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Welcome to the October 19th meeting of the City of Long Beach Planning Commission. We could please call the meeting to order.

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Commissioner Castillo. Present. Commissioner Clemson. Here. Commissioner LaFarda. Commissioner Wehr. Vice Chair Templin. Present. Chair Lewis. Present. We have quorum. Thank you. Commissioner Clemson, would you like to lead us in the pledge of allegiance?

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Thank you, Commissioner.

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All right. With that, do we have a director's report this evening?

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Yeah, it's good evening chair, vice chair and commissioners.

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The main thing I wanted to report this evening is to announce that our current planning officer,

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Alexis Orpesa, today is her last thing with the city of Long Beach.

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So I just wanted to take a couple of minutes to congratulate her and thank her for her service here at the city.

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Alexis joined our team here in the planning bureau in 2016.

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She started as a senior planner where she facilitated and guided

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A whole gamut of complex and controversial projects, including major mix use, commercial and residential entitlements. She moved up to the current planning officer role, where she has guided our staff and team overseeing review of entitlement projects and processes during a period of major development in the city, while also serving as the zoning administrator, where we've had increased length and complexity of agendas and cases during that time. More importantly, Alexis has provided

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strong and steady leadership for our team during what has been truly a crazy

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few years. First moving to our new city hall which was a big endeavor to move all

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of our files and staff and the work that takes open a new permit center and then

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the COVID pandemic and shifts to remote work. Major development cycles here, huge

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complex projects, multiple changes in vacancies to the staff and management team

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not to mention several changes to state law, changes to our first major

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overhaul of the landy settlement and zoning code in a few decades and a few

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other changes like our local emergency ordinance where we've been reviewing

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projects much faster. She's done it all with Grace and the smile and on a more

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personal note I feel genuinely lucky to have worked with and learned from Alexis

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over these past several years especially together on the management team. She's

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intelligent, thoughtful, caring and kind and she brings all of that to her

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decisions and recommendations so I just want to congratulate Alexis on her new role as

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planning manager for the city of Hermosa Beach and to wish her well in her next chapter

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and thank her for truly helping to make Long Beach a better place.

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We're going to miss you and I do hope for the best for you and I hope they appreciate what

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they're getting so thank you so much thank you for all the time to have helped us up here

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and research things for us and brought it for it.

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We wouldn't be where we were without you.

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So I appreciate it.

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Thank you.

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Likewise, I'd like to echo that.

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And the City of Hermos Beach is just

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taking a big chunk of our knowledge,

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just to turn knowledge out.

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So they will benefit from your knowledge and experience.

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And hopefully you can share some of our wisdom

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and bring it back to us as well.

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And we didn't get to work there for too long, but I do appreciate the work that you put

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in to helping us understand, you know, what we're presented.

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So I wish you the best of, you know, luck at Hermos a beach.

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Thank you.

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I know you enjoy all of these accolades.

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I know that makes you feel comfortable.

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You know, my entire seven years on the commission you have been here and your professionalism and

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your knowledge has been so helpful to me as a commissioner and also in my work with

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the city being able to contact you and talk to you and learn from all of your experience

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and knowledge has really been beneficial to me personally and here on the commission.

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So I just want to wish you all the best and I hope that we will see you around Long Beach.

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Thank you so much for the kind words it's really been a privilege to serve the city of Long Beach

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Jim, you will see me around, they still have family that lives here.

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Good.

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Good.

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Good.

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Good forward to it.

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All right.

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Thank you for the director's report.

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With that, I think we are ready for a regular agenda.

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Have our first item of business, please.

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Recommendation to approve the minutes of the Planning Commission, meeting on Thursday,

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October 5, 2023.

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Thank you.

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Do I have a motion?

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Commissioner Templin?

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and a second from Commissioner Clemson, a person, a second.

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Any discussion or comments on the minutes is presented?

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No. Any members of the public that we'd like to address the commission on the minutes from our October 5th meeting?

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Seeing none. Do you have any virtual comments?

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If you're joining us virtually and you would like to make public comment on the minutes, please use the raise hand function at this time.

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There appears to be no further public comment on this item.

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Thank you.

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My thought will bring it back behind the rail, and if we can have the roll call, please.

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Motion carries.

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Thank you.

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Next item of business.

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Recommendation to receive and file a presentation for National Community Planning Month.

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Chair and commissioners, I would like to provide a brief presentation to celebrate National Community Planning Month, which is celebrated in October of every year. And as we begin the celebration, I just want to start as we think about planning for and with communities with an acknowledgement of the indigenous lands that we occupy here. And so I would like to acknowledge the Gabriela Tongva and kids peoples as the traditional land takers.

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of this land and pay our respects.

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In celebrating National Community Planning Month,

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here is a photo of our planning team

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getting ready to go out and do some field work last week

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to help support our technical analysis

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for our downtown plan update.

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And you all know that this month,

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we're also marking the name change for our department.

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So we are now the Long Beach Community Development Department

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and our updated mission as shown here

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is a team of dedicated experts who work with our community

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to build and sustain a safe, resilient and equitable, long beach.

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And our vision is to be a leader in the delivery of effective community development services.

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And I start by talking about community development because that is the department under which the

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planning bureau is situated.

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We're one of five bureaus in the department which also includes building and safety, code

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enforcement and housing and neighborhood services along with planning and of course, our administration bureau.

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So first, as we talk about planning and looking at how we regulate development as a city.

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Our general plan is that broad, long-range policy document that guides future development,

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whereas our zoning ordinance is a primary tool to implement those policies.

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And general plan policies and zoning guides are development review processes,

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including planning and discretionary or entitlement permits, like conditional use permits.

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Once entitled, projects must contain building permits to ensure they're built safely and

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to meet both zoning and building code standards.

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So what exactly do city planners do?

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We interpret and apply local county and state ordinances and regulations.

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We implement the city's development review processes and we develop long range plans and

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and update local regulations to address emerging challenges.

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Here are a few photos of our planners at work out in the fields, including looking at mobility

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issues and challenges and doing a final inspection for a new residential project in downtown.

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Just to give you a sense of the scale of what we do, we have 24 planners in the city and you

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can see that over the last fiscal year, which ended September 30th, we processed nearly

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700 entitlement applications, over 600 historic preservation cases, and assisted close

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to 20,000 customers, both on our zoning line and at the permit center, and we facilitated

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close to 50 community outreach and engagement events during that time for various planned

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update processes.

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Just this year alone, especially with the state of emergency, where we've had a focus on facilitating

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affordable housing and housing development, planning as process and improve entitlements

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for over 1,500 housing units just this year, including 532 affordable housing units.

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For comparison, we had 717 affordable housing units produced in the entire 5th cycle from

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2014 to 2021, so not every project that's entitled ends up at building permit, but that is

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still a huge accomplishment, and we've done it faster and more quickly under this expedited

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process with a state of emergency. We have a lot of ongoing major planning efforts

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here in planning, again related to doing expedited review under the state of emergency, updating

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our entire citywide zoning code, and the map on the right gives you a sense of the bright

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green and bright blue where we've re-zoned already and adopted those new zones and then

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the other various areas where those are underway and will be coming to the commission shortly.

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And other efforts to implement our housing element related to fair housing efforts to

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produce housing and high resource areas facilitating more mixed income housing than we have in

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the past including through our inclusionary housing ordinance and our enhanced density bonus

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program and working on a religious facilities overlay to help facilitate affordable housing

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co-located with religious facilities. We're also updating our downtown plan and our downtown

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shoreline plans. You can see a couple photos of that on the right. We are updating our victory

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on Santa Cruz Park Design Guidelines, which we'll talk about later this evening. We're preparing

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to update our open space element, taking various actions to implement our...

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Our Climate Action Plan, we reinstated the Mills Act Historic Preservation Program this year. And you can see the nearly 200 folks that came out for a workshop for that earlier this year. And are updating our historic context statements to better reflect the diverse communities of Long Beach, as shown on the slide. Also, overhauling our subdivision ordinance, which we'll also talk about this evening, creating an ADU and SB9 local ordinance, which you'll hear more about next month, making minor amendments to the zoning

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code to improve and tweak while we work to overhaul and rezone more comprehensively,

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providing looking at parking reforms, including a change of use parking, which we'll talk

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about shortly as well, providing sequence support for other city departments, not just our private

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development projects, liaising with the Coastal Commission, operating our permit center and

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providing a customer open house, and improving our online and website services.

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Here are a few things we've been up to just this month, including fieldwork, various outreach

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activities, putting together community advisory groups for some of our plan update processes,

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and we have an event coming up next week in partnership with the American Institute of

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Architects Long Beach chapter on sustainability at Cal State Long Beach, and more to come soon.

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We've also received recognition regionally and across the state for our work this year,

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including an award of excellence for the housing element update from APA Los Angeles

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an award of merit for our climate action plan and a special award of excellence for

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outstanding young planner of the whole region Mary and Cronin who you'll hear

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from later this evening and we were the only city got recognition from the L.A.

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Conservancy this year and that was for work on our race and suburbanization

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context statement so at that I want to say thank you to our planning team and our

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community in honor of national community planning month. Here are our planners in action

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with our community and that concludes my report.

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I think we should just stop the meeting there really. It's amazing the amount of work

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that you guys do. I know we see the in-products that we're looking through, but what funnels

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down to get to us is just a phenomenal amount of work and so thank you to you and all of

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your team for doing that. Any other comments from the commissioners on the report?

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Good report. Good report, Mr. Castillo.

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Similar, I just continues to impress me the amount of change and activity that goes on.

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And certainly the struggles from a staffing perspective over the last 18 to 24 months have been staggering.

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So thank you for keeping the wheels on the bus and doing your best. Thank you.

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Thank you, and I want to acknowledge I work for a similar organization that has a public board and you know I know the flurry of the board reports that we put together and those are every other month not every the week.

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Let alone the council meetings and everything else that you folks need to do and I just want to thank you because I think a lot of the work that you're doing is is going to help improve the city.

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and I'm really proud to be working alongside you folks with that, thank you.

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I was very encouraging to see how many parts of the city we have actually are in the process of up-zone and re-zoning right now.

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I know that seemed like a very daunting task and it still does, but it's nice to see areas of the map now that are done,

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as well as the number of affordable housing units that's a pretty significant increase from what we were in the last cycle.

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So thank you again for your report.

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So with that, I think we

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should have probably started with the motion, but we'll take one now for receiving the

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National Community Planning Month presentation.

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I have a motion from

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Commissioner Templin and a second from Commissioner Castillo. Any members of the public wish to address the

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commission on the presentation?

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Seeing none do we have any virtual comments?

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If you're joining us virtually and you would like to make public comment on this item,

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please use the raise hand function at this time.

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We do have something with our hand up.

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Ablea Lopez, you have been unmuted.

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You have three minutes to provide public comment.

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Oh, hello.

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Can you hear me?

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Yes, we can.

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Thank you.

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It was more of a question than a comment if I may.

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I was curious as to why the name changed like starting

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this month, just if I may ask a question.

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Set the interview comments.

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What was that? Are those are those the extent of your comments? Yes. All right. Thank you very much for that. All right. Bring it back behind the rail to any of the commissioners have any questions?

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Perhaps staff would like to answer that question for us. Yes. So thank you for the question. So October 1st marks the new fiscal year here at the city. So it was part of the budget adoption process that our department proposed a name change to the department. And that was reviewed by the city council.

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Council and the public through the budget review process and the budget goes into effect

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October 1st of this year, so that's why it changed this month.

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Perfect.

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Thank you.

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Good timing with it being National Community Planning Month.

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All right.

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Are there any other comments?

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Discussion?

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Seeing none, if we could have the vote, please.

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Motion carries.

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Thank you.

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If we could have the next item of business.

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Commissioner Chair Lewis, before we move on to the next item, we will be taking evidence.

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Do you mind swearing the witnesses for us?

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I would love this for the witnesses. Thank you.

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Any of you planning on giving testimony to the commission this evening if you wouldn't

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mind standing, please?

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I don't actually have our

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swear or affirm that the testimony that you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth

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and nothing but the truth. Thank you. Maybe seated.

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All right, if we could have the item of business, please.

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Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the public hearing

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and consider a third-party appeal filed by the Parking Not Parks Organization represented

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by Melinda Cotton, Julie Dean, and Brian Cochran representing, except categorical exemptions

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CE-23093 and uphold the zoning administrators approval of a local coastal development permit

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and adopt the proposed findings and conditions of approval there too for the installation of

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a permanent park lit within a portion of the public right away currently designated for two

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on street parking spaces,

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butting a restaurant at 5215 East Second Street

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in the neighborhood pedestrian zoning district,

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district three.

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Thank you.

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And before we start just for the commission

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and the public's notification,

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this is a appeal.

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So we will have a staff report

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followed by the appellant parking not parklets

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and following that we'll have the applicant

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too, we'll have some time to respond to those comments.

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If I could ask that staff and the applicant and appellant all limit their comments to ten minutes total so that we can get through this in a timely and effective way.

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With that, we'll hand it over to the staff report.

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Good evening, Chair. Project Planner, Marianne Cronin has this presentation for you this evening.

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Thank you. Good evening, Chair and Commissioners.

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Before you this evening is a third-party appeal of a local coastal development permit or LCDP for a parklet

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about in the open Sesame restaurant along Second Street in the Belmont Shore area.

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The Zoning Administrator initially heard this LCDP application on August 14, 2023.

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The ZA decision was appealed thereafter within the 10-day window on August 24, 2023.

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This hearing is to receive supporting documentation in the record, conclude the public hearing, and consider this third party appeal for the local coastal development permit for the park clip.

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The project area is located within the second street public ride avoid area between Nieto Avenue and Corona Avenue.

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The project area, a but's private property, addressed as 5215E Second Street, located on the

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east side of Second Street.

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The open Sesame Restaurant occupies the building that abuts this public space.

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The site is surrounded by commercial and restaurant uses on both sides of Second Street.

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Residential uses are located across the rear alley.

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This slide shows a project location with respect to Second Street.

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all improvements would be completed within the public right-of-way. On this slide,

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you will also see a nearby public right-of-way parklit application that was

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before this commission on appeal. That is located at 5-2-3-6 Second Street, which

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is the project sponsor for the parklit would be the Legends Restaurant. On August

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March 23, the planning commission of held the zoning administrator's decision to approve the local coastal development permit at legends. This would occupy two parking spaces. And this approval was considered in light of the cumulative analysis that you'll hear in today's presentation. It's important to note that while the LCDP is approved by this commission, the parklet at legends is not installed and is subject to the public works process that is undergoing.

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So, while if you drove out to the site, you wouldn't see that parkla installed today.

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It is approved at this commission level, but still has other regulatory bodies to be heard before.

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Nonetheless, while not visible or installed today, it was considered an accumulate of analysis.

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As shown on this slide, also, there are green areas that are public parking lots that are off-street parking lots.

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and those are operated by the city of Long Beach and are occupied by the public and used

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on meter and as well as pays basis.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, temporary parklets were established under the emergency

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proclamation.

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This slide shows the previous temporary installation.

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It should be known that the Department of Public Works maintains a sidewalk dining and

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parklets handbook that predates the COVID-19 pandemic.

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That handbook and the policies enclosed in that handbook were approved by City Council with the intent to enhance the pedestrian realm and encourage pedestrian activity in a safe and organized manner and to establish rules and regulations to ensure best management practices are installed along with those parklets.

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It should be note that the parklet handbook while the terminology says a permanent parklet.

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The design of that is to be a raised foundation that's even with the sidewalk that abuts.

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So they can be completely removable in the event that a new business owner does not want

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to sponsor that parklet in the future.

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It can be completely removed and reinstated as parking spaces within the public right of

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one.

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This installation that you see here was done admits that the COVID-19 pandemic and the goal

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for this applicant today is to install a permanent parklet that meets all the provisions

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on standards of the Department of Public Work Standards specifications to ensure an

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orderly and regulatory eye has been placed on this new parklet.

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This slide shows the existing onsite conditions which includes the two parking spaces that were

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restored upon removal of the temporary installation that I showed you on the previous slide.

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As you can see, there are existing fixtures within the street that include a

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bike rack as well as parking meters and signage. The applicant does occupy the

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public sidewalk dining ordinance requirements and those are adhered to on this

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railing that you see in the bottom right hand corner.

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At the rear of the

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property, there are nine existing off-street parking spaces for which are

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in tandem at the rear.

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In addition to this area for parking, there are parking spaces that are used by the employees

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and by the public.

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In addition to the location of trash receptacles and delivery lock boxes that serve the business.

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Normally, parklets do not require planning approval as they are entirely situated within the public

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right of way that are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works.

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but due to the location of this application within the coastal zone a local

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coastal development permit or LCDP is required. The proposal would remove two

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meter parking spaces within the public right of way to accommodate a 256

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00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:58,760
square foot parklet which includes a removable foundation railing screens at

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drainage gaps, wheel stops, umbrellas, and solar LED lighting. It is important to

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00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:10,180
And note, no pavement excavation would occur during the parklet installation and the parklet

292
00:29:10,180 --> 00:29:17,000
could be removed in the future at the request of the property owner and our restaurant owner

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and or at the requirement of the city.

294
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The items included on the proposed plans that are before you and your package are the permitted

295
00:29:25,020 --> 00:29:29,080
items to occupy the public parklet in conformance with public work standards.

296
00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:35,920
As outlined in the Parklet Handbook, the Department of Public Works holds all applicants

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00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:40,980
that have parklets are required to pay an annual fee to maintain the parklet. These fees

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00:29:40,980 --> 00:29:46,540
are collected also for any parking meters that are removed to accommodate the parklet.

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This slide shows the extent of improvements for the parklet described on that previous slide.

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The new parklet would be 256 square feet in size and shown as

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Section on plans have a total of 17 seats. Within the sidewalk area, the existing sidewalk will remain untouched and remain in place for the path of travel. The overall design would require compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, including the installation of guard rails to ensure that tables and visitors do not spill into the path of travel. The elevations on this slide show the proposed solar lighting as well as the proposed umbrellas. The overall height of all structures shown on the plans,

302
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do not exceed 10 feet in height. On the plans you also will see that a drainage gap

303
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between the edge of the sidewalk and curb and the parklet would include screens

304
00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:47,400
to ensure that debris flow can be collected per conditions of approval. So if

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there's any trash that gets enclosed in the drainage gap it can be collected in a

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00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:56,620
timely manner to ensure the removal of litter as well as the passage of storm

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00:30:56,620 --> 00:30:57,920
water and the event of a rain.

308
00:30:59,920 --> 00:31:05,180
The parklet would remove two meter parking spaces along Second Street and in consideration

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00:31:05,180 --> 00:31:11,820
of the overall availability of off-street and on-street parking, this map was prepared

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in conjunction with the Department of Public Works.

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As I had previously noted, the analysis does include the consideration of the Legends Parklet

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which removed a total of two parking spaces.

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because therefore this analysis looked at a total of four parking spaces presently approved and under application here today for consideration of cumulative impacts to access to the coast as part of this mobility analysis.

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Under current conditions with no parklets installed on 2nd Street, the city maintains a total of 1,855 parking spaces that available to the public during the operation of a typical restaurant use.

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00:31:52,660 --> 00:31:59,140
this includes metered parking spaces along second street and a budding streets as

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well as private parking lot, private property parking lots, but are open to the

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00:32:03,940 --> 00:32:09,120
public and maintained by the City of Long Beach. It is worth noting that street

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00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:15,860
parking that is not metered or maintained by the City of Long Beach was not

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included in this, so that is additive of the 1855 parking spaces as that is highly subjective

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to the size of vehicle that can be parked in those areas that are not marked as red

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or curb areas.

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With consideration of both parklets and this application and included in your packet, there

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are service of bus transit along this corridor that is served by Long Beach Transit.

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In addition, there are bicycle hubs operated by the mobility group in our public works department as well as the circuit is shown on here, which is a local

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circulator that can also serve this area.

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And in consideration of all the forms of mobility and the encouragement of the use of non-vehicular travel modes, the staff did find that the findings can be made

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in the affirmative and the loss of a net of four parking spaces amidst the available bus,

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vehicle parking as well as other modes of non-motorized transportation, there is sufficient

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00:33:24,820 --> 00:33:28,720
access to this area that would be maintained with this application.

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Four reference due to the consideration of cumulative effects.

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On the right-hand side you will see the current parking applications that have been presently

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filed with the planning bureau today, which includes legends and the application before

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00:33:43,140 --> 00:33:43,440
you.

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00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:46,820
There are other applications that you can see under those bullets.

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Those are under staff review and are not subject to this hearing today, but we wanted to be

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very full disclosure on the amount of parklets that are coming forth.

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The other consideration that we did look at is the location of this parklet in amidst legends.

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So, this location is across the street from legends and not on the same geographical block.

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In consideration of that spacing as well as the items before you right now on this TDM

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00:34:18,870 --> 00:34:27,310
plan slide, the applicant does participate in the bus program for employees as well as providing

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00:34:27,310 --> 00:34:34,510
encouragement to both patrons and employees to utilize all non-motorized transportation options.

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In addition, the applicant has provided a TDM plan as well as other ways to reduce vehicular

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travel to and from this establishment, which also includes incentives for employees that

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00:34:47,430 --> 00:34:53,410
use non-motorized transportation to get a meal during their shift or other things that

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include compliance with green business certification intent.

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So therefore, we're going to

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With the conditions of approval to create a holistic and a very encouraging situation for which both employees and patrons are encouraged to use non-vehicular travel modes. The staff did find that the TDM plan submitted met the findings to encourage that multimodal approach to access in the coast. It is important to note that conditions of approval were included as part of the zoning administrators approval of this LCDP.

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in conditions included emphasis on public access signage as public

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parklets as required under the parklet handbook are required to be public

350
00:35:38,920 --> 00:35:43,920
open to the public at all times. Therefore, conformance with public

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00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:49,520
work standards and maintaining an active public works application with paid fees

352
00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:55,300
would ensure that compliance can be maintained as well as enforcement action if

353
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needed. As noted previously a required TDM plan was required of the applicant as well

354
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as compliance with alcoholic beverage control standards. These conditions are intended

355
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to ensure compliance with not only the local coastal program but also the coastal act

356
00:36:12,340 --> 00:36:17,720
to encourage public access for all and creating space for all rather than accommodating only

357
00:36:17,720 --> 00:36:21,420
two vehicle parking spaces for two individuals at one time.

358
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A third party appeal was filed

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00:36:25,490 --> 00:36:30,650
the opposition to the loss of parking spaces as well as identifying concerns related to

360
00:36:30,650 --> 00:36:37,230
access related to the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, cumulative parking impacts

361
00:36:37,230 --> 00:36:42,910
and as well as consistency with the local coastal program and prior city planning decisions.

362
00:36:43,570 --> 00:36:48,410
The appeal documents as well as all public comments received during the zoning administrator hearings

363
00:36:48,410 --> 00:36:51,950
are included in your packet for review and consideration.

364
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In addition, it should be noted that staff does look at projects on a multi-modal basis

365
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as well as consistency with the local coastal program.

366
00:37:03,730 --> 00:37:10,430
And staff did, was able to make the findings that the inclusion of all required conditions

367
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would create a public space for all rather than a space for two vehicles.

368
00:37:15,670 --> 00:37:22,250
and that the public parklet would create a space for the community in the

369
00:37:22,250 --> 00:37:29,010
intent of the city council's approval of the parklet program. It is important

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to know also and we noted in the staff presentation and during the zoning

371
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administrator hearing conditions of approval are requirements and therefore

372
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failure to adhere to these conditions of approval can result in enforcement

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and as previously noted, the parklet is permanent by name, but it is removable.

374
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So if we find that somebody is not acting in the spirit of this requirements,

375
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that can be revoked or removed at this time.

376
00:38:00,270 --> 00:38:04,290
There are required findings to recommend approval of the local coastal development permit.

377
00:38:05,070 --> 00:38:09,570
This project is not a religious land use short term rental prohibition,

378
00:38:09,570 --> 00:38:12,050
and unpermitted dwelling unit or motel conversion,

379
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therefore some of the findings are not applicable.

380
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Therefore, the remaining findings

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is what I'm gonna focus on for this short slide,

382
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but is to relate to the consistency

383
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of the LCP related to public access policies

384
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as well as best management practices.

385
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The park would be open to the public at all times

386
00:38:31,030 --> 00:38:33,890
with opportunities for co-use at the abutting restaurant.

387
00:38:34,450 --> 00:38:37,170
In consideration of public concerns related to access,

388
00:38:37,170 --> 00:38:42,790
conditions of approval include operating conditions relating to a TDM plan

389
00:38:42,790 --> 00:38:47,330
making sure there's public signage as well as encouragement of using

390
00:38:47,330 --> 00:38:53,590
multimodal options. This project does include the net gain of public space for

391
00:38:53,590 --> 00:38:59,250
all and therefore as conditioned with this application and included in your

392
00:38:59,250 --> 00:39:01,270
packet staff does recommend approval.

393
00:39:04,570 --> 00:39:06,230
Pursuant to the California Environmental

394
00:39:06,230 --> 00:39:12,790
quality act, CEQA, this project is eligible for a categorical exemption per section 15303 for

395
00:39:12,790 --> 00:39:17,430
new construction or conversion of small structures, as this is a removable structure and there

396
00:39:17,430 --> 00:39:23,090
would be no ground disturbance with the installation. Public comments both in support and opposition

397
00:39:23,090 --> 00:39:28,990
of this proposal have been received and included in your packets, including all comments received

398
00:39:28,990 --> 00:39:31,230
during the zoning administrator procedures.

399
00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:38,880
Therefore, staff does recommend the approval of

400
00:39:38,880 --> 00:39:42,820
the local coastal development permit, which includes upholding that zoning administrator

401
00:39:42,820 --> 00:39:51,580
decision on August 14, 2023, and the acceptance of all associated environmental considerations

402
00:39:51,580 --> 00:39:53,680
which include the categorical exemption.

403
00:39:55,200 --> 00:39:57,480
This concludes staff's presentation.

404
00:39:57,820 --> 00:39:59,980
Both the appellant and applicant are present.

405
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:10,960
Is it available for questions as well as the Department of Public Works has a representative that's available for any questions? Thank you. Thank you for that presentation. Commissioner, is there any questions for staff?

406
00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:26,920
Yes, and this is in relation to the conditions of approval, specifically, I'd like to inquire on provisions 26 and 29.

407
00:40:26,920 --> 00:40:33,780
29, 26, speaks to the permit and all development rights here in Shell Terminate, three years

408
00:40:33,780 --> 00:40:39,040
from the effective date, and that's how that begins, and then item 29 is in the event

409
00:40:39,040 --> 00:40:43,380
of a transfer of ownership of the property involved in this application, new owner, shall

410
00:40:43,380 --> 00:40:45,700
be fully informed of the permitted use and development.

411
00:40:46,900 --> 00:40:52,360
Between those two, and I didn't see this in the other conditions of approval, what is the

412
00:40:52,360 --> 00:41:04,040
the timeline and or validity of this permit and what are our options in terms of limiting the duration of the overall permit in terms of renewal.

413
00:41:05,020 --> 00:41:15,120
Sure, so it sounds like a simple question commissioner but it's not so the item that's before you is the coastal permit.

414
00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:21,420
So the standard length of a coastal permit is three years, but this commission has within its power

415
00:41:21,420 --> 00:41:26,100
to modify that on any given project, so you can make it shorter.

416
00:41:27,240 --> 00:41:35,280
I don't think you can make it longer because of the restrictions of the municipal code, but that's not the only approval necessary to operate a

417
00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:48,380
So, this coastal permit is good for three years and assuming that it becomes vested during those three years, it's good going forward.

418
00:41:48,860 --> 00:41:50,720
They don't have to come back again and again.

419
00:41:51,360 --> 00:41:53,880
But they do have to come back to the city and again and again.

420
00:41:54,160 --> 00:42:01,100
So, their approval from the Department of Public Works, the actual permit to occupy the right away, is a one year permit.

421
00:42:01,100 --> 00:42:05,580
and from a risk management standpoint they have to present new insurance because they

422
00:42:05,580 --> 00:42:11,620
end up in the city every year to the public works department but that's a ministerial

423
00:42:11,620 --> 00:42:17,400
review it doesn't go before any commission it's no one's making a judgment call if it's

424
00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:21,100
good or bad they're checking whether the insurance is correct and they're renewing the permit.

425
00:42:21,720 --> 00:42:28,220
So those are the parameters as they're set up you know drafted today but if the commission

426
00:42:28,220 --> 00:42:29,660
and wanted to do something different.

427
00:42:29,960 --> 00:42:33,140
We're all glad to work with you and affectuate that.

428
00:42:33,800 --> 00:42:34,500
Thank you.

429
00:42:34,640 --> 00:42:35,620
Thank you for that clarification.

430
00:42:36,020 --> 00:42:38,240
And that's the spirit of which I want to understand.

431
00:42:38,740 --> 00:42:40,600
Because this is all new ground for us.

432
00:42:41,540 --> 00:42:44,040
We've had two of these surface.

433
00:42:44,460 --> 00:42:48,500
And I want to understand how we, as a commission,

434
00:42:48,680 --> 00:42:53,120
could best plan and or administer some of these programs.

435
00:42:53,620 --> 00:42:57,340
In particular around when things go wrong.

436
00:42:57,340 --> 00:43:03,620
long, or as things happen to go sideways other than what our intended objectives are,

437
00:43:03,880 --> 00:43:12,820
what recourses we have, and I'd like to make sure that we have appropriate repealing

438
00:43:13,600 --> 00:43:15,620
authority in that.

439
00:43:16,040 --> 00:43:21,540
From a qualitative perspective, we have an opportunity to review it either through the

440
00:43:21,540 --> 00:43:27,860
zoning administrator level or some other mechanism, not necessarily the planning commission.

441
00:43:28,720 --> 00:43:34,140
So that's my level of inquiry in terms of what those triggers are and how that would be handled.

442
00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:42,260
Yeah, so even silent conditions, we always have the ability to revisit and

443
00:43:42,260 --> 00:43:46,460
approval if they're in violation of the conditions or if they're creating a new sense.

444
00:43:46,460 --> 00:43:50,280
So even if they're not to the letter of violating

445
00:43:50,280 --> 00:43:52,540
any of these conditions, if they create a nuisance,

446
00:43:53,220 --> 00:43:56,200
we can open an inquiry.

447
00:43:56,600 --> 00:44:00,020
We can request information ultimately hold a hearing

448
00:44:00,020 --> 00:44:02,960
and if necessary, revoke the permit.

449
00:44:03,520 --> 00:44:06,340
It's not an easy thing to do.

450
00:44:06,920 --> 00:44:09,080
But there's also no way for you to impose a condition

451
00:44:09,080 --> 00:44:12,200
that says make it easy to revoke the permit

452
00:44:12,200 --> 00:44:15,620
because the property interests the applicant

453
00:44:15,620 --> 00:44:20,240
has certain rights and we have to provide them notice and we have to provide them due process and

454
00:44:20,240 --> 00:44:29,140
our decisions need to be rational and supported by evidence. So but if the the concern is about

455
00:44:30,380 --> 00:44:35,800
enforcement you have a few options right so I don't know that this commission wants to be

456
00:44:35,800 --> 00:44:40,860
receiving annual reports on every park let in the city but certainly you can require the applicant

457
00:44:40,860 --> 00:44:42,780
and to submit those to the zoning administrator,

458
00:44:43,700 --> 00:44:46,440
whether it's one time or annually or whatever,

459
00:44:47,100 --> 00:44:51,000
the commission as a whole decides to do.

460
00:44:52,680 --> 00:44:55,420
You could place a term on the parklet.

461
00:44:55,740 --> 00:44:57,880
I think staff would recommend against that,

462
00:44:58,000 --> 00:44:59,960
but just giving you all of your options, you could say,

463
00:45:00,020 --> 00:45:27,720
This approval is only good for five years. They would then have to come back, pay new fees, apply for a new council permit, come before the commission and plead their case about, I guess, why it should be further extended. By practice, we don't generally do that because that does mean if they operate perfectly. We're going to reward that perfect operation by charging them a lot of money and making them go through the hearing process again.

464
00:45:27,720 --> 00:45:30,680
And so, those are just some factors to think about.

465
00:45:31,940 --> 00:45:32,840
Thank you for that.

466
00:45:33,040 --> 00:45:34,980
And one final question for the end of all three.

467
00:45:36,040 --> 00:45:38,340
One of the concerns I have, and I know from,

468
00:45:39,480 --> 00:45:46,840
I anticipate some of the feedback from the community will be giving permission and perpetuity.

469
00:45:47,600 --> 00:45:50,360
And although there's a lot of checks, and thank you for explaining that,

470
00:45:51,220 --> 00:45:56,840
how we could best revisit our decisions in the future of things.

471
00:45:56,840 --> 00:46:02,000
Again, I'm looking at it from a scenario of

472
00:46:04,300 --> 00:46:07,280
reevaluating the situation as things evolve.

473
00:46:08,960 --> 00:46:15,860
And I know in one of our previous approvals, we had included a provision that if there was a change in ownership,

474
00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:22,880
not just necessarily just the property, but also the business that it isn't inherently tied to that.

475
00:46:22,880 --> 00:46:28,520
that so we could, again, as a trigger for us to revisit that, depending if the operator

476
00:46:28,520 --> 00:46:34,860
to your point was doing well, but a new operator comes in, that's an opportunity to revisit

477
00:46:34,860 --> 00:46:35,400
the board.

478
00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:39,540
Yeah, so we didn't draft it that way, but I think from the staff table, that would be a

479
00:46:39,540 --> 00:46:45,460
good revision that I think we would recommend that it run only with this operator, and that

480
00:46:45,460 --> 00:46:48,960
if there's a change in operator, that they would need to obtain a new permit.

481
00:46:50,620 --> 00:46:51,180
Thank you.

482
00:46:51,180 --> 00:46:52,020
Can

483
00:46:54,680 --> 00:46:59,320
you just clarify, we're seeing this item today because it's a local coastal permit.

484
00:47:00,200 --> 00:47:03,240
Are the other parklets that are approved throughout the city that are not in the coastal

485
00:47:03,240 --> 00:47:08,280
zone, is planning at the staff level still putting conditions of approval to those or do

486
00:47:08,280 --> 00:47:12,680
it, does planning not see those in the same capacity that we see these local coastal permit

487
00:47:12,680 --> 00:47:13,480
applications?

488
00:47:16,660 --> 00:47:21,000
Planning staff still reviews as part of the process for the public walkway occupancy permit

489
00:47:21,000 --> 00:47:26,740
at the initial stage but it's not a planning entitlement in the same way where the local coastal

490
00:47:26,740 --> 00:47:30,820
permit has to go through the zoning administrator process and can be appealed to commission.

491
00:47:31,620 --> 00:47:38,200
So these parkwoods that are happening in the coastal zone are in essence have a higher bar of

492
00:47:38,200 --> 00:47:41,680
more restrictions placed on them. We have more control over how they're operated with our conditions

493
00:47:41,680 --> 00:47:46,660
of approval, then we would, other parklets, all right.

494
00:47:46,680 --> 00:47:47,980
Mr. Clemson, do you have any questions?

495
00:47:49,000 --> 00:47:49,300
No, perfect.

496
00:47:50,180 --> 00:47:50,480
Thank you.

497
00:47:52,120 --> 00:47:57,800
All right, with that I would like to invite the applicant, parking, or parking up parklets

498
00:47:58,480 --> 00:48:01,260
if they wanted to make any presentation to the commission.

499
00:48:03,990 --> 00:48:06,110
And would the appellant like to reserve any time?

500
00:48:37,060 --> 00:48:43,400
Be clear about process and time limits because I'm here on behalf of a group, both here

501
00:48:43,400 --> 00:48:47,840
in person but also people who couldn't be tonight, I want to be fair and represent the

502
00:48:47,840 --> 00:48:52,720
entire effort effectively and engage with you as closely as possible. So, first off,

503
00:48:52,900 --> 00:48:58,180
is this the Q2 change the slides? Okay, and it's just left or right, what? Okay, so I

504
00:48:58,180 --> 00:49:03,040
don't need to call anything on that. I would ask if at about six minute mark, if I can

505
00:49:03,040 --> 00:49:07,580
get a little Q that says we're at that mark and I'll try and rain in from there, I do want

506
00:49:07,580 --> 00:49:13,040
to leave some free time for questions and opportunities if necessary, but I think we can proceed.

507
00:49:13,600 --> 00:49:18,160
questions you can that doesn't have to come from your time so there will be an

508
00:49:18,160 --> 00:49:21,740
opportunity for the commission to inquire and ask questions after your

509
00:49:21,740 --> 00:49:25,640
presentation. I know that you are a group of appellants so you represent the

510
00:49:25,640 --> 00:49:29,460
entirety of the appellants. This is appellant time and then public comment is for

511
00:49:29,460 --> 00:49:34,880
public comment time. If you have appellants that are not presenting that want to

512
00:49:34,880 --> 00:49:38,680
withdraw as an appellant and provide public comments they would need to do that

513
00:49:38,680 --> 00:49:41,480
at this time and we need to record it on the record that they are no longer an

514
00:49:41,480 --> 00:49:43,040
the Palantinus matter, does that make sense?

515
00:49:43,880 --> 00:49:44,460
Thanks, so.

516
00:49:54,240 --> 00:49:55,600
My name is Melinda Cotton.

517
00:49:56,280 --> 00:49:58,100
I've been out of town for a month.

518
00:49:58,280 --> 00:49:59,880
We've been on a camping and.

519
00:50:00,300 --> 00:50:29,320
And RV, visit, family, and relatives, and grip, but no cell phone, no contacts. So, the presentation was made made done by Brian and Julie. So, if I could speak separately in public comment, I'd appreciate that. Thank you. Well, I guess you're an applicant. So, if you would like to withdraw yourself as an applicant, you can do that. Or Brian could save a couple of minutes at the end for you to speak during the applicant time. I'm sure we could accommodate it. And just to clarify, you're an appellant.

520
00:50:29,320 --> 00:50:31,020
I'm sorry, thank you.

521
00:50:31,040 --> 00:50:38,680
I assume there's no future appeal process for this, so I can withdraw.

522
00:50:40,440 --> 00:50:43,740
If you want to sit in the felon, I'm sure we can accommodate it.

523
00:50:43,860 --> 00:50:47,880
If you have a few minutes that you want to add in, which is what public comment would normally be limited to.

524
00:50:48,280 --> 00:50:51,200
I'm sure we can fit that within your group's presentation.

525
00:50:55,700 --> 00:50:57,000
I'm going to remove my name.

526
00:50:58,540 --> 00:51:01,680
So Julie, do you mind just putting it on the record for us?

527
00:51:04,840 --> 00:51:08,220
It's helpful when you say it and I don't say it to be your presentation.

528
00:51:08,440 --> 00:51:09,160
Thank you, Ms. Dean.

529
00:51:09,220 --> 00:51:09,320
Hi.

530
00:51:09,780 --> 00:51:15,720
Yeah, for so item number three, my name is Julie Dean and I'm going to remove my name as an

531
00:51:15,720 --> 00:51:17,900
appellant and speak during public comment.

532
00:51:19,360 --> 00:51:20,380
Thank you, Mrs. Dean.

533
00:51:20,740 --> 00:51:22,120
Thank you.

534
00:51:22,120 --> 00:51:22,300
Ms.

535
00:51:22,620 --> 00:51:23,020
Ms.

536
00:51:23,160 --> 00:51:23,240
Dean.

537
00:51:23,360 --> 00:51:23,640
Hi,

538
00:51:36,810 --> 00:51:37,110
as it goes.

539
00:51:38,150 --> 00:51:38,370
All right.

540
00:51:38,490 --> 00:51:39,210
Well, thank you very much.

541
00:51:39,210 --> 00:51:44,310
My name is Brian Cochran and I have a resident of Long Beach and Belmont Shore and have been for 20 plus years.

542
00:51:45,170 --> 00:51:50,650
In an ideal situation, this would be more of a dialogue. We've got questions and we're certain you do as well.

543
00:51:51,550 --> 00:51:57,050
But absent that ability to have a genuine dialogue tonight, we're left to post some vital questions for you on this issue this evening.

544
00:51:57,590 --> 00:52:04,090
They're at the core of the permit application and the parkour issue itself for our community and maybe for the city as a whole.

545
00:52:05,570 --> 00:52:09,910
Fundamentally, does this parkour fit within the LCP, and more importantly, it's intent?

546
00:52:11,310 --> 00:52:15,870
Second, what are the logical and inevitable impacts on our neighborhood of this parkour,

547
00:52:16,070 --> 00:52:18,190
and those coming after it being approved?

548
00:52:19,090 --> 00:52:21,270
And third, when is enough enough?

549
00:52:23,520 --> 00:52:26,420
I'll direct you to the slides now, this is our presentation.

550
00:52:28,880 --> 00:52:33,440
This is from the LCP, it outlines again what the principles are within that and how it's

551
00:52:33,440 --> 00:52:36,580
meant to guide the city and its approach to these kind of programs.

552
00:52:37,420 --> 00:52:43,780
The conditions approval, as we've heard discussed so far, we feel there, we view them as an

553
00:52:43,780 --> 00:52:44,880
adequate and full of holes.

554
00:52:45,360 --> 00:52:49,220
There should be a condition making managers responsible and their employees responsible

555
00:52:49,220 --> 00:52:53,900
for stopping customers encroaching on the walkways, that five foot space is crucial.

556
00:52:54,360 --> 00:52:58,160
We see and have documented this throughout the last two years, even when there wasn't

557
00:52:58,160 --> 00:53:00,420
a bar foot there, this is common to the business.

558
00:53:01,320 --> 00:53:05,860
There should be a condition mandating staff from treating the sidewalk as restaurant property.

559
00:53:05,860 --> 00:53:12,420
They ignore pedestrians and ADA rights regularly, and they require management supervision of such.

560
00:53:14,480 --> 00:53:16,000
You'll see a lot of reviews here.

561
00:53:16,060 --> 00:53:20,340
These have been taken over the last year or two, but mostly recently as much as possible.

562
00:53:20,920 --> 00:53:24,560
This is the kind of conditions we see typically on 2nd Street and with open sesame.

563
00:53:26,580 --> 00:53:27,900
These conditions are approval.

564
00:53:28,040 --> 00:53:30,840
They're not consistent among the three businesses so far before you.

565
00:53:30,960 --> 00:53:33,080
And that includes Belmont Brewing Company, which is at the pier.

566
00:53:34,500 --> 00:53:37,400
There's umbrellas allowed in some circumstances, not in others.

567
00:53:38,000 --> 00:53:42,020
As you'll see later on, we've documented those umbrellas encroached regularly and impede

568
00:53:42,020 --> 00:53:44,600
progress along the street and safety for people all along.

569
00:53:45,180 --> 00:53:49,020
Belmont Brewing Company seemingly having a private negotiation with the city and planning

570
00:53:49,560 --> 00:53:53,400
and the zoning administrator about whether umbrellas will be allowed or what kind of coverings

571
00:53:53,400 --> 00:53:55,200
that wasn't part of the conditions abuse there.

572
00:53:55,680 --> 00:53:57,720
They are introduced sometimes and sometimes not.

573
00:53:58,740 --> 00:54:03,420
The fundamental issue here is that none of these conditions are ever enforceable or monitored

574
00:54:03,420 --> 00:54:04,000
by the city.

575
00:54:04,240 --> 00:54:07,040
We've been watching this condition for three plus years now.

576
00:54:07,660 --> 00:54:11,240
These things are on the ground, lived realities by our residents constantly.

577
00:54:11,940 --> 00:54:15,920
We do not see any enforcement, we do not see any mechanism by which people can report them

578
00:54:15,920 --> 00:54:19,500
and have timely and efficacious response from the city.

579
00:54:21,200 --> 00:54:26,060
These sandwich boards exist outside the rules of 2nd Street and the conditions of use

580
00:54:26,060 --> 00:54:27,500
already in place for where they're allowed.

581
00:54:29,640 --> 00:54:31,980
Nothing's been enforced to date.

582
00:54:32,300 --> 00:54:32,960
Just blocks away.

583
00:54:33,080 --> 00:54:34,680
Another restaurant has its umbrellas

584
00:54:34,680 --> 00:54:36,940
preached dangerously over the sidewalk in the streets.

585
00:54:38,740 --> 00:54:41,960
Bars, which are supposed to be prohibited from advertising their

586
00:54:41,960 --> 00:54:45,260
specials and drinks, do that regularly, no enforcement.

587
00:54:45,900 --> 00:54:48,260
That's a neon moving sign that's not supposed to be

588
00:54:48,260 --> 00:54:50,180
allowed on the second street or on any conditions of use.

589
00:54:50,360 --> 00:54:50,960
It's still there.

590
00:54:51,360 --> 00:54:52,200
It's never been enforced.

591
00:54:54,560 --> 00:54:57,620
and more on the sidewalk zone, they've always encroached there.

592
00:54:57,780 --> 00:54:59,960
They've been that way before COVID, before the temporary...

593
00:55:00,000 --> 00:55:29,940
rosary carpets. They exist now when the temporary carpets have been removed. You can account for the stray things that come up, but these are the kind of encroachments that are allowed, and that are come as a consequence to having the parklets and sidewalk dining that they exist. People will usually use these spaces for these even if they're approved or not, the restaurant owners and their staff and their employees will never enforce these conditions. Recruist in place they don't want to say no. Mister Cochrane if I may we're at six minutes. Oh great will move fast.

594
00:55:29,940 --> 00:55:31,980
All right, I'm going to skin through this.

595
00:55:32,060 --> 00:55:33,380
The conditions of these are never monitored.

596
00:55:33,640 --> 00:55:34,740
These businesses are already-

597
00:55:34,740 --> 00:55:36,040
Here you have six and a half minutes left.

598
00:55:36,540 --> 00:55:37,180
We'll give you a little time.

599
00:55:37,440 --> 00:55:37,960
Oh, thank you.

600
00:55:38,360 --> 00:55:38,480
Okay.

601
00:55:39,420 --> 00:55:44,560
These, the existing sidewalk dining conditions that have been in place since the 1990s.

602
00:55:44,580 --> 00:55:47,260
None of the businesses, for the most part, have adhered to that.

603
00:55:47,660 --> 00:55:51,660
They encroach any work from a number of couple inches to a full foot out into the pedestrian

604
00:55:51,660 --> 00:55:52,160
walkway.

605
00:55:52,640 --> 00:55:56,900
This is Alpoio Loco, which is a full foot and a little bit over that into the space.

606
00:55:56,900 --> 00:56:02,040
one of the most recent installations, and yet somehow in that entire space of time, no

607
00:56:02,040 --> 00:56:03,980
one's ever enforced that or tried to reign it in.

608
00:56:05,560 --> 00:56:06,620
Curve management as a whole.

609
00:56:07,680 --> 00:56:11,060
These permits are being granted before there's a curb management study that's scheduled to

610
00:56:11,060 --> 00:56:11,540
take place.

611
00:56:12,080 --> 00:56:16,840
Why rush these through now when there's no comprehensive data behind the impacts that these

612
00:56:16,840 --> 00:56:17,320
will occur?

613
00:56:18,200 --> 00:56:22,020
Parkland application review should not occur until after the pilot's, pilot programs and

614
00:56:22,020 --> 00:56:25,960
studies that are promised, this is an unknown territory for everyone in the city.

615
00:56:27,000 --> 00:56:30,600
Delivery trucks are one of the giant, huge impacts on our community.

616
00:56:31,200 --> 00:56:35,700
They continue to park on 2nd Street, blocking transit stops, blocking residential vehicles,

617
00:56:36,240 --> 00:56:37,100
blocking sight lines.

618
00:56:37,720 --> 00:56:41,980
The drivers are unhappy about the conditions, but they're required to serve bars and restaurants.

619
00:56:42,240 --> 00:56:42,880
That's what they do.

620
00:56:43,220 --> 00:56:43,900
So they block it.

621
00:56:44,000 --> 00:56:45,980
They park there for hours at a time.

622
00:56:46,140 --> 00:56:49,380
They move their carts up and down the street because they don't want to move because once

623
00:56:49,380 --> 00:56:52,700
they find a spot in an already impacted area they don't want to keep moving

624
00:56:52,700 --> 00:56:57,700
forward. You can see some of the impacts here. These stay for hours. They block

625
00:56:57,700 --> 00:57:02,740
transit stops multiple times. Six buses failed to be able to stop at this one

626
00:57:02,740 --> 00:57:03,080
recently.

627
00:57:17,080 --> 00:57:20,320
There's a condition or a statement that the operator shall discourage

628
00:57:20,320 --> 00:57:23,960
use of locking bicycles or leash pets on the railing of the parkour dining area.

629
00:57:24,340 --> 00:57:27,920
As you saw in the previous photos and we have witnessed repeatedly and

630
00:57:27,920 --> 00:57:32,420
documented that is never a condition imposed. It's never enforced by staff. It's

631
00:57:32,420 --> 00:57:36,560
not enforced by the city, there's no known mechanism for even people to call in and let

632
00:57:36,560 --> 00:57:39,540
people know that there's an issue with it, but it's happened all the time.

633
00:57:40,320 --> 00:57:44,580
And then the language has been changed perpetually from the zoning minister hearings on the BVC

634
00:57:44,580 --> 00:57:46,760
and now to this where it's discouraged.

635
00:57:47,440 --> 00:57:52,240
BVC blocked the actual prohibition of something, so the condition was changed to discourage.

636
00:57:52,500 --> 00:57:55,920
How many, what kind of teeth does that have in it to make it meaningful to the community?

637
00:57:59,160 --> 00:58:03,320
The public access provision of being allowed to sit there, if that's disingenuous completely,

638
00:58:03,320 --> 00:58:07,640
people will not sit in a fenced area that's being served drinks and food to

639
00:58:07,640 --> 00:58:10,540
paying customers. They're not going to sit there. This is part of the city's

640
00:58:10,540 --> 00:58:13,540
original vision and picture with Arklitzer meant to be there was something

641
00:58:13,540 --> 00:58:17,320
called Barclad's Mayor Garcia promoted this free community thing in the space

642
00:58:17,320 --> 00:58:21,600
not single park in the community existed in that circumstances. They will not

643
00:58:21,600 --> 00:58:25,280
be enforced. These will this conditional exists will be posted but no one will

644
00:58:25,280 --> 00:58:28,980
heed it. No one will appreciate it. It will not be used effectively. It's a

645
00:58:28,980 --> 00:58:34,120
soft to the public to say that's open to the public. There are three minutes left.

646
00:58:34,120 --> 00:58:35,100
Thank you.

647
00:58:36,380 --> 00:58:41,340
At the California Commission meeting, the majority of the commissioners, 8 of 12, indicated

648
00:58:41,340 --> 00:58:45,360
that a fence and a railing like this is envisioned would not be effective.

649
00:58:45,580 --> 00:58:47,000
That was in just a week ago.

650
00:58:59,220 --> 00:59:02,220
These go to the comments from the coastal commission at last week's meeting.

651
00:59:02,820 --> 00:59:07,060
They said if the propositions to truly use space for public use, there would be no barriers.

652
00:59:07,400 --> 00:59:09,980
We recommend that the city pull together a holistic program.

653
00:59:10,160 --> 00:59:15,060
It found that the approach to the BBC's application and the approach that they understood to be coming

654
00:59:15,060 --> 00:59:20,160
for these parklets was not adequate and effective in communicating the issues and addressing

655
00:59:20,160 --> 00:59:22,300
the concerns that the community has in general.

656
00:59:24,510 --> 00:59:28,230
Sorry, I do want to underscore they found some substantial issue with the privatization

657
00:59:28,230 --> 00:59:30,630
of public space at BBC at the pier.

658
00:59:31,070 --> 00:59:34,990
These are within the coastal zone but not under the coastal commissions purview but they

659
00:59:34,990 --> 00:59:37,490
did express those concerns about this program in general.

660
00:59:40,450 --> 00:59:45,170
In San Diego they used the initiated a thing called spaces as places and regulations requiring

661
00:59:45,170 --> 00:59:51,970
businesses that displace parking to create new parking for those occupying

662
00:59:51,970 --> 00:59:55,850
outdoor dining. I've had concerns about elimination of any parking spaces.

663
00:59:56,170 --> 00:59:59,770
We're looking at four already for the two applicants on Second Street. You see

664
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:29,200
There are three more applications, four more applications pending. The list of the city and the public works had as many as 20 of them until fairly recently. So you're looking at the inevitable consequences of that. The photos in the staff reports typically show empty pristine conditions. We're kind of mystified that these idyllic presentations come forward with like it doesn't show impacts at all. We show you the impacts and that's the reality. This is the lived reality of our residents. Residents have also spoken to open cities managers and staff frequently about these issues.

665
01:00:29,200 --> 01:00:34,240
They've never been addressed, no mitigation occurs whatsoever with the staff on site.

666
01:00:35,800 --> 01:00:40,300
Again, this is typical. They have their host to stand out front into the sidewalk space.

667
01:00:41,860 --> 01:00:46,240
This is their, the woman in the left is one of their hostesses and one of the staff members there.

668
01:00:46,560 --> 01:00:49,860
They are blocking the pedestrian way with something already encroaching in the sidewalk.

669
01:00:57,840 --> 01:00:59,280
I have another question for you.

670
01:01:03,590 --> 01:01:05,950
We circle back to one of the key questions posed at the start.

671
01:01:05,950 --> 01:01:10,450
Win will enough be enough. That's not just our question. It was posed by the Zoning Administrator

672
01:01:10,450 --> 01:01:14,350
Alexis Orpesa after legends that already gotten its part could have proved and open

673
01:01:14,350 --> 01:01:18,350
sesame was first being considered. And there don't seem to be any guides or specifications

674
01:01:19,350 --> 01:01:23,690
transparent to the public or anyone as to what densities do much, what displacement will

675
01:01:23,690 --> 01:01:27,750
be over some imaginary line. We think the Coastal Commission wants a little answers as well.

676
01:01:31,320 --> 01:01:35,880
This again speaks to the LCP and its definition of what Belmont Shore in the quarter is meant

677
01:01:35,880 --> 01:01:40,320
to be this is not what we see day to day and what you would not see if you were able to walk there

678
01:01:40,320 --> 01:01:45,860
right now. A survey in 2021 asked people how they felt about Parklets. It was addressing the

679
01:01:45,860 --> 01:01:50,720
temporary park program. People who are in the community unequivocally denied that. We have a

680
01:01:50,720 --> 01:01:55,280
petition with more than 600 names of local residents. People who live in the area that are impacted by

681
01:01:55,280 --> 01:02:00,780
this that oppose these unequivocally as a wholesale thing in their community and each application individually.

682
01:02:01,100 --> 01:02:05,400
They recognize that the density is inappropriate for this. They may be perfect in other parts of the

683
01:02:05,400 --> 01:02:07,320
city. They do not fit our community.

684
01:02:12,880 --> 01:02:18,540
In the past, the B.S.B.A. President has worked

685
01:02:18,540 --> 01:02:22,740
with the city and the district council member to put angle parking that changed the number

686
01:02:22,740 --> 01:02:28,080
of lanes on Ocean Boulevard. This has brought more traffic to second street. Second street

687
01:02:28,080 --> 01:02:32,640
has already impacted area. The next thoroughfare that's available for people in our community

688
01:02:32,640 --> 01:02:38,200
get in and out is seven street. All these do not pose a possibility for second

689
01:02:38,200 --> 01:02:44,420
street turning into a plaza of easy traffic and ease of transportation there.

690
01:02:52,080 --> 01:02:57,200
I'll get close to the end here. We just want to say open sesame was able to

691
01:02:57,200 --> 01:03:01,000
close down what it was already a second location that ocean at second at

692
01:03:01,000 --> 01:03:05,300
Nieto. It's a place that essentially transported those seats to a parklit

693
01:03:05,300 --> 01:03:08,580
temporarily and now it wants to do it permanently. What you're going to

694
01:03:08,580 --> 01:03:11,740
here tonight will inevitably be the usual platitudes from the owner or their

695
01:03:11,740 --> 01:03:15,560
representatives saying they care about their community, they will mitigate, they

696
01:03:15,560 --> 01:03:19,000
really want to work with you on solving the problems. The example, the

697
01:03:19,000 --> 01:03:22,760
concrete reality though is that this will never happen. There's no mechanism for it

698
01:03:22,760 --> 01:03:25,420
to be there, there's no stop-yaps that you guys can

699
01:03:26,260 --> 01:03:30,480
instillate in still at this point to make a difference on that. It will go down a

700
01:03:30,480 --> 01:03:34,980
road that will just inevitably hurt the community around it. You'll also hear

701
01:03:34,980 --> 01:03:38,140
from supporters, as you'll know from the correspondence that went before the

702
01:03:38,140 --> 01:03:42,460
zoning administrator, those are 90% supporters from outside the community, they are customers,

703
01:03:43,000 --> 01:03:47,340
friends of the business, ours are 600 plus people who live in the community, documented,

704
01:03:47,800 --> 01:03:49,860
who care about their streets, quality of life here.

705
01:03:50,360 --> 01:03:54,800
We just ask that you deny this permit, it's not appropriate for this one, in aggregate, it's

706
01:03:54,800 --> 01:03:56,540
not appropriate for them all to be there.

707
01:03:56,980 --> 01:04:00,780
These fit other places of the city, we don't think they belong here at all, and we appreciate

708
01:04:00,780 --> 01:04:01,500
listening to this.

709
01:04:01,900 --> 01:04:03,280
Thank you for your comments, Mr. Cochrane.

710
01:04:04,380 --> 01:04:06,600
Ms. Cotton, would you like to address the commission for a few minutes?

711
01:04:06,600 --> 01:04:07,480
Good

712
01:04:16,600 --> 01:04:21,100
evening, commissioners. Thank you for your time. My name is Melinda Cotton. I'm

713
01:04:21,100 --> 01:04:27,320
a 40-year resident of Belmont Shore. I participated in half a dozen parking studies and I was

714
01:04:27,320 --> 01:04:32,920
on the city's transportation task force that was run by a dog auto. The question before

715
01:04:32,920 --> 01:04:38,620
you today, is it a benefit to the public to allow open-sense to me to take over two parking

716
01:04:38,620 --> 01:04:45,100
spaces in order for ad seating for 17 restaurant patrons? And as we learned today, planning

717
01:04:45,100 --> 01:04:50,360
Bureau already has for more second-street parking applications.

718
01:04:51,440 --> 01:04:56,040
Restaurants on second-street already have their allowed outdoor sidewalk dining.

719
01:04:56,460 --> 01:04:57,600
They have for many years.

720
01:04:58,140 --> 01:04:59,960
Public meter money that-

721
01:05:00,000 --> 01:05:29,920
It pays for the bond issues that allowed the widening of second-street sidewalks for outdoor dining and the purchase of additional parking lots to take into the Slack. Each year until 2040, the first $200,000 of revenue that comes into the parking meter fund goes to pay off these expensive bond issues. The staff report insists that multimodal transportation options, vehicle bus, bicycle

722
01:05:31,180 --> 01:05:33,920
We'll take care of the loss of parking spaces.

723
01:05:34,580 --> 01:05:37,920
But second street has no dedicated bike lane.

724
01:05:38,940 --> 01:05:43,260
It's the people who ride bikes, who ride scooters,

725
01:05:43,380 --> 01:05:46,080
who skateboard use the sidewalks.

726
01:05:46,380 --> 01:05:47,340
There's no enforcement.

727
01:05:47,680 --> 01:05:49,460
So it's very scary for pedestrians.

728
01:05:50,200 --> 01:05:53,080
And three of the new security people

729
01:05:53,080 --> 01:05:56,500
that the shore has hired that ride bicycles

730
01:05:56,500 --> 01:05:57,840
as part of their work.

731
01:05:57,840 --> 01:06:00,200
three of them have been hit by cars.

732
01:06:01,020 --> 01:06:02,800
So it's very dangerous out there.

733
01:06:03,540 --> 01:06:06,000
And your own commissioner, Alvaro Castillo,

734
01:06:06,680 --> 01:06:08,980
explains the difficulties with the approach

735
01:06:08,980 --> 01:06:13,880
of the loss of parking at the September 7th

736
01:06:13,880 --> 01:06:14,960
planning commission meeting.

737
01:06:15,340 --> 01:06:17,020
And we appreciate your comments.

738
01:06:17,280 --> 01:06:19,560
I hope it's all right if I excerpt some of them.

739
01:06:20,340 --> 01:06:23,320
You said, and I hope everybody will listen

740
01:06:23,320 --> 01:06:24,500
to your complete comment.

741
01:06:24,500 --> 01:06:30,660
You explain that day that we don't just have a good mass transit system in the greater

742
01:06:30,660 --> 01:06:32,040
LA metro area.

743
01:06:32,540 --> 01:06:37,440
You added even if you want to and have a desire to use mass transit is not practical.

744
01:06:38,040 --> 01:06:39,860
Parking is a necessary evil.

745
01:06:40,360 --> 01:06:43,820
As a homeowner, I would not buy a house that did not have a parking.

746
01:06:44,320 --> 01:06:49,560
If I'm going to a restaurant, I will way away from parts of town or even restaurants that

747
01:06:49,560 --> 01:06:50,720
don't have enough parking.

748
01:06:51,140 --> 01:06:52,440
It's just inconvenient.

749
01:06:52,920 --> 01:06:53,620
It's a factor.

750
01:06:53,620 --> 01:06:59,480
And as a business owner, if I didn't have the space to accommodate my customers, I know

751
01:06:59,480 --> 01:07:05,140
that that was a determining factor for the success of my business and for a restaurant,

752
01:07:05,360 --> 01:07:06,960
a county firm, and any other.

753
01:07:07,460 --> 01:07:11,840
And the retail businesses in Second Street are definitely losing the loss of parking.

754
01:07:12,560 --> 01:07:19,400
So I hope that you will recognize the wisdom of those statements and the concerns that

755
01:07:19,400 --> 01:07:34,760
We have for the present and future of second street and the viability of the restaurants and the retail that are there because without parking customers are going to stay home and I thank you for your listening.

756
01:07:35,100 --> 01:07:36,120
Thank you, Mrs. Cotton.

757
01:07:36,120 --> 01:07:44,000
All right, if we could have the applicant come forward.

758
01:07:50,600 --> 01:07:51,420
Good evening.

759
01:07:51,920 --> 01:07:52,180
Good evening.

760
01:07:54,400 --> 01:07:57,700
I understand there are concerns for that again.

761
01:07:57,760 --> 01:07:59,040
Can you introduce yourself, first please?

762
01:07:59,340 --> 01:08:01,340
Aliko Basie, the owner of open session.

763
01:08:01,580 --> 01:08:01,840
Thank you.

764
01:08:02,360 --> 01:08:02,560
Thanks.

765
01:08:03,600 --> 01:08:05,940
I understand there are concerns about the proposed

766
01:08:05,940 --> 01:08:08,160
parking installation from open session.

767
01:08:08,900 --> 01:08:11,500
I'd like to address these concerns.

768
01:08:11,780 --> 01:08:13,800
Explain why I believe this project will be.

769
01:08:13,800 --> 01:08:22,920
will benefit our dormitory community as we look to the future, reducing our reliance on

770
01:08:22,920 --> 01:08:28,440
personal vehicle is crucial. While the debate between parking spaces and

771
01:08:28,440 --> 01:08:32,540
parking is complex, several compelling reasons support the adoption of

772
01:08:32,540 --> 01:08:37,880
parklets including urban sustainability, community engagement, health, economic

773
01:08:37,880 --> 01:08:44,730
benefits, alternative transportation and climate change mitigation. We must

774
01:08:44,730 --> 01:08:49,370
One shift away from the parking centric mindset of the past and embrace a more forward

775
01:08:49,370 --> 01:08:51,350
thinking and sustainable approach.

776
01:08:52,170 --> 01:08:58,810
Past parking focus design have led to car-dominated urban environment, lacking in human-centred

777
01:08:58,810 --> 01:09:06,970
design, Parklet offers a more people-friendly, sustainable and aesthetically pleasing alternative.

778
01:09:07,610 --> 01:09:14,590
Moreover, these parklet are designed with safety, sustainability, adaptability and

779
01:09:14,590 --> 01:09:20,790
flexibility in mind, allowing for reconfiguration of removal of changes needed.

780
01:09:22,030 --> 01:09:27,330
In an era marked by climate change, we need to transition to sustainable and eco-friendly

781
01:09:28,110 --> 01:09:32,550
transportation mode, like public transit, walking, cycling, and right-sharing.

782
01:09:34,570 --> 01:09:38,070
This shift naturally reduces the need for parking spaces.

783
01:09:38,890 --> 01:09:43,590
Community spaces like Parklet encourage social interaction, promoting physical and mental

784
01:09:43,590 --> 01:09:45,270
well-being and active lifestyle.

785
01:09:48,310 --> 01:09:53,290
Partlets have shown to stimulate economic growth by attracting more pedestrian to local

786
01:09:53,290 --> 01:09:58,750
businesses, boosting sales, creating jobs, and contributing to long-term urban development.

787
01:10:00,000 --> 01:10:29,760
It's not about business owner greed, but about ensuring community vitality and strong local economy. Change can be unsettling, I understand, and concern about parking and traffic are valid. However, city officials have thoroughly researched this project, considering all these factors. We must break away from adequate parking centric thinking and prioritize sustainability, adopting

788
01:10:29,760 --> 01:10:35,400
adapting adaptability and community well-being in urban planning.

789
01:10:36,880 --> 01:10:42,960
In summary, advocating for parklets over parking spaces is not about neglecting business

790
01:10:42,960 --> 01:10:49,860
or community needs and said it is about shifting to a more forward thinking sustainable approach

791
01:10:50,120 --> 01:10:59,180
that creates healthier, more vibrant urban environment ready to face the challenges of the 21st

792
01:10:59,180 --> 01:11:07,940
century. And as far as the corner location that was mentioned, this corner location has

793
01:11:07,940 --> 01:11:17,360
been used for four years now. During COVID we used it for storage and after that we used

794
01:11:17,360 --> 01:11:21,620
it only for bandwidth. So it was not used to accommodate any of the customer. We had to

795
01:11:21,620 --> 01:11:26,520
close it. It would have been costing us a fortune every year. We had to break out of the

796
01:11:26,520 --> 01:11:31,860
and we close it, there has nothing to do with the park list or anything like this.

797
01:11:34,840 --> 01:11:37,100
And that's it, thank you so much.

798
01:11:38,740 --> 01:11:39,420
Thank you, sir.

799
01:11:39,560 --> 01:11:40,280
Thank you for your comments.

800
01:11:41,880 --> 01:11:45,520
With that, I'd like to open it up for, I'm sorry, commissioners, did either of you have any

801
01:11:45,520 --> 01:11:48,040
questions for the applicant or the appellant?

802
01:11:51,360 --> 01:11:51,440
Yeah.

803
01:11:51,720 --> 01:11:51,840
Yeah.

804
01:11:54,500 --> 01:12:02,700
So I do have some questions about the appeal and the applicant mentioned sustainability

805
01:12:02,700 --> 01:12:06,460
and I want to talk about climate.

806
01:12:07,410 --> 01:12:14,520
The city's climate action plan says that we need to reduce driving by 25% by 2030 in

807
01:12:14,520 --> 01:12:15,600
order to meet our climate goals.

808
01:12:15,600 --> 01:12:26,040
I, if we're arguing over two parking spaces, I don't understand how we're going to meet

809
01:12:26,040 --> 01:12:26,480
those goals.

810
01:12:27,760 --> 01:12:34,900
Ms. Cotton, you were on the Transportation Commission, or Transportation Element Advisory Board,

811
01:12:35,060 --> 01:12:35,200
correct?

812
01:12:39,240 --> 01:12:45,580
Do you have, I mean, this seems like something that you'd have some thoughts on, on how we're

813
01:12:45,580 --> 01:12:47,100
are supposed to meet our transportation,

814
01:12:47,760 --> 01:12:51,580
our driving reduction goals when we can't.

815
01:12:51,840 --> 01:12:56,600
One of the things that's come up before your commission

816
01:12:56,600 --> 01:12:59,640
is electrical vehicles, electrical vehicle charging.

817
01:13:00,280 --> 01:13:03,760
And if you don't have parking spaces for vehicles to charge,

818
01:13:04,620 --> 01:13:05,500
that's a problem.

819
01:13:06,420 --> 01:13:08,880
Already, I'll make sure it's parking impacted.

820
01:13:09,140 --> 01:13:11,560
There's very few garages that are usable.

821
01:13:11,560 --> 01:13:34,280
and so with the addition of ABUs and the single Airbnb type operations, we're finding that there are more and more cars on the street and people are being allowed to turn their garages into ABUs, which means where are the electric cars going to park overnight, which is the natural time to charge them.

822
01:13:34,280 --> 01:13:38,280
So, that's definitely a factor that I see right now.

823
01:13:38,880 --> 01:13:46,680
And again, second street has been allowed to turn into what they are now calling restaurant

824
01:13:46,680 --> 01:13:47,140
rail.

825
01:13:47,580 --> 01:13:51,700
This was not the design of the LCP that was written in 1980.

826
01:13:52,440 --> 01:13:58,580
Second street was supposed to be region serving for the residents or nearby people who could

827
01:13:58,580 --> 01:14:04,360
walk there and not the type of large operation restaurants.

828
01:14:04,780 --> 01:14:12,440
We have two new big restaurants coming in, La Antica, the Pizzeria, Michelle, and South

829
01:14:12,440 --> 01:14:13,080
of NYX.

830
01:14:13,600 --> 01:14:15,420
Neither of those has new parking.

831
01:14:15,740 --> 01:14:21,780
In fact, some of them are being allowed to take parking spaces and turn them into outdoor

832
01:14:21,780 --> 01:14:22,160
dining.

833
01:14:22,720 --> 01:14:25,020
So the impending increase of that.

834
01:14:25,020 --> 01:14:29,300
And then there's the huge impact on coastal access.

835
01:14:30,080 --> 01:14:35,300
During COVID, row restaurant turned its parking lot

836
01:14:35,300 --> 01:14:37,400
for 14 cars.

837
01:14:38,020 --> 01:14:40,740
Into a dining patio, it's still there.

838
01:14:41,000 --> 01:14:42,220
It has 50 patrons.

839
01:14:42,940 --> 01:14:46,640
And it's right next to Bay Shore, which in the summer,

840
01:14:47,000 --> 01:14:48,240
is for coastal visitors.

841
01:14:48,980 --> 01:14:51,820
And we're trying to get people from the inland

842
01:14:51,820 --> 01:14:55,220
to be able to come to the coastline, to the shore,

843
01:14:55,960 --> 01:14:59,980
to participate in being on the sand to...

844
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:29,880
Get cooled off, and how do families come with children and strollers and picnic coolers and ice chest? How are they going to come to the shore if they don't have a car? And as we learned previously at use parking study, 72% and 74% of those people have to have cars to get to work or to work either in the senior elsewhere. So we're trying to preserve parking for coastal visitors. And staff

845
01:15:30,760 --> 01:15:37,880
uses the parking space at the beach as an example of parking that can be used to

846
01:15:37,880 --> 01:15:42,100
serve as the restaurant business and second-street and honestly I don't

847
01:15:42,100 --> 01:15:49,360
understand that but you know through the years there used to be kept a list of

848
01:15:49,360 --> 01:15:53,700
the parking requirements for various businesses so that you could add them up and

849
01:15:53,700 --> 01:15:59,380
know that those 1800 spaces have probably been given away to her three times so

850
01:15:59,380 --> 01:16:05,360
So I think I do look found on that, but I'm a bike rider myself, my husband is, we love

851
01:16:05,360 --> 01:16:06,060
to ride bikes.

852
01:16:06,380 --> 01:16:09,680
There's no dedicated bike lanes on second street.

853
01:16:10,060 --> 01:16:14,420
You'd probably be better off taking away the parking and putting in bike lanes, but that's

854
01:16:14,420 --> 01:16:16,060
a whole other discussion, right?

855
01:16:16,560 --> 01:16:18,260
But thank you for the question.

856
01:16:22,850 --> 01:16:24,570
Like, if you want to talk about that, that's great.

857
01:16:25,710 --> 01:16:29,670
But I don't think that that would be something that a lot of people would support, and I don't

858
01:16:29,670 --> 01:16:30,910
know if, anyway.

859
01:16:30,910 --> 01:16:46,970
So talking about the local coastal program, there are the overarching goals of the local coastal program which are increased reliance on public transit, decreased reliance on all bills, provides slightly more parking and increased pedestrian and bicycle access opportunities.

860
01:16:47,550 --> 01:16:51,610
This seems like a project that would fit several of those goals.

861
01:16:51,610 --> 01:17:01,300
Taking away parking spaces, encouraging pedestrian use, you know, lowering reliance on automobiles.

862
01:17:02,580 --> 01:17:09,760
Well, the problem is, and commissioners can see it pointed out that the mass transit doesn't really work.

863
01:17:10,300 --> 01:17:18,340
The buses start about six in the morning, there's already workers there, so they have to get to work somehow.

864
01:17:18,340 --> 01:17:26,180
and they end before the shift to in the morning and so that's a problem and the

865
01:17:26,180 --> 01:17:32,000
gentleman from the owner of Belmont Brewing Company told the first hearing

866
01:17:32,000 --> 01:17:37,560
that none of his employers currently rode the bus. He would not ask them to ride

867
01:17:37,560 --> 01:17:41,960
the bus because they thought it was too dangerous. He would not pay for it because it

868
01:17:41,960 --> 01:17:46,800
was a problem with the IRS and the zoning administrative hearings are not

869
01:17:46,800 --> 01:17:51,440
but recorded, and so I can't present it to you verbally,

870
01:17:51,780 --> 01:17:52,920
but I certainly have.

871
01:17:53,620 --> 01:17:54,980
So excuse the interruptions,

872
01:17:55,120 --> 01:17:59,100
just procedurally we seem to getting a little off field.

873
01:17:59,520 --> 01:18:04,080
So you're certainly welcome to ask the appellant questions,

874
01:18:04,460 --> 01:18:08,060
but you can have a debate amongst members of the commission,

875
01:18:08,320 --> 01:18:10,980
but we can't have a debate or dialogue

876
01:18:11,400 --> 01:18:12,520
with members of the audience.

877
01:18:12,920 --> 01:18:16,280
So staff's also glad to answer questions,

878
01:18:16,280 --> 01:18:19,720
but just want to make sure that we're focused on the substance of the appeal.

879
01:18:20,320 --> 01:18:24,500
I think the thing to keep in mind is keeping your questions to what our

880
01:18:24,500 --> 01:18:27,980
appellants and our applicant are the masters the fact of.

881
01:18:28,000 --> 01:18:29,180
I know what you do for staff.

882
01:18:29,660 --> 01:18:30,200
All right, apologies.

883
01:18:30,600 --> 01:18:31,660
All right,

884
01:18:35,780 --> 01:18:38,700
well I'm going to end here then.

885
01:18:43,040 --> 01:18:44,480
Thank you very much.

886
01:18:44,800 --> 01:18:46,940
Thank you.

887
01:18:46,940 --> 01:18:47,660
Go ahead, can you share?

888
01:18:48,660 --> 01:18:52,200
There's a question for the appellant.

889
01:18:53,060 --> 01:18:54,860
On your presentation, you had indicated there,

890
01:18:55,600 --> 01:18:58,380
on one of your policies, there should be condition mandating staff

891
01:18:58,380 --> 01:19:01,280
from treating the settler because restaurant property,

892
01:19:01,480 --> 01:19:02,560
ignoring pedestrian, et cetera.

893
01:19:04,980 --> 01:19:09,100
What condition approval was that absent or addressing?

894
01:19:09,640 --> 01:19:10,480
Correct, it's absent.

895
01:19:10,680 --> 01:19:13,380
There was nothing that suggests that the employees and staff

896
01:19:13,380 --> 01:19:15,880
should regulate the behavior of their customers.

897
01:19:16,460 --> 01:19:18,560
Got it, thank you for that, you're welcome.

898
01:19:22,070 --> 01:19:22,750
Thank you.

899
01:19:23,210 --> 01:19:24,850
With that, we'll open up for public comment.

900
01:19:24,970 --> 01:19:26,830
Are there any members of the audience

901
01:19:26,830 --> 01:19:28,990
that would like to address the commission on this item?

902
01:19:29,330 --> 01:19:31,090
If so, please come forward and introduce yourself

903
01:19:31,090 --> 01:19:31,930
and you'll have three minutes.

904
01:19:31,930 --> 01:19:32,570
Thank you very much.

905
01:20:01,650 --> 01:20:30,370
Aye, thank you, commissioners. My name is Julie Dean, and I am a 28-year resident of DelMontshore, and I have been on the board of the DelMontshore Reson Association for 14 years. The last two is President. I am speaking today for myself only, though. I urge the Planning Commission to deny this permit for open sesame. Authorizing this at other parklets on Second Street is incentivizing business owners not to invest in the property and space that they should in favor of taking free space, the city grants.

906
01:20:30,370 --> 01:20:35,930
This is not a business model and puts other non-bar non-restrawns at a disadvantage.

907
01:20:37,130 --> 01:20:45,790
City Council having completely removed the established community or input on parklets

908
01:20:46,600 --> 01:20:56,790
several months ago, which directly impacted residents led to a $432 hurdle for residents

909
01:20:56,790 --> 01:21:01,430
to take appeals to planning commission before an application can even reach city council.

910
01:21:02,030 --> 01:21:04,750
Residents therefore face that burden to even be heard.

911
01:21:05,890 --> 01:21:11,090
This, sorry, the parking and transportation points brought up by staff today are insincere,

912
01:21:11,390 --> 01:21:16,190
including the 1,000 plus beach lot parking spaces is a wild exaggeration.

913
01:21:16,610 --> 01:21:21,350
People do not park in the beach lots in order to walk all the way up to second streets.

914
01:21:21,950 --> 01:21:26,950
Additionally, the circuit micro-transport has extremely limited hours, a small radius,

915
01:21:27,250 --> 01:21:30,070
minimal seating, and exists on a temporary basis.

916
01:21:31,690 --> 01:21:35,170
Last week I was appointed to the Long Beach Commission on Disabilities.

917
01:21:35,810 --> 01:21:38,970
I took this role because I want to support and fight for those with disabilities.

918
01:21:39,810 --> 01:21:42,230
ADA regulations are not currently being met.

919
01:21:42,750 --> 01:21:48,230
I reported this over and over, our group has reported this over and over, and it's much

920
01:21:48,230 --> 01:21:52,270
much worse when the parklets are in place and the public right away is completely trampled

921
01:21:52,270 --> 01:21:57,870
all over. Parklets are overwhelmingly not supported by our neighbors. As Brian mentioned,

922
01:21:58,130 --> 01:22:03,770
we have over 600 petition signatures from our direct and local Belmont Shore residents.

923
01:22:04,670 --> 01:22:12,790
And also the results of the survey of 2021, the people who were against the parklets were

924
01:22:12,790 --> 01:22:19,390
they had multiple reasons versus the majority of the people who were for the

925
01:22:19,390 --> 01:22:24,330
parklets didn't live in the area and basically just said I love parklets I

926
01:22:24,330 --> 01:22:30,450
love eating outside. Enforcement does not happen that's the other issue. I love

927
01:22:30,450 --> 01:22:34,310
Long Beach but we are not good at oversight or enforcement and the conditions

928
01:22:34,310 --> 01:22:38,450
of approval are insufficient to address the to address the impacts of the

929
01:22:38,450 --> 01:22:46,490
parklets. Conditions of approval are essentially negotiations between the business and the zoning

930
01:22:46,490 --> 01:22:51,870
administration and city officials without a meaningful input mechanism from affected residents.

931
01:22:52,510 --> 01:22:57,630
Why isn't there a website or e-mail dedicated to those needs? Why aren't conditions of approval

932
01:22:57,630 --> 01:23:04,570
shared until just before each hearing? And why are conditions of approval not allowed at yearly

933
01:23:04,570 --> 01:23:10,330
relief, sorry, revisions not allowed at yearly renewals, even if documented abuses emerge

934
01:23:10,330 --> 01:23:11,730
and circumstances change.

935
01:23:14,460 --> 01:23:19,820
We have spoken to the managers and staff of open sesame specifically, and they have not

936
01:23:20,380 --> 01:23:31,640
enforced their staff from standing in the sidewalk, look, sorry, taking orders over the fence,

937
01:23:31,640 --> 01:23:39,320
It's moving customers along, getting them into spaces that don't block the public right

938
01:23:39,320 --> 01:23:39,700
of way.

939
01:23:40,880 --> 01:23:45,740
And finally, it's not just two spaces, it's the two spaces, plus all of the parking spaces

940
01:23:45,740 --> 01:23:51,420
taken by the 17 patrons in the parklet and the additional staff required to support them.

941
01:23:51,960 --> 01:23:55,440
Again, I urge the Planning Commission to deny this permit for open session, thank you.

942
01:23:56,200 --> 01:23:57,320
Thank you Miss Dean.

943
01:24:15,800 --> 01:24:24,580
Good evening commissioners, staff, fellow citizens, Pete Marsh, second district. So I'm a neighbor to second street about a mile and a half away.

944
01:24:26,880 --> 01:24:37,980
I resonated with Commissioner Clemson's comments about how are we going to meet the goals of the city's climate action plan and you've heard me comment mostly about climate. That's why I'm here tonight.

945
01:24:39,680 --> 01:24:46,880
transit transport is a huge part of our climate challenge. I looked up and I

946
01:24:46,880 --> 01:24:52,480
apologize I was late, the Climate Resilience Commission had buildings and

947
01:24:52,480 --> 01:24:58,480
energy tonight, so my heart was all flutter up there but I found a few

948
01:24:58,480 --> 01:24:59,840
articles that talk to

949
01:25:00,110 --> 01:25:08,890
Our love affair with cars and streets and parking in this country. There's a quote in the big

950
01:25:08,890 --> 01:25:15,950
thing by urban designer Jeff Speck, the twin gods of smooth traffic and ample parking have

951
01:25:15,950 --> 01:25:23,570
turned our downtowns into places that are easy to get to but not worth arriving at. Another

952
01:25:23,570 --> 01:25:30,530
other quote from Bloomberg about this topic said parking has eaten America's cities.

953
01:25:31,190 --> 01:25:38,570
And in that article, they talk about parking density in cities around the country.

954
01:25:40,030 --> 01:25:46,490
Arlington, Texas, wins with 42% of its surface area dedicated to parking.

955
01:25:47,250 --> 01:25:51,970
Central Manhattan, 1%, you know, there's a huge range around the country.

956
01:25:53,350 --> 01:25:59,050
In business insider, the glut of parking spaces in the U.S. is driving up housing costs and

957
01:25:59,050 --> 01:26:00,070
hurting the environment.

958
01:26:00,770 --> 01:26:05,290
Parking spaces in the U.S. take up as much land as Connecticut and Vermont combined.

959
01:26:07,270 --> 01:26:09,610
I've read several estimates.

960
01:26:10,230 --> 01:26:14,850
We have around a quarter of a million cars in this country for our 330 million people.

961
01:26:16,250 --> 01:26:19,890
We have somewhere between 1 billion and 2 billion parking spaces.

962
01:26:19,890 --> 01:26:23,190
that's 4 to 8 parking spaces per vehicle.

963
01:26:25,190 --> 01:26:28,690
So, and we're probably going to see, you know, debates

964
01:26:28,690 --> 01:26:33,610
over 1, 2, 10, 20 parking spaces at a time, unfortunately.

965
01:26:34,770 --> 01:26:39,850
I get the point is, for 70 or 80 years, perhaps,

966
01:26:40,110 --> 01:26:42,870
we've been suburbanizing.

967
01:26:43,070 --> 01:26:46,610
We have urban flight, redlining, sad history of some racism

968
01:26:46,610 --> 01:26:56,110
with that and our love affairs with cars and we're now trying to densify our

969
01:26:56,110 --> 01:27:00,470
congressman Robert Garcia former mayor is putting together federal initiatives

970
01:27:00,470 --> 01:27:07,310
around better transit and I would just urge the commission and the city to you

971
01:27:07,310 --> 01:27:13,450
know keep pushing forward that reduce the vehicle miles traveled I rode my bike

972
01:27:13,450 --> 01:27:19,350
here, I'm trying to do my part, I'm a fat old guy, but you're trying to get where I can

973
01:27:21,970 --> 01:27:24,410
with low emissions and low parking demand.

974
01:27:24,990 --> 01:27:25,590
Thank you.

975
01:27:25,810 --> 01:27:26,170
Thank you.

976
01:27:26,270 --> 01:27:26,970
Thank you, thank you for your comments.

977
01:27:27,230 --> 01:27:27,890
Next speaker please.

978
01:27:40,460 --> 01:27:41,360
Good evening, commissioners.

979
01:27:41,960 --> 01:27:42,580
I'm Jeff Miller.

980
01:27:42,820 --> 01:27:43,800
I live in Belmont, Shore.

981
01:27:44,640 --> 01:27:49,480
I ask you to deny a permit for open sesame for a parklet.

982
01:27:50,220 --> 01:27:54,940
You've heard the many reasons why this request should be denied, and in fact why there should

983
01:27:54,940 --> 01:28:01,260
be no parklets on second street in Belmont Shore. These few blocks of second street are simply too narrow

984
01:28:01,260 --> 01:28:07,880
to congested and too dangerous. In testimony at City Council previously, I presented specific

985
01:28:07,880 --> 01:28:14,140
details of the dangers of traffic collisions with parklets. I noted numerous cities in California

986
01:28:14,140 --> 01:28:21,460
and around the nation where vehicles have crashed into parklets. Some of these crashes resulted in

987
01:28:21,460 --> 01:28:23,580
injuries, and there were some fatalities.

988
01:28:24,180 --> 01:28:28,920
In Long Beach, two restaurant parklets have been destroyed by car crashes, one in Belmont

989
01:28:28,920 --> 01:28:30,240
Shore and one in Naples.

990
01:28:31,440 --> 01:28:34,340
Parklets continued to be destroyed by car collisions.

991
01:28:34,340 --> 01:28:40,780
In April, the parklet at the press room bar in Santa Barbara was destroyed by a car crash.

992
01:28:41,680 --> 01:28:46,520
The Long Beach ordinance allows for parklets only on streets with a speed limit of 25 miles

993
01:28:46,520 --> 01:28:47,180
per hour.

994
01:28:47,180 --> 01:28:51,720
This would seem to make it acceptable to establish a park lit at Open Sesame.

995
01:28:52,480 --> 01:28:54,820
However, this speed limit is in fact a fiction.

996
01:28:55,880 --> 01:29:03,340
Vehicles approaching Belmont Shore on 2nd Street from either direction are approaching with speeds at limits of 35 miles per hour,

997
01:29:03,720 --> 01:29:05,300
and many are going 40 or more.

998
01:29:05,940 --> 01:29:11,520
If there's a green light, many of them do not slow down to 25 when they enter the shore.

999
01:29:12,220 --> 01:29:20,600
In engineering terminology, this discrepancy between the wishful post and speed limit and

1000
01:29:20,600 --> 01:29:23,640
the actual speed is called ground truth.

1001
01:29:24,600 --> 01:29:30,320
Your decision about park list should be made based on this ground truth, not on the post

1002
01:29:30,320 --> 01:29:31,960
and speed limit, which is not enforced.

1003
01:29:32,900 --> 01:29:37,760
This excessive speed precludes the approval of park lists in Belmont, Georgia, it would

1004
01:29:37,760 --> 01:29:41,740
It would simply be too great a risk and a danger on this busy street.

1005
01:29:42,540 --> 01:29:44,740
Parklets are getting a lot of attention now.

1006
01:29:45,080 --> 01:29:49,980
They are controversial because of their risks and adverse effects on neighborhoods and

1007
01:29:49,980 --> 01:29:50,480
traffic.

1008
01:29:51,360 --> 01:29:56,640
The recent attempt by a Belmont Brewing Company to add a parklet was covered by NBC TV news.

1009
01:29:57,320 --> 01:29:59,980
People are watching Long Beach, it would not be

1010
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:21,480
We had a good look for Long Beach to be in the news for the next crash into a parklet. Do not allow this to go forward. Make your decision for the safety and the good of the community, not for the desired additional profits by a restaurant. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Any other speakers? Any audience?

1011
01:30:24,030 --> 01:30:30,890
All right. Seeing them will look for virtual. If you're joining us virtually and you'd like to provide public comment on this item,

1012
01:30:30,890 --> 01:30:35,750
please use the raise hand function at this time the first person with their hand

1013
01:30:35,750 --> 01:30:39,970
raise is Christopher Grodech you have been unmuted you have three minutes to

1014
01:30:39,970 --> 01:30:41,770
provide public comment Christopher

1015
01:30:59,950 --> 01:31:02,490
Grodech you have been unmuted you have three

1016
01:31:02,490 --> 01:31:04,410
minutes to provide public comment staff

1017
01:31:10,230 --> 01:31:12,330
is it possible to give directions on how he

1018
01:31:12,330 --> 01:31:17,630
can unmute himself yes you killed you killed me to unmute on his end I

1019
01:31:28,480 --> 01:31:28,640
know we

1020
01:31:28,640 --> 01:31:34,230
wanted the next speaker when you come back to them our next person with their

1021
01:31:34,230 --> 01:31:38,170
Your hand up is Estella. Estella, you have been unmuted. You have three minutes to provide

1022
01:31:38,170 --> 01:31:38,810
public comment.

1023
01:31:48,710 --> 01:31:50,750
Can you hear me? Yes, we can.

1024
01:31:51,030 --> 01:31:58,510
Hello. Hi. I'm Estella Tahidor. And I need to say that I disagree with the city presentation

1025
01:31:58,510 --> 01:32:05,330
that implies there is a preponderance of parking in Belmont, sure. I live right off second

1026
01:32:05,330 --> 01:32:13,090
street. And it is a rarity that I'm able to park near my house or even on my block.

1027
01:32:13,090 --> 01:32:19,870
We need parking for residents and the non-restaurant businesses and those who

1028
01:32:19,870 --> 01:32:22,810
drive to Second Street to dine and to shop.

1029
01:32:26,120 --> 01:32:28,660
This is not a democracy. This is

1030
01:32:28,660 --> 01:32:35,020
a pandering to a well-funded special interest. Seal Beach and Huntington Beach

1031
01:32:35,020 --> 01:32:40,840
have taken down their parklets. I strongly believe that the parklets are

1032
01:32:40,840 --> 01:32:47,320
are destroying the character of our seaside community, which is very important to the residents

1033
01:32:47,320 --> 01:32:54,760
here. I implore you to not approve the parklet for Open Sesame. Thank you.

1034
01:32:55,500 --> 01:32:56,200
Thank you.

1035
01:33:01,300 --> 01:33:05,040
Our next person with her hand up is Anne Cantrell and you have been unmuted.

1036
01:33:05,200 --> 01:33:06,800
You have three minutes to provide public comment.

1037
01:33:14,000 --> 01:33:14,840
Can you hear us, Ms. Cantrell?

1038
01:33:15,960 --> 01:33:16,920
Can you hear me?

1039
01:33:17,240 --> 01:33:18,180
We can go ahead, please.

1040
01:33:18,180 --> 01:33:27,900
Good evening, commissioners and Ken Trell, and I too urge you to deny this permit for the

1041
01:33:27,900 --> 01:33:43,020
taking of public property for a private restaurant owner. I love to eat outdoors. In fact, I only

1042
01:33:43,020 --> 01:33:52,980
go to outdoor dining because of COVID, but I see nothing inviting about sitting in the

1043
01:33:52,980 --> 01:34:02,440
middle of Second Street with all the fumes from the cars going by and all the people crowding

1044
01:34:02,440 --> 01:34:12,210
around in the sidewalk and trying to enjoy a meal. If this restaurant owner and other

1045
01:34:12,210 --> 01:34:15,850
The restaurant owners want to provide outdoor dining.

1046
01:34:16,530 --> 01:34:18,770
They should do it on their own property.

1047
01:34:19,070 --> 01:34:26,270
Not look to the public to provide the property for them.

1048
01:34:30,300 --> 01:34:36,980
I do not go down to Second Street anymore because I can never find a parking place.

1049
01:34:38,060 --> 01:34:45,600
I go to the restaurants that provide enough parking so that I don't have to walk a half

1050
01:34:45,600 --> 01:34:47,000
a mile to the restaurant.

1051
01:34:47,940 --> 01:34:56,760
I think there's many reasons why you should deny this and the only reason I can see for

1052
01:34:56,760 --> 01:34:59,960
your approval would be to handle...

1053
01:35:00,000 --> 01:35:16,830
Over public property to a private enterprise. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Next speaker. Once again, if you're joining us virtually and you would like to provide public comment on this item, please use the raise hand function at this time.

1054
01:35:25,580 --> 01:35:32,480
It appears we have no further public comment on this item. We'd like to have an opportunity for Mr. Grotech to attempt public comment again.

1055
01:35:36,860 --> 01:35:39,780
Of course, you have been unmuted. Please unmute yourself on your end.

1056
01:35:55,160 --> 01:35:55,780
All right. Thank you.

1057
01:35:56,340 --> 01:35:59,860
Okay, with that, I'll go ahead and close public comment and bring it back behind the rail.

1058
01:36:07,740 --> 01:36:15,620
A couple of quick questions for staff and maybe this is for our public works team that's

1059
01:36:15,620 --> 01:36:15,840
here.

1060
01:36:17,080 --> 01:36:22,600
How do we establish the ultimate number of parklets that would be or could be allowed on

1061
01:36:22,600 --> 01:36:23,260
second street?

1062
01:36:23,360 --> 01:36:28,680
Is there a traffic study or is it a first come, first serve of just a certain number?

1063
01:36:28,680 --> 01:36:32,940
for what's the long-term goal for Parkwoods on Second Street?

1064
01:36:35,710 --> 01:36:40,690
I can start with how planning staff is looking at these as indicated.

1065
01:36:41,190 --> 01:36:45,150
So we started with Legends, which was the first application.

1066
01:36:46,050 --> 01:36:54,690
We looked at the context of where public parking lots were located on one side of Second

1067
01:36:54,690 --> 01:36:57,790
Street looking at just the other context.

1068
01:36:57,790 --> 01:37:04,430
and then when open sesame came in, we're looking at them one by one as they come in in order,

1069
01:37:04,670 --> 01:37:11,230
but also cumulatively as they come to hearing. So with this, it wasn't located on the same side

1070
01:37:11,230 --> 01:37:19,250
of the street. It was a block away. It is at the more central point of second street, so context-wise,

1071
01:37:19,510 --> 01:37:25,690
there is a distribution of public parking spaces available that include also ADA dedicated spaces

1072
01:37:25,690 --> 01:37:33,370
in those public lots, as far as location wise, the Department of Public Works is also screening

1073
01:37:33,370 --> 01:37:38,810
those before they even come to planning to make sure all the parklets are designed one in

1074
01:37:38,810 --> 01:37:45,470
accordance with the parklet handbook, but also in accordance with what the traffic standards for

1075
01:37:45,470 --> 01:37:51,430
the Department of Public Works. So that's what planning is looking at within the context of the two

1076
01:37:51,430 --> 01:37:57,750
that you've seen here today or discussed today and then we do have the traffic engineer

1077
01:37:57,750 --> 01:38:02,010
from the Department of Public Works if you have specific questions on those operational

1078
01:38:02,790 --> 01:38:04,230
items that they look at.

1079
01:38:04,990 --> 01:38:05,530
Thank you.

1080
01:38:06,370 --> 01:38:12,830
And then one of the slides that were presented talked about conditions of approval being

1081
01:38:12,830 --> 01:38:19,710
inadequate as far as the managing of the public sidewalk itself.

1082
01:38:19,710 --> 01:38:26,370
I assume these are our conditions of approval related to our local coastal permit, but there are other conditions and public

1083
01:38:27,330 --> 01:38:30,730
ordinances that would apply to somebody having a public

1084
01:38:31,930 --> 01:38:36,810
walkway permit. Is that correct? Yes, so Chairman, there are conditions as part of the

1085
01:38:37,430 --> 01:38:44,410
occupancy of the public right away that are enforced by public works. There are street use inspectors that enforce those.

1086
01:38:44,850 --> 01:38:49,630
Some of the pictures you saw of sandwich signs, which I mean the commenter is correct in all

1087
01:38:49,710 --> 01:38:54,230
the things that exist in the public right away, making someone take down a sandwich sign

1088
01:38:54,230 --> 01:39:01,410
is not the highest priority, but we do on a complaint basis, do enforcement, but we have

1089
01:39:01,410 --> 01:39:07,890
tried to address the public concerns by including conditions in this approval as well, that

1090
01:39:07,890 --> 01:39:12,930
address, complying with ADA and keeping the street clear, so Marianne's going to point

1091
01:39:12,930 --> 01:39:13,610
those out to you.

1092
01:39:13,690 --> 01:39:19,090
I think it's condition five, and if the commission wanted to modify or strengthen or add to those,

1093
01:39:19,090 --> 01:39:20,830
We'd be glad to work with you on that.

1094
01:39:23,430 --> 01:39:26,610
So one of the conditions that Christopher alluded to

1095
01:39:26,610 --> 01:39:27,790
is condition number five.

1096
01:39:28,130 --> 01:39:32,050
So chapter 14.15 is the public works code

1097
01:39:32,050 --> 01:39:33,390
that has parklets.

1098
01:39:34,190 --> 01:39:36,990
In addition, there's been an added subsection

1099
01:39:36,990 --> 01:39:40,150
to that compliance, which talks about maintaining

1100
01:39:40,150 --> 01:39:42,890
all the required clearances that you see on the plan.

1101
01:39:43,530 --> 01:39:46,790
There is a distinct clearance for ADA path of travel.

1102
01:39:47,430 --> 01:39:49,810
And all of the parklets are designed

1103
01:39:49,810 --> 01:39:55,550
with that guardrail to prevent the over spilling of seating and or any kind of installations

1104
01:39:56,110 --> 01:39:59,650
into the public right-of-way. The temperance-

1105
01:40:05,120 --> 01:40:29,980
In addition, through the two and three different kinds of parklets sidewalk dining applications we received in the last year. Condition of approval number seven, as alluded to with the applicant testimony, was added to discourage the locking of bicycles or leash pets that you saw on those photos. And that is something that is implied that the management and the named applicant that is on this applicant

1106
01:40:29,980 --> 01:40:56,280
location would be required to adhere and discourage from anybody to do that and then an additional subsection on that condition is there sign and shall be installed on the park let's saying it is discourage so while it is discouraging it's also going to be signed in accordance in addition some other items just for enforcement action related to maintaining clearances.

1107
01:40:56,280 --> 01:41:02,860
because there are conditions that include signage for how to report enforcement activities.

1108
01:41:03,160 --> 01:41:08,020
So if we find that the management which is implied to adhere to these conditions of approval,

1109
01:41:08,020 --> 01:41:13,620
whoever holds that permit with the Department of Public Works and exercises this option,

1110
01:41:14,240 --> 01:41:18,760
there would be a signage that indicates if you find that there somebody is encroaching in

1111
01:41:18,760 --> 01:41:22,980
that right of way, there would be an identified person from the Department of Public Works that

1112
01:41:22,980 --> 01:41:25,260
that you could contact and call and report that,

1113
01:41:25,520 --> 01:41:27,320
and that would be another lever

1114
01:41:27,320 --> 01:41:29,800
to make sure of enforcement to prevent encroachment.

1115
01:41:30,560 --> 01:41:33,520
So those are included in conditions of approval

1116
01:41:33,520 --> 01:41:35,360
as well for that signage aspect.

1117
01:41:35,820 --> 01:41:37,740
Thank you, that was exactly my next question.

1118
01:41:37,760 --> 01:41:39,520
What would the enforcement mechanism and notification?

1119
01:41:40,100 --> 01:41:41,440
So thank you for answering that.

1120
01:41:43,140 --> 01:41:44,660
Commissioners, any other questions?

1121
01:41:45,720 --> 01:41:46,500
Commissioner Templin?

1122
01:41:50,540 --> 01:41:54,980
Operator is asked to discourage.

1123
01:41:55,920 --> 01:42:02,000
But does that include, I believe, the operator would also have the right to limit who they

1124
01:42:02,000 --> 01:42:07,320
want to serve or not, I know I've seen little signs, we've reserved the right to serve

1125
01:42:07,320 --> 01:42:08,400
you or not.

1126
01:42:08,800 --> 01:42:19,080
Would that be included if they do not reply to the discouragement, would it be upon the

1127
01:42:19,080 --> 01:42:23,100
operator then to say, well, we're not going to serve you because you're not following

1128
01:42:23,100 --> 01:42:27,320
are guidelines. Well the public is allowed in these

1129
01:42:27,320 --> 01:42:34,440
parklets even if they're not being served. I'm sorry I'm sorry just just for the blocking like

1130
01:42:34,440 --> 01:42:40,020
the dogs and the bicycles and all that. Yeah well the management can take whatever action is

1131
01:42:40,020 --> 01:42:45,580
necessary but the reason it does discourages because at the end of the day they should take all

1132
01:42:45,580 --> 01:42:50,920
available measures but they're not being asked to act as law enforcement officers right they're

1133
01:42:50,920 --> 01:42:56,760
not going to forcibly remove someone or risk injury to remove someone's dog, right?

1134
01:42:57,060 --> 01:43:00,720
So they're going to take, they're going to warn the person, they're going to ask them

1135
01:43:00,720 --> 01:43:05,200
to move, they're going to not serve them food, they're going to do whatever they're going

1136
01:43:05,200 --> 01:43:13,240
to do, but it does say encourage because they're not going to physically remove someone from

1137
01:43:13,240 --> 01:43:16,940
the public right away, it would be the city that would have to do that.

1138
01:43:18,440 --> 01:43:21,620
And I like that you're encouraging public works and

1139
01:43:21,620 --> 01:43:27,780
specters and following through on all those sidewalk blockages, including signs, umbrellas,

1140
01:43:28,240 --> 01:43:28,980
eaters, etc.

1141
01:43:31,640 --> 01:43:32,680
Thank you.

1142
01:43:33,020 --> 01:43:40,400
Just to follow up on that, um, director of the, uh, I will, and also maybe the city of

1143
01:43:40,400 --> 01:43:47,580
turning on this, um, because I, I'm inclined to, um, modify that provisions to either stipulate

1144
01:43:47,580 --> 01:43:54,940
or change a two prohibit, but again, this is a semantic issue maybe, but I want to make

1145
01:43:54,940 --> 01:44:01,840
sure that it is an active participation on behalf of the applicant to discourage that

1146
01:44:01,840 --> 01:44:11,300
obviously, maybe the other language, but I certainly do not intend to create a police

1147
01:44:11,300 --> 01:44:14,980
state situation from the front of the applicant, but I do want to make sure it's an active

1148
01:44:16,800 --> 01:44:20,180
involvement in that because I do want to put more teeth into that piece because

1149
01:44:20,180 --> 01:44:26,280
discourage can be naively interpreted as please don't as opposed to you are not

1150
01:44:26,940 --> 01:44:34,080
welcomed here if you choose to lock up your car or leave your dog in the right

1151
01:44:34,080 --> 01:44:40,600
away etc. So like the opinion if possible turning. So prohibition has taken place

1152
01:44:40,600 --> 01:44:46,880
There are state laws under the ADA that regulate blockages and the ability to have a pathway.

1153
01:44:47,640 --> 01:44:52,220
So we're not giving any of our applicants or operators a regulatory power.

1154
01:44:52,940 --> 01:44:59,780
So I think that's why you're seeing the word discourage and kind of piggybacking off of the comments of Mr. Coons.

1155
01:45:00,530 --> 01:45:18,950
There are limitations to how far their discouragement can go to where we're not going to using language like take all all efforts. Now we're getting into the area of what is that effort look like physical removal. That's where that becomes a challenge.

1156
01:45:32,260 --> 01:45:41,740
So if you wanted to bring more teeth, you could use a word like actively discourage. And that's something that opens up or suggests the need to use.

1157
01:45:42,940 --> 01:45:52,280
kind of the types of response behaviors that Commissioner Templin suggested of not serving folks, of asking folks to leave.

1158
01:45:59,110 --> 01:46:00,950
Commissioner Castillo? Good.

1159
01:46:02,370 --> 01:46:03,230
Commissioner Templin.

1160
01:46:03,890 --> 01:46:05,110
Commissioner Clemson?

1161
01:46:05,770 --> 01:46:06,710
If anyone has anything.

1162
01:46:09,550 --> 01:46:21,510
So I wanted to just make a few comments, just addressing some of the things that were sent in as the appeal and expand on that.

1163
01:46:21,670 --> 01:46:34,790
The first thing I did mention that the goals of the local proposal program, including increasing reliance on public transit, decreasing reliance on homo meals, providing slightly more parking and increasing pedestrian and bicycle access.

1164
01:46:34,790 --> 01:46:44,050
I believe in 2019, the city did the road diet project that added 150 spaces to Ocean Boulevard.

1165
01:46:44,570 --> 01:46:52,830
I think if anything, that would give us some room to take away a couple of spaces and still be in compliance with the slightly more parking.

1166
01:46:54,510 --> 01:47:00,990
It also, the local coastal program also explicitly calls for areas like the convention center

1167
01:47:00,990 --> 01:47:04,610
in downtown here to preserve all spaces.

1168
01:47:05,430 --> 01:47:10,490
And so just to, you know, they called for preserving all spaces in one place, this should

1169
01:47:10,490 --> 01:47:14,510
give us some flexibility to add and move spaces.

1170
01:47:14,510 --> 01:47:23,770
And then there was reference to a Coastal Commission decision from October of 1992, 1999.

1171
01:47:25,110 --> 01:47:36,850
And the appeal quotes or mentions a new restaurant, really, the moratorium that ended in May of 1999.

1172
01:47:36,850 --> 01:47:46,150
The decision ended up being that the land use plan is now compliant with or the suggestions

1173
01:47:46,150 --> 01:47:54,150
that the Coast Commission, which I assume were implemented, allow or eliminate lower parking

1174
01:47:54,150 --> 01:48:00,210
requirements that were in Belmont Shore for new restaurants will now allow for limited

1175
01:48:01,910 --> 01:48:10,210
And that that would in the Coast Commission's opinion provide slightly more parking as dealt with in the Belmont Shore area.

1176
01:48:10,910 --> 01:48:14,950
And I don't know if we've gone and we've seen the Walker study.

1177
01:48:15,610 --> 01:48:22,490
But there's a reference to people walking not wanting to walk far for parking.

1178
01:48:23,410 --> 01:48:35,010
There's additional information that they suggest having to do with increasing turnover in delivery spaces, and usually typically the way that that's turnover is with timements or raising prices,

1179
01:48:37,250 --> 01:48:47,490
which is another suggestions that the Walker study have includes extending parking meters to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 12 a.m. on weekends,

1180
01:48:47,490 --> 01:48:58,690
which I think that the parking commission denied creating parklets for bike parking and then seeking coastal commission approval for on paid-on-street parking for residents.

1181
01:49:00,110 --> 01:49:04,810
In my opinion, these are going to be more effective things than keeping two parking spaces.

1182
01:49:05,370 --> 01:49:09,250
I think it's going to move the needle on creating more parking availability.

1183
01:49:10,030 --> 01:49:14,950
And I hope that that's something that we can try and figure out how to implement in the future.

1184
01:49:15,590 --> 01:49:19,170
But I think I just want to summarize by saying I think that this project is

1185
01:49:19,170 --> 01:49:25,270
in compliance with at least all the coastal commission decisions that I'm aware of and the local coastal program.

1186
01:49:27,810 --> 01:49:28,830
Thank you, commissioner.

1187
01:49:29,810 --> 01:49:34,810
I will say it was pleased to see in the traffic demand, traffic demand management plan.

1188
01:49:35,450 --> 01:49:37,750
The incentives for free meals for employees.

1189
01:49:37,750 --> 01:49:45,330
I think those simple kind of concrete solutions like that have a big impact on getting people to change their behavior.

1190
01:49:46,250 --> 01:49:48,810
Any other discussions or questions from the commissioners?

1191
01:49:49,250 --> 01:49:50,370
I do one more thing.

1192
01:49:50,610 --> 01:49:55,310
I think that I have put in those code violations,

1193
01:49:55,730 --> 01:49:57,650
and the city does deal with that.

1194
01:49:58,270 --> 01:49:59,930
And so if we are seeing, well.

1195
01:50:00,000 --> 01:50:27,960
The ones I put in have, so I've put in a number of them, and for people blocking sidewalks with fans, the little wacky waving man thing, and, you know, fun stuff. But they do go out and they do deal with these things. So I really do encourage to make those complaints, and especially more than one person does it. I think that they'll come out, and they'll deal with, especially the things that are more static.

1196
01:50:27,960 --> 01:50:28,240
All

1197
01:50:30,700 --> 01:50:33,800
right, with that, I'm going to ask if we could have a motion, please.

1198
01:50:42,860 --> 01:50:44,140
Mr. Clems and

1199
01:50:46,470 --> 01:50:48,530
Commissioner Templin for the second.

1200
01:50:49,690 --> 01:50:51,830
I have a first and a second in the other discussion.

1201
01:50:52,450 --> 01:50:54,370
Mr. Chairman, just a week at the motion, right?

1202
01:50:55,410 --> 01:51:02,050
I think the commission wanted to add the word actively to condition number seven.

1203
01:51:02,810 --> 01:51:08,410
And I also believe there was a discussion about the entitlement not running with the land,

1204
01:51:08,570 --> 01:51:10,650
but only running with this particular operator.

1205
01:51:10,650 --> 01:51:15,010
So I don't know if that's part of the motion or not, but we need to know here at the table.

1206
01:51:15,830 --> 01:51:19,630
As of right now, it's not, but I will find out if they would like to add that to it.

1207
01:51:19,910 --> 01:51:21,650
Did you want to have active as part of it?

1208
01:51:21,790 --> 01:51:22,930
Was that how you did?

1209
01:51:23,610 --> 01:51:24,570
You okay with that?

1210
01:51:24,750 --> 01:51:25,070
Yes.

1211
01:51:27,030 --> 01:51:28,230
And then how did we feel?

1212
01:51:28,490 --> 01:51:29,930
Well, we'll formally add amendments.

1213
01:51:30,270 --> 01:51:30,290
Yes.

1214
01:51:30,650 --> 01:51:35,410
Did you feel about wanting to make an amendment to not running with the land, but with the operator?

1215
01:51:35,990 --> 01:51:37,310
So we're a discussion now.

1216
01:51:37,310 --> 01:51:41,530
Well, we're about to make a friendly amendment from Commissioner Templin.

1217
01:51:42,190 --> 01:51:44,910
Perfect. Yeah, I was going to make that, make that of amendment as well.

1218
01:51:45,030 --> 01:51:49,990
I do want to be the initiator of the motion or the second, but now that we're in, I certainly concur with that.

1219
01:51:50,310 --> 01:51:51,970
I stole my ammo, thank you.

1220
01:51:52,710 --> 01:51:59,870
And just be clear, that would be if the business were to close, they wouldn't have, the next business wouldn't have access to without, okay.

1221
01:52:01,510 --> 01:52:04,690
I will repeat that motion with the two amendments.

1222
01:52:04,690 --> 01:52:18,250
So we have a request for two friendly amendments from Commissioner Castillo to modify the condition of approval to include the word active and then that the approval runs with the business and not with the land.

1223
01:52:19,350 --> 01:52:20,170
That is correct.

1224
01:52:20,630 --> 01:52:24,730
Yes. That's been seconded by Commissioner Templin.

1225
01:52:25,790 --> 01:52:25,970
All right.

1226
01:52:27,250 --> 01:52:28,850
We've got a first and a second.

1227
01:52:29,090 --> 01:52:30,650
We've got a friendly amendment that's been approved.

1228
01:52:31,030 --> 01:52:32,270
I think we'd like to have the vote please.

1229
01:52:33,170 --> 01:52:33,650
Well,

1230
01:52:38,800 --> 01:52:43,620
I guess point of order, I guess we've made the motion now, we're in discussion on the motion.

1231
01:52:44,220 --> 01:52:55,340
We've had some prior discussion, but if the item has not been, if you feel like there's additional discussion, it's within the chair's discussion to take that discussion, but when we begin the vote, must continue forward.

1232
01:52:55,820 --> 01:53:02,960
Yeah, I apologize, I was waiting to make my comments and based on what the motion was going to ultimately be.

1233
01:53:04,240 --> 01:53:12,380
I'd like to share that I am in opposition to this request, but I also, in the spirit of transparency, want to share why.

1234
01:53:13,700 --> 01:53:18,360
First and foremost, as I look at evaluating this decision, there are kind of three components that I'm looking at.

1235
01:53:18,920 --> 01:53:26,020
First and foremost, the applicant, I want to share that I'm a huge fan, a huge, huge, huge fan.

1236
01:53:26,020 --> 01:53:31,920
I always make my decision based on my stomach and your location and your venue is phenomenal.

1237
01:53:32,880 --> 01:53:37,280
But however, I am in opposition to it for a couple of different reasons.

1238
01:53:37,560 --> 01:53:43,180
Number one, we've been discussing parking and or the lack thereof in some cases.

1239
01:53:44,140 --> 01:53:51,560
I want to commend staff for taking a broader approach on this and being more inclusive in

1240
01:53:51,560 --> 01:53:55,080
in terms of the evaluation of this criteria,

1241
01:53:55,220 --> 01:53:56,960
because the city always gets,

1242
01:53:57,040 --> 01:53:59,980
and especially this department sometimes gets a bad rap

1243
01:53:59,980 --> 01:54:02,680
because all these regulations and things that happen

1244
01:54:02,680 --> 01:54:05,720
seems to always be the government coming in

1245
01:54:05,720 --> 01:54:07,180
and making all these rules and regulations.

1246
01:54:07,700 --> 01:54:11,360
I appreciate the fact that there's a broader interpretation

1247
01:54:11,360 --> 01:54:13,060
of access and parking.

1248
01:54:13,660 --> 01:54:18,840
However, as has been noted, I'm not necessarily

1249
01:54:18,840 --> 01:54:20,920
and I don't want to pigeonhole myself

1250
01:54:20,920 --> 01:54:27,620
as a parking advocate, but in this area, in this location, I don't think it's appropriate

1251
01:54:27,620 --> 01:54:37,660
to cannibalize existing parking, not because we don't need to be more dependent on public

1252
01:54:37,660 --> 01:54:44,220
mass transit, but it is ineffective in this area and it does create other problems.

1253
01:54:44,220 --> 01:54:54,960
The other piece of it too is that in cases where we are offering at least from my perspective exclusively or providing this, I'm a huge advocate,

1254
01:54:54,960 --> 01:54:58,980
to park less because I think there's an outdoor dining etc. I think it's a great

1255
01:55:00,900 --> 01:55:28,820
So, the other direction for the city to do and be more open to that. However, again, this location is not optimal. There's already outdoor dining already. At this location, I also was not a fan of when we approved this for the other applicant legends, thank you, legends, for the very same reasons. And I want to be consistent in that approach. I think we are limited in parking in this area.

1256
01:55:28,820 --> 01:55:31,160
it does create an impact on the local community.

1257
01:55:32,020 --> 01:55:33,820
As much as I love coming in there

1258
01:55:34,960 --> 01:55:37,000
and dining at all these establishments,

1259
01:55:37,440 --> 01:55:39,280
we've got to be balanced in that regard.

1260
01:55:39,420 --> 01:55:41,920
And I think it's suboptimal to approve it here

1261
01:55:41,920 --> 01:55:43,780
at this location, at this site.

1262
01:55:45,220 --> 01:55:48,120
But that's driving my disc intent

1263
01:55:48,120 --> 01:55:50,260
with this particular motion.

1264
01:55:50,760 --> 01:55:52,960
And again, I also want to be cognizant of the fact

1265
01:55:52,960 --> 01:55:54,920
that there's probably six, seven or eight more applicants

1266
01:55:54,920 --> 01:55:55,820
coming down the way.

1267
01:55:56,560 --> 01:56:02,000
and again it's already an impacted area and I certainly would be more inclined

1268
01:56:02,000 --> 01:56:07,660
to support it if the applicant and or the location was maybe farther out. I

1269
01:56:07,660 --> 01:56:13,860
know some have argued at the center of Second Street is makes it easier. I would

1270
01:56:13,860 --> 01:56:18,120
also argue it makes it worse because it does create more issues for the other

1271
01:56:18,120 --> 01:56:24,380
businesses in the area. So anyways I took up too much time on that but I wanted to

1272
01:56:24,380 --> 01:56:29,520
at least share my reasons for my not supporting this motion.

1273
01:56:30,480 --> 01:56:31,260
Thank you, Commissioner.

1274
01:56:32,180 --> 01:56:32,920
Any other discussion?

1275
01:56:36,370 --> 01:56:38,370
I would say no if we could have the vote then please.

1276
01:56:51,330 --> 01:56:51,790
Motion carries.

1277
01:56:52,530 --> 01:56:52,870
Thank you.

1278
01:56:53,690 --> 01:56:55,370
Thank you all for coming down this evening

1279
01:56:55,370 --> 01:56:56,890
and sharing your views with the commission.

1280
01:56:57,030 --> 01:56:57,610
It's appreciated.

1281
01:56:57,850 --> 01:57:00,170
I know it's a lot of time out of your time

1282
01:57:00,170 --> 01:57:01,670
to come down here and we appreciate that.

1283
01:57:03,010 --> 01:57:04,650
If we could have the next item of business, please.

1284
01:57:08,890 --> 01:57:11,410
Item four is recommendation to recommend

1285
01:57:11,410 --> 01:57:41,270
that the City Council determined that the project is not subject to CEQA pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act under Article 5 Section 15061 of the State CEQA guidelines and 15308 actions by regulatory agencies for protection of natural resources and recommend that the City Council approve a code amendment and local coastal program amendment to repeal and replace the subdivision regulations of the City of Long Beach, the amendment includes revisions to one comply with the subdivision

1286
01:57:41,270 --> 01:57:47,330
map act to streamline major map approvals, three improved procedural consistency and accuracy

1287
01:57:47,330 --> 01:57:53,790
in processing subdivisions to include clear and unambiguous language and text, four

1288
01:57:53,790 --> 01:57:58,330
update the design standards to align with the general plan, five streamline the decision making

1289
01:57:58,330 --> 01:58:03,410
process allowing the zoning administrator to approve maps with up to 50 residential lots or maps

1290
01:58:03,410 --> 01:58:09,650
for projects that include 100% affordable residential units, six update notice requirements,

1291
01:58:09,650 --> 01:58:14,870
and seven introduced chapter 20.18 related to urban lot splits citywide.

1292
01:58:19,220 --> 01:58:23,240
Thank you commissioners may I have a motion to move forward on this item motion

1293
01:58:26,760 --> 01:58:29,540
for Commissioner Templin second from Commissioner Clemson

1294
01:58:31,100 --> 01:58:34,200
All those and no get the motion. Sorry

1295
01:58:35,500 --> 01:58:36,520
I've got a staff report

1296
01:58:37,920 --> 01:58:42,140
The project planner Sergio Gutierrez will provide this presentation for you.

1297
01:58:44,150 --> 01:58:48,450
Thank you Lexus. Good evening chair fellow commissioners. The item before you is a

1298
01:58:48,770 --> 01:58:52,850
Public curing pertaining to the city subdivision ordinance amendment.

1299
01:59:05,130 --> 01:59:09,470
Apologies on having technical difficulties with the remote here.

1300
01:59:17,900 --> 01:59:18,320
My apologies.

1301
01:59:19,440 --> 01:59:22,980
So the agenda for this item will provide an introduction to subdivisions.

1302
01:59:23,560 --> 01:59:26,280
Discuss the work program established for this update.

1303
01:59:26,940 --> 01:59:31,640
Highlight main updates to the ordinance as well as discuss the next steps in this process.

1304
01:59:33,480 --> 01:59:36,580
We began with understanding what a subdivision ordinance is.

1305
01:59:36,580 --> 01:59:44,880
So subdivision ordinance is a key element in the city suite of land division regulations which follows the state subdivision map back with local refinements.

1306
01:59:45,620 --> 01:59:51,420
Subdivision ordinance helps to promote coordinated and efficient developments consisting with a general plan and zoning regulations.

1307
01:59:52,220 --> 01:59:59,660
The subdivision ordinance is a part of Title 20 of the city's Long Beach Municipal Code and was last updated comprehensively in 1983.

1308
02:00:01,490 --> 02:00:30,030
We continue with understanding what a subdivision is and the various types of maps associated with subdivisions. A subdivision is a map which shows the division of land or units on a property, whether improved or unimproved, into multiple lots of units for individual sale, lease, or financing. A subdivision can involve a simple division of land by dividing one parcel into two parcels, which will result in the preparation of a parcel map. Subdivisions can also involve divisions of much greater land area.

1309
02:00:30,030 --> 02:00:33,750
into many parcels which result in a track map.

1310
02:00:34,570 --> 02:00:37,070
Subdivisions generally create real lot lines

1311
02:00:37,070 --> 02:00:39,350
and can be defined as the exclusive right

1312
02:00:39,350 --> 02:00:42,170
to occupy airspace within a building

1313
02:00:42,170 --> 02:00:44,430
which is commonly referred to as a condominium.

1314
02:00:45,290 --> 02:00:47,350
Conversions are also a form of subdivision

1315
02:00:47,350 --> 02:00:48,910
where existing rental units and buildings

1316
02:00:48,910 --> 02:00:50,670
are converted into four sale units.

1317
02:00:52,290 --> 02:00:54,510
Subdivisions can also involve the alteration

1318
02:00:54,510 --> 02:00:56,810
of existing parcels that were once divided.

1319
02:00:56,810 --> 02:00:59,790
This process can be done through what's called a lot merger.

1320
02:01:00,410 --> 02:01:04,570
A lot merger is a consolidation of two and more contiguous recorded lots into one and

1321
02:01:04,570 --> 02:01:05,290
more parcels.

1322
02:01:06,030 --> 02:01:09,730
Lots that are voluntary merge are used to eliminate the lot line to accommodate the

1323
02:01:09,730 --> 02:01:10,550
development project.

1324
02:01:11,230 --> 02:01:16,270
Lot mergers are also city initiated, which are pursued to address technical deficiencies

1325
02:01:16,270 --> 02:01:21,450
such as a lot area, access issues and lack of service to create more conforming lots when

1326
02:01:21,450 --> 02:01:23,050
such lots are held by the same ownership.

1327
02:01:24,530 --> 02:01:26,870
Another form of sub-division is a lot-line adjustment.

1328
02:01:27,690 --> 02:01:32,430
So a lot-line adjustment is defined as the adjustment of the boundary between two or more

1329
02:01:32,430 --> 02:01:35,990
adjacent lots, where the land is taken from one lot is added to the adjacent lot.

1330
02:01:36,650 --> 02:01:40,470
This type of sub-division does not result in the creation of any additional lots.

1331
02:01:41,190 --> 02:01:46,170
Lot-line adjustments are exempt from the tentative map requirements if the adjustment involves

1332
02:01:46,170 --> 02:01:50,130
four fewer lots in which the final changes are reflected in recorded dates.

1333
02:01:52,050 --> 02:01:57,390
Within this update, the overall goals of the subdivision amendments are to create a subdivision

1334
02:01:57,390 --> 02:02:00,850
ordinance which is legally consistent with the state's subdivision mapback.

1335
02:02:01,270 --> 02:02:05,090
Align city processes for a view of minor map approval, such as lot murderous, lot-line

1336
02:02:05,090 --> 02:02:08,510
adjustments, and parcel maps with the state lots of stream-like work efforts.

1337
02:02:09,290 --> 02:02:14,570
Provide consistency with the general plan which includes updating updates to the land use

1338
02:02:14,570 --> 02:02:20,030
elements, mobility elements, and the urban zone elements, and improve procedure consistency

1339
02:02:20,030 --> 02:02:24,270
and accuracy in processing subdivision cases by including clear and unambiguous language

1340
02:02:24,270 --> 02:02:27,450
in the text and clarifying applicable processes for different map types.

1341
02:02:29,010 --> 02:02:33,610
So, the slide provides an overview of all the work efforts of this program for this ordinance

1342
02:02:33,610 --> 02:02:34,370
and updates.

1343
02:02:34,870 --> 02:02:40,690
Staff and RM Design Group have been working closely together on this updated efforts, which

1344
02:02:40,690 --> 02:02:45,850
Again, with researching and background analysis in the summer of 2019, consultation means

1345
02:02:45,850 --> 02:02:50,230
with ordinance users such as city staff and stakeholders were held in July and September

1346
02:02:50,230 --> 02:02:54,750
of 2019 to further understand what works in the subdivision code and what sections can

1347
02:02:54,750 --> 02:02:56,410
be further refined and improved.

1348
02:02:57,270 --> 02:03:02,210
And the administrative draft was provided in the late 2020 and the first of two study sessions

1349
02:03:02,210 --> 02:03:04,250
with the commission was held in May of 2020.

1350
02:03:04,990 --> 02:03:09,830
A second study session was held with the commission to provide updates on the additional topics

1351
02:03:09,830 --> 02:03:16,490
fixed added to the draft ordinance as well as a release of the draft ordinance for public review, which was in May of 2023.

1352
02:03:17,790 --> 02:03:25,550
This update is now in the public, the planning commission public hearing stages with city council tend to be tentatively being scheduled for December of 2023.

1353
02:03:27,350 --> 02:03:32,670
So during the consultation meetings, staff and consultants captured many key elements from these interviews.

1354
02:03:32,670 --> 02:03:42,910
The comments related to reinstating roundtable meetings with the applicant and staff from various departments involved with the review of maps to determine red flags during the early stages of review.

1355
02:03:43,690 --> 02:03:58,710
Streamlining lot line adjustments and registers, having the zoning minister to act on parcel maps, identifying inconsistencies between subdivision regulations and zoning regulations, and lastly not to issue building permits until math are finalized and environmental clearances are obtained.

1356
02:04:00,170 --> 02:04:05,110
So, this next slide just provides a brief overview of the various chapters codified within

1357
02:04:05,110 --> 02:04:08,510
the subdivision ordinance, many of which will be updated.

1358
02:04:11,480 --> 02:04:15,580
To ensure consistency with state law, various sections have been updated to reflect the

1359
02:04:15,580 --> 02:04:20,960
current language within the subdivision map, which includes exemptions to subdivision

1360
02:04:20,960 --> 02:04:26,140
requirements, noticing for public hearings, currents, mobile home part conversion requirements,

1361
02:04:26,140 --> 02:04:28,920
and updating terminologies and definitions.

1362
02:04:31,060 --> 02:04:33,780
So this next slide provides a comparative analysis

1363
02:04:33,780 --> 02:04:35,500
of the current proposed review authorities

1364
02:04:35,500 --> 02:04:38,080
for map reportables, which is one of the main topics

1365
02:04:38,080 --> 02:04:39,840
of the sub-vivian ordinance of efforts.

1366
02:04:41,100 --> 02:04:43,600
As you know, the matrix, the current reviewed authority

1367
02:04:43,600 --> 02:04:45,360
for lot-line adjustments and a lot mergers

1368
02:04:45,360 --> 02:04:47,160
falls within the Zoe Minister of Action.

1369
02:04:47,980 --> 02:04:49,880
The proposed amendments in the sub-vivian will allow

1370
02:04:49,880 --> 02:04:51,560
for the director as a review authority,

1371
02:04:51,780 --> 02:04:53,220
which will allow required public hearing.

1372
02:04:54,000 --> 02:04:59,960
Another proposed change to highlight relates to tentative maps. Currently, the Planning Commission is a review of the

1373
02:05:06,020 --> 02:05:29,980
The proposal amendments will allow the zoning administrator as a review and authority for this map type. Additional updates include a line of the zoning administrator to act on residential projects with less than 50 dwelling units or lots. And projects that include 100% affordable units over 50 dwelling units or more. With this update, the decision would remain appealable. However, the planning commission would be

1374
02:05:29,980 --> 02:05:32,380
be responsible for hearing any appeal.

1375
02:05:33,360 --> 02:05:35,640
This change aligns with the planning commission's April 2020

1376
02:05:36,180 --> 02:05:38,600
delegation of the SIP plan to be authority for housing projects

1377
02:05:39,090 --> 02:05:40,080
with up to 50 units.

1378
02:05:41,040 --> 02:05:44,580
This current process can cause significant delays to projects

1379
02:05:44,580 --> 02:05:48,240
with time-sims activity that help meet the state's current

1380
02:05:48,240 --> 02:05:49,060
housing crisis.

1381
02:05:49,600 --> 02:05:52,400
Based on past project examples that have been appealed to

1382
02:05:52,400 --> 02:05:55,440
city council only due to the map and not the number of units

1383
02:05:55,440 --> 02:05:55,980
proposed.

1384
02:05:56,640 --> 02:05:59,480
Updates to the decision making body are necessary for projects

1385
02:05:59,480 --> 02:06:01,680
to ensure consistency with state housing laws.

1386
02:06:02,480 --> 02:06:08,840
The recommended delegation of review authority is also consistent with the housing element

1387
02:06:08,840 --> 02:06:13,060
go to mitigate government constraints to housing investment and affordability.

1388
02:06:13,880 --> 02:06:19,100
These efforts also help to support housing element program 2.6 related to the development

1389
02:06:19,100 --> 02:06:23,640
review process and tend to support faster and smoother project reviews.

1390
02:06:25,440 --> 02:06:30,560
The next major goal within this update will improve procedure consistency and accuracy

1391
02:06:30,560 --> 02:06:36,180
in the processing of sub-division cases by providing concurrent processing of sub-divisions

1392
02:06:36,180 --> 02:06:41,020
with other entitlements processes in terms of hearing dates and approval expiration dates,

1393
02:06:41,660 --> 02:06:46,560
updating the noticing procedures in alignments with other sections of the municipal code and

1394
02:06:46,560 --> 02:06:50,800
the sub-division map back, amending the appeal section to be consistent with the zoning

1395
02:06:50,800 --> 02:06:56,600
ordinance and include information in the code about submit requirements on maps.

1396
02:06:59,030 --> 02:07:02,790
Throughout the design standards and other chapters within the proposed subdivision

1397
02:07:02,790 --> 02:07:07,430
ordinance, various sections have been updated to ensure consistency with the city's housing,

1398
02:07:07,770 --> 02:07:13,730
land use, mobility and urban design elements, which have all been updated since the subdivision

1399
02:07:13,730 --> 02:07:14,770
ordinance was last amended.

1400
02:07:15,450 --> 02:07:19,590
A few of these key topics include updates to street typologies to align with the depth

1401
02:07:19,590 --> 02:07:34,870
that functionality requirements of the mobility element to ensure necessary improvements are captured with maps of the development stages for all modes of transportation and accessibility requirements for private streets and sidewalks to ensure adequate capacity and design that efficiently

1402
02:07:34,870 --> 02:07:39,470
common is almost a transportation which is consistent with the mobility of the General Plan and

1403
02:07:39,470 --> 02:07:41,610
the Americans with Disabilities Act.

1404
02:07:43,780 --> 02:07:47,320
The update also includes amendments to condom apps which

1405
02:07:47,780 --> 02:07:53,000
the subdivision map act includes minimal requirements for maps and belonging condominiums.

1406
02:07:53,520 --> 02:07:58,380
To make the requirements clear and provide consistency with the city's general plan elements,

1407
02:07:58,720 --> 02:08:03,900
a few of these amendments include creating a chapter related to common interest subdivisions

1408
02:08:03,900 --> 02:08:05,680
that provides procedures for airspace

1409
02:08:05,680 --> 02:08:07,640
condominions and planning developments

1410
02:08:07,640 --> 02:08:09,840
and improvements to the condominium conversions

1411
02:08:09,840 --> 02:08:11,280
chapter change for consistency

1412
02:08:11,280 --> 02:08:13,200
with the housing, land use mobility

1413
02:08:13,200 --> 02:08:14,500
and urban design elements.

1414
02:08:15,380 --> 02:08:17,660
A few key updates to the condo conversions

1415
02:08:17,660 --> 02:08:19,520
includes requiring the submission

1416
02:08:19,520 --> 02:08:22,040
of an existing conditions reports

1417
02:08:22,040 --> 02:08:23,920
and an improvement plan to determine

1418
02:08:23,920 --> 02:08:26,240
if right away building facade upgrades,

1419
02:08:26,660 --> 02:08:28,180
landscaping, utility improvements

1420
02:08:28,180 --> 02:08:30,660
and other site improvements

1421
02:08:30,660 --> 02:08:32,160
would be required for the development.

1422
02:08:32,160 --> 02:08:35,760
The improvements also include updating the findings to require

1423
02:08:35,760 --> 02:08:40,860
prescriptions of units to be affordable and only allowing for conversions if a vacancy

1424
02:08:40,860 --> 02:08:45,260
rate for multifamily dwellings units in the city is greater than 5%.

1425
02:08:47,080 --> 02:08:51,680
To ensure consistency with state law, the proposed ordinance includes the new chapter related

1426
02:08:51,680 --> 02:08:56,320
to Senate Bill 9, also referred to SB 9, which is urban law splits.

1427
02:08:57,240 --> 02:09:02,980
The state legislator adopted and adopted this Senate bill and become effective in January

1428
02:09:02,980 --> 02:09:08,820
first of 2022. In urban law split is defined as a subdivision of an existing legal

1429
02:09:08,820 --> 02:09:12,900
law zone R1, single-family district, to create no more than two new

1430
02:09:12,900 --> 02:09:17,640
parcels. The ordinance will align with state law, with some local refinements

1431
02:09:17,640 --> 02:09:22,920
which will include which will be complete at the ministry level, required each

1432
02:09:22,920 --> 02:09:28,520
lot to have access from a right of way, required minimum lot size of 1,200 square

1433
02:09:28,520 --> 02:09:32,440
feet per lot, conform to the minimum lot with standards of the zoning

1434
02:09:32,440 --> 02:09:36,900
designation and prohibit law splits with special resource restrictions on sites that include

1435
02:09:36,900 --> 02:09:42,120
but not limited to the sites within the wetlands, hazardous waste sites, and lots that are within

1436
02:09:42,120 --> 02:09:48,580
historic district or designated landmark, historic landmark. In addition to the major changes,

1437
02:09:48,820 --> 02:09:53,580
proposed within the subdivision ordinance, clarifying and more administrative changes are also proposed

1438
02:09:54,270 --> 02:09:59,440
in order to increase user friendliness by providing the table, summarizing the review authority of each

1439
02:10:00,000 --> 02:10:29,840
And math types. Clarifying street name changes, process by providing name conventions, procedures, application filing requirements, and required findings for approval or denial. Established, established parameters for model homes and application processing. Established requirements for the right away vacation process, including application filing requirements, findings for approval or denial, and the decision making process. And lastly, established a chapter for illegal subdivisions and certificate

1440
02:10:29,840 --> 02:10:33,340
of compliance which will replace the existing fraction of a lot chapter.

1441
02:10:33,960 --> 02:10:39,140
The new chapter provides clarity on applicability, procedures, conditions, and required fines

1442
02:10:39,140 --> 02:10:40,260
for approval or denial.

1443
02:10:42,180 --> 02:10:46,560
The stuff division ordinance will also ensure consistency with the city's local coastal

1444
02:10:46,560 --> 02:10:50,580
program by updating the provisions to properties in the coastal zone.

1445
02:10:51,140 --> 02:10:57,500
These provisions include ensuring that the, ensuring that all maps up types maintain and provide

1446
02:10:57,500 --> 02:11:02,980
adequate public access to coastal recreational amenities and coastal

1447
02:11:02,980 --> 02:11:07,820
resources such as beach, ensuring coastal visibility is not obstructed, and

1448
02:11:07,820 --> 02:11:11,020
ensuring the design of the subdivision or the type of improvements is

1449
02:11:11,020 --> 02:11:15,960
consistent with the LCP as it considers projected sea level rise, slope

1450
02:11:15,960 --> 02:11:19,820
stability, hazards, and potential storm flooding for the life of the project

1451
02:11:19,820 --> 02:11:21,420
based on available female information.

1452
02:11:23,590 --> 02:11:25,210
To ensure consistency with the general

1453
02:11:25,210 --> 02:11:34,110
plan, the proposed ordinance has been amended to reflect the various goals, policies, and strategies within the city's general plan, housing, land use, mobility, and urban zone elements.

1454
02:11:34,790 --> 02:11:54,470
The amendments, the subdivision ordinance will allow for subdivisions for all housing types, which is consistent with housing element policy 4.2, intended to encourage a balance of rents and home ownership opportunities, including high quality apartments, town homes, condominiums, and single family homes to accommodate the housing needs of all social economic segments of the community.

1455
02:11:54,470 --> 02:11:55,690
including lunch families.

1456
02:11:56,410 --> 02:11:58,290
The efforts within this update will also support

1457
02:11:58,290 --> 02:12:02,790
LUE policy 13-2 to provide new housing opportunities

1458
02:12:02,790 --> 02:12:04,570
in neighborhoods serving centers and quarters

1459
02:12:04,570 --> 02:12:07,130
within transit-origin development areas and downtown.

1460
02:12:08,170 --> 02:12:12,050
Furthermore, housing element action 2.6.1

1461
02:12:12,050 --> 02:12:14,930
requires the city to update the subdivision ordinance

1462
02:12:14,930 --> 02:12:16,630
to streamline housing development

1463
02:12:16,630 --> 02:12:18,470
by streamlining the lot-merger process

1464
02:12:18,470 --> 02:12:20,010
and reducing oversight requirements

1465
02:12:20,010 --> 02:12:21,910
which has been included with this update.

1466
02:12:21,910 --> 02:12:30,020
So there have been a bit of minor changes throughout the ordinance since the commission

1467
02:12:30,020 --> 02:12:36,080
last seen the draft documents in May of 2023, and these changes reflect the city survey

1468
02:12:36,080 --> 02:12:37,100
as a review and edits.

1469
02:12:37,480 --> 02:12:42,900
These edits include updates to terminology, clarification of multiple lot-line adjustments

1470
02:12:42,900 --> 02:12:48,840
that are submitted concurrently or sequentially to circumvent the four fewer existing adjoining

1471
02:12:48,840 --> 02:12:49,820
parcels threshold.

1472
02:12:49,820 --> 02:12:52,440
in the map back will not be allowed.

1473
02:12:53,180 --> 02:12:57,480
Clarification a lot more to require in a parcel map when merging five or more locks

1474
02:12:57,480 --> 02:13:02,620
and clarification on when a record of survey is required for various map processes.

1475
02:13:04,420 --> 02:13:10,420
Presumably to the California Environmental Quality Act Article 5 Section 15061 and the state

1476
02:13:10,420 --> 02:13:16,480
CEQA guidelines, it can be seen with certainty that the subject modifications to the city's

1477
02:13:16,480 --> 02:13:23,540
municipal code will not have the potential for having a significant effect upon the environments and therefore is not subject to CEQA.

1478
02:13:23,820 --> 02:13:34,880
The project is also exempt pursuing to CEQA Section 15308, which exempts actions by regulatory agencies for protection of natural resources.

1479
02:13:35,600 --> 02:13:40,360
A public draft of the subdivision ordinance was released in May of 2023 for public review.

1480
02:13:40,880 --> 02:13:44,980
The required public hearing notice was provided in accordance with the Long Beach municipal code.

1481
02:13:44,980 --> 02:13:50,260
noticed was published in the Long Beach press telegram on October 5, 2023.

1482
02:13:51,080 --> 02:13:54,840
Additionally, notices were provided via the city's link, LB, email blast

1483
02:13:54,840 --> 02:14:01,700
system, and to city libraries, stakeholders, and a notice was posted within City Hall.

1484
02:14:02,420 --> 02:14:06,820
No comments have been received as the as of the preparation of this important

1485
02:14:06,820 --> 02:14:12,480
ordinance update. Steph finds that positive findings can be made as

1486
02:14:12,480 --> 02:14:19,460
support of the amendments to the sub-division ordinance and the amendments will help promote several general plan goals and policies.

1487
02:14:20,260 --> 02:14:24,220
Therefore staff recommends that the city council,

1488
02:14:24,460 --> 02:14:29,380
planning commission recommends the city council to determine the project is not subject to CEQA,

1489
02:14:29,460 --> 02:14:38,000
pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Mac under Article 5, Section 15061 and the state of the state CEQA guidelines.

1490
02:14:38,000 --> 02:14:43,840
and 1530A actions by regulatory agency for protection natural resources and also

1491
02:14:43,840 --> 02:14:49,980
recommend that the city council approve code amendment ZC A19-005 and local

1492
02:14:49,980 --> 02:14:55,460
coastal program amendment LCPA 23-001 to repel and replace the subdivision

1493
02:14:55,460 --> 02:14:59,980
regulations of the city of Long Beach also refer to as title 20 in the Long Beach

1494
02:15:00,000 --> 02:15:27,840
So, the next steps in this process, if recommended, for approval by the commission, will bring this item for city council public hearing in late December of 2023. This concludes staff's presentation. Staff is available to answer any questions. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for that presentation. Commissioner, is there any questions for staff on the presentation? Commissioner Templin? This is all done with additional staff, right?

1495
02:15:29,580 --> 02:15:33,620
That's what we're being told you're going to have more staff to cover in the case.

1496
02:15:33,680 --> 02:15:34,400
Someday soon.

1497
02:15:34,660 --> 02:15:37,440
That's a friendly amendment actually to the month.

1498
02:15:38,180 --> 02:15:38,480
Good.

1499
02:15:40,100 --> 02:15:42,880
All right. Any other questions on the staff's presentation?

1500
02:15:44,780 --> 02:15:47,100
Just a comment that thank you for bringing this forward.

1501
02:15:47,220 --> 02:15:47,580
This is great.

1502
02:15:47,820 --> 02:15:48,360
Great cleanup.

1503
02:15:48,500 --> 02:15:48,740
Thank you.

1504
02:15:49,660 --> 02:15:49,820
All right.

1505
02:15:49,860 --> 02:15:55,830
With that, I'm going to open it up to a public comment or any members of the public and the audience

1506
02:15:55,830 --> 02:15:57,410
would like to make comments on this item.

1507
02:15:59,370 --> 02:16:03,610
Seeing none I'll see if we have any video on virtual if you're joining us

1508
02:16:03,610 --> 02:16:06,990
virtually and you would like to make public comment on this item please use

1509
02:16:06,990 --> 02:16:08,650
the raise hand function at this time.

1510
02:16:17,030 --> 02:16:18,850
There appears to be no further public comment

1511
02:16:18,850 --> 02:16:22,410
on this item. Thank you with that I'll close public comment bring it back behind

1512
02:16:22,410 --> 02:16:25,950
the rail. Make sure there's any discussion with

1513
02:16:30,590 --> 02:16:32,010
that we have a motion a second

1514
02:16:32,010 --> 02:16:33,250
can we have the vote please.

1515
02:16:41,480 --> 02:16:42,100
Motion carries.

1516
02:16:47,050 --> 02:16:48,230
Congratulations that is the

1517
02:16:48,230 --> 02:16:49,990
culmination of an awful lot of work.

1518
02:16:51,650 --> 02:16:54,950
Anticomatic, but Sergio here has worked on this for years,

1519
02:16:55,350 --> 02:16:57,270
and our existing code is garbage.

1520
02:16:57,590 --> 02:17:01,230
So this is a pretty amazing, wonderful move forward.

1521
02:17:02,210 --> 02:17:02,750
Thank you.

1522
02:17:03,170 --> 02:17:04,790
And I think for the applicants that are

1523
02:17:04,790 --> 02:17:06,710
be using this, it will be much easier

1524
02:17:06,710 --> 02:17:09,550
to use a lot more streamlined and some of the more basic things

1525
02:17:09,550 --> 02:17:11,130
to not have any go through so many procedures.

1526
02:17:11,130 --> 02:17:12,370
So good job on that.

1527
02:17:13,250 --> 02:17:16,010
All right, I think that brings us to our last regular item.

1528
02:17:16,010 --> 02:17:16,950
Item

1529
02:17:19,830 --> 02:17:24,530
5 is recommendation to recommend that the City Council accept categorical exemptions

1530
02:17:24,530 --> 02:17:32,070
CE 23113 and approve a local coastal program amendment and repeal the 1989 victory

1531
02:17:32,070 --> 02:17:38,390
park design guidelines and adopt victory park Santa Cruz Park design guidelines and proposed

1532
02:17:38,390 --> 02:17:43,290
findings there to to establish updated design guidelines for victory park and Santa Cruz

1533
02:17:43,290 --> 02:17:46,710
Park in the downtown shoreline plan development district 1.

1534
02:17:46,710 --> 02:17:47,930
Thank you.

1535
02:17:48,030 --> 02:17:49,250
May I have a motion to hear this item?

1536
02:17:52,020 --> 02:17:53,580
The motion for Commissioner Templin,

1537
02:17:53,720 --> 02:17:55,080
the second from Commissioner Clemson.

1538
02:17:55,820 --> 02:17:56,780
Do we have a staff report?

1539
02:17:59,500 --> 02:18:00,340
Yes, commissioners.

1540
02:18:00,520 --> 02:18:02,920
This is another project that's been in the work for many years.

1541
02:18:02,920 --> 02:18:06,100
I'd like to introduce Project Planner and Landscape Specialist,

1542
02:18:06,180 --> 02:18:07,900
Alex Mulder, to provide this presentation.

1543
02:18:12,320 --> 02:18:13,880
Good evening, Chair and Commissioners.

1544
02:18:15,340 --> 02:18:20,840
I am excited to finally bring before you this evening

1545
02:18:20,840 --> 02:18:23,320
a local coastal program amendment for Victory Park

1546
02:18:23,320 --> 02:18:32,460
and Santa Cruz Park. The playing guru and our consultant's grown associates shout out to Dean

1547
02:18:32,460 --> 02:18:38,620
Howell and his team that they're listening has been in an engagement a multi-year effort to

1548
02:18:38,620 --> 02:18:45,640
update the Santa Cruz and Victory Park design guidelines for the first time since the late 1900s.

1549
02:18:51,970 --> 02:18:58,250
Victory Park is in the downtown area on the south side of Ocean Boulevard at the first 80 linear

1550
02:18:58,250 --> 02:19:04,010
feet of South of Ocean Boulevard sidewalk spanning between Queensway and Collinsway between

1551
02:19:04,010 --> 02:19:08,450
her place and Shoreline Drive. Although the parks are directly in front of private

1552
02:19:08,450 --> 02:19:14,090
development, along the Southside of Ocean Boulevard and are maintained by the budding private

1553
02:19:14,090 --> 02:19:21,230
on property owners, the parcels are publicly owned. Then the entire Victory Park and Santa

1554
02:19:21,230 --> 02:19:27,650
Cruise Park area within the Coastal Zone and within the downtown Shoreline Plan

1555
02:19:27,650 --> 02:19:29,670
development pd6 Santa

1556
02:19:39,720 --> 02:19:44,960
Cruz for the next two slides the existing these will be

1557
02:19:44,960 --> 02:19:50,380
the existing conditions of the park Santa Cruz Park spans the first 30-40 feet

1558
02:19:50,380 --> 02:19:54,080
south of the Ocean Boulevard sidewalk between Golden Shore and Cedar Avenue

1559
02:20:00,080 --> 02:20:10,000
Victory Park is since from Cedar Avenue to Los Alamedos Avenue. And the, in 1980, the city council

1560
02:20:10,000 --> 02:20:16,480
and California Coastal Commission certified the LCP with design guidelines adopted in 1989,

1561
02:20:16,800 --> 02:20:23,060
the LCP seeks to reestablish Victory Park as a unified park throughout downtown Long Beach.

1562
02:20:23,060 --> 02:20:30,300
The LCP requires all development and conversions of apartments to condominiums to rebuild

1563
02:20:30,300 --> 02:20:36,140
Victory Park and Santa Cruz Park according to those design guidelines and dedicate the

1564
02:20:36,140 --> 02:20:42,080
additional depth to the to the park and create minimum of 80 feet from Ocean Boulevard

1565
02:20:42,080 --> 02:20:43,960
from the Ocean Boulevard's curb.

1566
02:20:44,520 --> 02:20:50,540
Six blocks have been partially or completely redeveloped since this requirement was established.

1567
02:20:50,540 --> 02:21:03,320
The 18 or 1989 design guidelines were created to ensure that the land segments dedicated to victory park and center crews park were available for the enjoyment of the residents in general public of Long Beach.

1568
02:21:03,920 --> 02:21:16,540
At the same time, the guidelines served to coordinate the design, the guidelines served to coordinate the design and renovation of the park to implement a cohesive design.

1569
02:21:16,540 --> 02:21:23,280
that is reminiscent of a historic Long Beach and reinforces the character of Ocean Boulevard as a grand boulevard.

1570
02:21:23,720 --> 02:21:28,900
These same guidelines have not been changed or updated in over 30 years.

1571
02:21:29,540 --> 02:21:34,600
Over the past decade, a greater emphasis has been placed on water efficient landscapes due to drought.

1572
02:21:35,440 --> 02:21:41,420
Dwindling water supplies, higher water costs, storm water pollution and climate change.

1573
02:21:41,420 --> 02:21:46,800
The City of Long Beach seeks to update the 1989 Victory Park and

1574
02:21:46,800 --> 02:21:52,060
Santa Cruz Park design guidelines to encourage the use of current sustainable

1575
02:21:53,240 --> 02:21:57,520
landscape best practices to mitigate the effects of climate change.

1576
02:21:57,960 --> 02:22:04,300
In addition to the updated guidelines, it will establish the consistent design

1577
02:22:04,300 --> 02:22:09,320
vision for Victory Park and Santa Cruz Park that will offer an inviting open space

1578
02:22:09,320 --> 02:22:13,820
environment for residents and visitors while providing a habitat for native and native

1579
02:22:13,820 --> 02:22:14,700
floor and fauna.

1580
02:22:21,350 --> 02:22:28,410
Originally dedicated to the city as a public parkland in 1889, the victory

1581
02:22:28,410 --> 02:22:34,730
park originally named by park number one that was renamed in 1920 and Santa Cruz Park is

1582
02:22:34,730 --> 02:22:39,690
the oldest public park in the city of Long Beach. The park consists of a number of small

1583
02:22:39,690 --> 02:22:45,150
all landstrips dated to the city by the Long Beach Land and Water Company, also known

1584
02:22:45,150 --> 02:22:52,410
as the company, and settlement of a suit by the city against the company. The land

1585
02:22:52,410 --> 02:23:00,590
was to be used for the purpose of the of ornamentation and recreation. The lawsuit resorted, or

1586
02:23:00,590 --> 02:23:06,570
sorry, resulted from the original subdivision of Wilmore City, which had dedicated area between

1587
02:23:06,570 --> 02:23:12,890
Ocean Boulevard and the High Tide Line as a public park. However, when the rancher Los

1588
02:23:12,890 --> 02:23:17,870
Cerritos reclaimed Wilmore City due to non-plainment and resold the area to Long Beach,

1589
02:23:17,870 --> 02:23:26,610
Land and Water Company, the new owners disputed the park dedication that dispute was settled by a

1590
02:23:26,610 --> 02:23:33,010
comprised whereby the area top of the bluff would be dedicated public park while the bluff face

1591
02:23:33,010 --> 02:23:37,270
and area between the bluff and the high tide line would belong to the company.

1592
02:23:38,330 --> 02:23:42,210
Early versions of the park, including portions designed by the legendary

1593
02:23:42,210 --> 02:23:45,070
landscape architect, like Frederick Law on St.

1594
02:23:45,190 --> 02:23:47,970
Junior, who designed New York City Central Park.

1595
02:23:48,850 --> 02:23:53,150
The segments, both victory and center cruise parks have been developed on a

1596
02:23:53,150 --> 02:23:57,090
block my block basis as adjacent developments have been erected.

1597
02:23:57,470 --> 02:24:01,750
As a result of the various park segments, which make up victory park and

1598
02:24:01,750 --> 02:24:10,970
in the city of Santa Cruz Park, today very in-depth amenities and overall character during the building boom of 1920s,

1599
02:24:11,330 --> 02:24:14,710
fueled by the old discovery of signal hill and the Aluminos Bay Area.

1600
02:24:15,690 --> 02:24:20,010
Substantial buildings were built between both the Victory Park and the High Timeline.

1601
02:24:20,630 --> 02:24:26,750
Many of these developers of the buildings wanted access to the buildings from the, from Ocean Boulevard.

1602
02:24:26,750 --> 02:24:39,150
The city granted such access in many cases in exchange for the developer's landscaping the park and establishing roadways to the high timeline then defined by seaside way.

1603
02:24:39,690 --> 02:24:49,830
This created a pattern of circular driveways through the park and the inconsistent landscaping and additional interruptions in the park roadways.

1604
02:24:49,830 --> 02:24:50,570
the

1605
02:24:57,420 --> 02:24:59,940
updated guidelines you don't you utilize fire

1606
02:25:00,000 --> 02:25:29,980
We have design principles unify, variety, respect, access, and promote. Each of these design principles are clearly defined in the guidelines and establishes the solid precedence for landscape architects and designers when designing their portion of the park. The updated guidelines also consider existing conditions of Victory Park and Santa Cruz Park. The analysis completed by grown associates indicated that there are three conditions that are repeated throughout the entire length of the park.

1607
02:25:29,980 --> 02:25:35,660
park, these conditions or segments as defined in the guidelines were created due to over

1608
02:25:35,660 --> 02:25:41,260
development of certain properties along the south side of Ocean Boulevard and to the

1609
02:25:41,260 --> 02:25:42,500
required park dedications.

1610
02:25:43,420 --> 02:25:48,940
These updated guidelines define the segments and provide guidance on how to treat each segment

1611
02:25:49,500 --> 02:25:51,020
when compliance is triggered.

1612
02:25:51,800 --> 02:25:57,160
The update will also provide guidelines on site organization, allowable architectural elements,

1613
02:25:57,160 --> 02:26:01,240
sites, amenities, landscape planting, operations and maintenance.

1614
02:26:07,590 --> 02:26:11,690
There are many illegal non-conforming conditions that currently exist within that

1615
02:26:11,690 --> 02:26:13,630
mouth stretch of Victory and Santa Cruz Park.

1616
02:26:14,130 --> 02:26:19,050
As development progressed, the dedicated park space began to dwindle and

1617
02:26:19,050 --> 02:26:22,230
transform into front lawns of the budding private properties.

1618
02:26:22,870 --> 02:26:29,050
As the 1989 guidelines were neglected, the updated design guidelines were

1619
02:26:29,050 --> 02:26:40,110
We're crafted not only to address the existing non-conformities, but also to help restore and identify victory in Santa Cruz Park as an actual public park over time.

1620
02:26:41,590 --> 02:26:52,670
Triggers are placed within the guidelines for property owners to comply with the new guidelines so that their piece of victory park or Santa Cruz park can be updated accordingly.

1621
02:26:52,670 --> 02:27:02,530
These triggers include new entitlements, major renovations, new development, or any voluntary changes that are made to victory or Santa Cruz Park itself.

1622
02:27:03,450 --> 02:27:05,890
Compliance is only required when triggered.

1623
02:27:06,430 --> 02:27:15,110
New and renovated landscape projects are required to comply with the state's model water efficient landscape ordinance.

1624
02:27:15,890 --> 02:27:26,790
Design strategies within the updated center crews and victory park guidelines are tailored around this ordinance to ensure to ensure compliance for any project proposed within the designated park.

1625
02:27:27,090 --> 02:27:27,370
The

1626
02:27:33,200 --> 02:27:36,380
following findings are required for a local coastal program amendment.

1627
02:27:36,660 --> 02:27:39,760
One proposed change will benefit the public interest.

1628
02:27:40,340 --> 02:27:43,920
Two proposed change is consistent with zoning designations.

1629
02:27:43,920 --> 02:27:51,260
Victory in Santa Cruz Park is in the downtown Shoreline area of the 1980 local coastal program

1630
02:27:51,260 --> 02:27:54,480
which is which largely incorporates the policies of PD 6.

1631
02:27:55,320 --> 02:28:00,880
In addition to public access requirements of the Coastal Act, the Thailand's restriction

1632
02:28:00,880 --> 02:28:07,060
preserved victory park and Santa Cruz Park for visitors serving uses.

1633
02:28:08,360 --> 02:28:13,440
The policy plan for the downtown Shoreline is comprised of an integrated and varied

1634
02:28:13,440 --> 02:28:22,560
group of developments. Some existing, most new, the Victory Park Santa Cruz and Victory and

1635
02:28:22,560 --> 02:28:29,920
Santa Cruz Park is intended to serve general visitors within the Certified LCP, the effect of

1636
02:28:29,920 --> 02:28:39,200
zoning regulations are an implementing ordinance. The entirety of Victory Park is within PD6, which

1637
02:28:39,200 --> 02:28:40,840
which is the zoning destination.

1638
02:28:41,500 --> 02:28:50,480
Therefore, the change to the regulations incorporated by reference in P-D-6 triggers

1639
02:28:50,480 --> 02:28:56,180
the amendment to the LCP, which must be approved by the Planning Commission, City Council,

1640
02:28:57,440 --> 02:28:58,560
and a California Coastal Commission.

1641
02:28:59,200 --> 02:29:07,140
Since the LP is an adopted element of the general plan, and 1989, Vickery Park guidelines

1642
02:29:07,140 --> 02:29:13,200
were certified by the California Coates Commission in 2004, the repeal and replacement of the

1643
02:29:13,200 --> 02:29:21,580
guidelines trigger a general plan amendment. The general plan amendment via LCPA will allow for

1644
02:29:21,580 --> 02:29:28,740
the updated guidelines to be implemented across all park parcels to enable the cohesive and sustainable

1645
02:29:28,740 --> 02:29:35,700
park design along the entire frontage ocean boulevard. The updated guidelines continue the goals of

1646
02:29:35,700 --> 02:29:41,140
of the policies of PD-6 while also enhancing the public realm through guidance for architectural

1647
02:29:41,140 --> 02:29:48,100
elements, site amenities, landscape planting operation and maintenance. Furthermore, it reinforces

1648
02:29:48,100 --> 02:29:53,580
the general plan elements such as the open space element and local coastal program and the

1649
02:29:53,580 --> 02:29:59,500
coastal act of 1976 through preservation of public open space for all to access.

1650
02:30:06,740 --> 02:30:35,520
Community outreach for the proposed guideline ordinance was conducted over a multi-year period. An open house event was held at Billie Jean Library on December 14, 2019, which included a walking tour of the park. Public comments and input during the outreach process were included in the draft guidelines on April 24, 2023. The draft guidelines were posted online for a public reviewing comment.

1651
02:30:35,520 --> 02:30:44,360
An additional event was held at Invictory Park on May 20, 2023 to solicit feedback on the drop-out lines.

1652
02:30:44,940 --> 02:30:55,780
Staff attended the Ocean Residence Condominium Association meeting on June 26, 2023 to provide an overview of the project and how to participate.

1653
02:30:56,460 --> 02:31:04,760
Comments received during these events, including feedback related to compliance triggers, active versus passive and design strategies.

1654
02:31:04,760 --> 02:31:05,920
pursuant

1655
02:31:12,670 --> 02:31:18,070
to the California Environmental Quality Act, this project is eligible for

1656
02:31:18,070 --> 02:31:25,670
a categorical exemption section 15301, existing facilities, 15305 minor

1657
02:31:25,670 --> 02:31:33,330
alteration and land use limitations, and 15308 actions by regulatory agencies for

1658
02:31:33,330 --> 02:31:38,610
protection of the environment of the SQL guidelines. In accordance with the public

1659
02:31:38,610 --> 02:31:43,590
Recurring Notice Requirements for Zoning Ornance Amendment and Long Beach Municipal Code.

1660
02:31:44,890 --> 02:31:49,730
Notice of this public hearing was published in the Long Beach Press Telegram on October

1661
02:31:49,730 --> 02:31:51,130
5th, 2023.

1662
02:31:52,350 --> 02:31:58,330
Written notices were sent to the Coastal Commission and all interested parties, public hearing

1663
02:31:58,330 --> 02:32:06,670
notices, sorry, and a notice of the proposed code amendment was distributed through the

1664
02:32:06,670 --> 02:32:09,790
the city's link LB email email blast system.

1665
02:32:10,930 --> 02:32:13,750
Notices were also provided to city libraries.

1666
02:32:14,310 --> 02:32:16,610
As a preparation of this report,

1667
02:32:17,310 --> 02:32:19,150
four comments have been received,

1668
02:32:19,390 --> 02:32:22,750
expressing both support and recommendations for edits.

1669
02:32:27,510 --> 02:32:30,350
Staff recommends approval of the LCPA

1670
02:32:30,350 --> 02:32:33,630
as necessary components of the public park amenities,

1671
02:32:34,370 --> 02:32:35,950
design treatments and landscape elements

1672
02:32:35,950 --> 02:32:40,130
that will enhance passive coastal recreational activities

1673
02:32:40,130 --> 02:32:46,590
and access to and through the public park areas proposed design guidelines will

1674
02:32:46,590 --> 02:32:51,950
follow and will allow for the continued use of this important visitor serving

1675
02:32:51,950 --> 02:32:57,730
and resident serving resource within the downtown Shoreline area. The water

1676
02:32:57,730 --> 02:33:02,730
efficient plant pallet and sustainable approach to design will ensure that the

1677
02:33:02,730 --> 02:33:07,710
park assessments convey a uniform and a resilient landscape. The guidelines

1678
02:33:07,710 --> 02:33:26,330
We're trying to ensure a clear and comprehensive design standards that are apply uniformly across the park summits to encourage enjoyment by a broader public and local residents consistent with the LCP and coastal act goals that encourage visitors visiting uses within the coastal zone.

1679
02:33:31,960 --> 02:33:33,940
Thank you. Thanks for your presentation.

1680
02:33:33,940 --> 02:33:37,660
Any questions for staff on the presentation?

1681
02:33:38,460 --> 02:33:39,100
Correct, Commissioner?

1682
02:33:40,640 --> 02:33:50,300
Since the triggers are what will primarily drive some of the improvements, what's the

1683
02:33:50,300 --> 02:33:58,180
anticipated timeline that is foreseeable in terms of how this would unfold over time relative

1684
02:33:58,180 --> 02:34:05,660
to the entire park being accessible available and unified as a park space.

1685
02:34:08,250 --> 02:34:13,530
Because of the unique nature of this park, it is a public park but it's maintained by

1686
02:34:13,530 --> 02:34:19,450
the developments that front that park. The trigger is when we have these major entitlements

1687
02:34:19,890 --> 02:34:24,810
to have greater compliance with the design guidelines. However, obviously we're not starting

1688
02:34:24,810 --> 02:34:29,890
from scratch here. We have existing conditions, we have existing development so it really is

1689
02:34:29,890 --> 02:34:35,950
a gradual process. The guidelines help us get closer to the vision you see in front

1690
02:34:35,950 --> 02:34:39,950
of you, but it's not something that would happen on one field swoop or overnight, but

1691
02:34:39,950 --> 02:34:44,390
rather over a lengthy period of time as redevelopment happens in this area.

1692
02:34:45,270 --> 02:34:48,250
Thank you, started to allude to it in your presentation. How long have you been working

1693
02:34:48,250 --> 02:34:52,810
on these guidelines since 2019?

1694
02:34:53,510 --> 02:34:57,930
2019, and correct me if I'm wrong. I think because we've had the benefit of that work, there's

1695
02:34:57,930 --> 02:34:59,970
considerable amount of development that's

1696
02:35:00,000 --> 02:35:29,640
This happened on Ocean Boulevard along there and I'm assuming that you guys have encouraged those developers even though these haven't necessarily been adopted at that point that these were the guidelines that they should be following. Yeah, this has been a working document and the existing guidelines are so out of date that we can't implement them. They're all about turf and all about water and all about fertilizer, which is not really the most sustainable approach to landscaping. So, you know, part of it's going to occur over many, many years but I think, you know,

1697
02:35:29,640 --> 02:35:33,440
And we're now out of the drought, it will be in a drought again at some point in the future.

1698
02:35:33,680 --> 02:35:39,460
So I do expect that those properties that have just big turf areas that they're going

1699
02:35:39,460 --> 02:35:45,140
to voluntarily be into the city to make changes and make upgrades, and this planning document

1700
02:35:45,140 --> 02:35:51,040
will allow us to make sure that that is cohesive and that it all flows together and more accurately

1701
02:35:51,040 --> 02:35:54,560
depicts what it is that it's a public park where everyone's welcome.

1702
02:35:54,560 --> 02:36:01,860
And with that in mind, I know some of the segments that were in the design guidelines.

1703
02:36:02,780 --> 02:36:09,020
They have, I don't know the terminology, but the driveways that come forward or through

1704
02:36:10,330 --> 02:36:19,860
are there plans to proactively move or minimize those because that's the major impediment to

1705
02:36:19,860 --> 02:36:26,480
unification because up until this presentation was moved forward and I lived

1706
02:36:26,480 --> 02:36:33,760
here my old life I never realized that was part of the city so at least I just

1707
02:36:33,760 --> 02:36:38,320
thought I was a driveway for for each of those and certainly most folks will

1708
02:36:38,320 --> 02:36:45,140
not feel welcome to you know loiter there or hang out there or take a nap

1709
02:36:45,140 --> 02:36:48,460
there because it would be considered or they would proceed it to be private

1710
02:36:48,460 --> 02:36:54,720
property. In terms of the community discussions, what conversations have taken

1711
02:36:54,720 --> 02:37:00,860
place around that because specifically that's a use that I'm sure will create a

1712
02:37:00,860 --> 02:37:06,700
lot of havoc for the tenants and or owners in those buildings but they've

1713
02:37:06,700 --> 02:37:12,600
gotten probably used to it if not if not entitled to it in their mind so I mean

1714
02:37:12,600 --> 02:37:16,920
what is going to be our approach to that because I don't see that changing

1715
02:37:16,920 --> 02:37:20,260
any time soon unless we move it along in some way.

1716
02:37:20,980 --> 02:37:24,100
Yeah, so I don't see us coming out and ripping out driveways.

1717
02:37:24,420 --> 02:37:25,680
I just don't see that happening.

1718
02:37:26,580 --> 02:37:30,240
So that's why it's not just beautiful landscaping and

1719
02:37:30,240 --> 02:37:33,700
street furniture. It is also signage making it more clear that

1720
02:37:34,340 --> 02:37:38,980
their public parks. But Alejandro is reminding me there are also

1721
02:37:38,980 --> 02:37:41,760
specific rules. No new driveways or curb cuts

1722
02:37:41,760 --> 02:37:45,680
that don't already exist. And many of the buildings that are there

1723
02:37:45,680 --> 02:37:54,300
will be there for a long time or forever, but we do have office buildings that will be

1724
02:37:54,300 --> 02:37:58,700
coming down at some point in the future, so I do think that there's some opportunities

1725
02:37:59,480 --> 02:38:06,460
in the medium term to change the way that these properties are accessed and access them

1726
02:38:06,460 --> 02:38:15,180
from the rear so that whether it's Santa Cruz Park or Victory Park that it maintains a better

1727
02:38:15,680 --> 02:38:17,720
Park Landscape then maybe it has today

1728
02:38:18,980 --> 02:38:23,420
Also our guidelines do speak to other

1729
02:38:23,920 --> 02:38:28,040
Hard services that we could use that are permeable that are more sustainable

1730
02:38:28,600 --> 02:38:31,960
That can be walked on and drive them so

1731
02:38:33,300 --> 02:38:40,080
You know considering all the conditions existing condition that we had we took extra thought and to

1732
02:38:40,860 --> 02:38:43,280
Implementing those options within our guidelines

1733
02:38:43,280 --> 02:38:55,780
Has there been a vastness here, but has there been discussions around putting a time certain

1734
02:38:55,780 --> 02:39:08,800
on some of these that could be considered long-term within ten years, there needs to be

1735
02:39:08,800 --> 02:39:14,080
action in terms of redesigning or reclaiming, not suggesting I'm in a domain because we

1736
02:39:14,080 --> 02:39:22,360
already own it. But it's in terms of them to start making plans around finding alternative

1737
02:39:22,360 --> 02:39:27,360
entry points, for example, on the driveways. Again, I'm trying to be sensitive here, but

1738
02:39:27,360 --> 02:39:34,320
I also realize that there's a lot of work involved in this, and this could conceal the 75 years

1739
02:39:34,320 --> 02:39:39,660
from now and still nothing's moved and nothing's changed because as a property owner if I'm

1740
02:39:39,660 --> 02:39:45,920
not forced to do it I'm not going to I'm not going to touch a thing to not trigger anything so

1741
02:39:46,560 --> 02:39:53,080
I'm looking at this kind of from a practical perspective not to put staff on on a defensive here

1742
02:39:53,080 --> 02:39:58,980
or again I just want to be sensitive to the practicality of those two terms again reclaiming the land

1743
02:40:00,000 --> 02:40:29,360
So once we give someone a driveway, it's really hard to take it away, but that's not to say we don't have tools. So there is no magic 10 year, 12 year, you know, deadline, but we're doing the PD six update right now. So Alejandro and his team are doing that. And that's going to provide the economic incentives for some of these properties to change or expand or redevelop. So that's one piece. And then whether they remove the driveway or not, I think there are going to be some strong

1744
02:40:29,360 --> 02:40:32,020
economic incentives and

1745
02:40:32,020 --> 02:40:44,480
distance incentives that are going to drive the landscape changes, because they think they cost of water and the regulatory ability to maintain large areas of turf is going to change.

1746
02:40:44,840 --> 02:40:59,240
There was a change in the legislature this year that affects us as a city, doesn't affect residential land owners this year but may in future years sort of prohibiting you from watering turf that is

1747
02:40:59,240 --> 02:41:07,940
So, we're thinking about legal mechanisms to get there, but there's not a magic timeline.

1748
02:41:10,180 --> 02:41:11,280
One more follow-up on that.

1749
02:41:11,560 --> 02:41:17,500
In terms of, to your point, the economic factors and economic incentives are disincentives.

1750
02:41:17,840 --> 02:41:27,760
Is there also the possibility of charging for that access or that use as it relates to the driveways?

1751
02:41:27,760 --> 02:41:36,500
are again to encourage or discourage that that motivation of retaining existing land again I'm I'm

1752
02:41:36,500 --> 02:41:43,500
trying to we can play through the property lawyer up there is going to tell you you know once we

1753
02:41:43,500 --> 02:41:53,080
grant people access and we sit on our hands for not just years but decades we may as a city not

1754
02:41:53,080 --> 02:41:57,380
necessarily have the right to then come and ask for a fee.

1755
02:41:57,900 --> 02:42:04,860
It's very easy to do that on a brand new arrangement, but there's there's certain latches and

1756
02:42:04,860 --> 02:42:06,200
a stopper concerns.

1757
02:42:06,660 --> 02:42:11,820
Did I understand Crippy, though, in the presentation that this ocean bull of art access, that the trade

1758
02:42:11,820 --> 02:42:16,360
off and allowing that with property owners was that the property owners are then responsible

1759
02:42:16,360 --> 02:42:20,540
for the maintenance of these parks, right, the city is not paying to maintain them.

1760
02:42:20,540 --> 02:42:27,580
So I think that was the historical context of how these drive approaches and things went through that public parkway.

1761
02:42:30,180 --> 02:42:33,220
And it will take a long time to unwind that for sure, Commissioner Clemson.

1762
02:42:34,060 --> 02:42:34,520
Thank you.

1763
02:42:34,940 --> 02:42:45,180
So just to beyond new construction, are there other triggers that would require them to update the landscaping?

1764
02:42:47,880 --> 02:42:48,140
Yes.

1765
02:42:48,140 --> 02:43:09,240
So there's new construction, there's made-on settlements which don't necessarily require new construction, major interior, there's our major exterior renovations, park renovations, demolition, and any introduction of additional units, so even if it's an existing building, but they're adding units or square footage, all those will be triggers as well.

1766
02:43:09,240 --> 02:43:16,320
So that's part of why we are incentivizing and ensuring that we don't have to wait decades.

1767
02:43:16,580 --> 02:43:21,940
It starts to see change happen between these thresholds kind of being broader than just brand new

1768
02:43:21,940 --> 02:43:29,300
construction and the PD6 update, which will hopefully take less than decades, post-commissioned

1769
02:43:29,300 --> 02:43:29,420
willing.

1770
02:43:29,960 --> 02:43:35,060
We'll start to see a lot of changes within the next few years for the better, both with

1771
02:43:35,060 --> 02:43:38,720
the aesthetic and the design and sustainability of the park, and then more generally within

1772
02:43:38,720 --> 02:43:41,200
in Ocean Boulevard in the shoreline area more broadly.

1773
02:43:42,160 --> 02:43:49,600
So we have one of the large apartment complexes on Ocean Boulevard is in to us for I think

1774
02:43:49,600 --> 02:43:53,820
like 13 additional units, they're converting some storage spaces and different spaces in

1775
02:43:53,820 --> 02:43:54,340
the complex.

1776
02:43:54,840 --> 02:43:58,420
So they're not building a new building, they're not tearing the building down, but that

1777
02:43:58,420 --> 02:44:04,640
is our opportunity to work with them to correct some deficiencies in their landscaping

1778
02:44:04,640 --> 02:44:08,460
and some artificial turf that doesn't drain properly

1779
02:44:08,460 --> 02:44:12,080
and some problematic things that are happening at that property.

1780
02:44:12,340 --> 02:44:16,940
So we do hope to take them on one by one whenever we have

1781
02:44:16,940 --> 02:44:18,560
the opportunity to do so.

1782
02:44:19,620 --> 02:44:22,220
Okay, so these, because I was imagining, you know,

1783
02:44:22,440 --> 02:44:24,560
adding another floor and my vest aren't going to happen, right?

1784
02:44:25,000 --> 02:44:26,860
But you're talking about converting different spaces.

1785
02:44:27,680 --> 02:44:31,500
And even something as low as 13 units on a 500 units,

1786
02:44:31,500 --> 02:44:33,580
1,000 units would trigger this?

1787
02:44:34,480 --> 02:44:40,380
Yep, okay, and then to be more specific looking at the projects that kind of have happened

1788
02:44:40,380 --> 02:44:47,000
to them past like five years, the breakers hotel conversion, would that qualify?

1789
02:44:47,880 --> 02:44:51,680
Yeah, so we went through a whole process with breakers to make sure that their driveway

1790
02:44:51,680 --> 02:44:53,940
wasn't getting bigger and to look at their landscaping.

1791
02:44:54,820 --> 02:44:59,740
It's just now winding up construction, but that was approved quite a while ago, so the guidelines

1792
02:44:59,740 --> 02:44:59,980
Thanks for watching.

1793
02:45:00,000 --> 02:45:16,900
I'm going to go into the point for a long. And, you know, even older ocean air doesn't perfectly fit these guidelines, but is sort of in line with the spirit of these guidelines, and we were they are working towards, you know, what would be a better fit, what would be a more public fit and a more sustainable fit.

1794
02:45:16,900 --> 02:45:20,140
but I'm just trying to get a sense of what kinds of projects,

1795
02:45:20,580 --> 02:45:22,500
those conversion projects would also qualify.

1796
02:45:22,960 --> 02:45:23,440
Okay, thank you.

1797
02:45:24,780 --> 02:45:25,700
Mr. Templin.

1798
02:45:26,680 --> 02:45:27,380
Thank you.

1799
02:45:29,040 --> 02:45:31,600
Clarification, I hope that means like for driveways

1800
02:45:31,600 --> 02:45:35,620
they're gonna become permeable concrete, okay, good.

1801
02:45:35,900 --> 02:45:38,560
And we're gonna bring you to meetings with the fire department.

1802
02:45:38,960 --> 02:45:46,820
Where we can, where we can, and when you mention the artificial

1803
02:45:49,190 --> 02:45:53,650
There's just one of my little bug news because I was involved with some of the schools

1804
02:45:53,650 --> 02:46:00,010
trying to get it out because of all the chemical exposure to rivers on it.

1805
02:46:00,750 --> 02:46:03,550
And is that going to be taken away, hopefully?

1806
02:46:04,670 --> 02:46:06,790
We're not big fans of artificial turf.

1807
02:46:06,790 --> 02:46:13,710
It turns out to not be great for water quality and it's also, you know, has other issues.

1808
02:46:13,710 --> 02:46:18,110
in the right context, in the right place with the right drainage, it can be okay.

1809
02:46:19,250 --> 02:46:26,070
So, we don't have like a ban, but that isn't really what's contemplated for the most part here,

1810
02:46:26,210 --> 02:46:32,230
what we're looking at is live plant material and permeable surfaces, so that's really the goal.

1811
02:46:32,410 --> 02:46:38,650
There's always going to be locations somewhere here in the city, and you can do really nice artificial turf.

1812
02:46:38,650 --> 02:46:41,710
that it is not always what people choose,

1813
02:46:41,910 --> 02:46:44,730
but there's different levels of quality

1814
02:46:44,730 --> 02:46:45,730
with artificial turf.

1815
02:46:45,730 --> 02:46:49,170
You know, they all poison you, especially children

1816
02:46:49,170 --> 02:46:52,430
and animals, because they're right down on it.

1817
02:46:53,050 --> 02:46:57,450
But that's just something to think about, please.

1818
02:46:57,830 --> 02:47:00,190
Yeah, within the guidelines in section 2 pointing,

1819
02:47:00,690 --> 02:47:06,330
we do mention what can, you know, like turf grass

1820
02:47:06,330 --> 02:47:12,670
be replaced with and it does not include the artificial turf. However there's no

1821
02:47:12,670 --> 02:47:19,190
like language that specifically says we discourage and however we are we can

1822
02:47:19,190 --> 02:47:26,070
add that in certain sections of this guidelines so that you know you know

1823
02:47:26,070 --> 02:47:29,810
the landscape designers and architects know that it is discouraged to use this

1824
02:47:29,810 --> 02:47:34,550
type of material and within a park it should be live landscaping it's just

1825
02:47:34,550 --> 02:47:39,130
better for the environment and for the natural ecosystem along that stretch.

1826
02:47:39,650 --> 02:47:44,530
I think your guidelines do guide you in that direction if you're looking at

1827
02:47:44,530 --> 02:47:48,150
like a large turf area in front of a building. I think the guidelines don't

1828
02:47:48,150 --> 02:47:52,610
encourage you to replace that with artificial grass like for like but you may

1829
02:47:52,610 --> 02:47:56,510
want to consider spelling that out a little clearer for homeowners associations

1830
02:47:56,510 --> 02:48:00,010
and stuff that are looking at that and don't pick up the subtleties of the

1831
02:48:00,010 --> 02:48:02,970
direction that you're pushing them. Commissioner Castillo?

1832
02:48:02,970 --> 02:48:10,390
Yeah, and then one other kind of follow up in regards to just the visibility and I think

1833
02:48:10,390 --> 02:48:15,150
awareness to the general public and the community that this is actual park space.

1834
02:48:15,230 --> 02:48:22,590
Are there things that we will do either as a city or within the department to publicize

1835
02:48:22,590 --> 02:48:23,110
that more?

1836
02:48:23,250 --> 02:48:28,950
And what I mean by that is everything from, for example, the GIS mapping, Google mapping,

1837
02:48:28,950 --> 02:48:32,110
and all of those things where it's designated as park space

1838
02:48:32,110 --> 02:48:35,370
so that there's at least visibility, signage,

1839
02:48:35,590 --> 02:48:37,930
things that nature just so that, I think,

1840
02:48:38,130 --> 02:48:42,530
we start recognizing it and awareness,

1841
02:48:42,750 --> 02:48:44,610
because I think even earlier,

1842
02:48:44,610 --> 02:48:49,230
we were having discussions around the parklets

1843
02:48:49,230 --> 02:48:52,690
and the entitlement mentality that may happen

1844
02:48:52,690 --> 02:48:56,990
or sometimes is inferred once we give access to that space.

1845
02:48:56,990 --> 02:49:03,910
But I think making sure that there's signage of people feeling comfortable and people not

1846
02:49:03,910 --> 02:49:11,630
being discouraged from being there because an owner or condo or whatever have me be misguided

1847
02:49:11,630 --> 02:49:15,130
and say, hey, get off our lawn, the approval will get off our lawn scenario.

1848
02:49:15,870 --> 02:49:20,090
If there's more that we can do it in terms of that advocacy, that would be wonderful because

1849
02:49:20,590 --> 02:49:26,110
again, I'm thinking this through in terms of moving it forward, not on a one-year basis but

1850
02:49:26,110 --> 02:49:34,870
really just to make sure people do feel comfortable to stay there and park there and picnic there or whatever.

1851
02:49:35,250 --> 02:49:38,850
Within our guidelines we do put a huge emphasis on signage.

1852
02:49:39,750 --> 02:49:49,510
We even go as far to kind of guide the exact language that will go on that signage to say that this is a public park.

1853
02:49:49,690 --> 02:49:52,310
This was established this year, things like that.

1854
02:49:53,370 --> 02:49:58,630
We also took a look at how many segments there are and how many

1855
02:50:00,530 --> 02:50:27,510
How many monument signs should go up? Like, the idea is not to have like a monument sign on every segment, but we give different options for signage, like floor plaques, things like that. So, the landscape designer or architect will have the option. But on every every segment of Victory Park or Santa Cruz Park, it will be. There's signage saying that this is a public park, so everyone will know.

1856
02:50:28,810 --> 02:50:35,410
And I think adding to that, I don't know if you can really put this into a design guidelines,

1857
02:50:35,670 --> 02:50:42,170
but figuring out a way to design it so it looks like it's inviting beyond just putting a sign,

1858
02:50:42,390 --> 02:50:45,710
people don't read signs, and I'm thinking I'm looking at this,

1859
02:50:46,810 --> 02:50:53,370
the place downtown here with the big black art piece that has the faces on it.

1860
02:50:53,370 --> 02:50:56,930
I've walked by that a bunch of times and it does not feel like a place you should be.

1861
02:50:57,830 --> 02:51:11,590
Like, it's clearly private property and, you know, it has the frontage, it has the width, it has the green space, but it's designed to keep people away from it, just from a feeling standpoint.

1862
02:51:12,150 --> 02:51:22,990
And I hope that there's something that we can do to formalize making it more of a inviting public space rather than even just having a sign and

1863
02:51:22,990 --> 02:51:28,310
say hey you can come in here if you want right in addition to signage we do

1864
02:51:28,310 --> 02:51:33,990
within our park programming section we have different strategies on how to make

1865
02:51:33,990 --> 02:51:38,850
it more inviting and how to make it aesthetically look like that this is a park

1866
02:51:38,850 --> 02:51:45,030
one of those things is you know creating movement within the park by like

1867
02:51:45,030 --> 02:51:50,250
putting in walkways from the sidewalk into the park and out so that's one of the

1868
02:51:50,250 --> 02:51:52,690
strategies that we looked at for the design guidelines.

1869
02:51:53,230 --> 02:51:57,350
We also limit fencing within the guidelines themselves as well to really only be used to

1870
02:51:57,350 --> 02:51:57,810
screen utility.

1871
02:51:58,270 --> 02:52:05,170
So, holistically, there's a lot of components within different guidelines that provide that

1872
02:52:05,170 --> 02:52:10,450
kind of openness that you're alluding to and that Alex just provided an example of.

1873
02:52:10,830 --> 02:52:14,270
But generally, that was a lot of the guiding principles behind us to make it clear to the folks

1874
02:52:14,270 --> 02:52:19,310
both through signage, overtly stating so, and through the design components that now have

1875
02:52:19,310 --> 02:52:24,190
to be followed, that this is a public walkway of public area that, going back to the driveway

1876
02:52:24,910 --> 02:52:29,790
conversation, they have to be shared paths as are updated, so we might not be able to

1877
02:52:29,790 --> 02:52:33,470
necessarily to give rid of any that are existing unless there's a wholesale redevelopment.

1878
02:52:33,910 --> 02:52:38,290
But if they're going to remain, that they become more accessible to folks and not just cars,

1879
02:52:38,870 --> 02:52:43,450
and that every design component works seamlessly to kind of provide that open experience for

1880
02:52:43,450 --> 02:52:43,810
everybody.

1881
02:52:45,430 --> 02:52:47,110
Sorry, I'm just going to add one more thing.

1882
02:52:47,110 --> 02:52:51,870
It has been a many-year process, but early in the process, we did a review of best practices

1883
02:52:51,870 --> 02:52:56,330
looking at other linear parks, not only in the U.S. but across the world to see kind

1884
02:52:56,330 --> 02:53:01,390
of what works, what makes it feel more inviting, what design treatments, and then we designed

1885
02:53:01,390 --> 02:53:03,470
some of our engagement strategies that way.

1886
02:53:03,690 --> 02:53:09,070
So the 2019 event was a walk through different parts of the park to go with community looking

1887
02:53:09,070 --> 02:53:13,290
at what feels more inviting, what doesn't, why, how does that work, and how can we build

1888
02:53:13,290 --> 02:53:18,410
upon best practices so that was helpful in the process and then in our last workshop it was

1889
02:53:18,410 --> 02:53:22,070
actually a pop-up in the park the idea was have a picnic in the park actually activated in the

1890
02:53:22,070 --> 02:53:26,790
process as part of our work to do the outreach on the guidelines. Thank you. I just wanted to add

1891
02:53:26,790 --> 02:53:31,770
and why I think it's important because that park I'm looking at of Google Street View right here

1892
02:53:32,670 --> 02:53:36,990
it has all the elements that we're talking about it has you know benches and walkways and public

1893
02:53:36,990 --> 02:53:44,750
art, but it just builds in a way that keeps you out of it. But I have faith that you

1894
02:53:44,750 --> 02:53:46,870
folks will be able to figure that out. Thank you.

1895
02:53:49,400 --> 02:53:50,080
Commissioner Templin.

1896
02:53:51,420 --> 02:53:58,340
If I may ask to, one of those components would be park benches. A lot of people like to walk,

1897
02:53:58,520 --> 02:54:03,400
but they get to a certain age and they want to be able to sit down and enjoy it for a while before they get up

1898
02:54:03,400 --> 02:54:09,520
walk a little bit more maybe to another bench, but that park benches let you know you're

1899
02:54:09,520 --> 02:54:15,700
welcome and it makes a big difference. I found that out in Central Park in New York

1900
02:54:15,700 --> 02:54:21,080
that the designer thing and those are the kind of things that have been taken away and

1901
02:54:21,080 --> 02:54:28,420
I think they need to be brought back. Please. Yes, park benches is a requirement within

1902
02:54:28,420 --> 02:54:31,680
in these guidelines, also other park amenities

1903
02:54:31,680 --> 02:54:33,660
that will make a park feel like a park,

1904
02:54:34,700 --> 02:54:37,840
drinking fountains, tables, etc.

1905
02:54:39,500 --> 02:54:42,580
And actually the old design guidelines require a bench as well,

1906
02:54:42,680 --> 02:54:44,460
but when you go out there, you'll see some of the benches

1907
02:54:44,460 --> 02:54:46,220
don't have a walkway leading to them.

1908
02:54:46,440 --> 02:54:48,460
So when it's fully grass up to the bench,

1909
02:54:48,460 --> 02:54:50,780
you might not always feel invited to do it.

1910
02:54:50,780 --> 02:54:53,500
So that goes back to Alex's point about the walkway piece as well.

1911
02:54:55,890 --> 02:54:56,190
Thank you.

1912
02:54:56,190 --> 02:54:59,570
Just one observation as I was looking through this and

1913
02:55:00,050 --> 02:55:29,950
And I was curious because I, again, I, I rely on Google maps and, and Apple maps for almost everything. But everything east of Heart Street, which is just immediately to the east of the, of the terrorist theater, is on being reflected as a park space. But everything west of that included, from heart all the way to the shoreline. But everything else over is looks like private land. So if we could throw that onto the to do list as well, just again,

1914
02:55:29,950 --> 02:55:32,710
from the spirit of visibility and the awareness.

1915
02:55:33,390 --> 02:55:35,630
Yeah, we'll share that with some of our departmental partners.

1916
02:55:35,630 --> 02:55:38,910
I know parks and public works do interact with Google maps

1917
02:55:38,910 --> 02:55:39,950
around some of those issues.

1918
02:55:43,100 --> 02:55:46,460
All right, any other comments or questions or concerns?

1919
02:55:48,080 --> 02:55:50,080
Now, we have a first and a second then.

1920
02:55:50,320 --> 02:55:51,180
If we get up the vote, please.

1921
02:55:52,040 --> 02:55:53,280
Oh, I'm sorry, public comment.

1922
02:55:53,340 --> 02:55:54,040
Thank you, sir.

1923
02:55:54,360 --> 02:55:54,780
Come on out.

1924
02:55:57,590 --> 02:55:58,530
They rolled me.

1925
02:55:58,570 --> 02:55:59,430
They tricked me up here.

1926
02:56:05,170 --> 02:56:05,990
Just one second.

1927
02:56:06,730 --> 02:56:14,230
park from here and thank you. Hello my name is Russ McCurdy I live at West

1928
02:56:14,230 --> 02:56:20,170
Ocean just across the street and in 2009 when I decided to move to Long Beach

1929
02:56:20,170 --> 02:56:25,530
one of the things that really drew me here were all the parks all different

1930
02:56:25,530 --> 02:56:32,930
sizes huge parks small parks medium parks okay now there is a lot of variety along

1931
02:56:32,930 --> 02:56:39,970
Ocean Boulevard for the parks, right? Now I'm going to say respond to some of your comments

1932
02:56:39,970 --> 02:56:46,530
about parks. I think West Ocean has a good one. We have four benches and there's no barriers

1933
02:56:46,530 --> 02:56:55,470
between the sidewalk and going on the grass, but in the new guidelines, because we have more than

1934
02:56:55,470 --> 02:57:10,330
30 feet of depth, 30 feet or more, we would have to build a new walkway, you know, it doesn't say how big that walkway is, but if it's like six feet, then you're losing 20% of your lawn.

1935
02:57:11,150 --> 02:57:20,230
And you'd have to build some walkways along the side, and because on one side, we have an elevated street, no seaside goes down.

1936
02:57:20,230 --> 02:57:26,610
So along the park you'd have to have a walkway here and on the other side the other building has you know how we

1937
02:57:27,170 --> 02:57:32,050
We don't have a uniform. You know, we're not a development, right? You know, we have some buildings here

1938
02:57:32,050 --> 02:57:38,190
So you'd have to have another walkway over here and so you'd lose 30% of your grass and

1939
02:57:39,270 --> 02:57:43,930
Two huge trees. I don't know the coastal commission is gonna allow you to do the trees

1940
02:57:43,930 --> 02:57:48,910
But my concern is that when I look at the architectural guidelines

1941
02:57:49,830 --> 02:57:57,870
that were put out, that they're very modern looking and there's lots of concrete, lots

1942
02:57:57,870 --> 02:57:58,630
of hard skate.

1943
02:57:59,510 --> 02:58:04,830
One I think of a park, I think of trees and bushes and flowers, oh, we have some of

1944
02:58:04,830 --> 02:58:06,090
those two, but mostly in the spring.

1945
02:58:07,210 --> 02:58:16,990
And so, you know, please, let's not get, you know, too hard skate focused and say, oh, we've

1946
02:58:16,990 --> 02:58:22,770
to have a walkway to the bench. Well, no. If you go to El Dorado Park, and you want

1947
02:58:22,770 --> 02:58:26,490
to go to the, you're going to walk on the grass. I mean, that's part of going to the park,

1948
02:58:26,490 --> 02:58:33,770
right? So, you know, I would like to, you know, get a little bit less emphasis on the concrete

1949
02:58:34,290 --> 02:58:39,610
and more emphasis on the plants. Now, yes, there ought to be places for people to play. Now,

1950
02:58:40,030 --> 02:58:45,990
I have seen people that don't live in my building sit on the benches. I've actually seen people

1951
02:58:45,990 --> 02:58:50,210
that obviously don't live in my building laying on the grass and that's okay

1952
02:58:50,210 --> 02:58:54,730
so people do use it right so I don't know that adding more sidewalks is going to

1953
02:58:54,730 --> 02:59:00,750
encourage more use I really don't now I will say that I went to an orca meeting

1954
02:59:00,750 --> 02:59:05,690
that talked about this I went to the pop-up meeting in the park I provided some

1955
02:59:05,690 --> 02:59:11,630
comments I even sent in email comments with my thoughts this was a few years ago

1956
02:59:11,630 --> 02:59:17,310
now. But I never received any acknowledgement that I had made any comments at all. So when

1957
02:59:17,310 --> 02:59:24,890
I see this thing about, you did public comments, but you didn't listen. Okay, so, and I haven't

1958
02:59:24,890 --> 02:59:32,530
seen any changes in the document that reflect any of my comments. Thank you for listening.

1959
02:59:34,110 --> 02:59:39,650
Thank you for your comments, sir. Appreciate it. Any other public comments in the audience?

1960
02:59:41,630 --> 02:59:43,030
We have any virtual callers.

1961
02:59:43,650 --> 02:59:45,030
If you're joining us virtually

1962
02:59:45,030 --> 02:59:46,950
and you'd like to make public comment on this item,

1963
02:59:47,250 --> 02:59:49,370
please use the raise hand function at this time.

1964
02:59:50,090 --> 02:59:52,430
The first person with their hand up is Anne Cantrell

1965
02:59:52,430 --> 02:59:53,910
and you have been unmuted.

1966
02:59:54,070 --> 02:59:55,670
You have three minutes to provide public comment.

1967
02:59:59,500 --> 02:59:59,900
Good evening.

1968
03:00:00,000 --> 03:00:25,480
Good evening again, and can trail, and I agree with the previous speaker. I went to the original meeting at Billy King Library in 2019 and made comments then. I have not heard from anyone about this sense. In fact, I just happened to see that it was on your agenda tonight.

1969
03:00:27,540 --> 03:00:41,020
The 1980 guidelines required signage, they required benches in every section, they required

1970
03:00:41,020 --> 03:00:50,560
drinking fountains, and Dave Denovan, I don't even know whether he's still alive, but

1971
03:00:50,560 --> 03:00:55,640
He fought for Victory Park and Santa Cruz Park for years.

1972
03:00:56,320 --> 03:00:58,320
That's how I found out about it.

1973
03:00:58,580 --> 03:01:01,420
I'm a Long Beach native and I didn't know

1974
03:01:01,420 --> 03:01:06,500
that all that land along Ocean Boulevard

1975
03:01:06,500 --> 03:01:09,620
along to the city was public land

1976
03:01:10,480 --> 03:01:13,820
because it looks like the front yard of every building there.

1977
03:01:15,720 --> 03:01:19,020
I do not think that putting a lot of concrete in

1978
03:01:19,020 --> 03:01:29,520
is going to make it inviting drought tolerant plants although I have

1979
03:01:29,520 --> 03:01:36,060
succulents in my parkway but they are not something that are inviting or

1980
03:01:36,060 --> 03:01:51,220
like a park. I agree trees, grass, I know it requires water but as one of the former parks

1981
03:01:51,220 --> 03:02:01,060
and wreck directors said, parks are about the only place left where kids can play and see

1982
03:02:01,060 --> 03:02:10,200
green grass. So many residents have turned their front yards into drought tolerant places and

1983
03:02:10,200 --> 03:02:25,160
we need green plants in our lives to even if it takes some water. And so I'm not happy with what

1984
03:02:25,160 --> 03:02:31,080
What I'm hearing is in this revised guidelines.

1985
03:02:32,200 --> 03:02:40,180
I don't think it's going to get what you are thinking it's going to.

1986
03:02:40,360 --> 03:02:47,780
It's not going to be an inviting place for kids to come and just people to come and sit

1987
03:02:47,780 --> 03:02:57,400
Sit in the grass or sit on a bench and under the shade of a tree and enjoy a parkland.

1988
03:02:59,340 --> 03:03:00,180
Thank you for listening.

1989
03:03:01,120 --> 03:03:02,320
Thank you, Ms. Cantrell.

1990
03:03:03,400 --> 03:03:03,760
Next speaker.

1991
03:03:04,600 --> 03:03:06,300
Our next speaker is Kurt.

1992
03:03:06,640 --> 03:03:07,740
Kurt, you have been unmuted.

1993
03:03:07,920 --> 03:03:09,480
You have three minutes to provide public comment.

1994
03:03:10,760 --> 03:03:12,060
Thank you for unmuting me.

1995
03:03:13,820 --> 03:03:17,980
I guess I wanted to say that I really like the design plans.

1996
03:03:17,980 --> 03:03:26,900
I can tell that there's been a lot of work that's gone into it, and I would like to support

1997
03:03:27,260 --> 03:03:36,920
the idea of leaning less into turf lawns and grass, I grew up in a place that had grass

1998
03:03:36,920 --> 03:03:44,720
that I could play in, but I have allergies, so I hated grass, and I played soccer, and I had

1999
03:03:44,720 --> 03:03:46,080
to roll around it all the time.

2000
03:03:46,300 --> 03:03:56,140
Not a great one, but anyway, I think shade is a big components to what I think this

2001
03:03:56,140 --> 03:03:57,340
space could really use.

2002
03:03:57,680 --> 03:04:03,940
I was happy to see that a couple of the trees that were called out looked like good trees,

2003
03:04:04,200 --> 03:04:08,800
not just palm trees, which don't really provide shade and aren't really drought tolerant.

2004
03:04:11,120 --> 03:04:18,440
I guess the other thing that I really like is the raised crossings for pedestrians that

2005
03:04:18,440 --> 03:04:25,680
are in the design guidelines that really made me happy because it calms traffic and it

2006
03:04:25,680 --> 03:04:30,160
lets pedestrians know that there's supposed to be there, which I think is a really important

2007
03:04:30,160 --> 03:04:35,980
thing that is missing from the current park, which is that people just, it is not an inviting

2008
03:04:35,980 --> 03:04:40,640
space. It's somebody else's front yard. This is what it feels like. Yeah, how many people have said

2009
03:04:40,640 --> 03:04:47,220
tonight, they didn't know that that was public property. So I think that the new design rules are

2010
03:04:47,220 --> 03:04:52,940
great and I think that if this park actually gets built out to its vision, it would be a great amenity

2011
03:04:52,940 --> 03:04:58,420
for Long Beach, especially being that it's got a real big place of prominence right next to City Hall

2012
03:04:58,420 --> 03:04:59,960
and our current...

2013
03:05:02,340 --> 03:05:28,540
The other thing is I do agree with some of the other commenters about how inviting the park is, however, that has most to do with Ocean Boulevard. And I'm going to get into that place, but I do agree that there are elements that will make this park uninviting. It's just not the grass. It's the road. All right. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Next speaker, please.

2014
03:05:29,680 --> 03:05:33,640
Once again, if you're joining virtually and you'd like to provide public comment on this item,

2015
03:05:34,040 --> 03:05:35,900
please use raise hand function at this time.

2016
03:05:41,620 --> 03:05:43,760
There appears to be no further public comment on this item.

2017
03:05:44,260 --> 03:05:49,340
Thank you with that. I'll close public comment. I would encourage everyone. It sounds there's some

2018
03:05:49,340 --> 03:05:53,420
people that are hearing comments and responding. I would encourage people to actually read through

2019
03:05:53,420 --> 03:05:58,860
and take a look at the design plans, the design guidelines as they've been presented.

2020
03:06:00,260 --> 03:06:03,860
maybe staff could help me a little bit. One of the concerns that somebody had was that

2021
03:06:03,860 --> 03:06:09,380
this plan was very prescriptive. I'm assuming that these design guidelines would be treated

2022
03:06:09,380 --> 03:06:13,440
the way they are for all projects, that they would be somewhat site specific. We'd be

2023
03:06:13,440 --> 03:06:18,500
looking at the building and the lot size and the orientation and we'd be working conjunction

2024
03:06:18,500 --> 03:06:25,940
with them. These are guidelines to point us in a certain direction, but would not be so prescriptive

2025
03:06:25,940 --> 03:06:29,080
that would force somebody to concrete over their entire print yard.

2026
03:06:29,820 --> 03:06:33,660
Right. That's correct, Chair. So, these are guidelines. They're different.

2027
03:06:34,000 --> 03:06:39,020
And, you know, a zoning standard that a building shall be X feet high or, you know,

2028
03:06:39,140 --> 03:06:45,840
shall be Y percentage glass. They are guidelines. We do try to move them forward, but

2029
03:06:45,840 --> 03:06:53,280
we look at intent, not just the individual prescriptive standards and just for the commission,

2030
03:06:53,280 --> 03:07:03,500
question, it may be different than what you see today, but what is prescribed even in

2031
03:07:03,500 --> 03:07:09,520
the prescriptive guidelines is not to cement over any portion of the park or to make it entirely

2032
03:07:09,520 --> 03:07:14,280
hard-scape. And if people are confused about what happened to their comments, there is an

2033
03:07:14,280 --> 03:07:19,660
appendix in the document itself that goes over all the different comments, we received,

2034
03:07:19,660 --> 03:07:22,780
to we did try to be responsive to all of them.

2035
03:07:23,380 --> 03:07:25,160
Sometimes in the course of public outreach,

2036
03:07:25,420 --> 03:07:27,580
you might have two given commenters

2037
03:07:27,580 --> 03:07:30,580
that tell you diametrically opposite things.

2038
03:07:30,920 --> 03:07:34,880
So you try to be responsive to everything you hear

2039
03:07:34,880 --> 03:07:36,500
within the realm of possibility.

2040
03:07:36,960 --> 03:07:39,840
And that's the work that Alex did here

2041
03:07:39,840 --> 03:07:41,800
and we're very proud of the outcome.

2042
03:07:42,860 --> 03:07:44,640
Thank you. Thanks for clarifying that

2043
03:07:44,640 --> 03:07:45,240
and for the comments.

2044
03:07:45,440 --> 03:07:46,760
I also think too that it's nice

2045
03:07:46,760 --> 03:07:48,820
that there's so many images that are in this one.

2046
03:07:48,820 --> 03:07:54,460
And I think it's, people hear low or drought tolerant landscaping and they get a certain

2047
03:07:54,460 --> 03:07:55,200
image in their head.

2048
03:07:55,400 --> 03:07:59,880
And I think of Lincoln Park, which is just recently done, that has a lot of best practices

2049
03:07:59,880 --> 03:08:05,500
and it is a very welcoming space that incorporates the right type of plant pallets.

2050
03:08:05,780 --> 03:08:10,500
So I think looking at the actual design guidelines that are put forward, I think people should

2051
03:08:10,500 --> 03:08:11,440
be encouraged by that.

2052
03:08:12,280 --> 03:08:13,860
Commissioners, any other questions or comments?

2053
03:08:16,380 --> 03:08:17,060
I always want to comment.

2054
03:08:17,060 --> 03:08:23,040
I really love Lincoln Park and I bring my three-year-old down there as much as we can so if that's what we're looking at

2055
03:08:23,040 --> 03:08:24,380
I think we got a good vision

2056
03:08:26,370 --> 03:08:30,170
All right with that I think we are ready for a vote

2057
03:08:42,890 --> 03:08:44,710
Ocean case. Thank you

2058
03:08:44,710 --> 03:08:47,710
At this point I'd like to open up the podium to

2059
03:08:48,210 --> 03:08:51,890
Any members of the public that would like to address the commission on non-agentized items

2060
03:08:55,800 --> 03:08:58,420
Seeing none in the audience do we have any virtual callers?

2061
03:08:59,180 --> 03:09:03,380
If you're joining us virtually and you'd like to make public comment on non-agentized items

2062
03:09:03,380 --> 03:09:05,640
please use the raise hand function at this time.

2063
03:09:10,660 --> 03:09:12,400
There appears to be no further public comment.

2064
03:09:12,820 --> 03:09:13,800
Thank you.

2065
03:09:14,700 --> 03:09:16,420
I was just going to make a comment to Alexis.

2066
03:09:16,640 --> 03:09:17,680
She's snuck out really quickly.

2067
03:09:18,240 --> 03:09:20,420
She's definitely getting her money's worth out of tonight's meeting.

2068
03:09:20,560 --> 03:09:22,960
Did you guys get every project she's ever touched on tonight?

2069
03:09:24,160 --> 03:09:25,060
Getting them all finished.

2070
03:09:27,460 --> 03:09:28,440
Commissioner's any comments?

2071
03:09:29,720 --> 03:09:30,760
Go ahead, Commissioner Templin.

2072
03:09:31,940 --> 03:09:39,900
Just one comment I did get my email on the mayor's survey, and it was pretty short I guess.

2073
03:09:42,490 --> 03:09:46,670
So I don't know why, but demographics, yes.

2074
03:09:46,970 --> 03:09:47,050
Yeah.

2075
03:09:47,950 --> 03:09:50,990
Yeah, so we've got those and hopefully gotten those turned in.

2076
03:09:51,230 --> 03:09:54,170
It's optional, but we appreciate you filling out the survey.

2077
03:09:55,310 --> 03:09:59,170
We had at least one commissioner had a negative reaction to the survey.

2078
03:09:59,170 --> 03:09:59,970
but...

2079
03:10:00,000 --> 03:10:29,320
The survey has nothing to do with kicking anyone off a commission or punishing or rewarding anyone for their demographics. Brand new commissioners, we ask a number of demographic questions of as we onboard them. Some of you that have been with us a longer, more distinguished tenure. We don't necessarily have that information on you. And instead of singling people out, we're asking all the commissioners across all the commissions in the city.

2080
03:10:29,980 --> 03:10:42,920
of different boards and commissions to some basic information so that we have statistics about how we're doing in the aggregate of reflecting the diversity of our city across our different boards and commissions.

2081
03:10:43,360 --> 03:10:49,160
So hopefully no one took offense to it because it's actually really helpful information for us to have here at the city.

2082
03:10:52,380 --> 03:10:59,460
All right. Well, I'd like to thank staff and the meeting tonight and for the public for your patience and participation this evening and I will adjourn the meeting.