[00:01:06]
[CALL TO ORDER]
WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDERER FOR JUNE 5TH, 2025.UH, MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL
[ROLL CALL]
THE ROLE? COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.COMMISSIONER SU SUAREZ PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER WHERE AND VICE CHAIR TEMPLAN.
AND FOR THE RECORD, UH, COMM COMMISSIONER SANTOS AND COMMISSIONER CASTILLO ARE EXCUSED.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONER CLEMSON, WOULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE? YES.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE TESTIFYING.
IT IS NOW TIME FOR SWEARING OF WITNESSES.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE GIVING TESTIMONY, PLEASE STAND AND RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
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 SO MUCH.
SO THIS MOVES US INTO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT DIRECTOR.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ IT AND THEN I'LL CALL FOR MOVERS.
[1. 25-55498 Recommendation to receive and file Director’s Report. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
TO RECEIVE AND FILE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.AND SECOND, OH, I CAN, I SEE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SUAREZ AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER CLEMSON.
UH, VICE CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF UPDATES HERE FROM THE STAFF TABLE.
UH, FIRST I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY IS JUNETEENTH.
IT'S A CITY HOLIDAY AND AN OBSERVANCE OF THE HOLIDAY, UH, CITY HALL WILL BE CLOSED.
WE WILL NOT HAVE PLANNING COMMISSION TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY ON JUNETEENTH.
I ALSO WANTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT LATER THIS MONTH, UM, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WILL BE RECOGNIZED WITH AN AWARD FOR OUR WORK ON THE L-G-B-T-Q CULTURAL DISTRICT PLAN.
UM, AND THAT WILL BE, UM, CELEBRATED AT THE, UH, AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION LOS ANGELES AWARDS ON JUNE 26TH.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT? AND, AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO, UH, NOTE THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER
[00:05:01]
EZ JOINED US.UH, WE'LL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE COM, UH, DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK ON THAT? OKAY.
ANY, UH, VIRTUAL? IF YOU'RE JOINING US VIRTUALLY AND YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FUNCTION AT THIS TIME.
THERE APPEARS TO BE NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A LARGE CROWD TONIGHT, WHEN WE DO CALL THE PEOPLE UP TO SPEAK, THE TIME LIMIT WILL BE A MINUTE AND A HALF, 90 SECONDS, SO YOU CAN BE PREPARED FOR THAT.
CAN WE GET A VOTE ON OUR FIRST ITEM? OH, THANK YOU.
UH, MAY I HAVE A RECOMMENDATION
[2. 25-55501 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Planning Commission meeting of Thursday, May 15, 2025. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF THURSDAY? MAY 15TH, PLEASE.YOU HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER CLEMSON AND YOU HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE MINUTES? UH, WE'LL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE MINUTES.
ANY QUESTIONS, ANYTHING VIRTUALLY? IF YOU'RE JOINING US VIRTUALLY AND YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE MINUTES, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FUNCTION AT THIS TIME.
THERE APPEARS TO BE NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE VOTE COMMISSIONER CLEMSON.
UH, PLEASE READ THE NEXT ITEM.
[3. 25-55508 Recommendation to certify and adopt the Environmental Impact Report (EIR-02-23; State Clearinghouse # 2023060250) and adopt the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) for the Pacific Place Project at 3701 Pacific Place; Recommend that City Council adopt resolution approving a General Plan Map Amendment (GPA24-002) to change land use PlaceType from Neo-Industrial (NI)/40 feet to Community Commercial (CC)/5 stories, 50 feet PlaceType; Amend Map LU-7 (PlaceTypes) to convert the project site from Neo-Industrial (NI) to Community Commercial (CC) PlaceType; Amend Map LU-8 (Heights) to increase the project’s height allowance from 40 feet to 5 stories, 50 feet; Amend Map LU-14 (CC Place Type) to include the project site; Amend Map LU-16 (Neo-Industrial PlaceType) to exclude the project site; Amend Map LU-20 (Major Areas of Change) to change the project site’s “Area of Change Description” from “2-Convert to Neo-Industrial” to “4-Transition from Industrial to Commercial Uses” and convert the color coding from NI to CC; Amend Map LU-23 (Bixby Knolls) to convert the project site from NI to CC; Recommend that City Council adopt ordinance approving a Zoning Code Amendment (ZCA24-002) to Section 21.39.030 of the Zoning Regulations, and adopt the proposed findings related thereto, to allow the Commercial Storage (CS) Zoning District to utilize height overlays pursuant to Chapter 21.39 of the Zoning Regulations; Recommend that City Council adopt ordinance approving a Zoning Map Change (ZCHG24-004) request, and adopt the proposed findings related thereto, to amend the zoning designation from Light Industrial (IL) to Commercial Storage (CS), which also includes a high-rise overlay designation of fifty (50) feet/5 stories (HR-50/5) in height; Approve Site Plan Review (SPR24-054) conditional upon City Council adoption of the general plan amendment (GPA24-002), zoning code amendment (ZCA24-002), and zone change (ZCHG24-004), and adopt the proposed findings and conditions related thereto, for site grading and the construction of a four-story (44 feet in height), 206,756-square-foot self-storage facility with approximately 1,681 self-storage units, with an ancillary lobby, leasing office and restrooms, 551 space covered recreational vehicle storage lot, 27 standard automobile stalls, five Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) parking stalls, on-site landscaping, and a 1,450-square-foot private outdoor car wash for exclusive use of storage facility and recreational vehicle tenants at a 13.95-acre site located at 3701 Pacific Place in the Light Industrial (IL) Zoning District (pending approval of a zone change to Commercial Storage [CS] Zoning District); and Approve Conditional Use Permits (CUP24-010) conditional upon City Council adoption of the general plan amendment (GPA24-002), zoning code amendment (ZCA24-002), and zone change (ZCHG24-004), and adopt the proposed findings and conditions related thereto, to allow the operation of the self-storage facility, recreational vehicle storage, and private outdoor car wash in the CS Zoning District. (District 5) Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
IS A RECOMMENDATION TO CERTIFY AND ADOPT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND ADOPT THE MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM FOR THE PACIFIC PLACE PROJECT AT 3 7 0 1 PACIFIC PLACE.RECOMMEND THAT CITY COUNCIL ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING A GENERAL PLAN MAP AMENDMENT TO CHANGE LAND USE PLACE TYPE FROM NEO INDUSTRIAL SLASH 40 FEET TO COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL SLASH FIVE STORIES 50 FEET PLACE.
TYPE RECOMMEND THAT CITY COUNCIL ADOPT ORDINANCE APPROVING A ZONING CODE, AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING REGULATIONS AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED FINDINGS RELATED THERETO TO ALLOW THE COMMERCIAL STORAGE ZONING DISTRICT TO UTILIZE HEIGHT OVERLAYS PURSUANT TO THE ZONING REGULATIONS.
RECOMMEND THAT CITY COUNCIL ADOPT ORDINANCE APPROVING A ZONING MAP CHANGE REQUEST AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED FINDINGS RELATED THERETO TO AMEND THE ZONING DESIGNATION FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO COMMERCIAL STORAGE, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES A HIGH RISE OVERLAY DESIGNATION OF 50 FEET SLASH FIVE STORIES IN HEIGHT APPROVED SITE PLAN REVIEW CONDITIONAL UPON CITY COUNCIL ADOPTION OF THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, ZONING, CODE, AMENDMENT, AND ZONE CHANGE, AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED FINDINGS AND CONDITIONS RELATED THERETO.
LOCATED AT 3 7 0 1 PACIFIC PLACE IN THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT AND APPROVE CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS CONDITIONAL UPON CITY COUNCIL ADOPTION OF THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, ZONING, CODE, AMENDMENT, AND ZONE CHANGE, AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED FINDINGS AND CONDITIONS RELATED THERETO TO ALLOW THE OPERATION OF THE SELF STORAGE FACILITY, RECREATION, VEHICLE STORAGE, AND PRIVATE OUTDOOR CAR WASH IN THE CS ZONING DISTRICT DISTRICT FIVE.
UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM PLEASE? THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONER O SUAREZ, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
CHAIR, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF ON THIS ITEM.
WE CAN JUST GO AHEAD AND START
[00:10:01]
ON THAT.UM, IF WE MAY HAVE OUR PRESENTATION PLEASE.
YES, PROJECT PLANNER QUENTIN JACKSON WILL PROVIDE THE STAFF REPORT.
AND GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, WE HAVE BEFORE YOU A REQUEST TO CONSTRUCT A NEW SELF STORAGE FACILITY WITH ACCESSORY RECREATION, VEHICLE PARKING, AND A CAR WASH.
THIS PROJECT WAS ORIGINALLY SUBMITTED IN APRIL OF 2020, AT WHICH TIME THERE WERE FIVE DIFFERENT ENTITLEMENTS SUBMITTED.
UH, THOSE INCLUDED A ZONE CHANGE, A SITE PLAN REVIEW, THREE CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS, A STANDARDS VARIANCE, AND A LOT MERGER.
THE PROJECT WAS TAKEN TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND APPROVED ON DECEMBER 17TH, 2020, INCLUDING THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE ZONE CHANGE REQUEST.
SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S APPROVAL WAS APPEALED TO CITY COUNCIL WHO HEARD THE ITEM IN APRIL OF 2021 AND UPHELD THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S APPROVAL.
IN 2022, A LAWSUIT WAS FILED AGAINST THE CITY BY THE RIVER PARK COALITION AND LA WATERKEEPER ASSERTING THAT THE PREVIOUS MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION WAS IN AN INSUFFICIENT LEVEL OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, UH, AMONG OTHER REASONS.
AND SO IN JUNE OF 2022, THE COURTS RULED IN FAVOR OF THE RIVER PARK COALITION DETERMINING THAT A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT WOULD BE REQUIRED, UH, EFFECTIVELY NULLIFYING ALL PREVIOUS APPROVALS, UH, PERTAINING TO THIS PROJECT.
AND, UH, AS A RESULT OF THE, UH, RULING, THE PROJECT WAS RESUBMITTED IN 2023 AND A FULL EIR HAS BEEN PREPARED BY THE CITY.
AND SO THIS LEADS US TO, UH, WHERE WE'RE AT, WHERE WE'RE AT THIS EVENING.
AS FAR AS THE PROJECT SITE, UH, IT'S LOCATED AT 37 0 1 NORTH PACIFIC PLACE DIRECTLY TO THE NORTH OF THE 4 0 5 FREEWAY AND TO THE EAST OF THE LA RIVER.
AND IT CONSISTS OF APPROXIMATELY 14 ACRES OF VACANT LAND.
UH, THE SITE HAS A CURRENT ZONING DESIGNATION OF LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AND A GENERAL PLAN PLACE TYPE DESIGNATION OF NEO INDUSTRIAL SURROUNDING LAND.
USES INCLUDE RAILWAY TRACKS AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES TO THE NORTH, THE 4 0 5 FREEWAY TO THE SOUTH, A SCHOOL PARK AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES TO THE EAST, AND MORE VACANT LAND AND THE LA RIVER TO THE WEST.
IN TERMS OF SITE HISTORY, SITE DEVELOPMENT, HISTORY FOR THE PROJECT SITE.
UH, DURING THE 1920S, THE SITE WAS ESTABLISHED AS AN OIL BRINE TREATMENT FACILITY AND THE MAJORITY OF THE SITE CONSISTENT OF TREATMENT SUMPS, UH, BECAUSE OF TREATMENT ACTIVITIES DURING THIS TIME, A BUILDUP OF SLUDGE RESIDUE ACCUMULATED ON THE, UH, THE PROPERTY.
DURING THE 1930S, OIL DRILLING ACTIVITIES COMMENCED WITH THE OPERATION OF, UH, 13 OIL WELLS.
DURING THE 1950S, THE OIL TREATMENT FACILITY WAS DISCONTINUED, AND IN THE 1970S, THE SITE WAS FILLED WITH THE IMPORTED SOIL.
UH, AS FOR THE, UH, OIL DRILLING ACTIVITY BETWEEN THE YEARS OF 1961 AND 2014, ALL OF THE OIL WELLS WERE EVENTUALLY ABANDONED.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, UH, A GOLF DRIVING RANGE WAS ESTABLISHED AND OPERATED FROM 1997 TO 2007.
UH, AND AFTER ITS CLOSURE, UH, GOLF RELATED RETAIL AND EQUIPMENT RENTAL CONTINUED UNTIL, UH, 2015.
UH, THE SITE HAS BEEN VACANT, UH, EVER SINCE.
UH, SO THE PROJECT BEFORE THE COMMISSION TONIGHT IS ESSENTIALLY, UH, THE SAME AS WHAT WAS APPROVED BACK IN 2020 WITH RELATIVELY MINOR CHANGES.
UH, WE HAVE A PROPOSAL FOR A SELF STORAGE FACILITY, A CAR WASH, AND AN RV, A PARKING LOT.
THE SELF STORAGE FACILITY FACILITY WOULD, UH, BE APPROXIMATELY 206,000 SQUARE FEET, SPREAD AMONG FOUR STORIES WITH 1,681 SELF STORAGE UNITS.
THE CAR WASH WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 1,450 SQUARE FEET AND EXCLUSIVE TWO TENANTS OF THE PROPERTY AND NOT BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, THE RV PARKING LOT WOULD CONSIST OF 551 COVERED PARKING SPACES AND POCKETS OF LANDSCAPING WERE FEASIBLE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT WOULD INCLUDE 27 STANDARD VEHICLE PARKING STALLS AND FIVE 80 A VEHICLE PARKING STALLS.
THE ENTITLEMENTS REQUIRED FOR THIS PROJECT INCLUDE A ZONE CHANGE, A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, A ZONING CODE AMENDMENT, A SITE PLAN REVIEW, AND THREE CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS.
THE ZONE CHANGE IS REQUIRED TO CHANGE THE ZONE OF THE PROPERTY FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO COMMERCIAL STORAGE.
THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT IS REQUIRED TO EFFECTUATE CHANGES TO THE PROJECT SITE'S, PLACE TYPE DESIGNATION AND HEIGHT MAP STANDARDS.
THE ZONING CODE AMENDMENT IS REQUIRED TO ALLOW THE COMMERCIAL STORAGE ZONING DISTRICT TO UTILIZE HEIGHT OVERLAYS FOR INCREASED BUILDING HEIGHT.
THE SITE PLAN REVIEW WITH PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVAL IS REQUIRED FOR THE ADDITION OF COMMERCIAL SQUARE FOOTAGE IN EXCESS OF 50,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE OPERATION OF THE STORAGE FACILITY, THE CAR WASH, AND THE RV PARKING LOT WITHIN THE COMMERCIAL STORAGE ZONING DISTRICT.
REGARDING THE ZONE CHANGE, THE UH, CURRENT ZONE OF THE PROPERTY, AGAIN IS LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, WHICH, UH, DOES NOT ALLOW THE OPERATION OF SELF STORAGE FACILITIES OR PARKING LOTS AS A BUSINESS USE.
[00:15:01]
AND SO IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THE PROJECT, UH, A ZONE CHANGE REQUEST IS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.AND STAFF IS DETERMINED THAT THE MOST APPROPRIATE ZONE TO SUPPORT SUCH A USE IS THE COMMERCIAL STORAGE, UH, DISTRICT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE CS DISTRICT.
THE ZONE CHANGE WOULD ALSO INCLUDE A BUILDING HEIGHT OVERLAY OF 50 FEET AND FIVE STORIES, WHICH IS INDICATED HERE ON THE SCREEN, UH, WITH THE ZONING CODE HR DASH 50 SLASH FIVE.
THE CS DISTRICT ENCOURAGES STORAGE USES AND AREAS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO USE BECAUSE OF PARCEL SHAPE, LIMITED ACCESS OR ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
AND STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE PROJECT FITS, UH, ALL OF THESE CRITERIA AMONG THE REQUIRED FINDINGS FOR HIS ZONE CHANGES IS THAT THE REQUEST WILL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT THE LIVABILITY OR APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SURROUNDING AREA DUE TO THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THE PROJECT SITE.
IN TERMS OF NATURAL ISOLATION, LIMITED ACCESS, IRREGULAR SHAPE, AND ADV ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION, STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE PROJECT REPRESENTS THE MOST COMPATIBLE LOW INTENSITY USE THAT REMAINS BUFFERED FROM THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY DUE TO WHICH NATURAL ISOLATION.
THE SITE'S LOCATION PRECLUDES IT FROM HAVING DIRECT ACCESS OR PROXIMITY TO OTHER COMMERCIAL NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND IS NATURALLY DISCONNECTED FROM THE OTHER COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, UH, THAT WOULD TYPICALLY BENEFIT FROM TRANSIT OR PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY.
THEREFORE, STAFF BELIEVES THAT POSITIVE FINDINGS CAN BE MADE TO SUPPORT THE REQUESTED ZONE CHANGE.
ZONE CHANGE FINDINGS ALSO REQUIRE CONSISTENCY WITH THE GENERAL PLAN.
AND SO ALSO BEFORE THE COMMISSION TONIGHT IS A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, WHICH WORKS IN TANDEM WITH THE PROPOSED, UH, ZONE CHANGE BEFORE YOU.
CURRENTLY THE PROJECT SITE HAS A GENERAL PLAN PLACE TYPE DESIGNATION OF NEO INDUSTRIAL, UH, WHICH IS MORE IN LINE WITH THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND CREATIVE OFFICE USES.
AND SO STAFF HAS DETERMINED THAT THE COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL PLACE TYPE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE CC PLACE TYPE, IS MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE PROJECT AS IT SERVES AUTO ORIENTED NEEDS FOR GOODS AND SERVICES.
ATTACHMENT E OF THE STAFF REPORT IS A PORTION OF THE CONSISTENCY MATRIX WITHIN THE LAND USE ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN, WHICH INDICATES THAT THE CC PLACE TYPE IS ONE OF ONLY TWO PLACE TYPES THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMERCIAL STORAGE ZONING DISTRICT.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE, THE BULK OF THE PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN CHANGES, UH, PERTAINS SPECIFICALLY TO THE PLACE TYPE CHANGE FROM NEO INDUSTRIAL TO COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL.
BUT THERE'S ALSO THE CHANGE TO LAND USE MAP NUMBER EIGHT TO GO FROM A HEIGHT ALLOWANCE OF 40 FEET TO 50 FEET AND FIVE STORIES, AGAIN CONSISTENT WITH THE PROPOSED HEIGHT OVERLAY.
UH, FOR THE ZONE CHANGE REQUEST, IN ORDER FOR A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL, THE PLANNING COMMISSION MUST FIND THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGE WILL BENEFIT PUBLIC INTEREST.
CURRENTLY, THE PROJECT SITE IS A VACANT, UNDERUTILIZED, AND BLIGHTED PROPERTY WITH LIMITED DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL.
AND THE SITE HAS BEEN KNOWN, UH, TO ATTRACT ACTIVITIES SUCH AS, UH, OFF-ROADING AND TRESPASSING.
THE PROJECT BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WOULD CONVERT THE SITE TO AN ECONOMICALLY BENEFICIAL, SAFE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE SITE, WHICH ALSO, UH, WHICH WOULD ALSO PRO PROVIDE THE BENEFIT OF IMPROVING PUBLIC ACCESS.
UH, AND THAT WOULD BE IN THE FORM OF NEWLY PAVED ROADS, NEW SIDEWALKS AND ONSITE ACCESS TO THE ADJACENT LA RIVER BIKE PATH.
AND, AND THEREFORE STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGE WOULD BENEFIT PUBLIC INTEREST.
IN ADDITION TO THE PROPOSED ZONE CHANGE IN GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, WE ALSO HAVE BEFORE YOU A REQUEST FOR A ZONING CODE AMENDMENT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE REQUESTED ZONE CHANGE.
UH, AGAIN, THE ZONE CHANGE REQUEST INCLUDES A BUILDING HEIGHT OVERLAY OF 50 FEET AND FIVE STORIES, UH, TO GO ALONG WITH THE PROPOSED COMMERCIAL STORAGE, UH, DISTRICT.
CURRENTLY, THE MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT ALLOWED WITHIN THE CS DISTRICT IS 28 FEET.
UH, BUT THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A BUILDING HEIGHT OF 44 FEET.
SO THE PROPOSED HEIGHT OVERLAY IS MEANT TO PROVIDE A, A CASE BY CASE RELIEF FROM THE 28 FOOT HEIGHT LIMIT.
HOWEVER, WITHIN SECTION, UH, 21 POINT, UH, 39.030 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE CURRENTLY ONLY, IT ONLY, UH, CURRENTLY ALLOWS FOR FOUR DIFFERENT ZONING DISTRICTS TO UTILIZE HEIGHT OVERLAYS OF WHICH THE CS DISTRICT IS NOT ONE OF THEM.
AND SO THE ZONING CODE AMENDMENT IS REQUIRED TO OPEN UP THE POSSIBILITY FOR HEIGHT OVERLAYS TO BE UTILIZED WITHIN THE CS DISTRICTS.
UH, AS IS, UH, WAS REQUESTED TONIGHT FOR THE PROJECT SITE, THE ZONING CODE AMENDMENT ALSO CORRELATES TO THE AFOREMENTIONED GENERAL PLANNED AMENDMENT, UH, IN TERMS OF CREATING CONSISTENCY WITH THE LUE HEIGHT MAPS, AGAIN, WITH THE PROPOSAL OF 50 FEET AND FIVE STORIES REGARDING THE EXTRA HEIGHT FOR A SELF STORAGE FACILITY.
UM, TYPICAL, THE TYPICAL TREND FOR, UH, MODERN SELF STORAGE FACILITIES IS TO HAVE THREE OR FOUR STORIES, WHEREAS PREVIOUS TRENDS WERE CHARACTERIZED BY, UH, TWO STORY FACILITIES.
AND SO STAFF BELIEVES THAT GIVEN THE CONTEXT OF THIS, UH, UNIQUE PROPERTY AND ITS NATURAL BUFFERING FROM THE METRO, A LINE FROM THE LA RIVER AND FROM THE 4 0 5 FREEWAY STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE, UH, ZONING CODE AMENDMENT, UH, TO ALLOW UP TO 50 FEET IN BUILDING HEIGHT WOULD NOT ADVERSELY IMPACT THE CHARACTER OR APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SURROUNDING AREA.
THE GENERAL PLAN ALREADY ALLOWS, UH, 40 FEET IN BUILDING HEIGHT FOR THE PROJECT
[00:20:01]
SITE, AND SO THE REQUEST FOR 10 ADDITIONAL FEED IS LOGICAL FOR THE PROPERTY IN TERMS OF NATURAL BUFFERING, ISOLATION AND LIMITED ACCESS.EVEN WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE ZONING CODE AMENDMENT, UH, ANY OTHER PROPERTY WITHIN THE CS DISTRICT WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH AN INDIVIDUAL DISCRETIONARY ACTION TO IMPLEMENT A HEIGHT OVERLAY ABOVE AND BEYOND 28 FEET, UH, FOR THAT APPLICABLE PROPERTY.
PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 21.25 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE, NEW COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THAT EXCEED 50,000 SQUARE FEET REQUIRE A SITE PLAN REVIEW WITH PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVAL.
THIS PROJECT WAS REVIEWED BY THE SITE PLAN REVIEW COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 22ND, 2025, AND RECOMMENDED TO MOVE FORWARD TO PLANNING COMMISSION BASED ON THE FINDING THAT THE PROJECT DESIGN IS HARMONIOUS AND CONSISTENT WITHIN ITSELF AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.
THE COMMITTEE ALSO FOUND THAT THE PROJECT REPRESENTS THE MOST COMPATIBLE USE, GIVEN THE SITE CONTEXT AND PREVIOUS SITE CONTAMINATION ACTIVITIES ON THE PROPERTY.
THE PROJECT SITE IS ORIENTED ALONG THE NORTHEAST INTERSECTION OF THE 4 0 5 FREEWAY AND LA RIVER, AND IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE VIA PACIFIC PLACE.
AND SO SITE ORIENTATION IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE THE MOST VISIBILITY OF THE NEW BUILDING FROM ITS ENTRANCE ALONG PACIFIC PLACE.
WITH THIS ORIENTATION, THE SELF STORAGE BUILDING PROVIDES A VISUAL BUFFER BETWEEN THE SITE ENTRANCE AND THE REMAINDER OF THE RV PARKING LOT.
THE BUILDING ITSELF USES A CONTEMPORARY STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE THAT THE SPR COMMITTEE BELIEVES IS OF A HIGHER QUALITY, UH, THAN THE TYPICAL SELF STORAGE DEVELOPMENT.
THE INCLUSION OF DIFFERENT ROOF HEIGHTS FACADE ARTICULATION, CONTRASTING COLORS AND MATERIALS SUCH AS SMOOTH STUCCO WITH DIFFERENT PATTERNS OR IMAGERY, WOOD AND METAL PANELS AND WINDOW GLAZING ALL HELP TO ENHANCE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF THE BUILDING.
UH, ALSO IN KEEPING WITH ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE URBAN DESIGN ELEMENT, THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE REMOVAL OF URBAN BLIGHT, WHICH HAS PLAGUED THE PROJECT SITE FOR MANY YEARS.
FINALLY, BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
TONIGHT IS THREE SEPARATE CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF THE STORAGE FACILITY, THE RV PARKING LOT, AND THE CAR WASH.
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FINDINGS INCLUDE SEVERAL SPECIAL CONDITIONS THAT GOVERN THE OPERATION OF THE PROPOSED USE.
ONE SUCH CONDITION IS THAT, UH, THE USE ONLY BE PERMITTED IF NO OTHER REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES EXIST.
OTHER CONDITIONS INCLUDE NO DISRUPTION OR NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON PEDESTRIAN OR TRAFFIC CIRCULATION, NO DISRUPTION TO THE CONCENTRATION OF HIGH INTENSITY ACTIVITIES.
PROHIBITION OF HUMAN HABITATION WITHIN STORAGE UNITS, REQUIREMENTS FOR SECURITY PLANS, AND SEVERAL OTHER SPECIAL CONDITIONS THAT PERTAIN TO ALL THREE CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS.
THE COMMISSION MUST FIND THAT THE PROPOSED CS ARE NOT DETRIMENTAL TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO GRANT APPROVAL FOR THE SAKE OF REDUNDANCY.
THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SITE IN TERMS OF ACCESS CONTAMINATION AND SURROUNDING BOUNDARIES RENDER IT AN AUTO ORIENTED PROPERTY THAT LACKS PEDESTRIAN COMPATIBILITY.
NEVERTHELESS, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT SITE, THE PROJECT REPRESENTS LOW INTENSITY USES THAT ARE DEEMED APPROPRIATE DUE TO HEAVY SITE CONTAMINATION IN ORDER TO SAFEGUARD AGAINST ADVERSE IMPACTS.
DISCRETIONARY USES INCLUDE SEVERAL CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL ABOVE AND BEYOND THOSE THAT ARE REQUIRED WITHIN FINDINGS FOR THE CEPS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
THOSE CONDITIONS INCLUDE HOURS OF OPERATION, PROHIBITION OF IDLING VEHICLES, PROHIBITION OF INOPERABLE VEHICLES, PROHIBITION OF ONSITE VEHICLE REPAIR, PROPER LOADING AREAS, AND MANY MORE CONDITIONS BASED ON REQUIRED FINDINGS FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS.
STAFFS STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE PROPOSED USES WILL NOT BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
IN TERMS OF GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY, AGAIN, I DID MENTION, UH, THAT A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT IS BEFORE THE COMMISSION TONIGHT, UH, TO CHANGE THE SITE'S PLACE TYPE DESIGNATION FROM NEO INDUSTRIAL TO COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL AND STAFF BELIEVES THIS IS APPROPRIATE, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE REASONS THAT THAT YOU SEE LISTED ON THE SCREEN.
UH, THE CC PLACE TYPE SERVES AUTO ORIENTED NEEDS FOR GOODS AND SERVICES AND ENCOURAGES A WIDE RANGE OF LOCAL SERVING COMMERCIAL USES.
THE CC PLACE TYPE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CS DISTRICT, WHICH ENCOURAGES SELF STORAGE AND AREAS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO USE, AND THE CC PLACE TYPE AIMS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT TO RESPECT NEIGHBORING DEVELOPMENT.
THE 2019 LAND USE ELEMENT SETS FORTH SEVERAL STRATEGIES AND POLICIES TO GUIDE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN LONG BEACH.
SPECIFICALLY LAND USE POLICY SEVEN DASH FOUR ENCOURAGES THAT ABANDONED BUILDINGS AND PROPERTIES TRANSITION INTO MORE PRODUCTIVE USES THROUGH NEW DEVELOPMENT.
STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE PROJECT DOES MEET THIS INTENT AND THAT IT WILL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN CONTINGENT ON THE APPROVAL OF THE GENERAL PLANNED AMENDMENT.
THE PROJECT SITE IS IN AN AREA THAT WAS PART OF A VISIONING PROCESS CONDUCTED TO DEVELOP THE LOS ANGELES RIVER MASTER PLAN LED BY THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THE LA RIVER MASTER PLAN IS A VISION DOCUMENT THAT IDENTIFIES LONG-TERM GOALS FOR INCREASING OPEN SPACE ALONG THE LA RIVER.
HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH THE MASTER PLAN IDENTIFIES THE SUBJECT SITE AS BEING WITHIN A POTENTIAL OPEN SPACE AREA, THE SUBJECT SITE ITSELF IS PRIVATE PROPERTY AND A SELF STORAGE FACILITY IS WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED FOR THIS PRIVATE
[00:25:01]
PROPERTY.THE COUNTY DOES NOT OWN THE SUBJECT SITE, BUT RATHER THE COUNTY OWNS AND MANAGES THE RIVER CHANNEL AND SOME OF THE LAND THAT IS ADJACENT TO THE RIVER CHANNEL, UH, WHICH IN THIS CASE ALSO HAPPENS TO BE ADJACENT TO THE PROJECT SITE.
EVEN THOUGH THE PROJECT SITE IS PRIVATELY OWNED, THE APPLICANT HAS EXPRESSED WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH THE ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING THE ADJACENT COUNTY OWNED LAND.
THIS COMMITMENT INCLUDES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HALF ACRE SECTION OF NATIVE PLANT PRESERVE IN THE NORTH PORTION OF THE PROJECT SITE.
TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE LA RIVER MASTER PLAN, THEY'VE ALSO AGREED AND WILL BE REQUIRED TO HOLD AND MAINTAIN AN ACCESS POINT AND ONSITE TRAIL EASEMENT THAT CONNECTS THE ENTRANCE OF THE PROJECT SITE FROM PACIFIC PLACE TO A TRAIL HEAD THAT LEADS TO THE LA RIVER BIKE BIKE PATH.
UH, THIS SLIDE HERE JUST ILLUSTRATES, ILLUSTRATES A, UH, MORE DETAILED VIEW OF THE ACCESS POINT AND TRAIL EASEMENT THAT THE APPLICANT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
UM, AND SO THIS NEW ACCESS WAY WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS THE LA RIVER BIKE PATH.
UH, AND THIS IS AN ACCESS WAY THAT CURRENTLY DOESN'T EXIST TODAY.
UH, THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY HERE IS IS THAT THE SUBJECT SITE IS, UH, PRIVATE PROPERTY AND THE ADJACENT LAND, AND THE LA RIVER CHANNEL IS, UH, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNTY TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN.
IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE CITY DID CONSIDER THE ACQUISITION OF THE PROJECT SITE FOR PARKLAND.
HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME, THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE THE FUNDING FOR SUCH AN ACQUISITION, NOR DOES THE PROPERTY, UH, NOR IS THE PROPERTY AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE.
WHILE VISIONING AND PLANNING DOCUMENTS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THE SITE COULD BE A PARK IN THE FUTURE, THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO REGULATORY LAND USE DOCUMENTS THAT DESIGNATED AS SUCH.
THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND THE LA COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT HAVE DISCUSSED THE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE ADJACENT COUNTY PROPERTY FOR PUBLIC OPEN SPACE.
UH, AND THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE LONG BEACH RIVERLINK PLAN AND THE LOWER LOS ANGELES RIVER REVITALIZATION PLAN.
BUT AGAIN, THE ADJACENT PROPERTY IS ALSO NOT AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE, NOR DOES THE CITY HAVE THE FUNDS FOR SUCH A PURPOSE FOR SUCH A PURCHASE, EXCUSE ME.
WHILE THE GREATER NORTH AND WEST LONG BEACH AREAS HAVE BEEN DEEMED TO LACK SUFFICIENT PARK SPACE, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE PROJECT SITE IS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM LOS CERRITOS PARK, SEPARATED BY THE METRO ALINE, WHEREAS THE AREAS LOCATED TO THE WEST OF THE LA RIVER ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DISADVANTAGED FROM THE, FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL DEMOGRAPHIC STANDPOINT.
TO ILLUSTRATE THIS POINT FURTHER, UH, THE MAP TO THE LEFT IS TAKEN FROM THE CAL AND VIRAL SCREEN MAPPING TOOL, WHICH MEASURES POLLUTION SCORES, AND IT SHOWS THE SEPARATION OF THE PROJECT SITE FROM SOME OF THE MORE DISADVANTAGED AREAS OF THE CITY.
WITH THE LA RIVER AND THE SEVEN 10 FREEWAY ESSENTIALLY ACTING AS A BARRIER TO THOSE CENSUS TRACKS TO THE WEST, THESE DIVISIONS ARE CLEARLY DELINEATED BY THE AVERAGE CAL AND VIRAL SCREEN AND POVERTY SCORES FOR THESE WIDER AREAS EAST AND WEST OF THE LA RIVER.
WHEN COMPARING THE AVERAGE SCORES FOR THESE NEARBY TRACKS, THE TRACKS TO THE WEST HAVE BELOW AVERAGE SCORES WHILE THE TRACKS TO THE EAST, WHICH THE PROJECT WILL SERVE, HAVE ADVANTAGE AND ABOVE AVERAGE SCORES.
THE NEARBY TRACKS, UH, FIVE NEARBY TRACKS WEST OF THE FREEWAY HAVE AN AVERAGE OVERALL CAL AND VIRAL SCREEN SCORE OF 55 AND AN AVERAGE POVERTY SCORE OF 33.8.
BY COMPARISON, THE NEAR THE FIVE NEARBY TRACKS EAST OF THE FREEWAY WHERE THE PROJECT IS LOCATED, HAVE AN AVERAGE OVERALL CAL AND VIRAL SCREEN SCORE OF 35.2 AND AN AVERAGE POVERTY SCORE OF 21.8.
THE PROJECT SITE IS LOCATED AT THE FAR NORTH NORTHEASTERN CORNER OF CENSUS TRACK 57 21, WHICH HAS A CAL AND VIRAL SCREEN SCREEN SCORE OF 45, WHICH MEANS THAT IT IS LESS DISADVANTAGED THAN 18% OF CENSUS TRACKS IN THE STATE.
THE CENSUS TRACT ALSO HAS A POVERTY SCORE OF 20, INDICATING THAT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS LESS BURDENED BY POVERTY THAN 66% OF CENSUS CENSUS TRACKS IN THE STATE.
THE PROJECT SITE DIRECTLY ABUTS AND WOULD MOST DIRECTLY SERVE THE LOS CERRITOS, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE NORTH WITHIN CENSUS TRACT 57 18.
THIS CENSUS TRACT HAS A COW AND VIRAL SCREEN SCORE OF 16, WHICH MEANS THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS LESS DISADVANTAGED THAN 72% OF CENSUS TRACKS IN THE STATE.
THIS TRACT ALSO HAS A POVERTY SCORE OF 13 INDICATING THAT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS LESS BURDENED BY POVERTY THAN 84% OF CENSUS TRACKS IN THE STATE.
THIS DISPARITY OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONDITIONS IS CURRENTLY DELINEATED BY THE COMBINED GEOGRAPHIC DE DIVIDE OF THE SEVEN 10 FREEWAY IN THE LOS ANGELES RIVER ON A NORTH SOUTH AXIS WITH SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DISADVANTAGED AREAS WEST OF THE LA RIVER AND THE SEVEN 10 FREEWAY.
IN SUMMARY, THE NEARBY CENSUS TRACKS TO THE WEST OF THE LA RIVER HAVE CAL AND VIRAL SCREEN SCORES INDICATING THAT THEY ARE MORE DISADVANTAGED THAN THE NEARBY TRACKS, EAST OF THE RIVER, BOTH ENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOCIAL DEMOGRAPHICALLY.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE PROJECT SITE IS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE MORE ADVANTAGED EAST SIDE OF THE RIVER THAN TO THE MORE DISADVANTAGED WEST SIDE OF THE RIVER.
[00:30:02]
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, BASED ON THE COURT'S RULING OF THE ORIGINAL PROJECT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT, AN EIR HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR THE RESUBMITTED PROJECT.A NOTICE OF PREPARATION WAS DISTRIBUTED AND MADE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT FOR A 30 DAY PERIOD FROM JUNE 7TH TO JULY 7TH, 2023.
THE CITY RECEIVED 22 WRITTEN COMMENTS DURING THIS PERIOD, AND A SCOPING MEETING WAS ALSO HELD DURING THIS PERIOD ON JUNE 21ST, 2023.
THE DRAFT EIR WAS DISTRIBUTED AND MADE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT FOR A 62 DAY PERIOD FROM JULY 31ST TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024.
AND THE CITY RECEIVED MORE THAN 80 WRITTEN COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT EIR RESPONSES TO THOSE COMMENTS.
AND THE FINAL EIR WAS DISTRIBUTED ON MAY 15TH, 2025.
UH, THE PROJECT EIR FOUND THAT THE PROJECT WOULD NOT RESULT IN ANY SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS WITH THE INCORPORATION OF MITIGATION MEASURES.
AND SO A MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM HAS BEEN PREPARED TO ADDRESS IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH AIR QUALITY, CULTURAL RESOURCES, GEOLOGY AND SOILS, HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, NOISE AND TRIBAL RESOURCES.
SO THE PREPARATION OF THIS EIR HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF CQA AND THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION ADOPT EIR ZERO TWO DASH 23 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 21 POINT 21.
137 PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES WERE DISTRIBUTED ON MAY 14TH, 2025 BASED ON A MAILING RADIUS OF 750 FEET.
ADDITIONALLY, A NOTICE WAS PUBLISHED IN PRESS TELEGRAM 20 DAYS.
PRIOR TO TONIGHT, NOTICES WERE DISTRIBUTED TO AN INTERESTED PARTIES LIST VIA EMAIL, AND THREE PUBLIC NOTICES WERE POSTED IN THREE PUBLIC LOCATIONS WITHIN CITY BOUNDARIES.
AS OF TONIGHT, STAFF HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS WRITTEN COMMENTS, BOTH IN SUPPORT AND IN OPPOSITION OF THE PROJECT.
IN CONCLUSION, THE PROJECT SITE HAS BEEN VACANT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND THIS VACANCY HAS CONTRIBUTED TO BLIGHT AND DILAPIDATION FURTHER RESULTING IN NUISANCE ACTIVITY.
THE SITE IS CONTAMINATED AND IS COST PROHIBITIVE IN TERMS OF THE RE REMEDIATION THAT'S ADEQUATE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT PARKLAND.
AND BECAUSE OF THIS VIABLE OPTIONS FOR APPROPRIATE USES ARE LIMITED.
STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS AN APPROPRIATE USE IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED, BOTH IN WRITING AND IN THE VERBAL STAFF REPORT.
UH, SOME OF THE BENEFITS THAT WILL RESULT FROM THE PROJECT INCLUDE ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION, ADEQUATE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED USE, UH, HIGH QUALITY ARCHITECTURE, NEW LANDSCAPING, MORE FEASIBLE, NEW PAVING AND OFFSITE IMPROVEMENTS, AND NEW ACCESS TO THE LA RIVER BIKE PATH.
THE PROJECT IS SUB SUBJECT TO SEVERAL CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL THAT WILL GIVE STAFF THE AUTHORITY TO MONITOR THE USE ON A CONTINUAL BASIS.
AND SO BASED ON THE ANTICIPATED BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT, THE POSITIVE FINDINGS AND THE INCORPORATION OF, UH, CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL, STAFF IS GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVE THE REQUEST BEFORE YOU TONIGHT SUBJECT TO THOSE CONDITIONS.
THAT'S GONNA CONCLUDE MY REPORT AND STAFF IS AVAILABLE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE STAFF? COMMISSIONER CHAIR, IS IT POSSIBLE TO, TO LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST? OH, YOU CAN HAVE QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS, YES.
BUT ANYBODY ELSE THAT WISHES TO COMMISSIONER CLINIC? ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS IS TALKING ABOUT ALTERNATIVES.
IS THERE A ROUGH IDEA OF WHAT IT WOULD COST TO DEVELOP THIS INTO A PARK? I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE DONE A FORMAL, UM, COST ANALYSIS OF ANY KIND, BUT, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE LAND ACQUISITION, THERE'S EXTENSIVE COST RELATED TO REMEDIATION OF THE SITE, AS YOU HEARD.
UM, THIS WAS NOT ONLY, UM, A SITE FOR OIL DRILLING, BUT AS AN OIL BRINE TREATMENT.
AND, AND THERE ARE A BUNCH OF SUMPS ON THE SITE, AND SO, UH, VERY COSTLY IN THE, UM, MANY MILLIONS TO BE ABLE TO CLEAN THAT UP.
UH, SO THE OVERALL PROJECT AMOUNT WOULD, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY EXCEED WHAT RESOURCES THE CITY WOULD HAVE AVAILABLE.
BUT I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER FOR YOU.
DO WE AT LEAST KNOW WHAT THE, IS THERE A WAY TO KNOW WHAT THE LAND LAND IS WORTH? YEAH, COMMISSIONER CLEMSON, WE'RE LOOKING AT $2 MILLION TO ACQUIRE THE DIRTY LAND, BUT THE, UM, REMEDIATION COST PROBABLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 10 TIMES THAT AMOUNT.
UM, BUT THERE IS A PAST STUDY, WHICH IS A BACK OF THE NAPKIN STUDY, BUT NONETHELESS, UM, SO WE CAN PULL IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AND, UH, HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU, UH, AFTER THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
[00:35:01]
COMMISSIONER, WHERE, UH, STAFF STATED SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE, UM, LAND HAS REMAINED VACANT AND BLIGHTED.UM, IT'S BEEN DOCUMENTED THAT THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO PURCHASE THE LAND.
SO THE INITIAL QUESTION I WAS GONNA HAVE IS HAVE OTHER USES BEING CONSIDERED, BUT I SEE THAT THAT'S A, A ECONOMIC BARRIER.
UM, IF IT'S NOT DEVELOPED NOW AND THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BUILD, THEN WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT LAND? SO THE, THE CITY DOESN'T OWN IT, SO I CAN, UM, GIVE YOU MY GUESS, BEST GUESS OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
UM, BUT THE, YOU KNOW, A SERIES OF DECISIONS WOULD BE MADE BY THE PRI PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER.
SO IF A PROJECT IS NOT, UM, A APPROVED HERE, I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THEY'LL CONTINUE TO BE CHALLENGES, UH, CONTROLLING THE SITE.
PEOPLE SHOULDN'T TRESPASS, PEOPLE SHOULDN'T DUMP ITEMS. UM, PEOPLE SHOULDN'T, UH, DO THOSE THINGS, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN OCCURRING AND I THINK GENERALLY THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO OCCUR.
UM, IT'S AN EXPENSIVE PIECE OF LAND, SO I THINK THE, THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD DO A COUPLE THINGS.
THEY WOULD EXPLORE, YOU KNOW, WHAT DEVELOPMENT THEY COULD DO ON THE SITE, BUT THIS PROPOSED USE IS A PRETTY LIGHT TOUCH USE VERSUS LIKE DOING A WAREHOUSE THERE OR OTHER INDUSTRIAL USES.
SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT PLAN C WOULD BE.
I THINK WE'RE ALREADY ON PLAN B.
UM, AND THE NATURE BY WHICH YOU DENIED THE USE, I GUESS, WOULD DICTATE THE NEXT STEP.
SO, UH, IF, IF THIS COMMISSION IDENTIFIED, UH, REASONS THAT STAFF MISSED THAT, UM, THE USE PERMIT SHOULD BE DENIED AND THERE'S LIKE A SPECIFIC IMPACT TO AIR QUALITY OR WATER QUALITY, THEN THAT WOULD KIND OF BE THAT, UM, IF THIS COMMISSION WERE TO SAY, WHICH YOU'RE SMART PEOPLE, I KNOW YOU WOULDN'T DO THIS, BUT, UH, WE DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY, RIGHT? UH, WE WANT IT TO BE A PARK, AND IN ORDER TO MAKE IT A PARK, WE'RE GONNA DENY YOU YOUR PROPERTY, RIGHT? AND VOTE THIS, UM, APPLICATION DOWN FOR NO OTHER STATED REASON.
UM, THAT WOULD TRIGGER A TAKINGS CLAIM THAT WOULD BE ADJUDICATED THROUGH THE COURTS.
AND, AND GOVERNMENT CAN'T TAKE PEOPLE'S PROPERTY WITHOUT, UM, COMPENSATION.
AND THAT INCLUDES WHAT ARE CALLED REGULATORY TAKINGS, WHICH IS WHERE YOU DON'T PHYSICALLY TAKE IT, BUT BY DENYING THEM THE ABILITY TO BUILD ANYTHING, YOU'VE TAKEN THE, THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, SO THOSE WOULD BE SORT OF THE NEXT, UH, LOGICAL STEPS.
COMMISSIONER WARE ANYMORE, JEAN CLEMON.
AND, AND ALONG THOSE LINES, IF, IF WE WERE TO DENY IT BASED ON, LET'S SAY AN AN MISALIGNMENT OF COMMUNITY, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, GOALS AND IT WOULD REMAIN THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, CORRECT? AND THEN IF THAT WERE THE CASE, WHAT TYPES OF PROJECTS WOULD BE ABLE TO BE BUILT THERE WITHOUT HAVING TO COME BE, BE, UH, BUILT BY, BY, BY, RIGHT.
FOR THE IL USES, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE LIGHTER INDUSTRIAL USES THAT ARE USUALLY ENCLOSED WITHIN A BUILDING.
SO THAT CONTRASTS WITH, UH, CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS YARDS THAT ARE MORE OUTDOOR STORAGE OR YOUR TRUCK YARDS THAT USUALLY COME HERE THROUGH A CUP TYPE USE.
SO IF YOU WANNA THINK OF, UM, MORE INDOOR SCALE, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL USES AND LIGHT TOUCH MANUFACTURING USES ARE TYPICALLY WHAT YOU SEE IN LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.
AND ARE THOSE, ARE THOSE TYPE OF PROJECTS, WOULD THEY HAVE TO COME BACK THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION HERE? NOT ALL OF THEM.
SOME OF THEM, DEPENDING ON WHAT A STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION THEY ARE.
SO OUR LAND USE TABLES AND THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS, UH, GO BY THE INTENSITY OF THOSE USES.
SO THE LIGHTER INTENSITY USES ARE TRADITIONALLY BY RIGHT, OR THEY HAVE A YES IN THOSE TABLES.
SOME OF THEM MAY NEED AN ADMINISTRATIVE USE PERMIT THAT GO BEFORE THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR, AND THEN OTHERS, UH, MAY NEED A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
AND THE HEAVIER USES THAT YOU SEE IN THE MEDIUM INDUSTRIAL OR UH, GENERAL INDUSTRIAL, THOSE WILL TYPICALLY SAY NO BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THAT CONTEXT.
AND BACK TO ANOTHER, UH, POINT OF YOUR QUESTION, JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
UM, YOU MENTIONED A DENIAL ON THE BASIS OF MISALIGNMENT WITH COMMUNITY GOALS OR, UM, AND THE DENIAL WOULD HAVE TO BE BASED ON THE LEGAL FINDINGS.
UM, SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE WITHIN THAT SCOPE OF THE LEGAL FINDINGS SO THAT, UM, MISALIGNMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE THOUGHT OF IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE FROM THE PROJECT, UH, THE PACIFIC PLACE PROJECT THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE PRESENTATION?
[00:40:16]
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU QUENTIN AND STAFF FOR THE GREAT PRESENTATION, VICE AND PLANNING COMMISSIONERS.MY NAME'S BRIAN SORENSON WITH INSIGHT PROPERTY GROUP.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS PROJECT FOR, UH, OVER FIVE YEARS NOW.
WE PURCHASED IT IN 2019 AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT EVER SINCE TO COME UP WITH A GREAT SOLUTION THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF.
UM, I JUST HAVE A FEW SLIDES HERE AND THEN I'LL INTRODUCE, UH, LINDSAY WITH ALAN MACKINS, WHO'S GONNA TAKE THE BULK OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO HERE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GREATER, UH, LOS ANGELES AREA.
THAT BLUE STAR IS OUR CORPORATE OFFICE.
THAT'S WHERE WE GO TO WORK EVERY DAY.
IT'S IN REDONDO BEACH, UM, JUST UP TO 4 0 5.
UH, THE ORANGE REPRESENTS, UH, PROJECTS THAT WE'VE COMPLETED AND PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR IN DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW.
SO LOS ANGELES TRULY IS KIND OF OUR, OUR FOOTPRINT.
UH, WE'RE NATIONWIDE, BUT THIS IS OUR HEADQUARTERS HERE.
UH, QUENTIN DID A GREAT JOB AT SHOWING THE SITE OVER OVERVIEW THERE IN WHITE, IN THE MIDDLE, THAT'S THE SITE.
IT'S ABOUT 14 ACRES WE'RE SURROUNDED BY HIGHWAYS, RIVERS, UM, PRIVATE PROPERTY ON THE EAST, AND THEN, UH, THE LA COUNTY FLOOD PROPERTY ON THE WEST.
AND THEN JUST TO ZOOM OUT A LITTLE BIT FROM THE IMAGES THAT STAFF HAD, THERE'S A LOT OF OPEN SPACE AND GREEN SPACE IN THE GENERAL AREA.
UM, THERE YOU GO, IF YOU NEED TO SEE THAT A LITTLE LONGER.
OKAY, SO THIS IS KIND OF ZOOMING OUT AND GOING DOWN.
IF YOU'RE SITTING ON TOP OF THE 4 0 5, UM, 3D VIEW OF THE PROPERTY.
SO IN THE FOREGROUND THERE IS THE SELF STORAGE FACILITY.
IT IS FOUR STORIES, 200,000 FEET, AND THEN THE BACK, IT'S RV, UM, STORAGE.
SO THIS ISN'T RV PARKING WHERE PEOPLE LIMIT IT.
THIS IS PEOPLE STORE THEIR RVS THERE, THEY GO ON A WEEKEND TRIP, THEY COME BACK AND THEY, UH, THEY PARK IT.
AND THEN ONE, ONE MORE RENDERING.
UM, THIS DOESN'T LOOK LIKE YOUR TYPICAL ORANGE LINE, GREEN OR LOUD RED SELF STORAGE BOX.
THIS REALLY IS CLASS A, SO WE'RE PROUD OF IT.
AND WITH THAT, UH, LINDSAY TABIN WITH ALLEN MACKINS WILL TAKE THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION.
MY NAME IS LINDSAY TABIN, UH, REPRESENTATIVE OF INSIDE PROPERTY GROUP.
AND SO AS DE I THINK QUENTIN HIT ON THIS REALLY WELL, SO I WON'T BELABOR THESE POINTS TOO MUCH, BUT AS DETAILED BY STAFF, THE PROJECT WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY BACK IN 2021 AFTER THE MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION.
THE PRIOR ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT WAS CHALLENGED BY THE RIVER PARK COALITION IN LA WATER KEEPER.
UM, THE, ON THE BASIS THAT THE COURT DETERMINED THAT THE M AND D FAILED TO PROVIDE A FULL ANALYSIS OF CERTAIN ISSUES THAT WERE SPECIFIC TO THAT PRIOR PROJECT RELATING TO BIOLOGY, TRANSPORTATION, AND LAND USE PLANS.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS THEM ABOUT HOW THE CURRENT EIR THAT WE'VE PREPARED, ADDRESSED, AND RESOLVED EACH OF THOSE ISSUES IDENTIFIED IN THE PRIOR COURT ORDER.
THE APPLICANT TEAM, OUR TEAM, HAS SPENT THE LAST THREE YEARS WORKING WITH THE CITY AND OTHER RESPONSIBLE AGENCIES TO PREPARE THAT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, WHICH REALLY IS THE GOLD STANDARD FOR ALL SE A DOCUMENTS.
AND IT ANALYZES THE ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY THE COURT AND ALL OF THEIR PROJECT ISSUES AND UPDATES IN GREAT DETAIL.
UM, THIS SLIDE SHOWS A SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON OF THE DESIGN ON THE LEFT THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2021 AS COMPARED TO THE CURRENTLY PROPOSED DESIGN.
THE KEY POINTS TO NOTE HERE IS THAT WHILE THE BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE HAS GONE UP BY 50,000 SQUARE FEET, THE PROJECT ITSELF IS THE SAME BOX AS WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
IT HAS THE SAME HEIGHT, 40 FEET TO THE ROOF LINE, 43 FEET, 11 TO THE PARAPET, AND IT HAS THE SAME OVERALL BUILDING FOOTPRINT WITHIN A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE.
UM, WE'VE REMOVED THE PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED OFFICE SQUARE FOOTAGE AND INSTEAD PUT IN MORE SELF-STORAGE SPACES, LIKE MOSTLY DUE TO THE EXTENDED DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING HERE ON.
UM, THE REST OF THE SITE PLAN, AS YOU CAN SEE, HAS OTHERWISE NOT CHANGED THE SITE IMPROVEMENTS, THE PARKING AREAS, THE CAR WASH, THEY'RE ALL IN THE SAME LOCATION AS THEY WERE PROPOSED PREVIOUSLY.
AND ANOTHER KEY DIFFERENCE, AS, AS QUENTIN HIT ON, AND, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MOMENT, IS THAT THE PROJECT NOW INCLUDES A HALF ACRE DEDICATION OF THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE PROPERTY FOR A NATIVE PLANT PRESERVE.
AND THAT WAS DONE IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE CITY AND CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL WILDLIFE.
UH, SO, EXCUSE ME, I'M MISSING A SLIDE.
[00:45:02]
SO WHILE THE PROJECT REQUIRES A GENERAL PLAN, AMENDMENT AND ZONE CHANGE, UH, TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ALREADY BEING ASKED HERE EARLIER, UM, WE'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ZONED FOR INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSES USES WAREHOUSE USES THAT ARE MUCH MORE IMPACTFUL THAN THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
UH, SO STAFF HAS ALREADY OUTLINED SOME OF THE USES THAT WE'VE LISTED HERE, WHICH ARE THE USES THAT COULD BE PERMITTED UNDER THE EXISTING AISLE ZONING, INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING, WAREHOUSES, REPAIR SERVICES, OFTEN WITH A TRUCKING COMPONENT.
UH, SO THE RED BOX ON THE LEFT SHOWS WHAT COULD BE DEVELOPED, UH, TO THE MAX UNDER EXISTING ZONING.
THE SHOWN HERE WAS ACTUALLY ANALYZED IN GREAT DETAIL IN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AS ALTERNATIVE ONE.
UH, AND THAT ALTERNATIVE ONE DEVELOPMENT UNDER EXISTING ZONING EVALUATED A 615,000 SQUARE FOOT LIGHT INDUSTRIAL USE AND A FOUR STORY STRUCTURE AT 55% LOCK COVERAGE, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE HERE BY COMPARISON.
ON THE LEFT, ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A MUCH SMALLER FOOTPRINT AND USE ABOUT ONE THIRD THE SIZE OF WHAT COULD BE BUILT UNDER EXISTING ZONING.
IT'S A MUCH LESS IMPACTFUL USE, LOW TRAFFIC, LOW INTENSITY USE THAT WE THINK IS A BETTER FIT WITH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED, THE EIR DID A FULL EVALUATION OF WHAT THE IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVE ONE WOULD BE, AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS MORE IMPACTFUL THAN THE PROPOSED PROJECT ON NINE DIFFERENT SQUA CATEGORIES, INCLUDING AIR QUALITY TRAFFIC AND MANY OTHERS.
SO IN SUMMARY, THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS A MUCH LESS IMPACTFUL PROPOSAL THAN WHAT, WHAT THE SITE IS ZONED FOR TODAY.
AND IF THE PROJECT WAS TO BE DENIED, THEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION COULD EXPECT THAT SOMETHING MORE LIKE WHAT'S ON THE LEFT WOULD PROBABLY COME BEFORE IT.
UM, SO THE SITE IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION, AS, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, HAS REALLY BEEN CLOSE TO IMPOSSIBLE TO MANAGE SINCE WE'VE OWNED THE PROPERTY.
WE HAVE FENCED THE SITE AND WE'VE ADDED ONSITE SECURITY, AND WE HAVE STILL ENCOUNTERED SUBSTANTIAL SECURITY ISSUES.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THESE IMAGES, THERE IS CURRENTLY A LOT OF TRANSIENT ACCESS TO THE SITE DUE TO THE ADJACENT RIVER AND THE RAILWAY, AND THAT CREATES MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU SEE HERE, UH, ACROSS ON OUR SIDE AND ACROSS THE 30 PLUS ACRES OF UNMANNED OPEN SPACE THAT ARE IN THIS SAME TRIANGLE.
UM, YOU CAN, THIS IS ONE OF THE, THIS IS A PICTURE OF ONE OF THE TWO ARSON EVENTS THAT HAS HAPPENED AT THE SITE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
UH, THERE WAS A VERY RECENT, UH, PIPE FIRE WHERE SOMEONE SET FIRE TO A PIPE ON THE SITE.
AND, UH, ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE THAT, SOME, A HOMELESS PERSON SET, WE THINK SET SITE TO THE CONSTRUCTION TRAILER THAT WAS PARKED ON SITE AND BROKE INTO IT.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE THE REMNANTS OF THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS THAT ARE CONTINUALLY SET UP ON THE SITE AND ALL THE TRASH THAT GOES WITH THAT.
UH, THIS SHOWS NOT ONLY GRAFFITI, BUT THE ENCAMPMENT STEALING THE BILLBOARD'S POWER, SO BREAKING INTO THE POWER BOX FOR USE, UH, WHICH HAPPENS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AGENCIES THAT YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE HERE, WE ARE PRESENTING A PROJECT THAT WOULD CONVERT THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY FROM AN UNDERUTILIZED BLIGHTED SITE WITH VERY LIMITED DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL TO A SAFE, SUSTAINABLE, AND ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.
SO AT SOME POINT DURING THE SIX YEAR DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE FOR THIS PROJECT, WE HAVE WORKED WITH ALL OF THE AGENCIES THAT YOU SEE HERE ON THIS SLIDE TO PLAN THE SITE CLEANUP, THE DESIGN, THE MITIGATION MEASURES, AND THE PROJECT BENEFITS THAT ARE PROPOSED TO YOU TODAY.
OBVIOUSLY, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAS SERVED AS LEAD AGENCY AND HAS WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH US ON THE PROJECT FOR FIVE YEARS.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH DTSE FOR EVEN LONGER THAN THAT SINCE 2019.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM REGARDING SITE CLEANUP ACTIVITIES AND THE, THE REMEDY FOR THE PROJECT OR THE CLEANUP PLAN, WHICH I'LL GET INTO IN A MOMENT.
WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE REGARDING THE MITIGATION OF IMPACTS TO WILDLIFE AND PLANT LIFE ON THE SITE, INCLUDING THE SOUTHERN TAR PLANT AND CDFW HAS SIGNED OFF ON ALL BIOLOGICAL MITIGATION MEASURES THAT ARE BEFORE YOU TODAY.
AND ALSO, WE HAVE COORDINATED WITH SITE DESIGN AND UTILITIES WITH OUR NEIGHBOR METRO.
UH, SO AS SHOWN IN THE PREVIOUS IMAGES, THE PROJECT SITE AND THE GENERAL AREA IS JUST VERY, VERY PO VERY HARD TO SECURE.
SO WE ARE INSTEAD PROPOSING A SECURITY FOCUSED USE THAT WILL BENEFIT OTHER PROPERTIES ON THIS DEAD END CORRIDOR.
SO SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE SITE LIGHTING AROUND THE BUILDING AND PERIMETER, UM, NO CLIMB FENCING AROUND THE PERIMETER.
[00:50:01]
SECURITY ENABLED SECURITY CAMERAS, WHICH ARE MONITORED 24 7.UH, THE ACCESS POINTS ARE MONITORED.
EVERY ACCESS POINT HAS KEY ACCESS, AND WE MONITOR EVERYONE THAT GOES IN AND COMES OUT.
UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS REVIEWED THE PROJECT SECURITY MEASURES AND IMPOSED ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL REGARDING SECURITY WITH WHICH WE ARE FULLY PREPARED TO COMPLY.
AND IN GENERAL, THE PROJECT WOULD ACTIVATE THIS LONG ABANDONED AREA AND REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF SPACE IN WHICH THE CURRENT CONCERNING ACTIVITIES CAN OCCUR.
THIS, THIS AREA REALLY NEEDS AN ACTIVE, SECURE BUSINESS FOR THE AREA TO BE SAFE FOR SURROUNDING RESIDENTS.
UH, AS WE'VE MENTIONED, UH, WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING WITH DTSE REGARDING SITE CLEANUP FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THIS PROPERTY HAS SUBSTANTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS, UH, MORE THAN THOSE THAT SURROUND IT, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE IMAGE THAT'S ON THE SCREEN.
SO, AS AS NOTED IN STAFF'S PRESENTATION, THE PROJECT SITE WAS THE PORTION OF THE PRIOR OIL DEVELOPMENT FIELD THAT WAS USED FOR TREATMENT THUMPS OR PONDS, AND THAT'S OUTLINED IN BLUE ON THIS SLIDE.
YOU CAN SEE IT COVERS THE MAJORITY OF THE SITE.
UM, THE ENTIRE FOOTPRINT OF THE THUMPS IS ONLY ON THIS PROJECT SITE PORTION OF THE, THE TRIANGLE.
AND THE SITE WAS ALSO POPULATED WITH A NUMBER OF OIL WELLS THAT WERE ABANDONED WITH PER CAL GM STANDARDS.
UM, SO THE, UH, DTSC COORDINATION BY BOTH APPLICANT AND C AS I MENTIONED, HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2019.
AND THE MOST CURRENT ITERATION OF THE PROJECT THE CITY HAS PROVIDED 2D TSC AND DTSC HAS BOTH REVIEWED THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE CITY'S PROPOSED RESPONSES TO COMMENTS.
THEY'VE REVIEWED EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID ABOUT ISSUES THAT ARE WITHIN DTS C'S PURVIEW, INCLUDING MANAGEMENT OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, AIR QUALITY, WATER QUALITY, AND OTHER ISSUES.
AND DTSD HAS CONFIRMED IN WRITING THAT IT HAS NO FURTHER COMMENTS ON EITHER DOCUMENT THAT'S BEEN CONFIRMED TO THE CITY.
UH, SO THE, THE REMEDY OR CLEANUP PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY DTSC IN 2021 IS LISTED HERE ON THE SCREEN.
I'M, AGAIN, HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, THIS VERY TECHNICAL AND DETAILED, UH, PROCESS, BUT IT INCLUDES PROTOCOLS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF CONTAMINATED SOIL, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ENGINEERED CAP OVER THE ENTIRE SITE, METHANE MITIGATION SYSTEMS UNDERNEATH THE CAP AND THE BUILDINGS TO MANAGE SOIL VAPOR, UH, AND SEVERAL TYPES OF MONITORING SYSTEMS, ALL OF WHICH WILL INVOLVE REPORTING AND REGULAR MONITORING WITH TO DTSE LONG TERM.
AND OUR EXPERTS ARE HERE AND AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CLEANUP PLAN.
UM, SO IN ADDITION TO THE CITY APPROVALS, EXCUSE ME, IT'S VERY SENSITIVE BUTTON, SORRY,
UH, SO BECAUSE OF THE, THE SITE HISTORY, IN ADDITION TO THE CITY APPROVALS, THE PROJECT ALSO HAS TO BE APPROVED BY DTSC BEFORE WORK CAN BEGIN.
THIS WILL COME IN THE FORM OF DTSC APPROVAL OF A RESPONSE PLAN, WHICH MEMORIALIZES THE REMEDY THAT I JUST PUT ON SCREEN, UH, AND DESCRIBES ALL OF THE CLEANUP PROTOCOLS AND RISK MITIGATION MEASURES AND LONG-TERM O AND M THAT GO WITH THAT.
UM, THIS SLIDE DESCRIBES THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE RESPONSE PLAN.
SO DTSD APPROVED THE ORIGINAL RESPONSE PLAN IN 2021, BUT WITHDREW THAT FORMAL APPROVAL AFTER THE 2022 COURT ORDER, LIKE THE CITY, UH, THEN THE APPLICANT HAS RESUMED WORKING WITH THEM FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS ON THE RESPONSE PLAN.
AND THAT REALLY MEMORIALIZED ONLY MINOR TEXT UPDATES TO REFLECT THE FEW PROJECT CHANGES THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, AS WELL AS THE NEW SQUA DOCUMENT.
NOW WE'RE DOING AN EIR INSTEAD OF AN M AND D, BUT THE REMEDY IS THE SAME AS THE APPROVED PROJECT.
DTSC HAS SIGNED OFF ON THAT RE ON THAT REMEDY AS APPROPRIATE.
AND IT DID NOT REQUIRE IN CONNECTION WITH THIS NEW PROJECT ANY FURTHER TESTING OR SITE CHARACTERIZATION IN ORDER TO ARRIVE AT THAT REMEDY BECAUSE THE, THE CONDITION OF THE SITE HAS BEEN WHAT IT IS FOR CLOSE TO A HUNDRED YEARS WITH ALL THE OIL USES.
SO IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE NEEDED TO GO BACK IN AND TUY THE PSYCH CHARACTERIZATION ISSUES OF EFFORTS THAT WE'D ALREADY UNDERTAKEN.
UH, THE REVISED RESPONSE PLAN WAS PUBLICLY CIRCULATED BY DTSC AND DTSC CONDUCTED A PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT AND SOLICITED AND RECEIVED PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND BY LAW, THEY WILL HAVE 180 DAYS FROM FINAL APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT BY THE CITY TO ISSUE THEIR OWN NOTICE OF DETERMINATION ON THE RESPONSE PLAN.
AND THAT DETERMINATION WILL ALSO RELY ON THE SAME EIR THAT THE CITY IS RELYING ON TODAY.
UM, SO BACK IN 2021, THE PUBLIC ASKED FOR A TRAIL CONNECTION FROM PACIFIC PLACE TO
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THE COUNTY PROPERTY AND THE EXISTING BIKE TRAIL.SO THE PROJECT INCLUDES THAT IT INCLUDES A DEDICATION FOR PUBLIC ACCESS AND APPLICANT IS BOUND TO SEVERAL CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL TO IMPROVE THE TRAIL AREA WHEN THE COUNTY PROPERTY IS DEVELOPED.
SO OUR PROPERTY IS, IS DOING WHAT THE COMMUNITY ASKED FOR IN TERMS OF CONNECTIVITY, UH, AND THAT'S ALSO CON CONSISTENT WITH MANY OF THE LAND USE PLANS FOR RIVER ACTIVATION AND CONNECTIVITY THAT STAFF NOTED IN THEIR PRESENTATION.
UH, THIS SHOWS THIS IMAGE HIGHLIGHTS THE TAR PLAN MITIGATION AREA.
THIS IS A ZOOM IN ON THAT, THAT WILL PRESERVED FOR ONSITE MITIGATION OF SOUTHERN TAR PLANT AT THE NORTHWESTERN HALF ACRE OF THE SITE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE, THE ISSUES THAT THE EIR ANALYZED IN GREAT DETAIL.
UH, THE PRIOR M AND D DID NOT HAVE THIS CLEAR PLAN FOR TAR PLANT, BUT THIS DID, THIS IS WHAT CDFW WANTED WAS ONSITE MITIGATION.
THEY WERE VERY SPECIFIC THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE IT PLACED IN THIS LOCATION SO THAT IT COULD CROSS POLLINATE WITH THE EXISTING TAR PLANT POPULATION THAT IS ON THE LA COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL PARCEL.
UM, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO, WE WERE EXCITED TO LEARN THAT THERE WAS THAT EXISTING POPULATION THAT THIS AREA CAN MERGE AND CROSS POLLINATE WITH ONCE IT'S DEVELOPED.
UH, AND FINALLY, I WANTED TO NOTE, UH, THAT THE PROJECT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO INCLUDE MULTIPLE SUSTAINABILITY MEASURES, MANY OF WHICH ARE ABOVE AND BEYOND STATE AND LOCAL REQUIREMENTS.
UH, SO OVER ALL OF THE RV UH, STALLS, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PROJECT INCLUDES SEVERAL SOLAR PANELS, UH, AND THOSE WILL OFFSET AT MINIMUM 70% OF THE PROJECTS ELECTRICAL DEMAND.
FURTHER MAKING THIS A LOW IMPACT USE TOGETHER WITH OUR PLAN PARTICIPATION IN THE SE GREEN PROGRAM, THIS PROJECT WILL BE CLOSE TO CARBON NEUTRAL.
UH, THE PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES EV CHARGING SYSTEMS, UH, WHERE WE ARE DOING LANDSCAPING.
UH, WE'VE INCLUDED THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF POSSIBLE DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTS WHERE WE'RE NOT ALREADY BOUND TO UTILIZE NATIVE PLANT SPECIES.
UM, WE HAVE A MODULAR WETLAND SYSTEM TO FILTER AND CLEAN STORM WATER ON SITE, AND THAT'S A PART OF OUR LID PROGRAM.
UH, THERE ARE ALSO RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS ON SITE, AND THE BUILDING ITSELF WILL BE DEVELOPED TO CALGARY AND STANDARDS, WHICH ARE LEAD AND LEAD EQUIVALENT PER THE CITY'S CAP.
UH, WHICH WE CAN ALSO ANSWER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT IF THERE ARE THOSE.
UH, SO IN CLOSING, I WANTED TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED AND PROVIDED DETAILED RESPONSES TO THE LARGE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY INPUT THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED ON THIS PROJECT.
THE, UH, FINAL EIR DOCUMENT INCLUDES DETAILED RESPONSES TO THE MORE THAN 80 PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WERE RECEIVED DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON THE EIR FROM JULY TO SEPTEMBER OF 2024.
IN ADDITION, YESTERDAY WE SUBMITTED A LETTER THAT RESPONDS TO ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY AS OF THE TIME OF THE SUBMITTAL OF THAT LETTER.
FINALLY, THIS MORNING, WE RECEIVED A COMMENT LETTER FROM COUNCIL FOR RIVER PARK THAT IS WELL OVER A THOUSAND PAGES IN FULL, CAME IN TWO PARTS, ONE FIRST THING THIS MORNING, AND THEN A, AN ADDENDUM THIS AFTERNOON.
UH, WE ENSURED THAT ALL OF THE PROJECT EXPERTS HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT, AND BASED ON OUR ANALYSIS, THE LETTER DOES NOT RAISE ANY NEW ISSUES OR SIGNIFICANT ISSUES.
IT'S A VERY LONG RETREAD OF THE SAME ARGUMENTS THAT WERE ADDRESSED IN DETAIL IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT.
BUT SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS, THE PROJECT TEAM AND ALL OF THOSE EXPERTS ARE HERE TONIGHT AND AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT LETTER.
WE ALSO HAVE CONFERRED WITH CITY STAFF, AND THEY AGREE THAT NOTHING IN THE LETTER SHOULD GIVE YOU PAUSE IN TAKING ACTION TONIGHT.
THEREFORE, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH CERTIFYING THE EIR AND RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
IS THERE ANYBODY, UH, COMMISSIONERS THAT WISHES BRING ANY QUESTIONS FORWARD? NO.
ACTUALLY, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
NOT SURE, COMMISSIONER, WHERE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL BE FOR YOU OR THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER, BUT YOU OWN MULTIPLE PROPERTIES VERY SIMILAR TO THIS.
WHAT IS THE TRAFFIC PATTERN USUALLY? IS IT HIGH USAGE? IS IT MOSTLY STORAGE? LIKE WHAT, DO YOU HAVE AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT YOUR TRAFFIC PATTERNS USUALLY ARE AROUND THE USAGE OF YOUR FACILITIES? YEAH, THIS IS A VERY LOW TRAFFIC USE.
UH, YOU KNOW, FOLKS DON'T TEND TO BE COMING IN AND OUT ON A DAILY BASIS TO ACCESS STORAGE SPACES OR PULL THEIR RVS.
THEY COME IN TO GET, YOU KNOW, CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS OR, UH, SOMETHING OF THE, LIKE THAT'S IN STORAGE AND THEN LEAVE.
OR THEY MAY ACCESS THEIR RV A FEW TIMES A YEAR TO GO ON TRIPS AND THEN RETURN IT.
UM, SO, UH, I, I DON'T HAVE OUR TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS IN FRONT OF US, BUT I THINK THAT THE OVERALL, UM, MORNING AND EVENING PEAK HOUR TRIPS WERE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 35 TRIPS WITH FIVE RV TRIPS ANTICIPATED.
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UM, I THINK WE TOOK A LOOK AT SOME ADJACENT IN THE EARLIER ITERATION OF THE PROJECT.WE TOOK A LOOK AT, UH, THE OPERATIONS OF SIMILAR, UM, SELF-STORAGE FACILITIES THAT INCLUDED RVS AND PEOPLE WERE, UM, GOING IN OR OUT AND PULLING RVS USUALLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF TWO OR THREE TIMES A DAY, UM, AT THE HEIGHT OF SUMMER SEASON, MAYBE BETWEEN FIVE AND SEVEN TIMES A DAY.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS A VERY LOW TRAFFIC USE, PARTICULARLY AS COMPARED TO WHAT IT'S ZONED FOR.
COMMISSIONER BARR, COMMISSIONERS ANYTHING AND VICE CHAIR TEMPLIN.
I KNOW, UM, COMMISSIONER CLEMSON HAD ASKED ABOUT THE COST OF DEVELOPING A SITE LIKE THIS FOR A PARK.
SO I WAS ABLE TO PULL, UM, A 2021 STUDY, UM, THAT THE CITY, UM, PUBLISHED ON OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION LOOKING AT SEVERAL PROPERTIES ALONG THE LA RIVER.
UM, AND SO A SMALLER BUT SIMILAR SITE OF ABOUT 11 ACRES.
SO THIS PARTICULAR SITE WAS NOT ANALYZED, BUT THE, A SMALLER SITE OF ABOUT 11 ACRES, WHEREAS THIS SITE IS ABOUT 14 ACRES, WAS ESTIMATED AT A DEVELOPMENT COST OF ABOUT 27.5 MILLION.
SO THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE LAND ACQUISITION AND THEN MAINTENANCE COST OF ABOUT, UH, 250 MILLION, OR SORRY, 250,000 A YEAR FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.
UM, COMMISSIONER CLEMSON, DID YOU WISH TO RESPOND? DOES THAT INCLUDE ANY KIND OF MITIGATION? THIS IS JUST HIGH LEVEL, UM, YEP.
DEVELOPMENT COSTS, SO, SO I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO ADD, UM, THERE WAS A MENTION ABOUT WAREHOUSING BEING ALLOWED, UM, UM, IN THE ZONE.
AND THAT ACTUALLY IS ALLOWED BY RIGHT IN THE, UM, IL ZONE.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD REQUIRE SITE PLAN REVIEW, BUT MAY NOT EVEN COME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION NECESSARILY IN THE ZONE AS LONG AS IT WORK CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN PLACE TYPE.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL INFORMATION AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE NOW COME, SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
DO WE HAVE, UH, SPEAKER CARDS? YES, WE HAVE SPEAKER CARDS.
COULD WE, UM, CALL THE FIRST FIVE? YES, THEY CAN COME TO THE MIC, PLEASE.
AND I WOULD ASK FOR RESPECT TO ALL SPEAKERS.
THERE'S NO CAT CALLING OR ANYTHING.
OUR FIRST PUBLIC SPEAKERS WILL BE CALVIN, LA, BRIAN CASEY, RENEE LAWLER, LISA BACA, AND JUSTIN.
YOU WILL HAVE 90 SECONDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
HELLO, UH, MY NAME IS CALVIN LA UH, THE TRAFFIC ANALYSIS IS INCOMPLETE AND DANGEROUS.
PAST DEVELOPMENTS AND APPROVED FUTURE PROJECTS AREN'T INCLUDED IN THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT ANALYSIS, UH, AS CEQA REQUIRES THE WARDLOW CORRIDOR AND INTERSECTIONS AT PACIFIC AND WARDLOW AND SANTA FE AND WARDLOW ALREADY HAVE POOR LEVEL SERVICE RATINGS OF D, E, AND F FOR DECADES.
THE 4 0 5 AND SEVEN 10 FREEWAYS OPERATE AT 97% CAPACITY DURING NON-PEAK HOURS BEFORE THIS PROJECT ADDS MORE TRAFFIC.
THERE'S NO MITIGATION FOR THIS CUMULATIVE NEGATIVE IMPACT TO REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS.
THE EIR ERRONEOUSLY CLAIMS PROXIMITY TO FREEWAY INTERCHANGES PREVENTS SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, BUT THOSE FREEWAYS ARE ALREADY MAXED OUT.
THE 4,000 VIA ORAL PROJECT IMPACTS WEREN'T ANALYZED CUMULATIVELY.
THIS INCOMPLETE ANALYSIS VIOLATES CEQA STANDARDS.
UH, THE PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL USE OF THE LAND EXEMPLIFIES ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE, PLACING POLLUTION IN EMISSIONS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS GREEN SPACE IN CLEAN AIR.
THE SITE LIES IN A DISADVANTAGED ZONE, YET CONTRIBUTES MORE ADMISSIONS TO THE CITY'S LIMITED, UH, URBAN CANOPY THAN NEARLY ANY OTHER LOCATION.
THIS IS NOT JUST HARMFUL, IT'S NEGLIGENT.
INSTEAD OF HONORING COMMUNITY NEEDS, THE PROJECT PROTECTS AND PROMOTES ZERO COMMUNITY BENEFITS WHILE CREATING LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL BURDENS.
LOS CERRITOS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE SITE, SERVES A POPULATION OF PREDOMINANTLY LATINO STUDENTS IN A LOW INCOME AREA.
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THESE CHILDREN DESERVE PARKS AND CLEAN AIR, NOT MORE TRUCKS, FUMES, AND INDUSTRIAL RUNOFF.THE PROJECT FAILS BOTH CEQA AND SB 1000 STANDARDS, WHICH REQUIRES RIGOROUS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ANALYSIS.
IT DOESN'T MEET THE LEGAL OR MORAL OBLIGATIONS TO PROTECT OUR MOST VALUABLE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS PROJECT DOES NOT REFLECT LONG BEACH'S BEST VALUES.
UH, JUSTIN PORTIER, A UH, RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER, UH, IN THE IMPACTED AREA, UH, THE GATEWAY CITIES AND RIVERS URBAN, UH, GREEN PLAN SEEKS TO CONNECT THOSE COMMUNITIES THROUGH NATURE, UH, PROTECT OPEN SPACE AND PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE, AND EXPAND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
THE WATERSHED CONSERVATION AUTHORITY, A JOINT POWERS AGENCY OF THE SAN GABRIEL AND LA ARE LOWER LA RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS.
UH, CONSERVANCY HAS EXPLICITLY HAS EXPLICIT GOALS THAT THIS PROJECT VIOLATES THE UCLA LUSKIN CENTERS.
LA'S RIVER RIVER GREENWAY TOOLKIT IDENTIFIES THIS AREA FOR MANY PARKS, PATHWAY IMPROVEMENTS, PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES, AND AB FIVE THIRTY'S.
LOWER LA RIVER WORKING GROUP INCLUDED LONG BEACH AS A KEY GATEWAY CITY AND COLLABORATIVE RIVER MANAGEMENT.
THE RV STORAGE FACILITY COMPLETELY OPPOSES THE COMPREHENSIVE RESTORATION PLAN THEY SUPPORTED, AND IT FRAGMENTS THE WATERSHED RATHER THAN MANAGING IT COLLABORATIVELY.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UH, I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT IF THE OWNERS OF THE LOT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR PRESERVING THE LOT AND HAVE SEEN THE BLIGHT THAT WE'VE SEEN, WHAT ASSURANCES DO WE HAVE THAT THEM MOVING FORWARD IN DEVELOPMENT WILL FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THEIR WORDS OF TAKING CARE OF THAT SITE? THANK YOU.
I'M A NATIVE OF LONG BEACH, AND I HAVE A STAKEHOLDER INTEREST IN, UH, WHAT HAPPENS ALONG THE LA RIVER ECOLOGICAL CORRIDOR, UH, OWNING EQUESTRIAN PROPERTY WITHIN THE VICINITY.
DETAILED COMMENTS WERE, WERE, UH, PRESENTED TO YOU, UH, AS A MEMBER OF RIVER PARK COALITION, BUT I'M SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY NOW IN REFERENCE TO THE IMPACT TO THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY.
UM, I'M REPRESENTING THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE WAS CRITICAL OVERSIGHT IN THAT IMPACT IN THIS EIR.
FOR NEARLY 300 YEARS, THIS LAND IS SERVED AS A GATEWAY FOR FIRST THE SOVEREIGN PEOPLES, AND THEN DURING THE RANCHO PERIODS, UH, AND CALIFORNIA PERIODS.
UM, SINCE 1947, UH, OUR DEDICATED PRI BRIDAL TRAIL SYSTEM HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE IDENTIFIED BY BOTH THIS BODY, THE, THE CITY OF COUNCIL IN LONG BEACH, AS WELL AS THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES.
THIS ISN'T JUST HISTORY AND TEXTBOOKS.
TODAY, HORSES STILL CROSS THESE PATHS THAT CONNECT OUR COMMUNITIES.
LONG BEFORE THE RIVER WAS CHANNELIZED, THE LONG BEACH MOUNTED GUARD ROAD, THESE SAME TRAILS DURING WORLD WAR II, PROTECTING OUR COASTLINE FROM ENEMY THREATS, THEY FOUND A EQUESTRIAN TRAILS INC.
WHO WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN THE 1947 MAP THAT WAS OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED FOR THIS TRAIL NETWORK.
COTTON ROSSER TRAINED HERE, RODEOS DREW CROWDS IN THE SEVENTIES.
TONIGHT, E-A-R-E-I-R COMPLETELY IGNORES THIS DOCUMENTED TRAIL AND IT'S USE, IT'S CURRENT USE.
THERE'S NO IMPACT ANALYSIS, THERE'S NO COMMUNITY CONSULTATION WITH EQUESTRIANS.
PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR COMMENT OF THE 2020 RIVER REVITALIZATION PLAN THAT CALLED FOR RESTORING THE EAST WEST CONNECTION.
UM, SO, UM, MA'AM, YOUR TIME IS UP.
I URGE YOU TO, UH, REJECT THIS INCOMPLETE EIR.
UH, THE PRECEDENCE FOR EQUESTRIANS HAS BEEN FROM 1947.
IT'S CHAPTERED BY CITY COUNCIL IN, UH, THE 1990S UNDER SENATOR ART TORRES CREATED THE FIRST LA RIVER MASTER PLAN.
EQUESTRIAN OPEN RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IS PART OF THE LA RIVER MASTER PLAN.
IT WAS REITERATED BY RIVER LA IN 2022.
THE ENTIRE LA COUNTY RIVER INCLUDES EQUESTRIAN OPEN RECREATIONAL SPACE.
WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED WILL KILL ANY OPPORTUNITY TO MAINTAIN AN EQUESTRIAN TRAIL THAT CONNECTS LONG BEACH TO, UH, RIO VERDE COMPTON COWBOYS CONNECTING COMPTON.
UM, SOUTHEAST LA USES THE LA RIVER IN THE FUTURE AS OUR OPEN RECREATIONAL, UH, ACTIVITY SINCE THEY ARE SO, UM, LANDLOCKED.
I DID NOT SEE SINCE 2019 OR SINCE THE EIR WAS APPROVED, NOT ONE EQUESTRIAN LOGO, I SAW THE GABRIELINOS, BUT I DIDN'T SEE THE CALIFORNIA STATE HORSEMAN'S ASSOCIATION.
I DIDN'T SEE
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ANY ONE OF THE MANY TRAIL EQUESTRIAN CAMPING ORGANIZATIONS THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM MAINTAINING THE EQUESTRIAN TRAIL THAT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 1947.SO I URGE YOU PLEASE TO VOTE NO OPTION SINCE THIS HAS NOT BEEN A INCLUSIVE, UM, EIR AND IT IS LACKING TREMENDOUSLY IN CREATING OPEN RECREATIONAL SPACE FOR SOUTHEAST LA, WHICH IS AN UNDERSERVED.
PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR COMMENT UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY.
WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE NEXT FIVE? YES.
OUR NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS ARE RAY LAWSON, JAMES SUSO, CAROL CROS, BENJAMIN HARRIS, AND SUSA KAR.
YOU WILL HAVE 90 SECONDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
GOOD EVENING PLANNING COMMISSIONERS.
I'M COMING BEFORE YOU, UH, SPEAKING FOR THE WESTERN STATES REGIONAL COUNCIL, CARPENTERS LOCAL 5 6 2.
UH, AND WE'RE SPEAKING FOR LABOR.
UM, WE SPEAK FOR JOB WAGES AND BENEFITS.
UM, WE HAVE A PERSONAL STAKE IN THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IT'S LESS THAN TWO MILES FROM OUR LOCAL, UH, JUST TO TELL YOU A LITTLE STORY, BUT I HEARD THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WERE BEAUTIFULLY DONE BY THE DEVELOPER.
UH, THEY ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT CORRECT.
IN 2022, OUR LOCAL, WE WERE PLANNING FOR OUR PICNIC AND WE STORED, UM, PRIZES TO GIVE AWAY BIG SCREEN TV POWER TOOLS FOR OUR MEMBERS TO USE.
IT WAS BROKEN INTO AND EVERYTHING WAS TOOK.
WE HAD OUR PICNIC AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GIVE ANY OF OUR MEMBERS THEIR PRIZES.
WE HAD TO GIVE 'EM TO 'EM AT A LATER DATE.
UM, WE TRACKED DOWN WHERE OUR, WHERE THE PEOPLE THAT BROKE INTO IT AND WHERE OUR, WHERE ALL OUR TOOLS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE BOUGHT, AND IT WAS WRAPPED TO THAT LOCATION.
THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF SYRINGES THERE.
WE TOOK PICTURES OF IT, SHOWED THE POLICE RIGHT AT THAT ENCAMPMENT THAT WE GET ON THE 17TH FREEWAY AND WE, YOU HEAD NORTH AND YOU SEE THAT HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT THERE.
SO WHAT THEY ARE SAYING IS NOT A LIE.
YOU CAN ASK SOME OF OUR MEMBERS HERE THAT LIVE IN LONG BEACH AND THEN THEY CAN ATTEST TO IT TOO, THAT IT IS BLIGHTED, IT IS CRIME THERE.
IT'S NO NOTHING GOING ON THERE.
AS YOU GO INTO THE FREEWAY, YOU SEE IT.
IT'S BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND THE MEMBERS, PLEASE DROP UP YOUR COMMENT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK THERE AND BUILD IT.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CAROL NORCROSS.
UH, I INVITE YOU TO WALK BY THE RIVER IN, UH, MIGRATION PERIODS IN THE SPRING AND FALL.
YOU'LL FIND PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER LA THEY'RE LOOKING TO SEE THE VARIOUS WONDERFUL SPECIES THAT, UH, COME TO THE RIVER.
IT'S NOT ONLY, UH, THAT AREA THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT, IT'S A HIGHWAY I LIVE IN WRIGLEY AND EVERYBODY AROUND THE RIVER USES THE RIVER AND GOES UP AND DOWN THE RIVER.
THIS SITE LIES WITHIN THE LA RIVER ECOLOGICAL CORRIDOR, YET THE FEIR CLAIMS IT HAS NO BIOLOGICAL VALUE WITHOUT CONDUCTING REQUIRED CRAM STUDIES OR FULL SPECIES INVENTORIES.
OVER 200 BIRD SPECIES HAVE BEEN RECORDED HERE, INCLUDING YELLOW WARBLERS AND SPECIAL STATUS PLANTS LIKE THE SOUTHERN TAR PLANT.
IT'S AN AUDUBON IMPORTANT BIRD AREA WITH SENSITIVE SPECIES COVERED BY THE BIRD MIGRATORY BIRD ACT.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAVE THESE SPACES, MAKE THEM PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WHY DO WE CONSTANTLY TURN OUR BACK TO IT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I AM A PROUD, UH, LONG BEACH RESIDENT IN THE SIXTH DISTRICT, ACTUALLY DOWN THE STREET FROM THIS PROJECT SITE.
UH, I'M ALSO, UH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH LONG BEACH FORWARD.
AND, UH, WE ARE HERE TONIGHT AND MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT RACE AND INCOME SHOULDN'T DETERMINE SOMEONE'S FUTURE NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE IN THE CITY.
AND, UH, TONIGHT WE'RE HERE TO ASK YOU TO DENY THIS EIR FIRST FACTUALLY ON THE FACT THAT THIS EIR IS BUILT ON OUTDATED, INVALID DATA THAT DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE AIR POLLUTION, THE GROUNDWATER IMPACTS, THE NOISE POLLUTION, AND THE OVERALL IMPACTS TO SENSITIVE SPECIES.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE RELIABLE DATA TO MAKE LOGICAL AND LEGAL ANALYSES OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT PART OF THE REASON WHY WE ARE OPPOSED TO THIS PROJECT, AND SPECIFICALLY THIS EIR, IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A FUTURE THAT'S NOT JUST LIVABLE FOR THE PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF, MY ROOMMATES,
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MY FRIENDS, OUR MEMBERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ALSO WE KNOW THAT ON, ON AN ETHICAL BASIS.THIS EAR HAS NUMEROUS MISALIGNMENTS AND WITH MULTIPLE PLANS AND STUDIES THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY POINTED OUT, AND THAT INCLUDES THE CITY'S OPEN SPACE ELEMENT, WHICH IDENTIFIES SITES LIKE THIS FOR MEETING PARK ACCESS, UH, NEEDS IN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT JOBS, THAT KIND OF SPACE, THOSE, UH, PUBLIC SPACES FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS.
ALTHOUGH WE MAY NOT HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE NOW, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE SET THAT ASIDE FOR THE LOFTY FUTURE.
AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT JOBS IN OUR ECONOMY, OUR COMMUNITIES DESPERATELY NEED THAT, AND THAT DOES NOT COME FROM AUTOMATED STORAGE FACILITIES.
TO THE DEVELOPERS WHO SEE THIS AREA AS HAVING LOTS OF PARK SPACE QUOTE, I SERIOUSLY INVITE THEM TO JOIN ALL OF US WHO LIVE IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS AND POINT OUT THESE AMPLE PARKS BECAUSE ALL WE HAVE EXPERIENCED IS BROKEN PAVEMENT.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR REJECTION TO THIS EIR.
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS SAN SUPA AND I'M AN ATTORNEY AT CARSTEN'S BLACK INTERIOR REPRESENTING THE RIVER PARK COALITION AND LOS ANGELES WATERKEEPER.
WE URGE YOU NOT TO CERTIFY THE EIR FOR THIS PROJECT TODAY.
THE SUPERIOR COURT ALREADY ORDERED THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FOR THE PREDECESSOR TO THIS PROJECT WAS INVALID DUE TO POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT AIR QUALITY TRANSPORTATION, LAND USE, AND BIOLOGICAL IMPACTS, AND ISSUED A WRIT TO THE CITY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE EIR DOES NOT RECTIFY THESE CONCERNS AS WELL AS MANY OTHER, THE PROJECT CONFLICTS WITH AT LEAST SEVEN LAND USE PLANS, WHICH HIGHLIGHT THAT THE LONG-TERM PLANNING OF THIS SITE, UM, IS FOR PARK SPACE AND REVITALIZATION OF THE LA RIVER APPROVING THIS PROJECT WOULD FORECLOSE THIS POSSIBILITY RESULTING IN A LAND USE IMPACT THAT MUST BE IDENTIFIED AND MITIGATED.
THE PROJECT STATUS AS PRIVATE PROPERTY DOES NOT GIVE THE CITY DISCRETION TO FIND, THERE IS NO IMPACT, NOR DOES IT COMPEL AN APPROVAL.
UH, WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE PARKLAND ALTERNATIVE WAS NOT SUFFICIENTLY ADDRESSED.
UM, MOREOVER, EXPERTS, UM, HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT CONCENTRATION OF NOX EMISSIONS WOULD EXCEED STANDARDS THAT THE PROJECTS CITE ADJACENCY TO THE LA RIVER REQUIRES SECTION 4 0 4 REVIEW, THAT THE ANALYSIS OF TRAFFIC SAFETY REMAINS INADEQUATE AND THAT THE MITIGATION OF THE REMOVAL OF OVER 1200 RARE SOUTHERN TARP PLANTS, WHICH OCCURRED PRIOR TO APPROVAL OF THE M AND D, UH, REMAINS INADEQUATE.
UH, THUS WE ASK THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO PLEASE NOT CERTIFY THIS EIR AND NOT APPROVE THIS PROJECT UNTIL THESE CASES YOUR COMMENT.
I'M THE SENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY AT LOS ANGELES WATERKEEPER.
WE'RE A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT FIGHTS FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR REGION'S WATERWAYS AND FOR LOCAL CLIMATE FRIENDLY RESILIENT WATER SUPPLIES.
LOS ANGELES WATERKEEPER URGES YOU TO VOTE NO ON CERTIFYING THIS EIR FOR THE REASONS THAT YOU HAVE HEARD AND YOU WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR REASONS TO SAY NO TO THIS PROJECT.
THE MAIN IS THAT THIS EIR IS REALLY JUST A DRESSED UP MND.
THEY DID VERY LITTLE ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, SHOEHORN THIS INTO AN EIR.
THERE ARE STILL MANY ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN FULLY UNADDRESSED.
YOU'LL SEE IN THE RESPONSES TO COMMENTS, IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, THAT THEY'RE JUST DOING THE SAME THING THEY DID BEFORE.
DURING THE MND, THERE IS NOT A TRUE INVESTIGATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THIS SITE.
THE SECOND WAY YOU CAN REJECT THIS PROJECT, AS MY COLLEAGUE SANJANA SAID JUST NOW, THERE HAS BEEN NO CONSULTATION WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ABOUT WHETHER THIS REQUIRES A SECTION 4 0 4 PERMIT UNDER THE CLEAN WATER ACT.
THAT ALONE IS TELLING, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE SLIDE THAT THEY PRESENTED, THE ARMY CORPS WAS NOT ON THE SLIDE OF ENGAGED CONSULTANTS.
THEY DID NOT EVEN ASK THE ARMY CORPS WHETHER THIS FALLS IN THEIR JURISDICTION.
THE THIRD WAY YOU CAN REJECT THIS IS IF YOU LOOK AT THE ADJACENT PARCELS THAT ARE IN TALKS TO BE ACQUIRED BY THE RIVERS AND MOUNTAIN CONSERVANCY.
THAT PRESENTS A LAND USE AND CONSISTENCY THAT HAS NOT BEEN FULLY ADDRESSED IN THE A IR.
SO WITH ALL THOSE THREE THINGS, I THINK YOU HAVE AMPLE BASIS.
AND I DO JUST WANNA QUICKLY ADDRESS ONE POINT THAT WAS MADE IN THE EARLIER PRESENTATION.
THIS IS GOING TO SERVE, IF THIS WERE TO BE A PARK, IT WOULD SERVE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES COMMENT, IT'S RIGHT ALONG THE ALLEY RIVER.
IT WOULD BE ACCESSIBLE BY THE BIKE PATH.
YES, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE PARK SPACE IN PARK RICH COMMUNITIES.
IT WOULD BE PARK SPACE IN PARK PORT COMMUNITIES.
PLEASE REJECT THE AR, WOULD YOU PLEASE? OUR NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS ARE PEARL HANKS, DAVE HALL, ETH LOWENTHAL, LESLIE GARSON, AND RAY KAPA.
YOU WILL HAVE 90 SECONDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
MADAM CHAIRMAN AND COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR
[01:20:01]
YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.I'M PEARL HANKS WITH P ENTERPRISE CONSULTING SERVICES.
I'M REPRESENTING RIVER PARK COALITION.
I'M A PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGIST AND A CERTIFIED HYDROGEOLOGIST.
OUR HEADQUARTERS IS LITERALLY RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
WE'VE HIRED BY RIVER PARK COALITION TO PROVIDE A THIRD PARTY UNBIASED REVIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT.
OUR ANALYSIS HAS SHOWN THAT THE PROJECT AGE IS ADJACENT TO THE LOS ANGELES RIVER AND THEREFORE TRIGGERS SECTION 4 0 4 OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO ENGAGE US ARMY CORPS ENGINEERS BECAUSE THIS PROJECT HAS POTENTIAL DISCHARGE OF FILL MATERIAL DURING GRADING AND CONSTRUCTION, CONTAMINATED RUNOFF RISK RELATED TO ARSENIC, LEAD, AND VOLATILE ORGANICS AS WELL.
STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE RIVER ALSO EXISTS IN THE DRAINAGE.
PRE PROCEEDING WITHOUT THIS PERMIT EXPOSES NOT ONLY THE CITY, BUT ALSO THE DEVELOPER TO POTENTIAL INJUNCTIONS, PENALTIES AND RESTORATION ORDERS.
THE FINAL EIR IN FRONT OF YOU FAILS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE CITY HAS INITIATED OR SECURED, RECEIVED AN EXEMPTION OF THIS NECESSARY PERMIT.
IN ADDITION TO ALL THE ADDITIONAL DIS DIS EFFICIENCIES PROVIDED TO YOU FROM OTHER COLLEAGUES, HERE WE ARE REQUESTING AN IMMEDIATE REVIEW OF SECTION 4 0 4 PERMITTING PROCESS WITH THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, ALONG WITH A REQUIREMENT FOR ENFORCEABLE MITIGATION, MONITORING OF ALL HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, STORM WATER, AND AIR QUALITY IMPACT.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
THANK THANK YOU, UH, CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
MY NAME IS DAVE HALL AND I LIVE IN NORTH WILMAR.
THE I, THE EIR IS OUTDATED AND THE PROJECT WILL DESTROY WESTERN BURROWING OWL HABITAT.
THE DESTRUCTION IS NOT MITIGATED BECAUSE EVEN IF THE DEVELOPER DOES WAIT FOR BURROWING OWLS TO NEST AND THEN PROCEEDS WITH DEVELOPMENT, THE BURING OWL HABITAT WILL BE LOST FOREVER EFFORT, DEFINITELY AN UNMITIGATED DISASTER WILL OCCUR.
THE PROJECT EIR DOES NOT EVEN PROVIDE FOR ARTIFICIAL NESTING BOXES TO HOUSE THE OWLS WHO WILL BE DISPLACED.
SECOND, THE CALIFORNIA FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION HAS NAMED THE BURROWING OWL AS ENDANGERED AS OF FALL 2024.
THIRD AB 4 54, THE MIGRATORY BIRD PROTECTION ACT WAS PASSED AND THEN SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR ON MAY 12TH, 2025 AND TOOK EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
THIS OUTLAWS THE TAKE OF NON-GAME BIRDS, SUCH AS THE WESTERN BURING L PLEASE REJECT THE EIR.
I'M AN AIR QUALITY CONSULTANT, UH, WITH THE FIRM EPS CONSULTING OUTTA SACRAMENTO.
I WAS ASKED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE AIR QUALITY SECTION, UH, OF THE DRAFT AND FINAL EIRS.
AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, AIR QUALITY STANDARDS, UH, IN, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY CLEAN AIR? UH, HOW MANY PARTS PER MILLION OF NOX CO IS ALLOWABLE? BUT THEN AFTER THAT, UH, THE RAFT EIR SHIFTS TO THE ACTUAL EMISSIONS THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING FROM THE PROJECT.
AND SO THE QUESTION ARISES WITH THESE EMISSIONS, UH, THAT THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, UH, INDICATE WOULD THOSE EMISSIONS VIOLATE THE AIR QUALITY STANDARDS THAT THEY JUST TALKED ABOUT? FOR EXAMPLE, THE EMISSIONS ARE IN POUNDS PER DAY.
THE AIR QUALITY STANDARDS ARE IN PARTS PER MILLION.
WOULD THOSE POUNDS PER DAY VIOLATE THAT STANDARD? WELL, THAT CALCULATION WAS NEVER DONE.
REMEMBER, PARTS PER MILLION AND POUNDS PER DAY IS NOT APPLES AND ORANGES.
THEY'RE LIKE APPLES AND, UH, REFRIGERATORS,
SO I DID THAT CALCULATION TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD BE THE AIR QUALITY IMPACT FROM THE EMISSIONS FROM THEIR TABLES.
AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT IN FACT, THE NOX STANDARD ONE HOUR NOX STANDARD WOULD BE VIOLATED MULTIPLE TIMES.
AND THEREFORE, NOX IS ESPECIALLY TROUBLING BECAUSE THAT NOX IS THE PRECURSOR FOR MAKING OZONE.
AND DON'T, TIME IS UP, PLEASE.
I'M TELL YOU HOW UP QUALITY IS, COMMENT.
SO I THINK AT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS, IF WE ALLOW THIS PROJECT TO GO THROUGH KNOWING IT VIOLATES THESE STANDARDS, WHY DO WE BOTHER HAVING STANDARDS? I MEAN, WHAT IS THE POINT IN HAVING STANDARDS? PLEASE WRAP UP.
YOU KNOW, THE NUMBERS SHOW THAT.
HELLO, PLANNING COMMISSIONERS.
I'M A LONG BEACH RESIDENT FROM THE WEST SIDE AND A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE OF ASSEMBLY MEMBER LOWENTHAL.
TODAY I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF ASSEMBLY MEMBER LOWENTHAL TO URGE THE COMMISSIONERS TO REJECT THE
[01:25:01]
CURRENT PROPOSAL FOR 37 0 1 PACIFIC PLACE.THE POLLUTION DISCREPANCIES IN LONG BEACH FROM SOMEONE LIVING ON THE WEST SIDE TO THE EAST SIDE ARE EVIDENT IN ESTIMATED EIGHT YEARS SHORTER LIFESPAN.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE MINIMIZED, BUT ADDRESSED BY ADDING MORE GREEN SPACE IN LOCAL PARKS.
GIVEN THAT THE PARCEL IS THE LAST OPEN SPACE IN WESTERN LONG BEACH, USING THIS SPACE FOR PARKLAND CAN GREATLY IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS HOW LONG BEACH HAS ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED THIS PARCEL TO BE PARKLAND APPROVING THE CURRENT PROPOSAL WOULD GO DIRECTLY AGAINST THE CITY'S OWN INITIATIVES AND NEGATIVELY IMPACT ITS RESIDENTS BY REDUCING THE ABILITY TO MAKE A DIRECT INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY.
CITY LEADERS HAVE THE POWER TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF LONG BEACH.
SO FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY, I STRONGLY URGE THE COMMISSIONERS TO REJECT THE CURRENT PROPOSAL SO THAT WE CAN ALL LIVE IN A CITY THAT WE ARE PROUD OF, ONE THAT PUTS THE HEALTH OF ITS RESIDENTS AS A PRIORITY.
I AM THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF RIVER PARK COALITION AND ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF LOS CERRITOS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AS SUCH, I REPRESENT SEVERAL THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS.
UM, LISTENING TONIGHT, I KIND OF CHANGED, UH, UP SOME OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.
SOME, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK AROUND YOU, YOU LOOK AT, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR SIX YEARS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE AREN'T JUST PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, WE'RE WE'RE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING DAY TO DAY TRYING TO LIVE OUR LIVES AND WE DON'T NEED MORE ISSUES WITH AIR QUALITY OR WE TALKED ABOUT VOCS, THE TRAFFIC, THE FACT THAT THEY BULLDOZED ALL OF THE TAR PLANTS AND ARE GOING TO PUT, WAS IT A, WAS IT A HALF AN ACRE? MY LOT IS A HALF AN ACRE.
THAT'S NOT GONNA DO DI DUE DILIGENCE TO REPRODUCT THAT.
BUT ANYWAY, LET ME GET BACK TO WHAT ACTUALLY I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT JUST KIND OF SET ME OFF A LITTLE BIT.
UM, RIGHT NOW, AS YOU'VE HEARD, LONG BEACH FACES OF PARK EQUITY CRISIS WEST AND NORTH LONG BEACH ARE SEVERELY UNDERSERVED COMPARED TO OUR EAST LONG BEACH RESIDENTS.
WE'RE BATTLING INTENSIFYING HEAT ISLANDS AS CLIMATE CHANGE ACCELERATES OUR PRO FLOODING, UM, PRO PROBLEMS WORSEN EACH YEAR.
MY LAST COMMENT, I'M GONNA SKIP EVERYTHING ELSE.
MICHAEL CLEMSON, YOU ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT FUNDING.
I I WANNA POINT OUT THAT THERE IS A PROPERTY THAT'S RIGHT TO THE SOUTH OF THIS PROPERTY, SIMILAR, UM, RIVER PARK COALITION.
I'LL, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT IN, UH, JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY, OUR VICE MAYORGA IS, UH, ON THAT BOARD.
THEY VOTED TO APPROVE FUNDING TO PURCHASE A PRO THE PROPERTY DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTH, AND ALSO ALLOCATE FUNDING TO CLEAN THAT UP AS A POTENTIAL PARK SPACE.
THIS IS, WOULD BE AN EXTENSION OF THAT.
I ASK YOU TO PLEASE VOTE NO FOR THE RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH.
COULD YOU CALL NEXT FIVE, OUR NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS? KIMBERLY WALTERS, LEVON MILLER, SARAH B NANCY WALLACE, AND ROHAN REDDY.
YOU WILL HAVE 90 SECONDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
MY FAMILY HAS LIVED NEXT TO 37 0 1 PACIFIC PLACE FOR SEVEN YEARS NOW AT MY HOUSE, WHEN I REACH FOR DISHES THAT I HAVEN'T USED IN A WHILE, THEY'RE ALWAYS COATED IN BLACK DUST.
THIS IS INSIDE MY HOUSE WITH WINDOWS SHUT AND THE AIR FILTERS RUNNING CONSTANTLY OUTSIDE.
ALL THE GUNK THAT SETTLES OUT OF THE AIR WHERE WE LIVE.
EVERY NEIGHBOR THAT I TALK TO KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT DISHES, OF COURSE, THIS IS ABOUT WHAT MY CHILDREN AND MY HUSBAND AND I ARE BREATHING IN EVERY SINGLE DAY.
IT'S ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE SEVEN 10 CORRIDOR THAT WHERE WE LIVE HAS SOME OF THE WORST AIR QUALITY IN THE NATION.
IF THE REPORT YOU WERE VOTING ON TONIGHT WERE ABOUT DESPERATELY NEEDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I'D ASK YOU TO SUPPORT IT.
DESPITE OUR AIR QUALITY ISSUES, WE HAVE BADLY, WE ARE IN BAD NEED OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT THIS DEVELOPER ISN'T PROPOSING HOUSING.
THEY WANNA BUILD ON ONE OF OUR LAST PIECES OF PRECIOUS OPEN SPACE, SOMETHING THAT COULD BE TURNED INTO A GREEN BUFFER ZONE BETWEEN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE FREEWAY.
THIS LAND WAS ZONED FOR OPEN SPACE UNTIL 2019, AND THE PARCEL NEXT TO IT HAS BEEN PURCHASED BY, OR IS IN PROCESS OF BEING PURCHASED BY THE RIVERS MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY.
AS COULD THIS PAVING OVER THIS LAND WOULD WORSEN OUR BAD AIR QUALITY WHILE OFFERING NOTHING SIGNIFICANT IN RETURN, NO HOUSING, VERY FEW PERMANENT JOBS, AND CRUCIALLY NO GREEN SPACE TO HELP FILTER OUT THE POLLUTION THAT'S HARMING OUR FAMILIES.
[01:30:01]
AS A MOTHER WHO WIPES BLACK DUST OFF PLATES BEFORE DINNER, I'M ASKING YOU TO PROTECT OUR HEALTH OVER DEVELOPER PROFITS.LEVON MILLER HERE, AS YOU'VE HEARD, THE LAND IN QUESTION HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS OPEN SPACE FOR DECADES, BUT APPEARS LONG BEACH HAS CHOSEN TO EXACERBATE.
RATHER THAN MITIGATE THE PROBLEMS OF THAT AREA BY LITERALLY ALLOWING A HEAT GENERATING PARKING LOT FOR OVERSIZED GAS POWERED VEHICLES, WHICH WILL FURTHER CONTRIBUTE TO AIR POLLUTION AFFECTING THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY MAY AS WELL START MANUFACTURING OFFICIAL SIGNAGE, WARNING VISITORS OF THE DIESEL DEATH CORRIDOR.
AND SO THERE ARE THOSE WHO, WHO WOULD ARGUE THAT CONTAMINATED LAND AT THE JUNCTURE OF TWO FREEWAYS IS NOT A GOOD PLACE FOR A PARK, BUT PICTURE INSTEAD AN URBAN FOREST.
URBAN FORESTS HAVE BEEN USED SUCCESSFULLY ON FORMER INDUSTRIAL SITES FOR BOTH BEAUTIFICATION AND REMEDIATION.
TREES CAN HELP REMOVE CONTAMINANTS FROM SOIL, IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, PROVIDE HABITAT FOR NATIVE SPECIES, AND REGULATE TEMPERATURE.
THERE ARE SCORES OF NATIVE TREES, OF TREES NATIVE TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
SO LET'S GIVE THE MAJESTIC SYCAMORES, THE COASTAL LIVE OAKS, THE DESERT WILLOWS, AND THE GRAPE PINES.
A CHANCE TO WORK THEIR NATURE BASED HEALING SO THAT SOMEDAY THIS LAND WILL BE A PLACE FOR A PARK.
I'M ROHAN REDDY AND I'VE BEEN LIVING RIGHT ACROSS THE TRAIN TRACKS FROM 37 0 1 PACIFIC PLACE FOR SEVEN YEARS.
I'LL BEGIN WITH SOMETHING WE CAN ALL AGREE WITH.
NOBODY LIKES PAYING FOR MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES.
WATCHING YOUR BANK ACCOUNT DRAIN BY THAT SAME AMOUNT EVERY MONTH.
SOMETHING EVERYONE LIKES THOUGH IS BREATHING CLEAN AIR.
MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES, THOUGH NOT NICE.
DUE TO ASTHMA, MY WHOLE LIFE BREATHING HAS BEEN A MONTHLY PAID SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE.
EVERY DAY I WAKE UP AND USE MY PREVENTATIVE INHALER.
EVERY NIGHT BEFORE I SLEEP, I TAKE MY INHALER.
EVERY MONTH I GO BACK TO THE PHARMACY AND I PAY MY MONTHLY BREATHING SUBSCRIPTION FEE.
LIFE SHOULDN'T BE THIS WAY, AND YET LIVING NEAR THE SEVEN, 10, AND FOUR OR FIVE FREEWAYS, I CAN'T ESCAPE ASTHMA.
HOWEVER, WHEN I LEARNED THAT THIS PLOT OF LAND THAT I CAN SEE WITH MY OWN EYES EVERY DAY WHEN I GO OUTSIDE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TURNED INTO GREEN SPACE, I WAS PRETTY EXCITED.
GREEN SPACE IS SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, AND I THOUGHT, HEY, MAYBE MY ASTHMA WILL GET BETTER.
THEN I FOUND OUT THAT IT WILL BE TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT AND SELF-STORAGE SPACE INSTEAD.
THAT'S MORE DIESEL, MORE NOS, MORE PARTICULATE MATTER IN MY LUNGS AND MORE ENDLESS BREATHING SUBSCRIPTION FEES.
AND THIS PROPOSED SITE WILL ONLY MAKE THAT HARDER.
I'M A THIRD GENERATION RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH.
UH, I'M SPEAKING TO YOU THIS EVENING.
AS A DEEPLY CONCERNED MEMBER OF THE WEST LONG BEACH COMMUNITY, UM, AT PRESENT, WEST LONG BEACH OFFERS ONLY ONE ACRE OF PARKLAND PER 1000 RESIDENTS.
IN STARK CONTRAST, EAST LONG BEACH RESIDENTS BENEFIT FROM 16.7 ACRES PER 1000 RESIDENTS EXCEEDING THE NATIONAL BENCHMARKS BY 6.7 ACRES.
THIS DISPARITY NOT ONLY REFLECTS A LONGSTANDING INEQUITY, BUT IT ALSO DIMINISHES THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AS A MOTHER RAISING A YOUNG CHILD IN LONG BEACH, JUST AS MY MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER DID BEFORE ME, I'M ASKING OUR CITY'S LEADERSHIP TO PRIORITIZE THE FUTURE FOR WEST LONG BEACH FAMILIES.
MY REQUEST IS SIMPLE TO ALLOW MY DAUGHTER AND HER FUTURE CHILDREN OF THIS COMMUNITY, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW UP WITH ACCESS TO SAFE, VIBRANT GREEN SPACES CLOSE TO HOME.
I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO, TO REJECT THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AT 3 7 0 1 PACIFIC PLACE.
PLEASE VOTE NO ON THE FINAL ENVIRONMENT, UH, IMPACT REPORT AND GIVE MY CHILD A CHANCE FOR GREEN SPACES AND A GOOD FUTURE.
SO OUR NEXT, EXCUSE ME, THE NEXT FIVE, OUR NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS, NANCY WALLACE, CARLOS PERE, HERMAN SARRIA, ANTHONY R AND CORDLESS
[01:35:01]
LEE, PLEASE LAND UP AT THE PODIUM.YOU'LL HAVE 90 SECONDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'M CARLOS PERE, A LOS CERRITOS NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY MEMBER EXPRESSING CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PROJECT THAT WILL DESTROY ONE OF LONG BEACH'S MOST BEAUTIFUL NATURAL ASSETS.
THE FUTURE OF OUR SCENIC RIVER CORRIDOR.
THE PROPOSED HIGH RISE STRUCTURE WILL BE 50 FEET OVER.
HISTORIC BRIDAL TRAIL IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH SE QA STANDARDS AND MUST BE REJECTED.
THIS PROJECT WILL RUIN THE NATURAL VIEWS THAT MAKE THIS ECOLOGICAL CORRIDOR SO SPECIAL.
I'M NOT JUST ABOUT BUILDING A STORAGE FACILITY IN RV PARKING LOT.
IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING LONG BEACH'S NATURAL BEAUTY AND ENSURING THE FUTURE OF A GREENER RIVER CORRIDOR.
THE EIR CLAIMS THAT THIS PROJECT WON'T HAVE, UH, AN AESTHETIC IMPACT, BUT IT WILL WALL OFF RARE RIVERFRONT VIEWS WITH EIGHT FOOT INDUSTRIAL FENCING.
IT'S GONNA INSTALL TOWERING LIGHT POLES THAT WILL CREATE UNNATURAL GLARE AND IT'S GONNA REPLACE THE POTENTIAL OF AN OPEN SCENIC SPACE WITH INDUSTRIAL PAVEMENT.
THIS SITE IS RIGHT NEXT TO OUR HISTORIC EQUESTRIAN TRAIL, WHICH IS A SCENIC CORRIDOR IN OUR GENERAL PLAN SQUA.
SECTION 1 5 1 2 6 0.2 REQUIRES US TO PROTECT THESE VISUAL RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY ALONG A RIVER LONG BEACH'S OWN RIVER LINK PLAN CALLS THIS AREA ONE OF THE LAST CHANCES TO RESTORE BEAUTY AND RIVER ACCESS.
INSTEAD, WE'RE CONSIDERING A PROJECT THAT REPLACES NATURAL HABITAT WITH INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT DOESN'T FIT IN.
THIS ISN'T JUST WRONG, IT'S ALSO ILLEGAL.
UNDER QUA COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO PROTECT LONG BEACH'S NATURAL BEAUTY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
DON'T LET THIS FLAWED EIR APPROVAL, UH, ALLOW WRONG CONSTRUCTION IN THE WRONG PLACE.
I URGE YOU TO REJECT THIS FINAL EIR AND DEMAND A PROJECT THAT RESPECTS OUR SCENIC HERITAGE.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF CITIZENS ABOUT RESPONSIBLE PLANNING AND I'M URGING YOU ALSO TO DENY THIS.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SOCIAL JUSTICE SIDE OF IT, ON THE WEST SIDE, THERE'S LESS THAN ONE ACRE OF PARK SPACE PER THOUSAND RESIDENTS, AND THAT'S MAINLY BROWN PEOPLE.
WHILE THE EAST SIDE, WHICH IS WHERE I LIVE, MAINLY WHITE PEOPLE ENJOY 17 ACRES OF PARK SPACE PER THOUSAND RESIDENTS.
AND THE WAY THAT HAPPENED WAS NOT SOME KIND OF WEIRD FAVORITISM.
THAT WAS THE PEOPLE OF THE EAST SIDE FOUGHT FOR EL DORADO PARK, AND THAT'S WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE HERE DOING TODAY.
UM, THE LAND USE ALTERNATIVES, THIS IS THE LAST LARGE PIECE OF AVAIL OF LAND AVAILABLE FOR A SIGNIFICANT SIZE PARK.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLLUTION ISSUES, UM, AND SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT THAT UP.
I WENT AND, AND UH, LOOKED AT CALENVIROSCREEN MYSELF.
THE POLLUTION BURDEN PERCENTILE WAS 89%.
DIESEL PARTICULATE MATTER WAS 95.
TOXIC RELEASES, 99 TRAFFIC, 98.
AND THAT WAS JUST BY PUTTING IN THE CENSUS TRACT MYSELF.
SO IF YOU ADD TO THIS MORE TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, BIG RVS, LOTS OF CARS COMING IN, WHERE DO YOU THINK THESE NUMBERS ARE GONNA GO? IT'S NOT GONNA GET BETTER.
WE NEED YOU TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
DO YOU HAVE UP YOUR COMMENT? THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE WANT A PARK? THANK YOU.
HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY? MY NAME'S EDMAN SORIA.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE CARPENTERS UNION, WHICH IS RIGHT UP THE STREET FROM THIS PROPOSED LOCATION OFF OF WARDLOW AND LONG BEACH.
I'M A DAD OF TWO GIRLS AND I WANT THEM TO GROW UP IN A BEAUTIFUL WORLD WITH CLEAN AIR.
I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE HORSES AND THE WILDLIFE IN THE BEAUTIFUL LA RIVER.
AND I GO BY THIS PARK EVERY DAY.
I, I SEE THE PARENTS PLAYING WITH THEIR KIDS IN THE SCHOOL YARD THERE AND THE PLAYGROUND RIGHT THERE.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO TO THAT RESTROOM.
YOU SEE NOTHING BUT SYRINGES THERE.
YOU SEE STRANGE, SHADY CHARACTERS IN THEIR CARS WITH BROKEN WINDOWS.
THERE'S A JOB SITE THAT CALTRANS IS BUILDING RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THIS LOCATION.
ON THAT SAME PLACE, THERE'S SOME OF OUR MEMBERS THERE WHO ARE LONG BEACH RESIDENTS WHO JUST WANNA MAKE A LIVING.
THEIR TOOLS ARE GETTING BROKEN INTO STOLEN GRAFFITI ON THEIR VEHICLES.
THEY HAVE SECURITY AT THIS LOT.
THERE'S FENCE AREAS CUT, THERE'S ABANDONED VEHICLES, THERE'S PEOPLE WALKING THE TRAIN TRACKS BACK AND FORTH.
[01:40:01]
I SEEN A GUY DRIVING THERE THE OTHER DAY.BUT WHEN IN 30 YEARS WHO'S GONNA COME UP WITH THIS? THIS IS PRIVATE LAND.
AT LEAST THERE'LL BE SOME SORT OF SECURITY HERE.
THERE'LL BE SOME LIGHT THERE, THERE'LL BE A PASSAGE TO THE RIVER THERE.
THERE'LL BE SOMEBODY PROTECTING THAT.
AND I, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS 'CAUSE HEY, THAT'S THAT FIRST STEP FORWARD, YOU KNOW, AND WE COULD COME UP WITH MORE IN THE FUTURE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW I THINK THIS IS THE BEST POSSIBILITY.
YOU SHARP UP YOUR POSSIBILITY, SIR.
TODAY I'M A MEMBER OF A LOCAL 5 6 2 WESTERN STATES UNION CARPENTERS.
I'M A JOURNEYMAN CARPENTER, BORN HERE, RAISED HERE, GREW UP HERE IN LONG BEACH.
I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
I FEEL THAT THIS PROJECT IS SUCH AS, AS THIS IS A WIN-WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE DEVELOPERS.
AS A LONG BEACH RESIDENT, AS A FATHER, MANY TIMES I'VE WORKED ON PROJECTS THAT ARE FAR, FAR AWAY FROM HOME.
THIS PREVENTS ME FROM BEING ABLE, THIS PREVENTS ME FROM BEING ABLE TO SPEND TIME WITH MY KIDS, MY CHILDREN, MY FAMILY, AND ATTEND THEIR SCHOOL EVENTS.
THE BENEFIT OF THIS PROJECT LIKE THIS IS THAT THE DEVELOPER WILL HIRE RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTORS THAT WILL HIRE LOCAL RESIDENTS FROM LONG BEACH.
WE BELIEVE IN LIVE HERE, WORK HERE, THE WORK, THE WORKERS ON THIS PROJECT WILL GET A CHANCE TO IMPROVE THEIR COMMUNITY AND HAVE THE CHANCE TO GET MORE QUALITY TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
AS A FATHER, I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE THERE TO SUPPORT MY CHILDREN AND THEIR ACTIVITIES THAT THEY ARE INVOLVED IN.
I ASK THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, COMMISSION APPROVE THIS PROJECT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
OUR NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS, JUAN VALLE, MATTHEW, DAVID MILLER, DEBBIE VARDE, KEITH TISER, AND DANIEL CRESPO.
YOU HAVE 90 SECONDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
WHO'S CALLED FOR SIR? LET'S GO.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSION MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MATTHEW DAVID MILLER AND I'M SPEAKING ON THE, OH, I'M SORRY MA'AM, COULD YOU PLEASE SEE YOUR NAME AGAIN PLEASE? PLEASE, YES.
MY NAME IS MATTHEW DAVID MILLER.
AND I'M SPEAKING ON THE LOSS OF THE FLOOD RESILIENCE WITH THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THE LA BASIN STUDY IDENTIFIES CLIMATE VULNERABILITY AND OVERTAX.
STORM WATER SYSTEMS IS A KEY REGIONAL RISK IN THIS AREA.
THE FLOOD, THE FLOOD PRONE SUB WATERSHED NEEDS MORE INFILTRATION, NOT MORE PAVEMENT.
THE ENHANCED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN EMPHASIZES LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT AND MULTI-BENEFIT PROJECTS.
INSTEAD, THIS PROJECT ADDS IMPERVIOUS SERVICES WITH NO MEANINGFUL STORM WATER MANAGEMENT.
THE ALTERNATIVE GREEN SPACE WOULD ALLOW FOR, FOR THIS PROPERTY TO SERVE AS A FLOODPLAIN FOR NEARBY RUNOFF, MITIGATING FLOOD RISKS TO SURROUNDING AREAS.
IT COULD SERVE WATER RECLAMATION WITHIN THE LA RIVER'S NATURAL FLOODPLAIN.
CLIMATE RESILIENCE REQUIRES NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS.
THIS PROJECT ELIMINATES THEM FOREVER.
THE A RR FAILS TO MODEL FLOOD RISK OR PROPOSE ADEQUATE DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE.
I URGE THE COMMISSION MEMBERS TO CONSIDER THE LONG TERM COSTS AND DANGER TO THIS REGION IF WE IGNORE THESE RISKS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
MY NAME IS DEBBIE VARDY AND I LIVE IN LOS CERRITOS.
MY HUSBAND AND I URGE YOU TO VOTE TO PERMANENTLY REJECT THE CURRENT PROPOSAL FOR 3 7 0 1 PACIFIC PLACE FOR TOO MANY REASONS TO LIST.
NOW THE RESPONSES TO OUR COMMENT LETTER NUMBER ONE, STARTING ON PAGE 52 OF THE FINAL EIR ARE INADEQUATE AND WORSE WE'RE DISMISSIVE OF OUR CONCERNS AS WERE THE RESPONSES TO THE 69 TOTAL OTHER PRIVATE PERSONS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND PUBLIC SERVICE AGENCIES.
THE FINAL EIR TRIVIALIZES HAZARDS THAT WILL BE DETRIMENTAL TO FAMILIES, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR ENVIRONMENT.
THE TOXIC SUBSTANCE MONITORING AND ACCIDENT REPAIR PROTOCOLS ARE INSUFFICIENT.
AND WHO WILL PAY FOR THESE PROTOCOLS AND EMERGENCY MEASURES, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE PROJECT APPLICANT PROCLAIMS THAT ADDITIONAL PROTECTIVE MEASURES SUCH AS INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT NECESSARY BEYOND EVALUATING THE SAFETY OF THE SITE FOR THE APPLICANT'S PURPOSES, THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS COMMISSION'S LARGER MANDATE IS TO ENHANCE RESIDENTS QUALITY OF LIFE AND CONTRIBUTE
[01:45:01]
TO THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES.AS FOUND, I FOUND THAT QUOTE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, PLEASE MAKE THAT BROADER ISSUE YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY TO THIS VOTE.
MORE BENEFITS AND SAFEGUARDS TO OUR COMMUNITY CAN BE ACHIEVED BY BUILDING A PARK AND NEVER BUILDING A PROJECT THAT BRINGS IN ADDITIONAL CON CONTAMINANTS AND HAZARDS OVER TIME.
IF WE TRULY WANNA WORK FOR A BETTER LONG BEACH, LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE HISTORIC CONTAMINATION.
PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR COMMENT AND BUILD A PARK ON 3 7 0 1 PARK PLACE THAT WILL REDUCE HAZARDS AND ADD BENEFITS FOR ALL FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
THANK GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
I'M A RESIDENT OF THE LOS CERRITOS NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I'M ALSO ON THE BOARD OF THE, UH, RIVER PARK COALITION.
I'VE BEEN PRACTICING ARCHITECTURE FOR 32 YEARS.
I'M LICENSED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
I AM A LEAD ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL AND THAT STANDS FOR LEADERSHIP AND ENVIRONMENT AND LEADERSHIP FURNITURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN.
SO MY CREDENTIALS AS AN ARCHITECT AND YOUR POSITION ON A PLANNING COMMISSION MEANS WE HAVE A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT RESPONSIBILITY IS A MORAL OBLIGATION TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
THE 37 0 1 PACIFIC PLACE PROJECT HAS NO BENEFIT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AS YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD, THE YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO MAKE A DECISION ON AN EIR THAT IS ERRONEOUS AND INCOMPLETE.
YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF THE, UH, REASONS HERE TONIGHT AND THERE'S MANY MORE THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HEAR TONIGHT.
THE PROJECT IS, IT'S BEEN STATED, PROVIDES NO BENEFIT.
COMMUNITY, YOUR TIME IS UP ECOLOGICALLY, ENVIRONMENTALLY, SOCIALLY, SIR, OR THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I IMPLORE YOU, UM, TO REJECT THIS PROJECT BECAUSE NOT DOING SO WOULD REALLY BE A DERELICTION OF THE RESPONSIBILITY.
THANK YOU, SIR, THAT OUR COMMUNITY RELIES ON.
MY NAME IS JUAN VAL, RESIDENT OF WEST LONG BEACH.
I GREW UP IN WRIGLEY AND NOW ONLY LIVE A COUPLE OF MILES AWAY FROM MY CHILDHOOD HOME.
YOU HAVE ALL BEEN PROVIDED WITH MUCH INFORMATION DURING THE DRAFT AND NOW FINAL EIR LETTERS FROM EXPERTS, RURAL PARK COALITION ATTORNEYS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FROM CONCERNED RESIDENTS OF OUR OF OUR CITY.
SO THE TECHNICAL AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE AREAS HAVE BEEN COVERED, AND YOU SHOULD HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THIS PROJECT MUST BE REJECTED TODAY.
I WOULD HAVE BEEN CELEBRATING MY MAMA'S 89TH BIRTHDAY.
HER SIBLINGS ARE NOW IN THEIR MID EIGHTIES AND LATE EIGHTIES.
MY MAMA WAS ONLY ONE OF OF THE MANY BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT CAME TO WEST LONG BEACH.
MY MAMA PASSED AWAY WHEN SHE WAS 73 YEARS OLD FROM AN ILLNESS NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH HEAVY SMOKERS.
MAMA TOOK CARE OF HER HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF FIVE CHILDREN THAT ALSO GREW UP IN BEAUTIFUL WRIGLEY.
SHE LOVED TAKING LONG WALKS AND HAVING HER FAMILY OVER, ESPECIALLY ON HER BIRTHDAY.
MAMA'S STORY IS NOT UNIQUE IN WESTERN LONG BEACH.
THERE ARE MANY STORIES OF LIVES CUT SHORT FIVE TO 15 YEARS DUE TO HISTORICAL ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICES COMPARED TO THOSE OF OTHER PARTS OF LONG BEACH.
PICTURE THIS THOUSANDS OF LIVES CUT BY 10 YEARS BY BREATHING POLLUTED AIR OF AN AVERAGE EQUIVALENCY OF ONE CIGARETTE PACKET PER DAY FOR 20, 30, 40 YEARS.
IT TAKES A TOLL ON A PERSON'S HEALTH.
YOU CAN DENY THIS PROJECT AND MOVE THE NEEDLE OF JUSTICE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THE COUNTLESS HEALTH BENEFITS OF DENYING THIS PROJECT ARE IMMENSE.
THE LAST REMAINING VACANT PARCELS OF LONG OF LAND, PLEASE UP YOUR CALL RIVER DESERVE BETTER AND SHOULD NOT BE RELEGATED TO SELF STORAGE, WAREHOUSES AND PARKING LOT FOR LUXURY RVS AND OTHER TOYS.
SIR OF THE WEALTHY, STAND WITH THE COMM OF FOR SIR, PLEASE STEP BACK AND THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING A FEW SECONDS EXTRA.
MY NAME IS DANIEL CRESPO AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH BAY CARPENTERS.
I SUPPORT THIS PROJECT BECAUSE PROJECTS LIKE THIS CAN BE LIFE CHANGING FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IF THEY ARE MANAGED BY RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPERS AND CONTRACTORS.
THIS PROPOSED PROJECT WILL CREATE MANY WELL PAYING JOBS FOR PEOPLE SEEKING A BETTER LIFE THAT WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENTER THE MIDDLE CLASS.
WE NEED MORE PROJECTS LIKE THIS IN LONG BEACH BECAUSE IT WILL BRIGHTEN UP AN AREA THAT IS FILLED WITH HOMELESSNESS AND STRANGE CHARACTERS.
THIS PROJECT WILL NOT ONLY CREATE
[01:50:01]
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO CLIMB UP THE LADDER, BUT ALSO A SENSE OF SECURITY EVERY DAY.THE NEWS BROADCAST, THE UGLINESS IN OUR CITY, THE HOMELESSNESS, THE VIOLENCE, THE DRUGS AND SO ON.
LONG BEACH IS GROWING AND BECOMING ONE OF THE BIGGEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
WE NEED TO CLEAN UP OUR CITY BY OFFERING OPPORTUNITY TO THESE FOLKS.
WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY BY BUILDING UP THE NEIGHBORHOODS WE LIVE IN.
WE NEED TO BUILD UP THE PEOPLE BY HAVING ACCESS TO BETTER JOBS.
I HOPE YOU, I HOPE YOU CONSIDER APPROVING THIS PROJECT.
OUR NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS ARE JOSE.
SORRY, CAN I, CAN I SPEAK REAL QUICK? HAVE YOU SENT I ALREADY DID, BUT IT'S LIKE, EXCUSE ME ONE MINUTE.
UH, MR. MEDINA, HOW MANY CARDS DO WE HAVE LEFT? 15 PLUS SIX VIRTUAL.
UM, I'M WAITING THIS WHOLE ENTIRE MEETING.
IF YOUR CARD IS IN, THEN YEAH, IT'S BEEN, IT'LL BE CALLED.
IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE FIRST ONES AND IT HASN'T BEEN CALLED.
AND RIGHT NOW, WHEN I CHECKED IN WITH THEM, THEY SAID THAT YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE LIST.
YOU WILL BE CALLED AT YOUR TIME.
I'M JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN WANTING TO SPEAK AND I DON'T LIKE THIS WHOLE PROCRASTINATING THING THAT THEY'RE DOING FOR THEM.
IF, UH, GO AHEAD AND CALL THE NEXT NAMES PLEASE.
SO OUR NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS, JOSE, JASON BAEZ, PHIL RING, TARA RIGIE, AND SETH.
CARRIE, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.
YOU'LL HAVE 90 SECONDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I AM A PROUD UNION MEMBER OF LAUNA LABORS INTERNATIONAL UNION IN NORTH AMERICA.
AND WE'LL FULLY SUPPORT THIS PROJECT MOVING FORWARD.
UH, IT'S NOT EVERY DAY THAT WE HAVE A, A DEVELOPER THAT BRINGS IN PRIVATE MONEY INTO THE COMMUNITY WITH NO LIABILITY TO THE TAX BASE.
UM, AND WHEN THANK THE DEVELOPER FOR THEIR COMMITMENT UTIL UTILIZING UNION LABOR, UM, WHEN YOU UTIL WHEN THEY UTILIZE UNION LABOR, IT NOT ONLY, UH, IT'S, IT'S UH, NOT ONLY, UH, GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, WORK, UH, HERE LOCALLY, BUT IT, UH, GIVES US A, UM, A CHANCE TO PROVIDE FOR OUR FAMILY.
UM, UH, LIKE HAS AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM THAT ENABLES US TO OBTAIN THE SKILLS NEEDED TO SUCCEED IN TODAY'S ECONOMY.
AND IT, AND IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO GRADUATE AND, UH, FROM THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
UM, OUR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM IS, UH, RECOGNIZED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
AND THIS PROJECT, LIKE THIS WILL GIVE OUR APPRENTICES, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO WORK HERE LOCALLY.
AND, UM, THIS DEVELOPER IS COMMITTED TO USING, UH, LOCAL, UH, UNION CONTRACTORS.
UH, MEANING THAT, UH, NO LOW BALL FLY BY NIGHT.
CONTRACTORS OUT STATE CONTRACTOR WILL BE WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, TAKING THAT MONEY OUTTA STATE.
UH, WHEN WE WORK HERE, IT'S GONNA BE SPENT RIGHT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR COMMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
JASON BAEZ WITH LABOR'S INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA.
NO DISRESPECT WHATSOEVER TO MY FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUT AFTER HEARING THAT REPORT, IT IS 100% OUTRAGEOUSLY ABSURD TO DEMAND A PARK BE BUILT THERE.
WHAT IS LOGICAL IS THAT WE ARE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY WOULD ACTUALLY BUILD SOMETHING THERE AND DRIVE OUT THE THIRD WORLD CRIMINAL ELEMENT FRONTIER THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED THERE BY THE TRANSIENTS AND GANGS OF OUR CITY, WHICH IS AN IMMEDIATE AND DIRECT THREAT TO THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN OF THIS COMMUNITY, THE ELDERLY, ALL OF US.
AND WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE IF WE'RE ABLE TO DRIVE THAT OUT.
NOT ONLY THAT, THEY'RE WILLING TO USE A TOP DOLLAR WORKFORCE, WHICH WILL, UH, GIVE STELLAR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.
AND WHEN WE'RE GONE, THERE'LL BE A WHOLE LIST OF HIGH PAYING JOBS
[01:55:01]
WITH MODERATE JOBS AS WELL, WHICH ARE STEPPING STONES SUCH AS MANAGEMENT, ACCOUNTING, SALES, UH, ADMINISTRATION, UH, LOGISTICS.IF I WOULD'VE KNOWN ALL THIS INFORMATION TONIGHT, I WOULD'VE HAD MY WIFE BAKE COOKIES FOR THIS FINE DEVELOPER TEAM TO MAKE SURE THEY FEEL WELCOME AND COMFORTABLE IN OUR CITY.
PLEASE DON'T LET THIS OPPORTUNITY SLIP US BY THOSE CRIMINAL FRONTIERS THAT ARE ESTABLISHED.
WE NEED TO CLEAN THOSE OUT AND IT'S HARD TO GET 'EM CLEANED UP.
HELLO, MY NAME IS PHIL RING AND I'M A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH.
I URGE YOU TO APPROVE THE PROJECT BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO AFFORD THIS AND IT'S PRIVATELY OWNED AND RIGHT, RIGHT NOW THE PLACE IS A MESS.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRANSIENTS THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF JUNK THERE.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, IF THEY WERE MAKING A PARK, IT WOULD JUST BECOME A HOMELESS HAVEN AND THERE'S ALREADY PROBLEMS RIGHT THERE.
SO I DEFINITELY URGE YOU TO APPROVE THE PROJECT.
I LIVE IN WEST LONG BEACH, ACTUALLY WEST OF THE FREEWAY OVER THERE.
I FEEL LIKE THE MAP THAT WAS PRESENTED AND IT SAID THAT THERE'S PLENTY OF GREEN SPACE OVER THERE WAS A LITTLE DISINGENUOUS BECAUSE WHERE I LIVE IN WEST LONG BEACH, A BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE IS SILVERADO PARK, WHICH IS A TINY LITTLE PARK.
AND I WISH YOU GUYS COULD GO THERE AND SEE THE ACTIVITY THAT IS THERE AT THIS LITTLE TINY RECTANGLE EVERY NIGHT.
AND ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT HAPPENS IS PEOPLE WALK AROUND THAT PARK IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD EVERY NIGHT WALKING.
AND SO TO SAY THAT THAT GREEN SPACE OVER THERE, THAT THAT'S FOR THE RESIDENTS OVER THERE.
WHERE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GO IN WEST LONG BEACH? WE WOULD GO RIGHT OVER THAT BRIDGE AND GO TO THAT AREA WHERE IT'S GREEN.
AND SO TO ME IT'S SAD THAT YOU WOULD MAKE A DECISION TO END THE POSSIBILITY OF THERE BEING A PARK.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP OF HOW THE, UH, LAND WOULD BE ACQUIRED AND ALL THAT, BUT TO SHUT OFF THAT POSSIBILITY WOULD BE SAD.
WHERE DO YOU GO ON VACATION TO BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO END.
THE POSSIBILITY OF THERE BEING A BEAUTIFUL PLACE IN OUR CITY WOULD BE A SHAME.
I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
I'M A NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY, UM, TO THE PROPOSED SITE.
THIS PROJECT DESTROYS A KEY COMPONENT OF THE EMERALD NECKLACE, A REGIONAL VISION FOR INTERCONNECTED PARKS, SERVING TWO AND A HALF MILLION RESIDENTS FROM THE ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
THIS PARCEL IS CRITICAL FOR CONNECTING COMMUNITIES SUFFERING FROM HEALTH CHALLENGES AND LACK OF OPEN SPACE.
THE AMIGOS DE LOS RIOS EMERALD NECKLACE VISION PLAN OUTLINED A DETAILED STRATEGY FOR MULTI-BENEFIT RIVER PARKWAYS TO CATALYZE BETTER CITY PLANNING.
WE'RE FACING A NATURE DEFICIT DISORDER AND I'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE CITY CAN'T AFFORD THIS.
THE STATE AGENCY IS ABLE TO PURCHASE THIS LAND.
THERE ARE ALREADY FUNDS SET ASIDE TO PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A CITY OWNED PURCHASE.
THIS SITE MUST REMAIN PART OF THE EMERALD NECKLACE VISION TO ESTABLISH BALANCE BETWEEN OPEN SPACE AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR REGION'S PROSPERITY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
THE EIR FAILS TO ANALYZE THIS MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY COST.
OUR NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS, ELENA TUCCI, LIZ ELA, DAVID DE PRIEST, MONICA PINTO, AND DOUGLAS FRANK FELD, PLEASE LAND UP AT THE PODIUM.
YOU WILL HAVE 90 SECONDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THIS PROJECT CONTRADICTS MULTIPLE REGIONAL LO AND LOWER LA RIVER PLANNING EFFORTS AS WELL AS PREVIOUS LOCAL MUNICIPAL GOALS SET FORTH IN THE CITY'S 2002 OPEN SPACE ELEMENT, THE COMMON GROUND PLAN AND MAYOR RICHARDSON'S 2017 ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES TO SPEAK TO STAFF POINTS THE PUBLIC VOTED FOR AND PASSED PROP 68 AS WELL AS MEASURE A.
THESE ARE FUNDING RESOURCES FOR PLANNING AND DEVELOPING CALIFORNIA WATERWAY ADJACENT LAND TO IMPROVE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
AT ONE POINT THE CITY WAS AWARDED
[02:00:01]
A GRANT FROM THE RMC RIVERS AND MOUNTAIN CONSERVANCY TO DEVELOP PARK SPACE AT THE SITE.JUST RECENTLY, THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER OF THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY SUCCESSFULLY SOLD IT TO REMAIN OPEN SPACE FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD.
CQA REQUIRES CONSISTENCY WITH PLANNING DOCUMENTS AS WELL AS LOCAL, COUNTY AND STATE LEGAL GUIDELINES FOR LA RIVER ADJACENT ZONES, NOT JUST SONY OVERLAYS.
THIS PROJECT IS NOT GOING TO STOP CRIME IN ITS TRACKS OR SOLVE HOMELESSNESS.
PLEASE LOCATE, LOCATE AT SOME AT A SITE THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE.
UM, I DO APOLOGIZE FOR EARLIER, BUT UM, MY NAME IS MONICA PINTO AND I AM A MEMBER OF AN OF A NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION COMMISSION FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS.
AND I'M PRETTY MUCH IN A POSITION WHERE I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING FOR ME ARE DOING THEIR JOBS AND THAT THEY DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOBS SO THAT I AM ABLE TO DO MY BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR THE RIGHT THINGS TO HAPPEN FOR THEM AND THAT I CAN MAKE THEM FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEIR WORK LIFE CHOICES SO THAT I'M ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE FUTURE AND NOT BEING STUCK IN THIS SITUATION FOR MY ENTIRE CAREER AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
BEING A PART OF THE COMMUNITY IS SO IMPORTANT FOR ME THAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES AND MY AGENTS ARE NOT BEING ABLE TO REPORT BACK THE FACT THAT I DO NOT APPROVE THIS PROJECT DUE TO MANY MULTIPLE PROJECTS ARE NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO JUSTIFY THE EXISTENCE OF A SINGLE PROJECT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
NO RECOGNITION, NO IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND DEFINITELY NO RECEIPTS BEING PROVIDED ALONG WITH THE CERTIFICATION OF ANY PROJECT BEING APPROVED.
ANY ONE OF THE PROJECTS IN THE PAST FEW YEARS AND NO MENTION OF ANY PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED BY ANYONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THE PROJECTS ARE DOING IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THE PROJECTS IN MY ARE BEING PROVEN WRONG BY THE LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND ITS MEMBERS WHO ARE VERY MUCH INVOLVED DEFUNDING THE PROJECTS FOR PERSONAL GAIN AND USE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS PROJECT DUE TO MANY MULTIPLE PROJECTS BEING FRAUDED.
AND TO THE MOST PART, AND MANY OF MY AGENTS AND COLLEAGUES NOT BEING RESPONSIVE AND NOT BEING FOUND OR LOCATED, I ALSO HAVE CONDUCTED MY OWN RESEARCH MA'AM, HOLD ONAM.
I HAVE DISAPPOINTED TO THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.
I WILL NOT ALLOW ANYONE WHO COMMITS FRAUD OR ANYONE COMMITTING ANY ILLEGAL CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AMONGST MY AGENTS OR ANY OF MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES.
MY NAME'S LIZ OZELLA AND I AM AN EQUESTRIAN.
THE PROJECT THREATENS THE HISTORIC EQUESTRIAN TRAIL, WHICH I'VE RIDDEN SINCE THE SIXTIES.
THAT WHOLE AREA WAS FULL OF RODEOS AND HORSE STABLES AND TRAILS.
YOU CAN STILL RIDE THAT TRAIL.
I'M OFF ACROSS THE RIVER NOW, SO I WOULD HAVE TO TRAILER IN.
AND TO PUT UP FENCES AND LIGHTING AND LARGE VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC THAT ENDANGER THE SAFETY OF HORSES AND RIDERS IS, IS JUST, UM, YOU SHOULD VOTE NO ON THAT.
THE CQA MANDATES CONSULTATION AND MITIGATION OF ALL OF THESE FACTORS.
SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE COMING UP HERE THAT ARE FOR YOU GUYS APPROVING.
THE EIR ARE VERY SHORTSIGHTED.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT JOBS, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE SHORT TERM.
WHAT HAPPENS IN A YEAR FROM NOW WHEN THAT PROJECT'S OVER THERE GOES THE WORKFORCE.
AND ACCORDING TO THE DEVELOPERS, AI WILL RUN THE FACILITY.
DO WE HAVE ANY MORE CARDS? YES.
EARLIER I CALLED DAVID DUPRE AND DOUGLAS SPRINGFELD.
IF YOU'RE HERE, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT DID NOT FILL OUT A CARD AND WISHES TO COME UP AND SPEAK? I SHARE.
WE'LL WAIT UNTIL WE CALL THE CARDS.
[02:05:01]
OKAY.OKAY, SO NEXT WE HAVE MARCUS TAYLOR, SERENA STEERS.
YOU'LL HAVE 90 SECONDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
HOW YOU DOING? I'M READY FOR THE APPROVAL PROJECT.
I ACTUALLY, I'M ACTUALLY A SECURITY GUARD AT THE SITE.
I'M ACTUALLY A SECURITY GUARD AT THE SITE.
I'VE BEEN WORKING THERE SINCE 2020 AND IT'S NO PLACE FOR A PARK.
IT'S NOT SAFE OR ANYTHING THERE.
SO LIKE I SAID, UH, I'M A, I'M A FOR IT.
IT'S BASICALLY, IT IS A HOMELESS ENC CAMPING ON BOTH SIDES BASICALLY.
HI, I'M SUSAN RUMPA BEER AND I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 25 YEARS AND I HAVE SEEN THAT LAND IN A WAY THAT WAS SO MUCH, MUCH NICER.
WE HAVE LESS MONEY AND LESS INFLUENCE TO BE ABLE TO GET WHAT WE WANT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE'VE WAITED ON THE PROMISES OF THE CITY TELLING US THAT WE WOULD HAVE PARKS FOR 25 YEARS.
AND I HAVE PERSONALLY WAITED AND WATCHED WHAT WE'VE DONE.
AND SO I'M KIND OF HERE TO HOLD US RESPONSIBLE EVEN IF IT MEANS THAT I HAVE TO COME HERE OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND TELL US THAT BECAUSE THAT AREA WAS NOT FULL OF HOMELESS PEOPLE WHEN I FIRST MOVED IN.
AND THE BRIDGE THAT YOU WENT ACROSS TO LOS CERRITOS TO THE SCHOOL WAS TRAVEL.
IT DIDN'T HAVE A MAN ON IT LIVING UNDERNEATH LIKE IT DOES TODAY.
SO IT'S A MATTER OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH INFLUENCE OR ENOUGH POWER OR ENOUGH MONEY TO GET WHAT WE NEEDED.
WHAT WE NEED IS PARK SPACE AND A SPACE THAT WILL HELP TO CLEAN THE WATER AS IT COMES DOWN THE WATERWAY BECAUSE EVENTUALLY WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BREAK OUT THAT CEMENT.
IF IT'S GONNA CLEAN THE WATER THAT'S COMING DOWN WITH PESTICIDES AND OTHER THINGS FROM PEOPLE'S YARDS.
WE NEED AREA WHERE THERE CAN BE GREEN SPACE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WILL GET IT DONE WITH THESE PEOPLE I KNOW IN BOSTON THEY HAVE AN EMERALD NECKLACE THERE AND PEOPLE GOT IT DONE.
AND SIGNAL HILL HAS IT DONE IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT AREAS THERE.
CAN YOU SUMMARIZE MA'AM, PLEASE? I WILL.
I APPRECIATE YOU SPENDING THE TIME TO HEAR ALL OF US SPEAK ABOUT THIS, THAT YOU'D LISTEN TO US IN OUR OPINIONS AND I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE WHAT YOU HAVE AND YOUR INFLUENCE AND YOUR POWER TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.
AND I WOULD TRY TO INFLUENCE YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAD SOME PARK SPACE FOR US.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE LABORERS INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA.
UM, A LOT OF THINGS HAVE BEEN SAID AND I JUST WANT YOU TO CONSIDER APPROVING THIS FOR THE OBVIOUS INSTATED ALREADY REASONS.
THE PROPERTY ITSELF IS SERIOUSLY CONTAMINATED, IT'S PRIVATELY OWNED.
IT'S GONNA BE PRIVATE MONEY TO FUND GOOD JOBS WITH GOOD PAYING BENEFITS THAT HELP SUSTAIN OUR HEALTHCARE AND OUR PENSIONS THAT WE'RE BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE.
WITH THE UNCERTAINTIES CERTAINTIES COMING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, TRYING TO DO AWAY WITH JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT IS A BENEFIT TO THE PEOPLE.
PRIVATE MONEY IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT I THINK GOING FORWARD.
AND HOW DO YOU REFUSE WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING TO CLEAN IT UP, TO MAKE IT BETTER, TO MAKE IT CLEAN, TO BASICALLY GENERATE MORE TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY ITSELF.
UM, I SEE THIS AS A WIN-WIN RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPER, RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTORS, RESPONSIBLE WORKERS, GENERATING MONEY FOR THE CITY.
BEAUTIFYING A PART OF THE CITY.
WE CAN'T WAIT 30, 40 50 YEARS, WE MAY NOT BE HERE, PERIOD.
WE NEED TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT NOW.
AND RIGHT NOW IS TO TAKE A REALLY GOOD OFFER THAT'S ON THE TABLE.
MY NAME IS JUAN RADO, UH, OF THE LABORS INTERNATIONAL UNIT IN NORTH AMERICA.
I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE OF THE PACIFIC PLACE, UH, PROJECT.
UH, THIS IS A PROJECT, UH, THIS IS A UNION PROJECT AND, UH, THAT MATTERS.
THIS MEANS LOCAL, UH, WORKERS EARNING GOOD WAGES WITH HEALTHCARE, PENSIONS, AND APP PATH TO MIDDLE CLASS.
[02:10:02]
IT MEANS APPRENTICESHIPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND SAFE, HIGH QUALITY CONSTRUCTION FROM DAY ONE.THIS DEVELOPMENT IS ALSO SMART AND RESPONSIBLE.
IT TAKES UNDERUTILIZED LAND, UH, PUTTING IN IT TO WORK WITHOUT THE TRAFFIC, THE NOISE, OR THE STRAIN THAT COMES WITH HIGH DENSITY HOUSING OR RETAIL.
IT BRINGS LONG TERM TAX REVENUE TO THE CITY WITHOUT BURNING SCHOOLS, FIRE, POLICE SERVICES.
THIS PROJECT HAS GONE THROUGH A FULL EN, UH, EN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT WITH A PLAN TO MITIGATE ANY IMPACTS, AND IT'S BEING BUILT WITH THE HIGHEST LABOR AND ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS.
WE ALL WANT A BETTER FUTURE FOR LONG BEACH, AND THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UNION JOBS, CLEAN DEVELOPMENT, AND A PRODUCTIVE USE OF LAND.
I URGE, UH, TO APPROVE THIS PROJECT AND KEEP BUILDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WORKING FAMILIES IN THE CITY.
MY NAME IS SERENA STEERS AND I AM BOARD MEMBER OF RIVER PARK COALITION AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, FIRST OF ALL, AND FOREMOST FOR SITTING AND LISTENING TO ALL OF OUR STORIES.
UM, WE'RE ALL VERY PASSIONATE, AS YOU CAN TELL, AND IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER, UM, AT LEAST ON SOME SIDES.
I, UH, BORN AND RAISED IN THAT COMMUNITY THREE GENERATIONS ACT ACTUALLY, WHICH IS KIND OF RARE NOWADAYS.
UM, SO I, I CAN TELL YOU WHAT I'VE SEEN, UM, AND WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED IN MY OWN LIFE.
I'VE LOST IN THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, FOUR OF MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS TO CANCER, SOME RESPIRATORY RELATED ILLNESS.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T NORMALLY SOUND LIKE THIS.
I HAVE A SINUS INFECTION AND A RESPIRATORY INFECTION FROM THE FIRE.
UM, I SPENT 30 MINUTES RUNNING AROUND THAT PARK TRYING TO GET ALL OF THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OUT OF IT, BECAUSE I KNEW THAT IT WAS, IT WAS PVC PLASTIC THAT WAS BURNING.
UM, THIS PROJECT IS ALREADY MAKING ME SICK AND IT HASN'T EVEN STARTED.
UM, I'M EXTREMELY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE MY DAD PASSED AWAY TWO YEARS AGO FROM LUNG CANCER, STAGE FOUR AND PROSTATE CANCER, STAGE FOUR AT THE SAME TIME.
HE HAD A WEEK ONCE HE WAS DIAGNOSED THAT HE WENT, HE'S, HE AND I, I'VE LIVED IN THIS AREA FOR 48 YEARS.
HE HAD LIVED IN THAT AREA FOR 55 AMERICAN, UH, LONG ASSOCIATION HAS YEAR OVER YEAR, UM, CALLED THAT AREA ALONG THE 10.
UM, BUT I'LL JUST SAY THIS ONE FACT AND THAT'S IT.
UM, STATISTIC THAT IT'S, UH, THE NUMBER ONE OZONE GROUND POLLUTION, FINE PARTICLE POLLUTION IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS RIGHT THERE IN THE CORRIDOR FROM SEVEN 10 AT THE PORT TO THE 91 FREEWAY.
A TREE IS THE ONLY THING THAT'LL HELP US.
OUR LAST TWO SPEAKER CARDS, TARA MCCARTHY AND MAURICE WGA.
GOOD EVENING PLANNING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS TARA MCCARTHY AND I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO REJECT THE EIR.
WHILE I HEAR THE INTENTIONS OF THE DEVELOPER AND SYMPATHIZE WITH THE WORKERS AND CONTRACTORS HERE TONIGHT, WESTERN LONG BEACH NEEDS MORE OPEN SPACE AND PARKLAND, NOT MORE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL SPACE.
JUST YESTERDAY, MY MOTHER AND I WERE WALKING IN OUR COW HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD AND SPOTTED A COYOTE IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.
NEIGHBORS SHARED WITH US THAT THIS COYOTE HAS BEEN LIVING ON THIS STREET FOR THE LAST MONTH OR SO, SEEKING SHELTER AND SUSTENANCE COYOTE SIGHTINGS AND INCIDENTS IN MANY NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE INCREASED AS ONGOING DEVELOPMENT CONTRIBUTES TO THE REDUCTION OF HABITAT AND FOOD AND WATER RESOURCES.
WHILE I AM DEVASTATED FOR MY NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE LOST DOGS AND CATS TO COYOTES, AND IT IS MANY NEIGHBORS, I ALSO FEEL DEEPLY FOR THE COYOTES AND OTHER CRITTERS WHOSE OPTIONS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY LIMITED DUE TO ONGOING DEVELOPMENT, REDUCING THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO SURVIVE WHILE THE DECISION TO UTILIZE THIS SPACE FOR A RIVER PARK VERSUS YET ANOTHER INDUSTRIAL STORAGE FACILITY AND PARKING LOT WON'T BE A CURE FOR ALL THE ISSUES WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT.
IT WILL CERTAINLY BE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO PRESERVE GREEN SPACE, IMPROVE OUR AIR QUALITY AND PROTECT HABITATS.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK OF WHAT IS BEST, NOT JUST FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO FOR THE CRIT, FOR THE CRITTERS WHO RESIDE IN LONG BEACH.
I'M A MEDICAL DOCTOR AND I CAN SEE THAT IT IS A MATTER OF CONCRETE VERSUS LIFE.
I WANT YOU TO VOTE NO TO BE ON THE SIDE OF LIFE.
[02:15:02]
YOU SEE, I AM A PHYSICIAN.UH, SO FIRST OF ALL, I LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I RAISED THREE KIDS OVER THERE.
THEY WENT TO LOS RTOS SCHOOL, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I'M ALSO A PHYSICIAN AT TOUT CANCER INSTITUTE AT LONG BEACH MEMORIAL.
I SEE PEOPLE DYING OF LUNG CANCER AND OTHER CANCERS ARE RELATED TO THIS POLLUTION.
I REALLY, I REALLY WISH THAT SOME OF YOU COULD SEE WHAT IS DEATH OF LUNG CANCER.
THE PERSON CANNOT BREATHE AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN REPLACE OUR LUNGS.
AND WE HAVE THE HIGHEST INCIDENT INCIDENTS IN THAT AREA OF LUNG CANCER IN NEVER SMOKERS.
SO THERE ARE NO CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
ALSO, I MEAN, EVERYTHING WAS SAID ABOUT OWLS, COYOTES.
EVEN SNATCHED MY CAT, BUT I LIKE THEM.
THE THING IS, THE THING IS THAT THERE IS ONE, THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER THING.
THIS BARB WIRE AND THIS FENCING IS OPPRESSIVE.
WE ARE THE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO COME FROM THE COUNTRIES, THE TOTALITARIAN.
SIR, CAN YOU PLEASE SUMMARIZE? YES.
AND THE SECOND THING, DRUG DRUG ADDICTION AND HOMELESSNESS ARE PROBLEMS IN OUR SOCIETY.
AND USING THEM TO FEAR MONGER AND TO PROMOTE SIR CONCRETE IS ABSOLUTELY MORALLY A.
IS THAT ALL THE CARDS? THOSE WERE ALL THE COMMON CARDS WE RECEIVED.
CAN YOU, UH, SET THE PODIUM? IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO DIDN'T FILL OUT A COMMON CARD AND WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SPOKEN YET AND YOU WISH TO SPEAK, GET IN LINE AT THE, UH, FOR THE PODIUM, PLEASE.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE LABORERS UNION THIS EVENING.
AND, UH, AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER OF THE NEIGHBORING OF LONG BEACH, I LIVE JUST, UH, IN THE AREA THAT IS NORWALK TO THE NORTH AND CERRITOS TO THE SOUTH.
I LIVE NE NEAR THE 6 0 5 FREEWAY AS WELL AS THE RIVERBED.
AND, UM, THE AMOUNT OF HOMELESSNESS AND CRIME IN THAT AREA FAR EXCEEDS ANY AMOUNT OF AIR QUALITY CONCERNS THAT WE MAY HAVE THIS EVENING.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE HAD A MURDERER THAT WAS ARRESTED IN THE RIVERBED THAT HAD MURDERED SOMEONE THAT LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THIS WAS SOMEONE THAT PEOPLE HAD SEEN ON A DAILY BASIS, A HOMELESS PERSON.
UM, THIS IS JUST A, A FAR BIGGER ISSUE THAN MAKING A PARK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE LEVEL OF CRIME THAT WILL BECOME ONCE THAT PARK IS BUILT WILL BE FAR MORE DANGEROUS THAN IT IS NOW.
AND I THINK THAT BUILDING SOMETHING THAT WILL GENERATE MORE JOBS AND BRING MORE REVENUE TO THE CITY IS MUCH MORE, UM, OF A BENEFIT TO EVERYONE HERE THIS EVENING AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITIES.
UM, MY NAME IS MAYA KERNER AND I'M AN INTERN FOR RIVER PARK COALITION.
SO, WEST LONG BEACH SUFFERS FROM SEVERE PARK INEQUITY.
OVER HALF OF RESIDENTS DON'T LIVE WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK OF A PARK.
THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST RIVER ADJACENT PARCELS THAT COULD SERVE THIS UNDER DESERVED COMMUNITY.
THE 2002 OPEN SPACE ELEMENT EXPLICITLY IDENTIFIES SITES LIKE THIS FOR MEETING PARK ACCESS NEEDS IN HISTORICALLY UNDESERVED AREAS.
MEASURE A VOTED APPROVED FUNDING, RECOGNIZE THE URGENT NEED FOR NEW PARKS AND UNDERSERVED AREAS.
INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING THIS COMMUNITY NEED, THE PROJECT ELIMINATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR, WHILE WEALTHY NE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE ABUNDANT GREEN SPACE, THIS WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY LOSES ITS LAST CHANCE FOR RIVER ACCESS AND RECREATION.
THIS PERPETUATES ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM AND VIOLATES PRINCIPLES OF EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT.
AS SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN EASTERN LONG BEACH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WESTERN LONG BEACH HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PARKS THAT I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE.
HOW YOU GUYS DOING? EVENING, SIR? UH, DAVID DRE, BRING, BRING YOURSELF CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE.
NOW, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT I BELIEVE BOUGHT THE PARK.
UH, THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT PUTTING
[02:20:01]
LOW INCOME HOUSING THERE.YOU CAN, CAN YOU PUT LOW INCOME HOUSING ON THAT PROPERTY? SIR, SIR, WE NEED YOU TO ADDRESS IT.
I SAID, HAVE YOU, I DON'T BELIEVE YOU CAN DO LOW INCOME HOUSING, AND I DON'T THINK THE RIVER GOES THROUGH THERE.
I'M THINKING THAT, UH, I THOUGHT THAT AT FIRST THEY WERE GONNA CREATE AN RV PARK THERE, WHICH I DIDN'T WANT.
ON THAT NOTE, THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING.
THEY'VE INVESTED THEIR MONEY, THEY PUT THEIR MONEY TOWARD, TOWARD THIS PROJECT, AND AT THIS POINT, EITHER WE COMPENSATE THEM, WE TAKE ON THE $20 MILLION WORTH OF CLEANING IT UP, AND THEN YOU CAN HAVE YOUR PARK OR LET THEM BUILD WHAT THEY PUT ON THE SCREEN.
AND WHAT THEY PUT ON THE SCREEN LOOKS PRETTY TIMELESS, LOOKS PRETTY GOOD FOR A PUBLIC STORAGE.
LOOKS LIKE A MODERN, MODERN BUILDING THAT WOULD ENHANCE THE PLACE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I CAME HERE NOT TO BE ON THEIR SIDE, BUT WHAT I'VE SEEN CHANGES MY MIND.
NO ONE ELSE FROM THE AUDIENCE.
HOW MANY DO WE, I BEG YOUR PARDON? HOW MANY DO WE HAVE ON THE, UM, VIRTUAL? WE HAVE 11 ATTENDEES.
IF YOU ARE JOINING US VIRTUALLY AND YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FUNCTION AT THIS TIME.
THE FIRST PERSON WITH THEIR HAND RAISED IS ANN CANTRELL.
PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF ON YOUR END.
YOU HAVE 90 SECONDS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANN CANTRELL, 92 YEAR RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH, THIS FEIR AND THE SIX AMENDMENTS MUST BE DEVI DENIED.
AMENDMENT TWO INCREASES THE ALLOWED HEIGHT FROM 40 FEET TO 50 FEET.
THE EIR DESCRIBES THIS AS A 40 FOOT BUILDING.
IF YOU APPROVE AMENDMENT TWO, THIS EIR MUST BE AMENDED TO CONFORM TO THE 50 FOOT HEIGHT IMAGE.
ALSO, UM, NO ONE HAS MENTIONED THE SURCHARGE BECAUSE THIS SOIL HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS TOOTHPASTE.
LIKE THE DTSC ORDERED A SURCHARGE OF 15 FEET OF DIRT BE PUT ON THE SITE, UH, TO SEE IF THE SOIL CAN HOLD THE WEIGHT OF THE BUILDING.
THIS SURCHARGE HAS BEEN THERE FOR FOUR YEARS.
THERE'S BEEN NO REPORT ON WHETHER THE SOIL CAN WITHSTAND THIS WEIGHT.
AND NOW YOU'RE ADDING ANOTHER 50,000 SQUARE FEET.
ANOTHER STORY TO THE WEIGHT OF THE BUILDING.
THIS TO ME, WOULD REQUIRE A NEW SURCHARGE AND A NEW EIR.
OUR NEXT PERSON WITH THEIR HAND RAISED IS ALEX.
PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF ON YOUR END.
YOU WILL HAVE 90 SECONDS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.
SO, UM, I'M A BIXBY AND I'VE LIVED HERE FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW.
UM, I'M A RESIDENT OF BIG SWEET KNOWLES, AND I'VE LIVED HERE FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO REJECT A PROPOSAL TO DEVELOP AT 37 0 1 PACIFIC PLACE.
THIS PLACE HOLDS DEEP PERSONAL MEANING FOR ME.
SOME OF MY EARLIEST CHILDHOOD MEMORIES ARE TIED TO THIS AREA, ONE OF THE FEW ACCESSIBLE GREEN SPACES FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE RELIED ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OR PLACES THAT WERE ACCESSIBLE BY WALKING.
IT REALLY IS A PLACE THAT, UH, I COULD GO TO ESCAPE NOISE AND THE PACE OF THE CITY WITH, UH, THE LITTLE NATURE THAT IS LEFT.
AND IT SHAPED WHO I AM TODAY BEFORE IT'S AT BAN IT.
THIS WAS A GOLF COURSE, SO THE IDEA OF REVITALIZING IT INTO A PUBLIC PARK, EQUESTRIAN CENTER, OR OPEN RECREATION SPACE WOULDN'T BE NEW.
IT WOULD BE A RETURN TO WHAT THIS LAND WAS.
WITH THE 2028 OLYMPICS COMING, WE HAVE A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO SECURE FUNDING FOR PROJECTS LIKE THIS ONE, ONES THAT SERVE THE COMMUNITY,
[02:25:01]
IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE, AND LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED INSTEAD, A FOUR STORY STORAGE FACILITY.IT'S DESPICABLE TO THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PAVING OVER ONE OF THE LAST OPEN SPACES IN WESTERN LAW BEACH.
SO IT CAN BE FILLED WITH PEOPLE'S LEFTOVER HOLIDAY DECORATIONS AND STORED JUNK.
PLEASE, I URGE YOU TO DO, YOUR TIME IS UP.
OUR NEXT PERSON WITH THEIR HAND RAISED IS CARRIE.
CARRIE, YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED.
PLEASE LET UNMUTE YOURSELF ON YOUR END.
YOU WILL HAVE 90 SECONDS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, MY FAMILY'S A FOURTH GENERATION LONG BEACH, UH, CITIZEN.
UH, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS PROJECT SHOULD BE DENIED BECAUSE IT DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF CQA.
I HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH THE 10 FOOT HEIGHT INCREASE.
HOWEVER, GIVEN HOW CONTAMINATED THE SOIL IS AND THE LENGTH OF THE DEVELOPMENT TIME FOR THIS PROJECT APPROVAL, I BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE APPROVED.
HOW, I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW DISGUSTED I AM WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH ON THE WAY THE WEST SIDE OF LONG BEACH HAS BEEN TREATED FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS.
DURING COVID, I WAS OVER ON THE WEST SIDE RUNNING ERRANDS, AND THE AIR WAS LITERALLY ORANGE BECAUSE THEY HAD WAIVED THE PORT REQUIREMENTS FOR IDLING TIME OUT IN THE PORT, TIME AFTER TIME.
PEOPLE ON THE WEST SIDE HAVE BEEN S**T ON.
IN 2017, I SPOKE WITH THE, UH, NOW DIRECTOR OF THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, EXPLAINED TO HIM ABOUT HOW I'D SEEN TRUCK, SEMI-TRUCK TRAFFIC, THE EXPLOSION OF TRUCK.
AND OUR NEXT PERSON WITH THEIR HAND RAISED IS CARINA.
PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF ON YOUR END.
YOU HAVE 90 SECONDS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
YOU KNOW, I JUST, I'M HEARING, I AM A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH.
UM, I LIVE IN EAST LONG BEACH, AND WE DO HAVE BEAUTIFUL PARKS AND I'M SO THANKFUL.
BUT ALL OF LONG BEACH DESERVES TO HAVE BEAUTIFUL PARKS WITHIN REASON.
UM, IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THOSE WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF VOTING YES FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT ARGUE THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MORE INCOME FOR THEIR FAMILIES WHILE COMPLETELY IGNORING THE HAZARDS THAT THIS PROJECT PRESENTS TO PEOPLE LIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SHORT-TERM JOBS DO NOT JUSTIFY THE IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE THAT THIS PROJECT WOULD CAUSE.
THE PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING, THE CREATURES ARE SUFFERING.
THE FUTURE GENER GENERATIONS WILL SUFFER AGAIN.
THE DAMAGE WILL BE IRREVERSIBLE.
YOU'RE HEARING FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PROFESSIONALS, AND THOSE WHO ARE TRULY INVESTED IN THE AREA, WHO SO DESPERATELY WANT TO SEE MORE GREEN SPACE, CLEAN WATERS, AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESTORED, ARGUING THAT THERE'S A HOMELESS AND CRIME EPIDEMIC IN THE AREA IS COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT.
THAT ISSUE CAN BE ADDRESSED SEPARATELY.
IT'S DONE SUCCESSFULLY IN PLENTY OF OTHER PLACES.
THERE'S NO REASON LONG BEACH CAN'T DO IT.
ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU'RE JOINING US VIRTUALLY AND YOU'RE LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FUNCTION AT THIS TIME.
THERE APPEARS TO BE NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, WE'LL BRING IT BACK BEHIND THE PODIUM HERE.
UM, LOTS LOTS OF THINGS, UH, BEING PRESENTED.
I I DID HAVE A QUESTION, UH, WITH PARKS.
I SEEM TO RECALL, WAS THERE A PARK COULD, COULD YOU BRING UP THE PICTURE OF THE PRESENTATION? OH, YES.
JUST GIVE US A MOMENT TO GET THE SLIDES BACK UP.
OH, DO YOU HAVE IT? OH, MADAM COMMISSIONER, ARE, ARE WE SPEAKING IN TERMS OF THE STAFF PRESENTATION
[02:30:01]
OR THE APPLICANT PRESENTATION? THE STAFF PRESENTATION, YES.UM, IS THAT A PUBLIC PARK THAT'S BELOW THE SCHOOL? LOS CERRITOS PARK IS LABELED PARK ON THIS MAP, BUT I THINK YOU MAY BE REFERRING TO, THERE'S A SMALLER PARK SOUTH OF THE 4 0 5, UH, FREEWAY BAKER STREET PARK, BUT IT'S NOT ACCESSIBLE FROM THIS AREA.
BUT WHAT'S ILLUSTRATED ON THIS EXHIBIT IS LOS CERRITOS PARK, WHICH IS A PUBLIC PARK MAINTAINED BY THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, AND IT'S LABELED IN GREEN.
AND THERE WAS SOME MENTION THAT WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT SOME LAND THAT'S BEEN PURCHASED FOR PARK.
YEAH, THAT'S TRUE, BUT NOT THE FULL STORY.
SO IMMEDIATELY TO THE EAST OF THE PROJECT SITE, YOU'LL SEE ON THE MAP THERE'S AN AREA THAT'S NOT LABELED, AND THERE'S KIND OF A BLUE SITE ACCESS THAT'S SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS THE MCDONALD PROPERTY.
UH, THE RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY HAS ENTERED INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THAT PROPERTY OWNER.
IT'S NOT BEEN PURCHASED, BUT THAT'S THE GOAL.
AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME FUNDING, UM, AWARDED, UM, TO PURSUE, UM, THAT PROPERTY BY THAT, UH, JOINT POWERS AGENCY, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE CITY, BUT WITH WHICH THE, THE CITY PARTICIPATES AND SUPPORTS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
AND, UM, IT WAS BROUGHT UP BY SOME OF THE EQUESTRIAN PEOPLE THAT THERE ARE TRAILS THERE.
I MEAN, THE SITE IS FENCED, BUT IF SOMEONE SAYS HISTORICALLY THERE'S BEEN TRAILS THERE, I BELIEVE THEM.
UM, BUT AS TO THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE SITE, IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY WITH NO RECORDED EASEMENT AND IT'S FENCED TODAY.
SO, SO THE SPEAKER I THINK IS REFERRING TO 1947.
I DON'T HAVE ANY EXPERTISE ON WHAT WAS ON SITE IN 1947, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IT IS FENCED AND THERE'S NO EQUESTRIAN ACCESS TO THE SITE TODAY.
THERE'S IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, I HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS? UH, YEAH.
UM, I, UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR, YOUR PASSIONATE, UH, TESTIMONY.
UM, I ALSO SAY UNDERSTAND THE, THE, THE, UM, THE PROJECT SITE, UM, IS PRESENTLY, UM, UN UNFIT IN THIS PRESENT STATE TO BE A PARK.
UM, AND I, I THINK BASICALLY SINCE, UH, UH, THE, THE, THE PUBLIC'S TESTIMONY, UH, HAS, HAS, UM, MADE ALLEGATIONS OF EXCESSIVE NOISE, AIR POLLUTION, NOISE POLLUTION, TOXIC RUNOFF, EQUESTRIAN ISSUES, DISPLACED OWLS, FLOOD CONCERNS.
AND THAT, UH, THE, THE BUSINESS, UH, THAT'S BEING PROPOSED TO BE THERE, UH, WILL BE RUN BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF THE, IF THE APPLICANT HAS ANY, ANY RESPONSE THAT THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE TO THESE AS, AS THE APPLICANT MAKES THEIR WAY TO, UM, I THINK FROM THE STAFF TABLE, WE'D LIKE TO START ACTUALLY WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT, IF THAT'S OKAY.
WE'LL REITERATE THAT QUESTION.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS PROVIDE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF HOW AIR QUALITY ANALYSIS IS DONE.
THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT SORT OF CONFLATED THE NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS, WHICH APPLY TO THE AIR DISTRICT, RIGHT.
WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN CONSTRUCTION EMISSION STANDARDS, WHICH APPLY TO THE PROJECT, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN OPERATIONAL STANDARDS, WHICH APPLY TO THE PROJECT.
SO WE'RE GONNA WALK THROUGH HOW THAT ANALYSIS IS DONE.
UM, THE SPEAKER WAS FROM SACRAMENTO, BUT HERE IN LA COUNTY, WE'RE PART OF THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
AND WE HAVE TO DO THE AIR ANALYSIS EXACTLY HOW THEY TELL US, AND THEN WE SEND IT TO THEM AND THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE COMMENTS.
HI, MY NAME IS JORDAN WORK MEISTER, AND I AM AN AIR QUALITY AND GREENHOUSE GAS CONSULT, UH, SPECIALIST WITH SOMI.
UM, I ALSO HAVE MY COLLEAGUE HASE
UM, SO I'M JUST GONNA GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE AIR QUALITY ANALYSES THAT WE DID AS PART OF THE, UH, DRAFT EIR AND THE FINAL EIR.
SO, AS PART OF THE PREPARATION OF THE DRAFT EIR, WE CONDUCTED A NUMBER OF QUANTITATIVE ANALYSES TO ASSESS THE PROJECT'S AIR QUALITY IMPACTS.
THESE INCLUDE AN ANALYSIS OF REGIONAL CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONAL EMISSIONS.
UH, REGIONAL CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONAL EMISSIONS REPRESENT THE DAILY, UH, MAXIMUM DAILY EMISSIONS RESULTING FROM THE PROJECT.
AND THOSE EMISSIONS ARE EXPRESSED IN POUNDS PER DAY.
AND COMPARED TO THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OR S-C-A-Q-M-D, UH, THRESHOLDS, WHICH ARE ALSO EXPRESSED IN POUNDS PER DAY,
[02:35:01]
UH, THAT ANALYSIS RESULTED IN LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS, UH, WITH MI UH, WITH MITIGATION.AS PART OF THE DRAFT DIR WE ALSO CONDUCTED A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF LOCALIZED CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONAL EMISSIONS, UTILIZING THE SCA AQMD'S LOCALIZED SIGNIFICANCE THRESHOLDS AND LOCALIZED SIGNIFICANCE METHODOLOGY.
UM, THESE THRESHOLDS ACT AS A TOOL ESTABLISHED BY THE S-C-A-Q-M-D, UM, TO EVALUATE IF A PROJECT WOULD EXCEED APPLICABLE AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS.
UH, THAT WOULD BE BOTH THE CALIFORNIA AMIA AIR QUALITY STANDARDS AND THE NATIONAL OBA AIR QUALITY STANDARDS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THOSE THRESHOLDS WERE DEVELOPED, UH, SPECIFICALLY AS PART OF THE SD AQMD'S ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE.
THE PURPOSE OF THE L UH, THE SC AQMD'S, UH, T GUIDANCE, UM, IS TO TRANSLATE THOSE MASS DAILY EMISSIONS EXPRESSED IN POUNDS PER DAY, UH, FROM A PROJECT TO PROJECTED CONCENTRATIONS THAT CORRELATE TO THE OIA AIR QUALITY STANDARDS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
THOSE OIA AIR QUALITY STANDARDS ARE ESTABLISHED AS HEALTH PROTECTIVE LEVELS SPECIFICALLY FOR SENSITIVE POPULATIONS.
WHILE THE PROJECT DID NOT EXCEED ANY OF THE RELEVANT SCREENING THRESHOLDS, UH, ESTABLISHED BY THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, WE WENT AHEAD AND PREPARED A SITE SPECIFIC LOCALIZED ASSESSMENT OF AIR QUALITY EMISSIONS, SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT A COMMENTER HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, AS PART OF THE FINAL EIR PROCESS, WHICH I'LL LET MY COLLEAGUE, UH, HASE SPEAK TO.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND UNMUTE YOURSELF.
UH, BRIEF AND INTRODUCTION, UH, JUST TO ADD TO WHAT JORDAN SAID, THE PROJECT AS PART OF THE FINAL EIR DID DO MORE SITE SPECIFIC LOCALIZED EMISSIONS ANALYSIS.
AGAIN, CONSISTENT WITH THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT'S METHODOLOGY, WE LOOKED AT ONSITE EMISSIONS THAT WOULD OCCUR FROM THE PROJECT AND WHAT THE OFFSITE EFFECTS OR THOSE CONCENTRATIONS WOULD BE TO NEARBY SENSITIVE RECEPTORS.
THE RESULTS OF THAT ANALYSIS FOUND THAT THE LOCALIZED AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT, UH, DEMONSTRATED THAT THE PROJECT WOULD NOT CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO EXCEEDANCES OF AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS FOR KEY POLLUTANTS SUCH AS CARBON MONOXIDE, NITROGEN DIOXIDE PM 10 OR PM 2.5 DURING EITHER CONSTRUCTION OR OPERATIONAL ACTIVITY.
AND THIS CONCLUSION, AGAIN, WAS VALIDATED THROUGH THE SITE SPECIFIC MODELING AND ALIGNS WITH THE DETERMINATION IN THE PROJECT'S DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT.
THE SITE SPECIFIC MODELING THAT WAS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH S-C-A-T-M-D RECOMMENDATIONS UTILIZES STATE-OF-THE-ART DISPERSION MODELING TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION, UH, SITE SPECIFIC TOPOGRAPHY AND LOCAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS THAT GEOSPATIALLY DETERMINE WHAT THE OFFSITE IMPACTS WOULD BE.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.
DOES ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE A QUESTION? YES, MA'AM.
UM, IN RESPONSE TO WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED.
I APOLOGIZE, WHO'S ON THE PHONE? WHO'S ON VIRTUAL, UH,
UM, IS THAT FROM THE FINDING FINDINGS OF FACT, THAT INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO, TO WHAT WAS JUST STATED? UH, IS THAT PAGE 27? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M ON THE RIGHT SPOT.
YEAH, SO THE FINDINGS OF FACT, UM, SUMMARIZE THE THOUSANDS OF PAGES MM-HMM
OF TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS AND THAT PAGE 27, UM, DOES ADDRESS THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE OKAY.
AND SO THERE, IN THE, IN THAT PARAGRAPH, THERE'S ALSO SAYING THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME POLLUTIONS FROM CONSTRUCTION, BUT THOSE WOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THIS PARTICULAR, UM, UH, ADHERENCES TO QUA.
SO TO KIND OF TRANSLATE IT INTO EVERYDAY ENGLISH, UM, YOU CAN'T BUILD ANYTHING ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT THERE BEING SOME EMISSION.
YOU KNOW, IT, UM, WHEN I MOW MY GRASS AT HOME, EVEN THOUGH IT'S AN ELECTRIC LAWNMOWER, THE ELECTRICITY COMES FROM A POWER PLANT SOMEWHERE, WHICH THERE'S SOME EMISSION ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ACTIVITY.
SO, UM, WHEN YOU, UH, DO CONSTRUCTION, THERE INEVITABLY IS GOING TO BE SOME AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION, AND THE AIR QUALITY DISTRICT HA ALLOWS FOR THAT.
AND IT'S OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT THAT REQUIRES FURTHER RESTRICTIONS.
[02:40:01]
ARE IN PLACE, AND THAT BRINGS IT BELOW THE LEVEL THAT IS ALLOWED.I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER.
SO MOST OF THE CONCERNS THAT I'VE HEARD IN RED AND PUBLIC COMMENTS WAS NOT IN RELATION TO THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE FACILITY, BUT RATHER THE IMPACTS FROM THE RVS AND THE CARS AND THE CIRCULATION OF TRAFFIC IN THE AREA POST DEVELOPMENT.
SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? SO THOSE ARE WHAT ARE CALLED, UM, OPERATIONAL AIR QUALITY IMPACTS.
AND THE OPERATIONAL PROFILE OF THIS PROJECT IS EXTREMELY LOW.
SO THE THRESHOLD FOR NOX FOR OPERATIONAL IMPACTS, UM, IS 55 POUNDS PER DAY.
THERE'S ONE POUND PER DAY ESTIMATED AT THIS PROJECT SITE.
UM, SELF STORAGE FACILITIES, ONCE THE STUFF AND RVS ARE THERE, TEND TO TURN OVER VERY LITTLE.
THE EMISSIONS IN AN OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS IS RELATED TO CARS AND TRUCKS COMING AND GOING TO THE SITE.
SO FACILITIES THAT HAVE VERY LOW AMOUNTS OF TRAFFIC, LIKE A STORAGE FACILITY, ARE ACTUALLY AMONG OUR LOWEST, UM, LEVEL OF OPERATIONAL IMPACTS, AS OPPOSED TO A FULFILLMENT CENTER WHERE GOODS COME IN EVERY MORNING AND AND GO OUT EVERY DAY, UM, HAS HIGH TRAFFIC COUNTS AND WOULD HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT OPERATIONAL PROFILE.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD, WE'RE NOT TAKING QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
WE'RE GETTING INFORMATION NOW FOR OUR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR OUR QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER.
UM, CAN YOU JUST GO OVER REALLY QUICKLY THE REQUIREMENTS IN UNDER CQA FOR A TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS AND MITIGATION? SO WE HAVE, UH, ACTUALLY OUR TRAFFIC CONSULTANT, DARLENE, ON DARLENE YELLOW HAIR ON THE PHONE AS WELL.
DARLENE, YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED.
UH, SO THE TRAFFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR QUA, UM, ARE, HAVE CHANGED RELATIVELY RECENTLY.
I'M SURE MANY OF YOU'RE AWARE, UH, USED TO BE BASED ON DELAYS, UH, AND VEHICULAR OPERATION.
UH, THE TRAFFIC REQUIREMENTS ARE NOW FOCUSED ON, UM, MOSTLY ON, ON VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED, UM, BUT ALSO ON THE, UM, SAFETY AND, AND HAZARDOUS GEOMETRY AND, AND A FEW THINGS OF THAT NATURE HAVING, TRYING TO PULL UP THE EXACT WORDING.
BUT, UM, SO IN, FOR THIS PARTICULAR CASE AND, AND THE, THE CITY DOES HAVE A SET OF GUIDELINES.
UH, THERE ARE SCREENING THRESHOLDS FOR TRANSPORTATION, UM, THAT ARE FOLLOWED AND WERE USED IN THIS CASE TO EVALUATE TRAFFIC AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS, UM, FOR TRANSPORTATION DUE TO CWA.
UM, THERE WERE NONE FOUND, UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE WERE, THERE WAS A TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS THAT WAS CONDUCTED THAT DID LOOK AT DELAYS IN OPERATIONS.
UM, THAT IS ESSENTIALLY, UM, AN OPTIONAL TASK AT THIS POINT IN TERMS OF QUA.
UH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY AND MOST JURISDICTIONS STILL LIKE TO LOOK AT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, LOCALLY, THEIR FACILITIES WILL STILL OPERATE EFFICIENTLY AND SAFELY.
UM, BUT IN TERMS OF QUA ITSELF, UH, THE QUESTIONS ARE FOCUSED ON THE VEHICULAR MILES TRAVEL THAT WILL BE GENERATED BY A SITE.
UM, ANOTHER QUESTION ASKED IF THE, IF A PROJECT WILL CONFLICT WITH A PLAN ORDINANCE OR POLICY ADDRESSING THE CIRCULATION SYSTEM, UM, WHETHER A PROJECT WILL SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE HAZARDS DUE TO METRIC DESIGN OR INCOMPATIBLE USES, AND WHETHER A PROJECT WILL RESULT IN ER INADEQUATE EMERGENCY ACCESS.
UH, SO THOSE WERE ALL EVALUATED FOR SQA IN ADDITION TO THE MORE TYPICAL, UM, DELAY IN OPERATIONS.
AND IF I COULD ADD TO THAT, SO IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTION, UM, RELATED TO VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED, UH, THE CITY'S THRESHOLD IS, UM, UH, 500 DAILY TRIPS TO DO, UM, AN EVEN MORE DETAILED ANALYSIS.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY BELOW THAT.
IT, IT'S ESTIMATED AT 399 DAILY TRIPS.
SO IT'S, UM, CONSIDERED TO HAVE A LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, UM, UNDER TRANSPORTATION PURSUANT TO OUR CITY, UH, VMT GUIDELINES.
SO IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY DID THE LEVEL SERVICE, UH, ANALYSIS, BUT STRICTLY SPEAKING FROM A CE QA STANDPOINT, THEY WEREN'T REQUIRED TO AND THEREFORE AREN'T REQUIRED TO HAVE ANY MITIGATION.
SO LEVEL OF SERVICE IS NO LONGER A TOPIC UNDER CE QA, UM, THEREFORE IT'S NOT, UM, A SIGNIFICANCE THRESHOLD THAT'S REVIEWED.
[02:45:01]
STILL DONE, UH, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT THOSE POTENTIAL IMPACTS COULD BE, UM, ON THE PUBLIC WORK SIDE AND, UM, AS THE, UM, CONSULTANT WAS MENTIONING FOR SOME OF THE OTHER TOPIC AREAS LIKE HAZARDS DUE TO A GEOMETRIC DESIGN FEATURE TO MAKE SURE WE CAN UNDERSTAND SOME OF THOSE COMPONENTS.UH, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, DID YOU HAVE, UM, I DO, YES.
UM, IN REGARDS TO YOUR EARLIER QUESTION, UM, ABOUT THE PARK OR GREEN SPACE, I'M SORRY, IT'S NOT RELATED TO POLLUTION, SO IF ANYONE ELSE HAS THAT, I WOULD YIELD NO.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE OF THE, THERE'S AN ATTACHMENT ATTACHMENT O THAT REFERENCES A VERY LARGE GREEN SPACE, AND I THINK MAYBE THAT'S WHAT WAS THE CO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, AND I WANNA KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHERE THAT, WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? UM, THERE WAS ALSO A REFERENCE TO THE LA RIVER CONSERVANCY.
IS THAT FROM THE RIVER CO CONSERVANCY PLAN? AND NOT RELATED AT ALL TO THE PLAN HERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE 'EM IN REVERSE ORDER.
UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RIVER RELATED PLANS, PLANS, UH, PREPARED BY THE COUNTY, COUNT PLANS PREPARED BY THE RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY PLANS PREPARED, UM, BY OTHERS.
THOSE ARE ADDRESSED IN THE EIR IN THE LAND USE SECTION, ALTHOUGH THOSE ARE NOT CITY PLANS.
WE STILL, UM, IN, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE, THE PUBLIC REQUEST, UM, AND ALIGNMENT ACROSS JURISDICTIONS, UM, DID DO THAT ANALYSIS.
MANY OF THOSE PLANS, UH, DO CONTEMPLATE THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT, UM, TO HAVE THIS PARCEL AS A PARK.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE AT THE STAFF TABLE IS TELLING YOU ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN THAT.
IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE MORE PARKS EVERYWHERE, INCLUDING THIS PARCEL.
BUT WHAT WE'RE TELLING YOU IS THAT THE ZONING AND THOSE PLANS DO NOT REQUIRE THE CITY TO MAKE THIS A PARK.
THE CITY DOES NOT OWN THIS PARCEL, AND THE ZONING DOES NOT PROHIBIT THIS PROJECT.
IN FACT, THE APPLICANT IS WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS TO PURSUE THIS PROJECT.
SO THAT IS DISCUSSED IN DETAIL IN THE LAND USE, UH, SECTION OF THE EIR MM-HMM
UM, AND THEN STAFF IS GONNA TALK ABOUT THE ATTACHMENT.
SO ATTACHMENT O UM, IS THE CONCEPTUAL CONFIGURATION OF HOW THE ACCESS POINT AND EASEMENT, UM, WOULD CORRELATE TO THE LARGER, UM, LA RIVER MASTER PLAN PROPERTY THAT'S TO THE WEST.
SO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS NOT DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE RIVER, IT'S THE, UM, LA COUNTY OWNED PROPERTY, UH, THAT IS, AND SO SHOULD IT BE DEVELOPED AS A PARK IN THE FUTURE, THIS PRO THIS PROPERTY, UM, OR THIS APPLICANT IS REQUIRED AS CONDITIONED TO, UM, PROVIDE THAT ACCESS POINT AND EASEMENT TRAIL THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
AND WE COULD BRING UP THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS THE TRAIL AND ACCESS POINT, UH, FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES.
SO ATTACHMENT O UM, GIVES YOU A SENSE OF WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE, UM, IF IT WERE TO BE, UM, INCLUDING IF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY WERE TO BE BUILT OUT.
SO THAT'S THE GREEN SPACE YOU'RE SEEING THERE.
SO THE AREA IN GREEN IS THAT ADJACENT PROPERTY THAT'S ANTICIPATED COULD BE DEVELOPED AS PARK SPACE IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN THIS PROJECT AS CONDITIONED WOULD PROVIDE THE TRAILHEAD LOCATION ACCESS, UM, EASEMENT, UM, ALONG ALONG THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY IN THE YELLOW.
SO THIS IS ILLUSTRATIVE OF THAT.
AND IN THE, UM, IN ATTACHMENT O WHERE THERE'S, I BELIEVE THAT'S THE RV STORAGE, THERE'S ALSO SOME MORE GREEN SPACE.
IS THAT PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OR AGAIN, PART OF THE OTHER PLAN? YEAH.
IS THIS THE BOOTS YOU'RE LOOKING AT? YES.
AND THEN THE ONE FOLLOWING THAT, SO THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE SITE, WHICH IS WHAT'S, UM, SHOWN WITH A BUNCH OF TREES HERE MM-HMM
THE, THE NORTHERN TRIANGLE IS, UM, THE, UH, NATIVE PLANT AREA THAT IS THE HALF ACRE, UM, A PORTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT HERE WHERE THEY WOULD BE PROVIDING THAT NATIVE PLANT AREA.
SO THAT'S SORT OF A, A CORNER OR TRIANGLE OF IT.
AND THEN THE REST OF THE GREEN SPACE YOU SEE ON THE PICTURE IS ANTICIPATING THAT FUTURE ADJACENT PROPERTY WOULD BE COME GREEN SPACE IN THE FUTURE.
AND WHILE WE HAVE A MOMENT, A 4 0 4 PERMIT FROM THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS IS FOR THE DISCHARGE OF WATER INTO WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES.
UM, THIS PARCEL DOES NOT DISCHARGE INTO THE OCEAN OR THE RIVER, AND THAT'S WHY A 4 0 4 PERMIT IS NOT REQUIRED.
THAT WAS ONE OF MY FUTURE QUESTIONS.
UH, COMMISSIONER LEMI, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? COMMISSIONER CLEMSON? YEAH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE ALIGNMENT WITH THIS PROJECT, WITH THINGS LIKE THE LA RIVER MASTER PLAN.
[02:50:01]
SORT OF AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT A MASTER PLAN IS SUPPOSED TO ACCOMPLISH? UH, THEY SOUND VERY AUTHORITATIVE, UM, BUT UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S ALSO NOT OVER, YOU KNOW, AN OVERARCHING CONTROLLING PLAN.YEAH, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE MASTER PLAN TERMINOLOGY, UM, CAN BE USED IN A, IN A DIFFERENT CONTEXT WHERE IT IS MORE AUTHORITATIVE.
IN THIS INSTANCE, LA COUNTY OWNS, UH, THE PROPERTY, UM, THAT THE RIVER BED IS ON AS WELL AS SOME OF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY.
AND, UM, IF, IF YOU THINK ABOUT, OBVIOUSLY LA COUNTY IS ENORMOUS, RIGHT? IT'S BIGGER THAN MANY STATES,
AND SO, UH, THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THIS LARGE REGIONAL LONG-TERM PROCESS TO LOOK AT SORT OF, UM, OVERALL HOW THIS AREA COULD BE DEVELOPED IN THE FUTURE.
AND SO, UM, THE PLAN ITSELF RECOGNIZES THAT IT'S, UM, IT'S GOT, UH, THAT THE COUNTY HAS DIRECT CONTROL OVER THE PROPERTY, UM, IN THE RIVERBED AND THROUGH SOME ADJACENT PROPERTY, BUT IT ALSO, UM, OVERTLY RECOGNIZES THAT MANY OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES ALONG THE RIVER, SUCH AS THIS ONE, ARE PRIVATELY OWNED.
UM, AND THEREFORE IT'S NOT A REGULATORY DOCUMENT.
ONLY THE CITY HAS, UM, REGULATORY LAND USE AUTHORITY, UM, FOR WHAT CAN BE DEVELOPED IN THE FUTURE, BUT IT'S MEANT TO BE A MASTER GUIDE FOR HOW LA COUNTY DOES ITS FUTURE WORK AND DEVELOPMENT.
SO IT WAS A HUGE, UM, PROCESS.
UM, AND THEY, AS YOU COULD SEE, THERE'S MULTIPLE PLANS, THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE PROCESSES.
UM, REGIONALLY THIS DOES PROVIDE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AREA, UM, ALONG THE LA RIVER.
UM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IT CONTINUE TO BE REDEVELOPED, UM, REGIONALLY AS, UM, OPEN SPACE.
BUT, UM, THE, THE MASTER PLAN TERMINOLOGY, UM, IS USED BECAUSE OF LA COUNTY'S, UM, JURISDICTION OVER THE AREA WITHIN THE WATERWAYS AND FOR SOME ADJACENT PROPERTIES, BUT NOT THIS ONE.
DOES THE INCLUSION OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOT CONTROLLED BY EITHER CITY OR COUNTY ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING? WELL, I THINK IT DOES, EVEN IF IN THIS INSTANCE IT, IT'S NOT ACCOMPLISHING THIS PARCEL BECOMING A PARK.
SO WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE MCDONALD PROPERTY, THERE ARE NEGOTIATIONS GOING ON FOR THAT PARCEL, AND THAT IS A RESULT OF IT, YOU KNOW, BEING IN VARIOUS MASTER PLANS AND VISION PLANS.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE COUNTY OR THE CITY OR OTHER ENTITY, THERE'S A VISION PLAN, THERE'S A MASTER PLAN, THERE'S A VA A PLAN THAT'S NOT A REGULATORY DOCUMENT, BUT IT'S PERSON ASPIRATION, A VISION, AND THEN SOME PATHWAY TO GET THERE.
UM, MANY OF THE FACETS OF THAT PLAN MAY COME TO BE, OTHERS MAY NOT.
THINGS HAVE TO BE PRIORITIZED.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT THAT IT DOES NOTHING, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE REGULATORY TEETH, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE THAT THAT ACTION OCCUR.
UM, BUT IT, IT CREATES A GOAL AND THAT IT, IT MARSHALS, UM, RESOURCES TOWARDS THAT GOAL.
AND THOSE RESOURCES COULD INCLUDE THINGS LIKE STATE FEDERAL GRANTS.
I HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.
UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR GIVING ME LOTS OF INFORMATION TO FOLLOW UP ON.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UM, I MEAN YOU, IT DOESN'T APPLY HERE IS ESSENTIALLY IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, UH, ALL THE WATER USE FROM THE CAR WASH AND FROM THE PROPERTY, DOES THAT HAVE ANYTHING? DO THEY CORRELATE? ARE THEY CONNECTED? YEAH.
SO UNDER OUR, UM, MUNICIPAL STORM WATER PERMIT, SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS MS FOUR, UM, NEW DEVELOPMENT IS REQUIRED, UM, TO CONTAIN ITS STORM WATER ON SITE, OR IF UNABLE TO DO SO TO DISCHARGE TO THE MUNICIPAL STORMWATER SYSTEM.
WATER GOES WHEREVER WATER GOES.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE DOING A NEW PROJECT AND THE CITY REVIEWS GRADING PLANS, THE ENGINEER HAS TO GRADE SUCH THAT THE WATER DOES NOT LEAVE THE SITE.
SO IN SO FAR AS THAT, IT'S GUARANTEED ON NEW DEVELOPMENT, UM, THAT, THAT THE ARMY CORPS REQUIREMENT WOULD NOT, UH, BE REQUIRED IN THIS CASE FOR IT TO REACH WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES, IT WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO THE COUNTY, UM, PARCEL THAT'S IMMEDIATELY TO THE WEST, AND THEN THE WATER WOULD NEED TO TRAVEL UPHILL OVER THE LEVEE INTO THE, UM, RIVER, WHICH IS UNLIKELY.
BUT JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT WOULD REACH, UM, WATERS THE UNITED STATES.
BUT IT'S ALSO, WE'RE AT AN ENTITLEMENT PHASE WHEN WE REVIEW GRADING PERMITS, WE REVIEW THEM FOR STORM WATER CONSISTENCY, AND, UM, IF SOMETHING WAS MISSED OR THERE'S AN ISSUE, IT'S AT THAT POINT THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE
[02:55:01]
ABLE TO PROCEED AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO OBTAIN, I THINK, UNLIKELY THAT THEY WOULD NEED PERMISSION FROM THE ARMY CORPS.BUT IF THERE WAS SOME INTERACTION BETWEEN THIS PARCEL AND THE COUNTY PARCEL ADJACENT AND THEY NEEDED PERMISSIONS FROM COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL OR COUNTY STORM WATER, UM, THAT CHECK OCCURS AT THE BUILDING PERMIT PHASE.
I WAS JUST GONNA ADD ONE MORE THING THAT, UM, CHRISTOPHER MENTIONED SECTION 4 0 4 PERMITS NOT REQUIRED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU ALL COMFORTABLE THAT IT IS COVERED IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT.
I WAS ABOUT TO ASK THAT QUESTION.
AND IS IT, IS THERE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS INTO LIKE, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A CAR WASH, IS THERE A REPORT ON THAT? I DIDN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND IT IN THE, UH, ERI REPORT? YEAH, SO CAR WASHES ARE REQUIRED TO, THERE'S DIFFERENT WATER REQUIREMENTS.
SO ONE, IT HAS TO DO WITH WATER AVAILABILITY AND THE REUSE OF THAT WATER SO THAT THERE'S NOT WASTE.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS HAVE TO DO WITH, UM, THE TYPE OF CHEMICALS USED, HOW THEY'RE DISPOSED OF.
UM, SO THAT, UM, THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE SHARED ACROSS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES, THE CITY, UM, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, AND THEN, UM, THE WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD.
UM, SO THOSE ARE, UM, DISCUSSED IN, UH, THE HYDROLOGY, UM, PART OF THE EIR AS WELL AS IN THE UTILITY SECTION.
UM, AND THEN THAT FINE LEVEL ANALYSIS IS FURTHER DONE ON THE ACTUAL PERMITS AND THEN ON THEIR OPERATING REQUIREMENTS, WHICH WOULD BE REGULATED NOT JUST BY THE CITY, BUT ALSO BY THE WATER BOARD.
UM, MY OTHER FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS IN REGARDS TO GREEN SPACE AND THE SPACE THAT WILL BE USED TO FOR, UM, MITIGATION, UM, ONGOING, UH, SUPPORT OF THE TAR PLANT AND THE BUTTERFLIES, UM, IT SAYS THAT THE, UH, PROJECT IS TO HAVE AS APPLICABLE AND FEASIBLE APPLICATION OR PLANTING OF NATIVE PLANTS FOR THE HABITAT THERE.
UM, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? DOES THAT MEAN, I MEAN, IS IT JUST A ONE TIME, IS IT AN ONGOING, ARE THEY RESPONSIBLE TO SECURE THAT? THE HABITAT IS THERE AND IT IS ONGOING, BUT IT'S, UH, THAT'S SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL, UM, OF THE STATE, UM, FISH AND WILDLIFE, AND WE ASK THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT AND APPLICANT TEAM TO COME FORWARD AND EXPLAIN, UH, THAT A LITTLE BIT.
SO THE, THE GENERAL LANGUAGE THAT YOU'RE, WAIT, WAIT.
UH, THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS THE GENERAL REQUIREMENT.
UH, I WAS A REQUEST FROM CDFW AS TO OUR GENERAL LANDSCAPING PLANT, SITEWIDE OUTSIDE OF THE TAR PLANT AREA.
UH, SO THE TAR PLANT AREA IS EXCLUSIVELY RESERVED FOR REPLANTING OF TAR PLANT USING ACQUIRED SEEDS FROM THE LOCAL AREA TO REPLACE THE TAR PLANTS THAT EITHER WERE ALREADY REMOVED OR WILL BE DISPLACED BY THE PROJECT CONSTRUCTION.
IN ADDITION, CAL, AMONG THE MANY, UM, ISSUES THAT WE WORKED THROUGH WITH CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE, THEY REQUESTED THAT WE, UM, USE AS MANY NATIVE PLANTS AS POSSIBLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE SAID THAT WE WOULD, UH, WE, WE COMMITTED TO DO THAT IN OUR LANDSCAPE PLAN, UH, TO THE EXTENT IT WAS FEASIBLE, WHILE ALSO COMPLYING WITH THE CITY AND STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR DROUGHT TOLERANT LANDSCAPING.
SORRY, I WAS HOPING TO GET YOU BEFORE YOU SAT DOWN, OH, SORRY.
WHAT IS THE MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR THAT? UH, MY CONCERN IS THAT A NATURAL PLANT RESERVE, IT CAN'T JUST SIT THERE, IT JUST GET FULL OF, YOU KNOW, MILKWEED AND MAOW AND ALL THIS OTHER, YOU KNOW, WEEDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PLAN IS TO MAINTAIN THAT AS AN ACTUAL PRESERVE? SURE.
SO THE, UM, THE EIR INCLUDES 17 SEPARATE BIOLOGICAL MITIGATION MEASURES TO ADDRESS A LOT OF THE WILDLIFE CONCERNS THAT YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT, INCLUDING, UM, SEVERAL THAT ARE ADDRESSED DIRECTLY TO THE TAR PLANT AND THE TAR PLANT MITIGATION AREA.
UM, SO BIO MITIGATION MEASURE, I BELIEVE IT'S ONE B SPEAKS TO ONE THE REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE, THE AREA, AND THEN TWO, THAT OUR SITE BIOLOGIST FIRST, FIRST CARBON, WHO'S, UH, HERE TODAY, IF YOU HAVE MORE DETAILED QUESTIONS THAN I CAN ANSWER, UM, HAS TO COME UP WITH ESSENTIALLY A LONG TERM MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR THE TAR PLAN OF HOW IT WILL BE CARED FOR AND MAINTAINED IN THE LONG TERM.
AND THAT HAS TO GO BACK TO CDFW AND IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BEFORE WE CAN BUILD THE PROJECT.
AND THAT BIO MITIGATION MEASURE ONE
[03:00:01]
B INCLUDES VERY SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE CRITERIA AND METRICS THAT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT PLAN.SO THIS IS NOT DEFERRED MITIGATION, IT'S VERY, THERE'S A VERY CLEAR SET OF REQUIREMENTS IN THE IR FOR WHAT THAT PLAN NEEDS TO INCLUDE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TARP PLANT CAN NOT ONLY BE PLANTED, BUT GROW AND SURVIVE IN THAT AREA.
AND, AND IS THERE A, HOW LONG DOES THAT LAST FOR? IS THAT JUST AS LONG AS YOU OCCUPY THE SITE? UH, I DUNNO IF FIRST CARBON CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
DO YOU WANT ME TO STAY HERE OR DO YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, MY NAME IS JOSEPH V WITH FIRST CARBON SOLUTIONS.
UM, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THE MITIGATION IS GONNA HAVE A, UM, A, UM, CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON IT OR, UM, UM, A MECHANISM TO, UH, PRESERVE IT IN PLACE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE A, UM, NOT WASTING ENDOWMENT TO, UM, PRESERVE IT, UM, LONG TERM.
SO A THIRD PARTY, UM, UM, LIKE LAND MANAGERS ARE GONNA BE, UM, IN CHARGE OF IT OVERTIME.
SO BASICALLY THERE WILL BE A, EFFECTIVELY A CONTRACT YEAH.
TO MAINTAIN THAT AS A PART OF, YEAH, FOR LONG.
AND THE SITE, THE, UH, STORAGE FACILITY WOULD PAY INTO THAT AS PART OF THEIR BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
AND DOES THAT GO WITH OTHER, UH, HABITAT IN THERE, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE FLOWER? IS THAT, UH, NO.
ONLY FOR THE, UM, UM, SOUTHERN TAR PLANT, UM, UM, PRESERVE AREA.
AND TAR, WE, IS THAT IT? OKAY, GO AHEAD.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM STAFF, AND, AND THIS IS 'CAUSE I DO NOT KNOW, UM, I, WE HEARD TONIGHT A LOT ABOUT THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY.
UM, IS THAT PART OF THE REPORT IS LIKE WHEN IN THE TRIBAL RESOURCE, IN THE TRIBAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES SECTION OF THE REPORT, IS THAT EVER CONSIDERED? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S COMMON OR NO? I, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, IT'S NOT COMMON, BUT IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED IF IT WAS RELEVANT IN THIS CASE.
SO YOU HEARD SOME TESTIMONY ABOUT WHAT EXISTED HISTORICALLY OR WHAT EXISTS ON OTHER PROPERTIES.
THERE ARE CERTAIN PROPERTIES IN THE CITY THAT HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A HORSE OVERLAY.
UM, THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE PROPERTIES.
THIS IS A FENCED PRIVATE PROPERTY, UM, THAT'S NOT CURRENTLY ACCESSED BY EQUESTRIAN.
SO IF WE WERE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION, THERE IS A PARCEL, UM, THE NORTHERN, UH, PART OF THE CITY NEAR THE, UM, NORTHERN PROPERTY LINE, UM, THAT THERE WAS A HORSE STABLE ON AND IT WAS ONE OF THE, UM, FEW REMAINING KIND OF HORSE HORSE TABLES IN THE, IN THE AREA.
SO IF WE HAD A PROJECT ON THAT SITE AND THEY WERE PROPOSING TO REMOVE THAT USE, WE WOULD DO A VERY FULL ANALYSIS ON WHAT THAT MEANT TO EQUESTRIAN USERS.
UM, BUT WE DON'T, IN A DOCUMENT THAT EVALUATES WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY IN 2025, TAKE A LOOK AT HOW A PROPERTY WAS USED IN 1949.
IF, IF THAT'S NOT RELEVANT TO TODAY.
AND IT'S IN THE 1977 EIR, THIS PROPERTY, THIS PARCEL IDENTIFIED.
I JUST WANT YOU TO RESTATE WHAT I ASKED OVER TWO HOURS AGO, UM, BECAUSE I ALWAYS LIKE TO SET THAT CONTEXT OF WHAT IS THIS BODY RESPONSIBLE FOR.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ASKS FOR US TO NOT APPROVE BASED ON UNDERSTANDABLY CHARGED EMOTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY, WHAT THE CITY HAS OR DOES NOT HAVE IS NOT IN OUR PURVIEW.
SO CAN YOU JUST REITERATE WHAT WE CAN DO? SURE.
I KNOW THAT CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL, I'VE READ THROUGH THEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP WITH COMPROMISE.
UM, THERE ARE TWO TRUTHS IN THIS, IN THIS ROOM.
THAT IS WHAT WE DO AS COMMISSIONERS.
BUT ARE THERE ANY OTHER CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL THAT ARE, THAT YOU EVEN SEE BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HOURS OF COMMENT HERE THAT ARE EVEN AVAILABLE TO US? YEAH, SO I MEAN, I THINK TO START WITH YOUR ROLE, THERE'S A USE PERMIT AND IT'S THE ROLE OF THIS, UH, COMMISSION SPECIFICALLY TO EVALUATE WHETHER THERE ARE ADVERSE IMPACTS, PHYSICAL IMPACTS OF, UM, THIS PROJECT ON IT, ON ITS SURROUNDINGS.
UM, SO YOU HAVE THAT ROLE AND, AND YOU HAVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT AND THE TESTIMONY TO MAKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN I THINK YOUR QUESTION IS MORE ABOUT THE POLICY CONSIDERATION.
SO, UM, CERTAINLY YOU HAVE A POLICY ROLE IF, UH, THIS WAS A DIFFERENT MATTER IF WE WERE STARTING THE GENERAL PLAN FROM SCRATCH OR
[03:05:01]
THE WORK WE'VE DONE, UM, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY TO DO COMPREHENSIVE REZONINGS, UM, YOU HAVE SORT OF POLICY CONSIDERATIONS THERE.UM, UP TO A POINT IN THAT POINT IS YOU CAN'T JUST COMPLETELY TAKE, UH, SOMEONE'S PROPERTY THROUGH WHAT'S CALLED A REGULATORY TAKING.
UM, BUT I THINK HERE KIND OF THE AIR, I, I'M, THAT'S THE POINT.
SO, SO IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, I THINK PART OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED THAT IS BENEFICIAL IS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK ABOUT HOW THIS PROPERTY WOULD CONNECT THE TRAIL SYSTEM TO THE ADJACENT, UM, PARCEL.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT TONIGHT AND CERTAINLY WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT MORE AND HOW THE APPLICANT TALK ABOUT THAT MORE.
THERE'S ALSO THE PARCEL THAT THE COUNTY'S IN DISCUSSION WITH ON THE OTHER SIDE AND, AND CERTAINLY, UM, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
I CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE, THIS IS GOING TO COUNCIL, I CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE WHATEVER, UM, FEEDBACK, UM, THIS COMMISSION WOULD LIKE, UM, AS PART OF THAT PROCESS.
UM, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, THIS PARCEL IS EAST OF THE FREEWAY AND THE RIVER, BUT WHAT MANY SPEAKERS BROUGHT UP TONIGHT IS A VERY REAL ISSUE FACING THE CITY, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH PARK SPACE ON THE WEST SIDE, WEST OF THE RIVER.
UM, AND ALLISON'S TEAM IS WORKING ON A PARKS AND OPEN SPACE PLAN THAT WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROCESS AND THEN, UM, PRESENTED TO THIS COMMISSION AS WELL AS TO THE PARKS COMMISSION.
AND THAT'S THE MECHANISM TO FIGURE OUT NOT JUST HOW DO WE ASPIRE TO HAVE PARKS, BUT HOW DO WE PAY FOR THEM? DO WE NEED, DO WE NEED TO RAISE PARK FEES? DO WE NEED TO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL OPEN SPACE ON PROJECTS? DO WE NOT NEED TO DO THAT SO THAT WE CAN RECOVER ADDITIONAL FEES? DO WE NEED TO APPROACH THE WEST SIDE DIFFERENT THAN THE MOST PARK POOR PART OF THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS CENTRAL LONG BEACH? SO THAT IS THE MECHANISM AND IT'S ALSO THE MECHANISM FOR US TO TALK ABOUT TRADE-OFFS.
IF, IF ONE PARCEL IS GONNA COST $200 MILLION AND THAT EATS UP THE PARK BUDGET FOR THE ENTIRE CITY FOR 20 YEARS, IS THAT THE RIGHT DECISION TO MAKE? OR IS THE DECISION, UM, TO BE FOCUSING ON TAX DEFAULTED PROPERTIES AND OTHER PROPERTIES, UM, THAT MAY NOT REQUIRE ENVIRONMENTAL MEDIATION AND ARE GOOD CANDIDATES FOR INCREASING PARK SPACE.
SO THOSE ARE ALL, UH, CONSIDERATIONS THAT WOULD HAPPEN ON A GOING FORWARD BASIS.
THERE ARE MECHANISMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, UM, TO THIS COMMISSION.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, BUT, AND I WAS JUST GONNA ADD, SO YOU HEARD IT FROM CHRISTOPHER, BUT JUST KIND, KIND OF SUMMARIZE.
IT'S, IT'S ABOUT WHETHER THE LEGAL FINDINGS CAN BE MADE IN TERMS OF WHAT'S BEFORE YOU AND, AND YOU DO HAVE THOSE IN THE PACKET AND THEY'VE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC REVIEW.
SO, UM, WITHIN THIS DECISION, I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT TO KEEP TOP OF MIND.
I WAS ALSO JUST GONNA ADD, I KNOW IN THE PREVIOUS QUESTION THERE WAS A QUESTION OF WHETHER THE ISSUES RELATED TO EQUESTRIAN TRAILS WERE ADDRESSED IN THE EIR AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT YOU AND THE PUBLIC TO, UM, PAGE, UH, TWO DASH 1 26 IN THE FINAL EIR DOES GO INTO MUCH MORE DETAIL ABOUT, UH, RESEARCH ON, UM, WHETHER, UM, THERE ARE EQUESTRIAN USES AND WHETHER THERE'S ANY, UM, CONFLICT OR IMPACT, UM, RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN DONE IN BOTH 2020 AND 2023.
UM, AND SO THAT, THAT ISSUE IS, UM, DOCUMENTED IN DETAIL THAT THERE IS, UM, NO, NO ISSUE AND NO IMPACT.
COMMISSIONER CLEMSON, THANK YOU.
UM, DIRECTOR ZA, I JUST WANTED TO DRILL INTO ONE THING YOU HAD SAID ABOUT WHETHER THIS HAS AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY MM-HMM
AND I GUESS THE THING I WANT TO GET IS A SENSE OF BEYOND OUR, JUST OUR JUDGMENT, WHAT ARE WE BASING THAT OFF OF? SO AN ADVERSE EFFECT, UM, IN THE LAW AND THE CASE LAW IS A PHYSICAL IMPACT THAT AFFECTS A LARGE NUMBER OF PERSONS.
SO, UM, IN THE SEQUEL WORLD, THAT MEANS NOT THAT I LOOK AT SOMETHING AND I PERSONALLY THINK IT'S UGLY.
AN AESTHETIC IMPACT WOULD BE, I USED TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE BLUE OCEAN FROM A PUBLIC POINT AND NOW I NO LONGER CAN.
UM, A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT WOULD BE NOT, OH, I HEAR THAT AND I DON'T LIKE IT.
IT WOULD BE THAT SOMETHING MAKES SO MUCH NOISE THAT IT EXCEEDS A SPECIFIC STANDARD IN THIS CITY, 70 DECIBELS AND THAT CAN BE MEASURED AND THAT IS DEMONSTRABLY AN IMPACT.
SO THAT'S HOW WE, UM, ADDRESS IMPACT.
SOME THINGS ARE MEASURABLE LIKE NOISE, OTHER THINGS ARE MORE AMORPHOUS, RIGHT? LIKE SO WHAT IS A LAND USE CONFLICT? WELL, TYPICALLY A LAND USE CONFLICT WOULD BE, IT DIRECTLY CONFLICTS
[03:10:01]
WITH A CITY ADOPTED REGULATORY DOCUMENT.SO THE ZONING SAYS YOU CAN'T DO THAT THERE.
AND THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS THAT USE OR UM, A CITY PLANT SAYS THAT PROPERTY SHALL ONLY BE USED FOR WAREHOUSE AND INSTEAD YOU'RE PUTTING IN A COOKIE STORE.
UM, OTHER INPUT IS, IS BEAUTIFUL AND THAT'S PART OF GUARDING THE INFORMATION, BUT SOMETHING BEING UNPOPULAR IN AND OF ITSELF IS NOT AN IMPACT.
SO TO BE CLEAR, IT IS NOT THE PURVIEW OF THIS BODY TO, TO, UM, UH, TO REFUSE TO ADOPT, UH, AN EIR, WHICH IS THE SUBJECT ON OF A, OF A PRIVATE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
BECAUSE WE THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TO BE A, IT WOULD, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A PARK THERE, CORRECT? CORRECT.
YOU SO THE QUESTION BEFORE THIS COMMISSION ISN'T PERFECT.
UH, I DO HAVE A CLARIFICATION TO ASK OUR LEGAL, UM, ADVISOR.
WE HAVE THREE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE ONE RECOMMENDATION HAS SIX PARTS.
IS THIS ALL UNDER ONE MOTION? SO THIS ITEM WILL BE GOING TO COUNCIL FOR FUTURE ACTION SO WE CAN TAKE IT IN ONE MOTION.
'CAUSE THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION ONTO THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO, UM, MADAM CLERK, I WOULD LIKE TO PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE, UM, BY SHARE TEMPLATE.
I CAN TAKE A VERBAL IF IT'S NOT ON YOUR SCREEN.
I THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING AT THIS TIME.
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Planning Commission on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.]
NON AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT.YOU MAY COME UP TO THE JUSTICE AT THE MIC ON THINGS THAT WERE NOT ON THE AGENDA.
I'M GIVING IT A COUPLE MINUTES HERE.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT, UH, VIRTUALLY IS AVAILABLE? IF YOU ARE JOINING US VIRTUALLY AND YOU'LL LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AG ITEMS, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FUNCTION AT THIS TIME.
ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU'RE JOINING US VIRTUALLY AND YOU'RE LIKE TO BUT PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AG AGENDA ITEMS, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FUNCTION AT THIS TIME.
THERE APPEARS TO BE NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? UH, VICE CHAIR, THERE'S SOMEONE AT THE PODIUM FOR NON-AG AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK COMMISSIONER SUAREZ WHO HAPPENS TO BE AN ALUM OF THE COLLEGE THAT I WENT TO ZI.
CON THAT CONCLUDES NON AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT.
[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? MR. CLEMSON? COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, PLEASE.I JUST WANTED TO, UM, CONGRATULATE THE TEAM ON A WONDERFUL DAY YESTERDAY AT THE AQUARIUM.
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I'VE SEEN COME OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT.
AND I WANNA THANK Y'ALL FOR A WONDERFUL 527 PAGE ERA TO READ AND A WONDERFULLY PUT TOGETHER DOCUMENT.
IT WAS VERY THOUGHTFUL, IT WAS VERY OPEN SIDED AND UH, IT WAS A LOT OF READING AND, UH, I THINK IT HELPED.
[ADJOURNMENT]
NO OBJECTION, I DECLARE THIS MEETING ADJOURNED.