CONO Report One

REPORT ONE:

Long Beach neighborhood group releases transcripts of the controversial 8/17 Planning Commission meeting on high density

The Council of Neighborhood Organizations  (CONO),  the city-wide coalition of neighborhood organizations, released the first two reports on the transcripts of the  controversial August 17th Long Beach Planning Commission meeting on the Land Use Element (LUE) place-type maps. 

All the reports will only cover the staff comments of  the over five hour long meeting that included hours of public testimony from neighborhood leaders representing neighborhoods across Long Beach. 

The first two reports were released last week to the CONO member neighborhoods and have caused a stir across the city on social media platforms.  

CONO has called a meeting for next week for its members devoted entirely to the LUE  issue and the upcoming four new outreach public meetings.  

The LUE issue and its high density maps that envision high density "urban" (apartments and condos) for 20,000 new residents has galvanized  citizens across the city in opposition to the proposed high density especially in conjunction with new and proposed state laws that could trump local zoning and "super size"  new developments far beyond local zoning. Those state laws can strip away local parking and setback criteria. 

A social media driven protest of Assemblyman Patrick O'Donnell's upcoming Community Meetings were abandoned last week after O"Donnell publicly announced his opposition to one of the most controversial new state laws encroaching on local control: SB 35.

Below is CONO Report One on the Long Beach Department of Development Services (LBDS) staff statements to the Planning Commission.  LBDS Director Amy Bodek's comments to the Planning Commissioners on her plans to ignore the commissioners are planned for Report Four.

Released Report Two can be accessed at this link:

CONO REPORT TWO 

Council of Neighborhood Organizations (CONO)

Community Report on the transcripts of the Long Beach Department of Development  Services staff's public testimony to the Long Beach Planning Commission on August 17, 2017

CONO Report One: Initial Staff report on background of Item 5

At the August 17, 2017 Long Beach Planning Commission meeting,  staff from the Long Beach Department of Development Services (LBDS) under the direction of the department's Director Amy Bodek made two presentations to the Planning Commission, answered questions from the commissioners and reacted to the Planning Commissioners motions for more public outreach following extensive public testimony from neighborhood organization leaders and residents from across Long Beach.

This is Report One on the transcripts of those  LBDS staff reports and interactions taken from the public video and audio on the City of Long Beach website:

http://longbeach.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=12&clip_id=9297

In Report One  CONO transcribes portions of the audio of the online video concerning the 1st report the LBSD Staff  made to the Planning Commission for:

Agenda Item 5  17-051PL Recommendation to recommend that the City Council approve the selected alternative for the Place Type and Height Map, superseding the existing adopted Land Use Element and Scenic Routes Element. (Citywide) (Application No. 1701-01)

CONO's Report One quotes are transcribed from the Planning Commission Video link  above ( go to Agenda 5section and click on Agenda 5).  The report includes  video Time Stamps as indicated by the (TS) followed by the nearest time down to the second of the quote taken from the city provided video.

CONO Report One

(TS) 2:11:58 - General Plan info

"Just a reminder the General Plan is a required document the city must prepare and update regularly. It establishes  our long-term vision for the city. This update to the Land Use Element and Urban Design Element is long overdue"

(TS) 2:12:00 -Park Needs Info

(TS) 2:12:08 - 2:12:21

"We are unlikely to build large new parks"

"better use of open space"

plan will lead to "acquiring space for more parks"

(TS) 2:12:40 -Pollution

"Through this plan we are hoping to reduce the need for people to drive  and improve some of our air pollution quality issues in the city"

(TS) 2:14:08- Population growth

"Population continues to grow. That means that we will need to provide additional housing opportunities."

(TS) 2:14:20

"We cannot meet our current and future housing needs without making a change in our general plan".

(TS) 2:14:13

Staff presentation shows table by age detailing that Long Beach has a young population-unable to see table in video.

(TS) 2:14:20

"Long Beach's young population is going to be open to smaller units, more urban units and the product type that is contemplated in our Land Use Element"

(TS) 2:14:50 Families vs no children

"While most households in our city are families, many are not, and only 31% of households are families with children" 

(TS) 2:14:55

"So this mix of household types  demonstrates that we need all types of  housing options in the city. And that is what we are trying to provide with this plan"

(TS) 2:15:15 Community Outreach

"We have done a lot of community outreach with this plan. And as hard as we have tried, we know our outreach has been imperfect"

(TS) 2:15:18 -  2:15:33

"We know that some people in the city are not as active in the public hearing process and we ask you to consider those who are in most need of housing options, but cannot or did not participate in the public outreach process due to language barriers, financial or other resources."

(TS) 2:16:01 City requirement and Housing unit goal

Staff shows slide requirements under state law.

"The city is required to provide opportunities for housing production. This plan will provide the capacity that is needed to meet our housing goals. Not a production goal necessarily, but our current goal is 783 units per year." 

*CONO Note- under the stated staff goal above- If you do the math the "vision 2040" plan equals 2040-2018 = 22 years    22 x 783 = 17,226 units.

(TS) 2:16:20  Lack of Housing Supply

"Lack of housing supply in our city has consequences for our residents in terms over crowding and high costs. Forty-seven percent of renters in Long Beach are considered cost burdened"

(TS) 2:17:00 - 2:17:30 LUE fixes long commutes & environment with high paying jobs

" Lack of high paying quality jobs in the city is a major crisis with implications for greenhouse gasses and commuting patterns for residents.  The average commute in 2014 was 29.6 minutes which is 5% longer than the average commute in the state, but 2% shorter than Los Angeles commuters. Among California's largest cities the residents of Long Beach have the 4th longest commute behind Los Angeles, Oakland and San Francisco.

"And we feel the best thing you can do for commuting and for the environment is to provide local jobs here in long beach and that is what this plan is intending to do."

(TS) 2:17:35 Community Outreach and surveys

"As a reminder we have been working on this plan since 2006. The city has held over 100 public meetings and events on the Land Use Element and Urban Design Element throughout this process."

(TS) 2:17:52

"We collected feedback throughout these meetings and written feedback on-line through several surveys through three different languages.  You may recall from our study session in June, that staff conducted additional focus outreach in the spring of 2017 including 12 pop-up events, additional meetings and focus groups.  Overall feedback from these events was positive. We did have a lot of concerns expressed. We did some targeted focus groups in the Wrigley Area with people who were concerned with the plan and attendees expressed concerns about safety, parking, and around the retention of the historical character of the Wrigley area."

(TS) 2:18:27 Visual Preference Survey- "almost" 300 responses

"We did conduct a visual performance survey and it yielded almost  300 responses. Survey respondents prioritized protecting the environment, encouraging jobs, and the ability to walk to businesses to meet daily needs was the top concerns for their community.   Staff believes,  that the goals of the community are advanced by these two plans and the proposed elements  work together to expand and rectify housing supply directly related to housing cost issues by survey respondents."

(TS) 2:18: 58 Statements on proposed "text" changes

"We are also proposing additional text changes in the policy and implication sections in order to reflect feedback directly related to housing cost issues identified by survey respondents.  We are also proposing additional text changes in the policy and implementation sections in order to reflect feedback at recent outreach events. "

LB city official confirms laws will super size proposed high density

LB Planning Bureau Manager confirms that State Density Laws will allow developers to exceed density of  LB's new city-wide proposed high density zoning 

LB Planning Bureau Manager Tatum

City of Long Beach Planning Bureau Manger Linda Tatum has confirmed that developers can use the current and future state density laws to "exceed the density maximum" of  local zoning allowed under a city's General Plan. 

Tatum responded in an email ( see below)  on Monday August 28, 2017 to an inquiry from Robert Fox, the Executive Director of  the Long Beach Council of Neighborhood Organizations (CONO). Fox had inquired about the California Density Law's impact on local zoning laws. 

Long Beach is currently trying to increase areas throughout the city that allow increased high density. Under state laws- areas that allow high density can be super sized beyond local zoning laws. 

The LB4D neighborhood blog had posted about the California State Density Bonus Law- and other state laws that allowed developers that meet certain criteria to super size developments regardless of local zoning restrictions. New LB proposals are to convert East Long Beach retail and church properties into zoning allowing mixed use high density residential.

For more information click on  LB4D state laws and LB Density

Another pending law SB 35 under consideration would also eliminate all local parking requirements and other local protections to any area zoned for housing ( for more information SB 35).

Tatum's email stated that the state laws would allow a developer to "avail" themselves of super sizing their developments "without the need for re-zoning or general plan land use change".

Tatum added that the state laws would allow the "bonus" super sized density "over and above [the local] General plan and/or zoning".

The full text of the email was released by Fox to CONO member neighborhoods. Los Altos Center Adjacent Neighborhoods  is a member of CONO.  The full text of the email is:

From: Linda Tatum <Linda.Tatum@longbeach.gov>
Date: Mon, Aug 28, 2017 at 5:04 PM
Subject: Re: The requirement within the California Density Bonus Law
To: Robert Fox <XXXXXX>

Robert,

You are correct. A developer who chooses to avail themselves of a density bonus may receive additional/bonus density without the need for a rezoning or general plan land use change to exceed the density maximum in effect for the property. It's acknowledged as bonus density over and above the General plan and/or zoning..

Linda

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 28, 2017, at 1:41 PM

Tatum was present at the now locally infamous August 17, 2017 Planning Commission Meeting that saw neighborhood organization leaders from across Long Beach attend and testify about two density issues. The results from that meeting have reverberated across the city.

First the Planning Commission reluctantly approved a seven story high density apartment complex at 3rd and Alamitos. Planning Commissioners stated they had problems with the lack of parking, but had no choice under the Downtown Plan but to vote to approve that project.  Reaction to that approval was swift with a lawsuit filed within days (click on: Lawsuit).

The second issue was the Planning Commission's expected recommended approval of the high density Place-Type maps to the City Council.  Those Place-Type maps allow high density development all over Long Beach including transforming East Long Beach retail and church properties into high density housing. 

After hours of testimony from the city-wide neighborhood organization's leaders, the Planning Commission refused to approve the maps and attempted to send the maps back to the community for more input.   At that point Long Beach Development Services Director Amy Bodek told the Planning Commission that she would take the maps to the City Council on October 3rd "as scheduled" with or without the Planning Commission's approval. 

Bodeck firmly repeated her intentions to push through the high density maps three times to a stunned Planning Commission and audience full neighborhood leaders.  (for more information click on  Stunned).

In response to the city-wide public outcry, Mayor Garcia released a statement that he told the City Manager that the Mayor did not want the high density maps to come before the City Council until further public out reach had taken place. The item was withdrawn from the October 3rd City Council Agenda. 

Four public out reach meetings were scheduled.  (for a complete schedule of  meetings, Click on: LB high density UPDATE

Linda Tatum became City of Long Beach Planning Bureau Manger in 2015. She is also a Director of the American Planning Association Foundation. The website of the  APA states its mission is:

The mission of the APA Foundation is to advance the art and science of planning through philanthropic activities that provide access to educational opportunities, enrich the public dialogue about planning, and advance social equity in the profession and in our communities.

For more information click on

Linda Tatum and

APA

Concert in the Park this Saturday

Whaley Park Concert in the Park this Saturday August 26th 

LB Fourth District Councilman Daryl Supernaw will be hosting a free concert-in-the-park this Saturday in Whaley Park South.

The concert will feature the popular pop rock band Pop Vinyl.  The San Diego based band is a Long Beach favorite having performed summer concerts all over town.

San Diego's Pop Vinyl will perform Saturday at Whaley Park South...see video below

Councilman Supernaw

Joining Councilman Supernaw in co-sponsored the concert is the Port of Long Beach, Partners of the Parks and Long Beach Parks and Recreation Department, the concert is from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm this Saturday  behind the Whaley Park Community Center.

The Los Altos Village logo

Numerous community groups and organizations will host booths like the  Long Beach Airport and Los Altos YMCA. The Los Altos Village Neighbors will have neighborhood t-shirts for $10 and Los Altos Village flags for $30. Both items  feature  the original 1950's Los Altos Village logo.

Be sure to bring a blanket or chairs to enjoy the summer sounds in Los Altos Village's favorite original neighborhood park- Whaley Park South.

Kickboxing and chile roasting coming to Los Altos Village

I Love Kickboxing and Hatch Chile roasting coming to Los Altos Center

The former mattress store next to the Vape Depot in the Los Altos Center South  will be a new I Love Kickboxing gym.   The new Los Altos Village location will be the fourth  L.A. area location and 14th location in Southern California for the upscale and highly rated New York based franchiser.

   

The I Love Kickboxing gym joins the 4th District's two L.A. Fitness gyms 

(the Los Altos Village and the Traffic Circle) and Zaferia's Anytime Fitness.

I Love Kickboxing franchises cost an initial $50,000 with opening costs pushing the total franchise cost to between $200,000 to $350,000.  Special class package rate prices (coupons and introduction offers) start at around $30.

The other Southern California  I Love Kickboxing  gyms are in Agoura Hills, Corona, Escondido, Fountain Valley, Lake Forest, Redondo Beach, Roseville, La Jolla, Oceanside, Pasadena, Poway, Santa Clarita, and Yorba Linda. 

Lazy Acres roasting Hatch Chilies on Saturday

It's Hatch Chile time and the Los Altos Village Lazy Acres is roasting the popular late summer New Mexico chilies this Saturday August 12th  from 8 am to 2 pm.

Officially, "Hatch chilies" from New Mexico by that state's law must be grown in the Hatch Valley located along the Rio Grande. The New Mexico chile varieties were developed by the New Mexico State University in the early 1900's.  The chile pepper is New Mexico's state vegetable.

New Mexico chilies grown in other states are sometimes mislabeled "hatch"  for advertising purposes.  Hatch Chile aficionados know that the Hatch Valley's unique climate and soil give any variety of New Mexican chile grown there a unique taste profile. In general, the New Mexico green chile (before it ripens to red) is considered similar to an onion in being lightly pungent with subtle sweetness and smoky tastes.  When ripened red, it is described as having an added earthiness.  The heat level depends on the variety of New Mexican chile.  The first New Mexican chile cultivated by Dr. Fabian Garcia in 1913 from 14 native southwest chiles was labeled New Mexico Number 9.

Lazy Acres is selling a case of  roasted to order Hatch Chiles for $35. You can pre-order for pick-up on Saturday's roasting day.  Hatch chilies maybe frozen after roasting and being "peeled".

Other area stores are selling the chilies without roasting. Ralph's at the Traffic Circle has them on sale for 99 cents a pound.

Lazy Acres is the sister store of Bristol Farms that bought the original Lazy Acres in Santa Barbara.  The Los Altos Village store was the second Lazy Acres in the chain when it was converted from a Bristol Farms.  Encinitas has the third location with a fourth location currently being built in the Hillcrest/Mission Hills neighborhood of  San Diego.  The two San Diego locations have the new moniker-Lazy Acres Natural Market.

IHOP celebrates with 59 cent pancake stacks!

Los Altos Village IHOP to celebrate 59 year anniversary with 59 cent pancake short stacks

Los Altos Village IHOP

The Los Altos Village International House of Pancakes (IHOP) will be participating in the Tuesday July 18th IHOP 59th Anniversary celebration with 59 cent buttermilk pancake short stacks (3 pancakes). 

Original IHOP in  Toluca Lake

In 1958, IHOP founders Al and Jerry Lapin  opened the first IHOP  in  the San Fernando Valley's  Toluca Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles.  
Click on  IHOP

The anniversary offer is valid from 7 am to 7 pm on Tuesday July 18th with a limit of 1 short special per customer.

The Los Altos Village IHOP just completed an extensive inside remodel this year. Click on Los Altos Village IHOP

Long Beach's Bixby Knolls neighborhood also has an IHOP on Atlantic Blvd.

Since 2006, IHOP has also celebrated National Pancake Day in March with free short stacks- raising millions for ill children's charities just asking guests during the day to donate to the charities.

For more information Click on: NATIONAL PANCAKE DAY

New mini-mart being built at 76 Station

Los Altos 76 station to get mini mart

The construction at the Los Altos Village 76 Station at the corner Bellflower and Abbeyfield is to re-make the former car repair bays into a new mini-mart.

The former Shell Station- that at one time was a Union 76, began its re-branding back to 76 at the end of last year.    Ten years ago, in January of 2007, the then Los Altos Union 76 was one of the last local 76 branded service stations to replace the iconic round 76 sign moniker. 

The re-branding came after the Del Taco corporation sought permission to open a drive-thru restaurant on the location in a lease arrangement with the owner. That plan, with numerous problems, was opposed by the Los Altos Center Adjacent  Neighborhoods and denied by the Long Beach Planning Commission.

Since the Los Altos Market Center was built by Lloyd Whaley, the northwest corner of Abbeyfield and Bellflower has been a gas service station. 

LAV Business in the news and changes

Los Altos Village businesses in limelight

In Councilman Daryl Supernaw's Weekly Newsletter this week, our 4th District Councilman highlights the television and print stories several Los Altos Village businesses have received.

LAV Chronic Taco's Wee Man and Takeru Kobayash

The Los Altos Village Chronic Tacos located at the Los Altos Market Center-North, is featured in a taco eating contest between KTLA's entertainment reporter Doug Kolk and actor Dolph Lungren (aka- Captian Ivan Drago of Rocky fame) who is billed as the European Taco Eating Champ.  In the segment filmed last week at Chronic Tacos, Kolk is trained by Japanese world eating champion Takeru Kobayash. Councilman Supernaw provides the link to the KTLA video in his newsletter.

To see the clip-click on the link below...and if you watch closely- you'll see Councilman Supernaw in the crowd cheering on the American Taco Eating challenger. 

For KTLA's  Doug Kolk Chronic Taco contest segment click on:
Wee Man and Chronic Tacos Eating Contest

Councilman Supernaw also points out a big feature in the Long Beach Business Journal on Los Altos Village businesses. The LBBJ article features: Ecco's Pizza; Copy USA; Tattered; Sushi Kinoya; E.J. Malloy's; and Umberto International Clothier.  

To check out Councilman Supernaw's newsletter with the pictures and links to the LBBJ Los Altos Village businesses article, click on

SUPERNAW NEWSLETTER.

 Business Changes at Los Altos Market Center

The Mountain View Goodyear at the Los Altos Market Center-South received new signage that now prominently  displays its service owners brand over the tire brand.

One block south of the Mountain View Tire store is the former Los Altos Village Bellflower Shell- that at one time was a Union 76 gas station. The Shell station is now returning to the Union 76 branding.  That's right, just months after a Shell remodel- the station dropped Shell, went generic and is now being remodeled again to the Union 76 brand.  

Since the Los Altos Market Center was built by Lloyd Whaley, the northwest corner of Abbeyfield and Bellflower has been a gas service station. 

Ten years ago, in January of 2007, the then Los Altos Union 76 was one of the last local 76 branded service stations to replace the iconic round 76 sign moniker. 

LAV Union 76 "ball" from LBReport.com

For more information click on: UNION 76 Ball .

Finally, the empty Bellflower Blvd. storefront in the Los Altos Market Center South that was the former Bank of America Home Loan offices will soon become a Realty One Group office. 

For more information on click on 

REALTY ONE GROUP.