Sep 03, 2026 Planning Commission

OUR NEXT ITEM IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM? SO MOVED.

SECOND.

IT'S NOT, SORRY.

THINGS AREN'T DOING.

IT SHOULD BE ON YOUR TABLET NOW.

NO, MINE SAYS GOOGLE SEARCH.

SO I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER CHAMBERS AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LEMI.

I DON'T WANT WHAT HAPPENED HERE.

WE HAVE A, A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER CHAMBERS AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LEMI.

I WILL TURN THINGS OVER TO THE STAFF FOR DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

VICE CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.

UM, A COUPLE UPDATES HERE FROM THE STAFF TABLE.

SO, UH, STARTING TO FINALLY COOL DOWN, WE'RE IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER AND I JUST WANTED TO BRING BACK, UM, TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT THE COUNCIL DID DIRECT, UM, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE EARLIER THIS YEAR TO BRING FORWARD A CHANGE IN ORDINANCE TO DISSOLVE THE, UH, BAC COMMISSION, UM, WHICH, UH, OVERSEES, UM, APPEAL CASES RELATED TO BUILDING CODE AND CODE ENFORCEMENT.

AND AS PART OF THAT, UM, PROCESS, THOSE TYPES OF CASES WILL THEN BE COMING INSTEAD HERE TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN THE FUTURE.

SO ONCE THAT ORDINANCE DOES COME FORWARD, UH, FOR FINAL APPROVAL, UM, WE WILL, UH, BE BRINGING FORWARD A, A TRAINING TO GIVE YOU ALL KIND OF AN OVERVIEW AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT'S ALL ABOUT.

UM, AND, UH, WE'RE VERY GLAD TO HAVE OUR NEWEST COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER CHAMBERS HERE WHO'S PREVIOUSLY, UH, SERVED ON BAC AND CAN HELP BE, UH, ONE OF OUR EXPERTS.

SO MORE TO COME ON THAT LATER THIS FALL, BUT JUST KIND OF WANTED TO REMIND YOU OF THAT CHANGE COMING FROM THE COUNCIL TO, TO ADD TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S PURVIEW.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT UPDATE I WANTED TO SHARE IS THAT ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH, WE'LL BE HOSTING A COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE, A PLANNING FOR HOUSING COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE, UH, TO SHARE INFORMATION AND GATHER FEEDBACK ON A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES WE HAVE GOING ON RELATED TO HOUSING POLICY.

THE FIRST IS, UM, WE ARE APPLYING FOR AN UPDATE TO OUR PRO HOUSING DESIGNATION WITH THE STATE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

AND IT'S PART OF THAT PROCESS.

WE'LL BE DOING SOME OUTREACH ON, UM, WHAT GOES INTO THAT APPLICATION.

WE'LL ALSO HAVE OUR PARTNERS FROM HOMELESS SERVICES AND HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES SHARING, UH, VARIOUS WORK THEY'RE DOING AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE NEXT, UH, UPDATE TO OUR FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN FOR HOW WE SPEND HUD FUNDING AND HOW WE HELP INCENTIVIZE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON FAITH-BASED LAND.

UM, SO AGAIN, THAT OPEN HOUSE WILL TAKE PLACE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH FROM FOUR 30 TO 6:00 PM IT'LL BE AT EARNEST MCBRIDE SOCIAL HALL, WHICH IS AT 1550.

UH, MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

AVENUE.

AND THERE ARE FLYERS, UH, FOR YOU ON THE DIOCESE AND UPFRONT FOR THOSE WHO ARE HERE, UM, AT THE MEETING.

IT'S ALSO INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.

UM, AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED FOR THIS EVENING.

WE HAVE, UM, A COUPLE OF AGENDA ITEMS THAT, UH, KIND OF ALL LEAD TO A THEME RELATED TO PARKS AND OPEN SPACE.

UM, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO DIVING INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE ONCE WE GET INTO THE AGENDA.

AND THAT CONCLUDES MY DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

COULD MISSIONERS THERE ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT? OKAY, WE'LL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.

ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT IN PERSON, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM SEEING C NINE.

ARE THERE 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.

NOW.

C NONE THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

CLERK, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.

[00:35:11]

NEXT ITEM RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF THURSDAY, AUGUST 20TH, 2026.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM? IT HAS BEEN MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LIMI AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER TEMPLIN.

COMMISSIONERS.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CORRECTIONS ON THE MINUTES? SEEING NONE WILL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.

ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE MINUTES, PLEASE SIGN LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.

ARE THERE ANY VIRTUAL COMMENTERS? IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.

NOW.

IF ANY AND TELEPHONICALLY, PRESS STAR NINE NOW.

SEEING NONE, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.

CLERK, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.

SO I KNOW, UH, WE'VE COME HERE BEFORE AND TALKED ABOUT WHAT THE OPEN SPACE ELEMENT IS, UM, BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO START WITH, UH, UNDERSTANDING BASICALLY WHAT IT IS FROM THE START.

OUR NEXT ITEM IS A RECOMMENDATION TO CONDUCT A STUDY SESSION ON OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT OSRE UPDATE.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM? IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER TEMPLAN AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CLEMSON.

I'LL NOW TURN THINGS OVER TO STAFF FOR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.

UM, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BRING FORWARD A STUDY SESSION TO SHARE, UH, SOME UPDATES RELATED TO OUR EFFORTS TO DO, UM, UPDATE THE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT OR CHAPTER OF OUR GENERAL PLAN.

UH, THIS COMMISSION HAS HEARD AN UPDATE, UM, BUT IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE.

UM, AND SO FIRST YOU'LL HEAR FROM OUR TEAM HERE IN PLANNING ABOUT OUR EFFORTS, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR COUNTERPARTS, UH, FROM THE PARKS REC AND MARINE DEPARTMENT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE WORK THEY DO EVERY DAY AND HOW IMPORTANT, UM, OUR PLANNING EFFORTS ARE, UM, IN THAT WORK.

SO FIRST I'LL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, PROJECT MANAGER AND PLANNER.

CARLENE HU.

GOOD EVENING, UM, COMMISSIONERS AND CHAIR.

UH, TODAY'S STUDY SESSION, UH, IS TO LEARN ABOUT THE OUTCOMES OF PAST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PROVIDE A STATUS UPDATE AND GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT OUR PARKS, RECREATION, AND MARINE DEPARTMENT'S ROLE IN THE OSRE UPDATE PROCESS.

UH, AT FIRST WE WANNA START WITH A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AS A LOT OF OUR WORK, UM, AFFECTS HOW OUR CITY LAND, UM, IS REGULATED, BUT HAS BEEN, UM, EXISTING SINCE A WI BY BY OUR INDIGENOUS, UM, TRIBES.

UM, PRIOR, UH, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE GABRIELINO TOVA KITTS PEOPLES AS THE TRADITIONAL LAND CARETAKERS OF THE TAVAN GAR LOS ANGELES BASIN SOUTHERN CHANNEL ISLANDS, AND PAYS OUR RESPECTS TO THE HAN ANCESTORS, ELDERS AND RELATIVES RELATIONS PAST, PRESENT AND EMERGING.

UM, AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO ALLISON TO JUST DISCUSS SOME EARLY, UM, RELATIONSHIPS TO OUR WORK PLANNING AND THE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT UPDATES.

SURE.

SO JUST WANNA, BEFORE WE JUMP INTO TOO MANY DETAILS, JUST TALK BIG PICTURE ABOUT HOW DOES PLANNING IN INFORM AND SUPPORT PARK DEVELOPMENT.

SO FIRST, UH, PROPERTIES, UH, THAT ARE DESIGNATED AS PARK OR OPEN SPACE ARE HIGHLY REGULATED AND GENERALLY RESTRICTED FROM BEING DEVELOPED, RIGHT? SO THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR LAND USE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK THAT IF YOU'RE ZONED OR DESIGNATED AS A PARK OR OPEN SPACE, UH, THAT WE ENSURE THAT IT, UM, UH, REMAINS AS SUCH.

UM, THEN PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT IS REQUIRED TO PAY IMPACT FEES TO HELP FUND ADDITIONAL PARK DEVELOPMENT TO HELP, UM, ENSURE THERE'S SUFFICIENT PARK SPACE AS WE CONTINUE TO, UM, UH, DEVELOP THE CITY AND ADD MORE, UM, BUILDING FOOTPRINT.

AND THEN SOME VERY LARGE DEVELOPMENTS ARE ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO DEVELOP NEW PARK SPACE.

IF THERE IS SUFFICIENT NEXUS AND PROPORTIONALITY.

THAT'S RARE THAT WE HAVE A PROJECT THAT SIZE THAT MAY DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO PARK SPACE DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAPPEN TO HAVE AN ANNUAL DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT REVIEW LATER ON IN THE AGENDA TODAY WHERE YOU'LL SEE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.

UM, AND THEN PARK PLANS, UH, SUCH AS FOR, UH, FUTURE PARK DEVELOPMENT OR MASTER PLANNING, UM, MUST ALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, INCLUDING THE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT.

AND THEN FINALLY, UM, AS WE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL AT THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, INCLUDING THROUGH THE CITY'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, MUST BE FOUND TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, INCLUDING THE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT.

SO THERE ARE MANY WAYS AND LAYERS THROUGH WHICH OUR WORK HERE IN PLANNING, SUPPORT AND INFORM, UH, PARK DEVELOPMENT.

UM,

[00:40:01]

SO WE KNOW WHAT OUR ROLE HERE TODAY IS TO DO.

UM, THE ROLE OF THE ELEMENT IS TO GUIDE LONG-TERM POLICY FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION OF OPEN SPACE LAND AND DISCOURAGES THE PREMATURE AND UNNECESSARY CONVERSION OF OPEN SPACE LAND TO URBAN USES.

OPEN SPACE IS DEFINED BY THE STATE AS ANY PARCEL OR AREA OF LAND OR WATER THAT IS ESSENTIALLY UNIMPROVED AND DEVOTED TO AN OPEN SPACE USE.

AND THAT IS DESIGNATED ON A LOCAL, REGIONAL, OR STATE OPEN SPACE PLAN TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING, PRESERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES, MANAGED PRODUCTION OF RESOURCES, OUTDOOR RECREATION, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, MILITARY INSTALLATIONS, AND TRIBAL RESOURCES.

SO PLANNERS USE THIS AS A GUIDE FOR THE LAND USE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF OUR OPEN SPACES THROUGH PER THROUGH THE PERMITTING AND ENTITLEMENT PROCESS.

IT'S ALSO ONE OF NINE ELEMENTS WITHIN THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN MANDATED BY THE STATE.

UM, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, IT'S NOT A DOCUMENT THAT REGULATES OUR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE DEPARTMENT OR PROGRAMS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.

AND IT DOES NOT ALLOCATE FISCAL RESOURCES TO THE PRM DEPARTMENT.

SO NOW WHY ARE WE UPDATING THE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT? SENATE BILL 1425 REQUIRES CITIES TO BEGIN THE UPDATE BY JANUARY 1ST, 2026, MAYOR REX RICHARDSON'S A HUNDRED DAY PLAN CALLED FOR THE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT UPDATE TO FOCUS ON RESIDENT OPEN SPACE ACCESSIBILITY AND OUR LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION PLAN OR LBCAP FOR SHORT CALLS ON US TO ENHANCE AND EXPAND OUR GREEN SPACE, PARTICULARLY PARKS AND GREEN SPACE AND COMMUNITY'S MOST VULNERABLE TO EXTREME HEAT AND AIR QUALITY CLIMATE IMPACTS.

WE ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT PLANNING COMMISSION'S ROLE AS OUTLINED BY THE CITY CHARTER CHARTER, WHICH IS TO PREPARE, APPROVE, AND RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL'S GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS AND ADOPTIONS, WHICH SHALL ULTIMATELY SERVE AS A BASIC POLICY GUIDE FOR FUTURE GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT CONSERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT.

ULTIMATELY, THE GOALS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS OF THIS ELEMENT CAN SERVE AS FINDINGS FOR THE ENTITLEMENT PROJECTS, AS WELL AS HELP FIND FINDING GENERAL PLAN CONFORMITY FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN LIKE WE SAW, UH, TWO WEEKS AGO SINCE OUR LAST STUDY SESSION, WE HAVE BEEN BUSY CONDUCTING OUTREACH IN FRONT OF YOU IS AN INFOGRAPHIC THAT SUMMARIZES ALL THE THINGS WE HAVE DONE TO GET EYES ON THE PROJECT AND AND FOR PUBLIC FEEDBACK.

AND THIS INCLUDES FIVE COMMISSION, UH, STUDY SESSIONS, UH, IN ADDITION TO, UH, COMING HERE TO PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION AND THE CLIMATE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE CITY COMMISSION.

WE DID PRESS RELEASES AND MEDIA POSTS.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE OSRE UPDATE ON OUR RADIO SHOW, KLBP 99.1 FM, AND WE DID A COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT WAS COMPLETED BY 1,502 MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAD 19 COMMUNITY POPS POPUPS TO FACILITATE AND ANNOUNCE THE SURVEY.

WE ALSO HAD FOUR GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT MEETINGS WITH TRIBES TO COLLABORATE ON NEEDED GOALS AND POLICIES FOR THE OSRE ELEMENT.

AND WE HAD A TOTAL OF SIX RESIDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM REGULAR MEETINGS TO GATHER INPUT AND RESIDENTS FROM OUR CITY.

I'LL GET INTO MORE DETAIL INTO EACH OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES, UM, BE, UH, OUTREACH ACTIVITIES FOR THE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT.

UM, LET'S STARTING WITH THE SURVEY, UM, THAT WE DID.

UH, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE SURVEY BECAUSE IT WAS THE PREMIER METHOD OF RECEIVING PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON A CITYWIDE LEVEL.

UM, IT WAS, UH, SPREAD THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, UM, AND IT WAS A COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT WAS AVAILABLE ONLINE AND TRANSLATED INTO THREE CITY LANGUAGE TO GALLOG, SPANISH, AND KAMAI.

THE SURVEY WAS PROMOTED ACROSS OUR SOCIAL MEDIAS AND THROUGH ADS.

IN ADDITION TO OUR ONLINE OUTREACH, WE MAILED THE SURVEYS TO RANDOM HOUSEHOLDS IN THE CITY TO GET A MORE REPRESENTATIVE, UH, SAMPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WE ATTENDED 19 COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS AND CONDUCTED POPUPS WHERE WE FACILITATED THE SURVEY IN PERSON.

AND THIS WAS A GREAT WAY OF ADDRESSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE A PEN AND A PAPER AND HAVE PEOPLE COMPLETE THE SURVEY WITH, UM, THE QUESTIONS IN FRONT OF STAFF SO THAT WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THERE.

UM, THE POPUPS, POPUPS GAVE US A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, AND YOU'LL SEE IN THE RIGHT HAND A PICTURE OF US PRESENTING TO THE GRAY PANTHERS, WHICH IS AN OLDER ADULT COMMUNITY.

AND IN THE BOTTOM CENTER PICTURE, YOU'LL SEE OUR TABLE SET UP FOR THE LITERACY FAIR FOR A OC SEVEN.

OVERALL, WE USE A DIVERSE RANGE OF MULTIMEDIA PROMOTION FROM IN PERSON POPUPS TO EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE OPEN SPACE ON OUR LOCAL RADIO SHOWS WHO WERE EXTREMELY NICE ENOUGH TO HAVE US.

UM, WE CAN TALK, I THINK IT'LL BE IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT THESE COMMUNITY SURVEY RESULTS.

UM, SO WE'LL GO OVER LIKE THE KEY, UH, FINDINGS, UM, FROM THE REPORT THAT YOU'LL SEE AS THE ATTACHMENT.

SO WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM OUR SURVEY? A KEY FINDING IS THE OPEN SPACE FACILITY.

USERS WERE ASKED TO RATE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF PARKS AND RECREATION, AND WE RECEIVE

[00:45:01]

A RESPONSE OF 68% OF RESPONDENTS RATING THEM AS EXCELLENT OR GOOD.

SO WHILE WE DO HAVE A MAJORITY OF POSITIVE SENTIMENT FOR OUR FACILITIES, WE MAY HAVE SOME WORK TO DO FOR THE 32% THAT RATED THE FACILITIES AS FAIR OR POOR.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT FINDING IS IDENTIFYING KEY BARRIERS TO USING OUR PARKS AND FACILITIES.

THE TOP FIVE BARRIERS IN ORDER RANKED IS NOT FEELING SAFE.

THE LACK OF RESTROOMS NOT BEING WELL MAINTAINED IN A LACK OF PLACES OF GA TO GATHER AND A LACK OF TREES OR GREEN SPACE.

WHEN LOOKING AT PROGRAM PARTICIPATION BASED ON THOSE PROVIDED BY THE PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE DEPARTMENT, WE FOUND THAT NEARLY 80% OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS AREN'T ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING AND RECREATION PROGRAMS. BUT WE LOOK, WHEN WE LOOK AT PROGRAM SATISFACTION, THOSE THAT DO PARTICIPATE ARE OVERALL VERY SATISFIED WITH THE, UH, OFFERINGS WITH SI 79% OF RESPONDENTS RATING OUR OFFERED PROGRAMS AS GOOD AND EXCELLENT AND 1% OF THEM RATING THEM AS POOR.

SO FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET PEOPLE INTO CLASSES MIGHT BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, WILL WANT TO NAVIGATE.

SURVEY RESPONDENTS WERE ALSO ASKED TO RATE THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES PROVIDED IN OUR PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM.

AND THE ACTIVITIES RATED IN THE HIGHEST IN TERMS OF IMPORTANCE WERE, UH, NUMBER ONE, RESTROOM MAINTENANCE.

NUMBER TWO, TRASH LITTER AND WASTE PICKUP.

AND NUMBER THREE, GRAFFITI REMOVAL AND VANDALISM REPAIR.

REPAIR.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT FINDING FROM THE SURVEY IS WHAT TYPE OF AMENITY AND FACILITY NEEDS IS DESIRED AND NOT PROVIDED IN RANKED ORDER.

THAT IS INDOOR BASKETBALL AND VOLLEYBALL, NATURAL CONSERVATION AREAS AND SPLASH PADS WHEN RANKING AMENITIES AND FACILITIES THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

WE FOUND THAT BEACHES, MULTI-USE, NATURAL TRAILS, NATURAL AREA AND CONSERVATION AREAS AND COMMUNITY GARDENS WITH THE TOP FOUR CHOICES.

BOTH OF THESE GIVES THE CITY AN IDEA OF HOW TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN OUR OPEN SPACES.

FROM THESE TWO, UM, SURVEY QUESTIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PRIORITY OF UNMET NEEDS AND FACILITY IMPORTANCE RATINGS FOR, UM, OVERALL INVESTMENT IN AMENITIES AND FACILITIES.

UM, IN RANKED ORDER.

THEY ARE MULTI-USE NATURAL TRAILS, TWO BEACHES, THREE NATURAL CONSERVATION AREAS, FOUR PICNIC AREAS AND SHELTERS.

UNIVERSAL ACCESS SIX, OUTDOOR WALKING AND JOGGING TRACK, AND SEVEN OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER PERFORMING ARTS MENU.

UM, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT DATA POINT TO KIND OF GUIDE HOW WE WANT TO, UM, ALLOCATE OUR RESOURCES TO AMENITIES, UM, IN OUR OPEN SPACE SYSTEM.

WHAT WAS USEFUL IN OUR WORK WITH CONSULTANTS WAS BEING ABLE TO USE SIMILAR QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TO SEE HOW WE STAND WITH USER EXPERIENCES OF OUR OPEN SPACE SYSTEM.

UM, WHAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN IS ONE EXAMPLE.

UM, WHEN LOOKING AT OUR COM COMMUNITIES FOUND, UM, AND LOOK AND IDENTIFYING BARRIERS TO, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITY USES, WE SEE THAT THE FEELING OF UNSAFE, UM, FEELING UNSAFE IN OUR PARKS, THE LACK OF RESTROOMS AND PARK MAINTENANCE IN LONG BEACH OUT OUTPACES THAT OF THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

OTHER BARRIERS LIKE PARK, UH, AWARENESS OF LOCATIONS, A DA ACCESS AND LANGUAGE BARRIERS WERE NOT RANKED AS HIGH AS NATIONAL AVERAGES.

SO WE TALKED ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY SURVEY AND NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT ANOTHER FORM OF OUTREACH, WHICH ARE WAS OUR RESIDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM OR, UH, RLT FOR SHORT.

THE RLT PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED AS A METHOD TO GATHER INPUT FROM OUR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE LIVING IN PARK POOR AREAS, UM, AS WELL AS THEY, THEY CAN ALSO GAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE PARK PLANNING PROCESS, UM, AND THE COMPLEX LAND USE PROCESSES THAT OFTEN TAKES TIME TAKES PLACE IN THIS VERY CHAMBERS PROGRAM.

CURRICULUM RANGE FROM LEARNING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF PARKS AND HOW THEY DEVELOPED OVER TIME TO CONDUCTING WALK AUDITS OF OUR PARKS AND IDENTIFYING WHAT THEY NOTICED SHOULD BE IMPROVED.

OVERALL, THIS PROGRAM WAS A GREAT OP OPPORTUNITY TO JUST DEMYSTIFY THE WORK WE DO IN PLANNING.

A KEY OUTCOME OF THE RLT WAS A DRAFT VISION STATEMENT OF THE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT.

THIS VISION STATEMENT WILL GUIDE HOW WE DEVELOP OUR GOALS POLICY AND SOME PROGRAMS AS WELL AS OPEN SPACE DEVELOPMENT AND LAND USE, UH, MANAGEMENT AND THE VISION READS AS WE ENVISION A LONG BEACH OPEN SPACE SYSTEM THAT IS CLIMATE RESILIENT AND HONORS ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OCEAN AND THE LAND WITH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WHERE URBAN GROWTH COEXIST IN BALANCE WITH NATURE, WELLBEING, SAFETY AND AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY.

LASTLY, I WANNA TOUCH UPON THE ONGOING TRIBAL CONSULTATIONS WORK, HAVE STAFF HAS BEEN TRYING TO CONDUCT.

UM, PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA SENATE BILL 18, CITY GOVERNMENTS SHALL CONSULT WITH THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES BEFORE ADOPTION OR AMENDING GENERAL OR SPECIFIC PLANS IN AN EFFORT TO START DEVELOPING THESE GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIPS.

WE MET WITH TRIBES EARLY IN THE PROCESS TO IDENTIFY KEY PRIORITIES FOR GOAL AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT.

STATE LAW DOES REQUIRE A LEVEL OF CONFIDENTIALITY, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO

[00:50:01]

COLLABORATE WITH TRIBES ON GOALS AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT AS THE PROCESS MOVES FORWARD.

TRIBAL CONSULTATION WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT UPDATE PROCESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT.

SO HERE'S THE SCHEDULE THAT WE STARTED WITH, UM, AND YOU'LL SEE KIND OF THE ROBUST COMMUN ROBUST COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT TOOK PLACE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, THE FALL UP UNTIL WINTER.

UM, IN DECEMBER, UNFORTUNATELY, WE DID HAVE TO PAUSE WORK WITH CONSULTANTS.

THE PAUSE OF WORK WITH CONSULTANTS WAS AN EMERGENCY FISCAL MEASURE IN DECEMBER OF 2025.

SINCE THEN, PLANNING STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON ITEMS INTERNALLY TO CONTINUE MAKING PROGRESS, BUT AS SLOWS PLACED ALONGSIDE OUR OTHER DUTIES IN BOTH ADVANCE PLANNING AND CURRENT PLANNING.

NEXT STEPS FOR THIS ELEMENT UPDATE IS TO IDENTIFY FISCAL RE RESOURCES TO RESTART WORK WITH CONSULTANTS OR A REDUCED SCOPE OF WORK TO COMPLETE IN-HOUSE AND TO CONTINUE WITH TRIBAL CONSULTATION.

AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO ALLISON.

THANKS CARLENE.

SO YOU KIND OF HEARD A BIT OF THE WORK WE'VE BEEN UP TO, UM, THE BEAUTIFUL VISION STATEMENT THAT WAS CO-DEVELOPED WITH COMMUNITY.

UM, AND AFTER A VISION STATEMENT IN A PLANNING PROCESS, YOU WANNA KIND OF GET A LITTLE MORE GRANULAR WITH SOME OF YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO HELP INFORM HOW YOU'LL DEVELOP THOSE EVENTUAL POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT WILL COMPRISE THIS, UM, UH, GUIDING DOCUMENT.

UM, SO THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES INCLUDE, UM, OF COURSE EQUITY AND RESILIENCE, WHICH ARE THE TWO FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF OUR CITYWIDE STRATEGIC VISION, AND ALSO COME UP QUITE A BIT IN THE OUTREACH, UM, AND, UM, PROCESS PRIORITIZING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES INCLUDING CENTRAL WEST AND NORTH LONG BEACH, BALANCING THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PARK SPACE WITH THE NEED FOR SUFFICIENT MAINTENANCE.

THAT COMES UP QUITE A BIT BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE ARE SOME AREAS OF THE CITY WHERE WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH ACCESS TO PARK SPACE, BUT WE ALSO HEAR THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTENANCE FOR THAT FEELING OF SAFETY, PERCEPTION OF SAFETY AND ABILITY TO USE THE PARK SPACE.

UM, CREATIVE APPROACHES TO, UH, DEVELOPING NEW OPEN SPACE SUCH AS THE USE OF, UH, EXCESS RIGHT OF WAY.

AND IF I CAN TAKE YOU BACK SIX YEARS, IF YOU THINK ABOUT EARLY COVID AND THE STREET CLOSURES WE DID TO HELP CREATE WALKING PATHS AND ADDITIONAL OPEN SPACES AND, UM, SPACES FOR PEOPLE, UH, THE RIGHT OF WAY IS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, OUR LARGEST AVAILABLE, UM, CITY OWNED OR PUBLIC SPACE WHEN YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT.

AND THEN RECOGNIZING THE CONNECTION TO THE HOUSING CRISIS.

SO HOUSING IS A PRIMARY TOPIC WE DEAL WITH HERE IN THIS COMMISSION, AND IT IS VERY MUCH CONNECTED, UM, IN, IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS TO THIS WORK.

AND IT ACTUALLY GOES BACK TO THE MAINTENANCE POINT AS WELL BECAUSE WE KNOW, UM, PARTICULARLY WITH THE CHALLENGES OF OUR, UM, UNHOUSED POPULATION, A LOT OF TIMES THEY ARE RELYING ON OUR PARKS AND OPEN SPACES, UH, FOR THINGS LIKE A RESTROOM OR A PLACE TO GO FOR SERVICES.

AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF WHAT WE HEARD WITH BOTH STAFF AND COMMUNITY IS THE, THE STRAIN THAT GOES TO OUR, UM, PARK SYSTEM WHEN TRYING TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.

BUT RECOGNIZING THAT HOUSING IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSAL FACTOR, LACK OF HOUSING AND THE COST OF HOUSING THE NUMBER ONE CAUSAL FACTOR TO HOMELESSNESS, WE CAN SEE HOW, UM, HELPING ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS ALSO HELPS US WITH THE CHALLENGES OF OUR INABILITY TO KEEP UP WITH MAINTENANCE, UM, WITH OUR PARKS AND OPEN SPACES.

UM, THERE ARE MANY STRATEGIES BOTH REGIONALLY, LOCALLY AND STATEWIDE TO ALSO LOOK AT, UM, FOCUSING NEW DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS BEST SERVED BY PARK SPACE INSTEAD OF TRYING TO MAGICALLY, MAGICALLY CREATE A LOT MORE NEW PARK SPACE, WHICH IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND HARD TO DO IN A BUILT OUT CITY.

SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE INITIAL GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT.

UH, WE'RE DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN YOUR FEEDBACK AND FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC AS WE CONTINUE TO, UM, FLESH THAT OUT.

SO I'LL PAUSE FOR A SECOND TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY INITIAL QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK ON THAT.

AND THEN WE'RE GONNA PASS IT OVER TO OUR COUNTERPARTS, UH, IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY DO DAY TO DAY.

THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT.

UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

UM, ONE, IF THE SCOPE IS REDUCED, IF WE AREN'T ABLE TO GET THE FUNDING, WHAT TYPES OF THINGS WOULD WE LIKELY HAVE TO GIVE UP IN EXCHANGE? YEAH, SO THE WAY WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE IT IS LESS ABOUT GIVING UP AND MORE ABOUT IN-HOUSING, BUT SO FAR THAT HAS SLOWED US DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

AND SO, UM, I THINK YOU'RE AWARE THAT CITYWIDE WE'RE FACING SOME FINANCIAL CHALLENGES.

MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND GROUPS HAVE HAD TO REDUCE THEIR NUMBER OF STAFF FOR US IN PLANNING.

UM, A LOT OF OUR WORK IS, IS, UM, ENHANCED THROUGH USE OF CONSULTANTS OR ADDITIONAL EXTERNAL PARTIES THAT HELP, UM, GET SOME OF THE WORK DONE.

AND THAT IS HOW WE HAVE HISTORICALLY DONE A LOT OF OUR LONG RANGE WORK IS BY PAYING FOR CONSULTANTS TO HELP DO THAT.

SO, UM, A LOT OF THE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE ON THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS VERY HELPFUL AND WE'RE AT THE STAGE OF, OF GOING INTO PLAN MAKING.

UM, AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS COME UP WITH A STRATEGY WHERE WE MINIMIZE THE, UH, NEED TO USE 33RD PARTY CONSULTANTS AND DO MORE OF THE WORK WITH OUR OWN STAFF, UM, PARTICULARLY, UM, GIVEN THE FINANCIAL SITUATION.

SO TRYING TO FIND THAT

[00:55:01]

RIGHT BALANCE.

UM, WE DON'T WANNA, UM, GIVE UP, YOU KNOW, THE CORE PARTS OF WHAT MAKE THE PLANNING PROCESS, UM, ROBUST AND SUCCESSFUL.

YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WE'VE DONE SO FAR, AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO ENSURING WE CONTINUE TO HAVE REALLY QUALITY, UH, ENGAGEMENT WHILE PRODUCING A DOCUMENT THAT THAT MEETS OUR, OUR GOALS AND PRIORITIES OF THE WORK.

AND, UM, IN THE UPDATE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SAFETY BEING THE BIGGEST BARRIER, HOW WILL THE UPDATES SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THAT? UM, THERE COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, HAVING MORE ACCESS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK IN SOME OF THE PARK POOR AREAS, BUT IF PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE GOING TO THE PARK, WE AREN'T REALLY ADDRESSING THE ISSUE.

SO HOW WILL THIS UPDATE ADDRESS THAT CONCERN? YEAH, I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF WAYS THAT, UM, THAT THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED AND WE WOULD WANT TO HAVE A WHOLE HOST OF POLICIES AND STRATEGIES THAT THE ELEMENT ULTIMATELY HELPS US TO GET THERE.

WE KNOW THAT, UM, ACTIVATION IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THAT.

SO THE MORE EYES ON THE STREET OR EYES IN THE PARK, UM, THAT REALLY DOES HELP.

AND SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA HEAR, UM, MORE FROM OUR PARKS COUNTERPARTS IN A MINUTE, BUT, UH, THE LEVEL OF PROGRAMMING THEY PROVIDE AND, AND GETTING THAT ACTIVATION GOING IN PARKS CAN BE REALLY IMPORTANT AND HELPFUL.

UM, BUT THERE IS A BALANCE TO FIGURE OUT BETWEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE IDEA OF A 10 MINUTE WALK IN THE ACCESS AND HAVING THAT HIGH QUALITY, UH, LARGER SPACE THAT THAT'S, UM, EASIER TO ACTIVATE THAT I THINK WE NEED TO, UH, FIND, FIND, CONTINUE FINDING BALANCE ON, UH, FOR THOSE REASONS.

JUST THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER THIS CAME UP AS A TENSION POINT BOTH WITH ENGAGEMENT OVERALL WITH, UM, DEEP DIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR OPERATION STAFF ACROSS BOTH DEPARTMENTS, UM, AND WITH A RESIDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM AS WELL.

UM, RECOGNIZING, AND I'LL BRING IT BACK TO HOMELESSNESS AND, AND OUR OWN HEALTH POPULATION THAT'S KIND OF BOTH A DRIVER, UM, AND SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT SUFFER MOST GREATLY, UM, FROM, UM, QUALITY AND SAFETY ISSUES, UM, THAT OUR LT MEMBERS RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, THERE IS A LACK OF RESOURCES AND A TREMENDOUS NEED FOR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT MAY SET UP AND COME IN AT PARKS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, UM, GET SOME LEVEL OF SHELTER AND THAT AT THE SAME TIME, UM, WITHOUT HAVING THOSE OPTIONS, THAT MEANS THAT THERE, THE LIMITED PARK SPACE THAT WE HAVE IS GOING TO BE TAKEN UP IN A WAY THAT IT WASN'T BUILT FOR.

UM, AND SO THAT'S WHERE BEING ABLE TO MEANINGFULLY ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS, UM, UH, TO STOP THE GROWTH OF, OF OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE WHATEVER WE PROPOSE WITHIN THE OPEN SPACE ELEMENT IN ITSELF WILL ONLY GO SO FAR.

UM, AND SO RECOGNIZING HOW IT'S INTER INTERCONNECTED WITH OTHER ISSUES IN THE CITY, HOUSING BEING A CRITICAL ONE, BUT TRANSPORTATION CAN ALSO BE ONE WHERE MAYBE THE SAFETY CONCERN IS ONE AROUND, UM, PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, MAYBE BEING 10 MINUTES AWAY, BUT NOT FEELING SAFE CROSSING THE STREET THAT'S AROUND INTERSECTIONS.

GETTING BACK INTO SOME OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECT DISCUSSIONS THAT HAPPEN, UM, AT OUR LAST SESSION.

ALL THESE THINGS ARE CONNECTED AND SO THERE'S THINGS THAT WE CAN PUSH VERY DIRECTLY THROUGH THE OPEN SPACE UPDATE IN TERMS OF POLICY DIRECTIVES AND THEN THINGS THAT WE KNOW THAT FOR THEM TO ULTIMATELY HAPPEN ARE ALSO GOING TO REQUIRE ACTION ELSEWHERE.

UM, AND SO THAT INTERCONNECTEDNESS IS SOMETHING THAT KEEPS COMING UP, UM, THAT WE, UM, THROUGH THE VISION STATEMENT IN PARTICULAR, KIND OF CO-WORKED WITH THE RLT MEMBERS WHERE WE GOT THAT SHARED UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S NO SILVER BULLET THAT HAPPENS IN THIS PROCESS ALONE, BUT IT CAN BE PART OF A BROADER HOLISTIC STRATEGY THAT ACCOMPLISHES THOSE GOALS AND OTHER GOALS THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS RAISE THOSE PRIORITIES IN SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

AND OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO.

JUST, UM, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SPONSORS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS AND THAT KIND OF THINGS.

UM, AS FAR AS LIKE PARK CLEANUP OR PATROLLING OR WHATEVER, DO YOU, DO YOU EVER CONSIDER THE CONSERVATION CORPS OR THE, UM, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB? THE SCOUTS IF THEY'RE STILL ACTIVE? I'VE BEEN AWAY FOR A LONG TIME FOR THAT, BUT, UH, THOSE KIND OF GROUPS AND THE, UM, RETIREES GROUPS THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME AND, YOU KNOW, YEAH.

SO WE HAVE A LONG, LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, CONSERVATION CORPS THAT I THINK MR. SCOTT IS GONNA TALK ABOUT, UH, IN A MOMENT.

BUT I THINK WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE.

SO SOME OF THOSE OTHER GROUPS THAT YOU MENTIONED, MAYBE, UM, WE DO PROGRAMMING WITH BUT DON'T DO A LOT OF CLEANUP OR SERVICE WITH AND, AND, UM, WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE.

SO I THINK STEVE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT AS PART OF HIS PRESENTATION ON THE, UH, USE OF IT.

UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE PARKS I REALLY ENJOY WHEN THERE'S LIKE FARMER'S MARKETS OVER ON THE, THE, UM, YOGA, UH, I LIKE TO WATCH IT , UH, GARDENS AND, UH, THE DOG PARKS, THOSE KINDA LITTLE THINGS.

I WAS REALLY TAKEN NOT TOO FAR FROM

[01:00:01]

MY PLACE.

SOMEBODY GAVE THEIR PROPERTY TO THE CITY AND ON FOURTH STREET THEY HAVE LIKE A LITTLE PLOT, IT'S JUST ONE HOUSE'S PLOT AND THEN MADE IT INTO A GREAT LITTLE PARK FOR THE KIDS AND OLD PEOPLE LIKE TO COME TO AND SIT AND WATCH AND, YOU KNOW, RELAX.

BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BEEN PUT OUT THERE, IF THERE'S ANYTHING FOR PEOPLE THAT MAY BE WANTING TO DONATE PROPERTY, IF THERE'S FUNDS TO DEVELOP IT OR THAT KIND OF THING IF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.

UM, THERE'S LAWS AND RULES THAT PREVENT STEVEN AND I FOR, FROM SHAKING PEOPLE DOWN FOR MONEY.

BUT THERE, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE, UM, NONPROFIT PARTNERS.

SO PARTNERS FOR PARKS IS AN AWESOME ORGANIZATION HERE IN LONG BEACH.

SO WHAT USUALLY HAPPENS IS, UM, A DONATION, WHETHER IN DOLLARS OR IN LAND OR STOCKS OR WHATEVER IT IS, WOULD, WOULD COME THROUGH THAT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, WHICH THEN IS THE PARTNER THAT WORKS WITH THE CITY.

UM, AND I'VE BEEN TO THAT PARK ON FOURTH STREET.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL, BUT ALSO GREAT 'CAUSE IT'S CLOSE TO MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT.

SO LIKE, CREATING THOSE SPECIAL PLACES IS REALLY, UM, IMPORTANT AND THERE'S THINGS A CITY CAN DO AND THERE'S THINGS A CITY CAN'T DO.

SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE, UM, THE NONPROFIT SECTOR THAT CAN, UM, WORK WITH US AND HAVE SOME OF THOSE MORE INDIVIDUAL, UM, DISCUSSIONS WITH FOLKS THAT, THAT ARE WILLING TO GIVE.

AWESOME.

ALSO, I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE STATUS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A COUPLE YEARS.

UM, ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES IN NEW YORK CITY IS THE SKY, UM, SKYLINE.

IT WAS A ABOVE GROUND, UM, METRO TYPE TRAIN THING, AND THEY MADE IT INTO THE MOST ASTOUNDING PARK GARDENS WITH, WITH EVERY NOW AND THEN GOING DOWN AND DOING THINGS.

AND WE WERE GONNA DO SOMETHING THAT WITH HENRY FORD HIGHWAY, WAS IT? OR ONE OF THE FREEWAYS? UM, YEAH, SO JUST ON THE, ON THE PUBLIC WEST SIDE, UH, LONG BEACH, WHEN THEY TAKE, WHEN THEY REPLACE THE SHOEMAKER BRIDGE, LIKE KEEPING THE OLD ONE AND TURNING THAT INTO, UM, UH, A VERTICAL PARK.

I MEAN, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES.

THE HIGHLINE IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, BUT MAYBE NOT A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR LONG BEACH.

IT COST THE CITY OF NEW YORK $152 MILLION TO CREATE THE HIGHLINE.

SO, UM, OURS WOULDN'T BE THAT BIG, BUT AND, AND IT COULD BE EXTENDED LATER.

BUT GETTING IT STARTED, I KNOW PEOPLE WERE REALLY YEAH, I HEAR YOU.

WE'VE, UM, THAT PROJECT WOULD REQUIRE A LARGE, UH, FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION.

SO WE HAVEN'T GIVEN UP ON IT.

IT'S JUST NOT, UH, THAT IS UNLIKELY TO OCCUR DURING THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.

I JUST LOVE CALIFORNIA.

WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THAT PROPERTY? MEANWHILE, UH, SO WE ARE WORK, UH, MOVING FORWARD ON THAT PROJECT.

UM, AND THEY'RE, UH, DOING SOME VALUE ENGINEERING TO, UH, FIGURE OUT WHAT A PHASE ONE THAT THE CITY CAN AFFORD.

THERE IS FUNDING FROM THE STATE, UM, AND, AND TO KIND OF REFINE THE EXISTING PROJECT TO SOMETHING MORE ACHIEVABLE.

UM, SO I THINK IN THE SPRING, I DON'T KNOW, BILL, THERE'S AN UPDATE COMING SOON, BUT WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN.

ON THE TYPE OF PROJECT IN EITHER 15, 30 OR 60 DAYS.

THERE WAS A, A STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE THAT LOOKING TO DO MORE WORK WITH IN-HOUSE STAFF VERSUS OUTSIDE FOLKS.

WILL THAT TAKE AWAY THE EVERYDAY NINE TO FIVE STUFF THAT, THAT THOSE FOLKS ARE SUPPOSED TO DO? NO.

SO, UM, THE BUDGET CHALLENGES THAT THE CITY GENERAL FUND IS HAVING TODAY MM-HMM .

UH, WE GOT AN EARLY PREVIEW OF THAT A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WHAT WE CALL THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND, WHICH IS PEOPLE PULL BUILDING PERMITS, THEY REQUEST APPROVALS FROM, UH, PLANNING, UM, THEY PAY A FEE FOR THAT SERVICE.

UM, WE HAD ACCUMULATED RESERVES, UH, WHICH ALLOWED US SOME FLEXIBILITY, BUT WE BASICALLY ABOUT 24 MONTHS AGO STARTED OPERATING, UM, IN THE RED.

SO, UH, WE MADE A SERIES OF, UM, PRICING ADJUSTMENTS AND RAISED DIFFERENT FEES AND CHANGED SOME OF OUR PROCESSES.

THAT FUND IS NOW IN BALANCE AND WE'RE REBUILDING OUR RESERVES.

UM, BUT WE DID HAVE TO TAKE COST CUTTING MEASURES IN THE MEANTIME.

AND WE'RE NOT, UH, WE'RE NOT BACK TO WHERE I WOULD LIKE US TO BE IN TERMS OF OUR RESERVES, BUT WE DO, WE STAFF, UM, THE COUNTER AND, AND OUR PLAN CHECK TURNAROUNDS BECAUSE LEGALLY THOSE HAVE TO BE DONE DEPENDING

[01:05:01]

UH, WE MEET ALL OF THOSE OBLIGATIONS.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S ACTUALLY THIS FEEL GOOD IMPORTANT, BUT NO LEGAL DEADLINE WORK THAT GETS DELAYED WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF, UM, OR RESOURCES.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED HERE.

THIS HAS BEEN CARLENE'S BEEN KEEPING IT GOING, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A LONG HAUL BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF STOPPED AND STARTED.

BUT WE NOW HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO KEEP IT GOING AND, AND HOPE TO FINISH IT UP HERE IN THE NEXT YEAR, UM, AND BRING IT TO YOU FOR ADOPTION.

AND OH, UM, SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

IT'S ALWAYS REALLY GREAT TO SEE THE, LIKE, UH, DIRECTOR KONZ SAID, UH, THINGS THAT ARE REALLY FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHAT THE CITY'S DOING AND IMPROVING PARK LAND, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REALLY GREAT THINGS ABOUT LIVING IN A CITY.

UM, I WANT TO GO INTO SOME QUESTIONS HERE.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE ACTUAL OPEN SPACE ELEMENT, THERE IS A ANNUAL REPORT EXPECTATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITY COUNCIL THAT, AT LEAST FROM MY RECOLLECTION OF BEING ON THE COMMISSION SINCE 2023, I DON'T REMEMBER THAT BEING DONE.

ARE THOSE AM, AM I FORGETTING THINGS OR IS THAT BEING PROVIDED IN AN, IN EITHER ONE FORM OR ANOTHER? AND IF IT'S NOT, WHEN DID THOSE STOP? SO WE DO HAVE OUR GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL REPORT, AND, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE KIND OF SUMMARIZE VARIOUS EFFORTS THE CITY'S WORKING ON.

UM, BUT A LOT OF OUR OPEN SPACE WORK, UM, ULTIMATELY COMES BACK WITH, UM, PARKS REC AND MARINE COMMISSION, UM, AND THAT TEAM AND STEVE WILL BE ABLE TO TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE COMING UP.

I THINK THE OTHER PLACE WHERE YOU GET UPDATES ON WHAT'S HAPPENING RELATED TO PARKS AND PARKS DEVELOPMENT IS, IS, UM, THROUGH THE ANNUAL CIP REVIEW PROCESS AS WELL.

UM, SO, UH, THE REPORTING STRUCTURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR GENERAL PLANS TO THE STATE CONTINUE TO EVOLVE.

AND I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT, UM, UH, SITUATION IN 2002, UM, HOW IT WAS INITIALLY, UH, STRUCTURED.

BUT, UH, FOR THIS COMING YEAR WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, HOW TO MAKE THAT A MORE FORMAL KIND OF SECTION OF THE BROADER GENERAL PLANNING YOU'LL REPORT.

UM, SPEAKING OF THE CIP, UH, LAST MEETING, I RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE CIP AND HOW IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME HOW IT'S ADVANCING SPECIFIC POLICY GOALS, UH, AND TRANSLATING THOSE INTO SPECIFIC CAPITAL PROJECTS.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN THE OPEN SPOUSE ELEMENT IS INTEGRATION BETWEEN THE CITY'S SHORT AND LONG-TERM CAPITAL PROGRAMS. UH, IF THIS IDENT UPDATE IDENTIFIES, AND I HOPE THAT IT WILL A NEED FOR SAFER WALKING AND BIKING ACCESS TO PARKS, HOW WILL WE BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THAT AND OTHER NEEDS THAT THE, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS IN THE CIP TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THOSE ACTUALLY GET FILLED? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION, BUT BASED ON THE, THE MEETING BEFORE I WASN'T ABLE TO BE AT, BUT WE HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP, UH, DISCUSSIONS PLANNED WITH PUBLIC WORKS THAT HAVEN'T OCCURRED YET.

UM, SO I THINK WE'D BE BETTER ABLE TO ANSWER THAT AT A FUTURE DATE FUTURE.

TO LISTEN TO THE TAPE AND, UM, AND FRESH ON SORT OF THE DISCUSSION.

AND I'LL, I'LL ALSO ADD THAT GETTING THE POLICY INTO THE GENERAL PLAN ELEMENT HELPS US TO, UM, GO AFTER THE FUNDING NEEDED TO DO THOSE PROJECTS, RIGHT? SO THE PLAN IS ALSO WHAT HELPS US LOOK AT HOW TO PRIORITIZE FUNDING, HOW TO GET THAT MORE GRANULAR WORK DONE.

SO, UM, AS WE UPDATE AND MODERNIZE THE ELEMENT TO TODAY'S NEEDS AND PRIORITIES, UH, THAT HELPS US BASICALLY HAVE A ROADMAP OF HOW WE CAN WORK, UH, WITH, UM, AND ACROSS OUR DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UM, TO, TO LEVERAGE BOTH, UM, CITY FUNDING, UH, GO AFTER STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS, UM, AND TO WORK WITH, UM, UH, FOUNDATIONS AND OTHER PARTNERS WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN HELPING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER IMPORTANT TIE BETWEEN THE SORT OF SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM IS THE, THE ELEMENT IS SETTING THAT LONG TERM GOAL AND VISION AND POLICIES AND PRIORITIES, UH, THAT THEN HELP INFORM, UM, WHAT THE WORK PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE, UM, MOVING FORWARD.

SO IT'S THOSE KIND OF THREE TEMPORAL LEVELS AND I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT AND THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT YOU'RE BEING TALKING TO PUBLIC WORKS ABOUT THAT.

UM, THE THING, ALLISON, THAT YOU MENTIONED IS KIND OF THE PROBLEM OF WE SEE THINGS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS NEEDS IN THE GENERAL PLAN, AND WE SEE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PUT IN THE GROUND IN CIP AND THE LINKS BETWEEN THOSE ARE NOT CLEAR.

YEAH, UNDERSTOOD.

AND I ALSO WASN'T ABLE TO BE AT THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING, BUT I DID, UH, GET

[01:10:01]

AND, UM, I THINK THAT LINK, THE TEMPORAL LINK IN BETWEEN IS THE FIVE YEAR PLAN FOR THE CIP, WHICH THEN INFORMS THE ANNUAL PROGRAM.

UH, SO THE TIMING IS NICE IN THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FIVE YEAR PLANNING PROCESS, UM, IS GETTING STARTED.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK THAT LINK NEEDS TO BE A BIT STRENGTHENED.

UM, SO TO GO A LITTLE BIT INTO THE, UM, 10 MINUTE WALK, UH, I'M NOT CLEAR ON WHERE THAT IS ESTABLISHED AS A POLICY CAN DO YOU KNOW OFFHAND? YEAH.

STRATEGIC PLAN.

SO YEAH, SO THE 10 MINUTE WALK, UM, IS, WE ORIGINALLY BOUGHT IT FORWARD BECAUSE IT WAS PART OF THE MAYOR'S, UM, A HUNDRED DAY PLAN.

UM, BUT ALSO WE TALK ABOUT, UM, HAVING ACCESSIBLE WALKING DISTANCE THROUGHOUT THE ELEMENTS, UM, SPECIFICALLY, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN AS WELL, THE PRM STRATEGIC PLAN.

SO IT'S, UM, KIND OF FINDING A WAY TO BRING IT INTO THE MOST UPDATED ELEMENT IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO, AND FINDING CREATIVE WAYS TO MAKE THAT 10 MINUTE WALK HAPPEN IN A VERY BUILT OUT ENVIRONMENT.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMAL THAN A, THAN A ESTABLISHED GENERAL PLAN, UH, POLICY.

I BELIEVE IT'S ALSO PART OF THE PARKS REC AND MARINE, UH, UH, DEPARTMENTAL STRATEGIC STRATEGIC PLAN.

UM, WHICH, UM, THERE WAS A MULTI-YEAR DISCUSSION ABOUT PARK EQUITY AS PART OF THE CREATION OF THAT STRATEGIC PLAN.

AGAIN, THINKING ABOUT THAT BALANCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE MAINTENANCE AND NEEDS OF EXISTING PARK SPACE AND, UM, THE DESIRE TO HAVE THAT EQUITABLE ACCESS TO PARK SPACE.

THE 2002 OPEN SPACE ELEMENT TALKS ABOUT LIKE AN ACRES PER THOUSAND RATIO MM-HMM .

AND IN A BUILT OUT ENVIRONMENT, IT'S JUST VERY CHALLENGING TO TRY TO MEET SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND SO I THINK, UH, THAT'S PART OF THE INTENTION AND THERE'S A BUNCH OF RESEARCH ABOUT THE, THE 10 MINUTE WALK.

SHE, AND TO YOUR POINT, ALSO MAKING IT SAFE AND COMFORTABLE HAVING GOOD LIGHTING AND ALL THAT TO GET THERE.

UM, SO YEAH, WE'RE GONNA HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM, FROM THE PARKS TEAM AND THEY MAY BE ABLE TO ABLE TO ELABORATE, BUT OUR INTENTION WAS TO BUILD OFF OF WHAT'S ALREADY IN THE PARKS REC AND MARINE STRATEGIC PLAN.

THEY DID A LOT OF GREAT OUTREACH AND TALKING TO COMMUNITY AND, AND THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SERVE, UH, FOR THAT, BUT TO INTEGRATE IT AS A PO AS A SERIES OF POLICIES IN THIS ELEMENT UPDATE.

HAVE THIS EXACT TYPE OF DISCUSSION, NOT JUST, UM, INTERNALLY, BUT ALSO ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.

AND SO INSIDE OF THAT ELEMENT UPDATE, WE'RE GONNA BE SEEING THINGS THAT KIND OF HELP US TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT 10 MINUTE WALK, SHE IS GONNA BE DETERMINED.

UH, 'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DI A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A 10 MINUTE WALK TO OUR CLOSEST, WHICH IS 15 MINUTES, BUT A 15 MINUTE WALK TO OUR CLOSEST PARK, UM, OR, YOU KNOW, A 25 MINUTE WALK THAT'S, LET'S SAY ACTUALLY SAFE AND COMFORTABLE.

I THINK THIS IS A GOOD DISCUSSION AND THAT'S PART OF WHY WE WANTED TO COME BACK WITH A STUDY SESSION AT THIS STAGE WHERE WE KIND OF HAVE THE HIGH LEVEL VISION AND SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES, BUT ARE, ARE GETTING READY TO DEVELOP POLICIES.

SO IT'S CERTAINLY AN AREA, UM, WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT I WOULD IMAGINE IS BOTH SOMETHING AROUND TRYING TO MOVE TOWARDS 10 MINUTE WALK AS WELL AS POLICIES AROUND ENSURING IT'S A SAFE, COMFORTABLE WALK.

UM, SO THAT'S HOW I WOULD IMAGINE IT AT THIS POINT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN, UH, BRING SOME WORK ON AND BRING BACK.

AND I WOULD JUST ADD, THIS IS SOME, THIS, UH, WHAT YOU BRING UP IS SOMETHING THAT'S ALSO MENTIONED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN ITSELF IN TERMS OF RECOGNIZING THAT I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 80% OF RESIDENTS LIVE WITHIN THE 10 MINUTE WALK IN THEORY, BUT FUNCTIONALLY THAT MAY OR MAY NOT ACTUALLY BE APPLICABLE.

SO THE WALK IN METHODOLOGY IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF, UM, ENSURING AN OBJECTIVE PROCESS TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOAL.

UM, IN THAT SENSE, THE OPEN SPACE, UH, UH, ELEMENT UPTAKE AND ESTABLISH A POLICY DIRECTION ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL FOOTHOLDS THAT MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE THE METHODOLOGY ITSELF, BUT THAT HELP ENSURE THAT THAT METHODOLOGY IS REFLECTIVE OF, UM, SOMETHING THAT IS ULTIMATELY FEASIBLE.

UM, IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT HAS COME UP IN TERMS OF THE SPATIAL DISPARITIES THAT, UM, RLT MEMBERS HAVE VOICED, AND THAT ALSO CAME IN THE SURVEY RESULTS, UM, WHERE THE DIFFERENCE IN USER EXPERIENCE BETWEEN, UM, UH, FOR SURVEY PARTICIPANTS, UM, HIGH INCOME HOMEOWNER, UM, OR WHITE HOUSEHOLDS, UM, WAS CONTRASTED WITH, UH, LOW INCOME RENTER OR, UM, HOUSEHOLDS OF COLOR, UM, BOTH IN TERMS OF, UH, PARK ACCESS, BUT ALSO THE QUALITY AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PARTS.

AND SO THAT GETS ALSO INTO, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS ON PAPER HAPPENING AND WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED.

WE'RE BUILDING OUT THE POLICY FRAMEWORK THAT ROBUSTLY ADDRESSES THOSE DISPARITIES AS PART OF WHAT THE OPEN SPACE ELEMENT UPDATE CAN PROVIDE.

AND IDEALLY THROUGH THE FIVE YEAR CRP PROCESS AS KIND OF ONE OF MULTIPLE, UM, PRONGS TO IMPLEMENTATION BEING DONE SUCCESSFULLY INFORM, UM, ON A PARK LEVEL, UM, SPECIFIC, UH, MASTER PLAN OBJECTIVES THAT ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS AND ALSO ESTABLISH KIND OF THE HIGH LEVEL PRIORITIES.

UM, SO THAT'S PART OF WHERE, FOR US, IT'S BEEN REALLY FRUITFUL TO

[01:15:01]

UM, AND TO GET A BETTER SENSE OF SOME OF THE, UM, SME ON THE GROUND, UM, EXPERTISE, UM, AND ISSUES THAT ARE, UM, DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE EITHER OPERATING OR DEVELOPING OR DESIGNING PARTS OR SOMETIMES, UM, UH, MORE THAN ONE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO INFORM FUTURE BOTH CAPITAL AND PROGRAMMING IMPROVEMENTS.

UM, SO THAT THIS IS AS MUCH OF A IMPLEMENTATION GUIDING DOCUMENT AS IT IS A VISION SETTING DOCUMENT GOING FORWARD.

AND THAT MIGHT BE, IF, UH, THE VICE CHAIR IS AMENABLE, THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD SEGUE TO INVITING OUR PARTNERS FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, ABOUT THE WORK THEY DO.

UM, UNLESS, UM, WE HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, MORE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET THERE.

I, I'M, I'M NOT DONE YET, , SORRY.

UH, THAT ACTUALLY LEADS INTO A, A GOOD QUESTION AND, AND THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT THE PARKS FOLKS WANT TO, UH, GET INTO, BUT THAT, THAT DIFFERENCE IN ACCESS TO PROGRAMMING IS ALSO, I THINK, REALLY IMPORTANT FROM MY HOUSE.

I THINK THAT THE CLOSEST PARK MIGHT TECHNICALLY BE PLAZA RIA, WHICH IS, UH, BASICALLY A MEDIAN.

UM, THE SECOND CLOSEST IS PROBABLY, UM, THAT FRONT LAWN THIS OUT IN FRONT OF THE LDS CHURCH, UH, OR WHATEVER IT IS.

BUT THEN YOU START GETTING INTO THE, THE LAWN BOWLING, UH, UH, UH, STADIUM AND, AND TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE A PERSON COULD ACTUALLY SPEND TIME, LET ALONE GETTING IN, YOU KNOW, UH, COMFORTABLY DO THAT, IT'S, IT'S FURTHER AND FURTHER AND THEN YOU LAYER ON TOP OF THAT THE, UH, CLOSEST, LET'S SAY PLAYGROUND, UH, ARE THESE THINGS THAT ARE WE WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING INTO, UH, AS PART OF THAT 10 MINUTE WALK.

SO, YEAH.

UH, A BIG PART OF, UM, WE DIDN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT IT IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT A BIG PART OF THE, UM, BACKGROUND TECHNICAL ANALYSIS THAT'S BEEN DONE IS UPDATING OUR INVENTORY OF ALL OF OUR PARK SPACES AND CLASSIFYING WHAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE THERE, WHAT, UM, UH, AMENITIES DO THEY OFFER, UM, WHILE ALSO UNDERSTANDING OUR PROGRAMMING, WHICH OF COURSE, PROGRAMMING IS MORE NIMBLE AND EVOLVES AND, AND CHANGES, BUT ALSO THE SPACES THAT ARE AVAILABLE HELP DICTATE WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMMING YOU CAN REALLY DO THERE.

SO MM-HMM .

UH, SO YES, THEY ARE INTERCONNECTED AND LOOKED AT IN THE ELEMENT, AND, AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE COMPLEXITY THAT THAT IS GONNA COME ALONG WITH THAT, BECAUSE LOOKING AT THE REC PARK GOLF COURSE, FOR EXAMPLE, IT BEING THERE IS AN AMENITY EVEN IF YOU NEVER USE IT, BUT I DON'T USE IT.

SO SHOULD THAT BE COUNTED AS PARK LAND THAT'S WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK? SO THIS IS A VERY LIKE, DIFFICULT THING TO, YOU KNOW, BALANCE AND I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT.

AND WE'RE GONNA GET IT AS GOOD AS WE CAN, BUT WHAT WE COME UP WITH WILL BE IMPERFECT TOO.

RIGHT.

SO WHERE WE'RE STARTING IS A MEASURE THAT REALLY DOESN'T WORK AT ALL.

IT'S ACRES OF PARK PER THOUSAND PEOPLE IN A ZIP CODE, UM, WHICH KIND OF TELLS YOU A WHOLE LOT OF NOTHING BECAUSE IT IS A VERY AGGREGATE, UM, PEOPLE DON'T LIVE THAT WAY.

THEY LIVE IN HOUSES AND THEY WALK AND THEY GO TO PLACES.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WILL TRY TO THINK ABOUT A LOT OF THE FACTORS, YOU KNOW, USABILITY, THE PATH OF TRAVEL, BUT AGAIN, IT WON'T BE PERFECT.

I DON'T GOLF, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DO.

AND THAT GOLF COURSE IS A VALUE TO THEM, AND WE DON'T KNOW PEOPLE'S PREFERENCES.

SO, UM, WE'LL DO THE BEST WE CAN.

AND, UM, BUT I, I ALSO WANT TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS THAT IT'LL, WE DO HAVE TO MAKE A MEASURE THAT IS AN APPROXIMATION TO HELP US UNDERSTAND IF WE'RE IMPROVING OR NOT FOR MOST FAMILIES IN MOST CIRCUMSTANCES.

COMES TO I THINK, UH, UH, DAY, DAY PROGRAMS FOR, FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN, UH, AND THINGS LIKE, UM, UH, PLAYGROUND SPACE.

UH, AND THEN THIS MAY BE A QUESTION THAT'S BETTER TO THE PARKS FOLK 'CAUSE IT'S ABOUT THE SURVEY.

UM, BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF WHO RESPONDED TO IT.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'D RATHER WAIT FOR THEM OR, UM, WAS THERE ANY WAITING OR KIND OF, UH, WORK DONE TO ADJUST FOR THE FACT THAT SPECIFICALLY THE THING THAT THAT STOOD OUT WAS THAT THE, A VERY LARGE SLICE OF THE FOLKS THAT WERE REPORTING, UH, RESPONDING WERE, UH, LIKE ONE, ONE IN 30 K PLUS HOUSEHOLD INCOME, WHICH IS PROBABLY DOUBLE WHAT THE AVERAGE, THE MEDIAN INCOME IS IN THE CI.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I POINT IS, IT'S A LOT HIGHER THAN WHAT THE CI THE AVERAGE INCOME IS.

IT ALSO SKEWS OLDER.

UH, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE, UM, THE RACIAL DEMOGRAPHICS ARE, BUT I'M SURE THAT HOMEOWNERS VERSUS RENTERS, UM, AND MY CONCERN WITH THAT IS THAT, UH, FOLKS THAT ARE GONNA BE OLDER, HIGHER INCOME ARE GONNA BE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT PROGRAMMING NEEDS, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT

[01:20:01]

YEAH, THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION.

AND IT ALLOWS ME TO TAP INTO MY JUNIOR NERD SELF AND TALK ABOUT QUANTITATIVE DATA METHODOLOGIES.

UM, SO WE HAD TWO MAIN SOURCES OF DATA.

WE HAD A RANDOMIZED SURVEY THAT WAS AIMING TO HAVE ABOUT 500 PARTICIPANTS.

WE GOT OVER 600.

UM, SO WE COULD, UM, TALK ABOUT STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE, AND THEN WE HAD ALL THE TARGETED ENGAGEMENT THAT SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON CONNECTING WITH THE HARDEST TO REACH FOLKS.

UM, SO FOLKS THAT ARE OLDER OR YOUNGER, FOLKS THAT ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY RENTERS, 60% OF CITY'S RENTERS, UM, ARE CITIES, UM, CLOSER AND CLOSER TO 80% PEOPLE OF COLOR.

SO, UM, YOUNG, UM, AND LOW INCOME, UH, RENTERS OF COLOR WAS, UM, BOTH MOST MORE LIKELY TO BE KIND OF THE CORE USERS OF A LOT OF PARK SPACES AND ALSO THE ONES THAT WE HEAR FROM THE LEAST.

SO WE HAD THE RANDOMIZED SURVEY AND WE COULD GET, UM, KIND OF DEMOGRAPHIC SNAPSHOT OF THAT AND COMPARE IT TO THE OVER OVERALL CITYWIDE DEMOGRAPHICS AND SEE HOW WE WEIGHED IT.

UM, AND THEN WE ALSO DID ADDITIONAL CROSS TABULATION, OR I SHOULD SAY OUR CONSULTANT TEAM DID ADDITIONAL CROSS TABULATION SPECIFICALLY THROUGH PARSE OUT THOSE KEY DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS THAT WE WANTED TO LIFT UP.

SO THAT'S PART OF WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO ASSESS IF YOU ARE X AND Y, HOW DID YOUR RESPONSES COMPARE TO A GROUP THAT THAT IS, UM, Z AND T, FOR EXAMPLE.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO HONE IN ON RENTERS, ON PEOPLE OF COLOR AND ON LOW INCOME FOLKS.

AND WHEN WE SAY LOW INCOME, WE HAD, I THINK QUINTILES, UM, I'LL HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THE DATA, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS FOLKS THAT ARE EARNING ZERO TO LESS THAN 30,000 AS A HOUSEHOLD AND THEN 30 TO 59,000, WHICH I THINK IS MUCH MORE REFLECTIVE OF, OF WHAT WE WOULD SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, MOST OF LONG BEACH, UH, RESIDENTS ARE.

AND LOOKING AT THEIR SPECIFIC RESPONSES TO INFORM AND KIND OF, UH, INFUSE WHAT WE, UH, UNDERSTOOD AS PRIORITIES WAS REALLY HELPFUL.

THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT THEIR ASSESSMENT OF, UM, PARK QUALITY, UM, THEIR ASSESSMENT OF ACCESS, AND THEN COMPARE IT TO THE HIGHEST INCOME EARNERS, WHICH WE KNOW WE DISPROPORTIONATELY HEAR FROM WITH ANY ENGAGEMENT EFFORT BECAUSE THEY HAVE MOST RESOURCES AND TIME, UM, TO HAVE THAT PARTICULAR FOCUS REALLY BE A DRIVING FACTOR FOR HOW WE CONTINUE TO, UM, ELEVATE, UM, PRIORITIES AND HOW TO INFORM, UM, THE POLICIES THAT CAN BE REFLECTIVE IN A WAY THAT IS STILL UNIVERSAL, BUT HAS THAT TARGETED UNDERSTANDING.

UM, I THINK THE, THE WALK SHARED EXAMPLE, THE ACCESS TO PROGRAMMING EXAMPLE, THE TAP TO PROGRAMMING, UM, THE, UM, EXPERIENCE AND PERCEPTION OF PARK QUALITY AND PARK MAINTENANCE, UM, WE KNOW ANECDOTALLY IS GONNA BE SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT BY PARTS OF THE CITY AND BY THE FOLKS AND THE TYPES OF PARKS THAT THEY ACCESS.

UM, NOW WE HAVE THAT SURVEY DATA, ESPECIALLY THE ADDITIONAL CROSS TABULATIONS TO VALIDATE THAT AND TO REALLY, UM, ELEVATE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT OVERALL.

AND THAT IN PARTICULAR FOR FOLKS THAT ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED, UM, AND, UM, ARE MORE LIKELY TO, UM, ONE, START THIS FEELING SHUT OUT OF THE PROCESS.

UM, AND TWO, IF THEY ARE BROUGHT IN ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE SUPER USERS, UM, TO HAVE THAT BE CENTERED THROUGHOUT THIS.

AND WERE POSSIBLE TO ALSO INFORM OTHER CITY POLICIES.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE CONNECTION WITH MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS, THE NEED TO ADDRESS, UM, OUR HOMELESSNESS CRISIS, UM, AND IMPROVE HOUSING ACCESS.

MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS EXPLICIT AND RECOGNIZING HOW WE CAN HAVE MULTIPLE WINS ACROSS DIFFERENT ISSUES AS PART OF WHAT WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO, UM, ENSURE IS, UH, NOT LOST AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

AND DO THESE RESULTS REFLECT THAT KIND OF, UH, WEIGHTING, OR IS THIS THE RAW DATA? SO MOST OF WHAT WE WENT OVER WAS FROM THE RANDOMIZED DATA UHHUH, UM, THE ADDITIONAL CROSS TAB RELATED DATA WE HAVE SEPARATELY, UM, INTERNALLY, BUT THAT IS, THAT WAS DONE KIND OF IN ADDITION TO THE REPORT, UM, BY THE CONSULTANT FIRM BY A TC THAT WAS INCLUDED AS THE ATTACHMENT.

SO WE HAVE THAT, THAT SECOND SOURCE THAT TOOK ALL THE RANDOMIZED DATA AND THEN ADDED ON THE ADDITIONAL KIND OF TARGETED DATA THAT GOT US TO OVER 1500 TOTAL RESPONSES.

AND THE RANDOMIZED DATA, THAT WAS THE ONE THAT WOULD'VE REFLECTED, UH, 20 SOMETHING PERCENT AT 130 K.

I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE PRESENTERS FROM PARKS AND REC TO COME UP TO THE MIC FOR PRESENTATION.

WONDERFUL.

SO WE HAVE OUR DIRECTOR OF THE PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE DEPARTMENT, UH, DIRECTOR STEVE SCOTT HERE, AND WE'RE GONNA PASS HIM, UM, THE MIC.

GREAT.

UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

SO, UH, BY WAY OF REINTRODUCTION, MY NAME IS STEVEN SCOTT AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE CITY'S PARKS RECREATION AND MARINE,

[01:25:01]

UH, DEPARTMENT.

AND I AM JOINED, UH, THIS EVENING BY A COUPLE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS.

I HAVE MICHELLE, UH, MASON, WHO IS OUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS BUREAU MANAGER, AND DANIELLE LEWIS, WHO IS OUR PARK DEVELOPMENT OFFICER.

SO, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, YOU JUST HEARD A PRESENTATION ON THE STATUS OF THE UPDATE TO THE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT.

UH, I'VE BEEN ASKED TODAY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, WHO WE ARE AS A DEPARTMENT, UH, AND WHAT WE PROVIDE, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY.

UH, ORDINARILY THIS COULD PROBABLY TAKE A COUPLE OF HOURS TO GET INTO ALL OF THE, UH, SPECIFIC, UH, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND IMPACT THAT WE HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY, BUT I'M GONNA TRY TO KEEP THIS AT A 30,000 FOOT LEVEL.

UH, I KNOW THERE WERE A FEW QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED, AND I WILL, UH, ENDEAVOR TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE IN THE, UH, IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT IF I DO NOT, PLEASE KEEP ME HONEST AND, UH, ASK ME, UH, AFTERWARDS.

SO STARTING JUST WITH SOME OF OUR, OUR KEY SERVICES, AND I'M NOT GONNA TOUCH UPON ALL OF THESE, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE PROVIDE A VIBRANT, SAFE, AND ACCESSIBLE PARK SYSTEM FOR THE CITY'S, UH, DIVERSE COMMUNITY.

UH, WE OFFER RECREATION PROGRAMMING, UH, AND EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

WE PERFORM MAINTENANCE, UH, FOR OUR PARKS, FACILITIES, BEACHES, AND OPEN SPACES.

UH, ONE AREA THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN OUR DEPARTMENT.

UH, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES OPERATIONS.

SO THE ANIMALS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND ACTUALLY SEVERAL OTHER COMMUNITIES, WE PROVIDE SERVICES TOO.

UH, WE WORK TO ENSURE OUR MARINAS, OUR, OUR AND BEACHES ARE SAFE AND MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS.

AND THEN KIND OF A THREAD, UH, THROUGH ALL OF THESE, UH, KEY SERVICES IS WE DEVELOP STRONG PARTNERSHIPS, UH, THAT ENHANCE OUR AWARD-WINNING, PROGRAMED AND RECREATE, UH, RECREATION SERVICES.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE REALIZE WE CAN'T DO ALL OF IT BY OURSELVES, AND WE REALLY NEED OUR PARTNERS, UH, TO HELP FILL IN SOME OF THOSE GAPS WHERE WE ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, THE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.

UH, SO I LIKE TO PRESENT THIS SLIDE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S, IT'S A GOOD SNAPSHOT OF, UH, A LOT OF THE WORK AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE HAVE AS A DEPARTMENT.

SO MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW THAT, UH, WE ARE THE STEWARDS OF 166 PARKS, PLACES AND OPEN SPACES, UH, ACROSS THE CITY, UH, ENCOMPASSING CLOSE TO 3,100 ACRES.

UH, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING AND PROGRAMMING THE SIX MILES OF BEACHES AND COASTAL ASSETS.

UM, AND THEN WITHIN THOSE SPACES WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AMENITIES, UH, THAT WE OFFER, UH, IN THESE LOCATIONS.

UH, OVER 25,000 TREES.

WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR 10 SKATE PARKS, 12 DOG PARKS, 60 ACRES OF WETLANDS, UH, GOLF COURSES WERE JUST MENTIONED.

WE OPERATE, UH, FIVE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES, THREE MUNICIPAL MARINAS, UH, THREE, UH, AQUATIC CENTERS WHERE WE OFFER PROGRAMMING.

WE HAVE 16 CENTERS, SIX SENIOR CENTER CENTERS, A NATURE, UH, CENTER, SO ON AND SO FORTH.

JUST WANTED TO JUST KIND OF SET THE STAGE HERE, UH, AND SHOW SOME NUMBERS THAT, UH, REALLY TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND, AND HOW DO WE MAINTAIN AND PROVIDE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

WELL, IT'S THROUGH THE CLOSE TO A THOUSAND EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE IN PARKS, RECREATION, AND MARINE.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THOSE ARE WHAT WE CALL SEASONAL RECREATION EMPLOYEES.

THEY COME IN AND THEY'LL WORK FOR A PRO, UH, LIKE A SUMMER PROGRAM, UM, THAT'S PROBABLY CLOSE TO 70% OF OUR, OF OUR, UH, STAFFING.

UM, AND THEN, UM, THOSE STAFF ARE REALLY SPREAD ACROSS, UH, FIVE DIFFERENT, UH, PROGRAM AREAS.

WE HAVE COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES, MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS, UH, MARINE BUREAU, UH, BUSINESS OPERATIONS, AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.

AND I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, EACH OF THOSE AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES.

SO, COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES.

VERY SIMPLY, THIS IS OUR PROGRAMMATIC ARM.

SO THIS TEAM, UH, MANAGES THE RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR OUR COMMUNITY OF ALL AGES.

UH, WE HAVE YOUTH PROGRAMMING, WE HAVE TEEN PROGRAMMING.

WE HAVE SENIOR PROGRAMMING, UH, WITH THE OPERATION OF, OF TWO CEMETERIES.

IT'S PRETTY SAFE TO SAY THAT WE OFFER PROGRAMMING FROM BIRTH, UH, TO DEATH.

UM, AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY TAKE THOSE PROGRAMMATIC RESPONSIBILITIES VERY SERIOUSLY.

UH, WE OFFER FREE YOUTH AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AT, UH, 18 SITES ACROSS THE CITY WHEN THE SCHOOLS ARE IN SESSION, AND THEN WHEN THEY'RE OUTTA SESSION

[01:30:01]

DURING THE SUMMER, DURING, UH, WINTER BREAK, SPRING BREAK, WE OFFER FREE DROP-IN RECREATION PROGRAMMING, UH, AT, UH, OVER 20 SITES ACROSS THE CITY.

WE OFFER FREE TE, UH, TEEN PROGRAMS AT OUR 16 CENTERS AND FREE, UH, OLDER ADULT PROGRAMS AT OUR SIX SENIOR CENTERS.

UH, WE JUST COMPLETED A VERY BUSY SUMMER, UH, PROGRAM SEASON WHERE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER WE OFFERED OVER 40 FREE MOVIES IN OUR PARKS, OVER 30 FREE CONCERTS IN OUR PARKS.

WE KEPT 11 OF OUR PARK SITES, UH, OPEN FOR EXTENDED HOURS AS PART OF OUR BE SAFE PROGRAM.

THAT'S A YOUTH, UH, VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM WHERE WE TRY TO KEEP PEOPLE ENGAGED IN ACTIVE INTO THE EVENING HOURS AFTER OUR NORMAL PROGRAMMING, UH, HOURS HAVE CONCLUDED.

UH, WE OFFER LOW, UH, COST YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMMING FOR OUR YOUTH AND TEENS, AND WE STAFF AND MAINTAIN, UH, THREE AQUATIC CENTERS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.

AND ACROSS THE BOARD WE HAVE, UH, THOUSANDS OF RECREATION CLASSES, ACTIVITIES, CAMPS, AND PROGRAMS, AND WE OFFER THOSE, UH, EACH YEAR.

AND SO YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE, UH, FREE AND LOW COST MENTIONED A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, UH, FOR US IN THAT WE REALLY CAN'T HAVE COST BE A BARRIER OF ENTRY INTO OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

AND SO WE DO WORK VERY HARD TO TRY TO PRESERVE THOSE PROGRAMS BEING, UH, FREE OR LOW COST.

BUT I WILL CERTAINLY SAY, GIVEN OUR FINANCIAL, UH, CONDITION, UH, THAT BECOMES HARDER AND HARDER TO DO .

MOVING ON TO OUR MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS.

UM, THIS IS THE TEAM THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING OUR PARKS, UH, AND FACILITIES CLEAN, GREEN, SAFE AND WELCOMING, UH, FOR ALL OF OUR VISITORS, WHETHER THEY'RE COMING TO ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS OR EVENTS, OR THEY'RE JUST COMING TO A PARK, UH, TO SELF RECREATE, GO ON A WALK, READ A BOOK, UM, HAVE A PICNIC.

UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR PARKS ARE, ARE SAFE AND WELCOMING AND HEARD A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION ABOUT SOME OF THE BARRIERS FOR, UH, USE OF OUR PARKS.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY.

AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE SURVEY RESULTS, I THINK VALIDATE, UH, OUR APPROACH FOR OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.

UH, JUST A LITTLE OVER A WEEK AGO, I WAS AT THIS SEAT, UH, GIVING A PRESENTATION ON OUR, UH, PROPOSED FY 27 BUDGET TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, AND REALLY NEEDED TO START OFF WITH, UH, OUR APPROACH TO HAVING TO MAKE BUDGET REDUCTIONS IN OUR DEPARTMENT.

AND THE ONE AREA THAT WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO PRESERVE IS OUR MAINTENANCE, UH, OPERATIONS.

BECAUSE, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THOSE SURVEY RESULTS, WE CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE THINK THAT OUR PARKS ARE NOT SAFE, UH, OR WELCOMING OR CLEAN.

AND IF OUR MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS, UH, ARE, ARE KIND OF LACKING AND OUR BUDGET, UH, IS REDUCED IN THOSE AREAS, WE RUN THE RISK OF THAT PERCEPTION, UH, BEING OUT THERE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T GONNA WANT TO USE OUR PARKS, UH, WHETHER THEY'RE COMING FROM FOR ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS OR JUST TO SELF RECREATE.

WE COULD BE OFFERING THE WORLD'S GREATEST PROGRAMS, BUT IF PEOPLE DON'T THINK THAT OUR PARKS ARE WELL MAINTAINED AND SAFE, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA COME AND USE 'EM.

AND SO, UH, THAT'S WHY OUR MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS ARE REALLY, UH, A, OUR BIGGEST PRIORITY, UH, WITH RESPECT TO OUR BUDGET IS ENSURING THAT, UH, WE MAINTAIN THAT TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE.

UH, OUR MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS ARE, ARE BROKEN OUT INTO TWO AREAS.

OUR FACILITIES, UH, DIVISION, THAT'S THE TEAM THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THE BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE.

UH, I DON'T THINK I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE 27 COMMUNITY CENTERS ACROSS THE CITY.

WE HAVE OVER 50 FREESTANDING RESTROOMS IN OUR PARKS.

AND SO IT'S THIS TEAM THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

AND THEY, THEY PERFORM OVER 8,000, UM, MAINTENANCE, UH, REPAIRS, KIND OF FIX IT JOBS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

UH, WE ALSO HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RESTROOMS, UH, IN OUR PARKS.

UH, NOT ONLY LACK OF, BUT THE QUALITY OF THE RESTROOMS. AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THIS YEAR, UH, IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 26, WE ARE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT OUR, UH, PARK AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.

UM, KINDA HARD TO BELIEVE THAT OUR 55 PARK RESTROOMS BACK IN THE DAY, WE DID NOT CLOSE THAT NIGHT.

UH, WE DIDN'T LOCK THEM UP.

AND WHEN VISITORS CAME TO OUR PARKS THE NEXT

[01:35:01]

MORNING, OFTENTIMES THEY WERE NOT IN A GOOD, UM, STATE, UH, TO USE.

AND SO WE TOOK THOSE OPERATIONS AND WE BROUGHT THEM IN-HOUSE.

WE CREATED AN EVENING TEAM AND A MORNING TEAM.

EVENING TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GOING OUT AND CLOSING ALL OF OUR PARK RESTROOMS, DOING SOME LIGHT MAINTENANCE, NOT ONLY IN THE RESTROOMS, BUT IN OTHER AREAS OF THE PARK.

AND ALSO IDENTIFYING, UH, OTHER MAINTENANCE NEEDS THAT OUR TEAMS WILL NEED TO COME BACK AND ADDRESS.

AND THEN IN THE MORNINGS, WE NOW HAVE A TEAM THAT GOES OUT, OPENS THOSE RESTROOMS, CLEANS STOCKS, UM, THOSE RESTROOMS SO THAT THEY ARE AVAILABLE FOR USE BY THE COMMUNITY.

BY BRINGING THIS IN-HOUSE.

IT USED TO BE CONTRACTED OUT BY BRINGING THIS BACK IN-HOUSE.

IT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY TO GO BACK OUT IF, UH, IF IT'S NEEDED TO TOUCH THESE RESTROOMS AGAIN, TO RESTOCK THEM, TO RECLEAN THEM, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE IN A GOOD, UH, WORKING CONDITION FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

UH, AND THEN, UH, THIS TEAM IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR GRAFFITI REMOVAL AND THE IMPACTS OF VANDALISM.

AND, YOU KNOW, VANDALISM IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST, UH, MAINTENANCE ISSUES, UH, ACROSS OUR PARK SYSTEM.

AND IT'S NOT THAT IT'S CENTERED IN ANY PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD OR COMMUNITY.

UH, VANDALISM IS ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, IN OUR PARKS AND, YOU KNOW, THAT MAY BE CUT FENCES OR STOLEN COPPER WIRE OR JUST OTHER DAMAGED, UM, PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.

AND SO, UH, THAT TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

AND THEN WE HAVE A GROUNDS MAINTENANCE, UH, DIVISION THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S GREEN AND GROWING.

UH, AND SO THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LANDSCAPING OF OUR, UH, 3000 PLUS, UH, ACRES.

UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, MANAGING THE AGREEMENT FOR THE TRIMMING OF OUR PARK TREES.

UH, HARD TO IMAGINE THAT BEFORE ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, WE DID NOT HAVE A TREE TRIMMING, UH, BUDGET FOR A, FOR AN ANNUAL TREE TRIMMING CYCLE, UH, THAT WAS ADDED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO OUR BUDGET A FEW YEARS AGO, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.

UH, WE ONLY HAD ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THE PAST FOR TREE TRIMMING, AND THAT REALLY ONLY ADDRESSED, UH, EMERGENCY TREE TRIMMING NEEDS TYPICALLY POST STORM WHEN, YOU KNOW, TREES WERE EITHER BLOWN OVER OR YOU HAD LARGE LIMBS JUST KIND OF HANGING AND WAITING TO FALL.

AND SO THAT BUDGET WAS PREVIOUSLY USED FOR THOSE, UH, PURPOSES.

BUT NOW WE HAVE AN ANNUAL TREE TRIMMING CYCLE, UH, THAT IS CURRENTLY SEVEN YEARS, THOUGH PROPOSED IN THE, UH, NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET TO GO TO EIGHT YEARS, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH, UH, OUR PARTNERS IN PUBLIC WORKS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, UM, STREET TREES, NOT PARK TREES.

AND THEN, UH, ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP, UH, SERVICES.

OUR, OUR TEAM, UH, HANDLES, UH, AROUND 500 PARK, UH, ENCAMPMENT, CLEANUPS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.

AND, UH, JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PARKS ARE, ARE READY AND ACCESSIBLE FOR OUR PARK USERS.

UH, EXCITED THAT, UH, IN THE NEXT YEAR'S PROPOSED BUDGET, UH, WE DO HAVE A STRUCTURAL BUDGET TO SUPPORT THESE, UH, ACTIVITIES.

UH, IN YEARS PAST, WE HAD TO, UH, RELY ON ONE TIME FUNDS TO BE ABLE, UH, TO PERFORM THESE IMPORTANT SERVICES, BUT THEY ARE NOW STRUCTURALLY, UH, FUNDED.

ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA KIND OF JUST, UH, GO VERY QUICKLY OVER SOME OF THE REMAINING, UH, SLIDES TO OUR MARINE BUREAU.

UM, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, MANAGING THE SAFETY, CLEANLINESS, AND USABILITY OF OUR OVER SIX MILES OF, UH, COASTLINE AND COASTAL ASSETS.

SO WE HAVE PARKS IN OUR, UH, MARINE ENVIRONMENT.

WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING OUR BEACHES CLEAN AND TIDY.

AND, UH, A LOT EASIER SAID THAN DONE, PARTICULARLY AFTER LARGE STORM EVENTS WHEN WE

[4. 26-56027 Recommendation to receive and file the first development agreement annual review (DAR26-002) for the River Park Project Development Agreement (DA20-001 for the project located at 712 Baker Avenue), affirming staff’s finding that the project complies with the terms and conditions as required and has fulfilled the requirements for the reporting period of September 2025 through August 2026. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

GET A LOT OF DEBRIS, UH, COMING DOWN, UH, THE TWO RIVERS, UH, THAT, UM, BOOKEND OUR CITY AND THAT DEBRIS WINDS UP ON OUR BEACHES.

AND SO OUR TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

THEY'RE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, MAINTAINING, UH, THE NATION'S LARGEST MUNICIPALLY MANAGED, UH, MARINA SYSTEM.

UH, WE HAVE OVER 3,300, UH, RECREATIONAL BOAT SLIPS, UH, IN LONG BEACH.

AND THEN THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR A NUMBER OF OUR, UH, LAUNCH RAMPS, UH, WHERE, UH, RECREATIONAL BOATERS CAN, UH, ACCESS THE WATER.

UM, BUSINESS OPERATIONS, I'M JUST GONNA SAY THAT THIS IS OUR ADMINISTRATION ARM.

THIS IS, UH, BUDGET, YOU KNOW, ALL THINGS ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGET, UM, FINANCIAL, UH, PERSONNEL, PAYROLL.

UM, ALSO THOUGH, UH, CONTAINS OUR PARTNERSHIPS OPERATION, WHICH

[01:40:01]

I, UH, MENTIONED EARLIER, WHICH IS REALLY ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT, UM, UH, OPERATIONS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, ESPECIALLY DURING THESE TOUGH FINANCIAL TIMES.

TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER AND HAVE SOME OF THESE, UH, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE SERVICES, NOT NECESSARILY THROUGH THE CITY, BUT BY THIRD PARTIES, UH, IS VERY IMPORTANT, UH, TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

UH, AND THEN WE HAVE A PARK PLANNING OPERATION, UH, THAT, UH, I THINK WAS MENTIONED, SOME OF THE PARK VISION PLANS THAT, UH, WE, UH, WE, UH, UM, STUDY AND ENACT, UM, THAT'S HANDLED BY OUR PARK PLANNING OPERATION.

UH, AND THEN LASTLY, OUR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES OPERATION.

UH, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANIMAL CONTROL AND CARE, NOT ONLY IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, THOUGH WE DO HAVE, UH, TWO CONTRACT, UH, CITIES WHERE WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO THEM.

AND THAT'S, UH, CERRITOS AND SIGNAL HILL.

SO, UH, COMMUNITY IMPACT, UH, OUR OPERATIONS ARE ROOTED IN PARK EQUITY, OFFERING FREE AND LOW COST PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS AT PARK SITES THROUGHOUT LONG BEACH, WHILE PROVIDING ACCESS TO WELL-MAINTAINED, UH, PARKS ACROSS THE CITY.

UM, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR PARKS AND OPEN SPACES ARE, YOU KNOW, FREE COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT YIELD TREMENDOUS SOCIAL, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS.

UM, WE ARE PRI PRIORITIZING EFFORTS TO ADDRESS SERVICE, UH, GAPS THROUGH PROGRAMMING, PARTNERSHIPS AND PARK IMPROVEMENTS.

UH, THERE WAS A QUESTION A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, LIKE, DO WE PARTNER WITH, UH, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AND, UH, LONG BEACH, UM, CONSERVATION CORPS AND ABSOLUTELY.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALMOST HAVE TO, UM, WE, UM, YOU KNOW, WORK TOGETHER WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO MEET SOME OF THOSE SERVICE NEEDS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

BUT ONE OTHER AREA THAT I, UH, DID NOT MENTION, UM, IS FRIENDS OF PARKS GROUPS.

AND THESE ARE NOT GONNA SAY FORMAL, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE NON-PROFITS FOR EACH OF THE PARKS, BUT WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, GROUPS OF RESIDENTS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN MAIN HELPING TO MAINTAIN THEIR PARKS AND HELPING TO ACTIVATE PARKS.

UH, WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT ACTIVATION IS FOR KEEPING OUR PARKS SAFE AND, UM, AND UTILIZED.

AND OUR FRIENDS GROUPS, UH, ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN HELPING US CLEAN THOSE PARKS AND ACTIVATE THOSE PARKS.

UM, AND THEN, UH, PARK, UH, DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT.

UH, WE WORK HARD TO ADDRESS THE IMPACTS OF, UH, CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND THEN, UM, WITH RESPECT TO PROJECTS, TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PROJECTS ALREADY.

UH, A NUMBER OF THE PROJECTS, UH, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN ELEVATE 28 AND IN, UM, OUR PARKS RELATED PROJECTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHILE IT'S REALLY HARD TO ADD NEW PARK SPACE, PARTICULARLY IN A COMMUNITY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IS BUILT OUT LIKE LONG BEACH, UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO REINVEST IN THOSE PARKS THAT WE DO HAVE AND, UH, THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT THAT WE ARE SEEING IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN OUR PARKS WE HAVE NOT SEEN FOR GENERATIONS.

AND THERE'S A FEW, UH, PROJECTS IDENTIFIED, UH, ON THIS SLIDE, BUT ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT SPEAK TO SOME OF THE SURVEY RESULTS ABOUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, SUCH AS NEW TRAILS.

UH, WE HAVE A PROJECT UP IN THE, UH, EIGHTH COUNTS COUNCIL DISTRICT, THE 51ST STREET GREEN BELT THAT IS BRINGING IN, UH, NEW AMENITIES TO THAT COMMUNITY, WHICH INCLUDES A WALKING TRAIL, UH, FITNESS EQUIPMENT, UH, SHADE STRUCTURES, NEW, UM, NEW LANDSCAPING AND TREE, UH, PLANTINGS THAT REALLY HELP US ADDRESS SOME OF THE IMPACTS OF, UM, OF, UH, WARMING, UH, ENVIRONMENTS.

SO, UH, THE, UH, IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PROJECTS ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO INVEST IN BRAND NEW PARK SPACE.

AND I THINK THE HIGHLINE, UH, IN NEW YORK WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, AND THAT WAS A GREAT, UH, REUSE OF SOME EXISTING, UH, AMENITIES.

AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES OF NEEDING TO THINK ABOUT WAYS TO REUSE, UH, WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

AGAIN, BECAUSE AS A BUILT OUT CITY, THE OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCESS NEW PARKLAND, UH, IS EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT.

SO, IN CLOSING, UM, JUST THE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ELEMENT OFFERS A ROADMAP FOR THE USE, DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF OPEN SPACE.

AND THE PLAN, UH, PLAYS AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN HOW WE ADDRESS PARK EQUITY AND PRESERVE OPEN SPACE, UH, TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO HAVE ACCESS TO, UH, THE INVALUABLE BENEFITS, UM,

[01:45:01]

UH, THAT OUR PARKS BRING TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT, UH, MAYBE NOT SO QUICKLY AS AN OVERVIEW OF OUR, UH, PARKS, RECREATION, MARINE AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? YES, COMMISSIONER CHAMBERS.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, I UTILIZE THE PARKS OFTEN AND THE BEACHES AS WELL.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE, THE LEAD ON CLEANING THE RESTROOMS. I KNOW THAT'S, UH, SOME OF OUR, UM, UNHOUSED RESIDENTS SOMETIMES SET UP SHOP, UH, IN CERTAIN SPOTS.

AND I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT TO GO THROUGH AND CLEAN THOSE.

'CAUSE AFTER SOME FOLKS COME OUT OF THERE, THEY'RE NOT ALL THAT GREAT.

SO THANK YOU FOR SENDING THE TEAMS OUT AT NIGHT.

AND, UH, ALSO IN THE MORNING, I WOULD ASK THAT, IS THERE A WAY THAT IF RESTROOMS NEED TO BE TOUCHED BACK UP MORE SO IN THE AFTERNOON VERSUS WAITING TILL THE NEXT DAY THAT THERE'S ANOTHER WAY TO REACH OUT? OR IS THERE A NUMBER OR SOMETHING THAT FOLKS CAN CALL TO ADDRESS WHEN WE HAVE THAT? SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

UM, ALSO, UM, THE BEACHES, UM, ARE AMAZING.

SOMETIMES IN THE SAND YOU FIND ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS OF GOING THROUGH AND SIFTING THROUGH THAT, BUT, UH, ONE OF MY, MY DAUGHTER FOUND, UH, A HYPODERMIC NEEDLE ONCE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE POINT WASN'T ON IT, BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE FINDING.

SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I, I, I CAN'T IMAGINE YOU CAN'T SIFT THROUGH EVERYTHING.

BUT I, I KNOW THAT'S A CHALLENGE.

IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, ESPECIALLY AS THE EYES IN THE WORLD'S TURNING ON OUR CITY AND OUR BEACHES.

I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHEN FOLKS GET HERE, THEY REALIZE HOW AWESOME WE REALLY ARE HERE.

AND LASTLY, UM, UH, JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS.

I DO NOTICE THAT WHEN I GO AROUND THE PARKS, MY CHILDREN FOR SOME REASON LOVE TO GO TO DIFFERENT PARKS.

SO WE TRY TO GO TO AS MANY PARKS AS WE CAN.

SOME OF THE PARKS HAVE REALLY COOL LITTLE ELEMENTS AND SLIDES AND SWINGS, AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE BROKEN AND OFTEN THEY GET DISCOURAGED.

I'M LIKE, WELL, WE COME BACK ABOUT A MONTH OR SO LATER, THEY'LL BE REPAIRED.

SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, BEING DILIGENT IN DOING THAT.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.

AND, AND, UH, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS IN THERE, AND I, I DEFINITELY WANNA ADDRESS THE, UM, THE BEACHES AND SOME OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT CAN BE FOUND IN THE SAND.

AND, YOU KNOW, FORTUNATELY, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OVER THE LAST, UH, ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO TO PURCHASE SOME NEW IMPLEMENTS FOR OUR BEACH MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT THAT ACTUALLY IS A FINER, UM, OP, YOU KNOW, SIFTING, UH, EQUIPMENT TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY COLLECT SOME OF THOSE, UH, SMALLER, UH, HARMFUL, UH, PIECES THAT YOU CAN FIND ON A BEACH.

AND SO, UH, WE ARE OUT THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY, UH, KIND OF SIFTING THE SAND, IF YOU WILL, OR RAKING THE SAND AND COLLECTING, UH, WHATEVER IS ON THOSE BEACHES.

AND WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE SOME, SOME NEW IMPLEMENTS TO HELP US WITH THAT.

THERE'S ALSO GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP CLEAN UP THE BEACHES.

THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS A REALLY ROBUST PROGRAM, AND THERE'S A, A MAJOR, UH, CITYWIDE OR BEACH WIDE COMMUNITY CLEANUP COMING UP SEPTEMBER 19TH IN HONOR OF 50 YEARS OF THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL ACT.

UH, SO HIGHLY RECOMMEND PEOPLE CHECK THAT OUT.

IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET INVOLVED.

UM, SO EVERYONE, EVERYONE LOVES THE PARKS .

ONE OF THE THINGS I DO WANT TO, UH, UH, UH, COMMENT ON IS THE, UH, ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.

UH, WE HAD THIS LAST SPRING 10 KITTENS THAT WERE BORN IN OUR BACKYARD, AND WE WERE ABLE TO, FOR SEVEN OF THEM, USE THE, UH, ANIMAL SHELTER AS THE, AS A FOSTER AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEM SUPPORT US THROUGH THAT.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET ALL 10 OF THEM ADOPTED OUT.

AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF 'EM ARE WITH, UH, WITH FRIENDS OF OURS, AND IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE THEM GO FROM BEING BORN TO, TO REALLY THRIVING AT THEIR NEW HOUSES, THEIR NEW HOMES.

SO, UM, AND THE STAFF WAS AMAZING.

I JUST WANT TO REALLY POINT THAT OUT, THAT THE STAFF WAS AMAZING IN, IN, IN SUPPORTING US THERE.

UM, I DO WANT TO GO INTO SOME OF THE, UH, UH, THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT HERE.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO TALK ABOUT A LOT IS EXPANDING OUT PARK INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT WORKING KIND OF IN A PUBLIC SECTOR INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, INDUSTRY.

ALSO KNOW HOW MUCH DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THERE TENDS TO BE.

AND IT CAN BE VERY HARD TO TALK ABOUT THE REALLY EXCITING NEW STUFF THAT I THINK WE DEFINITELY NEED WHILE THE OLDER, UH, THINGS ARE, ARE STILL FALLING APART.

[01:50:02]

DO WE HAVE A PLAN FOR BEING ABLE TO BALANCE THAT? UH, YES, WE DO.

UH, AND, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

SO, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE CIP AND THE ELEVATE 28 PLAN.

THERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF WHAT I WOULD CALL PROJECTS IN THERE THAT ARE REALLY DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.

AND SO, UM, DEFINITELY SHINING A LIGHT ON SOME OF THOSE NEEDS ACROSS THE CITY THROUGH THAT PLAN.

UM, AND WE HAVE, UH, A, A GOOD HANDFUL OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS THAT OUR TEAM IS HANDLING, UH, IN-HOUSE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.

REALLY STARTING WITH THOSE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, TRUE, UH, HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS, UH, WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S WHERE WE PRIORITIZE THOSE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, UM, DOLLARS.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, AS PART OF OUR MAINTENANCE, UM, OPERATIONS BUREAU BUDGET, UH, WE HAVE RESOURCES IN THERE TO ADDRESS, UH, SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE, UH, NEEDS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS, YEAH, WE'VE GOTTEN A LITTLE BEHIND IN CERTAIN AREAS, AND SO WE'RE NOW KIND OF REFOCUSING SOME OF OUR AVAILABLE RESOURCES, UH, TO ADDRESS, UH, THOSE MAINTENANCE NEEDS.

AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS SO IMPORTANT, UH, AS WE DEVELOPED OUR BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR TO REALLY WORK HARD TO PRESERVE WHAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF, UH, MAINTENANCE RESOURCES SO WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ITEMS. AND I ALSO WANNA JUST ADD, UM, OFTENTIMES IT DEPENDS ON THE FUNDING SOURCE, RIGHT? SO FOR EXAMPLE, IMPACT FEES THAT DEVELOPMENT PAYS CAN ONLY BE PAID FOR DEVELOPING NEW OR ADDITIONAL PARK SPACE TO HELP WITH THE, UM, ADDED, UM, SERVICE THAT THE, UM, DEPARTMENT IS ASKED TO HELP WITH.

UM, AND THEN MANY, UM, IMPROVEMENTS OR ADDITIONAL PARK SPACE ARE FUNDED THROUGH THINGS LIKE GRANTS FROM THE STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR OTHER SUCH SOURCES.

SO, UM, YOU'RE HEARING FROM STEVE THE CRITICALITY OF, UH, PRIORITIZING, UM, MAINTENANCE

[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.]

FOR THE DOLLARS THAT CAN BE SPENT IN THAT WAY AND, AND TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.

BUT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, OTHER AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO HELP, UM, UH, CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT OUR PARK INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND WE'LL HEAR ABOUT, UM, A NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, UH, THAT IS REQUIRED TO HELP WITH THAT.

ACTUALLY AS PART OF OUR NEXT ITEM.

THAT HELPS, I THINK, TELL THE, THE BROADER PICTURE THAT COLOR MONEY STUFF IS VERY DIFFICULT.

UM, ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS, UH, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS, ARE THERE

[ANNOUNCEMENTS]

DIFFERENT TYPES OF EITHER FACILITIES OR PROGRAMS THAT ARE UNEXPECTEDLY EXPENSIVE?

[ADJOURNMENT]

UH, THAT WHEN IT COMES TO EITHER MAINTAINING OR OPERATING? UH, I THINK THAT, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO FIGURE OUT, BUT SORRY, GO AHEAD.

CERTAINLY, AND I'M GONNA SAY ACROSS THE BOARD, AS COSTS CONTINUE TO GROW, NOT ONLY, UM, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF OFFERING PROGRAMS, UH, RECREATION PROGRAMS TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO OUR, OUR MAINTENANCE, UH, NEEDS, THOSE COSTS CONTINUE TO GROW.

UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THOUGH THAT WE LOOK AT AS WE PREPARE OUR BUDGETS AND KIND OF EVALUATE PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS IS THE COST OF PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES.

AND SOME OF THE AREAS THAT, UM, WE IDENTIFIED AND PROPOSED AS PART OF OUR, UH, FY 27 PROPOSED BUDGET WERE THOSE AREAS WHERE THEY WERE BECOMING JUST A LITTLE TOO EXPENSIVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, GIVEN MAYBE A SMALLER, UH, PARTICIPATION LEVEL.

UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE EVALUATE, UH, NOT ONLY COST, BUT WE LOOK AT OTHER, UH, DATA SUCH AS, UH, PARTICIPATION LEVELS AND REALLY TRY TO COMPARE AND, AND BALANCE, UH, WHERE WE CAN.

KIND OF OVERSEE, UH, THE PLAYGROUND OPERATIONS.

UM, AND THEN THIS IS PROBABLY A THING YOU GET ASKED A LOT, BUT THERE IS, WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS TO GETTING ACCESS, PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS DURING THE WEEKENDS OR AFTER HOURS OR WHAT HAVE YOU? SO THE CITY HAS A, UH, JOINT USE AGREEMENT WITH LONG BEACH UNIFIED, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT ALLOWS BOTH PARTIES TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS, UM, THE OTHERS, UH, FACILITIES.

UM, WE USE IT PRIMARILY, UH, FOR THE SPORTS FIELDS AND GYMNASIUMS. UM, THE ACCESS TO THE PLAYGROUNDS HAS BECOME A LITTLE BIT MORE CHALLENGING BECAUSE OF THE OVERSIGHT AND STAFFING NEEDED TO, TO

[01:55:01]

AND SO AGAIN, OUR EMPHASIS HAS REALLY BEEN ON BALL FIELDS, UM, GYMNASIUMS WHERE WE CAN OFFER SOME OF OUR YOUTH PROGRAMMING OR ADULT SPORTS.

UM, AND WE ALSO THOUGH, UH, WORK WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO TRY TO CREATE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR, MAYBE IT'S NOT CITY, UH, SPORTS LEAGUES, BUT THIRD PARTY SPORTS LEAGUES, A YSO, UH, LITTLE LEAGUE CAL RIPKIN, WHAT HAVE YOU, TO BE ABLE TO USE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

BUT, UM, AGAIN, WE, WE'VE UPDATED OUR AGREEMENT, UH, WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

IT IS ACTIVE, UH, AND WE, WE RELY ON EACH OTHER FOR USE OF THESE, UH, ASSETS BECAUSE AGAIN, WE CAN'T, IT, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE CITY GIVEN THE CONSTRAINTS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND THE DIFFICULTY OF ADDING MORE SPACE.

UH, IT'S, YOU KNOW, VERY DIFFICULT TO FIT ALL OF THE PARTICULARLY SPORTS NEEDS ON OUR EXISTING FIELDS.

AND SO WE HAVE TO RELY ON THEM.

SURE.

AND I MEAN, YOU CAN PROBABLY UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M COMING FROM WITH THIS IN TERMS OF THE, ESPECIALLY THE NEIGHBORHOODS I THINK THAT ARE GONNA BE THE MOST CHALLENGING TO BUILD NEW PARK SPACE IN ARE THE ONES THAT ALSO HAVE SCHOOLS IN THEM.

AND IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING TO BE A PARENT WHO WALKS THIS KID TO SCHOOL AND THEN WEEKEND SHOWS UP AND IT'S LIKE, WELL, WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO? I DON'T KNOW.

WE CAN'T GO THERE THOUGH.

UM, SO, AND, AND THEN THE ONLY, AND OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT, BUT THE ONLY THING THAT'S STOPPING YOU FROM GOING IN THERE IS A, IS A, IS A PADLOCK, NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE'RE GONNA OPEN, BUT, UH, ANYWAY, IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT'S FRUSTRATING TO, TO SEE THAT.

AND I THINK THAT'S AN AREA WHERE WE CAN LOOK AT, UH, WHAT POLICIES WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.

THERE HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH, UM, ON, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS PARK EQUITY THROUGH, UH, SHARED USE AND JOINT USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THOSE, UH, ASSETS DO EXIST.

UM, THE GREATEST BARRIERS TEND TO BE, UH, LIABILITY CONCERNS AND THE COST OF OPENING UP THE SCHOOL GROUNDS.

UM, THE DISTRICT DOES CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN AS, UM, UH, PO UH, UH, CAMPUS BY CAMPUS DISCRETION IN TERMS OF OPEN GATE POLICY.

SO THERE ARE SOME SCHOOLS THAT OPEN UP, UM, BUT MANY, MANY DO NOT.

AND YEAH, THERE'S A, A COMBINATION OF COSTS AND LIABILITY FACTORS, BUT I THINK THAT'S A HELPFUL FEEDBACK TO INFORM SOME POTENTIAL POLICIES FOR HOW WE COULD MOVE, UH, FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.

WE'LL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.

ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

UM, I GAVE A SLIGHTLY MORE DETAILED PROPOSAL TO YOUR CLERK OVER THERE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, MY NAME IS TIM KNAPP.

UM, I'M A RESIDENT OF NORTH LONG BEACH FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS NOW.

UM, I BOUGHT MY HOME HERE.

I MOVED TO LONG BEACH ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO AND I BOUGHT MY HOME ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO.

I LIVE NEAR HOUGHTON PARK.

UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL AND YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY.

UM, IT WAS INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT ALL YOUR PROGRAMS. UM, I'M HERE TO PROPOSE THAT THERE BE A DOG PARK CONSTRUCTED AT HOUGHTON PARK.

UM, THE CLOSEST DOG PARK TO NORTH LONG BEACH IS COOLIDGE PARK, WHICH IS, UH, SORT OF TO THE NORTH OF NORTH LONG BEACH, ACROSS THE RIVER AND ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM THE PARK.

AND SO MANY OF NORTH LONG BEACH RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE EASY ACCESS TO A DOG PARK.

UM, HOUGHTON PARK IS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF HUNDREDS OF HOMES AND APARTMENTS IN A VERY DENSELY POPULATED AREA.

THE HOUGHTON DOG PARK, THE HOUGHTON PARK DOG PARK, COULD PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED SPACE AND RELIEF FOR MANY RESIDENTS.

UM, THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY PROPOSAL.

NORTH LONG BEACH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN THE CITY OF EVALUATES EQUITABLE ACCESS TO RECREATIONAL OPEN SPACE AND FACILITIES.

NORTH LONG BEACH DOGS AND THEIR OWNERS DESERVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO OFF TO OFF-LEASH RECREATION.

HOUGHTON PARK IS ALREADY RECEIVING SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT AND THE CITY SHOULD EVALUATE WHETHER THEY'RE PROPERLY DESIGNED, MAINTAINED IN COMMUNITY SUPPORTED DOG PARK, COULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE PARK'S LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS.

[02:00:02]

I DUNNO IF YOU RECEIVED A COPY OF IT YET, BUT I HAVE A DIAGRAM HERE WITH THE PROPOSED AREA.

I DUNNO IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH HOUGHTON PARK, BUT, UM, IN THE WOODED AREA JUST NORTH OF THE SKATE PARK, THERE'S ABOUT A THREE ACRE AREA IN WHICH YOU COULD FIT A VERY GOOD SIZED DOG PARK VERY EASILY.

THERE'S LOTS OF TREES THERE ALREADY, AND I THINK INCLUSION OF A DOG PARK WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH MANY OF THE INITIATIVES THAT YOU'VE DISCUSSED TONIGHT, INCLUDING, UM, INCREASING THE DRAW TO THE PARK.

'CAUSE YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WITH A DOG WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE PARK NOW HAS A REASON TO GO THERE.

UH, THE, THAT VERY HEAVILY WOODED IT SECTION OF THE PARK THAT'S KIND OF DARK AT NIGHT COULD BE LIT UP QUITE A BIT WITH THE DOG PARK.

AND THE INCREASE LIGHTING AND INFRASTRUCTURE, I THINK WOULD GREATLY INCREASE THE SAFETY OF THAT REGION OF THE PARK.

UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, AND AGAIN, I GAVE A MORE DETAILED PRESENTATION TO YOUR CLERK.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? SEEING NONE.

ARE THERE ANY VIRTUAL COMMENTERS? 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 NOW.

UH, WE HAVE ONE, ONE PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO, UM, PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, AND CANTRELL ANN, YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED.

GO AHEAD AND, UM, GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

TIME STARTS NOW.

UM, ANN CANTRELL, I HAVE LIVED IN LONG BEACH FOR 93 YEARS, AND I THINK I'VE BEEN TO ALMOST EVERY PARK IN THE CITY.

I LOVE PARKS AND I AM VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF MAINTAINING, UH, WHAT WE HAVE.

UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION, UH, IN MR. SCOTT'S SLIDES.

ONE SLIDE SAID THAT THERE ARE 28,000 TREES IN OUR 162 PARKS, AND ANOTHER SLIDE SAID THAT 26,000 ARE MAINTAINED.

AND I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE.

I KNOW THAT A LOT OF OUR TREES HAVE DIED IN RECENT YEARS, UH, PROBABLY BECAUSE OF LACK OF WATER AND CONSTANT SPRAYING OF HERBICIDES AROUND THE BASE OF TREES TO KILL THE GRASS.

UH, I AM GRATEFUL TO THE PARKS AND REC COMMISSION THAT THEY ARE DOING A PILOT PROGRAM TO COME UP WITH ANOTHER WAY OF MAINTAINING WEEDS, UH, OR ABATING WEEDS, I SHOULD SAY.

AND I'M AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR, UH, ALL THE WORKERS THAT MAINTAIN THE PARKS, UH, ESPECIALLY DIRECTOR SCOTT.

HE HAS A TREMENDOUS JOB.

UH, I APPRECIATE ALL THAT IS BEING DONE AND, UH, I AM VERY, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF MY TAX MONEY GOING TO PARKS, LIBRARIES, AND, UH, SAFETY.

UH, SO I HOPE IN THE NEW BUDGET THAT, UH, PARKS AND REC WILL RECEIVE WHAT THEY NEED TO KEEP OUR PARKS GREEN AND GROWING.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER VIRTUAL COMMENTERS? IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE RAISE HAND FEATURE.

NOW, IF DIALING IN TELEPHONICALLY, PRESS STAR NINE NOW SEE NO OTHERS.

THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.

OKAY, I THINK WE'LL HAVE THE CLERK PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE QUESTION.

COMMISSIONER CHAMBERS, I CAN SEEK A VERBAL YES.

[02:05:01]

PLEASE READ THE NEXT ITEM.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE FIRST DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ANNUAL REVIEW FOR THE RIVER PARK PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, AFFIRMING STAFF'S FINDINGS THAT THE PROJECT COMPLIES WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS REQUIRED AND HAS FULFILLED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD OF SEPTEMBER, 2025 THROUGH AUGUST, 2026.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM? IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER CHAMBERS AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LIM.

I WILL NOW TURN THINGS OVER TO THE STAFF FOR PRESENTATION.

ABOVE WARDLOW ROAD TOWARD THE LA RIVER.

UH, PROJECT PLANNER SCOTT KINSEY WILL PROVIDE THIS PRESENTATION.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS AND CHAIR.

UH, SO THE ITEM BEFORE YOU NOW IS THE FIRST ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE NEW 226 UNIT RESIDENTIAL PROJECT AT SEVEN 12 BAKER STREET.

DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS ARE CONTRACTS NEGOTIATED BETWEEN DEVELOPERS AND PUBLIC AGENCIES, UH, WHICH GOVERN THE LAND USE IS ALLOWED FOR A PARTICULAR PROJECT AND TYPICALLY INCLUDE PUBLIC BENEFITS.

UH, DA ALSO SPECIFIES THE DURATION OF THE AGREEMENT.

THE APPROVED LAND USE THE DENSITY OR INTENSITY OF USE, THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT, SIZE OF PROPOSED BUILDINGS AND PROVISIONS FOR RESERVATION OR DEDICATION OF LAND OR PUBLIC PURPOSES.

SO THIS ANNUAL REVIEW, UH, FALLS WITHIN THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S JURISDICTION.

SO WHILE THIS ACTION ISN'T AN APPROVAL OR A PUBLIC HEARING, IT IS THE COMMISSION'S RESPONSIBILITY TO RECEIVE AND FILE THIS REPORT AND TO AFFIRM STAFF'S FINDING THAT THE DEVELOPER IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE, UH, TERMS AND CONDITIONS THE DA IF THE COMMISSION STILL FINDS, AND THAT THE DEVELOPER HAS FULFILLED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD OF 2025 TO 2026.

AGAIN, IF THE COMMISSION SO FINDS, UH, LET'S SEE.

SO I'M GONNA START ADVANCING THE SLIDES HERE.

SO YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROJECT ALREADY, BUT THE LOCATION'S SHOWN HERE.

IT IS ON A LARGE VACANT SITE NORTH OF WARDLOW ROAD.

IT IS SOUTH OF THE 4 0 5 FREEWAY.

YOU CAN SEE IT VERY WELL FROM THE 4 0 5 ACTUALLY.

AND IT IS DIRECTLY EAST OF THE LA RIVER.

THE SEVEN 10 FREEWAY IS JUST TO THE WEST OF LA RIVER IN THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION.

IT'S NOT IN THE PICTURE.

SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE APPRO, THE APPROVED PROJECT, UM, WHICH LIKE I SAID, WILL CONSIST OF 226 RESIDENTIAL UNITS.

THESE ARE SPREAD ACROSS THREE UNIT TYPES.

THESE CONSIST OF, UH, DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS.

THERE'S ATTACHED, UH, ROW TOWN HOMES AND THERE'S BACK-TO-BACK CARRIAGE TOWN HOMES.

AND THOSE ARE SORT OF BUILDER INDUSTRY TERMS. THOSE AREN'T REGULATORY TERMS. UH, THE SITE TOTALS OVER 20 ACRES AND ACCESS TO THE SITE WILL BE TAKEN FROM A NEW DRIVEWAY THAT IS DIRECTLY FROM WARDLOW ROAD, AND IT HAS ITS OWN NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

SO THERE'S GONNA BE NO TRAFFIC THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

UH, THE DEVELOPMENT ALSO INCLUDES A LARGE 4.81 ACRE PARK THAT WILL BE SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATED INTO THE CITY'S EXISTING BAKER STREET PARK.

SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE, UM, NORTH IS TO THE RIGHT.

SO TOWARD THE SORT OF THE TOP RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE THE NEW PARK THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED.

AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT, THERE'S A CITY'S EXISTING BAKER STREET PARK.

UM, THIS NEW PARK AREA WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IN THE SAME MANNER AS BAKER STREET PARK, BUT IT WILL BE DEVELOPED AND MAINTAINED AT THE BUILDER'S EXPENSE AND PERPETUITY.

OH, I HAD LABELS.

SO BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, THIS PROJECT WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER OF 2022, AND THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WAS FINALLY EXECUTED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2025.

THIS IS THE FIRST ANNUAL REVIEW, AND THIS COVERS THE REPORTING PERIOD OF 2025 TO 2026.

NO FURTHER MODIFICATIONS OR APPROVAL.

APPROVAL REQUESTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED SINCE THE ENTITLEMENT APPROVAL TOOK PLACE AT CITY COUNCIL.

NUMEROUS CONSTRUCTION PERMITS, UH, FOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.

UM, AND THERE'S OTHERS UNDER PLAN REVIEW.

UH, THE ROUGH GRADING PERMIT, UH, WHICH IS A BIG EARTH MOVING PERMIT HAS BEEN ISSUED.

ROUGH GRADING HAS COMMENCED.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF EARTH MOVING TAKING PLACE ON THE SITE AT THE MOMENT.

UH, NO BUILDING PERMITS FOR THE RESIDENTIAL UNITS, MEANING ANY HOUSE OR ANY OF THE, UH, AMENITY BUILDINGS.

NO BUILDING PERMITS FOR THOSE HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED YET.

THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZES THE UNIT BREAKDOWN AND THE PARK AMENITIES.

I'M NOT GONNA READ OFF OF THE SLIDE.

UM, THE PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES 12 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, AND THESE ARE AT THE VERY LOW AREA, MEDIAN INCOME LEVEL.

IT'S VERY LOW A MI.

UM, THIS NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF AFFORDABLE UNITS IS COMPLIANT WITH THE CITY'S INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE THAT WAS IN EFFECT AT THE TIME THE PROJECT WAS APPROVED.

THIS SLIDE SHOWS AN AERIAL RENDERING OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT.

THIS IS LOOKING NORTHWEST FROM BASICALLY

[02:10:01]

AND THE WRIGLEY DOG PARK IS IN THE FOREGROUND.

UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN BE SEEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF GOLDEN AVENUE.

UH, I DON'T HAVE IT IN THE SLIDE DECK, BUT THE WRIGLEY DOG PARK ACTUALLY IS GOING TO RECEIVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF IMPROVEMENTS, UH, AS A REQUIREMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL FOR THIS PROJECT AS, AS WELL, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE BAKER, THE CITY'S EXISTING BAKER STREET PARK.

UM, AND SO THIS IS ALL ON TOP OF THE NEW PARK THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED AND MAINTAINED BY THE DEVELOPER.

AND THIS RENDERING SHOWS THE, UM, THE NEW APPROVED PARK, UH, THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED.

AND THIS IS ON THE NORTH END OF THE PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

UM, AND THAT YOU'VE GOT THE EXISTING BAKER STREET PARK IN THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER, LIKE I SAID, UM, BASICALLY EXTENDING SEAMLESSLY INTO THE NEW PARK.

THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZES THE VARIOUS PROJECT MILESTONE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE ESTABLISHED BY THE DA AND THE PROJECT CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL.

UM, THE PROJECT IS CURRENTLY, LIKE I SAID, AT ROUGH GRADING STAGE.

SO NONE OF THESE MILESTONES HAVE BEEN REACHED OR BEEN TRIGGERED YET.

UH, WHEN PRECISE GRADING PERMITS, WHICH IS SORT OF THE STEP AFTER ROUGH GRADING, UH, WHEN PRECISE GRADING PERMITS ARE ISSUED, WHICH IS ANTICIPATED FAIRLY SHORTLY, UH, GRADING OF THE PARK WILL BE REQUIRED TO START THE SAME TIME AS GRADING OF THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

THAT'S SORT OF THE FIRST MILESTONE TRIGGER IN THE DA.

AND THE PURPOSE OF THAT, OF COURSE, IS TO ENSURE THAT THE PARK DEVELOPMENT IS COMPLETE AND READY TO BE USED BY RESIDENTS AND THE PUBLIC, UM, BEFORE THE FIRST RESIDENTIAL UNIT IS OCCUPIED.

SO WITH THAT, UM, THAT WAS, THAT WAS A SORT OF BRIEF SUMMARY.

WE CAN DIG INTO QUESTIONS MORE IF YOU'D LIKE.

UH, BUT THAT CONCLUDES, UM, MY REPORTS.

OUR RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE FIRST ANNUAL DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT REVIEW AND TO AFFIRM STAFF'S FINDING THAT THE PROJECT IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE DA FOR THIS, UH, REPORTING PERIOD.

UM, SO THANK YOU AND STAFF'S AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

COMMISSIONERS.

ANY QUESTIONS? NOT AT THIS TIME.

QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER CL.

TALKED ABOUT, UM, ZONING ENFORCEMENT, TALKED ABOUT, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE CITATIONS.

UM, SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS THAT THERE'S AN EXPECTATION THAT THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, DEVELOPER MAINTAINS THE PARK IN PERPETUITY.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

THAT'S WRITTEN INTO THE REQUIREMENTS.

UM, SO AT SOME POINT THE DEVELOPER WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING IT, IT WOULD GO TO THE HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION.

YEAH, I'M SORRY, THAT'S A MORE CORRECT STATEMENT THAN THE DEVELOPER IN PERPETUITY.

YES, THAT'S, IT'S GONNA BE THE H-O-A-I-I AM NOT TRYING TO LIKE, WELL ACTUALLY HERE, BUT, UM, WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT IS THOUGH THAT 30 YEARS FROM NOW, THE WHO, THE, EITHER THE HOA OR THE DEVELOPER, WHOEVER'S CONTROLLING THIS THING AT THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I, I CAN SEE THE, THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF NOT ISSUING, UH, OCCUPANCY CERTIFICATIONS OR BUILDING PERMITS OR, OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

BUT ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A HOA, THERE'S A LOT FEWER, I FEEL LIKE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY JUST START NOT DOING WHAT WE EXPECT THEM TO.

I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE OF AVENUES, UM, AND MAYBE OUR CITY ATTORNEY CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.

BUT A LOT OF IT PROBABLY RUNS THROUGH THE CCNRS, THE COVENANTS CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS THAT THE HOA IS SUBJECT TO.

ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S ALWAYS THE ZONING ENFORCEMENT PROCESS, WHICH WE'LL HAVE A BASKET WHERE WE DO HAVE A BASKET OF ENTITLEMENTS THAT WE CAN INVOKE THAT ON.

UH, IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR SORT OF CODE ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATIVE CITATION, NUISANCE ABATEMENT PROCESS, I THINK ALL THOSE THINGS COULD BE BROUGHT TO BEAR.

BUT I'LL LET AARON, UM, ADD, YOU DON'T NEED ME WHEN WE HAVE SCOTT KINSEY AT THE STAFF TABLE.

SO I THINK SCOTT DID A REALLY WONDERFUL JOB OF RUNNING THROUGH, UM, ALL OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY PUT SOME TEETH BEHIND THE OBLIGATIONS FOR THE HOA TO MAINTAIN THAT PARK.

BUT I'M NOT SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT ANY OF THAT MEANS.

SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT SOME OF THAT IS? YEAH, SO RIGHT NOW, UM, THERE, THERE WILL BE A COVENANT ON THE PROPERTY WHICH WE CAN GO IN AND ENFORCE.

IT WORKS LIKE AN AGREEMENT.

UM, AND SO THEY WOULD BE IN BREACH OF THAT AGREEMENT AND WE CAN BRING LEGAL ACTION.

IT'S NOT OUR F FAVORITE WAY TO RESOLVE, UM, THESE TYPES OF ISSUES, BUT IT'S AN EFFECTIVE WAY.

SO THAT IS JUST ONE, AND THAT'S MUCH MORE LIKE DOWN THE LEGAL AVENUE.

AND THEN WHAT SCOTT'S TALKING ABOUT OUR OTHER KIND OF, UM, POLICE SYSTEMS INSIDE OF THE CITY, ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE TO BRING THEM INTO COMPLIANCE.

AND SO IF, IF, LIKE I SAID, THE SUCCESSOR HOA IS NOT DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING,

[02:15:01]

IS THIS LIKE A, LIKE A, LIKE A FINE AGAINST THE HOA? WELL, I MEAN THERE'S ONE MORE TOOL.

SO WE'RE NOT THE REGULATOR OF HOAS, BUT THEY DO HAVE A REGULATOR.

SO, UM, MOST LIKELY WE WOULD START WITH A WARNING.

AND IF A WARNING WASN'T HEATED IN ADDITION TO ALL OF OUR OTHER ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS, WE'D BE HAVING A DISCUSSION WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATE, WHICH WOULD THEN HAVE A NICE DISCUSSION WITH THE HOA.

UM, THE CCNRS CAN BE, UM, ENFORCING COURT, BUT TYPICALLY WHEN THERE'S A CLEAR CUT VIOLATION, LIKE IF THEY PUT UP A FENCE AND A SIGN THAT SAYS NO ONE'S ALLOWED HERE, UM, EVEN THE THREAT OF LEGAL ACTION WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THAT.

THERE'S A LOT OF UNITS HERE.

UM, IF THEY END UP BEING ENROLLED IN WHAT'S CALLED THE GARAGE RESALE PROGRAM, THE CITY HAS TO OPINE EVERY TIME THE PROPERTY CHANGES HANDS.

AND WE WOULD BE DISCLOSING TO THE BUYER AND THE SELLER THAT THE PROPERTY WAS IN VIOLATION.

UM, LENDERS AND TITLE INSURANCE PROBABLY WOULD NOT ALLOW THE TRANSACTION TO GO THROUGH.

I THINK WE HAVE MORE LEVERAGE HERE BECAUSE IT'S A FOR SALE PRODUCT THAN WE WOULD IF IT WAS, UM, A DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCE.

LIKE IF IT WAS A PURELY RENTAL COMMUNITY, THEY MIGHT IGNORE US AND TELL US TO GO TO COURT.

BUT I THINK WE HAVE SOME TOOLS AND PERSUASION, UM, THAT WE WOULD AVAIL OURSELVES OF.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE AT THIS TIME.

WE'LL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.

ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.

SEEING NONE.

ARE THERE ANY VIRTUAL COMMENTERS? 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 NOW.

SEEING NONE, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM.

CLARK, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.

I'M BLANK.

I APOLOGIZE.

YES, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE OVER A VOTE.

VOTE.

UH, COMMISSIONER CHAMBERS, IF YOU CAN USE YOUR MICROPHONE JUST SO WE CATCH IT FOR YES, THOSE JOINING US ON ZOOM.

ON ZOOM.

COMMISSIONER CLEMSON? YES.

COMMISSIONER LEMI? YES.

COMMISSIONER TEMPLIN? YES.

VICE CHAIR WHERE? YES.