[00:03:21]
WE'RE READY WHEN YOU'RE READY.
[CALL TO ORDER]
ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO ORDER FOR NOVEMBER 20TH, 2025.[ROLL CALL]
CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.COMMISSIONER TE CLEMSON PRESENT.
WHERE? CHAIR CASTILLO PRESENT.
I'M SORRY FOR, SORRY FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING.
I HEARD THAT WRONG WHEN I RESPONDED, BUT
UM, FOR, FOR THE RECORD, VICE CHAIR AWARE IS EXCUSED FROM THE MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? UH, FROM THE COMMISSION? SEEING NONE.
UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND LEAD THE
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOR THIS MEETING.UH, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY.
UH, WE WILL FIRST ORDER IS, UH, FOR ANYONE THAT IS PLANNING TO SPEAK TODAY.
UM, UH, WE'LL SWEAR IN WITNESSES.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE GIVING TESTIMONY, PLEASE STAND AND RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
WE'LL GIVE IT A QUICK SECOND HERE JUST TO MAKE SURE.
[00:05:03]
ALRIGHT.IF, UM, DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT THE EVIDENCE YOU'LL SHALL GIVE AT THIS PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING SHALL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.
[1. 25-57009 Recommendation to receive and file Director’s Report. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
ONE, I RECORD TO RECEIVE AND FILE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.I'LL HAND IT OVER TO THE STAFF CHAIR.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR ITEM ONE, PLEASE? SORRY, IT'S TAKING A SECOND HERE.
UH, MOTION WAS MOVED BY COMMISSIONER TEMPLIN AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SANTOS.
I DON'T HAVE THE SCREEN ON ME.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO STAFF FOR DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
THANK YOU, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UM, JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU, UM, THAT THE DECEMBER 4TH PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING WAS CANCELED, UM, AS YOU SAW.
UM, AND A REMINDER THAT WE DO ANTICIPATE A MEETING ON, UH, DECEMBER 18TH.
UM, AND THOSE HEARING NOTICES WILL POST SHORTLY.
AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, CHRISTOPHER KOONTZ, FOR AN UPDATE ON, ON A RECENT COUNCIL ACTION THAT IMPACTS THIS BODY.
UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO THANKSGIVING.
WANTED TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE UPDATES.
UH, ON TUESDAY EVENING, THE CITY COUNCIL TOOK UP AN ACTION RELATED TO WHAT'S CALLED, UM, THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS AND CONDEMNATIONS, UH, THAT WE OFTENTIMES REFER TO AS BAC.
UM, BAC IS A, UM, BODY THAT HEARS APPEALS RELATED TO BUILDING PERMITS AND CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS.
UM, IT'S A BODY THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN IT WAS CREATED, UH, IN THE, UM, MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO, BUT WHOSE CASE LAW, UH, CASELOAD HAS DECREASED.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL TOOK THE ACTION TO, UM, DISSOLVE THAT BODY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WILL TAKE A COUPLE MONTHS TO EFFECTUATE AND AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE.
UM, BUT THERE WILL BE SOME ADDITIONAL WORK FOR YOU FOLKS BECAUSE YOU WILL BE INHERITING, UM, THOSE CASES THAT WOULD'VE OTHERWISE GONE TO BAC.
UM, SO IT'S NOT A HUGE INCREASE IN YOUR WORKLOAD.
UM, BAC HERE IS ABOUT EIGHT CASES PER YEAR.
UM, BUT THIS WILL BE VERY SIMILAR TO CASES THAT YOU HEAR TODAY WHERE YOU HEAR APPEALS, UM, FROM ACTIONS THAT THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR TOOK.
UM, BUT YOU'LL BE HEARING APPEALS OF, UM, MAYBE SOMEONE WHO RECEIVED A CODE ENFORCEMENT CITATION OR WAS BILLED FOR A VACANT LOT AND BELIEVES THEIR LAW IS NOT VACANT, UM, OR A BUILDING THAT'S CONDEMNED AND, AND THEY DISPUTE THAT.
UM, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE DUE PROCESS, BUT YOU'RE THE BODY THAT IS GREAT AT HOLDING HEARINGS AND THAT, UH, MEETS VERY FREQUENTLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, UM, WORKING WITH YOUR ATTORNEY TO FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS HEARD AND THE EVIDENCE IS CONSIDERED.
SO, UM, THAT WILL HAPPEN, UM, IN 2026.
JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU, UM, THAT UPDATE AND, UM, LIGHTER NEWS.
JUST WANTED TO, UM, LET YOU KNOW YOU'LL BE GETTING AN INVITATION IN THE DAYS TO COME, UM, TO HOLIDAY PARTY THAT WE PUT ON FOR ALL OF OUR COMMISSIONERS.
IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.
IT'LL BE ALL OF OUR COMMISSIONS TOGETHER.
SO THAT'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO MEET YOUR COUNTERPARTS ON THE CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMISSION, UM, ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BODY, L-B-C-I-C, AS WELL AS THOSE OUTGOING, UM, BX, UM, COMMISSIONER.
SO THAT'LL BE HELD, I THINK, UH, DECEMBER 11TH.
AND THERE'LL BE SOME INFORMATION COMING OUT, UM, SOON ABOUT THAT.
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE'RE READY FOR THE BUSINESS PART OF THE MEETING.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, PLEASE FEEL FREE SEEING NONE.
ANY VIRTUAL COMMENTS? IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
NOW, IF DIALING IN TELEPHONICALLY, PRESS STAR NINE.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK, UH, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.
COMMISSIONER ES I CAN TAKE A VERBAL
[00:10:01]
YES.UH, CAN YOU READ THE NEXT ITEM, PLEASE? ITEM TWO.
[2. 25-57010 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Planning Commission meeting of Thursday, November 6, 2025. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH, 2025.MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND PLEASE? ALL RIGHT.
UH, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ AND COMMISSIONER SANTOS.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? OKAY, WE'LL NOW HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE USE YOUR RAISE HAND FEATURE NOW.
IF DIALING IN TELEPHONICALLY, PRESS STAR NINE NOW.
SEEING NONE, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM.
OKAY, MADAM CLERK, UH, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.
[3. 25-57045 Recommendation to accept Categorical Exemption CE-25-127; and Approve a Conditional Use Permit (CUP25-005) and Local Coastal Development Permit (LCDP25-015), and adopt the proposed findings and conditions of approval thereto, to allow an existing restaurant to upgrade an existing California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Type 41 License (On-Sale Beer and Wine - Eating Place) to a Type 47 License (On-Sale General - Eating Place) at 4722 East 2nd Street in Neighborhood Commercial and Pedestrian (CNP) Zoning District. (District 3) Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
THREE, RECOMMENDATION TO ACCEPT CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION CE DASH 25 DASH 27 AND APPROVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND LOCAL COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED FINDINGS AND CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL THERETO TO ALLOW AN EXISTING RESTAURANT TO UPGRADE AN EXIST CORRECTION TO UPGRADE AN EXISTING CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL TYPE 41 LICENSE TO A TYPE 47 LICENSE AT 4 7 2 2 EAST SECOND STREET AND NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL AND PEDESTRIAN ZONING DISTRICT DISTRICT THREE.MAY I HAVE A, A MOTION AND A SECOND PLEASE.
COMMISSIONER NESS AND COMMISSIONER TEMPLE.
WE'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO THE STAFF FOR PRESENTATION.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO THE PROJECT PLANNER, MIGUEL SAMOA IN JUST A MINUTE.
I JUST WANT TO NOTE, UM, AS IT DESCRIBES IN THE STAFF REPORT, THIS IS A REQUEST, UM, OF AN EXISTING, UH, LOCATION THAT SERVES ALCOHOL TO UPGRADE TO A DIFFERENT LICENSE TYPE.
UM, AND I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THIS DOES COME AT A TIME OF HEIGHTENED CONCERN, UM, REGARDING, UM, CRIME AND NUISANCE ACTIVITY.
THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS AT, UM, THE CITY COUNCIL JUST LAST WEEK, AND THE COUNCIL AND STAFF ARE WORKING WITH, UM, AREA STAKEHOLDERS TO ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES.
UM, AND AS YOU'LL HEAR IN THE STAFF REPORT, THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL, UM, IS PROPOSED TO BE VERY TIGHTLY CONDITIONED, INCLUDING, INCLUDING A CLOSURE AT 10:00 PM TO ASSURE IT OPERATES ALWAYS AS A RESTAURANT FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON FOOD WITH ALCOHOL SERVICE.
UH, AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MIGUEL.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS AN APPLICATION FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND LOCAL COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT TO ALLOW AN EXISTING RESTAURANT TO UPGRADE ITS ONSITE ALCOHOL SERVING LICENSE TYPE.
THE SUBJECT SITE IS LOCATED AT 47 22 EAST SECOND STREET ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN PARK AVENUE AND SECOND STREET.
IT CONSISTS OF A TWO STORY MULTI-TENANT COMMERCIAL BUILDING.
THE SITE IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, COMMERCIAL AND PEDESTRIAN ZONING DISTRICT WITH A 1986 GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION OF NUMBER EIGHT P PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED RETAIL.
IT'S ALSO LOCATED WITHIN THE COASTAL, UH, COASTAL ZONE CITY PERMITTING JURISDICTION WHERE THE CITY IS THE SOLE PERMITTING AUTHORITY AND WITHIN AREA D OF THE LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM, BELMONT SHORE.
THE EXISTING USE FOR THIS SPACE IS A RESTAURANT CALLED LET'S YOGA ABOUT IT, WHICH HAS AN A EXISTING A BC TYPE 41 LICENSE WITH A LEGAL NON-CONFORMING FIXED BAR.
THE SURROUNDING USES EAST AND WEST ARE VISITOR AND RESIDENCE SERVINGS, SUCH AS RETAIL RESTAURANTS, WHEREAS NORTH AND SOUTH OF THIS COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR IS LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
ON THE SCREEN, YOU'LL SEE EXTERIOR PHOTOS OF THE SUBJECT SITE WITH AN OUTDOOR DINING AREA FEATURED ON THE LEFT.
THE MIDDLE PICTURE IS THE REAR OF THE UNIT ON THE RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE OVER THE OVERALL RESTAURANT SPACE FROM THE, FROM THE OUTSIDE.
OUTDOOR DINING IS COVERED BY A BLANKET LCTP FOR DINING IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, AND THE APPLICANT IS CURRENTLY OBTAINING, IF NOT, HAS ALREADY OBTAINED SIDEWALK DINING PERMITS FROM THE PUBLIC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
[00:15:01]
AND THEN HERE YOU CAN SEE PHOTOS OF THE INTERIOR.ON THE LEFT IS THE REAR DINING AREA, MIDDLE IS THE MAIN FRONT DINING AREA WITH THE FIXED BAR AND THE BACK OF HOUSE KITCHEN IS ON THE RIGHT.
THE EXISTING RESTAURANT HAS OPERATED SINCE 2020 AND OCCUPIES A 3,130 SQUARE FOOT COMMERCIAL SUITE WITH 1032 SQUARE FEET DEDICATED TO THE DINING AREA.
THE FIXED BAR IS 33 AND A HALF LINEAR LINEAR FEET.
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT ALCOHOL SERVING USES HAVE EXISTED ON THIS SITE SINCE APPROXIMATELY 1965.
THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING APPROVAL OF A CUP AND LCDP TO UPGRADE THEIR LICENSE.
TYPE 41 FOR BEER WINE TO A TYPE 47 FOR BEER, WINE, AND DISTILLED SPIRITS.
FOR CLARIFICATION, BOTH LICENSES ARE FOR BONAFIDE EATING ESTABLISHMENTS THAT REQUIRE FOOD SERVICE.
NO EXTERIOR OR INTERIOR RENOVATIONS ARE PROPOSED.
AS PART OF THIS APPLICATION, THE BUILDING MAINTAINS LEGAL NON-CONFORMING RIGHTS TO THE EXISTING RESTAURANT USE.
SINCE THE PARCEL DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY ONSITE PARKING, HOWEVER, THE USE SHARES OFF STREET PUBLIC PARKING WITH OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE AREA.
FURTHERMORE, THE PROJECT IS IN THE PARKING EXEMPT AREA AND WHILE IT IS NOT IN EFFECT IN THE COASTAL ZONE, CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 6 5 8 6 3 0.2, ALSO KNOWN AS AB 2097 EXEMPTS PARKING REQUIREMENTS, REGARDLESS OF COASTAL COMMISSION ADOPTION OR CERTIFICATION, THE USE PROPOSES TO OPERATE WITH A LICENSE TYPE A BC LICENSE TYPE 47 FOR ON-PREMISES SALES OF BEER, WINE, AND SOLD SPIRITS AT A BONAFIDE EATING PLACE.
THIS UPGRADE WOULD NOT RESULT IN A NET INCREASE IN A BC LICENSES IN THIS AREA.
THE FLOOR PLAN ON THE LEFT SHOWS THE ENTRY AND EXIT POINTS IN GOLD.
THE INDOOR DINING AREAS IN RED, THE EXISTING LEGAL NONCONFORMING FIXED BAR IN BLUE, AND THE OUTDOOR DINING AREA IN GREEN.
THE HOURS OF OPERATION ARE PROPOSED TO INCREASE FROM THE ORIGINAL 7:00 AM TO 2:00 PM TO 7:00 AM TO 10:00 PM DAILY TO PROVIDE EXPANDED LUNCH AND DINNER OPTIONS.
THE EXPANDED SERVICE HOURS ANTICIPATE AROUND SIX TO 11 EMPLOYEES PER SHIFT.
ALL SERVERS AND BARTENDERS MUST BE CERTIFIED WITH THE ABC'S RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVICE PROGRAM TO ENSURE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL PATRONS AND STAFF.
THE PROJECT IS IN CENSUS TRACK 5 7 7 3 POLICE DISTRICT 5 72 AND IS IN THE EAST DIVISION.
THIS SPECIFIC TRACK ENVISIONS SIX ON SALE LICENSES AND HAS 34 EXISTING ON SALE LICENSES.
AS IS THE CASE IN A LOT OF COMMERCIAL AREAS, THIS AREA IS CONSIDERED HIGH CRIME WITH 141 CRIMES REPORTED IN THE DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, FOR THIS PARTICULAR SITE, THERE WERE ZERO CALLS FOR SERVICE PURSUANT TO THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE.
AN ENTITLEMENT MAY BE APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION WHEN POSITIVE FINDINGS CAN BE MADE STAFF VINES, THAT POSITIVE FINDINGS CAN BE MADE IN SUPPORT OF THIS APPLICATION.
THE PROPOSAL SEEKS TO UPGRADE ITS EXISTING ALCOHOL SERVING LICENSE TO ALLOW A WIDER RANGE OF BEVERAGE OPTIONS.
THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF THE USE MUST STILL REMAIN A RESTAURANT TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE AND THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL.
FOR THE FIRST FINDING, THE EXISTING USE IS A RESTAURANT WHERE ALCOHOL SERVING IS ACCESSORY TO THE PRIMARY USE.
MEANING, MEANING IT WOULD NOT CREATE A STANDALONE USE FOR THE SECOND FINDING MEASURES WILL BE IN PLACE TO CONSIDER COMMUNITY WELFARE, SUCH AS URBAN ETIQUETTE, SIGNAGE AND STAFF TRAINING.
IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT NO EXPANSION OF FLOOR AREA IS PROPOSED AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 2152, NO ADDITIONAL PARKING IS REQUIRED.
THE OPERATOR WILL PROVIDE NIGHT LIGHTING AND CAMERAS AND WILL TAKE MEASURES TO PREVENT LOITERING AND OTHER UNWANTED ACTIVITIES.
WHILE THERE IS AN OVER CONCENTRATION OF ON SALE ALCOHOL LICENSES IN THIS AREA, THIS LICENSE IS SHOULD BE NOTED AS IS ACCESSORY TO THE EXISTING PRIMARY RESTAURANT USE WHERE FOOD SERVICE IS REQUIRED.
THE USE IS APPROXIMATELY 340 FEET SOUTH OF LIVINGSTON PARK WHERE THE PARK IS BUFFERED BY BUSINESSES ALONG SECOND STREET.
AND ALTHOUGH THIS APPLICATION AIMS TO ENHANCE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE THROUGH EXPANDED FOOD MENU, UM, ALONG WITH A VARIETY OF BEVERAGE AND DOES NOT AIM TO POSE AN ADDITIONAL RISK OF NUISANCE TO THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND FURTHERMORE, THE SUBJECT SITE IS APPROXIMATELY 2000 FEET SOUTHWEST OF LOWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
PURSUANT TO THE CITY'S LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM, THESE WOULD CONFORM TO THE LCP REQUIREMENT FOR AREA D BELMONT SHORE, WHERE PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED COMMERCIAL USES HAVE HISTORICALLY EXISTED.
NO LOW OR MODERATE INCOME HOUSING IS BEING AFFECTED.
THE PROPOSED WOULD CONFORM THE PROPOSAL, WOULD CONFORM TO THE PUBLIC ACCESS AND RECREATION POLICIES OF CHAPTER THREE OF THE COASTAL ACT.
[00:20:01]
THE APPLICATION DOES NOT PROPOSE OR DOES NOT INVOLVE AN ASSEMBLY USE, NOR DOES IT PROPOSE TO RESTRICT SHORT-TERM RENTALS.THE BUILDING IS EXISTING WITH NO FIXED FLOOR AREA EXPANSION PROPOSED AND ADEQUATELY SERVICED BY ALL UTILITIES.
AND THE APPLICATION DOES NOT PROPOSE TO LEGALIZE ANY UNPERMITTED DWELLING UNITS IN ORDER TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE ZONING REGULATIONS AND TO PROVIDE A MEANINGFUL USE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE PROJECT CON CONDITIONS SUCH AS LIMITING THE HOURS OF OPERATION DAILY FULL AND COMPLETE MEALS MUST BE AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES THAT THE, UH, AT THE ESTABLISHMENT, ALL SERVERS AND BARTENDERS MUST BE RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVICE CERTIFIED CLEAR URBAN ETIQUETTE SIGNAGE ALONG ALL POINTS OF ENTRY AND OUTDOOR DINING AREAS STATING NO ALCOHOL BEYOND THESE POINTS, SECURITY CAMERAS.
AND IF ANY ENTERTAINMENT IS TO BE PROPOSED, AN ENTERTAINMENT LICENSE WILL NEED TO BE OBTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GUIDELINES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CQA.
THIS PROJECT IS EXEMPT PER SECTION 15 3 0 1 FOR EXISTING FACILITIES.
AS THE PROJECT CONSISTS OF AN A BC LICENSE TYPE UPGRADE WITH NO EXPANSION OF FLOOR AREA.
THE APPLICATION WAS DULY NOTICED PURSUANT TO THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE.
AND AS OF TODAY, 21 COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED WITH FOUR VOICING NO SUPPORT.
BASED ON THE ABOVE INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS, STAFF RECOMMENDS ACCEPTING THE CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION AND APPROVING THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND LOCAL COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS.
THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
UM, QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? I'LL GO AHEAD AND LEAD OFF THEN.
UH, COULD YOU, UH, EMPHASIZE, ALTHOUGH YOU ALREADY COVERED IT ALREADY, I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THE HOURS OF SERVICE AND WHAT TIME IT'S GONNA BE CUT OFF.
UH, THE PROPOSED HOURS OF OPERATION ARE 7:00 AM TO 10:00 PM DAILY.
10:00 PM AND 'CAUSE UH, I WANNA ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS THAT HAD, UH, COMMAND IN WRITING AROUND, UH, MANY OF THEM SAYING THEY DIDN'T WANT THE ALCOHOL BEING SERVED PAST MIDNIGHT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, WHICH I BELIEVE THIS ALREADY ADDRESSES AS WELL.
UM, IN, IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNICATION THAT WENT OUT ON THE NOTICE, UH, THERE, THERE I SAW A LITTLE BIT OF A THEME, UM, IN SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT CAME IN FROM THE PUBLIC AROUND, UH, THE LICENSE BEING CONTINUED TO REUSED AT SOME POINT AND TURNED INTO A BAR.
UH, CAN YOU SPEAK TO HOW THE PRACTICALITY OF THAT AND WHETHER THAT'S A, A FACTUAL, UH, OBJECTION.
SO I THINK YOU'RE ASKING JUST FOR AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFERENT LICENSE TYPES AND THE RESTRICTIONS AND THE CONDITIONS.
UM, SO THIS PROPOSAL IS, UM, RESTRICTED TO THE SET OF CONDITIONS THAT ARE BEFORE YOU IN THE PACKET, WHICH INCLUDE REQUIRING, UM, THE USE TO, TO CONTINUE TO, UM, ACT AS A BONAFIDE EATING RESTAURANT AND TO CLOSE BY 10:00 PM.
UM, THAT'S BOTH A REQUIREMENT OF THE LAND USE APPROVAL, BUT ALSO THE ALCOHOL LICENSE TYPE.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ALCOHOL, UM, LICENSES, WHICH THE TEAM CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO THE MOST COMMON A BC LICENSE TYPE THAT YOU'LL SEE FOR, LET'S SAY A BAR OR A TAVERN IS INTO 48, WHERE, UM, FOOD IS NOT REQUIRED AND MINORS ARE NOT PERMITTED.
IN THIS CASE, THIS IS A BONAFIDE RESTAURANT WHERE MINERS MUST BE ALLOWED, FAMILIES MUST BE ALLOWED, AND FOOD MUST BE SERVED.
THE KITCHEN CAN NEVER CLOSE SO LONG.
SO ESSENCE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK IF THEY WERE ATTEMPT TO USE IT FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE.
AND ALSO, CAN YOU SPEAK TO, UM, THE APPLICABILITY OR USE OF THIS AS IT TIES INTO THE, IS IT TIED TO THE RESTAURANT ESTABLISHMENT TO THE LAND OR COULD SOMEONE ELSE GO AHEAD AND, UH, USE IT FOR SOME OTHER PURPOSE LATER IF THAT BUSINESS WERE TO BE SOLD? SURE.
SO MAYBE A MORE COMPLICATED QUESTION THAN IT SEEMS
UM, RESTAURANTS COME AND GO VERY FREQUENTLY.
IT'S AN AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL THING WHEN SOMEONE WANTS TO RUN A RESTAURANT 'CAUSE IT'S A, A HIGH RISK, DIFFICULT, UH, ENDEAVOR FOR AN ENTREPRENEUR.
UM, SO, UM, THIS RESTAURANT HOPEFULLY SUCCEEDS FOR A HUNDRED YEARS, BUT IF IT DOESN'T, SOMEONE COULD COME IN, OPERATE A RESTAURANT AT THIS LOCATION UNDER THIS FLOOR PLAN, UM, WITH THIS APPROVAL WITHOUT COMING BACK.
IT RUNS WITH THE LAND MM-HMM
RATHER THAN WITH THE OPERATOR.
BUT I THINK WHERE THE PUBLIC CONCERN COMES FROM IS COULD SOMEONE ASSUME THIS LOCATION, CHANGE THE ENTIRE FLOOR PLAN, CHANGE THE OPERATIONS, RUN IT NOT AS A FAMILY RESTAURANT, BUT AS A ROWDY HEAVY METAL
[00:25:01]
BAR? AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO.UM, THEY COULDN'T EVEN RUN IT AS A DIFFERENT SORT OF ORIENTATION OF RESTAURANT BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT FLOOR PLAN, WHICH WOULD TRIGGER THEM COMING BACK.
UM, BUT WE DID GET A LOT OF THOSE LETTERS.
SO, UH, WE DO HAVE SOME UPDATED LANGUAGE ALLISON CAN SHARE WITH YOU, UM, THAT WE COULD ADD TO YOUR ACTION TONIGHT JUST TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE CLEAR, UM, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE, THE OPERATOR, ANY FUTURE OPERATOR AND THE PUBLIC, UM, THAT THE FLOOR PLAN ITSELF ALSO CANNOT CHANGE.
THANK YOU, CHRISTOPHER, FOR, FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
'CAUSE I THINK IT, IT WAS WARRANTING TO, TO CLARIFY THAT BECAUSE THERE, THERE APPEAR TO BE A MISUNDERSTANDING IN TERMS OF THAT, UM, WHETHER IT'S A CONSPIRACY THEORY OR SOMETHING ELSE, BUT IT'S NOT.
UM, THERE ARE CONTROLS, THERE ARE CHECKS AND BALANCES TO ENSURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
UM, UH, OTHER, OTHER COMMISSIONERS SEEING NONE.
I'LL LET THE APPLICANT PLEASE COME FORWARD IF YOU'D LIKE TO PRESENT.
I DIDN'T REALLY PREPARE ANYTHING.
MY NAME'S REBECCA HENDRA AND I OWN, LET'S YOLK ABOUT IT.
THIS IS BRIANNA JACKSON, GENERAL MANAGER.
SHE'LL BE BUYING IN IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS AS AN OWNER AS WELL.
UM, WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 2020.
I'VE WORKED IN LONG BEACH SINCE 2005.
I STARTED AT TEQUILA JACKSON AS A SERVER, AND THEN I, IN 2007, I WENT TO LEGENDS AND I WAS A DAYTIME BARTENDER THERE FROM 2007 TO 2017.
I NEVER HAD ONE INCIDENT REGARDING ALCOHOL OVER, OVER SERVING OR, UM, ANYTHING IN THAT VEIN.
UM, I WENT ON TO BECOME THE GENERAL MANAGER OF BREAKFAST BAR DOWNTOWN.
I DID THAT FOR A FEW YEARS AND THEN, UM, HELPED SOME FRIENDS OPEN UP THEIR BUSINESSES, TENNESSEE JACKS AND A FEW OTHER PLACES AROUND HERE WITH, UM, STAFFING AND SOURCING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I'M DEEP ROOTED IN, UH, THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY HERE IN LONG BEACH.
I TAKE, UM, SAFETY VERY SERIOUSLY.
I KNOW, UM, OUR CITY IS UNDER A LOT OF, UM, MICROSCOPES WITH THE UPCOMING OLYMPICS.
AND I KNOW THAT EVEN MY TOWN, UH, MY AREA, MY AREA ALONE HAS HAD, UM, SOME REALLY DISASTROUS, UNFORTUNATE SITUATIONS HAPPEN.
AND, BUT I DO WANT TO EXPRESS THAT THAT DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ME.
I, UM, IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH ME IN TERMS OF, OF SERVICE AND, AND THE DRINKS THAT I SERVE COULD RESULT IN THOSE ACTIONS.
BUT THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN IN OUR WATCH BECAUSE, UH, EVERYONE ON MY STAFF ALREADY IS RBS, UH, CERTIFIED.
UM, THEY, WE'VE HAD MANY MEETINGS ABOUT HOW DETRIMENTAL IT COULD BE TO EVEN JUST SERVE A FRIEND, AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE, AND REALLY, UM, EXPRESSED HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF OUR PATRONS, KEEPING THEM SAFE AS WELL AS OUR STAFF.
UM, I'M LOSING MYSELF, BUT I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS, MY FEAR TODAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FIRST WERE PRESENTED WITH CLO CLOSURE, WE WERE PRESENTED AT MIDNIGHT.
AND THAT WAS FINE WITH US BECAUSE WE WANNA DO REHEARSAL.
WE DO A LOT OF WEDDING REHEARSAL DINNERS, BABY SHOWERS, BRIDAL SHOWERS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, SO WE WERE LIKE, OH YEAH, MIDNIGHT'S GREAT.
BUT THEN, UH, THEY SAID THAT IT, THE, THE CUP WOULD NOT GO TILL MIDNIGHT, IT'LL GO TILL 11.
WE'RE LIKE, THAT'S FINE, WE'RE IN BED BY MIDNIGHT ANYWAYS.
AND THEN NOW THEY'RE SAYING 10:00 PM MY CONCERN, AND I GUESS IF I COULD ASK, AND I'M, I'M HAPPY WITH 10:00 PM I'M HAPPY TO CLOSE MY PATIO AT 9:00 PM I DON'T WANNA DISTURB THE NEIGHBORS.
UM, ALL OF OUR, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO ARE, YOU KNOW, 50, 60 70TH BIRTHDAY PARTIES, DINNERS, UH, WE DID A DINNER LAST NIGHT THAT WAS A WINE PAIRING DINNER.
UM, I DON'T NEED TO BE UP RAGING BEYOND THAT.
BUT WHAT WOULD BE NICE IS IF WE COULD START A DINNER AT EIGHT O'CLOCK AND IF THE LICENSE COULD GO TO AT LEAST 10 30, THAT MEANS WE WOULD DO OUR LAST CALL AT 10, PULL THE DRINKS AT 10 30 AND THAT WOULD GIVE US THE TIME TO DO THE EITHER SEVEN TO NINE OR EIGHT TO 10, UM, DINNER SET PRESET DINNERS.
UM, I KNOW IT'S A LONG SHOT CONSIDERING THE TIME THAT IS, UM, HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING AROUND, BUT WE ARE SATISFIED WITH, UH, THE PERMIT, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS UP TO THIS POINT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? UM, YES, I DID PREPARE A LITTLE SOMETHING.
UM,
[00:30:01]
TO REINTRODUCE MYSELF, MY NAME IS BRIANNA JACKSON.I'VE BEEN IN THE HOSPITALITY RESTAURANT INDUSTRY SINCE I WAS 16 YEARS OLD, SO 20 PLUS YEARS NOW.
UM, I'VE LEARNED A LOT, MET A LOT OF AMAZING PEOPLE, LEARNED INTEGRAL SKILLS THAT PERTAIN TO MY DAILY LIFE.
UM, IT'S ALSO SHOWN ITSELF TO BE A VERY CHALLENGING INDUSTRY, AS YOU'VE TOUCHED ON ALREADY TONIGHT.
IT HAS A VERY HIGH FAILURE RATE.
UM, I'VE SEEN MANY, MANY RESTAURANTS FAIL RESTAURANTS WITH OWNERS WHO HAD THE SKILL DRIVE, AMBITION, PASSION, INTEGRITY, BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS, EVERYTHING NECESSARY, YET THEY STILL HAD TO CLOSE THEIR DOORS.
I HAVE SEEN PERSONALLY RUNNING THIS RESTAURANT FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, US LOSE A LOT OF, UH, REVENUE AND POTENTIAL NEW CUSTOMERS BASED ON THE SOLE FACT THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A FULL LIQUOR LICENSE.
WE ARE JUST SEEKING TO BE ON THE SAME LEVEL PLAYING FIELD AS OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR OTHER RESTAURANTS, UM, INCLUDING THE ONES WHO SERVE BREAKFAST SUCH AS WE DO.
WE LOVE THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY.
WE WANNA CONTINUE RUNNING THIS RESTAURANT FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.
WE HAVE DEEP ROOTS HERE AND WE TRY TO GIVE BACK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, BY UPGRADING OUR CURRENT LICENSE, IT WOULD INCREASE OUR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL IN THIS CHALLENGING INDUSTRY.
AS SHE MENTIONED, ALL OF OUR STAFF ARE RBS CERTIFIED.
WE RUN A VERY TIGHT SHIP AND WE STAND BEHIND EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE THAT WE HIRE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR HELP WITH.
WE ARE LOCATED AND OPERATE IN A BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, HELP IMPROVE OUR BUSINESS.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE LAST THING, IF I MAY.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S A FEAR OF TURNING OVER THE RESTAURANT, UH, TO SOMEONE ELSE IN THE FUTURE.
I FIND MYSELF IN A FRANCHISE GROUP RECENTLY OF 36 PEOPLE.
UH, THE NEXT PEOPLE IN THOSE GROUPS OWN, UM, 200, THE OWNER OF WAHOOS, WHO'S IN IT, UH, DENNY'S, ALL THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I'M STUDYING REALLY HARD TO, UH, I WANNA BE A NATIONAL COMPANY EVENTUALLY, AND I AM ESTABLISHED HERE IN LONG BEACH.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S A PIPE DREAM.
IT HAPPENED WITH YARD HOUSE AND I DO BELIEVE THAT IT WILL HAPPEN WITH ME.
AND THAT BRICK AND MORTAR WILL NEVER GO ANYWHERE.
UM, HOPEFULLY
UM, YOU'RE ASKING FOR THE DRINKS TO GO TO 10 30, IS THAT WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING? IF, IF, IF POSSIBLE, WITH THE CUTOFF FOR THE DRINKS AT 10, ARE YOU STILL ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO BE OPEN UNTIL 10 30, 11 WITH YOUR PARTY? I, I DON'T KNOW.
YEAH, WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T WE FINISH WITH ALL YOUR QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT AND THEN WE CAN PROVIDE SOME STUFF THAT, MY QUESTION ABOUT FEEDBACK.
AND ARE YOU ASKING IT FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK OR JUST FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT FOR AN EXTENSION? I DON'T KNOW WHEN YOUR PARTIES ARE.
THAT THAT WAS MY, WELL, I QUESTION GET ONE SHOT AT THIS, SO I'M GONNA ASK FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK,
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
UM, KIND OF ALONG THE SAME LINES, I GOT A LITTLE BIT LOST WITH DESCRIBING THE PROCESS OF HOW YOU WENT FROM MIDNIGHT TO WHAT IS NOW 10 O'CLOCK.
CAN YOU RUN THROUGH THAT ONE MORE TIME? I THINK OVER TIME WE, IT WAS DISCUSSED THAT WE WERE TRYING TO SHOOT FOR MIDNIGHT WITH MY BROKER, AND THEN SHE CAME BACK AND SAID THAT THEY SAID 11 AND THEN RECENTLY THEY SAID 10 BECAUSE OF THE CLIMATE OF THE AREA.
AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEY, YOU MEAN THE, THE CITY STAFF? YES.
UM, AND YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY TALKING ABOUT 10 30.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING ANYTHING, BUT HOW HELPFUL WOULD IT BE IF IT WERE MIDNIGHT? I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING, BUT I, I GENUINELY THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL 'CAUSE WE WOULD GROW THAT ANYWAYS.
UM, BUT I, I WON'T, I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER NEED IT PAST 11.
GENUINELY 11 WOULD BE THE PERFECT BECAUSE IT'S THEN WE HAVE TIME TO CLEAN.
WE'RE GETTING EVERYBODY OUT OF THERE.
WE'RE NOT LIKE, OH, HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
IT WOULD BE A NICE TRANSITION BECAUSE I'M, I'M, I'M WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, UH, IN BED BY NINE 30.
I'M NOT, BUT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BUT, UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF I COULD BE.
UM, BUT I HAVE TWO CONCERNS WITH LEAVING IT AT 10, EVEN 10 31 IS IF YOU DID WANT TO EXPAND OUT AND THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR BUSINESS, UH, I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF LIMITING IT
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ON OUR SIDE BECAUSE, EXCUSE ME.BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN.
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL PLACES THAT HAVE MUCH MORE EXPANSIVE LICENSES.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I I, MOST OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN TALK ABOUT HOW, UH, RESPONSIBLE YOU FOLKS ARE IN RUNNING YOUR BUSINESSES.
YOU KNOW, THE EMAIL COMMENTS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER, THE OTHER ONE IS, YOU KNOW, I WAS DOWN IN BELMONT SHORE RECENTLY, AND IT'S A GHOST TOWN.
YOU KNOW, BELMONT SHORE WAS KIND OF A CROWN JEWEL OF LONG BEACH WHEN I WAS, YOU KNOW, IN MY TWENTIES AND EARLY THIRTIES.
AND NOW IT'S SORT OF LIKE EMPTY SHOP, EMPTY SHOP, YOU KNOW, ET CETERA.
AND I DON'T WANT TO INCUR, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO PUT RESTRICTIONS ON, IT'S GONNA MAKE IT HARDER FOR YOU FOLKS TO, UH, OPERATE AND KEEP THAT OPEN IN A TIME WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE GHOST KITCHENS ARE WHAT PEOPLE ARE ORDERING FROM, FROM GRUBHUB, YOU KNOW? SO, I, I'M NOT SAYING I, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM SOME OTHER FOLKS BEFORE I SUGGEST MIDNIGHT, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M, I'M AT, UH, IN, IN MY HEAD.
UM, REBECCA, BRIANNA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND, UH, DEMONSTRATING HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS AS A FORMER RESTAURANT OWNER.
UM, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS JUST AGAIN FOR CLARIFICATION.
UM, THE 9:00 PM STANDARD THAT YOU KNOW OF, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT OTHER OUTDOOR PATIO RESTAURANTS ALSO HAVE ON THE SHORE? NO.
UM, AND THEN AN 11:00 PM YOU JUST SAID 11:00 PM WOULD BE GREAT.
'CAUSE THEN YOU ARE ABLE TO CLOSE AND SCRUB AND HEAD HOME.
RIGHT? SO, UM, UH, AN 11:00 PM WOULD THAT ALLOW A TWO TURNS OF A PREFE? IT WOULD.
AGAIN, UM, YOU HAVE A GREAT RESTAURANT, YOU HAVE GREAT FOOD.
I'M ALSO A, A RESTAURANT OWNER.
WE OWN TWO, UH, WITH A HOTEL, UH, ABOVE AND BELOW THEM.
AND, UM, I ALSO, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH 11 O'CLOCK AT ALL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, FOR, FOR CLARIFICATION AND FOR REALLY, UH, FOR EDUCATING, UM, THOSE WHO MAY BE LISTENING OR WATCHING OR HEARING ABOUT THIS AFTERWARDS, AS YOU'RE EXPANDING YOUR DAY PART, YOU'RE EXPANDING FROM BREAKFAST, BRUNCH, LUNCH TO NOW DINNER PART.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND FEEL LIKE IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE DOING IN THAT EVENING SERVICE AND HOW THIS ALCOHOL PERMIT KIND OF KIND? NO, NO PUN INTENDED.
WE, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO NOT SEE WHAT THE CALL FOR SERVICE IS RIGHT NOW.
WITH MICHAEL'S CLOSING, WE NOTICED THERE'S A THURSDAY CROWD OUT THERE THAT WE COULD GATHER.
UM, BECAUSE I, I HAVE, UH, NAMED MY PLACE, LET'S YOKE ABOUT IT.
IT KIND OF, UM, MADE ME SMALL IN THE BEGINNING.
BUT NOW THERE'S THIS NEW THING WHERE PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING BACKDOOR DINING WHERE THEY COME IN THROUGH THE BACK DOOR AND WE'VE BEEN DOING CHANGEOVERS.
SO WE ARE CREATING LIKE MORE OF A, A NIGHT MOOD, UH, LOWERING THE LIGHTS, GETTING RID OF THE ALPACA AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THE KIDS LIKE PUTTING IT IN THE BACK.
AND THEN, UM, PRESETTING TABLES LAST NIGHT, LIKE I SAID, WE DID A, UM, FIVE COURSE MEAL.
IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, UM, DO THAT ALL THE TIME, I WOULD DO THAT ALL THE TIME.
BUT I THINK IN THE BEGINNING, I'M JUST GONNA OPEN FOR DINNERS, DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING ON THE STREET.
BUT, UM, JUST REALLY TAP INTO THAT BACKDOOR ENTRANCE AND, AND, UH, NIGHT CROWD.
UM, UH, THURSDAY NIGHTS FOR SURE, THOUGH.
AND AS IT RELATES TO THE ALCOHOL SPECIFICALLY, UH, FROM A COCKTAIL PERSPECTIVE, WHAT KIND OF COCKTAILS DO YOU ENVISION? UH, UM, WELL, SERVING AN OFFERING, BRIE HAS AN EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND IN CRAFTING CRAFT COCKTAILS.
UM, I'VE SET UP A LOT OF BARS, BUT I'M MORE OF A SPEED, UH, BARTENDER, SOCIAL BARTENDER.
SO, UM, SHE'S GONNA BUILD US A PROGRAM THAT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL FOR THE NIGHT.
AND THEN THE DAY, THE THING WE'RE REALLY MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS JUST BEING ABLE TO SERVE IRISH COFFEES.
UH, BLOODY MARY, EVERY TIME WE SAY WE HAVE THE SOJU, THEY'RE LIKE, OH, NEVERMIND.
YOU KNOW? SO BLOODY MARY'S ESPRESSO MARTINIS, THAT, THAT TYPE OF THING.
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UM, VERY BASIC.AND THEN AT NIGHT, PROBABLY MORE OF THE OLD FASHIONED AND I DON'T KNOW, NICE PAIRING.
SO, SO AGAIN, PAIRED UP WITH AND MATCHING AND YOUR MENU OPTIONS AS OPPOSED TO A LINEUP OF SHOT GLASSES THAT PEOPLE CAN SHOOT.
THAT'S NOT, WE HAVEN'T, I DIDN'T DO BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS.
THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I WAS SO DESPERATE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE MONTH, AND I THOUGHT OF IT, I THOUGHT, WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S AN EASY WAY TO GET A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN.
BUT THE RIFFRAFF THAT COMES WITH THAT AND HAVING TO PULL THE PEOPLE OUTTA THE BUSHES AND DO THAT CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT, I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT.
I DON'T HAVE, NOR DO I HAVE A DESIRE FOR THAT.
IT'S JUST NOT THE YOUNGER VERSION OF ME.
BUT THE OLDER VERSION OF ME, NO, I WANT PEACE.
I WANT TO BE LIKE, OH, I CELEBRATE.
THE GREAT JOYS THAT I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING LATELY IS, UM, WE HAVE, WE KNOW TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE A BABY NOW THAT HAD THEIR FIRST DATE AT OUR RESTAURANT.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SAID, OH, I CELEBRATED MY BIRTHDAY THERE.
OR, UM, JUST ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT YOU DON'T REALIZE.
THERE'S AN 8-YEAR-OLD WHO'S HAVING A BIG PARTY IN OUR BACK ROOM ON SATURDAY, NATALIA, AND SHE'S ONE OF OUR REGULARS.
AND HER DESIRE FOR HER BIRTHDAY WAS TO COME TO OUR PLACE WHEN DISNEYLAND IS AN OPTION,
SO I'M LIKE FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF, OF MOMENTS.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION FOR YOU, AND JUST BECAUSE I WANNA EN EMPHASIZE THE SENSITIVITY AROUND, UH, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON IN A LOT OF THE, THE, THE HEADLINES, UH, RECENTLY IN SECOND STREET.
UH, WHY SHOULD THE COMMISSION CONSIDER YOUR APPLICATION IN LIGHT OF THE CONTROVERSY WHERE THERE ARE VOICES OUT THERE, UM, THAT ARE SAYING THERE SHOULD JUST BE A MORATORIUM UNTIL WE FIGURE IT OUT.
WHY SHOULD YOU BE KIND OF AN EXCEPTION TO THAT, THAT, UH, DIRECTIVE? I DON'T THINK I SHOULD BE AN EXCEPTION.
YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY'S LIFE IS TAKEN, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOBODY, NOBODY SHOULD BE AN EXCEPTION.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT, I, I THINK THAT, UM, I DO GOOD BUSINESS AND I'VE PROVEN THAT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AND I KEEP MY SIDE OF THE STREET CLEAN AND I'M A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND I LISTEN TO MY NEIGHBORS.
IF THERE'S ANY CONCERN, I WON'T DO IT.
I DIDN'T GO FOR THE, UM, PARKLET, EVEN THOUGH I REALLY WANTED ONE, 'CAUSE IT WOULD'VE OPENED UP MY RESTAURANT, BUT I DIDN'T, BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH PUSHBACK ON IT.
I DECIDED TO CHOOSE MY BATTLES AND IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THE, UM, MOVE THAT WOULD ELEVATE THE BUSINESS AND KEEP, KEEP ME GOING, YOU KNOW? UM, YEAH, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT I'M SPECIAL OR THAT I DESERVE SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY ELSE, UM, DESERVES.
I THINK WE ALL, UH, DESERVE THE SAME THINGS AS LONG AS YOU'RE, YOU'RE RUNNING A GOOD, CLEAN BUSINESS, AND YEAH, I WON'T, I'VE SEEN DRUNK PEOPLE ACTING OUT.
I KNOW HOW UGLY THAT CAN GET, AND IT'S NOT FUN, AND IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT I WANT TO BE A PART OF.
ALRIGHT, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONER? YES.
JUST TO CLARIFY, UH, YOU HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH CLOSING YOUR PATIO AT NINE O'CLOCK NO PROBLEM.
AND THAT COULD BE PART OF, IF WE DO, UH, THAT COULD BE PART OF THE AGREEMENT.
AND, UM, THAT WAS THE QUESTION.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? OKAY.
IF, IF STAFF WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON SOME OF THE, UH, ITEMS IN PARTICULAR AROUND THE SERVICE HOURS THAT YOU HAD.
SO THIS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WITHIN THE COMMISSION'S DISCRETION, BUT JUST TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT, UM, MORE BACKGROUND, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAD ALREADY BEEN LOOKING AT SOME POLICE RESPONSE AS WELL AS REGULATORY RESPONSE, UM, TO ISSUES ON SECOND STREET.
AND THE MOST VISCERAL RECENT ONE IS, IS THE SHOOTING WHERE SOMEONE LOST THEIR LIFE.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY ISSUE ON SECOND STREET.
SO WE HAVE, UH, RECURRING ISSUES WHERE CUSTOMERS LATE AT NIGHT COME OUT OF ESTABLISHMENTS AND IN THE VIEW OF THE ESTABLISHMENT, THEY MAY HAVE DONE THEIR JOB, THEY
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MAY HAVE KICKED THE PERSON OUT OF THE ESTABLISHMENT, BUT THEN THEY'RE ON THE STREET.UM, AND THAT STREET, THAT COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR, SECOND STREET, YOU'VE GOT THE BUSINESSES, YOU'VE GOT A NARROW ALLEY, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE'S HOMES RIGHT THERE.
UM, AND, AND WHILE THE MOST VIOLENT INCIDENTS ARE MOST CONCERNING, THERE'S JUST AN UPTICK IN GENERAL DISTURBANCES, NOISE CALLS, FIST FIGHTS.
WE'VE HAD A PARTICULAR ISSUE IN THE CITY OWNED PARKING LOTS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE HAD DIFFERENT DISPUTES AND PULLED WEAPONS ON EACH OTHER AND HAD DIFFERENT ALTERCATIONS.
UM, SO THAT WAS AN ISSUE, UM, THIS TIME IN, IN 2024.
AND IT CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE TODAY.
SO AS THIS APPLICATION CAME IN, UM, WE WERE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND WE WERE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CITY MANAGER, THE COUNCIL OFFICE, UM, AND AS YOU HEARD TONIGHT, IT'S A GREAT OPERATOR AND THEY'RE DOING A GREAT BUSINESS.
AND ONE OF OUR OPTIONS WAS TO RECOMMEND DENIAL, AND THAT'S NOT WHERE WE WANTED TO GO.
SO WE REALLY LOOKED AT, UM, KIND OF WHAT WOULD A NOR MORE NARROW APPROVAL BE, AND WE'RE REALLY NOT HAVING ISSUES ON SECOND STREET PRIOR TO 10:00 PM AND WE HAD TO CHOOSE A CUTOFF, AND THAT WAS THE CUTOFF.
UM, WE CHOSE, UM, THE, THE BUSINESS, IF IT'S FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, AND IT'S A LIMITED NUMBER OF TIMES PER YEAR, THEY CERTAINLY, UM, COULD PULL WHAT'S CALLED AN OEP, WHICH IS AN OCCASIONAL EVENT PERMIT TO HAVE A OUT OF THE ORDINARY, LONGER, UM, EVENT, INCLUDING ONE WITH ENTERTAINMENT.
THERE'S IT'S SMALL COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, BUT IN, IN STAFF'S VIEW, WE DIDN'T THINK ALLOWING HOURS PAST 10:00 PM EVERY NIGHT OF THE YEAR WAS THE APPROPRIATE APPROVAL AT THIS POINT IN TIME WITH ALL OF THE ISSUES ON SECOND STREET.
UM, THAT'S NOT TO FORECLOSE THEM COMING BACK AND FILING A NEW APPLICATION AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY, UM, SHOULD CONDITIONS, UH, IN THE SHORE CHANGE.
THE OTHER THING WE LOOKED AT, IT IS A PRIMARILY, UM, BRUNCH RESTAURANT TODAY.
SO THE CHANGE FROM THAT TO 10:00 PM IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, UM, EXPANSION.
AND IT'S NOT PARTICULARLY, UM, PUNITIVE TO ASK THEM TO CLOSE AT 10:00 PM SO THAT WAS OUR RATIONALE AND IN CONSULTATION WITH THE OTHER PARTIES.
AND WE DID, UM, RECEIVE, UM, FEEDBACK, UH, NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THIS RESTAURANT, BUT ABOUT RESTAURANTS AND PLACES THAT SERVE ALCOHOL IN GENERAL FROM THE PUBLIC, UM, INCLUDING AT PUBLIC MEETINGS.
THAT WAS, THOSE INDIVIDUALS FROM THE PUBLIC WERE, WERE SUPPORTING SOMETHING MORE RESTRICTIVE, UM, AS, AS YOU MENTIONED CHAIR, SUCH AS A MORATORIUM OR NOT PROCESSING ANY, UM, APPLICATIONS ON THE SHORE, WE THOUGHT THIS WAS A BALANCING OF ALL THOSE DIFFERENT FACTORS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
HOW LONG, UH, WOULD IT BE BEFORE THEY'D BE ABLE TO REQUEST, OR DOES THAT DEPEND ON IF THERE'S A CHANGE OR NOT? WELL, I MEAN, THEY CAN REQUEST THE CHANGE AFTER A YEAR.
THERE'S SOME SUBSTANTIAL COSTS, UH, INVOLVED IN THESE APPLICATIONS.
SO THAT'S A FACTOR FOR THE BUSINESS.
WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA BE IN A DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT PLACE IN BELMONT SHORE IN A YEAR.
THE, THE CITY IS GONNA DEPLOY THE RESOURCES THAT IT HAS, BUT IT ONLY HAS SO MANY, UM, POLICE RESOURCES.
AND WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT SOME CHANGES TO THE PARKING LOTS.
UM, THERE'S ALSO ISSUES WITH VENDING AND FOOD ON THE STREET AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND A WHOLE HOST OF FACTORS, AND THE CITY'S GONNA DO EVERYTHING IT CAN TO ADDRESS THAT.
BUT I WOULD BE DISHONEST IF I SAID, OH, I THINK IT WOULD BE FINE IN A YEAR TO JUST COME AND ASK FOR AN EXTENSION.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE IN A PRETTY SIMILAR PLACE IN A YEAR.
I THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE TIME TO WORK THROUGH, UM, THESE ISSUES.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THEY COULD APPLY AFTER A YEAR TO MAKE, TO CHANGE THE CONDITIONS.
UM, HOW MANY OTHER RESTAURANTS ON SECOND STREET THAT HAVE SIDEWALK, SIDEWALK DINING OR PARKLET DINING IN THEIR SERVICE AT NINE? I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THAT ON HAND.
UM, BUT THERE ARE A VARIETY OF, YOU KNOW, OPERATING HOURS.
UM, THIS IS FOR THE, THE REAR PATIO.
SO, UM, UM, THERE ARE DEFINITELY BUSINESSES THAT OPERATE A BIT LATER THAN THAT.
IT IS CUSTOMARY FOR US TO, UM, CONDITION CLOSURE OF THE OUTDOOR AREA A LITTLE BIT, UM, EARLIER THAN THE RESTAURANT ITSELF DUE TO THOSE CONCERNS
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RELATED TO NOISE.AND IN THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, THE DIRECT, UM, RESIDENTIAL LOCATION.
UM, AND JUST, I KNOW THIS CAME UP EARLIER IN THE DISCUSSION, UH, FOR THE COMMISSIONER IN PUBLIC'S CLARIFICATION.
UM, IT'S CONDITIONS 10 AND 11 THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
SO RIGHT NOW, AS CONDITIONED CONDITION 10 SAYS THAT THE CLOSURE WOULD BE AT 10:00 PM INSIDE 9:00 PM OUTSIDE, AND THEN CONDITION 11 SAYS ALCOHOL SERVICE HAS TO END 30 MINUTES BEFORE CLOSURE.
SO AS YOU'RE CONSIDERING, UM, YOUR OPTIONS, UH, I JUST WANNA POINT YOU TO BOTH OF THOSE CONDITIONS AND HOW THEY, UH, INTERRELATE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT PARKLETS, THOSE GENERALLY CLOSE AT, UH, 10:00 PM BECAUSE THAT ALIGNS WITH THE NOISE ORDINANCE FOR THE PARKLETS THAT ARE ON SECOND STREET, THOSE HAVE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL FOR WHICH I BELIEVE TWO APPEALS CAME TO THIS COMMISSION.
AND THAT'S WHERE THOSE CONDITIONS LIVE FOR THAT.
AND THOSE ARE LOCAL COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMITS.
THOSE ARE NOT CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS.
AND SO THOSE ACTUALLY ONLY RUN WITH THE PARKLET AS IT'S INSTALLED.
UH, AS SOMEBODY SELLS A BUSINESS WITH A PARKLET, THEY HAVE TO COME AND GET A NEW LCDP.
SO IT'S A DIFFERENT MECHANISM FOR THE PARKLETS THAN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE FOR A CUP, WHICH IS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND RUNS WITH THE LAND.
SO THE PARKLETS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT THEY ARE RELATED AND THEY HAVE 10:00 PM CLOSURE TIMES.
THE OUTDOOR PIECE IS IN THE FRONT ALONG SECOND STREET.
UM, AND JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE MORE PIECE.
THE, UM, NOISE ORDINANCE, UH, MARIANNE MENTIONED HAS DIFFERENT NOISE DECIBEL ALLOWANCES THAT ARE LOWER AFTER 10:00 PM SO THAT'S WHERE, UM, WHEN MARIANNE MENTIONED IT KIND OF LINES UP WITH A NOISE ORDINANCE.
IT IS, UH, A TYPICAL 10:00 PM CLOSURE OUTDOORS SO THAT WE CAN HELP ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE NOISE ORDINANCE.
AND COULD YOU, UM, ON, ON THAT STIPULATION OR, AND, AND IT WAS A GOOD DISTINCTION AROUND, UH, THE, THE, UH, CON PERMITS OR THE CON I, I'M BLANKING OUT HERE.
THE CONDITIONAL USE, UH, RUNS WITH THE LAND VERSUS THE BUSINESS.
THERE'S ALSO, I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING STOPPING US FROM PUTTING THAT AS A CONDITION THAT IT, THAT THIS CONDITIONAL USE WOULD ALSO BE TIED TO THE BUSINESS AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL STIPULATION.
SO, UM, YEAH, I MEAN, THAT'S A HIGHLY UNUSUAL, BUT WITHIN YOUR DISCRETION, AND, AND I MENTIONED THAT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE CONCERNS AROUND THE FLIPPING AND MANIPULATING OF THE USE, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S ALREADY OTHER CONDITIONS IN PLACE, I THINK WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO THINK THROUGH, UM, WE COULDN'T DENY THE PROPERTY ALL BENEFICIAL USE OF THE PROPERTY.
SO I THINK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE LEASE TRANSFERRED TO A DIFFERENT OPERATOR IS THAT THEY COULD STILL OPERATE A RESTAURANT THERE, BUT THEY WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO, UM, SERVE ALCOHOL.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE SELF-EXECUTING, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT HOW WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH A, B, C ON THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE LICENSE AND TRANSFER, UM, BUT A 47 WOULD NOT TRANSFER AUTOMATICALLY.
UM, WE JUST, THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO AFFIRMATIVELY, UM, OBJECT TO THE TRANSFER OF THE LICENSE.
SO THE, SO IN ESSENCE THAT THERE'S ALREADY KIND OF A, A, A MECHANISM ALREADY IN PLACE FOR THAT AS WELL FROM A REVIEW PERSPECTIVE.
'CAUSE UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
UH, MY CONUNDRUM IS THAT I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS REQUEST VERY MUCH SO.
UM, I JUST WANNA BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THE CONDITION.
I AM ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF EXPANDING THE HOURS A LITTLE MORE.
UM, AND I THINK IT IS A PRUDENT THING FROM A RESTAURANT TO GO FROM JUST BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH LUNCH TO HAVE ANOTHER DAY PART, ESPECIALLY AT A VERY, UH, EXPENSIVE PART OF TOWN TO, TO DO BUSINESS AND, AND STAY VIABLE.
UM, SO I WANT TO PROVIDE THAT FLEXIBILITY AND STILL BE, BUT STILL BE RESPONSIBLE IN TERMS OF ADHERENCE.
UM, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T HAVE ANY RESERVATIONS AROUND THE OPERATOR AND THE NATURE OF THE RESTAURANT BEING ABLE TO MANAGE THAT AND CHAIR, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UM, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO GET THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BEFORE WE GO TOO FAR INTO DELIVERY.
YEAH, I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THAT PART.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL PAUSE FOR NOW AND COMMENTS AND THEN, UH, WE'LL GO NOW TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK OUT THIS ITEM, PLEASE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LINE UP IF THERE'S MORE.
JUST IN CASE THERE WAS A RUSH
EVIDENTLY, UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.
UH, MY NAME IS AMBER SULLIVAN.
UM, I WAS A 13 YEAR RESIDENT IN THE SHORE, UM, RAISED MY SON THERE.
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FABULOUS PLACE TO RAISE MY SON.UH, HE WENT TO LOWELL ROGERS AND THEN WE, HE WENT TO MILLIKEN AFTER THAT.
BUT, UM, SO I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OF THE NEIGHBORS IN THE SHORE.
UM, I ALSO AM PERSONALLY CONNECTED TO THE FATHER THAT WAS MURDERED NOT TOO LONG AGO IN THE SHORE.
UM, HE WAS LAID TO REST YESTERDAY, SO I, I UNDERSTAND THOSE CONCERNS.
UM, BUT IF YOU GO TO, LETS YLK ABOUT IT, YOU'LL SEE FAMILIES THERE.
UM, YOU'LL SEE TABLES OF OLDER PEOPLE HAVING DINNER TOGETHER.
IN FACT, THEY'VE ADOPTED AN OLDER GENTLEMAN WHO FREQUENTS THEIR RESTAURANT NAMED BILL, WHO HAS BECOME A FRIEND OF MINE NOW, UM, WHO GOES THERE ALMOST DAILY.
UH, THIS IS A COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE.
AND SO, UM, AT TIMES WHEN I'VE BEEN THERE, I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, OH, AS BREE MENTIONED BEFORE, OH, THE BLOODY MARY'S WAS SO JUNE, NO NEVERMIND, OR RUSH TO EAT THEIR MEALS SO THEY CAN GO DOWN THE STREET TO HAVE A DRINK.
UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE THEY ARE LOSING MONEY.
AND I HAVE WATCHED, AS THEY HAVE STRUGGLED AS OTHER RESTAURANTS HAVE OPENED ON SECOND STREET AND BEEN AWARDED A FULL LIQUOR LICENSE WHERE THERE WASN'T ONE PREVIOUSLY, AND THEY'VE HAD TO COMPETE WITH THOSE THINGS.
SO, UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ANOTHER BUSINESS CONTINUE TO THRIVE, ESPECIALLY ON SECOND STREET.
AS YOU MENTIONED BEFORE, THERE'S SO MANY EMPTY STOREFRONTS.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO SPEAK AS A LONG TIME TERM RESIDENT AND SOMEBODY WHO UNDERSTANDS A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY GREAT FOR THE COMMUNITY AND REALLY WILL HELP THE COMMUNITY.
AND BEING ABLE TO DO A NIGHT, EVENING PARTY PREFIXED DINNER, UH, LIKE THEY TALKED REHEARSAL DINNER OR SOMETHING, WITHOUT HAVING TO RUSH PEOPLE OUT THE DOOR WOULD BE REALLY GREAT FOR THEM TOO.
UM, MY NAME IS DR. MICHAEL LYNN THOMAS AND I ACTUALLY MET, UM, REBECCA AND BRIE AS A PATRON, UM, OF THE RESTAURANT.
I CLEARED MY CALENDAR, MY MOST OF MY AFTERNOON JUST TO BE HERE TO ADVOCATE, UM, FOR THIS RESTAURANT.
I'M A LONGTIME LONG BEACH RESIDENT AND PROPERTY OWNER.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, LET'S YOLK ABOUT IT IS WAY MORE THAN A RESTAURANT.
I'M GETTING EMOTIONAL BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY COMMUNITY, MY FAMILY, WE GO THERE JUST ABOUT EVERY WEEKEND, AND FOR ME IT IS JUST WARMTH AND FAMILY.
AND I JUST LOVE SEEING WOMEN WIN.
AND I FEEL LIKE WHILE, YES, I COULD NOT AGREE MORE, THERE ARE CHALLENGES IN OUR CITY, A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND MY HEART GOES OUT TO THOSE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THAT.
MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE OTHER HOMEOWNERS AS WELL WHO HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT.
UM, I JUST TRULY BELIEVE THAT REBECCA CAN MODEL THE WAY FOR OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS.
THE WAY THAT SHE RUNS THAT RESTAURANT IS UNMATCHED.
UM, MY HUSBAND AND I, MY CHILD, WE GO TO RESTAURANTS ALL THE TIME AND LET'S YOLK ABOUT IT AS JUST ONE OF OUR FAVORITE PLACES TO GO.
SO I, I JUST WANT THIS, UM, AUDIENCE, THIS, THIS, UH, BOARD, UH, TO KNOW HOW MUCH THIS RESTAURANT MEANS TO JUST ME AS ONE INDIVIDUAL.
AND I SEE IT WITH THE REST OF THE PATRONS WHEN I GO IN.
I WAS A STRANGER AND I'M, I'M FAMILY, I'M A FRIEND.
UM, I GO IN OFTEN BY MYSELF SOMETIMES IF I HAVE TIME TO MYSELF FROM WORK AND I JUST GO IN AND I SIT AT THE COUNTER AND HAVE BREAKFAST AND I'M CATCHING UP WITH EACH ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS, IT'S LIKE, YOU CAN'T TRAIN THAT.
AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS RESTAURANT REPRE REPRESENTS THE BEST OF LONG BEACH INCLUSIVITY.
I MEAN, THE TYPES OF PATRONS THAT COME INTO THIS RESTAURANT AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO COME INTO THIS RESTAURANT, REFLECT THE GENERAL PUBLIC, WHICH IS ALL GENERATIONS, ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
THEY HAVE A HOME AT THIS RESTAURANT.
SO I JUST REALLY WANTED TO SHARE THAT.
I REALLY WANTED TO BE HERE TO REALLY, REALLY ADVOCATE, UM, FOR THIS RESTAURANT BECAUSE IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO MY FAMILY.
WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER CARD FROM BRIAN COCHRAN.
[01:00:01]
YOU.AND THANKS FOR THE ABILITY FOR THIS TO BE MORE INTIMATE AND ENGAGED AND THAN CITY COUNCIL TENDS TO BE WITH, YOU KNOW, MUCH MORE FORMAL PROCESS THAT APPRECIATED BY THE COMMUNITY.
SO I WANTED TO TALK WITH YOU, NOT AT YOU TONIGHT, AND YOU'VE SEEN ME BEFORE ON A COUPLE OF IN, UH, THINGS BEFORE.
I'M HERE MOSTLY TONIGHT IN PER IN, IN PERSON TONIGHT INSTEAD OF WRITING, BECAUSE I WANNA TRY AND NAVIGATE BETWEEN THE UNCERTAINTIES OF THIS COMMUNITY MOMENT, WHICH IS UNIQUE, AND THIS INDIVIDUAL APPLICATION, WHICH IS ITS OWN THING, AND WITH THE AIM OF MOST EFFECTIVELY CONVEYING THE FRUSTRATION AND EXASPERATION THAT I AND MANY RESIDENTS FEEL ABOUT THE PROCESS AND THE ABSENCE OF MEANINGFUL OVERSIGHT ACROSS ALL CITY LEVELS IN THIS REGARD.
UM, THIS APPLICATION WHERE IT, UH, SIX MONTHS AGO OR SIX MONTHS LATER, IT WOULD NOT BE SO CLOSELY SIZED BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT BE IN THE CONTEXT OF A SHOOTING DEATH OF, UH, MR. JEREMY SPEARS IN OCTOBER.
UM, AND THAT'S A CONDITION AND A DEATH THAT'S PRECIPITATED BY THE OVERCONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL IN OUR AREA IN SECOND STREET.
OVER A YEAR, OVER A YEAR OR TWO PERIOD.
WE'VE HAD THREE DEATHS NOW AND THIS IS THE MOST, UH, RECENT AND TRAGIC OF THEM.
UM, I'VE REVIEWED ALL THE FACETS OF THE APPLICATION AND SUPPORTING MATERIALS, AND A FEW ELEMENTS STAND OUT THAT ARE WORTH CONSIDERING IN THE FRAMING OF THIS.
ONE IS THAT THERE'S 34 LIQUOR LICENSES, AND THE A, BC SAYS IT SHOULD, THE AREA SHOULD SUPPORT NO MORE THAN SIX.
UM, THERE'S DETAIL LACKING IN THERE THAT I REACHED OUT TO MS UH, UH, SPIN RES ABOUT.
THERE ARE SOME RESTAURANTS AND BARS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED ON THAT LIST, AND I THINK THAT MAYBE EVEN MORE THAN 34, THERE WERE, UH, P THREE ANTICA AND SHANNON'S NOT ON THE LIST, BUT THEY DO HAVE THINGS AND OTHERS AS WELL.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE AT THE SAME NUMBER THERE.
UH, AMONG THE 34 STATED LICENSES, THERE ARE ALREADY NINE EXISTING FOR TYPE 47, WHICH IS THIS ONE SOUGHT HERE TONIGHT.
AND, UH, NOTABLY THERE ARE 141 CRIME INCIDENCES WHERE THE THRESHOLD FOR THAT MEASURE IS OF HIGH CRIME IS 132.
THE BIGGEST PICTURE FOR THE COMMUNITY RESIDENCES.
THIS RIGHT NOW, A LACK OF OVERSIGHT, SUCH THAT THE BARS ARE ESSENTIALLY POLICING THEMSELVES, SELF-GOVERNING AND DEALING WITH OFFICIALS IN BACK ROOMS, NOT PUBLIC FORUMS TO ADDRESS.
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER CLEMSON'S POINT ABOUT HOPING THAT THEY COULD DO LATER THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE DOMINATING THE SCENE RIGHT NOW, IT'S A HANDFUL OF GRANDFATHERED, UH, BUSINESSES THAT EXIST.
THEY ARE T TURNING IT AGAINST THEIR OWN COMMUNITY AND NOT ADHERING TO STANDARDS THAT ELEVATE, BUT RATHER DETERIORATE.
THEY'RE BRINGING DOWN THE REST OF THE 200 BUSINESSES IN THE BELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
THEY'RE BRINGING DOWN THE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY, LETTING THEM CONTINUE TO TELL YOU AND CITY OFFICIALS WHAT THEY WANT AND NEED IS THE WRONG INVERSE PROPOSITION HERE.
SO WITH THAT ALL SAID, AND WITH THOSE DEEP CONCERNS EXPRESSED REBECCA, AND LET YOBA ARE NOT THAT THEY ARE PARAGONS OF WHAT COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE, THEY'RE THE MODEL OF WHAT I WOULD HOPE THAT EVERY APPLICANT COMING BEFORE YOU BRINGS TO THE TABLE IN TERMS OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY.
I INTERVIEWED REBECCA FOR, UH, COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER OR ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN THEY WERE JUST COMING OUT OF COVID.
AND WHAT I SAW, NOT SOLICITED, NOT FORCED, NOT HYPED, WAS HER COMMUNITY COMMITMENTS ON SO MANY FRONTS.
UM, I WAS ACTUALLY GONNA GIVE HER THE HEADS UP THAT, UH, SHE DIDN'T ASK FOR A PARKLET, EXCUSE ME, PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR COMMENT.
YES, PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR COMMENT.
SHE DIDN'T ASK FOR, UH, UH, A PARKLET, EVEN THOUGH SHE COULD HAVE, BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HELP THE COMMUNITY, IT DIDN'T HELP HER.
I ACTUALLY SEE THIS APPLICATION IN PARTICULAR AS A BULWARK AGAINST OTHER LESSER DESIRABLE APPLICANTS AND DOWN THE ROAD.
AND I THINK THE CONDITIONS OF USE HERE CAN BE ADAPTED AND EXPANDED TO BE REALLY MEANINGFUL.
MOST SPECIFICALLY THAT THE LICENSE CAN'T BE TRANSFERRED BEYOND THE OWNERSHIP'S CURRENT OWNERSHIP AND OPERATION, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN IT CAN BE CO-OPTED.
I'LL SAVE THE REST OF THIS, UM, BUT REBECCA AND HER TEAM ARE EXEMPLARY IN EVERY WAY.
I HOPE THAT THE OTHER APPLICANTS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS THAT ARE LIKELY TO BE MORE ABUSIVE TO THOSE COMMUNITY STANDARDS WOULD FOLLOW HER MODEL.
HELLO, I'M DR. WILLIAM SEALEY.
UM, I'M NOT AS ELOQUENT OF A SPEAKER AS A LOT OF THESE OTHER INDIVIDUALS, SO I'M GONNA KEEP THIS SHORT AND JUST MAKE IT PUBLIC THAT I FULLY SUPPORT LECH.
UM, MY FAMILY LOVES COMING TO, TO THERE AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.
UM, IT'S, AND I JUST WANNA REEMPHASIZE THAT IT IS A FAMILY, A FAMILY RESTAURANT.
AND, UM, AS MY WIFE HAD MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BECOME PART OF OUR FAMILY AND WE HAVE A DEEP CONNECTION WITH, WITH REBECCA AND BRIANNA AND JUST THE STAFF AS A WHOLE.
AND, UM, WE JUST WANNA SEE THEM THRIVE AND CREATE MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND HELP, UH, HELP THAT BUSINESS GROW.
[01:05:01]
ANY OTHER MEMBERS HERE LOOKING TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE.UH, CAN WE, DO WE HAVE ANY VIRTUAL COMMENTS? IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
NOW, IF JOINING TELEPHONICALLY, PLEASE PRESS STAR NINE NOW.
AND THERE APPEARS TO BE TWO, TWO FOLKS WITH THEIR HANDS RAISED.
AND THE FIRST, UM, THE FIRST SPEAKER WOULD BE MELINDA COTTON.
MELINDA, YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
GOOD EVENING, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, MY NAME IS MELINDA COTTON.
MY HUSBAND AND I LIVE JUST HALF A BLOCK FROM LET'S WALK YOLK ABOUT IT.
I HAVE NO COMPLAINT ABOUT THE WAY SHE'S RUNNING HER RESTAURANT, BUT CURRENTLY IT'S OPEN ONLY FROM 7:00 AM TILL TWO OR THREE.
SO THERE ARE DEFINITELY CONCERNS WHEN THE REST ONE IS OPEN UNTIL 10 EVERY DAY, WHEN THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL IMPACTS ON OUR PARKING IMPACTED AREA AND THE PATRONS.
AND AS YOU'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THE ADDITION OF ANOTHER TYPE 47 RESTAURANT IS QUITE CONCERNING.
WHEN WE MOVED HERE 42 YEARS AGO, WE WERE TOLD NO ADDITIONAL HARD LIQUOR LICENSES WOULD BE ALLOWED BECAUSE THE EXISTING INEBRIATED PATRON SITUATION ON SECOND STREET WAS ALREADY DIFFICULT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT POLL DID NOT, UH, LAST AND IS THE REASON I'M HERE TODAY.
THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH POLICE TO DEAL WITH SECOND STREET'S PROBLEMS. WE NEED OTHER AGENCIES TO STEP UP.
WE REALIZE THE PLANNERS CAREFULLY WRITE CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS, BUT THOSE CS THEN SEEM TO DISAPPEAR FROM VIEW AND ENFORCEMENT.
WE DON'T SEE PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT BY THE CITY.
WE DESPERATELY NEED THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO HAVE STAFF RESEARCH AND PRESENT A PLANNING COMMISSION STUDY DEALING WITH THE LACK OF ENFORCEMENT OF EXISTING LAWS, EXISTING CS, A, B, C VIOLATIONS AND MANY PROBLEMS AND DANGERS.
SECOND STREET FACE, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS RESIDENTS ARE ASKED TO REPORT TO THE POLICE AND THE CITY, BUT WE FIND LIMITED NOTICE OF CUP HEARINGS.
THE NAME OF THE BUSINESS ISN'T EVEN INCLUDED, AND CS A B, C BUSINESS LICENSE CONDITIONS AND RULES FOR EXISTING ALCOHOL LOCATIONS ARE NOT ONLINE AND NOT ON THE CITY WEBSITE.
SO WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE RULES AND CONDITIONS ARE WITHOUT GREAT DIFFICULTY ASKING THE PLANNER.
AND WE'RE TOLD CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DON'T WORK ON WEEKENDS.
BUSINESS LICENSE AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES ARE NOT CLEAR.
AND THEIR ENFORCEMENT AGAIN, DOESN'T SEEM TO HAPPEN ON THE WEEKENDS.
THE GO LONG BEACH APP DOESN'T ALLOW REPORTING OF CUP AND ALCOHOL VIOLATIONS.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT NEED TO CHANGE, AND WE WOULD HOPE THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD LISTEN AND HELP US GET THOSE CHANGES.
UM, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHELLE, UH, SIMONE.
WAS IT MICHELLE SIMONE? I'M SORRY.
UH, MICHELLE, YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED.
UH, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, YES, MICHELLE, SIMON AND I LIVE LESS THAN TWO BLOCKS AWAY, AND LIKE MELINDA HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR, UM, RESTAURANT OWNER.
UM, HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE NOT A CONTROVERSY, BUT A VERY CLEAR PROBLEM OF OVER CONCENTRATION IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE REASON THAT A BC SETS THESE RULES, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A GAPING, UM, EXCEPTION, WHICH YOU ARE ALL, YOU KNOW, UM, WELL AWARE OF.
AND THE REASON IS THAT THE SCIENCE, PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCE, AND I HAPPEN TO BE A PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT WHO SPENT OVER FOUR YEARS WORKING IN ALCOHOL POLICY.
THE SCIENCE SAYS THAT OVER CONCENTRATION LEADS TO MORE PROBLEMS. SO THE FACT THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS ON SECOND STREET DUE TO THE LATE NIGHT BARS IS NO SURPRISE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE CITY HAS CONTINUOUSLY OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, IGNORED
[01:10:01]
THE FACTS THAT WERE PRESENTED, YOU KNOW, THIS EVENING ABOUT OVER CONCENTRATION AND THIS BEING A HIGH CRIME AREA.AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT, OH, WELL, THIS, THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS IN PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCE FOR NICE OWNERS.
IT JUST HAS TO DO WITH MORE ALCOHOL BEING SERVED.
AND IT'S, UM, NOT, IT'S DECEPTIVE TO SAY THAT THIS ISN'T ANOTHER LICENSE OR NOT AN ADDITIONAL LICENSE WHEN THE OPERATION IS GOING FROM SERVING AT LUNCHTIME TO SERVING WELL INTO THE EVENING.
AND FRANKLY, I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR ANY COMMISSIONER SUGGEST THAT THIS RESTAURANT SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO SERVE PAST 10:00 PM WHEN, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD THE GOOD REASONS FOR WHY THAT WAS A BALANCE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WENT FROM
THEN LET'S SHUT IT DOWN AT 10 O'CLOCK.
I WOULD LIKE THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD, FRANKLY, TO SHUT DOWN AT 10 O'CLOCK.
AND AS FAR AS A NEW OWNER COMING IN, OF COURSE THEY'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO, UM, APPROVAL IF THEY WERE TO RESTRUCTURE.
BUT WE COULD JUST GET NOT, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE NOT AS NICE AS REBECCA COMING IN NEXT TIME, WHO ISN'T, UM, WHO IS OKAY WITH GIVING BOTTOM MISS MIMOSAS, SELLING BOTTOM MISS MIMOSAS, OR, AND, YOU KNOW, NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES.
AND AS MELINDA SAID, WE HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM WITH LACK OF ENFORCEMENT.
SO I JUST THINK WE DO NEED A PAUSE.
THE CITY HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH COMING BACK TO US WITH A PLAN FOR HOW TO DEAL WITH THESE ONGOING ISSUES.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE GENTLEMAN'S NAME IS JEREMY SPEARS, WHO, AS SOMEONE MENTIONED, WAS PUT TO REST YESTERDAY.
I THINK WE DO NEED TO KEEP THESE PROBLEMS TOP OF MIND AND TAKE A PAUSE.
AND I, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, NOTHING AGAINST THIS PARTICULAR RESTAURANT, BUT WE ARE IN A VERY SENSITIVE TIME.
AND SIMON, YOUR TIME HAS CONCLUDED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MICHELLE.
ANY OTHER, UH, VIRTUAL COMMENTS? IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
IF DI IF DIALING IN TELEPHONICALLY, PRESS STAR NINE NOW.
THERE APPEARS TO BE NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'LL TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL.
UM, I WOULD LIKE MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO CONSIDER, UM, AN 11:00 PM CLOSE TO THE RESTAURANT.
THAT'LL BE, UH, AN AMENDMENT TO THAT.
IS THERE A SECOND, OR, ACTUALLY THAT'S A, THAT'S A FRIENDLY COMMISSIONER.
LIMI, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THAT? YES, YES.
ARE YOU, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? YES.
UM, LET ME, UH, JUST SPEAK ON SOME OF THE, ESPECIALLY AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, I AM, UH, CERTAINLY, UM, AND MANY YEARS ON THIS COMMISSION, I'VE ALWAYS, UM, LOOK AT THE SITUATION.
UM, AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS DO IS EACH ITEM THAT WE HEAR IS A CASE BY CASE.
WE ADDRESS IT ON, ON, UH, ON THE FACTS OF THE SITUATION, ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE SITUATION.
UM, AND SOME THINGS ARE VERY BLACK AND WHITE AND SOME THINGS ARE, ARE ON THE GRAY.
UM, AND FORTUNATELY THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THIS KIND OF A HEARING IS THAT WE LOOK AT IT AND, AND EVALUATE, AND EVERYONE'S GONNA MAKE, YOU KNOW, THEIR INDEPENDENT DECISIONS.
UM, BUT, UH, I THINK THERE IS VALUE IN REVIEWING, UH, NOT ONLY, UH, THE NATURE OF THE REQUEST, BUT ALSO THE IMPACT OF THAT REQUEST.
UM, AND IF SOME OF THE SPEAKERS HAVE MENTIONED THERE IS A PROBLEM, UM, AND, UH, I WILL TAKE A STEP FORWARD AND SAY THAT THAT PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED FOR A VERY LONG TIME, EVEN WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE RUMBLING THROUGH, THROUGH THOSE STREETS AT MIDNIGHT.
UM, BUT, UM, I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT WE DO HAVE TO COME UP WITH A COMPREHENSIVE, UH, POLICY AROUND IT.
UH, AND I THINK THERE IS, UM, UH, A SOLUTION SOMEWHERE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THE SOLUTION IS A MORATORIUM NECESSARILY BECAUSE THAT'S JUST AN OUTRIGHT JUST INDICTMENT OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS, I DON'T THINK IS FAIR.
[01:15:01]
UM, BUT AGAIN, OUR, OUR, OUR TASK HERE IS TO LOOK AT THIS SITUATION ON A CASE BY CASE.UM, CERTAINLY I THINK THE VALUE OF THE OPERATORS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR.
UH, THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS IS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR.
UM, I'M COMFORTABLE THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE SERVING SHOTS, UH, WHICH I THINK IS AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, ESPECIALLY AFTER MIDNIGHT.
UM, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE REQUEST HERE.
UM, SO, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE CURRENT AMENDMENT TO THE 11, I THINK IS A GOOD MIDDLE GROUND IN THAT REGARD.
UM, AND I THINK THE OPERATORS HAVE HEARD AND ARE SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND OUR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I THINK, WE'LL, THEY'LL TAKE THAT TO HEART AND AND MANAGE THAT.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO, UM, ADD THAT, UH, I, ALTHOUGH I EARLIER I DID WANNA MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO MAKE THIS, UH, TIE TO THE OPERATOR AND THINK THERE'S ALREADY CONTROLS IN PLACE THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD FACILITATE THAT IN TERMS OF ANY CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP AND, UH, RELATIVE TO THE LICENSE ITSELF.
SO, UM, WITH THAT SAID, I'LL, I'LL KIND OF REST.
COMMISSIONER TUCKER, UM, MR. CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER AN AMENDMENT TO ALSO INCLUDE THAT EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A VERY RESPONSIVE OWNER THAT WE DO HAVE IN THE AGREEMENT THAT THE PATIO CLOSES AT NINE, DO YOU WANT, AND THAT IS HOW CONDITION 10 IS ALREADY WRITTEN, SO YOU WON'T NEED AN AMENDMENT THERE.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER CL? AND I JUST DO WANT SPEAK TO THE, THE ISSUE, AND I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO COME AWAY FROM THIS HEARING THINKING THAT WE'RE NOT CONSIDERING THE PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, OF THE AREA IN GENERAL AND KIND OF THE SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, UH, KILLINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
I, I SUPPORT THIS THOUGH BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS THE KIND OF BUSINESS THAT WOULD BE A PROBLEM THAT WOULD BE CONTRIBUTING TO THAT.
AND IF, IF IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS, I DON'T THINK ANYONE ON THIS COMMISSION WOULD BE SUPPORTING IT.
UM, SO I I, PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE, IS THE, I THINK FIRST THING THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING HERE.
UH, AND, AND, AND IN LIGHT OF THAT, NOT DESPITE ANYTHING, BUT IN LIGHT OF, I THINK THE FACT THAT THIS IS GONNA BE ADDITIONAL, UH, UH, UH, AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE COMMUNITY, THAT, THAT, AT LEAST I'M VOTING FOR IT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE? UH, GO AHEAD AND, UH, ASK, UH, FOR YOUR CALL, THE, THE CLERK TO CALL FOR THE VOTE PLEASE.
SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND THE MOTION.
SO THE ONLY CHANGE TO THE, UH, CONDITIONS IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE CHANGE TO THE HOURS TO 11:00 PM IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR, ON YOUR, UM, LICENSE.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR WHO CAME AND, AND SPOKE AND ALSO THOSE THAT JOINED US ON ONLINE.
[4. 25-57046 Recommendation to conduct a study session on the Long Beach Climate Action Plan (LB CAP) implementation progress. (Citywide) Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
TO CONDUCT A STUDY SESSION ON THE LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS.MAY I HAVE A MAKER IN A SECOND, PLEASE? THANK YOU.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO, UM, THIS ITEM IS A STUDY SESSION THAT WE HAD COMMITTED TO EARLIER THIS YEAR DURING A DISCUSSION.
UM, UH, IT COMES UP BOTH ON OUR ANNUAL CIP REVIEW PROCESS AND ON CERTAIN PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE, UM, A CAP CHECKLIST.
OF COURSE, THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IS AN IMPLEMENTING
[01:20:01]
PLAN OF OUR GENERAL PLAN AND AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR, UM, POLICY PLANNING FRAMEWORK HERE IN THE CITY IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE REDUCE OUR CARBON EMISSIONS AND BE ADAPTABLE AND RESILIENT TO THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, WHICH ARE ALREADY HERE.UM, SO I'M DELIGHTED TO INTRODUCE THE TEAM WHO WILL BE PRESENTING, UH, THIS EVENING, WHICH INCLUDES, UM, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER MEREDITH REYNOLDS, WHO OVERSEES THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION AND SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, FERN ENO, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER, UM, ANDRE BEJI, ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST AT LAURA RUSSELL.
UM, ADMINISTRATIVE AID AND OUR, UH, PLANNER, CARLENE HU WHO, UH, FACILITATES IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CAP HERE IN PLANNING.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE TEAM.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT THE LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION PLAN'S IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL REVIEW WHAT THE LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION PLAN OR LBCAP FOR SHORT IS.
UM, TODAY WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION'S ROLE IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, HOW IMPLEMENTATION IS GOING AND CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING.
SO ON AUGUST 16TH, 2022, CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE LB CAP, WHICH SERVES AS THE FRAMEWORK FOR REDUCING THE CITY'S GREENHOUSE GAS FOOTPRINT AND ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY AND PHYSICAL ASSETS ARE BETTER PROTECTED FROM THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
THE LB CAP IS A QUALIFIED CLIMATE ACTION PLAN PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA, CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT OR CQA FOR SHORT, UH, WHICH CAN BE USED TO STREAMLINE GREENHOUSE GAS ANALYSIS FOR PROJECTS CONSISTENT WITH THE LB CAP.
AND THE PLAN ITSELF HAS THIS VISION THAT, UH, THE VISION OF THE LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IS TO CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE, RESILIENT, AND EQUITABLE CITY BY ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE IN A WAY THAT REMEDIES EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES, WHILE ALSO IMPROVING HEALTH QUALITY OF LIFE, AND ENHANCING ECONOMIC VITALITY THROUGHOUT THE CI LONG BEACH.
AND WE WANNA KIND OF REITERATE THAT THIS VISION WAS VERY A COMMUNITY LED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DRIVEN PROCESS TO HELP COME UP THIS WITH THIS VISION THAT DRIVES OUR, THE WHAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING TODAY IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION.
THE LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AIMS TO HELP LONG BEACH REALIZE, ONE, A LOW CARBON CLIMATE RESILIENT BUILDINGS AND NEIGHBORHOODS, TWO, SAFE AND ADAPTABLE INFRASTRUCTURE.
THREE, PROTECTED AND ENHANCED NATURAL SYSTEMS. FOUR, A HEALTHY, RESILIENT AND READY POPULATION, AND FIVE RESIDENTS AND BI BUSINESSES WITH MINIMIZED CARBON FOOTPRINTS.
THE LB CAP IS COMPRISED OF ADAPTATION ACTIONS THAT AIM TO MANAGE RISKS AND HELP RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
THE ADAPTATION ACTIONS SERVE TO ADDRESS CLIMATE RISKS LIKE WORSENED AIR QUALITY DROUGHT, EXTREME HEAT, SEA LEVEL RISE AND FLOODING.
AND GOALS TO ADDRESS THESE CLIMATE RISKS INCLUDE FOR ALL LONG BEACH COMMUNITIES TO HAVE CLEAN AIR AND IMPROVED HEALTH FOR LONG BEACH, TO HAVE A SUSTAINABLE AND DIVERSE WATER SUPPLY THAT REDUCES DEPENDENCE ON IMPORTED WATER AND IMPROVE LONG-TERM WATER SECURITY THAT LONG BEACH BUILDINGS, NEIGHBORHOODS AND INFRASTRUCTURE ARE CLIMATE RESILIENT, REDUCE THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, AND ARE SET UP TO ENSURE AND IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE FACE OF EXTREME HEAT EVENTS.
AND THAT LONG BEACH UNDERSTANDS AND IS PREPARED FOR ITS FUTURE FLOOD RISKS.
THE LB CAP IS ALSO COMPRISED OF MITIGATION ACTIONS THAT AIM TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE ACROSS THREE SECTORS, BUILDING AND ENERGY, TRANSPORTATION AND WASTE.
THESE GOALS INCLUDE FOR OUR LONG BEACH BUILDINGS THAT, UH, TO BE ENERGY EFFICIENT AND OUR COMMUNITIES TO RUN ON AFFORDABLE RENEWABLE ENERGY, TO HAVE AFFORDABLE, SAFE CARBON FREE TRANSPORTATION CHOICES THAT CONNECTS ALL LONG BEACH COMMUNITIES TO OPPORTUNITY CLEAN AIR, AND IMPROVED HEALTH.
AND FOR THE LONG BEACH AND FOR LONG BEACH TO BE A ZERO WASTE CITY.
UM, SO I'M GONNA SPEAK ABOUT, UM, OUR OFFICE, UM, HOW WE WERE CREATED.
SO WE STARTED OFF WITH THE FY 23, UH, UH, BUDGET.
UH, THEY INCLUDED STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THREE CLIMATE, UH, ACTION POSITIONS.
IT'S THE MANAGER, ANALYST AND, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR.
UM, SO OUR RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE, UM, CREATING THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL, UH, FRAMEWORK.
SO THAT INCLUDES OUR CLIMATE CHAMPIONS, WHICH ARE LIAISONS, UH, FOR EACH DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT WAY WE, UH, KIND OF ADD SOME, UH, WE WORK THROUGH ANY, WE WORK TOGETHER AND THROUGH ANY BARRIERS OF IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, WE ALSO PUBLISH AN ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH SHOWS ANY ACTION ITEM PROGRESS.
UH, WE ALSO WORK ON, UH, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY, UH, SO THAT WE ARE MORE, UH, TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE FOR OUR CAP PROGRESS.
AND WE HAVE A, UH, CLIMATE, UH, BRAZILIAN SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION.
WE HAVE SEVEN MEETINGS A YEAR.
UM, AND FOR THAT ONE WE ALSO HAVE AN ANNUAL WORK PLAN AND ANNUAL REPORT.
[01:25:01]
UH, SO NEXT, UM, SO OUR ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH IS PUBLISHED YEARLY, UM, AND WE'VE PUBLISHED IN 20, UH, FOR 2023 AND 2024 IS SPLIT UP INTO ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION.UM, SO EACH ONE SHOWS WHAT OUR DEPARTMENT HAS COMPLETED.
UH, WE ASK OUR CLIMATE CHAMPIONS WHO ARE THE LIAISONS, UH, THROUGH ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS, UH, MICROSOFT FORUM OR A SHARED, UH, MICROSOFT LIST THAT WE HAVE FOR THEM TO GIVE US UPDATES FOR ANY WORK THAT THEY'VE COMPLETED.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE COMPLETED, UH, COMMUNITY WIDE GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORIES FOR 2021 AND 2023.
UM, AND, UH, WE ARE CLOSE TO PUBLISHING AN INVENTORY FOR 22 AND 24 FOR MUNICIPAL, UM, WHICH INCLUDES JUST OUR LONG BEACH, UH, BUILDINGS OURSELVES.
UM, AND ALSO WITH THAT, WE HAVE, UH, WORKED WITH OUR TID TEAM TO CREATE A CLIMATE PORTAL.
SO THAT WAY WE ARE SHOWING THE COMMUNITY, UM, OUR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION RESULTS.
UH, WE'LL BE WITH FURTHER ITERATIONS, WE'LL BE ADDING, UH, ACTION ITEM PROGRESS AND OUR MUNICIPAL INVENTORY.
AND, UH, I'LL KIND OF TOUCH UPON ANY FUNDING THAT WE WORK.
UH, WE WORK WITH ANY, UH, OF OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT NEED HELP, UH, TO GET SOME CLIMATE FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT, UH, WE CONTINUE TO PROGRESS THE WORK THAT WE ARE WORKING ON.
UM, SO HERE, UM, ARE JUST, UH, KIND OF HAVE SOME BRIEF, UH, EXCERPTS FROM OUR 2023 AND 2024 ANNUAL REPORTS.
UM, SO WE'LL START OFF WITH THE ADAPTATION ACTIONS.
UM, FOR AIR QUALITY, OUR HAR HARBOR DEPARTMENT MET ITS GOALS FOR, UH, RE REDUCTION OF DIESEL PARTICULATE MATTER, SULFUR OXIDES AND NITROGEN OXIDES.
UM, OUR ENERGY RESOURCES, UH, DEPARTMENT, UM, CONDUCTED OIL, UH, WELL EMISSION TESTING INTO WEST WILMINGTON.
AND, UH, ON THREE SUB INDICATIONS, THEY FOUND NO FUGITIVE EMISSIONS, METHANE EMISSIONS.
UH, NEXT, UH, WE'LL TALK ABOUT DROUGHT.
UM, HERE OUR HARBOR, UH, TEAM, WHICH ALSO HAS ITS OWN, UH, CLIMATE, UH, PLAN, UM, SUBMITTED, UH, DRAFT DESIGNS FOR THE PURE BE ON DOC SALES REPORT FACILITY TO, UM, REDUCE 50 50% REDUCTION IN WATER DEMAND AND INCORPORATE LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT.
AND OUR UTILITIES, UH, DEPARTMENT, UM, HAD 75, UH, EVENTS THROUGH CITY TO, UM, TO EDUCATE THE CITY ON WATER CONSERVATION.
AND THEY, UH, PUBLISHED THEIR FIRST ANNUAL WATER USE REPORT.
UM, SO EXTREME HEAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL STRESSORS ON OUR REGION.
UH, SO SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, UM, OUR SUSTAINABILITY SIDE OF OUR TEAM, UM, HAS THEIR TREE PLANTING PROGRAM.
SO THEY CONTINUE TO INCREASE THEIR TREE PLANTING EVERY YEAR.
UM, AND I BELIEVE REACHED A THOUSAND TREES, UM, LAST YEAR, 7 45, UH, IN 2024, AND I BELIEVE THEY'RE NEAR A THOUSAND FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, SO THAT HELPS US WITH OUR TREE CANOPY COVER AND, UH, REDUCES URBAN HEAT, UM, ISLAND EFFECT.
AND ALSO WE WORK WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND SOLVE FAR AS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND LIBRARY SERVICES, UH, TO ENHANCE AND EXPAND OUR COOLING CENTERS AND TO MAKE SURE OUR COMMUNITY'S WELL INFORMED.
AND WE HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED A COOLING CENTER SURVEY.
SO ANYONE WHO GOES THROUGH OUR COOLING CENTERS CAN, UH, MENTION WHAT IS IT THEY LIKE ABOUT COOLING CENTERS, WHAT THEY WOULD, UM, KIND OF PREFER, AND WHAT, UH, THEY DISLIKE.
UM, SO, UM, THE LONG TERM GOALS OF KIND OF THE LONGEST REACHING GOALS ARE THE SEA LEVEL RISE IN FLOODING.
SO WE HAVE GOALS OF 2050 AND 2100.
SO THESE ARE KIND OF LIKE THE BIGGEST, UM, ADAPTATION ACTIONS, WHEREAS IT INCLUDES LIKE, UM, KIND OF LIFTING UP INFRASTRUCTURE AND, UM, SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY NOT LOSING SIGHT OF THAT.
SO OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM IS LOOKING, UH, TO INCORPORATE SEA LEVEL RISE LANGUAGE INTO PLAN AND CODE UPDATES.
AND NOW, UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE MITIGATION SECTION.
SO FOR BUILDING AND ENERGY, UM, OUR TEAM WORKS WITH THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT AND ENERGY, UH, RESOURCES TO ENROLL ALL OUR MUNICIPAL ACCOUNTS TO COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM, UH, THROUGH SE UM, RENEWABLE PROGRAMS. AND WE ALSO CREATED A WEBSITE TO ALLOW, UM, ANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WISH TO JOIN, UH, TO JOIN THAT AS WELL.
AND THAT PROGRAM ALLOWS THEM TO INCREASE THE USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN CALIFORNIA AND SAVE MONEY ON UTILITY BILLS.
UM, OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM CONSTRUCTED, UM, FINISHED THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CITYWIDE SOLAR PROJECT, WHICH HAD 11 SOLAR ARRAYS AT FACILITIES OF CITY FACILITIES AND PARKING STRUCTURES.
UM, OUR UTILITY DEPARTMENT ALSO, UM, IN, THEY HAVE A NEW DIRECT INSTALL APPLIANCE PROGRAM FOR THE INSTALLATION OF HIGH EFFICIENCY NATURAL GAS, AND FOR TRANSPORTATION.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, OUR PORT CONTINUES TO IMPLEMENT OUR CLEAN TRUCK PROGRAM.
UM, OUR CITY CONTINUES TO ADVANCE ITS GREEN FLEET PROGRAM.
UM, OUR PUBLIC WORKS, UM, ADDS CHARGES THROUGHOUT THE CITY FOR BOTH CITY AND COMMUNITY USE.
AND, UM, WE STREAMLINED ELECTRICAL VEHICLE PERMITTING PROCESS AND ZONING.
UPDATED EFFORTS ARE CONTINUING AS WELL.
AND THE LAST OF OUR MITIGATION ACTIONS IS WASTE.
[01:30:01]
OUR ESP TEAM HAS INCREASED THEIR WASTE, UH, REDUCTION RECYCLING EDUCATION OUTREACH EFFORTS, AND THEY LAUNCHED OUR RESIDENTIAL ORGANIC WASTE PROGRAM.SO IF YOU RECEIVED YOUR NEW GREEN BINS, UH, THAT'S A PART OF THAT.
UM, SO, UH, HOW DO WE TRACK ALL THIS? IT IS THROUGH OUR, UH, GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTS.
UM, THIS, UM, OUR LB CAP ESTABLISHED A SEVEN STEP MITIGATION PROCESS.
SO THE FIRST ONE OF THAT IS OUR GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES THE SECOND ONE WHERE WE HAVE OUR FORECAST AND PROJECTED EMISSIONS.
THAT'S OUR BUSINESS AS USUAL, UM, AND ANY PROJECTED EMISSIONS.
UM, SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT, THAT'S FROM OUR 2023 INVENTORY, UH, WITH TRANSPORTATION BE THE HIGHEST FOLLOWED BY COMMERCIAL ENERGY AND RESIDENTIAL ENERGY.
AND, UH, SO WE PLAN TO DO THIS, UM, BI-ANNUALLY.
SO 21 AND 2325, WE'LL DO OUR COMMUNITY WIDE INVENTORIES.
AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, FOR 22 AND 24, WE'RE GONNA BE RELEASING OUR MUNICIPAL INVENTORIES AND ALL THAT WILL BE SHOWN, UM, ON OUR CLIMATE PORTAL, WHICH IS LIVE.
IT HAS INFORMATION FROM OUR 2021 AND 2023 INVENTORIES.
AND, UH, IT HELPS, UH, TRACK AND PROGRESS TOWARDS OUR GOALS.
UM, AND IT IS PUBLIC FACING FOR TRANSPARENCY AND DISCLOSURE.
SO THIS WILL ALLOW US, UM, TO SHOW ANY, UM, WHERE OUR MISSIONS ARE AT, WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND IT WILL, UM, ALSO INCLUDE ANY NEW ACTION ITEM UPDATES THAT WE, UH, WE'RE HOPING TO KIND OF DO THAT SOON AS WELL.
AND, UM, WE ALSO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR FUNDING WHEREVER WE CAN.
UM, THERE'S 11 GRANTS AWARDED IN THE CLIMATE ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, FOR THE LB STRATEGIC 2030 VISION.
UM, SO THAT INCLUDED AN URBAN FOREST MASTER, UH, URBAN FOREST PLAN.
UH, SO THAT'S, WE ARE CREATING OUR URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN.
UH, WE HAD A CLIMATE LB YOUTH MI MICRO GRANT PROGRAM.
UH, SO WITH THAT, WE ARE PROVIDING $5,000 MICRO GRANTS TO YOUTH, UH, PROGRAMS TO, UH, KIND OF, UH, SHOW SOME WORK, UH, THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.
UM, SOME INCLUDE LIKE MOVIES, UM, AND SOME RECYCLABLE PROGRAMS. AND WE ALSO HAVE THE AB 32 CAP AND TRADE PROJECTS.
SO THAT ALLOWS US TO, UM, SUBMIT, UH, SO CITY DEPARTMENT SUBMIT THEIR PROPOSALS, UM, AND EACH YEAR, AND THE PROJECT IS RECOMMENDED ON, UH, FOR SHOVEL READY PROJECTS AND ANYTHING THAT'LL HELP REDUCE ANY EMISSIONS.
UH, SOME, UH, RECENT PROJECTS INCLUDE EV CHARGING STATIONS AND, UH, LED PARK LIGHTING UPGRADES, AND NOW PASS BACK OVER TO CARLENE.
UM, SO AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THE LB CAP IS A QUALIFIED ACTION PLAN UNDER CQA.
UM, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE GREAT THINGS THAT, UM, THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION IS DOING.
BUT I JUST WANNA TIE IT BACK INTO WHAT WE DO AT PLANNING COMMISSION, AT, AT WITH PLANNING STAFF IS WE LOOK AT NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES FORTH, UM, AND WE WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THE LB CAP DEVELOPMENT CHECKLIST.
UM, PROJECTS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO DISCRETIONARY ACTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW UNDER
SO UPON YOUR SCREENS, YOU'LL SEE A CHART ABOUT HOW WE IMPLEMENT THE CHECKLIST WHEN A NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IS PROPOSED.
AND STEP ONE INCLUDES DEMONSTRATING CONSISTENCY WITH THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN.
SO IF A PROJECT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN, THE PROJECT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE DEMOCRATIC DEMOGRAPHIC FORECAST AND LAND USE ASSUMPTIONS USED IN THE LB CAP AND CAN TEAR FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL SQL REVIEW ADOPTED FOR THE CAP.
UM, STEP TWO WOULD DETERMINE IF THE PROJECT SCREENS OUT OF THE LB CAP ACTION CONSISTENCY TABLE.
STEP THREE, IF, IF, UM, APPLICABLE DEMONSTRATES CONSISTENCY WITH THE CAP GHG EMISSION REDUCTIONS, ACTIONS TABLE, AND THEN FOUR, IF ALTERNATIVE PROJECT EMISSION REDUCTION MEASURES AND ADDITIONAL GHG REDUCTIONS ARE NEEDED, THAT'S WHERE THEY'LL IDENTIFY THEM.
STEP FIVE IS THEN TO ALSO DEMONSTRATE CONSISTENCY WITH THE LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION ACTIONS LISTED.
SO OVERALL, THE LB CAP CHECKLIST ALLOWS PROJECTS TO STREAMLINE THEIR SECRET PROCESS BY NOT HAVING TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT SPECIFIC ANALYSIS OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS WHEN IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE LB CAP DEVELOPMENT CHECKLIST.
AND IT ALSO PROVIDES THE BENEFIT OF PROJECTS ARE REQUIRED THROUGH CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL TO ADOPT RELEVANT ADAPTATION MEASURES.
AND JUST, UH, WANNA HIGHLIGHT EXAMPLES OF THIS.
UM, AN EXAMPLE, UM, OF THE CHECKLIST IN ACTION IS FOR A PROJECT THAT CAME BEFORE PLANNING COMMISSION IN MAY OF 2025, UM, INTEX CORPORATE OFFICE AND WAREHOUSE LOCATED AT 4,000 VIA ORAL AVENUE.
UM, LB CAP ADAPTATIONS INCLUDE ONSITE SOLAR, ALL ELECTRIC FACILITY AND FULL CARBON OFFSET AS FEASIBLE FEASIBLY PROVIDED BY SES COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM, EV PARKING AND CHARGING LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT TO RETAIN ONSITE STORM WATER, UH, AND REQUIRING THAT ALL OF THEIR YARD EQUIPMENT BE ALL ELECTRIC.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, ANOTHER EXAMPLE, UM, THAT, UH, INCLUDES THE SKY LINKS GOLF COURSE REGIONAL
[01:35:01]
STORM WATER CAPTURE, LOCATED AT 3 5 5 9 CLARK AVENUE.THIS CAME BEFORE PLANNING COMMISSION RECENTLY IN JULY, 2025.
UM, IT'S, THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT DID SCREEN OUT OF THE MITIGATE MITIGATION ACTION, AND THE PROJECT ITSELF HELPS IMPLEMENT THE LB CAP.
UH, UM, UH, AND IN, IN TERMS OF CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL, WE SAW REPLACING A REPLACEMENT OF 24 NON-NATIVE TREES WITH 48 NATIVE TREES.
THAT DIVERSION OF WATER FLOWS FROM LOW SARITA'S CHANNEL TO NEW STORM WATER CAPTURE SYSTEM DROUGHT TOLERANT AND LOW WATER LANDSCAPING WITH RECAPTURED WATER AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE VEGETATIVE STORAGE PONDS IN A STORM WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM.
UM, WITH ALL OF THE, UH, IMPLEMENTATION PIECES THAT COME TOGETHER IN THE LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, UH, WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW, AND WE ARE STARTING TO SEE, UH, THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION PLAN PRESENTS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE STARTING TO SEE IS LARGE SCALE REGULATORY AND FUNDING CHANGES, BOTH AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL.
PREVIOUSLY, THERE WAS A, A NUMBER OF POINTS OF ALIGNMENT, UH, BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND STATE GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE IMPORTANCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND SO THOSE PRIORITIES HAVE CERTAINLY CHANGED WITH THE NEW FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION, UM, ELIMINATING FUNDING FOR CLIMATE PROJECTS AND EVEN ELIMINATING THE WORD CLIMATE, UH, IN A NUMBER OF THEIR, UH, GRANT PROGRAMS AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT THEY PROVIDE.
UM, AND SO THAT IN AND OF ITSELF, UH, IS INDICATING A LACK OF PRIORITY FOR THE, THE CLIMATE EFFORTS AT THAT LEVEL.
AND EVEN WITH CLIMATE CHANGE SUPPORT AT THE STATE LEVEL, CERTAIN CLIMATE POLICIES THAT WERE ANTICIPATED TO BE ADOPTED, UM, HAVE NOT COME TO FRUITION.
AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE STARTING TO SIGNAL THE IMPORTANCE OR THE PRIORITY OF SOME OF THESE EFFORTS.
AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT AB ONE 30 AND SB 1 31.
UM, AND THESE LAWS REALLY BROADEN THE CATEGORIES OF PROJECTS THAT ARE EXEMPT FROM CQA REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW REQUIREMENTS.
AND THEY REPRESENT A MATERIAL SHIFT IN HOW CLIMATE POLICY IS IMPLEMENTED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL THROUGH THE CHECKLIST THAT CARLENE JUST DESCRIBED.
SO THE CHECKLIST HAS BEEN A TOOL FOR ALIGNING PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT WITH AND CITY PROJECTS WITH CAP GOALS, BUT THE CITY AT THIS POINT MUST PIVOT TO SQL IMPLEMENTATION PATHWAYS TO MAINTAIN MOMENTUM TOWARD CAP GOALS.
UH, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE CAP AND TRADE PROGRAM WHERE THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT DOES COME TO THE CITY, UH, THAT CAN BE USED FOR INVESTMENT IN CLIMATE PROJECTS.
AND WE MAXIMIZE THAT EVERY YEAR AS A PART OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE IN OUR EXISTING, UH, CLIMATE ACTION PLAN TO LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL WAYS TO QUANTIFY THE MITIGATION ACTIONS AND BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHICH, UH, ACTIONS ARE GOING TO GIVE US THE BIGGEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK IN TERMS OF EMISSION REDUCTIONS.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE ARE STARTING TO SEE, UH, IS THE LACK OF LOCAL CONTROL FOR TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILE SOURCES THAT ARE TIED, UH, MORE CLOSELY WITH THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PATTERNS.
SO MOST TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS ARE SHAPED BY REGIONAL COMMUTING PATTERNS, GOODS, MOVEMENT, FREEWAY NETWORKS, AND, AND MOST OF THESE ARE FACTORS OUTSIDE OF A SINGLE CITY'S DIRECT CONTROL VEHICLE STANDARDS, FUEL REGULATIONS, TRUCK RULES, TRANSIT FUNDING ARE CONTROLLED BY A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES.
SO CARB, CALTRANS, SCAG, AND OTHER TRANSIT AUTHORITIES, UH, WHICH ARE NOT UNDER CONTROL OF THE LOCAL JURISDICTION.
AND CITIES REALLY DEPEND ON THESE AGENCIES FOR MAJOR INVESTMENTS AND POLICIES AND SYSTEM DESIGN JOBS.
HOUSING AND SERVICES ARE ALSO DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION, CREATING LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL PATTERNS THAT LOCAL PLANNING ALONE CANNOT CHANGE, AND CITIES CAN DO THINGS AROUND IMPROVEMENTS TO WALKING AND BIKING AND TRANSIT ACCESS AND WITH ZONING AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
BUT THESE MEASURES ONLY ADDRESS A PORTION OF TOTAL VMT.
SO EVEN STRONG LOCAL LAND USE POLICIES ARE LIMITED BY THE BROADER HOUSING SHORTAGE, REGIONAL JOB DISTRIBUTION, AND THESE LARGER REGIONAL TRANSIT IMPACTS.
WE DO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, HERE AT THE CITY WHERE WE HAVE A DIRECT AUTHORITY OVER, UH, WHICH YOU PLAY A BIG PART OF IN ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, REALLY FOCUSING ON WHERE GROWTH HAPPENS.
MAKING LAND USE ONE OF THE STRONGEST TOOLS FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS AND BUILDING RESILIENCE WHERE YOU CAN ALLOW MORE HOUSING NEAR TRANSIT, UH, JOBS AND SERVICES DIRECTLY LOWERS CAR DEPENDENCE.
AND MANY OF OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, LAND USE SETTLEMENT AND MASTER PLANS, UM, HAVE A FOCUS ON THOSE THINGS.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE THINGS LIKE HIGHER DENSITY, MIXED USE ZONING THAT SUPPORTS WALKING, BIKING, AND TRANSIT.
AND THIS IS REALLY KEY HERE, UH, WITH THE TOOLS WE DO HAVE
[01:40:01]
TO ACHIEVE TRANSPORTATION RELATED CLIMATE TARGETS.WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO INVEST IN OUR MICRO MOBILITY NETWORK.
UH, AND SO PROJECTS, UM, LIKE THE ORANGE AVENUE BACKBONE BIKEWAY THAT WILL TAKE SOMEONE ON A BIKE FROM THE BOUNDARY OF NORTH LONG BEACH, DOWN ORANGE AVENUE, DOWN ALAMEDAS AVENUE TO THE BEACH.
AND WE HAVE MANY OTHER EXAMPLES OF THIS ACROSS THE CITY.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO FOCUS ON AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
WE ALSO HAVE A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY, UH, WITH THE, UM, OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES, UH, BECAUSE THESE MAJOR GLOBAL EVENTS CREATE A UNIQUE PLATFORM TO SHIFT NORMS AND INSPIRE BEHAVIOR CHANGE.
SO THE GAMES CAN LEAVE A LASTING CULTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY, NOT JUST IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR, BUT ALSO GREENER PUBLIC SPACES, REDUCE WASTE, UH, AND HAVING THE, UM, UH, THE, THE CIVIC IDENTITY BE FOCUSED AROUND SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE ABLE TO CHANGE FOR THE OLYMPICS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO STAY AFTER THE OLYMPICS LEAVE.
AND FINALLY, WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT IN OUR, UM, ANNUAL REPORTS AND OUR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS, WE'RE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THE IN INCREASE, IN DECREASE THAT MAY HAPPEN EACH YEAR AS WE, UH, LOOK AT THE DATA.
SO WE'RE SEEING AT THIS POINT A 3% INCREASE IN G GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM 2015 TO 2023.
UH, BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE FACTORS THAT, UH, PLAY INTO THAT, THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL.
WE ALSO HAVE MANY OF OUR CAP ACTIONS.
WHILE THEY ARE HELPFUL TO HAVE IN OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, IT'S HARD TO IDENTIFY WITHOUT SOME DEEPER DIVES INTO, UH, HOW WE CAN QUANTIFY THE EMISSION REDUCTIONS THAT WE CAN GET FROM EACH OF THOSE ACTIONS.
AND WE HAVE THINGS THAT WERE BAKED INTO OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, LIKE OUR, UH, SURF PROPERTY THAT WOULD TAKE TRASH AND CREATE ENERGY, UH, THROUGH THE BURNING OF THE TRASH.
THAT CLOSURE OF SURF, UH, WAS PART OF SOME OF OUR ASSUMPTIONS.
AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND THAT THAT SITE IS NO LONGER VIABLE FOR THAT PARTICULAR OPERATION, WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETHINK ABOUT WHAT IT COULD BE IN THE FUTURE AND WHAT CLIMATE SUPPORTING ACTION, UH, IT IT COULD SUPPORT.
SO WE KNOW THAT WE ARE SEEING SOME DOWNWARD TREND IN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, AND FROM 2021 TO 2023 KIND OF A YEAR, UH, A YEAR OVER YEAR LOOK.
UM, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UH, THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN INFLUENCE, UH, THROUGH OUR CITY ACTIONS AND WHAT WE DO HAVE CONTROL OVER, UH, AND PRIORITIZING THOSE ACTIONS FIRST.
UM, SOME OF THE THINGS WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN AND CONTINUE TO, UH, SUPPORT AND, AND COMMUNICATE IS A COMMUNITY RENEWABLES PROGRAM THROUGH OUR LOCAL ELECTRIC UTILITY.
AND WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDING SET ASIDE IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR FOR AN ENERGY RESILIENCE RESILIENCY FEASIBILITY STUDY, UM, TAKING A LOOK AT HOW WE MIGHT APPROACH MICROGRIDS AND ENERGY STORAGE AND OTHER THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, AND THEN POTENTIALLY THE SURF SITE, UH, HAS AN OPEN RFP RIGHT NOW, BUT IS, UH, LOOKING TO SEE HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE A REGIONAL ORGANICS FACILITY OR OTHER SIMILAR TYPE OF USE.
SO FOR US, UH, THESE NEXT STEPS ARE ALL THINGS ON OUR RADAR SCREEN IN TERMS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ADDITIONAL EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS AND ADDITIONAL, UM, COMPLETION OF ACTIONS THAT ARE IN THE CAP.
SO TAKING A LOOK AT THE CAP ITSELF, UH, THROUGH SOME FORM OF DEEPER DIVE, UM, TO IDENTIFY WHAT WE ACTUALLY CAN ACHIEVE, UH, IN TERMS OF QUANTIFYING OUR MEASURES, AND ALSO BE THINKING AHEAD ABOUT ADAPTATION AND WHAT PROJECTS WE NEED TO PUT IN PLACE OR WHAT PLANNING WE NEED TO DO NOW IN TERMS OF SEA LEVEL RISE AND FLOODING.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO FINISH OUR 2022 AND 24 INVENTORY FOR OUR MUNICIPAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REPORTS.
AND OUR COMMUNITY-WIDE, UH, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION REPORT FOR 2025 IS ALSO UNDERWAY.
UM, YOU HAVE ALSO HEARD FROM YOUR PLANNING TEAM AROUND THE OPEN SPACE ELEMENT UPDATE AND THE IMPORTANCE, UH, OF THAT TYING TO CLIMATE CHANGE AMONG OTHER, UH, CITY PRIORITIES.
AND ALSO A TEAM IN OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IS FO FOCUSING ON THE 2028 GAMES PLANNING AND HOPING TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE BEHAVIOR CHANGES THAT REALLY SHIFT THE WAY PEOPLE GET AROUND OUR CITY AND AROUND THE REGION.
UM, SO WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
THAT'S HOW, I'LL JUST START MY
AND TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, THERE'S SO MUCH THAT IS OUTSIDE OF YOUR CONTROL THAT YOU STILL HAVE
[01:45:01]
TO TRY AND MAKE SENSE OF AND YOU KNOW, AND ADDRESS.SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU FOR, UH, FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, I'M GONNA TURN IT TO, TO THE COMMISSIONERS ON ANY COMMENTS BEFORE I PELT YOU WITH SOME OF MY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER? HI.
THE APT, UM, WITH THE SOLAR, INCREASED SOLAR AND ALL THAT, DOES THAT ALSO INCLUDE, UM, BATTERY STORAGE OR OTHER KINDS OF ENERGY STORAGE? FOR THE SOLAR THAT WE HAVE SO FAR, IT HAS BEEN PREDOMINANTLY FOCUSED ON THE TRADITIONAL SOLAR ARRAYS ON ROOFS AND, UH, PARKING LOTS OR PARKING STRUCTURES.
UM, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ENERGY FEASIBILITY STUDY WILL ALLOW US TO DO IS TO THINK MORE BROADLY ABOUT, UM, THE, THE, UH, NETWORK IN WHICH WE CAN CAPTURE AND SAVE ENERGY AND STORE IT FOR LATER, AND HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TIE, UH, THROUGH MICROGRIDS AND OTHER, OTHER STRATEGIES ARE DIFFERENT COMPLEXES TOGETHER, UH, TO BE ABLE TO BEST MANAGE OUR ENERGY AND REALLY FOCUS ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ENERGY SAVINGS MOVING FORWARD.
DO WE HAVE ANY OPPOR, I'M SORRY.
AND, AND MEREDITH IS TALKING ABOUT OUR OWN OPERATIONS AS A CITY'S.
SO WHAT I THINK IS REALLY INTERESTING, UM, NOT BECAUSE OF ANY CITY PROGRAM OR HONESTLY ANYTHING WE DID, BUT BECAUSE OF MARKET FORCES AND, AND STATE FORCES BEYOND SORT OF THE CITY, UM, EVERY DAY AT OUR COUNTER ON THE SECOND FLOOR, WE DO RECEIVE APPLICATIONS FOR SOLAR SYSTEMS THAT INCLUDE BATTERY STORAGE.
UM, AND THAT IS REALLY ESSENTIAL IN CALIFORNIA, WE DO NEED MORE SOLAR, BUT IN SOME WAYS WE DON'T BECAUSE WE'RE PRODUCING AN EXCESS OF POWER IN THE AFTERNOON.
UM, AND WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF POWER IN THE EVENING, AND THEN WE'RE, UM, BURNING NATURAL GAS PRIMARILY IN THE EVENING IN ORDER TO POWER ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS AND RUN OUR WASHING MACHINE AND COME HOME AND CHARGE OUR EV THAT IS SAVING THE EARTH, BUT NOT IF WE'RE BURNING, UH, FOSSIL FUELS TO DO THAT CHARGING.
SO ENERGY IS A COMPLEX, UM, ISSUE, BUT WE HAVE THOSE KIND OF, UM, CONSUMER HOME OR APARTMENT LEVEL ONES COMING IN EVERY DAY.
AND WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY FOR AT UTILITY SCALE, UM, BATTERY FACILITIES.
UM, AND WE DO OPERATE THE LARGEST BATTERY FACILITY IN THE STATE, A ES, UM, OF OUR ON THE EAST SIDE.
UM, SO THAT IS HAPPENING NATURALLY, UH, RESPONDING TO A NUMBER OF FACTORS, BUT, UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN, UH, BE PART OF THAT POSITIVE CHANGE WITH OUR OWN OPERATIONS HERE AT THE CITY.
UM, ALSO, IS THERE AN ESTIMATE WITH ALL THE, UM, EXTREME WEATHER WITH ALL THE INCREASED MELTING OF GLACIERS AND ALL THIS SEEMS TO BE GOING FAST FORWARD, IS THERE AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT THE WATER RISE WILL BE HERE IN CAL IN LONG BEACH? YEAH, WE HAVE THOSE MAPS AND CARLENE OR AUSTIN.
SO THERE'S, UM, A RANGE OF ESTIMATES.
UM, AND SO, UM, IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON THE MODEL AND THERE'S BOTH THE OVERALL SEA LEVEL RISE AND THEN THE PROJECTED FLOODING IMPACTS WHEN YOU HAVE AN EXTREME WEATHER EVENT.
SO THE NEAREST TERM, UH, SEA LEVEL RISE THAT THE CAP SHOWS IS, UM, ABOUT 11 INCHES BY 2030 COMPARED TO THE BASELINE WHEN WE ADOPTED IT A FEW YEARS AGO.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE ON LIKE A KING TIDE OR MAJOR, UM, TITLE EVENT OR A 1%, UH, STORM OPTION LOOKING.
THE FURTHER OUT YOU GO, THE LESS CERTAINTY THERE IS.
UM, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK ALL THE WAY TO 2100, WHICH IN OUR COASTAL AREAS, THE COASTAL COMMISSION MANDATES THAT WE DO, UM, THERE, THERE'S A RANGE OF PROJECTIONS THAT ARE ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT SIX FEET TO ABOUT, UH, ALMOST 10 FEET, UH, DEPENDING ON THE PROJECTION.
AGAIN, THAT, THAT DEPENDS ON A NUMBER OF FACTORS.
UM, AND, UH, THE CAP DOES CALL FOR US TO CONTINUE MONITORING THE SCIENCE AND, AND HOW IT'S PROJECTED.
UM, AND THE COASTAL COMMISSION CONTINUES TO UPDATE SORT OF THEIR BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE FOR US TO LOOK AT AS WELL.
AND THEN, UM, THE, UH, PROPOSED ORGANIC FACILITY, IS THAT, UH, RELATED TO THE COLLECTION OF THE WASTE, THE ORGANIC WASTE? CAN I ASK WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH IT NOW? YEAH, SO THAT IS IN RELATION TO THE ORGANIC WASTE THAT WE COLLECT.
UM, AND WITHOUT AN A REGIONAL FACILITY, WE TRUCK IT, UH, TO A, A NUMBER OF FACILITIES.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S ONE IN LAMONT, THERE'S ONE IN SIMI VALLEY AND ONE IN VICTORVILLE THAT, UH, OUR, OUR WASTE GOES TO.
UM, THOSE ARE THE CLOSEST ONES THAT SERVE THE REGION.
UH, SO DEPENDING ON, UH, THE, THE MARKET STUDY AND, UM, WHO RESPONDS TO OUR, OUR
[01:50:01]
RFP, WE COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A, A VIABLE OPTION HERE AT THE SURF FACILITY.BUT THAT'S WHAT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION CURRENTLY.
UM, SO THE, RIGHT NOW WE, UM, US AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE ANY OPTIONS OTHER THAN TO TRUCK IT TO FACILITIES OUTSIDE OF THE REGION THAT, UH, PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
SO I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO SOMETHING WHERE LIKE SURF USED TO BE AND START FILLING IN WHERE THE, UH, EASTERN END OF THE ISLAND STARTED TIPPING DOWN, WHAT, 27 TO 28 FEET BELOW SEAWATER, THAT MIGHT BE NICE TO BUILD IT BACK
IT'S A GOOD START ANYWAY, BUT, UH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST WONDERING THAT, SO IT'S ALL BEING TRUCKED OUTTA THE CITY AT THIS TIME.
BUT THERE IS A STUDY UNDERWAY TO LOOK AT THAT SURF FACILITY NOW THAT IT'S CLOSED TO SEE IF IT COULD BE REUSED POTENTIALLY FOR ORGANICS.
AND AN RFP OUT AS, AS MEREDITH TOUCHED ON IT, IS KIND OF AN INTERESTING SET OF CLIMATE POLICIES WHERE, YOU KNOW, UM, AB UH, 1383 REQUIRED US TO START COLLECTING ORGANICS, BUT IT'S A REGIONAL PROBLEM IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OF A LACK OF A NEARBY PLACE TO BRING THEM.
SO YOU THEN YOU HAVE THOSE LONGER TRUCK TRIPS.
BUT, UM, SEPARATING AND COLLECTING ORGANICS IS OUR LARGEST QUANTIFIABLE ACTION THAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED SO FAR SINCE THE CAP CAME INTO PLAY.
UM, AND WITH SURF CLOSING, THAT WAS A WASTE TO ENERGY PLANT WHERE WE WERE GETTING REDUCTIONS.
AND SO PART OF OUR INVENTORY INCREASES RELATE TO THE CLOSURE OF SURF BECAUSE YOU WERE TURNING TRASH INTO ENERGY AT THAT LOCATION.
UM, SO IT'S A, A BALANCE OF FACTORS GOING ON THERE.
I, I AM EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE CHANGING AND BEING ADDRESSED, UM, A LITTLE IMPATIENT
I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE MORE FORWARD PROGRESS, BUT I THINK THAT'S VERY NEEDED.
I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU DID THIS ON A REQUEST OF MINE, AND I KNOW BOTH HOW MUCH WORK ONE OF THESE PRESENTATIONS GOES IN, UH, INTO ONE OF THESE PRESENTATIONS, BUT ALSO WHAT IS REQUIRED IN TERMS OF COLLECTING THIS DATA IS NOT EASY TO FIND, EASY TO CALCULATE OR, UM, YOU KNOW, CONSISTENT IN ANY WAY.
UH, SO I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WE, UH, THAT Y'ALL PUT INTO GIVING US THIS.
UM, SO I GUESS TO START OFF, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FUGITIVE EMISSION REDUCTION? THAT SEEMS TO BE THE MAJORITY, THE LARGEST CHANGE.
UM, AND IT'S NOT CLEAR FROM WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
UH, SO THERE WAS A, UH, PETROLEUM FACILITY THAT DID CLOSE DOWN IN BETWEEN WHERE THAT WAS LIKE THE HUGE, UM, KIND OF CHUNK.
I THINK IT WAS LIKE 230,000 METRIC TONS.
AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE CHAIN OR AGAIN, BASICALLY NO.
UM, SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS PRO, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF THE, UH, ISSUES THAT WE CAN SEE HERE IN TERMS OF, ESPECIALLY AROUND ENERGY, ESPECIALLY AROUND RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL ENERGY, UH, WE UNDERSTAND AT LEAST WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING IF IT IS DIFFICULT TO FIGURE OUT.
UM, TRANSPORTATION IS THE TOUGH NUT TO CRACK HERE.
UM, IT'S ALSO THE ONE, IT'S ALSO THE LARGEST SINGLE SHARE IS, UH, INDIVIDUAL VEHICLES, GASOLINE VEHICLES.
IT'S ALSO GOING UP AND BASICALLY WIPING OUT A LOT OF THE PROGRESS IN OTHER SECTORS.
UM, JUST PERSONAL GASOLINE VEHICLES WENT UP FROM 24% TO 26% OF THE, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN A QUARTER OF THE EMISSIONS.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU ADDRESSED SEVERAL OF THE THINGS THAT PREVENT US FROM TAKING ANY KINDA ACTION IN TERMS OF THE LACK OF CONTROL THAT WE HAVE OVER, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE, UH, THE THING THAT I WANT TO GET INTO HERE IS ONE, I I, I'VE, I'VE ASKED FOR THIS BEFORE, BUT, UM, ARE WE ABLE TO GET THOSE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AGENCIES IN HERE TO SORT OF ANSWER SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS? UH, METRO, SCAG AND CALTRANS, THEY ALL JUST SORT OF REFERENCE EACH OTHER AND YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF THE SPIDER-MAN MEME OF, YOU KNOW, YOU GO FIRST, UH, WHERE I DON'T SEE HOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THIS.
IF CALTRAN KEEPS EXPANDING FREEWAYS, WE HAVE TO THEN DEAL WITH THE TRAFFIC OFF OF
[01:55:01]
ET CETERA.SO, UM, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY GET THEM TO PRESENT ON? YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COMMISSIONER.
SO I CAN CERTAINLY WORK WITH THE CHAIR.
WE CAN INVITE DIFFERENT AGENCIES TO COME HERE AND PRESENT.
I'M NOT SURE IT'S GONNA BE WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW YOU HAVE A GREAT INTEREST IN A PARTICULAR CALTRANS PROJECT IN THE NORTH PART OF THE CITY, BUT THEY'RE NOT GONNA COME HERE AND HAVE A DEBATE ABOUT THAT PROJECT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMISSION.
AND THEY KNOW THAT, AND THE STAFF KNOWS IT, AND THE LEGAL COUNSEL KNOWS IT.
SO CERTAINLY WE CAN BRING FOLKS FROM SCAG OR CALTRANS, WE CAN INVITE THEM.
I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD SAY NO, BUT THEY HAVE THE OPTION.
THEY CAN SHARE INFORMATION, THEY CAN ANSWER GENERALIZED QUESTIONS, THEY CAN TALK ABOUT THEIR SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS, AND I'D BE GLAD TO TO WORK WITH THE CHAIR, UM, ON DOING THAT.
BUT IT, IT WOULD HAVE TO RELATE BACK TO THE, THE JURISDICTION OF, OF THIS COMMISSION.
UM, AND THIS IS NOT A TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AND IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T HAVE PURVIEW OVER CALTRANS WIDENING PROJECT ON, ON THAT FREEWAY IN THE NORTH PART OF THE CITY.
BUT WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE, I'M, I'M GLAD TO WORK WITH THE CHAIR AND WORK WITH THE COMMISSION ON THAT.
N NO, AND I MEAN, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO JUST YELL AT SOMEONE FOR NO REASON.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE DO, WE ARE IN CHARGE OF HELPING TO IMPLEMENT THE GENERAL PLAN.
THE MOBILITY PLAN IS PART OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
WE RELY ON WHAT CALTRANS AND METRO AND, AND, AND SCAGG ARE DOING.
IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THE, UH, CONGESTION PRICING THAT'S IN, I THINK SCAGS REGIONAL RTP, DO THEY ACTUALLY THINK THEY'RE GONNA DO THAT? I MEAN, IF THEY'RE NOT, THAT KIND OF CHUCKS OUT THE ENTIRE PLAN.
I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT, BUT IT WOULD ALSO SAY THEY ADOPTED THAT PLAN WHEN THE ELECTED OFFICIALS ON THAT BODY MADE THAT ADOPTION.
THEY MADE CERTAIN LEGAL FINDINGS SAYING THAT THEY WERE ADOPTING THAT PLAN FOR SPECIFIC REASONS.
AND THEN IT WENT, NOT TO US WE'RE JUST ONE CITY.
THE STATE MADE FINDINGS, THE CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD CONCURRED, UM, THE GOVERNOR SECRETARY OVER CALTRANS CONCURRED.
SO CERTAINLY I CAN BRING THEM IN HERE AND WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION, BUT I DON'T THINK THE STARTING POINT CAN BE, YOU'RE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT CONGESTION PRICING.
'CAUSE BE THAT TRUE OR NOT TRUE, THAT'S REALLY NOT FOR THE LONG BEACH PLANNING COMMISSION TO DETERMINE THAT'S BEEN DETERMINED BY OTHERS.
UH, GETTING DOWN TO, YOU MENTIONED, UH, UH, 4,000 VIA ORO.
AND I THINK THIS WAS ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, LOOKING AT THE R UM, EIR, THE A IR IS BASING OFF OF THE EMISSION REDUCTIONS FROM THE CAP ASUM EMISSION REDUCTIONS.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO, UM, I'LL GIVE A HIGH LEVEL AND WE DO HAVE, UM, A CONSULTANT ON THE LINE, BRIAN SCHUSTER, WHO'S KIND OF AN EXPERT IN CAP COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST AND WORKS ON THEM ACROSS, UH, THE STATE.
SO HE MAY, UM, BE ABLE TO CHIME IN WITH SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS AND FOLLOW UP.
BUT YES, SO THE CAP, UM, UH, SO THE CAP IS BASED ON THE GENERAL PLAN BUILD OUT.
IT ASSUMES THAT WE BUILD OUT WHAT IS PROJECTED IN THE LAND USE ELEMENT.
AND WHEN WE ADOPTED THE LAND USE ELEMENT IN 2019, UM, WE'D, UM, WE SAID WE COMMITTED TO DOING THIS CAP.
UM, AND SO NOW WHEN FUTURE PROJECTS, PROJECTS COME FORWARD THAT MEET ALL, UH, THOSE CRITERIA THAT CARLENE WENT OVER IN THE PRESENTATION, THE FIRST ONE IS, ARE YOU CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN? BECAUSE IF YOU ARE PROPOSING A DIFFERENT TYPE OF LAND USE OR A DIFFERENT INTENSITY, UM, THAN WHAT THE GENERAL PLAN PROJECT, UM, EXPECTED, THEN YOU WOULD BE KICKED RIGHT OUT OF THIS ANALYSIS.
BUT THE IDEA IS INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTIONS ON A PROJECT BY PROJECT BASIS, THE BEST PRACTICE FROM THE STATE WAS TO SAY, LET'S LOOK AT IT FROM A PLAN LEVEL CITYWIDE.
SO YOU CAN THINK ABOUT WHERE YOUR GROWTH SHOULD BE FOCUSED AND HOW.
AND THEN WHEN PROJECTS ARE CONSISTENT AT THAT PLAN LEVEL, ALSO MAKE SURE THEY'RE CONSISTENT WITH VARIOUS, YOU KNOW, POLICIES OR ACTIONS IN THE CAP.
THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE NEXT STEP AFTER.
ARE YOU CONSISTENT WITH THE LAND USE? UM, SO IF YOU'RE DOING ALL OF THOSE THINGS, THE IDEA IS THAT CUMULATIVELY, UH, YOU'LL HAVE A LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
YOU'LL BE HELPING IMPLEMENT THE CAP.
AND THAT STANDARD IS A, A FAIR SHARE, NEW DEVELOPMENT, DOING ITS FAIR SHARE TO MEET THAT EMISSIONS REDUCTION.
WE KNOW THAT MOST OF OUR EMISSIONS ACTUALLY COME FROM EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AND NOT NEW DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF OLDER BUILDING STOCK IN
[02:00:01]
THE CITY, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, OUR LARGEST, UM, OUR LARGEST EMISSIONS RELATE TO TRANSPORTATION.PART OF THAT IS ABOUT GETTING PEOPLE TO, UH, CHANGE TRANSPORTATION MODES, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT, UM, MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO TAKE SHORTER TRIPS.
SO WE KNOW THAT ABOUT 76% OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE COMMUTE OUT OF LONG BEACH FOR WORK AND ABOUT THE SAME RATIO, THREE QUARTERS COMMUTE FROM OUTSIDE OF LONG BEACH INTO THE CITY FOR WORK.
SO IF YOU'RE WORKING, UH, IF YOU'RE LIVING IN LANCASTER AND COMING BACK TO LONG BEACH FOR A JOB, 'CAUSE WE ARE A REGIONAL JOB CENTER.
WE CAN BUILD ALL THE BIKE LANES WE WANT, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE THOSE EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE ALL OF OUR WORK RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, BRINGING THE RIGHT MIX OF LAND USES HERE TO THE CITY AND BETTER BALANCING, UM, UH, THOSE HOUSINGS.
AND JOB HOUSING AND JOB NUMBERS PLAYS A LOT INTO IT.
SO IT MAY FEEL COUNTERINTUITIVE THAN AN INDUSTRIAL PROJECT WOULD BE COMPLIANT WITH THE CAP.
BUT, UH, THE LAND USE ELEMENT DID ANTICIPATE THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO CONCENTRATE CERTAIN INDUSTRIAL USES, UM, IN PARTS OF THE CITY.
AND THAT IF THEY'RE CONSISTENT WITH THE LAND USE ELEMENT, THEY IMPLEMENT ACTIONS IN THE CAP, UM, THAT THEY, THEY ARE, UM, HELPING GIVE THAT FAIR SHARE.
UM, AND IF WE WANNA GET A BIT MORE TECHNICAL, I'LL CALL ON BRIAN ON THE LINE.
SO THE, THE, I THINK THE, THE THING I'M GETTING AT IS THAT IF THE CITY'S ACTIONS ARE NOT ACHIEVING THE GOALS OF THE CAP, WHAT DOES THAT, WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE EIR THAT A PROJECT IS, IS DEVELOPING? WELL, THAT WOULD, UM, NOT INVALIDATE THE EIR, BUT THAT WOULD FORCE SOME ADDITIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS ANALYSIS ON A PROJECT BY PROJECT BASIS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID.
UM, SO AS MEREDITH AND THE TEAM TALKED ABOUT, THERE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSES, THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN SETBACKS, UM, INCLUDING, UH, UH, MARGINAL INCREASE OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME, UM, THAN WE EXPECTED.
BUT WE'RE NOT AT THE HORIZON YEAR OF THE CAP.
SO THE WAY THIS IS MEANT TO WORK IS NOT THAT YOU CHECK EVERY MONTH OR EVEN EVERY YEAR, WHETHER YOU'RE EXACTLY TO THE DIGIT ON TRACK, IT'S WHETHER YOU'RE GENERALLY MAKING PROGRESS ON THE CAP AND THEN THAT AT THE HORIZON YEAR, WHICH WAS 2030, THERE WOULD BE A MORE FULLER ANALYSIS.
AND IF WE WERE NOT ON CONTINUED PROGRESS, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND THE CAP WOULD NO LONGER BE VALID, UM, FOR THE NEXT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO WHILE IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, THE NUMBERS THAT WE PRESENTED TODAY, IT DOESN'T, UH, DIMINISH, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM, OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO RELY ON THE CAP AND THE PLAN.
WE ARE DOING, THE ACTIONS LAID OUT IN THE PLAN.
UM, AND WE DO EXPECT TO RECE, YOU KNOW, RECEIVE RESULTS, UM, FROM THOSE ACTIONS.
WILL WE HIT THE TARGET? I DON'T THINK ANYONE KNOWS THAT.
I THINK WE'RE VERY COMMITTED AS A CITY.
AND I THINK THAT IN TERMS OF FEDERAL SOURCES THAT WE DON'T CONTROL, WE'RE IN A, A VERY DIFFERENT, DIFFICULT, COUNTERPRODUCTIVE, UH, ENVIRONMENT AND, AND THAT CREATES CERTAIN CHALLENGES.
AND THEN WE, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE EMISSIONS INVENTORY AS A WHOLE THEN, RIGHT? NOT SPECIFIC SECTORS.
YEAH, I MEAN THE, THE GOAL, THE, THE EMISSIONS TARGETS IN THE PLAN ARE A PER SERVICE POPULATION NUMBER.
SO THAT'S YOUR TOTAL EMISSIONS DIVIDED BY YOUR RESIDENTS, PLUS YOUR EMPLOYEES OR WORKERS THAT ARE NOT RESIDENTS.
SO IT'S A, IT IS A COMPLICATED FORMULA.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT, WE BREAK IT DOWN BY SECTOR 'CAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO HIT THE GOAL.
BUT IF WE DO BETTER ON ENERGY AND NOT AS GOOD AS WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO ON TRANSPORTATION, IT DOESN'T MATTER AS LONG AS WE'RE HITTING THE OVERALL, UM, GOAL, OUR POPULATION HASN'T GROWN AS FAST AS ANTICIPATED EITHER, WHICH IS ACTUALLY WORKING AGAINST US.
'CAUSE YOU GET TO DIVIDE BY YOUR POPULATION.
SO JUST TO CAP OFF, MY CONCERN IS THAT TRANSPORTATION IS GONNA CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE EMISSIONS INCREASES, UM, AND THAT THIS IS GONNA BECOME MORE AND MORE OF A SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF OUR EMISSIONS INVENTORY.
UM, AND SO IF, BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT AS A PORTFOLIO BASIS, THERE'S A LOT MORE LESS RISK TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT PROGRAM.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? I, UH, PLEASE EZ.
UM, I FIRST, JUST BEFORE MY QUESTION, I JUST WANNA MAKE A REMARK ABOUT, UH, THE GREAT WORK FOR CLIMATE LB YOUTH MICRO GRANT PROGRAM.
[02:05:02]
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS ENTIRE REPORT, BUT IT'S THOSE MOMENTS WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO QUANTIFY THE IMPACT OF SUCH A PROGRAM THAT I WANNA COMMENT ON.UM, I WAS ABLE TO SEE AN ACTION, WHAT A YOUTH MURAL ABOUT CLIMATE, UM, DID FOR A WASHINGTON COMMUNITY THAT IS SPANISH SPEAKING AND HOW THE PARENTS WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THEIR CHILDREN, THEIR TEENAGERS, UM, ABOUT CLIMATE.
SO THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE THE CITY INVESTMENT AND IT WAS A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM.
UM, I KNOW THAT TREES ARE A BIG DEAL IN LONG BEACH AND, UM, I, I JUST WANT TO REALLY COMMEND THE, UM, IN THE REPORT THERE WAS THE, I FORGET THE NUMBER NOW, BUT TAKING DOWN TREES AND PUTTING NATIVE TREES, UM, THAT IS ALSO CULTURAL SHAPING AND I KNOW THAT'S A BIG OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS MENTIONED.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE PROMOTION OR UNDERSTANDING OR MARKETING INTO THAT REALLY GREAT, UM, ACTION ON BEHALF OF THE PLAN, RIGHT? GOING TO NATIVE TREES IS A REALLY BIG DEAL AND I, I REALLY, UM, APPRECIATE IT AND TALK ABOUT IT ACTUALLY WITH MANY PEOPLE.
I'M LIKE, OH, BUT DID YOU KNOW, SO, UM,
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, MY POINTS ARE VERY MUCH ABOUT CULTURE CHANGE AND I NOTICED THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ELEVATE 28 CONNECTED TO THE OLYMPICS.
UM, IS THERE A PROCESS RIGHT NOW THAT YOU HAVE IN REGARDS TO MEETING THE SUSTAINABILITY GOALS OF THE OLYMPICS? OR, OR HAS THAT DISCUSSION HAPPENED? IS ARE WE NOWHERE, WHICH IS TOTALLY FINE 'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S A BIG, WE'RE NOT NOWHERE
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE SHARE THE GOAL OF WE WANNA MEET AND EXCEED THE SUSTAINABILITY GOALS HERE IN LONG BEACH, AND WE WANT THAT TO CONTINUE AFTER THE FINAL DAY OF THE PARALYMPIC GAMES.
WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO BAD PRACTICES.
WE WANT TO HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING, UM, AS A PEOPLE, AS A, AS A CITY AND CARRY THOSE SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES, UM, INTO THE FUTURE.
SO THAT DISCUSSION, UH, WHICH HAS, UM, LED OTHER THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UH, HAS BEGUN.
UM, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A TON TO SHARE YET, BUT I, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IT HAS, UM, BEGUN AND, AND YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THE YOUTH PROGRAMS, I THINK THEY'RE NOT AT THE TABLE.
BUT THE OTHER THING, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LIKE THE WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, LONG BEACH UNIFIED AND REBUILDING THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT'S GONNA BE A BASICALLY ZERO EMISSIONS BUILDING.
AND NOT ONLY IS IT A PLACE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE EDUCATE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, BUT IT'S A LEARNING EXPERIENCE IN AND OF ITSELF AND WILL BE ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED SCHOOL BUILDINGS EVER BUILT AND RIGHT THERE IN A, IN A DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK ACTIONS LIKE THAT ARE NOT IMMEDIATELY QUANTIFIED, BUT ARE MEANINGFUL.
I'LL ALSO OFFER, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT PACKED IN THIS PRESENTATION.
THERE'S ALSO A LOT THAT'S NOT IN HERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS NOT IN HERE IS, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT OUR TREE PLANTING PROGRAM WHERE, AND ANY RESIDENT CAN, UM, REQUEST A TREE ONLINE.
UH, AND WE COME OUT AND WE PLANT IT FOR FREE.
UH, AND THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, OUTSIDE OF, YOU KNOW, A HOME OR AN APARTMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE, WE ALSO DO, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORHOOD TREE PLANTINGS AND WITH VOLUNTEERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE TRY AND DO STORYTELLING AROUND AND PROMOTION AND ALL OF THAT SORT OF THING.
SO FOR, FOR THAT, AND MANY OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROVIDED TO OUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO HAVE YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, ALSO BE AN AMBASSADOR FOR THOSE AND SHARE THOSE WITH YOUR, YOU KNOW, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, UH, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? UM, I HAVE, UH, ONE QUESTION.
UM, AND IT'S, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT EARLIER, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE ORGANIC WASTE PROGRAM THAT, THAT, THAT CITY HAS, UM, IMPLEMENTED, HOW HAS THAT GONE SO FAR? I KNOW IT'S STILL EARLY, EARLY DAYS, BUT HOW, HOW'S THE ADOPTION BEEN IN TERMS OF WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE RELATIVE TO? I KNOW IT'S A PUBLIC WORKS ISSUE, BUT YEAH, I THINK IT'S A LOADED QUESTION.
I THINK, UM, HERE AT THE STAFF TABLE, WE THINK IT'S GOING GREAT.
UM, WE HAVE DEPLOYED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF GREEN BINS.
THEY'RE USING THEM, THEY'RE USING THEM CORRECTLY, THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR KITCHEN SCRAPS, THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR LAWN CLIPPINGS, THEY'RE PUTTING THINGS IN THERE.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN THERE AND NOT PUTTING THINGS IN THERE LIKE PLASTIC BAGS THAT AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE IN THERE.
SO WE THINK IT'S BEEN A SUCCESS IS A WHOLE NEW SERVICE.
UM, AND IT HAS NOT BEEN PERFECT AND I THINK WE'RE THE FIRST TO SAY IT'S NOT BEEN PERFECT.
THERE'S FOLKS THAT DIDN'T GET THEIR BINS WHEN THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA GET THEIR BINS ONCE YOU DID GET YOUR BIN.
UM, IT'S NEW FOR, FOR THE DRIVERS AND
[02:10:01]
IT'S A ADDITIONAL PICKUPS.AND WE DIDN'T HIT EVERY SINGLE PICKUP EXACTLY WHEN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO ON THE DAY THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO.
UM, BY THE WAY, IF WE MISS YOUR PICKUP, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE THE BIN OUT THERE, NOT BRING IT INSIDE AND THEN CALL AND SAY, WE MISSED IT.
'CAUSE THEY WILL COME BACK THE NEXT DAY.
UM, SO THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, SOME GROWING PAINS, BUT THE PROGRAM IS UP AND RUNNING.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF EDUCATION AROUND IT.
UM, AND IT'S BASICALLY FULLY DEPLOYED AT THIS POINT.
WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, JUST TO MAKE THINGS EVEN HARDER AT THE SAME TIME, WE WERE DEPLOYING THE GREEN BINS JUST ORGANIZATIONALLY HERE IN THE CITY.
UM, WASTE HAS BEEN OPERATED OUT OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
WE TRANSFERRED THAT OVER TO OUR ENERGY RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, WHICH THEN REBRANDED.
BUT, UM, SO THERE'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT GROUP, UM, YOU KNOW, OPERATING IT, BUT THERE'S A CONTINUITY OF SERVICE AND WE THINK IT'S, IT'S A BIG SUCCESS.
I KNOW THERE WERE, UM, HUNDREDS OF FOLKS IMPACTED BY MISSING BINS OR MISSING STOPS, BUT IN A CITY OF HALF A MILLION PEOPLE, WE THINK THAT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD.
UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE PROUD OF THE PROGRESS.
AND, UH, SLIGHTLY, UM, OUTSIDE OF SCOPE AS WELL, POTENTIALLY HERE IN TERMS OF OUR NATURAL GAS CONSUMPTION, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CITIES, MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE ADOPTED, UM, OR ARE PROMOTING HEAVILY OR INCENTIVIZING HEAVILY THE, UH, TRANSITION TO, UM, TANKLESS, UM, VERSUS, YOU KNOW, NATURAL GAS, UH, TRADITIONAL TANK SYSTEMS AND THERE'S INCENTIVES AND THINGS THAT NATURE.
WHERE, WHERE IS THE CITY IN REGARDS TO THAT FROM A NATURAL GAS CONSUMPTION PERSPECTIVE? UM, WE ENCOURAGE ALL ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION, SO NOT JUST ON THE WATER HEATER, BUT ALL OF THE APPLIANCES.
UM, BUT THERE WAS A COURT CASE, UH, RELATING TO AN ORDINANCE IN, UM, BERKELEY WHERE THEY MANDATED ALL ELECTRIC AND IT WENT UP, UH, THROUGH THE FEDERAL COURTS AND, UH, THAT WAS OVERTURNED.
SO, UH, WE DO NOT REQUIRE, UM, ALL ELECTRIC ACCEPTANCE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE WE HAVE DIFFERENT AUTHORITY.
SO UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS WHERE WE'RE THE LENDER, WE USE OUR POWER AS THE LENDER, NOT AS THE REGULATOR TO SAY THE PROJECT MUST BE ALL ELECTRIC.
UM, WE POINT OUT ON ADUS THAT IT'LL GENERALLY SAVE THE CONTRACTOR ABOUT $2,500 TO NOT INSTALL A GAS LINE AT ALL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME CONCERNS WITH ELECTRIC APPLIANCES THAT WE'RE TOTALLY VALID FIVE YEARS AGO, BUT LIKE, YOUR CLOTHES WILL NEVER GET DRY.
BUT THE BRAND NEW APPLIANCES HAVE COME A LONG WAYS JUST IN THESE LAST FEW YEARS.
SO, UM, WE DO ENCOURAGE THAT SOME OF OUR NEW PROJECTS GOING ON IN CIP, HUNDREDS OF NEW UNITS, THOSE ARE ALL ELECTRIC BUILDINGS EXCEPT FOR THE POOL HEATER.
'CAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE'RE LIKE TRANS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ON THIS JOURNEY, UM, AN ELECTRIC POOL HEATER USES WAY MORE ELECTRICITY AND ASSOCIATED EMISSIONS THAN THE NATURAL GAS POOL HEATER DOES.
AND THE GOAL IS TO USE LESS ENERGY, NOT JUST THE TYPE OF ENERGY.
SO IT, IT DOES, DOES REQUIRE SOME ANALYSIS.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT, THAT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING AND WE USE THE TOOLS, UM, THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US.
THERE'S SOME, UH, THERE'S SOME DETAILS TO BE WORKED OUT.
WE OPERATE THE NATURAL GAS UTILITY HERE.
WE DON'T OPERATE THE ELECTRIC COMPANY.
WE, WE ARE NOT SCE, SO IT GETS, UM, NOT ME THANKFULLY, BUT OUR TEAM AT UTILITIES IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE LEGALITY OF CAN WE PROVIDE INCENTIVES TO SWITCH PEOPLE FROM NATURAL GAS TO ELECTRICITY, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT, IT'S TRICKY USING RATE PAYERS DOLLARS TO DO THAT.
SO, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE USING THE TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US.
AND SHARE IF I MIGHT, I'M SORRY.
JUST TO ADD TO, TO CHRISTOPHER'S RESPONSE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO, UH, IS THE, SOME OF THE AB 32 CAP AND TRADE FUNDING, UH, DOES GO TO THOSE REBATE, UH, AND DIRECT INSTALL PROGRAMS. UH, WHERE, UH, TODAY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET 82, UH, $1,200 REBATE ON THE TANKLESS WATER HEATER AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE IN ADDITION TO OTHER, UM, UH, REPLACEMENTS AND THINGS.
SO IT, EVEN WHERE WE CAN, WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT MAKING THE NATURAL GAS, UH, APPLIANCES MORE EFFICIENT AND INCENTIVIZING THOSE THROUGH OUR CITY PROGRAMS. AND, AND WE DO HAVE THAT HERE IN LONG BEACH.
IS THAT APPLICABLE IN LONG BEACH? OKAY.
'CAUSE I HAD A CONTRACTOR COME SAY THE OPPOSITE, SO IT WAS KINDA INTERESTING.
UH, ANYONE ELSE? COMMISSIONER? UM,
[02:15:01]
JUST A QUICK QUESTION.ABOUT TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO WE VOTED TO, UM, THE STORMWATER COLLECTION AND TREATMENT EXPANSION WITH THE WATER DEPARTMENT OVER BY THE SEVEN 10.
HAS THAT EVER HAPPENED AND HAS IT BEEN PRODUCTIVE? UM, WELL IT'S NOT A COMPLETED PROJECT, BUT IT IS HAPPENING.
UM, LIKE ALL CONSTRUCTION, THERE WERE SOME COST OVERRUNS, UM, WITH THAT, THAT PROJECT, BUT THE LB MUST PROJECT IS HAPPENING AND WILL DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO TREAT STORMWATER.
BECAUSE IT WAS ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, WASN'T IT? YEAH, IT'S BEEN A LONG, IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY.
IF YOU, IF YOU GO OVER IN THAT GENERAL VICINITY, YOU, YOU, THE BUILDING IS UP, YOU CAN SEE THE FACILITY THAT IS THERE.
UM, BUT IT'S THE, THE FULL OPERATION IS NOT COMPLETE YET.
WHEN I WAS WORKING I USED TO GO BY IT TWICE A DAY AT LEAST.
BUT NOW
I'M NOT AS UP ON IT, IT'S JUST THE PUMPS AREN'T ON.
WE HAD A, HAD A LITTLE SLOW DOWN WITH ONE OF THE ASSOCIATED PROPERTIES WE HAD TO ACQUIRE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.
OKAY, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, HAVE ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE FEEL FREE.
IT'S IN THE SPIRIT OF THE MOMENT AND WHAT I FIND INSPIRATIONAL IN THIS REPORT, IN THIS STUDY, UM, I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF COMING OUT HERE TO CALIFORNIA AS A COLLEGE STUDENT IN 1984 JUST AHEAD OF THE OLYMPICS AND THAT PERIOD.
AND FROM THE MIDWEST TO HERE, SEEING HOW MUCH CHANGE WAS POSSIBLE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN THE STEREOTYPE OF LA AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WAS JUST OPPRESSIVE, UH, TRAFFIC AND CONGESTION AND THINGS THAT COULDN'T GET DONE TO SEE HOW MUCH WAS DONE DURING THAT PERIOD WAS REMARKABLE.
AND MY QUESTION OR SUGGESTION IS TO SEE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND I WORK WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE CITY, UH, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS ON THINGS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I HEAR ANTICIPATING WHERE ELEVATE 28 IN THE OLYMPICS ARE COMING, AND I SAW THAT SEEDED THROUGHOUT A COUPLE POINTS, IS THAT LASTING CHANGE SHOULD MATTER.
THIS IS NOT LIKE 1984 AND PRIOR GAMES WHERE THINGS JUST WERE COSMETIC AND CHANGED.
AND IN THAT REGARD, I WONDERED IF WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO INCENTIVIZE WITH THE STAFF AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL TO IMPLEMENT GREENER OPTIONS FOR HOW WE DELIVER, UH, GOODS TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
I CAN SEE THIS APPLICABLE TO BELMONT SHORE WHERE I LIVE, BUT DOWNTOWN CONGESTION THERE, I SEE THE ARTESIA CORRIDOR UP THERE IN ANAHEIM.
AND IF WE CAN SHIFT FROM HAVING GIANT TRUCKS THAT EW EXHAUST TO DELIVER BEER, LIQUOR, GROCERIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT ON A DAILY, HOURLY BASIS TO GREEN VANS THAT WOULD BE MORE ECHO FRIENDLY TO THE COMMUNITY AS A TEST PROGRAM FOR AND DURING THE OLYMPICS, AND THEN SEE IT CONTINUE ON BEYOND THAT, THAT SUSTAINABILITY OF WHAT OLYMPICS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GOING FORWARD, IT WOULD BE REALLY AMAZING.
SO I JUST, UH, WANNA SUGGEST YOU TAKE THAT UP AND MAYBE YOU CAN INCENTIVIZE IT AND BUILD SOMETHING AROUND THOSE CONCEPTS.
UH, ANY VIRTUAL COMMENTS? IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
IF JOINING TELEPHONICALLY, PRESS STAR NINE NOW.
UM, SEEING NONE, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY UH, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? NO, SEEING NONE, UH, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.
COMMISSIONER SANTOS, I CAN TAKE A VERBAL.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION IS FANTASTIC.
[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.]
WE'D LIKE TO, UH, TAKE ANY NON-AGENT PUBLIC COMMENTS.ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY NON-AGENT ITEMS, COME ON OUT.
I DIDN'T SET OUT TO COMMENT ON EVERY ITEM TONIGHT, BUT THANK YOU
UM, SOMETHING WAS TOUCHED ON EARLIER AND IT'S SEPARATE AND RELEVANT, WHICH IS THAT I THINK MELINDA COTTON AND A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE IN THEIR EMAILED COMMENTS REGARDING THE AGENDA ITEM HAD ADVOCATED FOR A, UM, REPORTING A STUDY SESSION ON THE SUBJECT OF BEAUMONT SHORE, IN PARTICULAR IN THE LIQUOR ISSUES RELATED
[02:20:01]
TO THEIR, I WANTED TO SEE IF WE CAN ADVANCE THAT, GIVEN THAT CITY COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN OTHER DISTRICTS SPECIFICALLY TOOK THAT UP AND SAID THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE APPLICABILITY AND TRANSFERABILITY OF THOSE CONCEPTS AS PART OF THE STUDY THAT WAS, UM, THE 45 DAY AND 90 DAY PERIOD THAT WAS GOING FORWARD FOR THIS BODY.IT WOULD BE PARTICULARLY RELEVANT TO TRY AND, UH, CONJOIN WITH THAT, TO ALIGN WITH THAT 45 DAY AND 90 DAY WINDOW SO THAT THERE'S EFFICACY IN SOMETHING THAT'S APPLICABLE SPECIFICALLY IN THIS REALM SINCE YOU DEAL WITH A LOT OF APPLICATIONS THAT ARE IN THEIR MIDDLE OR FINAL STAGES BEFORE GOING FORWARD.
UM, I DO WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU 'CAUSE I HEARD THINGS ON THE COMMENT AND THE WAY THE FINAL DECISION WAS MADE EARLIER, THAT, UM, PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNS THAT I THINK THAT ARE AREN'T BEING CONVEYED EFFECTIVELY TO YOU.
AND I THINK A STUDY SESSION WITH SOME DOCUMENTATION WOULD BE REALLY EFFECTIVE TO THAT END.
UH, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE SEE THE PROLIFERATION OF THINGS AND CHECKS AND BALANCES OUT OF WHACK RIGHT NOW TO THE DETRIMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT ESPECIALLY TO SAFETY AND WELLBEING AND HEALTH OF PEOPLE.
SO IF THERE'S A WAY TO ADVANCE THAT STUDY TO GET ADVOCACY AND TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE NOT HERE AND THAT ARE NOT 92ND SOUND BITES, THAT COULD ADVANCE, THAT WOULD BE REALLY A WONDERFUL THING TO SEE BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S A GROWING ISSUE, YOU'RE ONLY GONNA SEE MORE PEOPLE.
WE'RE AT 10 APPLICATIONS ON THAT TYPE 47 LICENSE THAT ARE IN OUR AREA ALONE.
I SEE IT CONTINUING TO GROW AND IT'D BE SOMETHING THAT RIGHT NOW TO GET AHEAD OF IT RATHER THAN BE REACTIVE TO IT AFTER IT'S BECOMES A, A DEEPER PROBLEM.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, UH, ANY VIRTUAL SPEAKERS, IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON A NON AGENDAS ITEM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
IF DIALING IN TELEPHONICALLY, PRESS STAR NINE NOW.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ONE.
[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMISSIONERS, ANY YES,I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE FAMILY TIME AND TRY AND STAY WITH SOME TRADITIONAL VALUES WITH ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING.
AND, UM, I WAS IMPRESSED BY THE COMMUNITY THAT CAME OUT AND SUPPORTED THE BUSINESS AND THE WAY THEY DID IT.
UH, EVEN IN THE LETTERS THAT WERE, UM, I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST THEIR, YOU KNOW, SET UP, BUT I JUST WANT SOME CONSIDERATION HERE.
IT WAS VERY WELL, UH, THOUGHTFUL AND UH, IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT HAPPENING MORE.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH HAPPENING AROUND, BUT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, IT, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE COMMENTED ON AND APPRECIATED.
SO I WANNA WISH EVERYBODY A THANKSGIVING.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER TEMPLE.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? SEEING NONE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ADJOURNMENT]
NO OBJECTIONS AND I'LL LOOK AROUND, I'LL DECLARE THIS MEETING ADJOURNED AT, UH, 7 23.