Apr 17, 2025 Planning Commission

[00:01:55]

STAFF.

ARE YOU READY? PERFECT.

GREAT.

GOOD EVENING.

I'D LIKE TO

[CALL TO ORDER]

CASTILLO IS EXCUSED FROM THE MEETING.

AND COMMISSIONER SUAREZ IS UNEXCUSED AT THIS POINT.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? NO, SIR.

THANK YOU.

IF

[ROLL CALL]

COMMISSIONER CLEMSON.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER SANTOS.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER SU SUAREZ.

COMMISSIONER WARE HERE.

VICE CHAIR TEMPLAN HERE.

CHAIR LEWIS.

HERE WE HAVE QUORUM.

THANK YOU.

VICE CHAIR.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

VICE CHAIR TEMPLATE.

NOW IT'S THE TIME FOR SWEARING OF WITNESSES.

IF YOU PLAN ON GIVING ANY TESTIMONY THIS EVENING, PLEASE STAND AND RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

THANK YOU.

DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT THE EVIDENCE YOU SHALL GIVE IN THIS PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING SHALL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH? THANK YOU.

YOU MAY BE SEATED.

FIRST ITEM ON

[1. 25-55012 Recommendation to receive and file Director’s Report.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

IF I COULD HAVE A MOTION FROM ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS.

GOOD GUESS.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER SANTOS AND VICE CHAIR TIMLIN.

I'LL TURN THINGS OVER FOR THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.

UM, I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AND THE PUBLIC AWARE THAT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, UM, STAFF RELEASED A DRAFT VISION FOR THE DOWNTOWN SHORELINE AREA FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.

SO WE WILL BE BACK NEXT MONTH TO GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE TO, TO BEGIN EXPLORING AND WE'LL BE HOSTING A COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE AND CELEBRATION IN EARLY JUNE ON JUNE 4TH.

UM, SO MORE DETAILS TO COME NEXT MONTH, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU AND THE PUBLIC TO, UH, TAKE A LOOK.

THERE'S A VIDEO THAT KIND OF SUMMARIZES THE VISION, UH, AS WELL AS INTERACTIVE WAYS TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON OUR WEBSITE, UH, NEXT WEEK, UH, MARK'S EARTH WEEK.

SO THERE'LL BE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS GOING ON, UM, BOTH HERE AT THE CITY.

UM, AND OUR STAFF WILL ALSO BE AT THE AQUARIUMS EARTH DAY FESTIVAL PROMOTING THE SHORELINE VISION WORK.

UM, SO I ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO CHECK THAT OUT.

UH, SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE IS ALSO HOSTING, UH, AN EVENT AT WILLOW SPRINGS PARK NEXT WEEKEND IN HONOR AND CELEBRATION OF EARTH DAY.

UM, AND THAT CONCLUDES MY DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

THANK YOU.

AND FOR THE SHORELINE VISIONING, IS THAT AT THE HOMEPAGE OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH'S WEBSITE OR IS THERE SOMEWHERE SPECIFIC THEY SHOULD GO? YEAH, GREAT QUESTION.

IT'S THROUGH OUR PLANNING HOMEPAGE ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

UM, AND IT'S, UM, ALSO AT LONG BEACH.

DO UH.GOV/UH, DOWNTOWN

[00:05:01]

PERFECT.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD.

VICE CHAIR.

UH, YES, MA'AM.

UM, IS IT ANONYMOUS? I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF THE WORD, UH, BECAUSE AS A COMMISSIONER, CAN WE GIVE AN OPINION? YES, YOU CAN GIVE AN OPINION.

IT WILL COME IN FRONT OF YOU.

SO YOU WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT TAKING POSITIONS OR KIND OF OVERWHELMING THE PARTICIPATION OF THE, OF THE WHOLE, BUT YOU CAN ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS.

THANK YOU.

RIGHT.

SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, THAT WOULD BE THE TIME TO MAKE THEM SEEING NONE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER.

DO WE HAVE ANY VIRTUAL COMMENTS? WE DO NOT HAVE ANY VIRTUAL ATTENDEES.

THEN I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND BRING IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL.

MADAM CLERK, IF WE COULD HAVE A VOTE ON THIS ITEM.

COMMISSIONER, WHERE I CAN TAKE A VERBAL YES.

MOTION IS CARRIED.

THANK YOU.

NEXT HOUSEKEEPING

[2. 25-55013 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Planning Commission meeting of Thursday, April 3, 2025.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

IF I COULD HAVE A MOTION TO HEAR THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU.

VICE CHAIR, TEMPLE AND COMMISSIONER SANTOS.

COMMISSIONER, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CORRECTIONS WITH THE MINUTES AS THEY'VE BEEN PUBLISHED? SEEING NONE, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE MINUTES? SEEING NONE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, DO WE HAVE ANY VIRTUAL COMMENTS? WE DO NOT HAVE ANY VIRTUAL ATTENDEES.

WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND BRING IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL.

SEE NO ADDITIONAL, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MADAM CLERK, IF WE COULD HAVE THE VOTE PLEASE.

MOTION IS CARRIED.

THANK YOU.

AND WITH THAT BRINGS US TO OUR FIRST REGULAR ITEM OF BUSINESS.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO READ THAT FOR US, PLEASE.

MADAM CLERK? YES.

ITEM

[3. 25-55014 Recommendation to find that this action is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and receive and file the 2024 General Plan Implementation Report and instruct the Director of Community Development to submit the Implementation Report to City Council, State Office of Planning and Research (OPR) and Housing and Community Development Department (HCD). (Citywide)       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

IF I COULD HAVE A MOTION TO HEAR THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER SANTOS AND COMMISSIONER WARE.

DO WE HAVE A STAFF PRESENTATION? WE DO.

UM, JUST FOR THE COMMISSION'S CONTEXT, THIS IS A REPORT WE BRING TO EACH SPRING TO GIVE YOU, UM, A SUMMARY INCLUDING STATISTICS OF, UM, HOW, HOW WE DID IN IMPLEMENTING OUR GENERAL PLAN, UH, LAST YEAR.

IT'S SOMETHING WE ARE OBLIGATED TO THEN SUBMIT TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, BOTH TO THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF PLANNING AND RESEARCH OR OPR.

WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR ADVANCED PLANNING OFFICER, ALEJANDRO SANCHEZ LOPEZ, AS WELL AS OUR ADVANCED PLANNER.

UH, PAOLA ES CARINA.

THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.

UH, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TODAY IS ALISON MENTIONED IS A PRESENTATION ON THE CITY'S TOOL, ANY 24 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT, UM, FOR THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF THE LONG BEACH GENERAL PLAN.

SORRY.

OKAY.

UH, SO AS YOU MAY RECALL FROM PRIOR YEARS, CALIFORNIA LAW MANDATES THAT ALL CITIES AND COUNTIES SUBMIT TO THEIR LEGISLATIVE BODIES IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF PLANNING AND RESEARCH AN ANNUAL REPORT ON THE STATUS, STATUS OF THE GENERAL PLAN AND THE PROGRESS TOWARDS ITS IMPLEMENTATION WITH SPECIFIC REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE HOUSING ELEMENT REPORT PORTION OF THE ANNUAL REPORT.

THE INTENT OF THIS STATUTE IS TO ENSURE THAT THE GENERAL PLAN DIRECTS ALL LAND USE POSITIONS AND REMAINS AS AN EFFECTIVE GUIDE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS REPORTING THEN IS TO PROVIDE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO ALLOW LOCAL LEGISLATIVE BODIES TO ASSESS HOW THE GENERAL PLAN IS BEING IMPLEMENTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ADOPTED GOALS, POLICIES, AND IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES.

SORRY, ONE SECOND THERE.

UH, SO 2024 MARKED THE THIRD FULL CALENDAR YEAR OF THE CITY SIX REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT CYCLE ARENA CYCLE, WHICH QUANTIFIES A NEED FOR HOUSING WITHIN EACH JURISDICTION DURING SPECIFIED EIGHT YEAR PERIODS.

AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE, THE CITY'S OVERALL HOUSING PRODUCTION TARGET IS 26,502 UNITS, OF WHICH ABOUT 15,346 UNITS, UH, UH, HIGHLIGHTED IN THE RED BOX ARE DESIGNATED AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY.

AND THEN FOR CONTEXT, YOU CAN SEE THE ARENA ALLOCATIONS FOR LA COUNTY

[00:10:01]

THE CHART AND TABLE HERE SUMMARIZED PERMIT ACTIVITY FOR 2024 ON THE LEFT AND PROVIDE A COMPARISON WITH A EIGHT YEAR PERIOD, SORRY FOR THE LAST DECADE ON THE RIGHT.

UM, IN 2024, THE CITY ENTITLED 1,788 HOUSING UNITS OF WHICH 258 WERE DESIGNATED AS AFFORDABLE.

THE CITY ALSO PERMITTED 1,704 NEW UNITS, A NEW ANNUAL RECORD IN A SERIES OF MILESTONES FOR THE CITY.

HOWEVER, DESPITE ALL THAT, THE START, UM, OR THREE YEARS INTO THE SIXTH ARENA CYCLE, LONG BEACH HAS PERMITTED ONLY 3% OF ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, UNIT ARENA TARGET.

GOING FORWARD, THE CITY WILL CONTINUE, UH, THE NEED FOR INCREASING ENTITLEMENT ACTIVITY SIGNIFICANTLY IN ORDER TO PERMIT THE NECESSARY NUMBER OF UNITS AT THE SCALE REQUIRED BY RENA AT ALL INCOME LEVELS.

POLICIES SUCH AS THE RECENTLY, UM, ADOPTED CITYWIDE EXPANSION OF INCLUSIONARY HOUSING AND OTHER RELATED MEASURES, UM, WILL HOPE TO KINDA BRIDGE THIS GAP.

THE SIDE HERE SHOWS OVERALL HOUSING TRENDS OVER THE LAST DECADE.

UH, YOU CAN SEE WITH A TREND LINE THAT THERE'S BEEN A CUMULATIVE, UM, NOT QUITE, BUT STARTING TO APPROACH EXPONENTIAL INCREASE IN PERMITTING ACTIVITY STARTING IN PARTICULAR WITH 2019.

UM, AS YOU MAY RECALL, THAT YEAR ALSO COINCIDED, UH, WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE CITY'S NEW LAND USE ELEMENT, UM, WHICH PLANNED FOR SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 28,000 NEW UNITS CITYWIDE THROUGH A HORIZON PERIOD OF 2040.

UM, AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, 2024 WAS THE, UH, LATEST RECORD FOR THE CITY, UM, SHOWING PERMIT ACTIVITY IN A SINGLE CALENDAR YEAR THAT HAS NOT REALLY BEEN REACHED SINCE THE 1980S CONSTRUCTION BOOM THAT HAPPENED THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

SO THIS SLIDE, YOU MAY ALSO REMEMBER FROM PRIOR PRESENTATIONS, UM, HIGHLIGHTS, UH, ITEMS, UM, THAT ARE WITHIN LOCAL CONTROL.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE BOLDED, UH, BULLET POINT, UM, WE DO HAVE VERY LIMITED LOCAL FUNDS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THIS IS THE MAIN OBSTACLE TO INCREASING AFFORDABLE HOUSING PERMITTED ACTIVITY, UM, IN CONJUNCTION WITH, UH, MARKET RATES OR, UM, UNRESTRICTED, UM, HOUSING PERMIT ACTIVITY.

THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS ITEMS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S CONTROL.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS LIST IS MUCH LONGER.

UM, TWO ITEMS BULLETED HERE ALSO RELATE TO FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE DISTRIBUTION OF FEDERAL TAX CREDITS UNDER THE CITY'S OR UNDER THE COUNTRY'S LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT OR LIFE TECH PROGRAM.

AND THEN AT THE STATE LEVEL, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDS, UM, TO FURTHER SUBSIDIZE, UH, A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE PROJECTS.

UH, MOVING ALONG INTO OTHER MILESTONES WITHIN THE HOUSING ELEMENT PORTION OF THE GENERAL PLAN.

UH, THIS SLIDE SHOWS, UH, A SUMMARY OF OTHER, UM, NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS THAT WERE COMPLETED IN 2024.

UH, WITH THE ENHANCED DENSITY BONUS, THE CITY WAS AWARDED A GRANT UPDATED LOCAL ORDINANCE TO INCREASE MIX MIXED INCOME HOUSING PRODUCTION THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

UM, THE CITY ALSO PERMITTED THREE MICRO-UNIT PROJECTS UNDER ITS PILOT PROGRAM, RESULTING IN THE LARGEST NUMBER OF MICRO UNITS APPROVED IN ONE YEAR.

UM, ABOUT 264 74 UNITS WITH 34 OF THOSE BEING, UH, DESIGNATED AS SOME KIND OF AFFORDABLE.

THE CITY HAS ALSO REACHED ITS 500 UNIT PILOT CAB.

UM, SO IT IS NOW PAUSING, UM, TAKING ON ANY ADDITIONAL MICRO-UNIT APPLICATIONS ON THE REZONING EFFORT.

UH, THE CITY, UH, CONTINUES TO MAKE PROGRESS WITH ITS CITYWIDE, UM, ZONING IN INITIATIVE, UH, CITY COURT AND U PLAN, BOTH OF WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT MORE IN THE LAND USE.

UM, PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION, UM, BOTH WERE ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024, UM, COMPLETING MULTI-YEAR REZONING EFFORTS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL LONG BEACH.

AND THEN ZONE IN BIG SPEED RIGLEY AND 10TH STREET TO BROADWAY.

UM, CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THE ROAD TO ADOPTION.

AND THEN FINALLY, UH, SEWN IN EVERYONE'S COAST WAS AWARDED, UM, A STATE, UH, PLANNING GRANT, UH, TO BEGIN EFFORTS, UH, REZONING IN THE COASTAL ZONE.

UH, THIS YEAR.

AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, INCLUSIONARY HOUSING WAS EXPANDED CITYWIDE.

UM, SO YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT THIS COMMISSION, UM, WAS A FIRST MAJOR, UM, STEP ON THAT, UH, ROAD TO ADOPTION.

I RECOMMENDED APPROVAL TO EXPAND THE POLICY CITYWIDE IN LATE 2000, UH, 24, AND WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL ALTERNATE OVER TO, UH, PAOLA, OUR ADVANCED PLANNER, WHO WILL GO OVER SOME OF THE LAND USE ELEMENT, UH, MILESTONES ACHIEVED, UH, OVER THE LAST CALENDAR YEAR.

THANK YOU ALEJANDRO.

UH, BEFORE YOU ARE, UH, THE NINE GOALS IN THE 2019, UH, LAND USE ELEMENT.

AND NOW WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING, UM, THROUGH THE LAND USE

[00:15:01]

SO FOR STARTERS, THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION AND SUSTAINABILITY MADE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS IN 2024.

A FEW NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDES EFFORTS IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION WHERE THE TEAM CONDUCTED FIVE CLIMATE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS TO EDUCATE THE COMMISSION AND THE PUBLIC ON INTERDEPARTMENTAL EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION PLANS, ACTIONS, UH, MEETINGS PROVIDED INFORMATION ON THE CITY'S APPROACH TO ADDRESSING CLIMATE STRESS FROM DROUGHT AND EXTREME HEAT AND MITIGATION OF GREENHOUSE, GREENHOUSE GAS EMITTING SECTORS LIKE WASTE BUILDING AND ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION.

FURTHERMORE, THE TEAM ALSO HOSTED CLIMATE EVENTS FOR MONARCH DAY OF ACTION, EARTH MONTH AND CLEAN AIR DAY TO ENCOURAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM AND STEWARDSHIP, SUPPORTED THE ANNUAL RANCHOS WALK TO ENCOURAGE RECREATION, PEDESTRIAN EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND INCREASE ATTENDANCE BY 50% TO ALMOST 600 PARTICIPANTS.

IN 2024, THE NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR PROGRAM BEGAN WITH APPROXIMATELY 6,000 PARTICIPANTS.

WITHIN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS, VOLUNTEERS PLANTED 44 TREES AND 92 NATIVE PLANTS.

DURING THE EVENTS, THE MULCH DELIVERY AND PICKUP PROGRAM COMPLETED 464 DELIVERIES, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 1,674 CUBIC YARDS OVER TWO TONS TO RESIDENTS REDIRECTING TREE TRIMMING GREEN WASTE TO BENEFICIAL LOCAL USE, AND PLANTED A TOTAL OF 942 TREES THROUGHOUT THE STREET TREE PLANTING PROGRAM.

BETWEEN JANUARY AND MAY FOUR, BUSINESSES WERE CERTIFIED THROUGH THE GREENHOUSE, UH, THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA GREEN BUSINESS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.

PRIOR TO THE PROGRAM, UM, BEING TRANSITIONED TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, BI BIS CARE TEAM, CERTIFIED GREEN BUSINESSES FOLLOW GUIDELINES FOR ENERGY AND WATER CONSERVATION, POLLUTION PREVENTION, WASTE MANAGEMENT, EMPLOYEE COMMUTE, AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION.

ON THE RESTORATION FRONT, THE SUSTAINABILITY FIELD TEAM WORKED ACROSS MORE THAN 16 ACRES AT WILLOW PARK, WILLOW SPRING PARK TO REMOVE PERSISTENT INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES SUCH AS MUSTARD STARRED DIZEL AND TUMBLEWEED MAINTAINED RECENT NATIVE PLANTINGS AND ADDED OVER 150 NEW NATIVE PLANTS THROUGHOUT WILLOW SPRING PARK AT RESTORATION FRIDAY EVENTS IN THE FALL IN SEPTEMBER, 2024, THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET, WHICH INCLUDED DEDICATED FUNDING TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVES.

THE ADOPTED FY 25 BUDGET INCLUDES STAFFING SUPPORT FOR THE CITYWIDE TREE PLANTING AND HABITAT RESTORATION PROGRAM.

PRIORITIZES RESOURCES TO STRUCTURALLY FUND A SEVEN YEAR TREE TRIMMING CYCLE IN OUR PARKS TO ENSURE PROPER MAINTENANCE OF OUR URBAN CANOPY AND FUNDS EXPANDED BEACH CLEANUP AND TRASH COLLECTION OPERATIONS TO MAINTAIN OUR COASTLINE.

THE BUDGET ALSO DIRECTS $1 MILLION FOR THE WILLOW SPRING TORE HEAD PROJECT IN LINE WITH THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO DEVELOP NEW OPEN SPACE, IMPROVES, IMPROVE STORM WATER CAPTURE, AND REDUCE THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECTS, ESPECIALLY IN COMMUNITIES MOST VULNERABLE TO THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

ADDITIONALLY, THE ADOPTED FY 25 BUDGET INCLUDES STAFFING CAPACITY FOR THE CITY'S ADVANCED CLEAN FLEETS PROJECT TO CONTINUE LONG BEACH NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADERSHIP IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE TRANSITION EFFORTS.

THIS BUDGET INVESTS $4.8 MILLION IN A VARIETY OF GREEN HOUSE GAS EMISSION REDUCTIONS ACTIONS INCLUDING RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY, REBATE REBATES, DIRECT INSTALL, ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, ELECTRICAL VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS, ELECTRICAL VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS, PARK ENERGY EFFICIENCY LIGHTING UPGRADES, AND COOL ROOF HVAC REPLACEMENTS AT LIBRARIES AND POLICE STATIONS.

ADDITIONALLY, THE FY 25 BUDGET WILL ESTABLISH AN IN-HOUSE, UH, BIKE SHARE PROGRAM TO MANAGE AND OPERATE OVER 1,400 E-BIKES ACROSS 100 BIKE SHARE HUBS TO ENCOURAGE MORE LONG BEACH RESIDENTS TO USE BICYCLING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO DRIVING AND REDUCE VEHICLE TRAFFIC AND EMISSION.

THE ADOPTED FY 25 BUDGET AS PART OF O 8 28 PLAN, MAKE SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENTS IN ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF PARKS IN OPEN SPACE IN EVERY PART OF LONG BEACH, INCLUDING S SILVERADO PARK, BIXBY PARK, CESAR CHAVEZ PARK, HARWELL PARK, TON PARK, AND OTHERS WITH MORE THAN $13 MILLION DEDICATED TO PACK PARK IMPROVEMENTS FOR PLAYGROUNDS, PLAY FIELDS, GREEN BELT, WALKING PATHS, AND COMMUNITY GARDENS.

THIS BUDGET WILL ALSO INCLUDE NEARLY 3 MILLION FOR WATER QUALITY ENHANCEMENTS AT ALAM ALAMEDOS BAY OPEN CHANNEL RESTORATIONS AT COLORADO LAGOON AND CITYWIDE STORM DRAIN IMPROVEMENTS TO BETTER MANAGE STORM

[00:20:01]

THE ELEVATE 28 INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT PLAN IS A FIVE YEAR INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM MADE OF PROJECTS DEDICATED TO SERVING LONG BEACH PARKS, COMMUNITIES, PUBLIC FACILITIES, ACCESS TO MOBILITY AND STREET IMPROVEMENTS.

2024 ALSO MARKED THE START OF DEVELOPMENT OF A DRAFT OF A NEW SPECIFIC PLAN TO REPLACE THE 2022 DOWNTOWN PLAN.

THE NEW DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN WILL INCLUDE UPDATED LAND USE STRATEGIES, HOUSING STRATEGIES, DESIGNED STANDARDS, AND MOBILITY STRATEGIES.

UPDATES TO THE PLAN ARE AIMED TO ACHIEVE A HIGH QUALITY URBAN BROWN THAT SERVES THE HEART OF THE CITY, CONNECTING THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE COASTLINE.

ADDITIONALLY, THE UPDATED PROGRAM ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT WILL REDUCE THE COST AND TIME ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND MITIGATING THE PROCESSES OF PROJECTS AND PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PD 30 AREA DURING 2024 INCLUDE THE MOSAIC PROJECT, A 29, UH, 900 DWELLING UNIT PRO, UH, DEVELOPMENT IN THREE, UM, EIGHT STORY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS WITH GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL LOCATED IN CITY PLACE AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER CITY PLACE MALL.

THIS PROJECT, UH, COMPLETED ITS POST ENTITLEMENT REVIEW IN LATE 2024 AND ENTERED A PLAN CHECK BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN 2025.

THE MOSAIC PROJECT INCLUDES 6% AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS FOR A TOTAL OF 54 AFFORDABLE UNITS UNDER THE CITY'S 2021 INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE.

THE DEVELOPMENT WAS APPROVED BY PLANNING COMMISSION IN 2024.

ANOTHER NOTABLE PROJECT INCLUDES 600 WEST BROADWAY, WHICH CONSISTS OF 756 DWELL UNITS AND SIX WOOD FRAME TYPE B BUILDINGS.

AND ONE HIGH RISE WITH A NINE STORY PARKING GARAGE FINALLY ENTERED CONSTRUCTION IN 2024.

AFTER ITS ORIGINAL APPROVAL BY PLANNING COMMISSION IN JULY, 2019, THIS PROJECT WILL REPLACE A FORMER SURFERS PARKING LOT OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF BROADWAY, FILLING IN A MISSING PIECE OF THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH AT THE BOUNDARY OF THE DOWNTOWN PLAN.

FURTHERMORE, THE DOWNTOWN SHORELINE PLAN DEVELOPED DISTRICT, ALSO KNOWN AS PD SIX, IS BOUNDED BY OCEAN BOULEVARD AND THE COAST, UH, FROM THE GO, UM, GOLDEN SHORE DRIVE IN ALAMEDAS AVENUE.

IN DECEMBER, 2022, CITY COUNCIL PASSED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ADOPTION OF THE SPECIFIC PLAN AND AWARDED A CONTRACT TO PLACE WORK INCORPORATED FOR THE PD SIX DOWNTOWN SHORTLINE VISION AND PLAN UPDATE.

THE PROCESS FOR THIS PLAN UPDATE BEGINS WITH A VISION PLAN ROOTED IN ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WILL SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE ANTICIPATED REGULATORY PLAN UPDATE PROCESS TO ADDRESS EXISTING, UM, AND ANTICIPATED COMMUNITY NEEDS.

PUBLIC OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT BEGAN IN 2023 AND CONTINUED THROUGHOUT 2024 TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY GUIDELINES AND VISION AND OCEAN FRONT DESTINATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD.

IN SPRING 2024, THE CITY LAUNCHED TWO DIFFERENT DIGITAL MULTILINGUAL PLATFORMS FOR THE PUBLIC TO IMPROVE FEEDBACK, UM, TO HELP INFORM THE VISION.

FIRST, AN ONLINE SURVEY WAS HOSTED TO SOLICIT INPUT ON THE DRAFT GUIDING PRINCIPLES FROM RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS THE CITY.

SECOND, THE CITY LAUNCHED AN ON GROUND CAMPAIGN WHERE APPROXIMATELY 90 SIGNS WERE POSTED IN AND AROUND THE SHORELINE AREA, SUCH AS POLES, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ON THE CIRCUIT MICRO TRANSIT VEHICLES TO ENGAGE DIVERSE AUDIENCES.

A DOWNTOWN SHORELINE, UH, VISION PLAN OPPORTUNITIES LOOK.

BOOK SUMMARIZING THE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS WAS PUBLISHED SUMMARIZING THE ASSESSMENT AND EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT FOR LAND USE URBAN DESIGN AND MOBILITY IN THE DOWNTOWN SHORELINE AREA.

IN JUNE, 2024, THE CITY HOSTED A MULTI-DAY IN-PERSON COMMUNITY DESIGN CHARADE TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS, YOUTH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, AND DESIGN EXPERTS ON EIGHT BIG IDEAS THAT VISUALIZE AND PROMPT DISCUSSION ON POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE FEATURES.

FOR THE THE DOWNTOWN SHORELINE AREA, THE BIG QUOTE UNQUOTE BIG, UH, THE EIGHT BIG IDEAS WERE INFORMED BY THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND TANGIBLY ILLUSTRATED HOW POTENTIAL PRINCIPLES GUIDELINES COULD BE ACHIEVED BY SPECIFIC INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND PLACE MAKING STRATEGIES ORGANIZED BY GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.

EAST, WEST, AND CENTRAL SHORELINES STAFF ENGAGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES LIKE AN OPEN HOUSE WALKING AND BIKING TOURS, AND AN ONLINE FORUM TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK AND ENSURE RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OPERATORS, WORKERS, PROPERTY

[00:25:01]

STAFF ARE CURRENTLY REVIEWING AND INTEGRATING THE RESULTS OF ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FROM THE PAST YEAR TO DEVELOP A FINAL PREFERRED VISION FOR THE DOWNTOWN SHORELINE AREA.

PLANNING FOR THE NEXT COMMUNITY ADVISORY ROUND TABLE IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY FOR SPRING 2025 AND AN OPEN HOUSE IN SUMMER 2025 TO SOLICIT COMMUNITY AND FEEDBACK ON PREFERRED VISION.

FINAL, UM, FINAL VISION THAT INCORPORATES THE IDEAS SHARED AND FEEDBACK RECEIVED BASED ON THE EIGHT QUOTE UNQUOTE BIG IDEAS.

THE VISION PLAN FINALIZATION WILL INFORM CONVERSATION ON PD SIX INTO A STATE STATE COMPLIANCE SPECIFIC PLAN THAT WE, THAT WILL BE CONSISTENT WITH AND HELP IMPLEMENT THE GENERAL PLAN, INCLUDING THE MOST RECENTLY UPDATED AND ADOPTED LAND USE ELEMENT, HOUSING ELEMENT, URBAN DESIGN ELEMENT, AND CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.

FURTHERMORE, UH, THERE WAS SOME, UH, PROGRESS MADE WITH VICTORY PARK SANTA CRUZ DESIGN GUIDELINES.

AS A REMINDER, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S PLANNING BUREAU HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN A MULTI-YEAR EFFORT TO UPDATE THE VICTORY SANTA CRUZ PARK DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE 1980S, ORIGINALLY DEDICATED TO THE CITY AS A PUBLIC PARKLAND IN 1889.

VICTORY PARK IS THE OLDEST PARK IN THE CITY.

WHILE EARLY VERSIONS OF THE PARK INCLUDED PORTIONS DESIGNED BY LEGENDARY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS LIKE FREDERICK LAW ALTMAN JR.

SEGMENTS OF BOTH VICTORY AND SANTA CRUZ PARKS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED ON A BLOCK BY BLOCK BASIS AS ADJACENT DEVELOPMENTS HAVE BEEN ERECTED.

AS A RESULT, THE VARIOUS PARK SEGMENTS WHICH MAKE UP VICTORY IN SANTA CRUZ PARKS TODAY VARY IN DEATH AMENITIES AND OVERALL CHARACTER ADOPTION OF THIS DESIGN GUIDELINE UPDATE, UH, TOOK PLACE IN AUGUST, 2024 WITH THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION.

THE UPDATED GUIDELINES ARE NOW IN EFFECT AND HAVE ALSO WON A 2024 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION URBAN DESIGN AWARD.

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO GUIDE THE FUTURE PARK IMPROVEMENTS TO CREATE AN INVITING PUBLIC SPACE THAT IS ATTRACTIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND SERVES AS A RICH AMENITY FOR DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, WORKERS AND VISITORS.

THE GUIDELINES WILL IDENTIFY THE TYPES OF USES THAT WILL BE ALLOWED AND ESTABLISH THE DESIGN VISION FOR THE PARK, INCLUDING FURNISHING, LANDSCAPING, AND OTHER DESIGN ELEMENTS.

THE UPDATED GUIDELINES ARE INFORMED BY RESEARCH, MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH EVENTS, UH, THE MODEL WATER MODEL, WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE, THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN, INCLUDING LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM AND THE COASTAL ACT OF 1976.

ADDITIONALLY, IN JUNE, UH, 2022, THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED A RECOMMENDATION TO TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO CREATE A VISIONING PROCESS AND VISIBILITY PLAN FOR THE LGBTQ PLUS CULTURAL DISTRICT.

THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO FORM THE STRATEGIC SIP WAS GROUNDED IN UPLIFTING THE VOICES OF THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY, EDUCATING AND PROVIDING RESOURCES TO THE BUSINESSES ALONG THE CORRIDOR.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT IS A CORE COMPONENT FOR ESTABLISHING THE CULTURAL DISTRICT.

THE BROADWAY CORRIDOR HAS HISTORICALLY CAUSED SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ADVOCATED FOR AND CREATED SPACE FOR THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY TO FLOURISH.

THE ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORT ALLOWED THE CITY TO LISTEN TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON WHAT THEY VALUE THE MOST AND THE NEW CULTURAL DISTRICT WITH A FOCUS ON COMMUNITY THAT IT TRIES TO SERVE.

ON MAY 11, UH, ON MAY 21ST, 2020 FOURTH, THE STRATEGIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN OR SIP WAS PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL AND WAS UNANIM UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

THE PLAN WILL BE USED TO GUIDE FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THE BROADWAY CORRIDOR TO THE BENEFIT OF RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AND IN PROMOTION OF SHARED HISTORY, CULTURE, IDENTITY, AND PRIDE.

AND NOW I'LL PASS IT ALONG TO ALEJANDRO.

THANK YOU, PAOLA.

SO THE NEXT FEW SLIDES WE'LL TALK ABOUT AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE CITY CITYWIDE, UH, REZONING EFFORT, ALSO KNOWN AS ZONE IN, UH, PURSUANT TO STATE LAW, THE CITY IS UNDERTAKING EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW LANDY SETTLEMENT, WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN 2019, AS WELL AS OUR, UH, CURRENT SIX CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT, WHICH WAS ADOPTED AND CERTIFIED, UH, IN 2022.

THE SYSTEMATIC REZONING THROUGHOUT THE CITY WILL HELP ENSURE SUFFICIENT ZONE CAPACITY TO MEET EXISTING AND FUTURE HOUSING NEEDS, AND SUPPORT THE CREATION OF MORE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES WHERE HOUSING, JOBS, AND SHOPPING ARE LOCATED MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER AND FOCUSED NEAR THE HIGHEST QUALITY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS WITHIN THE CITY.

THIS EFFORT CONTINUES TO BUILD UPON PREVIOUS CITY PLANS, GOALS, POLICIES, AND STRATEGIES TO ENSURE THAT THE CITY MEETS THE HOUSING NEEDS OF CURRENT AND FUTURE LONG BEACH RESIDENTS AND PROVIDES FAIR HOUSING OPTIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND

[00:30:01]

SO THE MAP HERE SHOWS A CURRENT STATUS OF THE VARIOUS, UH, REZONING EFFORTS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY, UH, BELIEVE SEVEN EIGHT MAJOR EFFORTS IN VARIOUS STAGES OF COMPLETION.

UM, THE DOWNTOWN AND DOWNTOWN SHORELINE PLANS ARE BOTH HIGHLIGHTED HERE IN PURPLE AND RED RESPECTIVELY.

UM, AND THEN FOR UNDER THE ZONE IN BANNER, UH, THERE'S RECENTLY COMPLETED PLANS, UM, IN GREEN, BROWN, UM, BLUE AND GRAY FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND WEST LONG BEACH.

AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, UH, YOU PLAN IN NORTH LONG BEACH AND ZONE IN CITY CORPS AND CENTRAL LONG BEACH WERE ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024.

UM, ZONE IN WEST LONG BEACH WAS ADOPTED BACK IN 2023.

AND THEN FOR UPCOMING PROJECTS, THERE IS ZONE IN BIXBY SHOWN IN ORANGE, UH, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE ADOPTED, UH, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

UM, AND THEN ZONE IN WRIGLEY AND ZONE IN 10TH THROUGH BROADWAY IN PINK AND TURQUOISE RESPECTIVELY, UH, WHICH ARE PLANNED, UH, TO HAVE MORE ROBUST PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THIS YEAR.

UH, FINALLY THERE'S ZONE IN EVERYONE COAST, SHOWN IN YELLOW, UM, WHICH WAS AWARDED A STATE PLANNING GRANT LAST YEAR, UM, AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING UNDERWAY, UM, IN THE COMING WEEKS.

UM, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, ALL OF THESE EFFORTS SEEK TO ACCOMMODATE HOUSING NEEDS AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO COMMERCIAL USES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SO TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, INFORMATION AND IMPLEMENTATION ACTION UPDATES ON, UH, THE RECENTLY ADOPTED PROJECTS.

FIRST THERE IS ZONE IN NEW PLAN, WHICH WAS ADOPTED ON SEPTEMBER 17TH OF LAST YEAR.

UM, THIS INCLUDED A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE TO THE TITLE 22 ZONING, UH, CODE, UH, WITH FOUR NEW ZONING DISTRICTS ADDED TO THE MENU, UH, OF MIXED USE, UM, COMMERCIAL AND MULTI-FAMILY ZONES, UM, AVAILABLE TO BE APPLIED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AS WELL AS REZONING.

UM, ALL THE PROPERTIES HERE, NOT SHOWN, SHOWN IN, UH, EVERY COLOR BESIDES, UH, YELLOW AND GREEN ON THE MAP.

UM, THE CITY COUNCIL ALSO RECEIVED AND FILED, UH, A NEIGHBORHOOD MOBILITY ENHANCEMENT PLAN FOR NORTH NORTH LONG BEACH.

UM, AS PART OF THE IMPACT OF THE PLAN, UM, IT'S HELPED TO GUIDE PUBLIC WORKS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, WHICH HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE NMEP, UH, IN NORTH LONG BEACH.

ADDITIONALLY, UM, THE U PLAN N INITIATIVE CONTINUES TO, UH, UH, BUILD UPON PRIOR EFFORTS, UM, BY BROADCASTING AND SHARING WITH COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, RELEVANT UPDATES SUCH AS THE ADOPTION OF SB 1103, UH, AT THE STATE LEVEL, WHICH ALLOWED FOR OR REQUIRED, UH, GREATER NOTICING REQUIREMENTS TO PREVENT BUSINESS DISPLACEMENT, WHICH WAS A CORE PRIORITY IN THE NORTH LAWN BEACH AREA.

NEXT, UH, ZONING IN CITY CORPS, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS THE ANAHEIM CORRIDOR ZONING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN OR A CCC, UM, COVERING THE AREA SHOWN HERE IN CENTRAL LONG BEACH.

AFTER A FEW YEARS OF ENGAGEMENT, UH, THE CITY WORKED ON FINALIZING DRAFT ZONES, UM, WHICH WERE ADOPTED ON THE SAME DATE, SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2024, BY THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL.

IT BECAME EFFECTIVE ON HALLOWEEN AS OF LAST YEAR, UM, AND INCLUDED, UH, THE RECEIVING FILE OF A FEW ADDITIONAL POLICY DOCUMENTS TO HELP GUIDE FUTURE CITY ACTIONS IN THE CITY COURT AREA AND BEYOND.

THIS INCLUDED A POLICY MATRIX, A MOBILITY AND PARKING GUIDE, AN ANTI DISPLACEMENT MEMOS TO ADDRESS AND PREVENT BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DISPLACEMENT.

SIMILARLY, S SP 1 0 3 IS A USEFUL PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WILL HELP, UM, PREVENT FUTURE COMMERCIAL DISPLACEMENT IN THE CENTRAL LONG BEACH AREA.

ADDITIONAL ACTION ITEMS, UH, RELEVANT TO THE CITY CORPS INCLUDE THE LAUNCH OF ZONE IN EVERYONE'S COAST, UH, WHICH WILL LY BEGIN LATER THIS YEAR.

AS PART OF THAT PROJECT INCLUDES NOT JUST THE REZONING EFFORT FOR THE CITY'S COASTAL ZONE, UM, BUT ALSO MOBILITY, UM, UH, POLICIES AND PLANS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO THE CITY'S BEACHFRONT AREAS FOR THE CENTRAL LONG BEACH AREA.

AND THEN FINALLY, THE CITY'S, UH, OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT UPDATE WILL ALSO HELP TO ACTUALIZE, UH, ONE OF THE CORE NEEDS FOR CITY CORE RESIDENTS.

THAT WAS LISTED UP THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AROUND GREATER ACCESS TO AND, UM, BETTER, UH, FACILITIES IN THE CITY'S PUBLIC GREEN SPACE AREAS.

MOVING ALONG ZONE IN BIXBY KNOLLS, WHICH IS, UH, CURRENTLY UNDERWAY, COVERS APPROXIMATELY THREE AND A HALF SQUARE MILES AS SHOWN ON THE MAP HERE ON THE LEFT.

UM, THE MAP ON THE RIGHT SHOWS THE GENERAL PLAN AREAS, AGAIN, ALL AREAS NOT GREEN OR YELLOW THAT ARE GOING TO BE REZONED.

UM, AS PART OF THIS EFFORT, IT BUILDS UPON, UM, THE RECENTLY ADOPTED U PLAN AND CITY CORPS, UM, BY DEVELOPING A REZONING MAP TO IMPLEMENT THE ZONES THAT WERE ADOPTED, UM, THERE AS WELL AS POSSIBLY DEVELOPING, UM, MAYBE ONE OR TWO ADDITIONAL ZONES THAT WILL BE, UH, TAILORED TO THE MAIN STREET CORRIDORS THAT ARE, UH, VIBRANT IN THE PROJECT

[00:35:01]

AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE ZONE IN WRIGLEY AND ZONE IN 10TH THROUGH BROADWAY, SHOWN HERE ON THE MAPS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT RESPECTIVELY.

UM, BOTH OF THESE BEGAN THE PROCESS IN 2024 WITH PRELIMINARY TECHNICAL ANALYSIS AND STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS, UM, WHICH LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR MUCH MORE ROBUST PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THAT'LL BE HAPPENING THIS YEAR AND BEYOND.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER ONCE AGAIN TO PAOLA TO, UH, CLOSE OUT OUR PRESENTATION, UH, WITH, UH, A LOOK AT THE MOBILITY ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN.

THESE LAST FEW SLIDES WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRESS MADE ON THE CITY'S MOBILITY ELEMENT.

AS THIS COMMISSION IS AWARE, IN 2013, UM, WE REPLACED THE CIRCULATION ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN WITH THE 2035 MOBILITY ELEMENT.

AND AS YOU MAY KNOW, THESE ARE THE PLANS AND FRAMEWORKS THAT HAVE GUIDED OUR WORK SURROUNDING MOBILITY INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

ABOVE IS A PARTIAL LIST OF PROJECTS WITH MAJOR ACTIVITY IN 2024 OF THE LIST OF 52 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

EIGHT PROJECTS WERE REPORTED COMPLETED IN 2024, AND MANY MORE HAVE MADE SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS IN PLANNING AND DESIGN PHASES.

A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN 2024 WAS THE ADOPTION OF THE CHANGE OF USE PARKING AMENDMENT OR COUPA FOR CONTEXT.

IN 2019, CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED CITY STAFF TO UPDATE REQUIREMENTS AND ZONING REGULATIONS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS BARRIERS TO BUSINESSES STARTING UP AND TO REDUCING THEIR CURRENT OF VACANT STOREFRONTS.

THESE INCLUDED A REQUEST FOR CITY STAFF TO EXPLORE REMOVING THE CHANGE OF CHANGE USED PARKING REQUIREMENTS ON EXISTING BUILDINGS IN ORDER TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO ACTIVATING VACANT STOREFRONTS, WHICH CURRENTLY LEADS TO PLIGHT AND ADVERSE IMPACTS ON COMMUNITIES.

ONE OF THESE EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL WAS TO HA HAS BEEN ADDRESSED, UM, TO ADDRESS THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS, UH, CHANGE OF USE.

THE RECOMMENDATION FORWARDED TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL INCLUDED ZONING, UH, CODE AMENDMENTS AND LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM AMENDMENTS FOR COUPA.

UM, THAT IS ACCOMPLISHES A NUMBER OF CITY PLANNING, UH, POLICY AND OBJECTIVES, INCLUDING FIRST, THE COMPONENT IS TO, THE FIRST COMPONENT IS A PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING TO BE PROVIDED FOR CHANGE OF USE OF BUILDINGS OTHER THAN 10 YEARS.

THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES THE ISSUES MENTIONED ABOVE BY REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PARKING WHEN A USE HAS CHANGED.

SECOND COMPONENT RELATES TO ADDING LOCAL CODE REGARDING COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW THAT HAS ELIMINATED PARKING MINIMUMS IN CERTAIN TRANSIT RICH AREAS AS REQUIRED BY ASSEMBLY BILL 2097.

THE THIRD COMPONENT INTRODUCED AND UPDATED PROCESS AND REGULATIONS FOR REQUESTS FOR REDUCTION OF PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL USE OR PROJECTS, WHICH IS ALSO REQUIRED BY RECENT STATE LAW UNDER AB ASSEMBLY BILL 1217, INCLUDING, UH, FOR BUSINESSES THAT EXPANDED THEIR SERVICE AREA OUTDOORS DURING COD.

THE FOURTH COMPONENT PROVIDED COMPLIANCE WITH ASSEMBLY BILL 13 0 8, WHICH PROHIBITS US FROM IMPOSING ADDITIONAL PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR EXPANSION OR ALTERATION OF A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING.

AND THE FIFTH WAS A CLEANUP OF LANGUAGE IN THE CODE TO IMPROVE CLARITY OF THESE CODE SECTIONS, BOTH FOR THE PUBLIC AND STAFF IN ORDER TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY AND ACCURACY OF IMPLEMENTATION.

AND THAT CONCLUDES THIS PRESENTATION.

STAFF IS AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.

WELL, FIRST LET ME JUST START OFF BY SAYING IT'S BOTH IMPRESSIVE AND COMMENDABLE, THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT, UH, CITY STAFF HAS ACCOMPLISHED IN 2024, AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE, UH, STILL ON TARGET TO, TO REACH OR EXCEED THOSE GOALS IN 2025.

UM, I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.

UH, MYSELF, THE MICRO UNITS THAT WERE APPROVED AS PART OF A PILOT PROGRAM, DO WE KNOW IF ANY OF THOSE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN BUILT YET? AND DO WE HAVE ANY TYPE OF, UM, EVALUATION MATRIX THAT IS PART OF THAT TRIAL PERIOD WHERE WE CAN EVALUATE HOW THOSE ARE IMPACTING OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT? THANKS, CHAIR FOR THE QUESTION.

SO, UM, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE, UM, ENTITLED OR BROUGHT IN THE PIPELINE, THOSE 500 UNITS, UM, WE HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH IN TERMS OF, UM, BUILDING AND FINAL.

WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF SMALL ADAPTIVE REUSE PROJECTS, UM, THAT HAVE HAVE USED MICRO UNITS.

[00:40:01]

UM, WE ARE SEEING OUT THERE IT IS HARD TO GET FINANCING FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS, AND THIS DOES SEEM TO BE ONE OF THOSE PLACES.

HMM.

UM, AND WE ARE KIND OF LEARNING FROM, UM, THE, THE PILOT.

UM, WE WERE STILL NEW TO THE OBJECTIVE STANDARD REQUIREMENT, SO THE WRITING OF THAT ORDINANCE ALSO COINCIDED WITH, UM, THE LATEST UPDATE THROUGH SB THREE 30 TO THE HOUSING CRISIS ACT.

SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ON THE STAFF SIDE WE WOULD WANT TO STRENGTHEN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UM, REQUIRE THAT SUCH PROJECTS WOULD HAVE, UM, THE TYPES OF AMENITIES NEEDED FOR A VERY SMALL UNITS TO REALLY WORK AT A LARGE SCALE.

I THINK AS WE WERE DEVELOPING THE ORDINANCE, WE ANTICIPATED MORE SORT OF, UH, PROJECTS THAT WOULD HAVE SOME MICRO UNITS AS OPPOSED TO ONLY MICRO UNITS, UM, WHICH IS MORE OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN COME THROUGH THE PIPELINE.

SO, UM, THAT'S WHERE STAFF'S ANALYSIS IS AT THIS POINT, MORE OF A MIX.

THANK YOU.

UH, I REMEMBER WHEN WE PASSED THE LAND USE ELEMENT, UH, OH SO MANY YEARS AGO, AND IT SEEMED SUCH A DAUNTING PASS ON THE, UH, ZONING AMENDMENTS AND MODIFICATIONS.

AND IT'S ENCOURAGING TO SEE IN LOOKING AT THE 2024 MILESTONES, THE AMOUNT OF ZONING THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO UPDATE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

AND, UM, 20 24, 1700 UNITS WERE ENTITLED OR CONSTRUCTED, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

SO 1,788 UNITS WERE ENTITLED AND 1,704 UNITS WERE PERMITTED.

UM, SO BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED HOUSING STARTS, WHICH IS A NEW RECORD FOR THE CITY.

THAT'S AMAZING.

AND LOOKING AT THAT GRAPH, I THINK, WAS IT IN THE FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO THAT? I MEAN, ARE WE ALMOST 7,000 NEW UNITS IN LONG BEACH? I KNOW THE, THE ARENA GOALS MAKE IT SEEM LIKE WE'RE ONLY DOING A SMALL PERCENTAGE, BUT IT'S AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF HOUSING THAT WE ARE, UM, PROVIDING HERE IN LONG BEACH.

AND I THINK A LOT OF THAT GOES BACK TO THE ZONING UPDATES AND THE LAND USE ELEMENT THAT, THAT YOU'VE ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING ON.

IT IS, AND THIS COMMISSION AND THE STAFF, UM, SHOULD BE VERY PROUD.

WE, UH, GOT TO TALK WITH CITY COUNCIL ABOUT SOME OF THESE NUMBERS RECENTLY.

SO WE'VE DONE THIS INCREASE AT A TIME THAT INTEREST RATES WENT UP AND WORKED AGAINST DEVELOPMENT, UM, AT A TIME THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE HAD THEIR DEVELOPMENT NUMBERS EITHER FLAT OR GO DOWN.

SO IT IS A UNIQUE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PULL THIS OFF.

AND THE ARENA NUMBERS, IT'S AN ABSTRACT CONCEPT BASED ON NEED THROUGH A A FORMULA.

I MEAN, THESE ARE ALL REAL UNITS THAT A FAMILY GETS TO LIVE IN AND IT'S LIFE CHANGING FOR THEM.

SO I THINK REGARDLESS OF THE ARENA AND THE PERCENTAGES, UM, THESE ARE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE PROUD OF.

TOTALLY AGREE.

TOTALLY AGREE.

I, YOU KNOW, ONE THING I FIND VERY ENCOURAGING IS THAT AS A CITY, WE'VE BEEN VERY CONSISTENT IN OUR PLANNING.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE HAVE BEEN SWAYED BY WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THE EXTERIOR ENVIRONMENT.

AND I KNOW WHEN WE HAD THE DOWNTURN IN 2008, WE CONTINUED TO USE THAT TIME TO DO OUR DOWNTOWN PLAN, AND THAT CONTINUED TO PAY OFF OUR MIDTOWN ZONING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING THIS CONSISTENT TREND UPWARDS IS BECAUSE WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK IN A, A STRAIGHTFORWARD MANNER.

COMMISSIONERS ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE PRESENTATION? GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER.

UM, I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS REPORT.

IT'S CLEARLY A LOT OF WORK AND, AND IN ADDITION TO THE WORK THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY REPORTING ON .

UM, SO I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

THE FIRST BEING IN THE CLIMATE, UM, ACTION PLAN, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A REPORT FROM 2015, A REPORT FROM 2021 IN TERMS OF THE EMISSIONS INVENTORY, HOW OFTEN ARE YOU PLANNING ON DOING AN EMISSIONS INVENTORY? UH, IT'S ON A BIANNUAL BASIS, SO EVERY TWO YEARS, SO WE'RE, I BELIEVE THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGE IS WORKING ON THE 2023 INVENTORY CURRENTLY.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

SO THAT, THAT ANALYSIS DOES LAG A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF GETTING THE DATA SETS AND HAVING THEM FULL FOR THAT YEAR.

SO I THINK THE 2021 INVENTORY DIDN'T COME OUT UNTIL LIKE EARLY 23, SO IT'S THAT SIMILAR LEG.

THANK YOU.

AND, UM, AND THEN I SAW THAT THERE WAS A MENTION OF MAJOR ACTIVITY ON SOME OF THE MOBILITY PROJECTS.

UM, I'M GONNA USE THE ONE THAT, SO I'M GONNA INVITE PAUL VAN D**E TRANSPORTATION PLANNER EXTRAORDINAIRE TO COME JOIN US, UH, HERE AT THE TABLE.

AND .

THANK YOU.

I THINK ETHICALLY I'M REQUIRED TO SAY I AM NOT A TRANSPORTATION PLANNER.

UH,

[00:45:01]

YOU ARE.

OKAY.

UH, WELL, ETHICALLY, I'M SORRY YOU GOT PULLED INTO THIS, UM, .

I, I ALSO DO WANT TO, UH, SINCE PAUL'S HERE, UH, UH, HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT HE DID AT THE, UM, EX UHNO COMMUNITY MEETING AND ANSWERED A LOT OF QUESTIONS OF, UH, TRYING TO ADDRESS A LOT OF ANXIETY.

AND I THINK HE DID A REALLY GREAT JOB WITH THAT.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, I PERSONALLY THINK THAT'S GONNA BE A REALLY GREAT PROJECT.

I'M HOPING THAT YOU GUYS CAN, UH, START MOVING FORWARD ON IT.

UM, BUT, UH, AS FAR AS THE PROJECT THAT I'M ASKING ABOUT IS ANAHEIM STREET AND, AND KIND OF WHAT IS THE MAJOR ACTIVITY WE'RE LOOKING AT THERE? SO JUST TO CLARIFY, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO EXPLAIN THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT OR THE REMAINING, UM, OBSTACLES TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION? PROBABLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERYBODY, THE BOTH.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

SO THE PROJECT ON ANAHEIM STREET, UM, ORIGINATED THANKS TO THE STATE'S HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

UH, WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, APPLY FOR SAFETY FUNDING BASICALLY, UM, IN RESPONSE TO THE MOST PREVALENT TYPES OF CRASHES ON ANAHEIM STREET, WHICH BASED ON THE ANALYSIS WE DID, INVOLVED PEDESTRIANS, UH, BICYCLISTS AND LEFT TURN OR HEAD-ON CRASHES, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY THE ONES THAT RESULT IN THE MOST SEVERE INJURIES.

UH, AND SO ALTHOUGH THAT, UM, GRANT APPLICATION PREDATES OUR VISION ZERO PLAN, THE SAFE STREETS LONG BEACH PLAN, UH, IT'S FOUNDED ON THE SAME PRINCIPLES OF STOPPING, UM, THOSE TYPES OF SEVERE CRASHES OVER, UM, JUST ALL CRASHES.

RIGHT.

SO, UM, THAT WAS THE INITIAL STIMULUS FOR THE PROJECT WAS THAT SAFETY GRANT, UM, WHICH INVOLVED PEDESTRIAN REFUGE MEDIANS, UH, LEFT TURN RESTRICTIONS AS WELL AS, UH, PROTECTED LEFT TURNS ON EXISTING TRAFFIC SIGNALS.

UM, FROM THAT STIMULUS, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO COALESCE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES TO REALLY EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT.

UH, ANYTIME YOU CONTINUE TO ADD SCOPE TO A PROJECT, YOU CAN IMAGINE YOU'RE ALSO ADDING ONTO THE TIMELINE FOR DELIVERY.

SO, UH, WHILE WE STARTED WITH A PROJECT WITH A FAIRLY TARGETED SCOPE, UH, FOR SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, IT ENDED UP ENCOMPASSING ALMOST THE ENTIRETY OF ANAHEIM STREET, UH, INVOLVING EVERYTHING FROM, UH, REPAVING THE SURFACE OF THE STREET TO UPGRADING THE SIDEWALKS TO CURRENT A DA STANDARDS, AS WELL AS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE EXPANDING TRANSIT STOPS TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL SPACES FOR SHELTERS AND BENCHES.

UM, AND THEN I ALREADY MENTIONED THE, THE MEDIANS AND THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS.

SO FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE SOME PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS ALONG THE CORRIDOR TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE DESIGNS BEFORE OUR PROJECT EVEN GETS THERE, THANKS TO THE, THE PLANNING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THERE.

I GUESS, YEAH, MAYBE I AM A PLANNER.

YEAH.

UM, BUT, UH, THOSE ARE KIND OF, UM, SIGNS OF WHAT'S TO COME, UH, ON THAT STREET.

WE'VE HAD GREAT PARTNERS, UH, IN PD AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ALSO TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT THOSE MEETINGS WILL BE LIKE, UH, ONCE THEY HIT THE, THE CORRIDOR, UM, IN GREATER NUMBERS.

UM, WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW WITH THE PROJECT IS, UH, RESUBMITTING, UH, APPROVALS TO, UH, CALTRANS AND THE CTC, UH, FOR APPROVALS TO MOVE TO CONSTRUCTION.

SO THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF CHANGES TO THE PROJECT, LIKE I MENTIONED, UH, AND THOSE INVOLVE IMPACTS TO UTILITIES.

AND SO WHILE WE HAD, UM, A GREEN LIGHT FROM THOSE UTILITIES A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO BASED ON THE SCOPE WE HAD, THEN WE'VE HAD TO, UH, RECIRCULATE, UH, AND ARE CURRENTLY IN NEGOTIATIONS, IN NEGOTIATIONS, I BELIEVE WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON, UM, IN ORDER TO GET THE FINAL APPROVAL, UM, TO RELEASE US FOR CONSTRUCTION.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST SORTING OUT SOME AGREEMENTS, UH, BUT WE DO EXPECT THAT THIS PROJECT WILL BE ONE OF THE NEXT ONES RELEASED TO BID, UH, BY PUBLIC WORKS.

AND DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE TO START CONSTRUCTION? I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK IN WITH THE, UM, TRANSPORTATION PROJECT MANAGEMENT BUREAU ON THAT.

I, UH, I'M HESITANT TO GIVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER HERE.

SORRY.

SO THE REASON I'M, AND I THINK IT'S A, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE SOME REALLY, UH, UH, GREAT IMPROVEMENTS ON THAT.

UH, I HAVE MY RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT, BUT I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE SOME GREAT IMPROVEMENTS.

THE REASON I'M BRINGING THIS UP IS BECAUSE I REMEMBER FIRST HEARING ABOUT THIS PROJECT AS SUPPOSED TO BE IN 2016, SUPPOSED TO BE DONE IN 2020.

THAT BETWEEN 2016 AND 2020 IS FURTHER AWAY FROM 2020 THAN WE ARE NOW.

AND IT'S JUST REALLY FRUSTRATING TO SEE A PROJECT THAT WAS ORIGINATING FROM 2013, PROBABLY BEFORE THAT, UH, CONTINUE TO GET DELAYED

[00:50:01]

AND, UM, I KNOW YOU GUYS AGREE WITH THAT.

I'M NOT AND I, I, YEAH, I MEAN WE SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATION, COMMISSIONER.

I THINK THE POINT OF CLARIFICATION THOUGH I WOULD MAKE IS THAT'S NOT BECAUSE SOMEONE AT THE CITY WOKE UP AND SAID, LET'S DRAG OUR FEET AND DELAY THIS PROJECT.

UM, THIS PROJECT GREW IN SCOPE, IT THEN BECAME A PROJECT THAT WE COULD NO LONGER AFFORD.

UM, WE THEN FIGURED OUT HOW TO FUND IT.

WE THEN WERE INFORMED BY OUR PARTNERS AT THE STATE AND THE UTILITIES THAT OUR APPROVALS WERE NO LONGER GOOD.

AND WE HAD TO GO REDO ALL OF THOSE APPROVALS.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IS EDISON TELLS YOU SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WHICH IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE CTC TELLS YOU TO DO, AND YOU HAVE TO RECONCILE ALL OF THAT, AND NONE OF THEM TALK TO EACH OTHER.

SO THE CITY HAS TO BE THE, THE INTEROCULAR FOR THAT.

SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT IN THE MEANTIME, WE SAW GLOBALLY, BUT ALSO HERE IN THE CITY, UM, REALLY AGGRESSIVE INFLATION THAT WE DID NOT, UM, BUDGET FOR, WHICH HAS CAUSED CASCADING, UH, IMPACTS ON ALL OF OUR, OUR PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS.