE A VERY, UH, I FEEL LIKE, UM, MONUMENTAL PART OF, UH, OF THE PIER IN LONG BEACH.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, TED WANTS TO RESERVE.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M KIND OF GETTING INTO WHERE I THINK IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

UH, IT REPRESENTS THE VETERANS.

UH, IT REPRESENTS WHAT WE DO AND IT'S GONNA BRING KIND OF A LUSTER TO THE PIER THAT HAS BEEN GONE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

UH, WE WANT TO CREATE A NEW ENVIRONMENT AND TED HAS DONE A VERY GOOD JOB WITH HIS, HIS GROUP AND THE PEOPLE HE'S WORKED WITH TO GET THINGS GOING.

AND AGAIN, HE'S JUST HAS ME INVOLVED WITH MAINLY, UM, THE BEAUTIFICATION OF THIS PROJECT.

SO I'M EXCITED.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED.

UH, IT WASN'T AT THE 4TH OF JULY EVENT, BUT I HEARD IT WAS A GREAT TURNOUT.

AND, UH, WE HAVE, UM, HAD A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THE RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE THERE.

SO, UM, YEAH,

[00:40:01]

SO, UH, WE ARE ON TRACK.

AND AGAIN, WE THANK YOU GUYS FOR, UM, GIVING US THE TIME TO SPEAK AND KIND OF JUST DEMONSTRATING WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU.

CAN I ADD 10 MORE SECONDS ON HIS TIME? HE'S GOT A MINUTE LEFT.

SO AT THE BELMONT PIER, THERE'S A VERY BAD SITUATION OCCURRING NOW WITH THOSE THAT LIVE UNDERNEATH IT AND THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE OCCURRING DOWN THERE ON THE PUBLIC PARK AND REC PROPERTY.

AND WITH INTERIM MEASURES, WE CAN QUICKLY CREATE A BARRIER THERE AT THAT PORTION OF PIER ON THE BEACH WHERE THEY'RE ALL LIVING AND HANGING AND ALL OF THE BAD STUFF'S GOING ON.

WITH SOME FENCING, WE CAN DO THE WORK PRIOR TO THEM REMOVING THE OLD PIER WHILE THEY BUILD THE NEW HORSESHOE PIER AND GET THE SIDES READY TO GO.

AND THEN IT'S, WHEN WE REMOVE THAT OLD PIER, MAKE IT PRETTY LEE OUR FARMER'S MARKETS BIGSBY.

AND DOWN THERE WE MEASURED, WE NEEDED 20 FEET TO HAVE A FARMER'S MARKET OUT THERE.

WE HAD 20 FEET, FIVE INCHES.

SO ALL ALTERNATIVE VENUE IS VERY IMPORTANT, INCLUDING BANDS PERFORMING.

WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT IN THE PAST.

WE WOULD LIKE TO SET A MEETING WITH YOU IN PERSON.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

TAKE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

APPRECIATE IT.

ALRIGHT, RIGHT NEXT FEW SPEAKERS.

LESLIE SANDERS, UH, RONNIE BARNES, JULIE HYEN, MICHAEL DURHAM, UH, RILEY CARPENTER, ELIZABETH MARQUEZ.

HELLO.

I WANNA SPEAK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS, BUT FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SPEAK TO YOU.

I WENT TO, UH, EXCUSE ME, COFFEE WITH A COP THE OTHER DAY WITH JOHNNY RICK, UH, RICK'S OLDIE.

THAT WAS REALLY A NICE EVENT AND A LOT OF NICE EVENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING AND COLLABORATING ON A LOT OF GOOD THINGS WITH THE COMMUNITY.

BUT WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I TOOK THE FLYER THAT YOU, THEY WERE DOING THE BUDGET, UH, ANALYSIS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND I WENT ON THERE AND THEY HAD ONE SESSION THAT THEY WERE GOING TO ALLOW FOR ZOOM, BUT IT WASN'T A ZOOM ADDRESS.

SO WHEN I TYPED IT IN, WENT IN TO CALCULATE, EXCUSE ME, WHEN I WENT A COMPUTER AND TRY TO PUT THE, THE, UH, EXCUSE ME, THE ADDRESS ON THERE SO I CAN ACCESS IT FOR THE DAY WHEN THAT IS GONNA HAPPEN.

IT SAID THAT THE SERVER WAS NOT WORKING, BUT IT WASN'T NO LISTED, UH, THING WHERE YOU CAN GET ON A ZOOM FOR THAT PARTICULAR DAY THAT THEY WERE GONNA HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT THINK THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED, UH, BECAUSE IT'S NOT SHOWING ANY, UM, THE FLYER HAD, THEY WERE HAVING THIS SESSION, BUT YOU COULDN'T GET ON THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED.

'CAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE A ZOOM ADDRESS ON THE PAPER.

SO THAT WAS, UH, SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE, WERE WHEN MY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION WERE TALKING ABOUT.

AND SECONDLY, I WANT TO KNOW THAT, UH, I KNOW WE WERE ROLLING OUT THE BUDGET, SO I AM INTERESTED TO GET IN THERE BECAUSE I STILL HAVE A PRO, A COUPLE OF PROJECTS FROM THE YEARS THAT'S STILL PENDING SINCE, YOU KNOW, SINCE I HAD A DISASTER AT MY HOUSE.

AND I'M REALLY, UH, CONCERNED, UH, AND MY, UM, INTEREST IS INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF, UH, PRODUCT PROJECTS AND THE FUNDING FOR THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS AND HOW WE CAN ACCESS IF YOU FUND A DEPARTMENT WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY AND IT DOES AND YOU EXCEED THAT, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, PLANS THAT WE HAVE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN, CAPITAL INVESTMENT PLAN, AND SEVERAL OTHER THINGS.

AND THEN VOTER INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE VOTED ON AS SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH THAT WE HAVE VOTED ON THAT PROVIDED MORE REVENUE BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE TAX RATE OF LONG BEACH WENT FROM JUST HYPOTHETICALLY HERE, SAY 3% ALMOST TO WHERE IT IS NOW, BECAUSE THAT BRINGS IN THE EFFORT, OTHER REVENUE.

SO ONE THING I DID IS AS I WAS, UH, GOING THROUGH THE THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO WAS GET MORE INVOLVED SO I COULD UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET AND SO I COULD, SO I COULD EDUCATE MYSELF ON IT SO I CAN ASK MORE, UM, INTELLIGENT QUESTIONS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS A LOT OF EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT I WAS IN, UM, UH, I WOULD SAY UP TO DATE ON.

BUT I THINK I'M MORE, UH, KNOWLEDGEABLE OF IT SO I CAN TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH SO I CAN GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING SO WE CAN, GOING FORWARD, HOW WE CAN USE THIS MONEY FOR NEW PROJECTS AND THEN ALSO THE PROJECTS THAT ARE PENDING.

BUT I DID, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TELL, BEEN TELLING ME SINCE MY HOUSE GOT FLOODED, THAT WE'RE GONNA ROLL OUT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THIS, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM WOULD BE FIXED, BUT I HAVEN'T SAW ANYTHING NO MOTION OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT I STILL AM HOPEFUL THAT THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO COME TO, YOU KNOW, HAPPEN BECAUSE THIS IS OVER WHEN, AND OUR MAYOR WAS IN THAT AREA AND THE COUNCILMAN BEFORE THAT.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY I KNOW THAT A A 22 YEAR PERIOD AND THE SAME ISSUE IS STILL HAPPENING.

I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT WE ADDRESS IT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THE, WITH THE CITY I GUESS.

NEXT SPEAKER IS RONNIE BARNES.

AS I LIVE AND BREATHE, I AM MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME AS YOU JUST SAID, RONNIE BARNES, I HAVE, UM, A LITTLE BONE TO PICK WITH, UH,

[00:45:01]

AND WITH MEMORIAL, BECAUSE ON SATURDAY I WITNESSED SOMETHING THAT I HAD NEVER EVEN DREAMED WOULD BE HAPPENING HERE IN AMERICA.

UH, I GOT OUTTA MY CAR AND A YOUNG MAN APPROACHED ME AND, UM, I SORT OF TOOK A SIDE VIEW OF HIM AND THEN I HAD TO TAKE A FULL VIEW OF HIM BECAUSE HE HAD ON A, A HOSPITAL GOWN AND EVERYTHING, AND THE FOOTIES.

AND I ASKED HIM WHAT HAPPENED.

AND HE SAID THAT FRIDAY NIGHT HE HAD GOTTEN HIT BY A CAR AND HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL AND, UH, THEY, UH, DISCHARGED HIM.

OKAY? HE'S SITTING THERE, THIS MAN, WHOLE SIDE OF HIS FACE IS ALL SCARRED UP FROM WHERE HE FELL.

THE UM, AND ON THIS SIDE IS A BIG GASH OUT OF HIS HEAD.

AND IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS HEAD THERE IS A BIG GASH.

AND SO I, HE WANTED ME TO TAKE HIM TO A HOSPITAL.

AND I SAID TO MYSELF, WELL, THE SPIRIT OF GOD SAID, DON'T, BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO HIM WHILE HE IS WITH ME, THEN THEY'RE GONNA BLAME ME.

SO I DECIDED TO CALL 9 1 1.

SO I CALLED 9 1 1.

THE, UM, FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT THERE.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT THERE.

THE, THE GUYS GOT OUT OF THE CAR.

THE GUY HAD HAD CONVULSIONS, HE HAD START CONVULSING AND HE FELL OUT.

AND SO HE TRIED TO GET UP, BUT I TOLD HIM NO BECAUSE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ON THEIR WAY.

SO HE GET, HE SITS UP AND HE'S STILL COMPLAINING ABOUT HIS HEAD.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GET THERE, THE GUY GETS OUTTA THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, COMES OVER, GRABS HIM BY THE ARM AND SAY, AND, AND INTO HE JAKE HIM UP.

AND I SAID, WHOA, WHOA, HOLD IT BROTHER.

I SAID, NO, THAT MAN HAS BEEN HIT.

HE'S NOT DRUNK, HE'S NOT ON DRUGS.

AND I TOLD THEM, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, MEMORIAL SHOULD HAVE PUT THAT MAN IN A, IF THEY WASN'T GONNA TAKE CARE OF HIM, THEY SHOULD HAVE SENT HIM TO A HOSPITAL, A PACIFIC MEMORIAL.

WHAT THEY WERE SAYING, THEY SHOULD HAVE SENT HIM OVER THERE WITH SOMETHING BECAUSE THIS MAN WAS OBVIOUSLY OUT OF HIS MIND.

HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE HE WAS.

HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GET THERE.

THAT'S WHY HE ASKED ME, WHERE IS PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY? I SAID, YOU GOT ABOUT SEVEN, EIGHT BLOCKS BEFORE.

'CAUSE WE WAS AT WILLOW AND ATLANTIC.

I SAID, YOU GOT ABOUT SEVEN, EIGHT BLOCKS.

BUT THE, THE, THE WAY THE, UH, THE UM, OFFICER, I MEAN THE, UM, FIRE DEPARTMENT GUY TREATED HIM WHEN HE GOT THERE.

THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE, UH, UNRU ME, I'M A VIETNAM VET.

I I'M AN AMERICAN.

I SERVE MY COUNTRY.

I'M A DISABLED VET.

BUT HEY, LOOK, I DON'T, I I'M NOT GONNA SEE ANYONE MISTREATED THAT WAY.

AND SO WHEN I GOT HOME, I SAID SOMETHING TO MY, THE, THE GUY THAT I WORKED FOR, AND HE SAID TO ME, HE SAID, WELL, PROBABLY 'CAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE INSURANCE.

I SAID, WELL, OKAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT HOW YOU TREAT ANYONE.

DO.

WE ARE AMERICAN.

THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THEY DON'T NEED TO TREAT PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

I MEAN, THEY COULD'VE, IT'S A BETTER WAY.

A BETTER WAY.

'CAUSE HE COULD'VE DIED.

'CAUSE HE WAS, HE WAS.

AND HE, LIKE I SAID, THE GUY, THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP.

DIDN'T KNOW WHERE HE WAS.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR FLAGGING THAT FOR US.

WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT.

THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JULIE HEISEN.

HI, AS YOU SAID, I'M JULIE HYEN.

UM, WHILE DROPPING MY DAUGHTER OFF AT PRACTICE YESTERDAY, I SAW A MAN DART ACROSS TRAFFIC.

WHEN WE WERE DRIVING DOWN ANAHEIM, NEAR ANAHEIM AND WALNUT NEAR THE LIBRARY, I LOOKED TO SEE WHAT WAS WORTH HIM GETTING HIT BY A CAR.

'CAUSE WE WERE ACTUALLY DRIVING, NOT, YOU KNOW, AT THE STOPLIGHT.

I LOOKED TO THE RIGHT AND SAW A GROUP OF PEOPLE SITTING ON THE SIDEWALK.

THERE WAS A FEMALE SMOKING A CRACK PIPE.

I HAD GONE 45 YEARS, NEVER SEEN A CRACK PIPE.

NOW I'VE SEEN IT TWICE IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.

WHAT'S GOING ON? I CALLED THE POLICE TO REPORT AND THE DISPATCH SAID, OH, WE'LL GO OUT THERE AND TELL 'EM TO STOP.

REALLY TO STOP ON SEVENTH AND REDONDO.

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR AGAIN.

WE WERE WALKING, THERE WAS A MAN WALKING DOWN THE STREET NEAR REDONDO AND SEVENTH STREET.

HE WAS SMOKING A CRACK PIPE.

THAT WAS THE OTHER TIME I'VE SEEN IT.

MY DAUGHTER, ALONG WITH OTHER STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS HAVE TO GO THROUGH, UM, PEOPLE SITTING AT SEVEN ELEVENS.

THEY OPEN THE DOOR VERY NICE MOST OF THE TIME OR TALKING TO THEMSELVES OR WHATEVER.

SHE CAN'T EVEN GO INTO SEVEN 11.

AND THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE RIGHT THERE CAN'T EITHER WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE GATEKEEPERS, WHICH ARE THE HOMELESS PEOPLE, UNHOUSED CITIZENS SITTING ON THE CURB OR, OR AT THE DOOR.

UM, WHEN I TRY TO GO GET CHICKEN AT CHURCH'S CHICKEN, IT'S LIKE I HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE COURAGE AND BRAVERY TO GO THROUGH THAT DRIVE-THROUGH.

I HAVE TO WANT SOME CHICKEN REAL BAD TO GO GET IN THAT DRIVE-THROUGH WHERE THE

[00:50:01]

ENCAMPMENTS ARE.

GOD KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON IN THERE.

I TRY NOT TO EVEN LOOK.

IT'S SO MANY OF 'EM.

I DON'T EVEN MAKE EYE CONTACT OR EVEN LOOK, THERE'S A PARK, UM, ON ALAMEDO SINCE SEVENTH.

I THOUGHT WE WEREN'T LETTING HOMELESS PEOPLE OR ADULTS BE IN KIDS PARKS, BUT IT'S BEEN OVERRUN WITH HOMELESS RIGHT ON THE CORNER WHERE THE MUSEUMS ARE.

THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.

I HAVE VIDEO, BUT I, I NEED TO GET ON THE AGENDA IN ORDER TO SHOW YOU WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

IF YOU HAVEN'T DRIVE AROUND THE BLOCK.

I DID IT FOR LIKE FIVE MINUTES TO SHOW YOU GUYS AND TELL YOU IT WAS RIDICULOUS.

THERE WAS TOO MANY TO EVEN TELL YOU.

IT'S EVERYWHERE.

ALAMITOS IN SEVENTH, SEVENTH IN ATLANTIC.

THAT'S LIKE A MINI SKI ROLE ON A LUNCH BREAK.

IF I GO TO LUNCH AND I WANNA GO TO EL POYA LOCAL, I GO THROUGH THE DRIVE THROUGH AND I GOTTA GET BY THE GUY WHO'S CHANGING IN THE, UH, PARKING LOT OR IN THE, UM, IN THE ALLEYWAY.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS HIS AREA.

I'M IN HIS WAY.

IF I GO UP AND DOWN LONG BEACH BOULEVARD, IT'S RIDICULOUS.

I CAN'T EVEN NAME ONE SPOT, BUT I'VE BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE STREET.

A GUY WILL HAVE A BLANKET ON AND LAY DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION WITH HIS BLANKET ON AND TAKE A NAP OR WHATEVER HE'S DOING.

I CONTACTED THE CITY MANAGER.

UH, FOUR SPEAKERS LE THREE SPEAKERS LEFT.

WE HAVE MICHAEL DURHAM AND THEN RILEY CARPENTER.

AND THEN ELIZABETH.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

UM, I'M KIND OF PIGGYBACKING OFF JULIAN.

WE NEVER MET BEFORE, BUT I'M JUST GONNA GO INTO IT.

UM, I LIVE IN THE ARTS DISTRICT.

I'M A PHOTOGRAPHER AND I HAVE PEOPLE COMING OVER THERE, WHETHER IT'S CLIENTS OR NOT.

AND, UM, I LIVE NEAR GOVERNOR PARK, WHICH IS A REALLY BIG PROBLEM RIGHT NOW.

HUGE.

UM, IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT FOR, UH, LAST COUPLE YEARS, I BELIEVE.

UM, GOVERNOR PARK WAS FUNDED $2.83 MILLION STATE, UH, THROUGH PROPOSITION 84, WHICH IS A STATEWIDE PARK DELL, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PROGRAM.

UM, WHEN IT WAS FIRST BUILT, I THOUGHT, WOW, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PARK.

YOU KNOW? AND AT FIRST I THOUGHT, MAYBE THAT SHOULD BE AN AREA WHERE THEY'RE GONNA PUT PARKING LOTS.

I THOUGHT THAT'S A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED PARKING IN LONG BEACH.

AND THEN THAT CAME UP AND I THOUGHT, OKAY, THAT'LL BE BEAUTIFUL.

AND THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS WHEN IT WAS OPEN, I SEE FEW PEOPLE COMING IN THERE, CHILDREN AND WHATNOT, AND THEY'VE DESIGNED THE PARK FOR, FOR CHILDREN.

THERE'S A LITTLE SKATE PARK THERE, THERE'S A PLAYGROUND THERE.

AND, UM, THROUGH THE YEARS, IT'S JUST BEEN DECLINING AND DECLINING AND DECLINING.

UH, PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE, THE HOMELESSNESS THAT THAT IS THERE.

UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY THINK THAT, THAT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH SHOULD START, UM, OBSERVING AND START DOING IS WHEN THEY HAVE ORDINANCES.

LIKE THERE'S AN ORDINANCE HERE, 14.0, 4.01 OBSTRUCTING.

NO PERSON SHALL, UH, CONGREGATE UPON USE OF ANY STREET, ALLEY, PIER PARK, YOU KNOW, SO FORTH.

AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER ONE, ORDINANCE, PARKS AND BENCHES.

16.6 0.01.

NO PERSON SHALL DO ANY OF THE ACTS HEREAFTER, ENUMERATED WITHIN THE LIMITS OF ANY PUBLIC PARK, PUBLIC BEACH, BEACH AREA, PARKING LOT, BICYCLE PATH, UH, PUBLIC BUILDING.

AND, UM, IT'S, AND THE LETTER E IT SAYS CAMP.

YOU CANNOT CAMP UNLESS IT'S AN EXECUTIVE AND DESIGNATED AREA.

ALL THESE THINGS HAVE NOT BEEN DONE.

AND GRANTED, THERE ARE, WHEN I CALL, WHICH IS PROBABLY TWO TIMES A WEEK, I CALL, I LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY'RE THE SAME PEOPLE HERE.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THESE PEOPLE, UH, THE THE HOMELESS PEOPLE, THEY, YOU KNOW, THE HOMELESS SERVICES COME IN AND THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, DO YOU WANT HELP AND WHATNOT? AND A LOT OF 'EM SAY NO BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE DOING DRUGS AND THEY DON'T WANT TO, THEY DON'T WANNA STOP DOING DRUGS.

AND WHAT'S HAPPENED IS THAT THEY, WHEN THEY'RE LET, THEY'RE ASKED TO LEAVE, THEY'LL LEAVE, BUT THEY'LL LEAVE LIKE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.

AND THEN WHEN THE COPS LEAVE AND THEN ANYBODY ELSE LEAVE, THEY COME RIGHT BACK.

AND ANOTHER THING IS THERE IS A GREEN TENT, EIGHT TO 10 MAN TENT RIGHT THERE IN THE FRONT OF GOVERNOR PARK.

AND I THOUGHT, GOD, ARE THEY GONNA LEAVE? AND THEY DID IT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST FOR ME.

YOU GUYS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS ST.

ANTHONY'S HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT THERE.

'CAUSE I LIVE OFF OF, UH, LOS ALTO ALAMEDOS, AND SEVENTH, THERE'S ST.

ANTHONY'S HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THEN ON SIXTH, THERE'S ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THESE KIDS HAVE TO PASS BY.

ABOUT 70 INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING MYSELF, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 30TH.

YOUR TIME IS UP.

THESE HOMELESS PEOPLE.

MM-HMM.

SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT IS RILEY CARPENTER.

HELLO MARIN COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS RILEY CARPENTER AND I HAVE BEEN AN EMPLOYEE WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS.

AND I'M CURRENTLY EMPLOYED WITH THE COMMUNICABLE DISEASE SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL DIVISION AS AN EPIDEMIOLOGY PROGRAM SPECIALIST.

I'M HERE REGARDING THE LOSS OF FUNDING OF

[00:55:01]

THE MAJORITY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, AGAIN, INCLUDING MYSELF, ARE CAREER STAFF.

MEANING THAT WE ARE NOT TEMPORARY, UH, SLASH NON-CAREER.

EVEN IF THESE JOBS ARE FOUND, EVEN IF JOBS ARE FOUND ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS, IT STILL LEAVES BEHIND A CRITICALLY UNDERSTAFFED TEAM TO PERFORM THE DUTIES NECESSARY FOR ACCREDITATION AND TO FULFILL REGULATORY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS NOW OUR THIRD ROUND OF LAYOFFS OR LOSS OF FUNDING SINCE 2022.

WITH ONGOING OUTBREAKS SUCH AS THE TUBERCULOSIS OUTBREAK AND LARGE UPCOMING EVENTS SUCH AS THE 2028 OLYMPICS.

WE NEED TO INVEST IN PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY FROM THE THREAT OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASE.

AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE MORE STAFF WHEN COMMUNICABLE DISEASE RESPONSE AND INTERVENTIONS ARE SUCCESSFUL.

OUR IMPACT OFTEN GOES UNNOTICED.

OUR IN OUR INVISIBILITY IS A TESTAMENT TO OUR EFFECTIVENESS.

WHEN COMMUNICABLE DISEASE RESPONSE IS INSUFFICIENT, OUTCOMES CAN BE DEVASTATING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INCLUDING SEVERE ILLNESS AND EVEN DEATH.

TO ENSURE THE CONTINUED HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY, WE ARE REQUESTING YOUR SUPPORT FOR INCREASED AND SUSTAINED INVESTMENT IN THE VITAL DUTIES WE PERFORM.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO MY STORY AND I HOPE YOU'LL SUPPORT LONG BEACH HEALTH STAFF.

ALRIGHT, FINAL SPEAKER, ELIZABETH.

HELLO, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS ELIZABETH MARQUEZ AND I'M A SENIOR EPIDEMIOLOGIST WITH THE COMMUNICABLE DISEASE SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL DIVISION.

AND I'M HERE REGARDING THE LOSS OF FUNDING FOR MYSELF AND 70, UM, COWORKERS EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 30TH.

UH, THE HEAVY RELIANCE ON ON GRANT FUNDS, UM, WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, CONTINUOUSLY JEOPARDIZES ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS AND THREATENS COMMUNITY HEALTH.

THE CITY MUST INVEST IN ESTABLISHED SUSTAINED FUNDING FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

ADDITIONALLY, I'M HERE TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPACTS THIS WILL HAVE ON FIVE KEY PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE DISABILITY ACCESS AND FUNCTIONAL NEEDS EPIDEMIOLOGY, HEALTHCARE ACQUIRED INFECTIONS, COMMUNICABLE DISEASE INVESTIGATIONS, AND VITAL RECORDS.

TOGETHER THEY'RE, UM, AT RISK OF LOSING OVER 75% OF THEIR STAFF, WHICH IS ALREADY A PRETTY SMALL TEAM.

UH, THESE TEAMS HAVE LED AND RESPONDED TO AT LEAST, UM, TO THREE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

UH, OCS, COVID-19 AND TUBERCULOSIS.

WITHOUT ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RAPIDLY RESPOND TO A FOODBORNE DISEASE.

UM, OUTBREAKS WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TRACK AND RES RESPOND TO.

UM, MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT, UM, OUTBREAKS AND DISEASE REPORTS INCLUDING, UM, CANADA ALBICAN.

SO FUNGUS THAT ARE RESISTANT TO MANY DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS, MEANING THESE PEOPLE JUST, THEY DON'T GET BETTER.

UM, THERE IS AN INCREASE IN, UM, MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT GONORRHEA THAT'S GONNA BE AFFECTING, UM, OUR YOUTH AND, UH, YOUNG ADULTS.

UH, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAS THE SECOND HIGHEST RATE OF STI INFECTIONS IN THE ENTIRE STATE.

UH, WE ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR FORESEEING SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS OF, OF THIS, UM, SPECIFIC STRAIN OF GONORRHEA.

WE, UH, WILL BE UNABLE TO PLAN AND PREPARE FOR EMERGING AND, UM, EMERGING IN INFECTIONS AND DISEASES INCLUDING AVIAN, INFLUENZA, DENGUE, AND MEASLES.

WE'LL BE UNABLE TO, UH, PREPARE FOR LARGE EVENTS, INCLUDING THE 28 ALLEY OLYMPICS.

UM, THAT WHERE WE ANTICIPATE TO SEE MANY INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS.

UH, PARIS ALONE SAW AN ESTIMATED 15.3 MILLION INDIVIDUALS WHO VISITED, UM, PARIS, UM, ASSOCIATED TO OLYMPICS.

SO YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE, UM, THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS COMING TO VISIT INCREASING RISK HERE IN THE CITY.

UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO, UH, MEET MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCREDITATION AND, UH, REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS.

UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'RE CURRENTLY IN A TUBERCULOSIS OUTBREAK AND THE REASON THE CITY ENDED UP IN THE PLACE THAT IT'S CURRENTLY AT IS DUE TO UNDERFUNDING AND UNDERSTAFFING OF THAT PROGRAM.

SO WE ASK FOR YOUR SUSTAINED SUPPORT, UM, OR ACTUALLY GIVE US SUPPORT, UM, AND CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN THAT.

TO REQUEST CITY COUNCIL APPROVE A SUPPORT POSITION ON PROPOSITION FOUR.

ALRIGHT, BIG TOPICS ON PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.

THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT AND SPEAKING WITH US.

WE HEAR EVERYTHING YOU SAY.

UH, WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM 41 PLEASE.

ITEM 40 ONES COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ORANGA, CHAIR OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.

RECOMMENDATION

[41. 24-54495 Recommendation to request City Council approve a support position on Proposition 4. Office or Department: Roberto Uranga, Councilmember, Seventh District, Chair; Intergovernmental Affairs Committee Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

AND PLACING THIS IMPORTANT ITEM ON TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL AGENDA WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO TAKE A POSITION OF SUPPORT.

SO FIRST I WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA AND THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE FOR TAKING THIS TIME TO STUDY AND DISCUSS, UH, PROPOSITION FOUR AT THEIR MEETING LAST TUESDAY,

[01:00:01]

SO, PROPOSITION FOUR, THE, THE SAFE DRINKING WATER, FIRE PREVENTION DROUGHT PREPAREDNESS, AND CLEAN AIR BOND ACT OF 2024.

THAT IS A LONG NAME FOR A BALLOT, UH, IS A STATE BOND MEASURE THAT REPRESENTS THE LARGEST INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC IN PUBLIC RESOURCES FOR CLIMATE ACTION AND CLIMATE RESILIENCY EFFORTS IN THE STATE'S HISTORY.

IF APPROVED BY VOTERS PROPOSITION FOUR WOULD AUTHORIZE THE USE OF $10 BILLION IN STATE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR SAFE DRINKING WATER AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, WILDFIRE PREVENTION, EXTREME HEAT MITIGATION, PROTECTION OF NATURAL LANDS, PARKS, COASTLANDS BAYS, OCEANS, AND FUNDING FOR CLEAN ENERGY INITIATIVES.

SO THEY HAVE AN IMPACT ON LONG BEACH AS WELL.

UH, THIS HAS A POTENTIAL TO BUILD UP OUR CITY'S RESILIENCE AGAINST THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER FROM EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.

IN RECENT YEARS, WE'VE SEEN MORE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS AND WINTER STORMS AND RAIN UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS OF RAINFALL THAT HAVE CAUSED, UH, REAL FLOODING HERE IN LONG BEACH.

PROPERTY DAMAGE SEWAGE SPILLS THAT HAVE LEFT LASTING EFFECTS ON THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN LONG BEACH AND ACROSS LA COUNTY.

SO WE NEED ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE DOLLARS TO BUILD A MORE CLIMATE RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE, PARTICULARLY AROUND OUR WATERSHEDS.

AND EVERYONE KNOWS WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM OF TWO RIVERS AND SEVERAL WATERSHEDS HERE IN LONG BEACH.

AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN IN PLACE A LONG TIME.

WE'RE 120 5-YEAR-OLD CITY AND WE, UH, WE HAVE TO UPDATE THIS INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO WHAT PROPOSITION FOUR DOES, UH, IS, IS IT IT HELPS TO, UH, MAINTAIN OUR WATERSHED INFRASTRUCTURE, IMPROVE STORM WATER CAPTURE, AND REDUCE THE RISK OF FLOODING AND IMPROVE WATER QUALITY ON RIVERS AND BEACHES, WHICH ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US.

UH, THE BOND MEASURE ALSO INCLUDES, AND THIS IS REALLY EXCITING, $475 MILLION TO SUPPORT, UH, PORT PORT OF LONG BEACH'S CUTTING EDGE PURE WIND PROJECT.

SO THIS FLOATING, FLOATING OFFSHORE WIND STAGING INTEGRATION FACILITY WILL CREATE MORE THAN 10,000 GREEN JOBS FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AND SIGNIFICANTLY HELPED STATE THE STATE MEET ITS CLEAN ENERGY GOALS.

UH, AND SO THESE, UH, THIS FOR THIS AND MANY OTHER REASONS, THIS IS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT LONG BEACH TAKE A POSITION IN SUPPORT OF THIS PARTICULAR STATE.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS ON THE BALLOT IN THE STATE, BUT THIS ONE HAS A REAL IMPACT ON HELPING THE CHART A CLIMATE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IN LONG BEACH.

SO THAT SAID, I WANNA PASS IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA, THERE'S NOTHING TO PASS OVER.

MAYOR, YOU SAY IT ALL.

THAT'S MY JOB.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.

I THINK YOU GOTTA HIT THE MOTION, THE BUTTON TO MAKE A MOTION.

COUNCIL MEMBER KER, UH, STRONG SUPPORT.

ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.

COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.

UH, AS, UH, COUNCILMAN ARANGA SAID, YOU GAVE A GREAT DESCRIPTION OF THIS.

UM, PROP FOUR IS INTERESTING FOR ME BECAUSE I'M USUALLY AGAINST HUGE BONDS LIKE THIS, BUT I WILL SAY DISTRICT THREE HAS A HUGE NEED FOR FUNDING FROM THE STATE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS.

UM, WITH THE STATE PHASING OUT ONCE THROUGH COOLING SYSTEMS, WHICH WE HAVE RELIED ON FOR CIRCULATION IN ALAMEDOS BAY FOR DECADES, UH, WE'RE GONNA NEED TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE STATE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ALAMITOS BAY WATER QUALITY REMAINS AT ACCEPTABLE LEVELS.

AND ALAMITOS BAY IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT THE WHOLE CITY CAN ENJOY.

UM, WE HAVE PROJECTS LIKE THE GREEN BELT AND GREENBELT HEIGHTS THAT CAN TURN VACANT PROPERTY INTO A NATIVE GARDEN, UH, STORM WITH STORM WATER CA CAPTURE.

UM, AND WE HAVE OTHER PROJECTS LIKE BEE REPLENISHMENT, UM, AND OTHER PROJECTS WITH REGARD TO SEA LEVEL RISE.

SO WE JUST, MANAGEMENT OF THESE PROJECTS, UM, IS REALLY, THERE'S A LOT OF PROJECTS IN DISTRICT THREE THAT WOULD, WOULD REALLY RELY ON THIS.

SO FOR THE CONTINUED QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT THREE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.

WE DO HAVE FUNDING SOURCES FOR THIS, THESE MAJOR PROJECTS, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE DECLINING OIL REVENUES.

UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

COUNCILMAN DUGGAN.

TO TAKE AN OFFICIAL POSITION IN SUPPORT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING HOMELESSNESS SOLUTION AND PREVENTION NOW CITIZENS INITIATIVE.

UH, ITEM 40 PLEASE.

ITEM 40 IS COMMUNICATION FROM MAYOR RICHARDSON, VICE MAYOR ALLEN COUNCILMAN KERR, COUNCIL MEMBER ORANGA RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST CITY COUNCIL

[40. 24-54510 Recommendation to request City Council to take an official position in support of the Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, And Prevention Now Citizens’ Initiative. Office or Department: Rex Richardson, Mayor; Cindy Allen, Vice Mayor, Second District; Megan Kerr, Councilwoman, Fifth District; Roberto Uranga, Councilmember, Seventh District Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

[01:05:01]

RIGHT.

THEY'LL DEDICATE THAT FUNDING.

SO, UH, YOU PROBABLY COULD HEAR FROM MANY OF THE FOLKS IN LINE.

HOMELESSNESS IS AN INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ISSUE HERE IN LONG BEACH.

UH, AND ACROSS OUR REGION AND ACROSS OUR STATE.

OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THE POTENTIAL IMPACT AND SIGNIFICANCE OF A CITIZEN DRIVEN INITIATIVE, UH, THAT HAS GONE ACROSS THE COUNTY.

400,000 RESIDENTS SIGNED TO PUT A BOLD NEW WAY TO ADDRESS THIS CHALLENGE ON THE BALLOT.

UH, AND THIS IS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, SOLUTIONS AND PREVENTION NOW INITIATIVE.

AND SO, UH, WITH THE ELECTION, UH, ABOUT 80 DAYS AWAY, NOW'S THE TIME FOR US TO BEGIN TO, UH, TAKE POSITIONS AND 'CAUSE A LOT OF EDUCATION IS GONNA BE BEGIN TO TAKE PLACE OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, UH, ABOUT WHAT'S AT STAKE FOR NOVEMBER, UH, AND WHAT, HOW IT IMPACTS LONG BEACH.

AND SO THIS IS CALLED LA COUNTY PROPOSITION.

A, UH, PROPOSITION A WILL BENEFIT LONG BEACH IN THREE VERY SPECIFIC AND CONCRETE WAYS.

ONE, UH, IT PROVIDES DEDICATED FUNDING FOR HOUSING.

THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT GIVEN WE HAVEN'T HAD A DEDICATED SOURCE OF LOCAL REVENUE FOR HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION SINCE THE LOSS OF REDEVELOPMENT IN 2013, UH, FIVE YEARS AFTER WE SAW THAT FUNDING GO AWAY, UH, YOU SAW A HOUSING CRISIS BE DECLARED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IN 2018.

SO WHEN THE FUNDING GOES AWAY, AND IT TYPICALLY TAKES ABOUT FIVE YEARS TO BUILD HOUSING, YOU SEE A CRISIS MANIFEST.

AND AFTER THE 2018 HOUSING CRISIS, 2020 HAPPENED, AND WE SAW SOME OF THE WORST LEVELS OF HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT OUR STATE HAS EVER SEEN.

AND LONG BEACH IS A TOP 10 CITY IN THE STATE.

IT MANIFESTS HERE TOO.

SO WE HAVE TO BE A PART OF THE REGIONAL SOLUTION IF WE'RE GOING TO SEE, UH, CHANGES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

THE FIRST CONCRETE WAY IS DEDICATED FUNDING FOR HOUSING IN LONG BEACH.

THE PROJECTIONS ARE BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MILLION THAT WE CAN RECEIVE IN LONG BEACH EVERY YEAR.

THAT'S RELATIVELY, RELATIVELY COMPARABLE TO THE NUMBERS WE USED TO HAVE AT REDEVELOPMENT AROUND 20, 25 MILLION A YEAR.

SO THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.

NUMBER TWO, THE WAY THAT WE FUND OUR HOMELESS SERVICES IN LONG BEACH IS SET TO EXPIRE.

UH, THAT'S CURRENTLY MEASURE H SO THAT'S A COUNTYWIDE SALES TAX THAT'S SET TO EXPIRE, I BELIEVE AT THE END OF 26.

WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THE WAY THAT WE FUND OUR SERVICES AND SUPPORT, MANY OF OUR SHELTERS WILL END AND THERE WILL BE A CASCADE EFFECT.

AND THE SHELTERS THAT WE'VE STOOD UP, WE'VE DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF SHELTER WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

MANY OF THEM WILL CLOSE.

THAT'S A REALITY.

THEY'RE NOT FUNDED LOCALLY.

IF THE FUNDING GOES AWAY, THOSE SHELTERS WILL CLOSE.

IT WILL EXACERBATE OUR HOMELESS PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THERE'LL BE REALLY NO PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO AS IT RELATES TO, UM, UH, GETTING OFF THE STREET.

AND SO THIS CURRENT MEASURE, MEASURE A CONTINUES FUNDING FOR THOSE LIFE-SAVING HOMELESS SERVICES HERE IN LONG BEACH AND ACROSS LA COUNTY.

SO NUMBER ONE WAS HOUSING FUNDING.

THERE WAS NOTHING BEFORE THAT WILL EXIST.

NOW, TWO DEDICATED HOUSING, UH, HOMELESS FUNDING, THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

NOW HERE'S THE THIRD WAY THAT THIS UNIQUELY IMPACTS LONG BEACH, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT A LONG BEACH MEASURE, IT'S A CITIZEN DRIVEN MEASURE.

THE MEASURE RE REPEALS THE FORMER MEASURE H.

NOW HERE'S WHY THAT'S KEY.

IT ALLOWS OUR LOCAL, OUR LOCAL MEASURE A, THAT THE VOTERS PASSED BACK IN, UH, WHAT WAS IT, 2020, TOM, WHEN WAS MEASURE A 20 20 20 19.

SO WE APPROVED A SALES TAX BACK THEN TO SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE OF 1 CENT.

WE ONLY ACTUALLY COLLECT 75 CENTS OF IT BECAUSE LA COUNTY PROPOSITION H CAPTURED THAT FINAL 25 CENTS.

WHY IS THAT KEY FOR US WHEN H IS REPEALED? THE TAX THAT WE PASSED IN LONG BEACH, THAT VOTERS PASSED A FEW YEAR, FIVE YEARS AGO, WE WILL, WILL BE MADE WHOLE.

SO RATHER THAN RECEIVING 75 CENTS, YOU RECEIVE A FULL CENT.

UH, WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? WE HAVE A, A DEFICIT ON HAND OF ABOUT $61 MILLION.

THIS CLOSES ABOUT $25 MILLION OF THAT DEFICIT.

SO IT TAKES AWAY A BIG DEFICIT AND ALLOWS US TO RESTORE AND SAVE SERVICES, SPECIFICALLY MEASURE A SERVICES THAT ARE POLICE, FIRE, AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

THAT'S WHY THIS IS IN INCREDIBLY KEY.

SO THIS MEANS STABLE FUNDING, UH, THROUGH SOME VERY DIFFICULT YEARS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS, STREET IMPROVEMENTS.

NOW, THE OTHER KEY THING IS THAT THE, THE HOUSING FUNDING IS GONNA BE ADMINISTERED THROUGH A NEW AGENCY CALLED LOS ANGELES COUNTY AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS AGENCY.

AND WE HAVE REPRESENTATION ON THAT BOARD.

LONG BEACH HAS A DEDICATED SEAT.

I HOLD THAT SEAT ON THAT BOARD.

COUNCIL MEMBER KERR IS THE ALTERNATE BOARD.

AND IN FACT, I'M CHAIR OF THE BOARD, WHICH GIVES US, UH, REAL REPRESENTATION HERE IN LONG BEACH TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FUND THOSE FUNDS, MAKE IT TO OUR LONG BEACH, UH, COMMUNITIES, UH, IN, IN AN ADEQUATE WAY.

AND SO, AS WE SPEAK WITH, UH, COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, BUSINESSES, UH, MANY OTHERS, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY KNOW, UH, WHERE, WHERE THE

[01:10:01]

MAYOR AND WHERE THE CITY COUNCIL STANDS ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.

AS THIS CONVERSATION IS HAPPENING ACROSS THE REGION, WE'RE THE SECOND LARGEST CITY.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO TAKE A POSITION HERE.

AND AS A PROVEN LEADER IN DRIVING SOLUTIONS ON ISSUES LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE'VE BUILT MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAN THE NEXT NINE CITIES, UH, COMBINED IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'VE ENTITLED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, UH, AND WE HAVE JUST FINALLY SEEING A REDUCTION FOR THE FIRST TIME, UH, IN SEVEN YEARS ON HOMELESSNESS, NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO TURN BACK.

IN FACT, WE HAVE TO DO MORE IF WE'RE GONNA REALLY MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE.

AND SO THIS MEASURE, UH, PROVIDES US WITH THE TOOLS AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED TO ACCELERATE OUR PROGRESS.

AND SO THAT SAID, UH, WE WILL, UH, TAKE IT BEHIND THE RAIL COUNCIL MEMBER YANGA, MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN CORRECT THE RECORD REAL QUICK.

SURE.

UH, FIRST MERE WAS IN 2016.

16 AND EXTENSION WAS IN 2022.

2022.

YES.

WAS IT 22? IT WASN'T 22.

THE EXTENSION WAS IN, I THINK, I BELIEVE IT WAS 2022.

I THINK IT WAS 2020.

YOU DOUBLE CHECK THAT.

IT WAS SIX YEARS AFTER.

OKAY, GREAT.

I BELIEVE HE KNOWS, BUT IT WAS FIRST IN 2016.

WE AGREE ON THAT.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA, GETTING MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR A VERY THOROUGH DESCRIPTION.

BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT HOUSING IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE HERE IN LONGTON.

GLAD TO PUSH THIS FORWARD, UH, FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.

YES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS IMPORTANT ITEM COMING BEFORE LA COUNTY VOTERS THIS NOVEMBER LA COUNTY, UH, MEASURE A.

AND I WANNA THANK YOU ALSO FOR THAT THOROUGH OVERVIEW AND TAKING OFF SOME OF THE LINES IN MY NOTES.

SO I'LL TRY TO BE CONCISE.

IN AUGUST, 2021, BEFORE I WAS A MEMBER OF THIS BODY, THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY IN SUPPORT OF SB 6 7 9, WHICH CREATED LA CASA, THE AGENCY TO WHICH MAYOR RICHARDSON IS THE CHAIR THIS YEAR AS AN APPROACH TO HOUSING CRISIS ON A REGIONAL BASIS.

I'M GRATEFUL FOR OUR CITY'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE LA CASA BOARD SINCE INEP ITS INCEPTION, AND ESPECIALLY OUR MAYOR AS CHAIR THIS YEAR IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE AGENCY'S IMPORTANT WORK.

THIS BALLOT MEASURE BEFORE THE VOTERS HAS BEEN WORKED ON BY A COALITION OF NEARLY 100 EXPERTS, PROVIDERS, LABOR GROUPS, AND ADVOCATES FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS.

IT IS THE FIRST COUNTYWIDE VOTER INITIATIVE, NO SMALL FEAT IN A COUNTY OF OVER 10 MILLION PEOPLE.

THE MERITS OF THE MEASURE ARE IN LINE WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND WILL FOR THE FIRST TIME WORK TO BRING SOLUTIONS TO THE HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING CRISIS FROM A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE, MORE HOUSING, MORE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, MORE ACCOUNTABILITY.

WE KNOW THAT HERE IN LONG BEACH, WE'RE DOING OUR PART TO OFFER SERVICES, INCREASE SHELTER SPACE, AND BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

THIS MEASURE AND LA CASA WILL SUPPORT NOT ONLY OUR EFFORTS WITH A DIRECT FUNDING ALLOCATION, BUT WE'LL SUPPORT AND FUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITIES AND CITIES AROUND THE COUNTY TO INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY AS WELL, THEREBY ALLEVIATING SOME OF THE WORK THAT LONG BEACH HAS BEEN DOING AND COMMITTED TO FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.

UH, I URGE MY COLLEAGUE SUPPORT ON THIS ITEM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOTERS TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS MEASURE OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.

I URGE THE COURT.

THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR ALLEN.

AND MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN ONE MORE TIME, I'M SORRY.

SURE.

DO HAVE TO MAKE A SECOND CORRECTION.

YOU WERE CORRECT.

UH, IT WAS 2016 AND THEN FOUR YEARS LATER IT WAS 2020, UH, BEFORE IT, SO YOU WERE CORRECT.

IT'S NOT OFTEN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT'S NOT OFTEN, BUT IT DOES, YOU KNOW, IT DOES HAPPEN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PRESERVING EXISTING AFFORDABLE UNITS AND SUPPORTING OWNERSHIP, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH.

VICE MAYOR ALLEN.

ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU MAYOR FOR, UH, INTRODUCING THIS ITEM.

I DEFINITELY WAS PROUD, UH, TO SIGN ON.

I THINK IT'S, UH, IMPORTANT THAT THE CITY TAKES A SUPPORT POSITION ON THE MEASURE AS, UM, AS MY, UH, COLLEAGUES ALREADY SPOKE OF, IT DIRECTLY ADDRESSES OUR HOUSING AND OUR HOMELESSNESS CHALLENGES.

UM, IN 2021, I WAS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF LA CASA BECAUSE I KNEW HOW IMPORTANT THE AGENCY COULD BE, AND THE MEASURE WILL GIVE LA CASA, WHICH IS CHAIRED BY OUR MAYOR, UM, THE FUNDING TO ADVANCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COUNTYWIDE, AND THEN JUST OVERALL PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES, UH, BOTH, UH, TO, UH, FOR HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS.

AND BY REPLACING MEASURE A AND ADOPTING THIS INITIATIVE, WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, MORE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AND OTHER CRITICAL RESOURCES, UM, THAT WILL SUPPORT, UH, FOLKS WITH HOMELESSNESS.

UM, IT ALSO WILL, UM, EXPAND, UH, TENANT SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND ACCESS TO PREVENTATIVE RESOURCES SUCH AS, UH, EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND HELP PREVENT HOMELESSNESS BEFORE IT BEGINS.

AND I KNOW THAT'S ESPECIALLY, UH, IMPORTANT IN MY DISTRICT, UM, WHERE WE HAVE RIGHT AROUND 65% OF MY CONSTITUENTS OR RENTERS, UM, IT'LL ALSO ENABLE US TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS OF WHAT YOU ASK.

I, AND SO THANK YOU FOR ASKING.

I SEE Y'ALL ALL ARE VERY, UH, LOOKING AT ME VERY ATTENTIVELY.

BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING MORE

[01:15:01]

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE COME OUT AND WE LEAD ON THIS MEASURE, UM, AND CAN'T UNDERSCORE HOW CRITICAL THIS OPPORTUNITY IS FOR OUR, UH, REGION AND THE POTENTIAL RESOURCES THAT WE MAY RECEIVE TO ADDRESS OUR HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS NEEDS.

SO THANK YOU MAYOR, SO MUCH FOR LEADING ON THIS.

AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR LEADERSHIP IN LA CASA.

UH, NEXT SPEAKER, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.

SO I WANNA START THE CONVERSATION BY JUST TALKING ABOUT THE PROCESS ON HOW THIS CAME TO BE ON THE AGENDA.

UM, THIS ITEM WAS PLACED ON THE SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA AS AN URGENT ITEM, BYPASSING THE NORMAL PROCESS, WHICH IS SET UP TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

I DO A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

I WOULD'VE SENT OUT A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THIS IF I, WE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO GET THE COMMUNITY INFORMATION ON IT.

UM, I WAS TOLD, WE WERE ALL TOLD LAST YEAR AS COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT THE SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA SHOULD ONLY BE USED FOR URGENT ITEMS BECAUSE IT CUTS RESIDENTS OUT OF THE DISCUSSION AND IT'S A BURDEN TO STAFF.

UM, WITH THE ELECTION THREE MONTHS AWAY, I HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING THIS ITEM COULDN'T HAVE GONE THROUGH THE REGULAR, UM, AGENDA ITEM PROCESS.

AND IF I WAS, IF I'M BEING ASKED TO VOTE TODAY, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS PURELY BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'RE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO GET OUR RESIDENTS INVOLVED IN THE DECISION MAKING OF, OF US SUPPORTING THIS.

UM, I, I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO LAY THIS ITEM OVER TO THE NEXT MEETING, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS AN EMERGENCY FOR THE CITY TO TAKE A POSITION ON A MEASURE FOR AN ELECTION IN THREE MONTHS.

WHO IS MAKING A MOTION? COUNCIL, ROBERTA.

COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA.

THERE'S A, OH, WHO IS THE MAKER? IS IT RIGHT? YEAH, IT'S YOU.

I, UH, A QUESTION, HOW CRITICAL IS IT THAT WE VOTE FOR TODAY? SO I CAN ANSWER? I I BROUGHT THIS FORWARD.

SO, UH, A FEW THINGS TO SPEAK ON THE URGENCY, IT'S INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

SO THE ELECTION SEASON COMES UP PRETTY, PRETTY QUICKLY HERE, AND WE, UH, I THINK THE NEXT TIME THIS WOULD BE AVAILABLE WOULD BE SEPTEMBER, UH, WHICH IS CLOSER TO THE ELECTION.

AND IT WOULD ALSO DIMINISH IMPACT THE CITY'S DECISION.

'CAUSE CITIES ARE MAKING DECISIONS RIGHT NOW ON WHERE THEIR, ON THEIR, WHAT THEIR POSITION IS.

AND, UH, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT FRANKLY ALIGNS WITH MANY OF OUR CORE PRIORITIES.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, UH, THAT WE LEAD ON THIS.

AND NOW IS THE MOST IMPACTFUL TIME TO MAKE A, MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE IT'S THE, BECAUSE OF HOW GREATLY THIS STANDS TO IMPACT OUR RESIDENTS.

SO WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE PRO ENTREPRENEURIAL, SHOW A LEADERSHIP ROLE HERE.

UM, AND THEN IN TERMS OF JUST THIS CONTENT, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS BEEN IN FRONT OF US.

IN FACT, UH, THIS CONVERSATION BEGAN THREE YEARS AGO IN 2021 WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL BEGAN TO TAKE THE POSITION IN SUPPORT OF SB 6 79 AND ENABLING LEGISLATION TO CREATE LA CASA.

AND THEN THERE WAS A NUMBER OF, UH, PRESENTATIONS LEADING UP TO TODAY ON OUR BUDGET THAT TALKED ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY.

UH, AND THEN IN PARTICULAR, IN MAY DURING LONG BEACH HOUSING INNOVATION WEEK, WE RECOGNIZED THAT THAT WAS THE SAME WEEK THAT 40,000 PEOPLE SUBMITTED SIGNATURES TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE.

AND THEN ON JUNE 11TH, WE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM CITY STAFF ON MEASURE A, WHICH IS OUR, ONE OF OUR LARGEST, UH, REVENUE DRIVERS AND THE SIGNIFICANT DIRECT ALLOCATIONS, UH, TO BOTH HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS AND THE INCREASES OF MEASURE A, UH, SO THAT WAS ON JUNE 11TH.

AND SO THERE, SO THIS, THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE THEIR DISCUSSION.

CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN PREPARED, THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE HOW THEY WANT TO VOTE BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER.

AND SO THERE WILL BE A LOT OF EDUCATION FOR THE PUBLIC, BUT THIS IS A DECIS DECISION FOR THE LEADERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE.

NOW I ALSO WANNA SAY, I DON'T WANNA TWIST ANY COUNCIL MEMBER'S ARM TO VOTE YES OR VOTE NO.

VOTE HOW YOU WANT TO VOTE, UM, BASED ON WHATEVER YOU FEEL, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT WE NEED TO DO IT NOW.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

YOU MAKE A, UH, COMPELLING ARGUMENT.

I'M DECLINING.

I DIDN'T HEAR WHAT HE SAID.

THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS AND PREVENTION.

SO, WE'LL NOW GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO WE HAVE, LET'S SEE, EIGHT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

IRMA FARRA LEAD, LYNN REED, LINHART, MYRA GARCIA CORTEZ, CIA, LOPEZ REYES, JILL, UH, ANDRE DONDO, AND ANTONIO HERNANDEZ AND PETE MARCH.

PLEASE COME FORWARD IF YOU HEARD YOUR NAME.

[01:20:07]

JUST COME ON DOWN.

IF YOU HEARD YOUR NAME.

IF YOU JUST SAY YOUR NAME, WE, IF IT COMES OUTTA ORDER, YOU SAY YOUR NAME.

UM, MY NAME IS MYRA FERNANDA AND I'M A RESIDENT OF COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO, AND I AM ALSO THE LEAD ORGANIZER FOR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS.

EMPOWERED.

THANK YOU, MAYOR RICHARDSON, VICE MAYOR ALLEN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ANG AND KER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

IN PUTTING THIS ITEM BEFORE THE COUNCIL.

AS A RENTER, I SUPPORT COUNTY MEASURE A AND URGE THE COUNCIL TO EXPRESS ITS SUPPORT AS WELL AS A RENTER AND ORGANIZER WORKING DIRECTLY WITH TENANTS.

I'VE SEEN HOW PEOPLE ARE OFTEN ONE EVICTION AWAY FROM BECOMING UNHOUSED, AND ONCE THEY LOSE THEIR HOME, IT BECOMES DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO ESCAPE THE CYCLES OF HOMELESSNESS WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORT.

NOW MEASURE A PRESENTS A NEW APPROACH BY ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS BY CREATING A MORE SAFE, UH, BY CREATING MORE SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOMES, EXPANDING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH, AND CREATING MORE ACCOUNTABILITY TO TRACK PROGRESS AND SUPPORT OF SUCCESSFUL HOMELESSNESS SERVICES.

IT'S ALS IT ALSO O OFFERS A PREVENTION FOCUS.

CURRENTLY ONLY 4% OF COUNTY FUNDING IS ALLOCATED TOWARDS PREVENTION.

THIS MEASURE EXPANDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS AND INVESTS FIVE TIMES MORE IN PREVENTION PROGRAMS LIKE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO STOP HOMELESSNESS BEFORE IT EVEN BEGINS.

PLEASE ENDORSE COUNTY MEASURE A AND HELP LONG BEACH MEET ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS AND COMMIT TO THE CRITICAL SERVICES THAT RENTERS AND UNHOUSED COMMUNITIES URGENTLY NEED.

I AM ANDREA DONNA, AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF LIBRE, OUR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS EMPOWERED.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT, VERY IMPORTANT ITEM TO, TO THE AGENDA.

LIBRE HAS AND CONTINUES TO WORK TOWARDS THE PASSAGE OF MERE, WE WERE IN THE STREETS COLLECTING SIGNATURES, AND NOW WE ARE HERE, OF COURSE, SUPPORTING YOU ALL ON THIS, UM, ON THIS.

UM, BECAUSE THIS MEASURE ENCOMPASSES ALL ASPECTS OF OUR MISSION STATEMENT, IT ADDRESSES THE ROOT CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS, BUT CREATING MORE SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOMES.

IT CREATES MORE ACCOUNTABILITY TO TRACK THE SUPPORT OF SUCCESSFUL HOMELESS SERVICES.

IT ALSO FOCUSES ON HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION.

BY SUPPORTING PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE STATE HOUSE LA PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL TO SO MANY PEOPLE THAT, UM, ARE ABLE TO STAY HOUSED.

LONG BEACH HAS ALREADY SEEN THE BENEFITS OF THIS PROGRAM MEASURE A WILL INCREASE THE REACH AND THE NUMBER THAT WE CAN SERVE.

THIS MEASURE IS A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION TO MATCH THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE AT GEORGE THE COUNCIL.

NOT ONLY TO SUPPORT THIS MEASURE, BUT TO JOIN US AS WE WALK THE STREETS AND TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THIS AMAZING MEASURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS IS A COMMUNITY LED INITIATIVE THAT WILL BRING SO MANY BENEFITS TO OUR CITY AND TO OUR COUNTY.

SO I NOT ONLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO PASS IT, BUT ALSO TO KNOCK ON DOORS WITH US AND EVERYWHERE THAT IS HERE TODAY.

HI, MY NAME IS JILL.

I BASICALLY GREW UP IN LONG BEACH.

UM, I WAS DISPLACED AND I THINK WITH THE SUPPORT AND PASSING OF MEASURE A I WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE BACK TO LONG BEACH WHERE I LOVE AND ENJOY.

SO, UM, I'M IN SUPPORT OF PASSING THIS MEASURE.

HOUSING AND FUNDS, RENTER PROTECTION PROGRAMS AND SERVICES SUCH AS THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL, WHICH WE ARE ALSO ADVOCATING AS PART OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET FIGHT.

UM, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS CIA LOPEZ REYES.

I AM THE CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR WITH THE LONG BEACH DETROIT JUSTICE ECONOMY.

UM, WITH LANE, WE ALSO CO-LEAD THE LONG BEACH HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION ALONGSIDE LIBRE.

THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZING EFFORTS, WE HAVE WITNESSED WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES HAVING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PAYING RENT AND BUYING FOOD OR SOME OF THEM LIVING OUT OF THEIR CAR.

WE HAVE HEARD TENANT STORIES OF DISPLACEMENT AND EVICTIONS WITHOUT JUST COSTS AND BEING PRICED OUT OF THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.

MEASURE A PRESENTS A PATHWAY TO ADDRESSING THE HOUSING CRISIS.

THIS IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK MOMENT FOR LONG BEACH FOR THE COUNTY, UM, AND IT'S A BIG PRIORITY FOR LONG BEACH FOR JUST ECONOMY AND LANE.

WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE IT WILL CREATE MORE SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOMES.

IT WILL, IT'S ALSO A PREVENTION FOCUS.

THIS MEASURE, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, IT EXPANDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS AND IT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE

[01:25:01]

THIS YEAR WE URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO ENDORSE COUNTY MEASURE A AND HELP LONG BEACH KEEP AND HELP, YOU KNOW, LONG BEACH, UM, RENTERS TO BE, UH, KEPT, HOUSED AND SAFE AS WELL.

HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON.

THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR.

MY NAME IS IRMA FERREIRA, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NUMBER ONE, AND I'M HERE TO SU URGE, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF MR. AND THIS MEASURE RULE NOT ONLY IS, UH, GRAND, MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT WOULD ALSO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO THE RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH.

WITH THE BENEFITS OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS, WITH THIS SOCIAL PROGRAMS, WE CAN HELP THE PEOPLE OF OUR CITY TO OBTAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING SO THAT THEY DO NOT RUN THE RISK OF BEING HOMELESS.

70% OF THE MONIES MY HUSBAND AND I EARN GOES TOWARDS OUR RENT, UH, ACCOUNT WITH MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND BETTER JOBS WILL ALLOW US TO STAY IN LONG BEACH, MUCH LONGER AND NOT BE FORCED TO RELOCATE TO ANOTHER CITY WE'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH, SUCH AS THE CASE OF MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS.

, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE SUPPORT MEASURE A SINCE IT WILL, UH, GREATLY HELP THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY.

IT IS A RIGHT TO COUNT, UH, WITH DECENT HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE, DECENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ORDER TO LIVE IN A CITY WITH TRUE DIGNITY.

IT'S TO HAVE PREVENTATIVE SERVICES FOR RENTERS, ESPECIALLY LEGAL COUNSEL.

NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.

OKAY, HELLO AND GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS REID LENHART.

I'M AN ACTIVIST IN LONG BEACH OF JUST ECONOMY AND I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.

UM, I'M HERE SPEAKING TODAY IN FAVOR OF MEASURE A.

UM, CURRENTLY, AS BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE, THE COUNTY ONLY SPENDS 4% OF THEIR FUNDS ON PREVENTATIVE MEASURES FOR HOMELESSNESS.

UH, SO THE GOAL OF THIS MEASURE IS TO FINALLY START ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSE AND GETTING SOME FUNDING GOING ON TO THAT, UM, BY MAKING AFFORD HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE.

AND THEN ALSO, UH, YEAH, SORRY.

UH, THIS MEASURE WILL CONTINUE TO FUND HOMELESSNESS RESOURCE SERVICES THROUGH, UH, THAT WERE BEGAN IN MEASURE H, UH, BY REPEALING AND REPLACING THE ONE FOURTH CENT SALES TAX AND REPLACING IT WITH A ONE HALF OR HALF A CENT SALES TAX.

UM, THIS WILL BE TWOFOLD.

ONE, IT'LL, UH, THE SCALE UP OUR PREVIOUS MEASURES, UM, AND ALSO CREATE FUNDING FOR PREVENTATIVE ASPECTS SUCH AS, UH, BUILDING NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND THAT'S LIKE NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL.

IT'S, UM, JUST BASED ON WHAT THE AVERAGE INCOME IS FOR LA COUNTY.

SO WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST LIKE WE HAVE TO BUILD, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT ONE RATE, WE HAVE TO BUILD AT MULTIPLE RATES.

UM, AND THEN ALSO IT'LL HELP, UH, CONNECT PEOPLE TO, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING THROUGH MENTAL ILLNESS AND, UH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE TOWARDS MORE SERVICES.

UM, ONE THING THAT I THINK ABOUT WITH, UH, SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WE HEARD TODAY WAS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, OUT OF, I LIVE OVER IN THE AREA THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE THESE THINGS, YOU MIGHT HAVE THESE INITIAL REACTIONS OF LIKE, OH, WE SHOULD ENFORCE SOME OF OUR, OUR POLICIES MORE.

AND I JUST THINK LIKE HOW MUCH MONEY IT WOULD COST TO, UH, LIKE INCARCERATE THESE PEOPLE, HAVE 'EM GO THROUGH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND IT WOULDN'T REALLY BE HITTING, UH, THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS.

IT WAS KIND OF JUST, UH, LOOKING AT IT AFTER IT'S HAPPENED.

SO ONE THING THAT'S BEEN KEY WHEN I'VE BEEN WORKING AT, UH, LANE, WHICH IS THE HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION, I'VE SEEN HOW IMPORTANT

[01:30:01]

SO PART OF MEASURE H WILL GIVE MONEY TOWARDS LEGAL COUNSEL.

UM, YEAH, AND, UH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.

I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE IN FAVOR, UM, AS A CITY TO ENDORSE THIS MEASURE.

AND YEAH, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION.

ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS ANTONIO HERNANDEZ AND I AM A, AN ORGANIZER WITH LONG BEACH FORWARD AT LONG BEACH FORWARD.

WE BELIEVE THAT RACE AND INCOME SHOULD NOT DETERMINE ONE'S FUTURE IN LONG BEACH, AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE GLAD TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE AN OFFICIAL POSITION IN SUPPORT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING HOMELESSNESS SOLUTION AND PREVENTION NOW CITIZENS INITIATIVE.

THIS IS A POWERFUL CITIZEN LED COUNTYWIDE MEASURE THAT HAS QUALIFIED FOR THE BALLOT ALREADY.

UM, AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS ALONGSIDE WORKING FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN OUR CITY, WE SEE THIS COUNTYWIDE BALLOT INITIATIVE AS ONE OF THE TANGIBLE WAYS TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS.

THE MEASURE DOES NOT TAX ESSENTIAL GOODS LIKE GAS, GROCERIES, RENT, MEDICATION, OR DIAPERS.

IT WILL APPLY TO DISCRETIONARY SPENDING.

THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD WOULD PAY ABOUT $4.91 A MONTH TOWARDS THE PRESERVATION AND CREATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTHCARE, AND HOMELESS, UM, SERVICES.

LONG BEACH FORWARD SUPPORTS THAT OUR CITY MAKES A FAVORABLE STANCE ON THIS MEASURE.

AND IN THE NOT SO FAR FUTURE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CREATIVE WAYS THAT THE CITY WILL USE THE FUNDS TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS.

THANK YOU ALL.

AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER.

GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL STAFF, UH, FELLOW CITIZENS, RESIDENTS, UH, PETE MARSH, SECOND DISTRICT.

NORMALLY I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT CLIMATE, UH, HOUSING IS A CLIMATE SOLUTION, UH, AS WELL AS A, UH, A HUMAN SOLUTION.

UM, SORRY, GOT A GLARE THERE.

UH, SO, UH, AS PART OF MY CLIMATE JOURNEY, I BECAME ACTIVE WITH SEVERAL HOUSING GROUPS IN THE AREA.

EVERYBODY'S LONG BEACH, WHICH IS OUR LOCAL CHAPTER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING LA UH, CAR LIGHT LONG BEACH, WHICH ADVOCATES FOR, UH, BUILDING THE MOBILITY OPTIONS WE NEED TO BUILD GREATER HOUSING.

UH, LAST WEEKEND AT OUR UH, CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY MEETING, WE HAD A GUEST, A DISTINGUISHED GUEST SPEAKER, UH, ANDY KERR, WHO'S ON THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR, UH, LA COUNTY MEASURE H.

UH, SO STRONG SUPPORT FOR, UH, CITY COUNCIL TO ENDORSE MEASURE A AND, UH, TO DO GOOD THINGS WITH THE FUNDING FROM THAT.

UH, I GUESS I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE VERY BRIEFLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE IN PART BECAUSE OF DECADES OF DECREASING HOUSING SUPPLY.

YOU KNOW, LOTS OF FACTORS HAVE MADE IT HARDER TO BUILD.

WE'VE ALSO HAD, UH, YOU KNOW, URBAN FLIGHT TO THE SUBURBS, UH, UH, DRIVEN BY BIG AUTO AND BIG OIL, UH, DECREASING OUR MOBILITY OPTIONS.

UH, OUR LONG BEACH PLANNING AND ZONING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENTS ARE ALREADY DOING GREAT THINGS IN, UH, WORKING TOWARDS INCREASING THE SUPPLY OF HOUSING.

WE'VE GOT A VERY AGGRESSIVE, UM, HOUSING REQUIREMENT, AS WE ALL KNOW, AND LOTS OF GOOD THINGS IN PROGRESS.

THERE'S A HANDFUL OF THINGS THAT, UH, ELB, THE EVERYBODY'S LONG BEACH SUPPORTS REDUCED OR ELIMINATED PARKING MINIMUMS, UH, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HIGH COST TO TAXPAYERS OF FREE PARKING, UH, LIVE WORK UNITS, SINGLE STAIR, UH, APARTMENT BUILDINGS, AND MANY MORE.

UH, EVERYBODY'S LONG BEACH IS GONNA BE SPEAKING AT UPCOMING MEETINGS AROUND HOUSING.

UH, SO ANYWAY, UH, THANKS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

UH, THANKS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, MR. MAYOR ON, UH, THE COUNTYWIDE BOARD AND, UH, STRONG SUPPORT FOR DOING THIS.

WELL, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.

UH, WILL NOW, UH, MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE? MOTION IS CARRIED.

AND JUST, JUST TO CLARIFY FOLKS, ONCE WE TAKE A POSITION ON A BALLOT MEASURE, THE CITY DOES NOT GET INVOLVED.

NO TAXPAYER DOLLARS GO INTO CAMPAIGNING, IT GOES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WHO COLLECTED THOSE SIGNATURES.

DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO, MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

AMENDING PARK DEDICATION DESIGNATIONS TO INCLUDE WILLOW SPRING PARK PARCEL A AT 27 45 ORANGE AVENUE REQUEST.

WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 31.

THIS WILL BE THE LAST ITEM BEFORE WE GO TO THE BUDGET.

ITEM 31 PLEASE.

ITEM 30 ONE'S REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE ORDINANCE

[31. 24-54207 Recommendation to request City Attorney to prepare ordinance amending Table 35-2 (Park Dedications/Designations) of the Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC) (ZCA20-016) to include Willow Springs Park – Parcel A at 2745 Orange Avenue; Request City Attorney to prepare ordinance setting aside and approving for dedication in perpetuity, Willow Springs Park – Parcel A, located at 2745 Orange Avenue for public park purposes and uses; Request City Attorney to prepare ordinance amending the Use District Map (Zoning Map) to change the zoning district (ZCHG 20-008) of that portion of Parcel A adjacent to Orange Avenue zoned Medium Industrial (IM) to Park (P) for consistency with the General Plan Land Use PlaceType; Request City Attorney and City staff to establish a mechanism for banking of future park space to implement the City’s Parks in Perpetuity requirements; and Request City Attorney to prepare resolution recommending the future dedication of Parcel B as Willow Springs Park located at 1040 Spring Street once a land bank is established and implemented in connection with park replacement requirements for three Downtown Projects. (Districts 1, 5) Office or Department: Community Development Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

CITY ATTORNEY PREPARE ORDINANCE SETTING ASIDE AND APPROVING FOR DEDICATION IN PERPETUITY FOR PUBLIC PARK PURPOSES, AND

[01:35:01]

USES REQUESTED ATTORNEY TO PREPARE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE USE DISTRICT MAP TO CHANGE THE ZONING DISTRICT TO PARK FOR CONSISTENCY WITH THE GENERAL PLAN LAND USE PLACE TYPE REQUESTED ATTORNEY AND CITY STAFF TO ESTABLISH A MECHANISM FOR BANK BANKING OF FUTURE PARK SPACE TO IMPLEMENT THE CITY'S PARKS IN PERPETUITY REQUIREMENTS AND REQUEST CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE FUTURE DEDICATION OF PARCEL B AS WELL AS SPRING PARK LOCATED AT 10 40 SPRING STREET ONCE A LAND BANK IS ESTABLISHED AND IMPLEMENTED IN CONNECTION WITH PARK REPLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR THREE DOWNTOWN PROJECTS, DISTRICTS ONE AND FIVE.

ALRIGHT, KIND OF A LONG MOTION, LEMME TELL YOU WHAT'S, WHAT'S, WHAT'S UH, GONNA HAPPEN HERE.

UH, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE THAT'VE BEEN WAITING THIS ITEM AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME AND KNOW SUPER IMPORTANT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, WHO DO AND HAVE REPRESENTED WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.

SO WE'LL START WITH A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF, THEN WE'RE HERE FROM THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS, HAVE JUST A FEW THINGS TO ADD AND THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO TOM IS IN YOUR HANDS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAYOR.

UH, YOU'RE RIGHT.

THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT MOMENT.

WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY.

UH, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU THE PRESENTATION ON WHAT THIS IS.

THERE'S SOME TECHNICAL ASPECTS HERE.

UM, BUT, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY RIGHT UP FRONT I WANNA REALLY THANK THE COMMUNITY.

I WANNA THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, UM, ESPECIALLY, UM, ROBERTO WHO HAD IT AND THEN, UH, UH, GOT TRANSFERRED UNDER REDISTRICTING, UH, TO MEGAN WHO'VE BEEN VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, BUT ALSO GIVEN US THE TIME AND SPACE AND ABILITY TO FIGURE OUT A LOT OF COMPLICATED ASPECTS OF THIS.

UH, WE MADE SOME COMMITMENTS TO COME AND MAKE THE DEDICATION AND I KNOW THAT TOOK LONGER THAN WE HAD ALL EXPECTED.

UM, BUT WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.

AND IN THE MEANTIME, WE'VE ALSO BEEN INVESTING IN, UH, WILLOW SPRINGS PARK THAT HAS BEEN PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN, UH, VERY GRACIOUS, UH, AND UNDERSTANDING WHILE ALSO BEING VERY, UM, UH, VO VERY LOUD ABOUT WHAT THEY EXPECT AND, AND, UH, WHAT THEY WANT US TO DELIVER ON, WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATE.

IT'S BEEN A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP.

SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND I WILL TURN IT TO THE TEAM TO GO THROUGH, UM, UH, TO A LITTLE BIT OF THE PRESENTATION.

I DON'T SEE ANY TEAM BEHIND YOU, TOM.

RECLAIMING WILLOW SPRINGS PARK IS A NATURAL SPACE AS A HUGE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I GUESS I'M GIVING THE PRESENTATION.

SO , SO AS OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES MANAGERS, THE JACK OF ALL TRADES, YOU CAN DO ANY PRESENTATION FROM ANY DEPARTMENT.

LET'S GO.

AS OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM COMES OUT, WE'LL GET STARTED.

SO THE PRO, TELL ME ON THERE, THE PROJECT SITE IS, UH, BASICALLY, UH, WE KNOW IT ALL VERY WELL.

THIS IS THE HIGHEST POINT IN LONG BEACH.

THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT PARK.

UH, IT'S ORANGE ON ON ONE SIDE, IT'S CALIFORNIA, IT'S SPRING, AND UH, JUST NORTH OF THE CEMETERY.

AND I WILL TURN IT TO THE EXPERTS WHO ARE GONNA DO BETTER THAN ME.

SO GO.

OKAY, WE ARE HAVING A REALLY FUN LEGAL MEETING IN THE BACK.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

ALLISON SPINDLER, UH, PLANNING BUREAU MANAGER.

GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M DELIGHTED TO BE BEFORE HUGH TODAY, UH, FOR THIS HEARING RELATED TO THE DEDICATION OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK AND SUPPORTING ACTIONS AS YOU, UH, JUST BEGAN TO HEAR FROM CITY MANAGER MOCA.

UM, IN THE MID TO LATE 18 HUNDREDS, THE FIRST ARTESIAN SPRING WAS DISCOVERED ON WHAT'S NOW WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.

THE WATER DISCOVERY PROVIDED WATER FOR AGRICULTURE AND THE FUTURE POPULATION AND GROWTH OF OUR CITY.

IN 1920, A PLAN FOR A 200 ACRE OPEN SPACE AREA, SIMILAR TO NEW YORK CENTRAL PARK WAS DEVELOPED ON THE AREA THAT'S NOW WILLOW SPRINGS PORTIONS OF THE 4 0 5 SAN DIEGO FREEWAY AND LONG BEACH AIRPORT.

HOWEVER, THAT PLAN NEVER MATERIALIZED AND ALTHOUGH MOSTLY UNDEVELOPED, WILLOW SPRINGS OPENED IN 2012 AS A SPECIAL USE PARK.

OOH, I'M OUTTA SHAPE.

OKAY, THE GENERAL PLAN PLACE TYPE FOR MOST OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK IS OPEN SPACE EXCEPT FOR THE NORTHWEST CORNER, WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP.

HAS A PLACE TYPE OF COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL, BUT HAS AN INCONSISTENT ZONING DESIGNATION OF P OR PARK.

AND REGARDING DEDICATION, TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BACKGROUND DEDICATION IS THE PROCESS THAT APPLIES TO CITY OWNED PARKLAND.

TO PROTECT A PARK IN PERPETUITY FOR PUBLIC OPEN SPACE USE THE CITY CHARTER SPECIFIES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL ADOPT ZONING AND OTHER REGULATIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROTECTING PARKLAND.

THE GENERAL PLAN, OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT PROVIDES THAT IF DEDICATED PARK SPACE IS SOLD OR USED FOR A NON-PAR USE THAT IT MUST BE REPLACED AT A RATIO OF AT LEAST TWO TO ONE IF APPROVED, TO MOVE FORWARD.

THIS PROPOSAL IMPLEMENTS THE POLICIES OF THE GENERAL PLAN, OPEN SPACE, RECREATION ELEMENT, AND THE LAND USE ELEMENT WHICH CALLS FOR CREATING GREEN SPACES OUTTA VACANT AND UNDERUTILIZED LAND, PARTICULARLY IN PARK PORT COMMUNITIES

[01:40:01]

SUCH AS THIS AREA.

NOW ONTO PREVIOUS ACTIONS, UM, AS PROVIDED IN THE CITY CHARTER, THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION INCLUDE RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY COUNCIL THE DEDICATION OF PUBLIC LAND FOR PARK, UH, PUBLIC PARKS.

IN 2019, THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DEDICATE, UH, 28 EXISTING CITY OWNED PARKS, INCLUDING WILLOW SPRINGS.

AND IN JULY, 2021, THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED THAT COUNCIL ADOPT A VARIETY OF ACTIONS, INCLUDING ZONE CHANGES AND GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS FOR NUMEROUS PARK SPACES, INCLUDING WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.

HOWEVER, WHEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION WAS FORWARDED TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION IN 2022, WILLOW SPRINGS, UH, WAS ORIGINALLY INCLUDED, HOWEVER, HAD TO BE REMOVED AS STAFF WAS DIRECTED TO CONDUCT ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AND BACKGROUND ON THE OVERALL PARK BOUNDARIES, TECHNICAL ISSUES THAT HAD TO BE RESOLVED, WHICH AT THIS POINT, UH, STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON AND ARE RESOLVED AS SHOWN ON THE SLIDE HERE, PROPOSING TWO PARCELS PARCEL A SHOWN IN RED IS APPROXIMATELY 46 ACRES AND PARCEL B, THE NORTHWEST CORNER SHOWN IN GREEN IN THE UPPER LEFT CORNER IS APPROXIMATELY 1.8 ACRES.

NOW THAT THE BOUNDARY ISSUES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, THE MAPS AND LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS OF PARCEL A AND B HAVE BEEN PREPARED.

THE NEXT STEP IS TO HAVE PUBLIC WORKS REVIEW AND FINALIZE THE MAPS AND LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS, AND RECORD THE MAPS WITH LA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.

AS MENTIONED PRIOR, UH, STAFF IS REQUESTING THAT THE COUNCIL DIRECT CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE ORDINANCES, WHICH WOULD CHANGE A SMALL PORTION OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK, CURRENTLY ZONED IM OR MEDIUM INDUSTRIAL, AND WHICH HAS AN INCONSISTENT GENERAL PLAN PLACE TYPE OF OPEN SPACE TO PARKS AND RENDER CONSISTENCY WITH THE GENERAL PLAN PLACE TYPE.

THE CURRENT RECOMMENDED ACTION IS, UH, ONE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO CHANGE THE ZONE FROM IM TO P, WHICH IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO DEDICATE THE PARK.

AND TWO, APPROVE A ZONING CODE AMENDMENT MODIFYING TITLE 21 OF THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE, UM, TO ADD WILLOW SPRINGS PARK TO TABLE 35 DASH TWO, WHICH LISTS OUR DEDICATED AND DESIGNATED PARKS HERE IN THE CITY.

THE NEXT ASPECT, UM, OF THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO DEVELOP A LAND BANK FOR FUTURE PARKS BASED.

SO STAFF IS REQUESTING CITY COUNCIL ON DIRECT CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO DEVELOP A LAND BANKING MECHANISM TO SUPPORT CERTAIN INITIATIVES SUCH AS THIS ONE.

IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT THREE DOWNTOWN PROJECTS RELATED TO S SHOEMAKER BRIDGE, SHORELINE DRIVE REALIGNMENT, AND THE WEST SIDE GATEWAY AND TROTTA PROJECT MAY HAVE AN IMPACT ON CURRENTLY UNUSABLE UM, PARK SPACE.

AND A BANKING MECHANISM WOULD ENABLE THE BANKING OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK PARCEL B AS REPLACEMENT PARK FOR THE DOWNTOWN PROJECTS THAT WILL IMPACT, UM, EXISTING PARK SPACE.

THIS PROPOSED LAND BANKING MECHANISM WILL FURTHER THE CITY'S GOALS IN A CREATIVE AND EFFECTIVE MANNER, AND THIS ACTION WILL LEAD TO THE FULL PROTECTION OF THE ENTIRE WILLOW SPRINGS PARK PROPERTY AS WELL AS FURTHER OPEN SPACE AND HOUSING EFFORTS IN DOWNTOWN.

ONCE BANKED, THANK YOU.

ONCE BANKED PARCEL B WOULD BE DEDICATED AND AVAILABLE TO OFFSET ANY FUTURE NEED .

SO TO SUMMARIZE, AT THIS TIME, STAFF REQUESTS THAT CITY COUNCIL DIRECT, UM, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO PREPARE ORDINANCES ADDRESSING, CHANGING THE ZONE OF THE PORTION OF PARCEL A FROM MEDIUM INDUSTRIAL TO PARK SETTING ASIDE AND IMPROVING IN PERPETUITY DEDICATION OF PARCEL A UH, THAT'S 46 ACRES AT WILLOW SPRINGS PARK AMEND TABLE 35 DASH TWO IN THE CODE TO FORMALLY DESIGNATE WILLOW SPRINGS AS A DEDICATED PARK SPACE AND PREPARE A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING FOR THE FUTURE DEDICATION OF PARCEL B THROUGH A LAND BANKING MECHANISM IN CONNECTION WITH PARK REPLACEMENTS IN DOWNTOWN.

THAT CONCLUDES STAFF PRESENTATION AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'LL TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.

YES, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND I AM SO THRILLED TO BE WITH HERE, HERE WITH YOU ALL OF YOU TONIGHT AS WE DISCUSS THIS ITEM IN HEARING ON THE LONG AWAITED DEDICATION AS THE SITE KNOWN, AS WELL AS SPRINGS PARK AS A PARK SPACE IN PERPETUITY.

I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LONG TIME IN COMING AS THE FUTURE OF THE SITE HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION FOR MUCH OF OUR CITY'S MORE THAN CENTURY LONG HISTORY.

AS MENTIONED, WILLOW SPRINGS PARK WAS IN FACT A SPRING.

IT IS KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN A REGIONAL ASSET TO THE TONGA PEOPLE WHO ORIGINALLY INHABITED THE AREA THAT IS NOW LONG BEACH.

WE KNOW IN THE LATE 18 HUNDREDS, THE SPRING WAS USED AS THE FIRST WATER SOURCE FOR LONG BEACH.

AND THE DISCOVERY OF OIL IN SIGNAL HILL BROUGHT CHANGES HERE AS IT DID ALL OVER THE CITY AND LED TO DRILLING ON THE SITE.

A HANDFUL OF OIL PUMPS DO STILL REMAIN AT THE SITE TONIGHT.

AND AS THE CITY MOVES AWAY FROM THE OIL INDUSTRY AS A REVENUE SOURCE,

[01:45:01]

OVER THE DECADES, MANY IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE SITE CAME ABOUT AND ULTIMATELY FAILED.

THEN.

UNTIL THEN, COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES JOHNSON HELPED USHER IN THE WILLOW SPRINGS PARK INTO AN OPEN SPACE, UH, IDEA THAT WE ARE SEEING EMERGE TODAY ALONG WITH OUR SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR, LARRY RICH.

AS WILLOW SPRINGS OFFICIALLY OPENED FOUR ACRES OF USABLE PARKLAND FOR RESIDENTS TO EXPLORE AND ENJOY BACK IN 2017.

EVER SINCE SIGNIFICANT HARD WORK HAS BEEN DONE BY CITY STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS IN THE SUSTAINABILITY AND PRM DEPARTMENTS AND THROUGH THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE CONSERVATION CORPS AND THE SUPPORT OF RESIDENTS, UM, AND THE GROUP FRIENDS OF WILLOW SPRINGS, MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE TODAY.

AND WE'RE SO GLAD YOU'RE JOINING US.

WE'VE SEEN ACTIVATION HERE FROM THE LONG BEACH BEEKEEPERS, LONG BEACH COMMUNITY COMPOST FARM LOT 59 PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING MY COUN, MY COLLEAGUE COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERTO ORANGA, WHEN THIS PARK WAS IN HIS DISTRICT AND HE DID SO MUCH WORK.

AND MY PREDECESSOR, STACEY MGO, ARE ALSO TO THANK FOR WHERE WE ARE TODAY AS THEIR ADVOCACY CONTRIBUTED TO LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE DEDICATION BEFORE US TODAY.

AND WHILE WE KNOW THERE IS STILL MUCH WORK TO BE DONE IN TERMS OF RESTORING THE FULL 48 ACRES INTO A FUNCTIONAL, NATURAL PUBLIC SPACE FOR USE BY GENERATIONS OF RESIDENTS TO COME, WE'RE EXCITED TO BE FINALLY MAKING THE DEDICATION SHOULD THIS PASS, TO ESTABLISH THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO RESTORATION AND USE OF THIS LAND AS PARK IN PERPETUITY.

THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET CURRENTLY ALLOCATES A MILLION DOLLARS TOWARDS WILLOW SPRINGS PARK TRAILHEAD PROJECT, WHICH AGAIN, WOULD BEGIN TO PUSH FOR DEVELOPING MORE OF THE SITE INTO USABLE SPACE.

IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

IT WILL SHOWCASE THE CITY'S DEDICATION TO REVITALIZING THIS IMPORTANT NATURAL SPACE.

I AM COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO WORK IN GOOD FAITH TO ALLOCATE FUNDS WHEN THE BUDGET ALLOWS, AND TO PUSH EVEN WHEN SOMETIMES IT MIGHT NOT, TO CONTINUE THE WORK AND TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND TO ACTIVATE AND ELEVATE THIS INCREDIBLE NAT, UH, NATURAL SPACE.

I WANNA THANK ALL WHO LOVE THIS PARK.

I RUN INTO FOLKS ALL THE TIME WHEN THEY HEAR THAT WILLOW SPRINGS PARK IS IN MY DISTRICT AND THEY'RE LIKE, I GO THERE ALL THE TIME.

I WALK MY DOG THERE, I HIKE THERE, IT'S MY FAVORITE PLACE TO GO IN THE CITY.

UM, SO FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO LOVE THE PARK OUT LOUD, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JUST DISCOVERING IT, UH, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO INVEST AND ADVOCATE TO THE FRIENDS OF WILLOW SPRINGS TO THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK DAY IN AND DAY OUT, WHETHER IT'S WORK DAYS OR MEETINGS AT THE TOP.

UM, I AM GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOU CONTINUE TO DO AND TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ME, MY OFFICE AND THE CITY.

UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

I'LL PASS IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER ORANGA.

YOU GOT IT.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

COUNCIL MEMBER KER FOR THE EXCELLENCE ABOUT, OF THE HISTORY OF THE PARK.

I'VE GOT TO SAY THAT EVEN BEFORE I CAME ON CITY COUNCIL, MY WIFE TOYOTA COUNCIL MEMBER TO GOT RETIRED WAS ALSO WORKING ON THIS AREA TO CREATE A PARK.

UH, I RECALL MAKING A VISIT TO, UH, INDIAN WELLS WHERE THERE WAS A, UH, A STADIUM THERE CALLED BUILD OF DREAMS. SO THEY WERE, THERE WAS CONTEMPLATION TAKING PLACE OF CREATING A BUILD OF DREAMS FACILITY HERE IN LONG BEACH AT WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.

THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.

FOR THOSE OF YOU I'M OLD, SO, YOU KNOW, I GOT, I GOT THESE MEMORIES GOING ON.

KNOW ADAM, I WON'T GO BACK FREE, FREE PRE, UH, PRE DISTRICTING.

THERE YOU GO.

SO NOW IT IS NOW PART OF THE FIFTH DISTRICT AND I'M GLAD THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS IS THERE TO USHER IN A NEW ERA FOR THIS, UH, MUCH NEEDED SPACE.

WE ALL WELCOME NEW PARK SPACE.

WE KNOW THAT WE NEED IT, WE WELCOME IT.

UNFORTUNATELY FOR ME, IT'S NOT PART OF SEVENTH DISTRICT ANYMORE.

IT'S GONNA BE PART OF THE FIFTH, BUT I'LL TAKE CREDIT ANYWAY.

ONE MORE THING ON RED GREEN COLOR LINE.

SO THOSE RED GREEN LINES, WHAT, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, BUT I KNOW THE AREA SO I KNOW GENERALLY SPEAKING WHAT YOU, UH, WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO.

YEAH, TELL GREEN CRINGE BECAUSE I TOLD YOU BEFORE.

YEAH, WE KNOW THAT WE, THAT ONE WE MISSED.

MY APOLOGIES.

YOU KNOW, IT'S, RIGHT NOW I HAVE ANOTHER DISABILITY WORRY, NOTHING ABOUT THAT.

SO I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THIS IS PROBABLY BEING BROUGHT FORWARD TONIGHT.

VERY GLAD TO KNOW THAT THIS ITEM WAS MOVING FORWARD AFTER MANY YEARS OF EFFORT.

OH, ONE

[01:50:01]

MORE.

ONE, ONE MORE THING I DID, WE DID BRING IN A, UH, A DEPOT THAT WE WANTED TO PUT INTO THE WELL SPRINGS PARK TO MAKE IT A, UH, A UH, UH, UH, WHAT WE CALL THOSE, UH, FACILITIES.

UH, YEAH, WE RELOCATED THE DEPOT THERE FOR A WHILE TO BE SORT OF THE HEADQUARTERS OF, OF THE TEAM AND A, AND A WEL AND A STATION THAT PEOPLE COULD COME AND VISIT.

AND UNFORTUNATELY WE LOST THAT IN A FIRE.

YEAH.

CAUGHT ON A FIRE THAT WE, WE LOST IT.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT MONEY BACK THROUGH INSURANCE AND WE TO CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARK AND PERHAPS REPLACE THE DEPOT WITH, UH, ANOTHER FACILITY THAT WOULD SERVE AS A, UH, INFORMATION, THE INFORMATION PLACE, LOCATION WHERE PEOPLE CAN VISIT AND LEARN ABOUT THE VARIOUS TYPES OF, OF, UH, TREES AND, AND PLANTS THAT GROW AND THAT ARE NATURAL TO THAT AREA, AS WELL AS THE HISTORY OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.

SO WITH THAT, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BOARD AND I ENCOURAGED MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PLEASE, UH, SUPPORT THIS ITEM.

AND BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, JUST, JUST A COUPLE, COUPLE THOUGHTS.

SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN FRONT OF US IS VERY, VERY TECHNICAL, SO I'LL TRY TO JUST SIMPLIFY.

BASICALLY, WE'RE CREATING A GIANT PARK IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY, WHICH IS A BIG DEAL.

AND THIS VOTE AND THIS ACTION, UH, BASED ON THE LEADERSHIP OF REALLY THESE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON BEFORE THAT, I REMEMBER WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY, ALL OF YOU HAVE BROUGHT US TO THIS VERY HISTORIC MOMENT IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? IT IS OFFICIAL.

WE WILL HAVE A GIANT PARK IN THE CENTER OF LONG BEACH AND A REALLY EXCITING SPACE WHERE YOU'VE GOT FOLKS LIKE VAST RIGHT THERE ACROSS THE STREET BUILDING, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST COMMERCIAL SPACE STATION, YOU KNOW, IN GALACTIC HISTORY, UH, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.

SO IT VERY, SO IF IT'S THE FIELD OF DREAMS, IT'S A LOT OF DREAMS GOING ON OVER THERE.

IT'S, IT'S OPEN SPACE DREAMS, IT'S CLIMATE DREAMS, AND THEY'RE ENVISIONING SPACE.

AND SO GOOD WORK.

LET'S NOW GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

UH, WE HAVE, LET'S SEE A LOT, UM, LET'S CALL IT 13.

SO WE HAVE 13 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

PLEASE COME FORWARD.

UH, JACOB DICKINSON, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY FORWARD.

YOUR FIRST AND THEN SUSAN REDFIELD, VANESSA COVINGTON, UH, DAVID GOODWIN, SASHA KANO, UH, NIA KIFE, LYNETTE ZI, MIKE LARA, PETE MARSH, KATIE, UH, CHRISTOPHER CHAVEZ, MANA EICHNER, AND LEE FWE.

SO JACOB, ARE YOU HERE? 90 SECONDS.

WHERE'S JACOB? IS THAT JACOB? GREAT.

COME ON DOWN.

AND BECAUSE THERE'S, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE, UH, MORE THAN 10 SPEAKERS, OUR RULES SAY 92ND SECONDS PER, PER TESTIMONY WITH 90 SECONDS.

LET ME, UM, SKIP SOME OF THE USUAL PLEASANTRIES.

I'M SURE SOME OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME WILL, UM, WILL CATCH UP TO THAT.

BUT, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYBODY WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS SO FAR FOR YOUR EFFORTS.

IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS.

UM, UH, DELIGHTED TO, UH, HAVE SOME FUNDING COMING, I HOPE, AND IT WILL NEED MORE FUNDING, I THINK, TO NURTURE THIS LAND AND BRING IT UP TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL.

I AM A MEMBER OF THE FRIENDS OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.

I'M WEARING A DIFFERENT T-SHIRT TONIGHT.

UH, FOR ONE THING BECAUSE I ALWAYS HAVE TO BE DIFFERENT, BUT ALSO BECAUSE I REPRESENT THE LONG BEACH BEEKEEPERS.

AND AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF CITING OUR BEE SANCTUARY ON A SMALL PORTION OF THE WILLOW SPRINGS PARK LAND.

UM, SOME FUN FACTS, SOME REASONS THAT YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE OF WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT AND I THINK HAS SOME REAL LEVERAGE IS THAT OUR, UH, UC RIVERSIDE PARTNERS TELL US THAT THE LOCAL B POPULATION HAS THE MOST GENETIC DIVERSITY OF ANY HONEYBEE POPULATION IN THE WORLD.

IT'S NOT JUST A CURIOSITY AS, UH, THIS IS THE RAW MATERIAL FOR DEVELOPING THE BEES THAT WE NEED TO SURVIVE CLIMATE CHANGE AND PATHOGENS AND PARASITES AND CONTINUE TO POLLINATE OUR CROPS AND FEED US.

UM, IT'S A JEWEL IN OUR CROWN AS A CLUB, NO OTHER LOCAL CLUB.

YOUR TIME HAS LIKE IT.

I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF WRIGLEY AND I'M THE SEVENTH DISTRICT AND HAVE WORKED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA OVER THE YEARS ON MANY TOPICS AND ISSUES, AND PARTICULARLY THIS ONE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.

NEXT IS SUSAN.

THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

I AM THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION.

[01:55:02]

AND I HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH MEGAN KERR ABOUT THIS YET, BUT I'M AWFULLY GLAD FOR THE HARD WORK YOU'VE BEEN PUTTING INTO THIS.

WE ALL KNOW THE WEST SIDE NEEDS PARKS AND THAT THIS PARK WILL BECOME A JEWEL IS EVEN MORE VALUABLE AND VITAL FOR OUR CITY.

UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE MOVEMENT MOTION.

YOU'VE, THE MOVEMENT YOU'VE MADE ON THIS AND I ALSO, IF YOU'VE EVER HAD A CH NOT YET HAD A CHANCE TO GO VISIT THE, UH, B ACTIVITY THAT'S THERE AND THE PROGRAMS THEY HAVE ON THAT GROUNDS, IT'S SO EXCITING AND SO IMPORTANT.

SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND, UH, CONTINUE ON.

OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER.

GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO SPEAK TONIGHT.

IN FAVOR OF THE DEDICATION OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.

MY NAME IS SASHA KANO AND I'M THE FOUNDER OF FARM LOT 59.

WE STARTED WAY BACK IN 2010 FROM AN ABANDONED ILLEGAL DUMP WITH THE HELP OF THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, BEACH MAINTENANCE PARK AND REC, AND WHAT WAS THEN THE SEVENTH DISTRICT.

NICE TO SEE YOU MR. GARANGA, THAT YOU'RE DOING WELL.

UM, WE HAVE A THRIVING URBAN FARM.

WE'RE ABLE TO HOST THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO TEACH THEM ABOUT ORGANIC GARDENING AND LIVING A MORE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

OUR FARM IS THE ANCHORED TENANT WITHIN WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.

OUR FARM GROWS YEAR-ROUND VEGETABLES THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH OUR PARTNERS AT FOOD FINDERS AND SERVE THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO NEED IT MOST EACH WEEK.

WITH THE HELP OF PAID STAFF, INTERNS, AND VOLUNTEERS, WE HARVEST, PACK, WASH, REPLANT, OUR SEASONAL VEGETABLES.

WE ALSO HAVE AN ONSITE FLOWER SHOP LOCATED ON CALIFORNIA AVENUE.

OUR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE HELPS SUPPORT THE FARM TO FOOD BANK PROGRAM WHILE PROVIDING JOBS AND TRAINING IN THE ART OF FLORAL DESIGN.

WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE GREATER PARK AROUND US EXPANDED AND SOLIDIFIED INTO A PARK THAT WE KNOW WILL BE THERE IN THE LONG TERM.

WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE OPEN SPACE IN THE OTHERWISE CONGESTED CITY.

THERE'S NOTHING ELSE IN THE CITY LIKE WILLOW SPRINGS.

IT HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL TO BE A GREAT REGIONAL PARK, WHICH WE'VE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.

FARM LOT USES THE CALIFORNIA GATE.

THAT'S YOUR TIME.

FROM 30 TO 500 EMPLOYEES IN LESS THAN IN THE LAST, LAST 18 MONTHS.

OH, THANKS FOR COMING OUT.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

NEXT SPEAKER.

UH, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL STAFF.

MY NAME IS VANESSA COVINGTON.

I'M A MEMBER OF THE SIXTH DISTRICT.

I'M ALSO ON THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

THAT'S OKAY.

I'M HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING YOU PULL YOUR, YEAH, LET'S PULL YOUR MIC CLOSER.

THERE YOU GO.

UM, AND ALSO A MEMBER OF THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT IS HOSTED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

I WANNA THANK THE CITY COUNCIL AND COUNCIL MEMBER KERR FOR ADVOCATING FOR THIS DEDICATION OF WILLOW SPRINGS.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER AND ALL THE STAFF WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO DO ALL THAT COMPLICATED WORK THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER.

UM, UH, HAVING THAT EXTRA FUNDING ALLOCATED FOR THE WILLOW SPRINGS TRAILHEAD PROJECT WOULD REALLY HELP ASSIST, UH, MAKING ALL THE PARK ACCESSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND, UH, IF THE CITY CONTINUES TO ALLOCATE FUNDS, IT WILL MAKE WILLOW SPRINGS THE REGIONAL NATURE PARK THAT IT SHOULD BE.

AND MAKING SURE TO KEEP IT FREE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE, BE KEPT IN MIND AS SOME PARKS IN THE COMMUNITY AREN'T FREE TO ACCESS.

UM, IT'S AN AMAZING NATIVE HABITAT AND OFFERS EDUCATIONAL ENGAGEMENT AS I AM AN ALUMNI OF THE YOUTH CLIMATE CORPS AND ALSO OF THE CALIFORNIA, CALIFORNIA CLIMATE ACTION CORPS.

AND I WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH IS NOW THE CLIMATE ACTION AND SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE.

UM, AND UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE ON THE ORANGE AVENUE, MAKING IT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND CREATING, UH, SPREADING THE BIKE ACCESSIBILITY ON ORANGE AVENUE.

AND SO KEEPING IN MIND THAT THERE IS NO RIGHT OF WAY OF WALKING ON ORANGE AVENUE CURRENTLY TO THE PARK.

SO MAKING THAT A A PRIORITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

MY NAME IS DAVID GOODWIN, ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL AT VAST SPACE.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN LONG BEACH, A PRODUCT OF OUR PHENOMENAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

I WAS ENVISIONED WORKING IN THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY WITH ITS RICH HERITAGE IN LONG BEACH.

RETURNED TO LONG BEACH AFTER GRAD SCHOOL TO RAISE MY FAMILY A FEW MILES FROM WHERE I GREW UP.

LIVING A TRUE DREAM OF WORKING AT A WONDERFUL COMPANY IN MY HOMETOWN.

BOTH LIVING AND WORKING IN THE FIFTH DISTRICT, VAST IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING EMPLOYERS IN LONG BEACH.

[02:00:01]

AND A PROUD MEMBER OF THE SPACE BEACH COMMUNITY.

OUR HEADQUARTERS LOCATED NEXT TO WILLOW SPRINGS PARK MAKES US BOTH A NEIGHBOR AND AN INVESTED STAKEHOLDER IN THE FIFTH COUNCIL DISTRICT.

WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OPEN SPACE IN THE CITY WE CALL HOME.

BEING SO CLOSE TO WILLOW SPRINGS PARK, OUR TEAM AT VAST HAS GAINED FIRSTHAND INSIGHT IN THE SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS OF THE PARK, BRINGS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND BUSINESSES.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR THIS MOTION.

FOR WILLOW SPRINGS IS OUTLINED IN THE CITY'S MASTER PLAN FOR THE SITE.

WE'RE PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT THE PLANNED ENHANCEMENTS, INCLUDING UPGRADES TO TRAILHEAD IN ADDITION OF PUBLIC AMENITIES LIKE PARKING, WATER STATIONS AND LANDSCAPING.

THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY ELEVATE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE PARK EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW.

OUR EMPLOYEES ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE PARK'S EVOLUTION.

MANY OF THEM ALREADY ENJOY THE PARK DURING LUNCH BREAKS, BEFORE AND AFTER WORK, AND ON WEEKENDS, ESPECIALLY SINCE MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES LIVE IN LONG BEACH, WE'RE EAGER TO COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY ON WAYS WE CAN HELP ENHANCE THE PARK AND IMPROVE PUBLIC ACCESS, INCLUDING EXPLORING POTENTIAL PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ON PARKING SOLUTIONS AND OTHER.

UH, THANK YOU.

IS THAT YOUR TIME? THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THIS.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR RICHARDSON.

NEXT UP.

MY NAME IS MIKE LARA, LONGTIME WRIGLEY RESIDENT.

AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

USUALLY WHEN I SPEAK AT THESE MEETINGS, IT'S IN OPPOSITION TO SOMETHING.

SO I'M VERY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THE DEDICATION OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.

MANY RESIDENTS HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS ADVOCATED FOR THIS NEEDLESS, NEEDLESS NEEDED INCREASE IN PARK OPEN SPACE IN OUR UNDERSERVED PART OF TOWN.

AND I'M GLAD THAT IT APPEARS OUR EFFORTS HAVE NOT BEEN IN VAIN.

WILLOW SPRINGS HAS VAST, UNTAPPED, POTENTIAL.

SIZABLE AREAS ARE IN AN UNDEVELOPED STATE, WHICH MAKES IT A RESPITE FROM THE STRESSES OF URBAN LIVING, AS WELL AS PROVIDING A RESOURCE TO ALLOW CHILDREN TO EXPERIENCE A NATURAL SETTING IN THE MIDST OF OUR URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

HOWEVER, THIS DEDICATION WHILE NECESSARY AND WELCOMED, WILL ONLY SERVE AS A FIRST STEP IN ACTIVATING THIS VALUABLE RESOURCE.

WE NEED FUNDING FOR PARK IMPROVEMENTS, NOT JUST IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET, BUT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

IF THE CITY CAN MANAGE TO SPEND MILLIONS TO RETROFIT A DUCK POND IN EL DORADO PARK, I WOULD HOPE THERE'S ROOM IN THE BUDGET FOR PUBLIC BATHROOM FACILITIES AS WELL AS MANY OTHER PROPOSED WILLOW SPRINGS PARKS PROJECT.

IN CONCLUSION, I THANK YOU FOR VOTING TO APPROVE THIS PARK DEDICATION WHILE ALSO ASKING THAT THIS MARK, NOT THE END, BUT JUST THE BEGINNING OF SUPPORT FOR THIS POTENTIAL JEWEL OF LONG BEACH OPEN SPACE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

OKAY, NEXT UP.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS LYNETTE ANCY AND I'VE BEEN A HOMEOWNER IN WRIGLEY FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE DEDICATION.

I JUST HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.

UM, WHY IS THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT FOR THE PROPERTY AT THE CORNER OF CALIFORNIA SPRING NOT INCLUDED IN THE REPORT? THE CURRENT GENERAL PLAN IS CC COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL AND WAS APPROVED AS OPEN SPACE, UM, ON JUNE 20TH, 2019 BY THE PARKS AND REC COMMISSION AND PLANNING COMMISSION.

UH, THE REZONING IS INCLUDED IN THE RECOMMENDATION BUT NOT THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT.

WHEN THE CITY APPROVED THE GLOBE MASTER PLAN IN MAY, 2021, THE CITY FAILED TO CHANGE THE GENERAL PLAN FROM CC TO OS, CREATING AN INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE OPEN SPACE ZONING AND GENERAL PLAN.

THE CHANGE TO THE GPA WILL PROVIDE CONSISTENCY WITH THE CURRENT PLAN.

HAS THIS CORNERS DESIGNATED FOR OPEN SPACE USE? IF YOU COULD PLEASE CORRECT THIS OVERSIGHT TONIGHT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

SECOND, UH, THE DEDICATION OF PARCEL B 1.8 ACRES IS TIED TO THREE OTHER PROJECTS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

THE SHOEMAKER BRIDGE SHORELINE DRIVE REA ALIGNMENT DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT EVENTUALLY WILL BE A PRIVATELY OWNED PROPERTY THAT WILL DEVELOP, BE DEVELOPED AS A HIGH-RISE RESIDENTIAL PROJECT ON APPROXIMATELY 11 ACRES KNOWN AS HAS THE WEST SIDE GATEWAY ENTRADA PROJECT, THE DEDICATION OF PARCEL B HAS PARK SPACE SHOULD NOT BE DEPENDENT ON DEVELOPMENT OF, OF THE 11 ACRE ENTRADA RESIDENTIAL, UH, PROJECT THAT MAY, MAY OR MAY NOT TAKE PLACE AND WOULD NEED APPROXIMATELY 22 ACRES OF, UM, PARK REPLACEMENT LAND.

ALSO, IT IS NOT CLEAR AT WHAT POINT PARCEL B WILL BE DEDICATED AS PARK SPACE, IS IT WHEN THE PLANS ARE APPROVED FOR THE SHOEMAKER BRIDGE DURING CONSTRUCTION, OR WHETHER THE BRIDGE IS COMPLETE.

UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

OKAY, AYA, YOU'RE UP.

UM, MADAM VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, MY NAME'S SONAI KIN FAYE SIXTH DISTRICT RESIDENT.

UM, I WANT TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP OF THE FIFTH DISTRICT COUNCIL OFFICE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN KERR, AS WELL AS THE AFOREMENTIONED, UM, COUNCILMAN JAMES JOHNSON.

IF WE REMEMBER, UH, IN 2013, THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE PROMISED IN THE MASTER PLAN, UM, THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY COMING INTO FRUITION

[02:05:01]

10 YEARS LATER.

UM, I HOPE, HOPEFULLY WE DON'T GO THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS WHERE, UM, SOME, SOME, UH, OFFICE, SOME, SOME PLANNING COMPANY, UH, WILL USE AI TO, YOU KNOW, FILTER OUT SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY EXISTING AND REPURPOSE IT AND GET PAID FOR IT.

BUT WITH RESPECT TO, UM, I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, OUR STATE SENATOR, UH, LENA GONZALEZ, THE MAJORITY LEADER, UH, BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, HER, HER OIL, UH, YOU KNOW, OH, AND PREVAILING WAGE BECAUSE THAT MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DIG AND PAY SOMEONE TO, TO DIG AND DEVELOP ON THIS PROPERTY.

SO, THANKFULLY, THE, ALL THE MARKET FACTORS CAME TOGETHER AND WE GET A, AN, AN, AN INCREASED PART.

I WOULD LOVE, UH, MR. KUNZ, IF WE CAN LOOK INTO, UM, THE PARK AND WATER BOND ACT OF 2018, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THIS A REGIONAL PARK AND GET SOME OF THE WETLANDS THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROMISED IN 2006, THE CALIFORNIA GARDENS IN 2013.

THANK YOU'S.

NICE.

OKAY, SECOND DISTRICT, PETE MARSH, COME ON UP.

YOU'RE UP, .

UH, VICE MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M HERE AGAIN, BUT, UH, FOR THIS ONE, I'M JUST CARRYING WA WHO ARE FIFTH DISTRICT RESIDENTS, UH, AND, UH, BIG FANS OF WILLOW SPRINGS, ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER 170 PARKS.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN UNOFFICIAL RATING SYSTEM FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, SCORE OF ONE THROUGH FIVE.

HOW GOOD WAS THAT PARK WHEN WE'RE, UH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONES TO GO BACK TO? SO, UH, BUT IN SERIOUSNESS, UH, BIG COMPLIMENTS TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR A REALLY GREAT VARIETY OF PARK FEATURES.

THE PLAY SCRAPES GIVE A, A GREAT, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR A RANGE OF DIFFERENT, UH, GROSS MOTOR SKILLS FOR KIDS.

UH, THIS PARK, UH, COUNCILWOMAN KERR, YOU, YOU MENTIONED IT, UH, BRIEFLY, THE SYMBOLISM OF TRYING TO CLAW BACK SOME, UH, HEALTHY GREEN SPACE FROM A CENTURY PLUS OF THE DEGRADATION THAT WE'VE IMPOSED, UH, NOT ONLY HERE, BUT IN LOS SORITO SWEAT LANDS AND SO MANY OTHER PLACES IN OUR CITY.

SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE US, UH, CLAWING BACK AND, UH, GREENING SOME OF THE URBAN JUNGLE AND REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

STRONG SUPPORT.

OKAY, CHRIS, YOU'RE UP? YES.

HELLO, MY NAME'S CHRIS CHAVEZ.

I AM A RESIDENT OF WRIGLEY IN THE SEVENTH DISTRICT.

ALSO, JUST WANNA BE FOR, FOR DISCLOSURE PURPOSES, MENTION THAT I AM A MEMBER OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION.

I STRONGLY SUPPORT ITEM 31.

NOT ONLY WILL THIS MOTION LEAD TO DEDICATING THE FULL 48 ACRES OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK AS A PARK IN PERPETUITY, BUT IT'LL ALSO INCREASE PARK SPACE IN DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

THERE IS NO PARK, QUITE LIKE WILLOW SPRINGS PARK IS TRULY A UNIQUE GYM, ONE THAT'S CONNECTED TO THE CITY'S ECOLOGY AS WELL AS THE CITY'S HISTORY.

ADDITIONALLY, GIVEN ITS LOCATION, WILLOW SPRINGS REALLY SERVES MORE AS A REGIONAL PARK, IS THE ONLY PARK OF ITS KIND WITHIN A REASONABLE DISTANCE TO WESTERN AND CENTRAL LONG BEACH, BOTH OF WHICH ARE HOME TO MANY PARK POOR COMMUNITIES.

FURTHER, THIS MOTION WILL ALSO ENHANCE PARK ACCESS IN DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH BY ADVANCING THE SHOEMAKER BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT.

ONCE THIS BRIDGE, ONCE THE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT IS COMPLETE, THE CITY CAN INCORPORATE CURRENTLY INACCESSIBLE GREEN SPACE INTO CESA CHAVEZ PARK.

MY HOPE IS THAT THE CITY FOLLOWS UP ON THIS POSITIVE STEP BY BEGINNING THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING A SHARED VISION FOR WILLOW SPRINGS PARK, AS WELL AS COMMITTING, UH, INVESTMENTS AND RESOURCES TO MAKE THAT SHARED VISION A REALITY.

AND TO THAT END, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER KERR FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, FOR THE WILLOW SPRINGS TRAILHEAD PROJECT.

AS A FREQUENT VISITOR TO WILLOW SPRINGS PARK, I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE ITS LONG DEDICATION PROCESS FINALLY COMING TO FRUITION.

I WANNA THANK THE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, LIKE FRIENDS OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK FOR THEIR POSITIVE ADVOCACY, AS WELL AS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH FORD'S WORK TOWARDS DEDICATING THE PARK.

THANK YOU, CHRIS.

UM, I AM THRILLED THAT THE CITY IS CONSIDERING DEDICATING ALL 48 ACRES OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.

COUNCIL MEMBER KERR AND COUNCIL MEMBER YENGA FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

AND, UH, CITY MANAGER, UM, THE MAYOR, CITY STAFF.

BRINGING THEIR STUDENTS TO FIELD TRIPS IN THIS PARK ALL THE TIME.

I WOULD LIKE THE TO URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION OF $1 MILLION FOR THE WILLOW SPRINGS TRAILHEAD PROJECT IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

THIS WILL ALLOW US TO JUMPSTART RESTORATION EFFORTS.

HOWEVER, THE PARK IS 48 ACRES AND ONLY 16 ACRES HAVE BEEN RESTORED THUS FAR.

AS A RESULT, I REQUEST THAT THE CITY COMMIT FUNDING FOR THE PARK IN EVERY YEARLY BUDGET CYCLE.

THIS WOULD REPRESENT A STRONGER COMMITMENT TO THE CITY'S EQUITY GOALS BY FUNDING THE RESTORATION OF A MUCH NEEDED GREEN SPACE IN A PARK POOR AREA OF LONG BEACH.

I SEE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AND COLLEGE PROFESSORS

[02:10:01]

YOU HEARD FROM DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS AND VOLUNTEERS TONIGHT, UM, TO, UH, UH, TESTIFYING THAT THIS IS TRULY A LIVING CLASSROOM AND AN OASIS THAT PROVIDES, UH, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL RELIEF FROM INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES SURROUNDING THE AREAS OF THE PARK.

UM, IMAGINE HOW MUCH MORE BENEFICIAL THIS PARK WOULD BE IF ALL 48 ACRES WERE RESTORED, AND IMAGINE IF WE COULD BUILD MORE WETLANDS IN THE PARK TO CREATE THAT STORM WATER CAPTURE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MAYOR RICHARDSON BROUGHT UP EARLIER TONIGHT.

UM, IF, IMAGINE IF WE HAD BASIC NECESSITIES SUCH AS RESTROOMS, BIKE RACKS, AND SIDEWALKS FOR SAFE, SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS.

SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE PARK, AND I AM OPTIMISTIC THAT THE CITY CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE PARK REACHING ITS FULL POTENTIAL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

OKAY, NEXT UP BEFORE YOU START, MY TI MY TIME, UM, I'M ONE OF THE CO-CHAIR OF FRIENDS OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK, AND I WOULD LIKE EVERYBODY THAT SUPPORTS WILLOW SPRINGS PARK TO STAND UP.

UM, MY NAME'S MONA EICHNER AND I AM A SEVENTH DISTRICT RESIDENCE AND, UM, VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, AS, AS THE CO-CHAIR, UM, I SUPPORT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE DEDICATION OF WILL SPRINGS PARK IN PERPETUITY.

AFTER FORMING THE FRIENDS GROUP TWO YEARS AGO WITH THE INITIAL GOAL OF ADVOCATING THIS LONG OVERDUE DEDICATION, WE ARE OVERJOYED, AS YOU CAN TELL, , UM, THE COMBINED 48 ACRES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE WHOLE CITY.

AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM MOST OF THE PEOPLE HERE.

UH, THIS UNIQUE PLACE IN THE CENTER OF LONG BEACH ASPIRES TO BE A NATURE PRESERVE WITH ALL THE NA, THE GROUPS, THE NATIVE HABITAT AND LEARNING GROUNDS FOR VISITING YOUTH, ALONG WITH THE CLIMATE ACTION CORPS, THE CLIMATE AMBASSADORS THROUGH THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION AND SUSTAINABILITY, FRIENDS OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK STARTED AS A SUBCOMMITTEE OF LONG BEACH HERITAGE WITH THREE MEMBERS, AND NOW WE ARE OVER 300 AND STILL GROWING.

ALL THE FRIENDS GROUP MEMBERS ARE ADVOCATES FOR THE FULL 48.

SO THIS FINALLY PUTS US ON TRACK TO BEGIN THE NEXT PART OF OUR ADVOCACY, RESTORING AND GROWING THE REMAINING 32 ACRES.

WE ARE EXCITED TO START THIS NEW PHASE.

UM, I MIGHT GO OVER 'CAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF THANK YOUS.

COUNCIL MEMBER YANGA, COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILWOMAN KERR AND YOUR STAFF.

PLUS OF COURSE, ANDY AND BOTH OF YOU FOR CHAMPIONING THE PARK NOW.

AND FROM ITS EARLY BEGINNINGS, LEE AND I STARTED OUR ADMIRATION OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK WAY BACK IN 2010 AS WELL.

UM, THANK YOU EL LB HERITAGE FOR SPONSORING THE FRIENDS GROUP.

THANK YOU TO THE CITY MANAGER, TOM MOKA FOR, UM, ALL THE HARD WORK ON THE DEDICATION AND, AND THANK YOU.

YOUR TIME IS UP.

I AM, I HAVE ONE MORE REALLY IMPORTANT THANK YOU.

UM, THANK YOU ALISON.

GO FOR IT.

AND CHRIS, UM, FINALLY I WANT TO THANK LARRY RICH FROM THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION AND SUSTAINABILITY FOR JUST, FOR, JUST FOR DISCOVERING THIS SPOT AND HAD AN INKLING OF WHAT WILLOW SPRINGS PARK COULD BECOME.

WILL DO ITS PART, BUT THEN ALSO ARE THERE OTHER RESOURCES LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS THAT CAN ASSIST, UM, AS LONG AS THAT'S MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL.

YOU'RE UP YOUR TURN.

OKAY, THANKS.

UH, GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMAN MEMBERS.

UH, MY NAME IS LEFA KUI.

I'M ONE OF THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE FRIENDS OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.

AS YOU'VE HEARD, UH, MANY OF OUR MEMBERS ARE HERE TONIGHT TO URGE YOU TO APPROVE AND BEGIN THE FIRST PHASE TO DEDICATE, UH, WILLOW SPRINGS PARK IN PERPETUITY AND TO SUPPORT THE ALLOTMENT OF $1 MILLION FOR THE TRAILHEAD PROJECT IN THE 2025 BUDGET.

UM, I CAN'T REALLY ADD VERY MUCH MORE THAT IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID .

UM, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR RICHARDSON, UH, COUNCILWOMAN KERR AND HER STAFF, COUNCILMAN YANGA, UH, CITY MANAGER MOCA AND HIS STAFF AND, AND CITY STAFF FOR ALL THE HARD WORK PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME AND IT'S FINALLY HERE.

UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL, UH, FOR WORKING WITH US, UM, AND LISTENING TO US.

UM, IT'S BEEN A LONG PROCESS, BUT I'M GLAD IT'S FINALLY HERE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALRIGHT, WELL CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.

UH, A FEW MORE COMMENTS, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.

YEAH, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.

I KNOW, UM, IT WAS BROUGHT UP, UH, THE IDEA OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO DO ENHANCEMENTS TO THE PARK, AND I WANTED TO GET STAFF'S, UM, PERSPECTIVE ON WHETHER, UM, FINDING MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL OPTIONS, UM, IN THOSE PARTNERSHIPS.

DOES THIS PRECLUDE US FROM DOING THOSE KINDS OF THINGS OR IS THERE WAY, IS THERE A WAY FORWARD, UM, TO DO THAT WORK TOGETHER? YEAH, I'LL HAVE ALLISON GO INTO THE DETAILS, BUT, UM, THIS IS SUCH A BIG PARK.

IT'S GONNA REQUIRE A LOT OF RESOURCES.

IT'S GONNA REQUIRE A LOT OF THE GRANT DOLLARS NOW THAT WE CAN GO AFTER THOSE AND CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT.

UH, THE CITY

[02:15:01]

SO I'LL TURN THAT TO ALLISON.

YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

SO, UM, DEDICATING THE PARK SPACE ENSURES THAT IT WILL BE, UM, PROTECTED IN PERPETUITY FOR PUBLIC USE.

UM, BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF EXAMPLES WHERE WE DO HAVE PUBLIC PARTNER PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO HELP FUND, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO, OR OPERATIONS OF, UH, PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SO THAT IS A, A TYPICAL, UM, MODEL THAT CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN ENSURING WE CAN, UM, MEET THAT INTENTION TO PROVIDE THAT QUALITY PUBLIC USE.

GREAT.

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER WITH ALL OF YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER Y THANK YOU MAYOR.

UH, ONE LAST THING AS A REMINDER, UH, BACK IN, UH, I WANNA SAY EITHER 2000 OR BEFORE, UH, WE DEDICATED THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CEMETERY AS PERMANENT AND PERPETUAL PARK.

SO TOGETHER WITH WILLOW SPRINGS AND THE CEMETERY, THE FOOTPRINT OF THE PARK IS EXPANDS AND EVEN IS EVEN GREATER.

SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL YOUR EFFORTS.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT FOR ALL YOUR COMMENTS AND, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARK EVEN FURTHER.

ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, GREAT STUFF.

JUST TWO THINGS I WOULD JUST WANT TO LIFT UP.

I HEARD THE VAST FOLKS WERE HERE.

UH, JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND CERTAINLY THANK YOU, UH, I HEAR YOU'RE PARTICIPATING IN OUR FIRST SU SPACE SPEECH SUMMER CAMP, UH, FOR YOUTH.

SO THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THAT.

I'M HEARING GREAT REVIEWS.

I'LL BE OUT THERE WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE TOMORROW OR THURSDAY.

I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT'S TOMORROW OR THURSDAY.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, KERR RAISED A REALLY GOOD POINT ABOUT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.

WE HAD SOME GOOD EXAMPLES RIGHT HERE IN LONG BEACH WHEN I WAS THE COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE NINTH DISTRICT, UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF NEED TO INVEST IN DEFOREST PARK, WHICH IS RIGHT ALONG THE RIVER.

AND WE SAW SOME REAL OPPORTUNITIES WITH CONSERVATION CORPS WHERE WE HAD AN OLD COMMUNITY CENTER, COULDN'T REALLY USE IT ANYMORE.

OLD ISSUES, ASBESTOS, ALL THAT.

THEY WENT AND WE PROVIDED THE LAND.

THEY WENT AND BUILT A NEW COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE COMMUNITY AND BROUGHT IN THEIR BASE OF TRAINING AND OPERATIONS FOR CLEANING UP, UM, THE LOWER LOS ANGELES RIVER AND HELPED WITH MAINTENANCE OF OUR DEFOREST PARK WETLANDS.

IT WAS ALL THROUGH A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT WAS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO BOTH.

AND WHAT YOU ENDED UP WITH WAS JUST, JUST A MORE, UM, ENHANCED EXPERIENCE THERE.

AND THE OTHER ONE WAS, WAS A CAMPFIRE RIGHT.

COUNCIL MEMBER, I, I WANNA STEP ON YOUR TOES ON SOME OF THIS.

I KNOW THIS IS OH NO, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UM, AND THEY'RE ALSO THERE, RIGHT? SO COUNCIL FISHER CORPS HAS THEIR BRAND NEW FACILITY, UM, CAMPFIRE HAS TAKEN OVER AND RESTORED AND, AND MAINTAINED, UM, AND IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY.

THE EXISTING PARK FACILITIES THERE.

THEY PUT IN THE RIGHT, THEY PUT THE WALKING TRAILS IN NORTH OF THAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THAT CATALYZED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS, RIGHT? SO WE, WE PUT IN PICKLEBALL COURTS, RIGHT? RIGHT.

WE, WE REDID THE, THE FUTAL COURTS WE'RE GETTING READY TO COME IN AND REDO THE BASKETBALL COURTS.

THEY'RE THE NEXT SET OF PLAYGROUNDS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING.

SO JUST, IT CATALYZES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE A SNOWBALL THAT JUST KEPT GOING.

SO, SO THERE'S A LOT OF SIMILARITIES IN THE OPPORTUNITIES I SEE HERE.

UM, YOU JUST HEARD FROM TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS IN NORTH LONG BEACH THAT, THAT CAN TELL YOU THAT ONCE THE BALL GET KEPT GOING, THERE WERE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES AND, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T ALL PUBLIC DOLLARS.

MUCH OF THIS WAS, WELL, WASN'T ALL CITY DOLLARS, MAN.

IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN OTHER AGENCIES.

BUT BY BRINGING ON PARTNERS THEY HAD SECURED, UH, THEY PROCURED MUCH OF THE OTHER RESOURCES TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SO THIS IT, WE HAVE THE EXAMPLES TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SO THIS IS A GREAT HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR US MEMBERS, PLEASE CATCH YOUR VOTE.

DO YOU WANT PARTNER WITH PICTURE? CAN WE DO A PICTURE UP HERE? YES.

YOU WANT ME TO DO IT OUTSIDE? NO, IT'S OKAY.

COUNCIL MEMBER ORANGA, ARE YOU? YES.

NOW WE DON'T ALWAYS DO THIS, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO IT TONIGHT BECAUSE IT IS KIND OF A HISTORIC VOTE.

SO THE COUNCILWOMAN HAS ASKED IF ALL OF THE FRIENDS OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK COME FORWARD TO TAKE A PHOTO.

[02:21:37]