Egrets Not Regrets

A new year! A new SEADIP?

2012-01-31T14:36:00.000-08:00

Much to my delight, there is an item on the February 7 City Council agenda which pertains to a comprehensive SEADIP update. As indicated in the City-provided memo, “The SEADIP update should proceed immediately, according to an aggressive timeline that ensures maximum input from community and environmental groups, landowners and the general public. Also input from the California Coastal Commission should be sought throughout the process.”

This is good news.

Updating SEADIP is so very, very important. We need to be taking a big picture look at potential solutions to the traffic problems through the area. By alleviating some of the traffic impacts, we can plan for parcel redevelopment that fosters sensible growth and doesn’t just exacerbate an already bad traffic situation. Further, we can plan to develop the area in a way that compliments, not compromises, eventual wetlands restoration.

These are all good things, right? I think so, anyway.

I also think this is a prime opportunity for landowners and environmentalists to work together and see this through to completion…..much like how SEADIP was created some 30-odd years ago. It was a stakeholder driven process then and it should be a stakeholder driven process now.

In this vein and in the effort of full disclosure, I will share that I was aware that this exercise was “in the works,” as I was contacted by Lyon Communities subsequent to City Council rejection of the Second + PCH Project late last year. We had ongoing, and productive, discussions about the importance of moving forward with a comprehensive master plan for the area, and the general steps that should be taken to get this accomplished. I shared with them my concerns of a subverted public process at the expense of a hurried product, at the same time being acutely aware that this needs to be done expediently.

As with everything, the devil will be in the details….details we will see once this process begins. And begin it must. That’s why I’m very supportive of initiating this exercise. Beginning the SEADIP revision process is vital.

If you agree with me that updating SEADIP is a crucial exercise that must commence immediately, please attend the February 7 City Council meeting and voice your support for Agenda Item 16. Links to the agenda item and location details follow:

The memo accompanying the agenda item can be found here. The City Council meeting will be held in Council chambers (333 W. Ocean, Long Beach), beginning at 5 p.m.

Can't make it to the meeting but want to offer support anyway? Email or call your Councilmember!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T08:42:00.000-08:00

I've had more than a few people ask me why I haven't blogged about the Council's majority decision to deny the Second + PCH Project. In short, I "unplugged." I'll post some thoughts soon.

In the meantime, happy holidays.

Second + PCH Hearing Scheduled - December 20

2011-12-07T07:46:00.000-08:00

Thanks to LBReport.com for publishing the Second + PCH Project hearing notice, which you can see here.

The hearing is scheduled for December 20 at 5 p.m. over at City Hall (333 W. Ocean Blvd.). The staff report is expected to be available around December 12.

As most people are either out of town, are entertaining visiting family or are otherwise consumed with holiday preparation and festivities, my exceedingly strong opinion is that holding this very, very important hearing just days away from Christmas is an action indicative of an agency unconcerned with trying to effectively incorporate public participation into the decision making process. How very dismaying.

The PERFECT Holiday Gift

2011-11-30T13:26:00.000-08:00

Don't know what to get that special someone for the holidays?

How about making a donation to the Egrets Not Regrets Scholarship Fund? As you can read about here, I established the scholarship to provide financial assistance to undergraduate students pursuing environmental studies at the California State University Long Beach who have also demonstrated a willingness to give back to their community. The award would help fund a student's senior year of study.

Not only is your gift fully tax deductible, the donation process couldn't be easier! You can donate directly through the University by clicking here, or you can write a check accordingly:

Payable to: CSULB Foundation
Under check memo: Acct #09516800 - ES&P Scholarship

Mail to: CSULB Foundation
6300 State University Drive, Suite #332
Long Beach, CA 90815
Attention: Gift Processing

Boondoggle Explained

2011-11-13T06:09:00.000-08:00

As posted previously, the Second + PCH Project will be up for approval at the November 17 Planning Commission meeting. City staff is recommending approval of the Site Plan Review, Tentative Tract Map, Standards Variance, and Local Coastal Development Permit.

There’s a whole lot wrong with this.

First, as stated in Exhibit D, page 5 of the recently released Planning Commission staff report, “pursuant to [City code], the City shall not approve a Coastal Development Permit unless positive findings are made consistent with the criteria set forth in the Local Coastal Development Permit regulations." Got it. Criteria number 1 of these regulations states, "the proposed development conforms with the certified Local Coastal Program (LCP)..." Okay. So to be consistent with City code, the City must be able to say that, yes, the Project is consistent with the certified LCP. Got it. However, the City's response to this (Exhibit D, page 6, paragraph 3) is, "...the proposed development conforms to the recommended LCP text amendment."

The City seems to think that “certified LCP” and “recommended LCP text amendment” are equal and interchangeable terms. They are not; they are two separate concepts. The City makes (non legally binding) recommendations to the Coastal Commission, and it is the responsibility of the latter to change, or “certify,” the amendments to the LCP. Unless and until the Coastal Commission certifies the proposed LCP amendment revisions, the currently certified LCP is still in play. In this case, the currently certified LCP restricts building height to 35 feet and prohibits residential. The Project is not consistent with the certified LCP, and the City shouldn’t be making a positive finding that it is. Yet that is exactly what they are fixin to do. Not good.

Further, since the City can't change the zoning (rather, they make non binding recommendations as to how the zoning should be changed), what they will have practically done is approve a Project that is inconsistent with the current zoning, and then not then change the zoning to address this inconsistency. That isn't good either.

If, following approval by the City Council, someone sues to challenge the adequacy of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), these issues can be folded, quite effectively, into the litigation. Defending the adequacy of the EIR will be challenging enough without adding all of this nonsense into mix.

Secondly, page 4-5 of the City's October 12 Planning Commission staff report states, “the Coastal Commission will not approve a Coastal Development Permit for any project that conflicts with existing LCP standards. Only after the Coastal Commission approves the LCP amendment will it consider any Coastal Development Permit approval requests for a project that is consistent with the amended standards….. the applicant requests for [approvals] would therefore be postponed until after the LCP/SEADIP amendment process has been completed.” YES, that’s exactly right! The previous City staff report hit the nail on the head: delay project approvals until the LCP amendment process is finished as the Coastal Commission cannot approve the requested permit until after the amendment process concludes.

However, though the LCP amendment process is FAR from complete, the City is now recommending immediate approval of the Coastal Development Permit, with City Council approval tentatively scheduled for December 20. Huh? How did the City go from knowing the proper process a month ago to doing a complete 180 and totally losing the plot a short time later? The City doesn't provide a rationale as to why they have entirely flip flopped their position. This is especially concerning since this new-found path does nothing more than put approval of the Coastal Development Permit in serious jeopardy at the Coastal Commission.

None of this makes much sense. There are some serious, substantial issues here that need to get dealt with, and it would seem as though the City's desired approach in recommending immediate approval is to "kick the can down the road." Why? Why approve a permit if it won't get upheld by the subsequent decision making body? And why set the legal wheels in motion giving anyone who sues such powerful ammunition? Why? The November 17 Planning Commission hearing should be delayed until there is some resolution to the fairly substantial problems present with approving the project in this fashion.

Boondoggle Scheduled....and Merry Christmas!

2011-11-12T06:56:00.000-08:00

The Second + PCH Project is going for approval of their entitlement package at next Thursday's November 17th Planning Commission meeting (5 p.m. at City Hall). You can download the staff report (recommending approval of the project), by clicking here.

I, of course, have some serious concerns (and strong thoughts) related to this, and I'll have more on that later. I'm still in the process of digesting the staff report.

However, they did make mention that should the Planning Commission approve the Project, the City Council is tentatively scheduled to hear the matter at the December 20th meeting. That's right....5 days before Christmas they are planning to decide on this Project. How very public participation inducing!

In any event, stay tuned!

Environmental Trifecta!

2011-11-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

If you have any sort of environmental curiosity and are fixin for something to do, Thursday, November 10 leaves you with many options.

In no particular order (except for the fact that yours truly is speaking at the BSRA meeting, therefore I think that's the hippest place to be, unless you are a heckler, then see options 2 and 3 below):

Both sides of the Second + PCH development will be speaking at the Belmont Shore Residents Association (BSRA) meeting at 6 p.m. at the Bayshore Library (195 Bayshore Ave.). Panelists are developer, David Malmuth, and local activist/Shore resident, Heather Altman (that's me!).
The first public meeting (of six) to discuss the conceptual restoration plan of the Los Cerritos Wetlands will be held at the Seal Beach Senior Center (707 Electric Ave.) from 6:30 - 8:00. Representatives from the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority, Moffit & Nichol, and their subcontractors will be on hand to discuss the process moving forward and to get public feedback. For more information see www.lcwetlands.org.
Mike Evans, founder of the Tree of Life Nursery and native plant guru, will be speaking at the Groundwater Treatment Plant (2950 Redondo....corner of Redondo and Spring) beginning at 6:30. Evans' presentation to discuss the benefits of native plants is sponsored by Greater Long Beach and the Long Beach Water Department. For more information see www.greaterlongbeach.com.

Where to go, where to go?!?

Go Native!

2011-10-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, November 10 at 6:30pm in the auditorium of the City's Groundwater Treatment Plant, Mike Evans will be extolling the benefits of replacing your front lawn with native vegetation. Read more about it on Greater Long Beach.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel Appears to be a Train...

2011-10-09T05:24:00.000-07:00

As first reported by LBReport, the Second + PCH staff report is available. You can download the staff report and associated exhibits by clicking here.

Quite frankly, this is just a hot mess. Now, to be sure, I have some wickedly strong thoughts on the matter, but my opinions aren’t nearly as relevant as the contents of this staff report, and the implications of a “yes vote” by the Planning Commission, and subsequently by the City Council.

Where does one begin when there is just so much wrong? I guess I’ll start with the bait and switch.

Though the amendment appears to be specific to Subarea 17 of SEADIP, page 2 of the staff report states that, “development on this project site should reflect the following considerations:

1) The need to redevelop and upgrade the project site

2) Compatibility with surrounding properties

3) Adoption of land use and development standards that would be appropriate for other nearby sites.”

I’m sorry, come again? The City wants development on this site to reflect “…land use and development standards that would be appropriate for other nearby sites?” And, no, that's not a typo, because City staff reiterated this position on page 3 of the staff report, "these amendments would also set standards that could be applicable to other nearby properties for future improvement proposals."

So though the City and the applicant have spent YEARS telling the public that the requested land use and design standards wouldn’t have any “spill over” effects on adjacent parcels, 6 days before the Project is scheduled to be approved by the Planning Commission, the City states that their ultimate intent is to adopt standards which would be appropriate elsewhere. Got it. Rhetorical question for 3^rd District Councilman Gary DeLong, the development team and others: still think this Project won’t set a precedent for the area?

Secondly, the City established a “bifurcated” approval process which was not assumed in the Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report (RDEIR). By that, City staff is recommending approval of the LCP/SEADIP amendment now, with subsequent certification by the California Coastal Commission (CCC). Only after the CCC certifies the LCP/SEADIP amendment can the requested Site Plan Review, Tentative Subdivision Map, Standards Variance and Local Coastal Development Permit approvals transpire. ~~In the meantime, the developer twists in the wind for as long as it takes for the CCC to sort through this quagmire~~. These approvals are continued to a date uncertain.

Certification of an LCP amendment is an arduous, time-consuming exercise that involves a lot of “back and forth” between the requesting City and the CCC. It is not a quick and dirty process, well, dirty maybe, but certainly not quick. And, of course, ultimately the Second + PCH Project would need to conform to whatever provisions are present in the newly certified LCP. For example, once the LCP is certified, the contents of the Project site plan will need to be revised to be consistent with the provisions of that new LCP. As the City stated, they can’t issue an entitlement package for a project that is inconsistent with a certified LCP, so if the applicant doesn’t revise their application package, a consistency issue exists as the site plan, etc. that are currently in play, just won’t work. These revisions take time; time the developers don’t have given the confines of the timeline established in the RDEIR.

The RDEIR assumed that the Project would break ground in early 2013, construction would conclude in 30 months and the Project doors would open in late 2015. This hardly seems to be a viable timeline given all of the very, very, very time-consuming steps ahead. And if it’s not viable, any analysis which relied on 2015 as the Project opening year must be redone (i.e. traffic impact assessment, etc), and “stepped out” to whenever the Project is likely to break ground, which in this case appears to be rather uncertain, especially given that City staff doesn’t even know when the entitlement package will be ready for approval.

So as it stands now, the City is stating that they don’t know when the Project will ultimately be approved but it is going to break ground in 2013. Is it going to pull a Hitchcock and break ground without permits? I don’t think so.

It would seem that as the City is recommending certification of the FEIR, therein stating with certainty that the EIR is adequate and the assumed timelines/analysis are accurate, they surely know when the entitlement package will be approved - it has to happen before early 2013. However, if the City can’t state when the entitlements will be approved, then they can’t state with certainty that the EIR and its conclusions are accurate. Right?

Because what happens in the very likely scenario that the applicant doesn't have permits "in hand" in time for the Project to break ground in early 2013 (the primary assumption in the presumably certified FEIR)? What happens if the applicant seeks approval of their entitlement package in, say, summer 2013? What environmental analysis document would be relied upon? The one in which the timelines and analysis would be stale and incomplete? Good luck with that.

Should the applicant not have their entitlement package "in hand" consistent with the timeframes assumed in the (presumably) certified FEIR, prior to approval of the requested entitlement package, a Supplemental EIR should be produced and circulated for public review and comment. The Planning Commission should add this as a stipulation of approval.

And does anyone think that the CCC is going to get all warm and fuzzy when it sees the City’s recommendation to allow building heights to 150 feet when the area currently prohibits buildings above 35 feet? A slam dunk, it is not. And ~~when~~ if the CCC has any changes to the City's recommended amendment, the CCC-revised matter goes back for review/approval to the Long Beach Planning Commission and City Council. Then back to the CCC for a vote. Round and round and round we go.

Further, the City has made no secret of the fact that they’d like for these standards to be applied elsewhere throughout SEADIP (see pages 2 and 3 of the staff report), so it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the CCC opted to look at this comprehensively, given that master planning is the bedrock of the CCC planning process (thank you, California Coastal Commission).

And what if the CCC asks the City how they engaged the public on the issue of an LCP amendment? The City’s only justifiable response would be that it let the public know the specifics of the requested amendment 6 days before it was up for a vote. That should play well. I’m sure it will go even better when the City tells the short staffed CCC that they need the LCP revision fast tracked, given that the City has a currently non-conforming project waiting in the wings and that Project is assumed to be breaking ground in early 2013.

Oh tangled web.

But let’s assume the City’s LCP amendment recommendation holds as it is written (I don’t for a second believe it will, but humor me). Has anyone bothered to think about what the Project site would look like and if it is even feasible to build in this manner?

They are allowing for a 150 foot building, though that is only permitted on 30% of the building footprint, and that is only allowable if the average building height, spread out over the whole parcel, doesn’t exceed 55 feet. How short do the other buildings have to be to accommodate this, presumably, thin little spire of a tower? And we mustn’t forget that the site needs to maintain 30% open space, and parking structures and the like can’t be used when calculating the average building height. What would a project designed to these specifications look like? No one knows, at least not publicly.

Since the details of this amendment are coming out in the 11^th hour, all the public can do is wonder. This is exactly why the amendment language should have been in the RDEIR, and made available for public scrutiny and comment! That it wasn’t simply flies in the face of CEQA.

And then there’s CEQA.

One of the quirky little things about CEQA is that it establishes times lines. For example, certification of the Final EIR (ultimately by the City Council) starts a clock. Aggrieved parties have a certain number of days to file a lawsuit, or the statute of limitations expires. Say someone sues. The applicant and landowner would be identified as a Real Party in Interest in the litigation. So Mr. Malmuth and the Lins would be defending (and funding) a lawsuit for a project that they don’t even have entitlements to build. Ouch. Unless, of course, they didn't sign an indemnity agreement, in which case the Long Beach taxpayers are on the hook for this debacle.

And make no mistake, the EIR isn’t exactly adequate. But that is a post for another day.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, the staff report is internally inconsistent with respect to the City staff's recommended building height: page 4 reflects that staff is recommending building heights not to exceed 120 feet, yet the amendment (Exhibit E, page 5) states that the recommended building heights are not to exceed 150 feet. For purposes of the above post, I assumed that the amendment language was correct.

Second + PCH Final EIR Recommends Approval of Alternative 4

2011-10-04T06:20:00.000-07:00

Page RTC-7 of the Second + PCH Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) states that, "City staff are recommending approval of Alternative 4 (Reduced Intensity Alternative B), which would limit onsite building height to 6 stories."

Project components of this alternative are as follows (RDEIR p.V-4):

215 Residential Units (a 33% reduction)
125,000 s.f. Commercial/Retail (a 35% reduction)
100 room hotel (same as proposed action)
4,368 s.f. hotel restaurant (same as proposed action)
20,000 s.f. restaurant (1,092 s.f. less than proposed action)
4,175 s.f. science center (same as proposed action)
3,510 s.f. meeting space (same as proposed action)
no theater (the proposed action included a 99-seat theater)
219,134 s.f. open space (same as proposed action, Note: this number is inflated as it includes "open space" that should not be counted under SEADIP)
82 feet maximum height* (a 68 ft. reduction from proposed action)

The asterisk (*) after the height bullet point above was provided because, in the FEIR (p. RTC-34), City Staff included the following information regarding their recommended building height (clicking on the image will open it in a larger window):

It should be noted that Planning Staff has not released the Planning Commission staff report. This information is expected to be available on Friday, October 7. The Second + PCH Project will be heard by the Planning Commission on Wednesday, October 12 in Council Chambers.

Second + PCH at Planning Commission Wednesday, October 12 + FIER Available

2011-09-29T14:04:00.000-07:00

[Updated to reflect that the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) is now available]

The City has just distributed a notice stating that the proposed Second + PCH Project will be heard before the Planning Commission on Wednesday, October 12 at 5 p.m. down at City Hall.

To establish "aggrieved" status (leading to a right to appeal), you must present oral or written testimony at this hearing; otherwise, you may not appeal this project.

The FEIR is available for download here.

Second + PCH Before Planning Commission, October 6?

2011-09-15T16:41:00.000-07:00

LBReport breaks that, at today's 3rd district council meeting, Councilmember Gary DeLong informed the audience that the Second + PCH Project is expected to be heard at the Thursday, October 6 Planning Commission meeting.

The Project's Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) has not been posted on the City's website.

Executive Director Announces Retirement

2011-08-11T06:52:00.000-07:00

Peter Douglas, the California Coastal Commission’s longest-serving Executive Director, opened yesterday's CCC meeting with an announcement that he will be taking a medical leave of absence, effective immediately, and that he will be retiring from his position in November 2011. An official announcement has been posted on the CCC's website and can be found here.

Charles Lester, Senior Deputy Director of the CCC's North Central Coast District Office, will serve as acting Executive Director until a successor has been chosen.

Celebrate!

2011-08-05T07:17:00.000-07:00

The public is invited to join the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority (LCWA) and its partners on Wednesday, August 10 at 11:00 am. to celebrate the protection of 100 acres at the Los Cerritos Wetlands by the recent acquisition of the former Hellman Ranch property. See flyer below for more details (clicking on the image will open it up in a larger window).

Second + PCH + Planning Commission + Nonsense

2011-07-12T12:40:00.000-07:00

Kudos to Bill Pearl at LBReport for getting to the murky bottom of the whole will-there-or-won't-there be a Planning Commission hearing regarding the Second + PCH Project on August 18.

You can read his editorial here and the City's response here.

Though the City has stated that the hearing date is not yet set, the development team website and facebook page still trumpet the manufactured hearing date, insisting that attendance on the 18th is vital.

Acoustic Tidal Artwalk

2011-07-11T13:10:00.000-07:00

Friends of Colorado Lagoon (FOCL) is proud to present the 3rd annual Acoustic Tidal Artwalk to be held on Saturday, July 16 from noon to 10 p.m. Created and directed by Some Things Creative, this free event will be a special evening celebrating art, music, nature, education and the Long Beach community.

Situated on the sand of the Colorado Lagoon in Long Beach, this natural venue offers visitors a unique experience. The public is invited to take off their shoes, dig their feet in the sand and stroll along the tide line, while viewing beautiful displays of visual art and listening to the melodies of local bands and musicians.

Music will kick off promptly at 5 p.m. with tunes from The Clouds, Squarefish, Slushbox, Doze guyz, Program Love and John Kray.

Featured artists include Timothy Dunham, Rick Frausto, Shane Bowman, Amy Tanaka, and Keith Vogt.

While relaxing in the grassy area, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in the Viento Tea Room sponsored by Viento Y Agua Coffeehouse.

Check it out!

Restore Hetch Hetchy Valley Fundraiser

2011-07-07T06:09:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, July 9 from 1 - 8 p.m. there will be a fundraiser to restore Hetch Hetchy Valley. The fundraiser will be held at the Sunset Beach Community Center (13th Street & North Pacific, Sunset Beach, 90742).

The event will feature an afternoon filled with music, friends, food and fun....all for a great cause! Live music will be performed by The Shake Down, The Road Kill Kings, Jim Quealy, Ghost Shirt Empire and more!

For more information click here.

Unable to attend, but want to donate anyway? You can do so by clicking here.

Second + PCH Before Planning Commission?

2011-07-01T19:19:00.000-07:00

Displaying just how very well connected they are, the Second + PCH development team has scooped everyone - the media, the City, etc - and announced via an email today that the Second + PCH project will apparently be before the Planning Commission on August 18.

Though the Final EIR will need to have been finalized prior to the Planning Commission meeting, the email from the Second + PCH development team to their email database didn't mention when that would be publicly available.

I'm in the process of trying to cobble together information about this and will post it as it becomes (publicly) available.

Green Drinks

2011-06-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

No, it's not St. Patrick's Day....it's Long Beach's enviros congregating for some good drinks and good cheer this Wednesday, June 15, from 6 - 8 p.m. at District Wine on Broadway and Linden. So mosey on over.

ENR Scholarship Fund

2011-05-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

So the Cal State system is likely going to raise college tuition. AGAIN! This really irks me. It also reminds me why I started the Egrets Not Regrets Scholarship Fund - a tuition award for CSULB Environmental Science and Policy students.

You can read more about the ENR Scholarship Fund here.

Please consider making a donation. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority Meeting This Week

2011-05-08T09:00:00.001-07:00

At the December 9, 2010 meeting of the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority (LCWA), the governing board unanimously voted to award AECOM a contract to conduct a jurisdictional wetlands delineation of the Marketplace Marsh parcel. This approximately 33 acre parcel, located at the southeast corner of Second St and Shopkeeper Road in Long Beach, was "swapped" to the City of Long Beach from private ownership in exchange for approximately 11 acres of a then-City owned Public Service Yard.

AECOM has finished the work and prepared a Jurisdictional Delineation Report (JDR), and at the upcoming May 11 LCWA meeting (details below), the voting board will be taking action to accept the JDR and its findings.

So just how much of that 33 acre Marketplace Marsh parcel is delineated as wetlands? Though you can download the whole LCWA board report here (pages 31-34 of the 74 page report), I'll just jump straight to the punch line: 21.80 acres of potential jurisdictional waters (wetlands) of the U.S. and State have been formally delineated at the Marketplace Marsh.

This information will be used to help the LCWA in identifying funds to acquire the Marketplace Marsh from the City of Long Beach. The JDR will also help with the development of the conceptual restoration plan.

And speaking of the conceptual restoration plan….at the aforementioned December 9 LCWA meeting, the LCWA board also voted to authorize the hiring of a consultant or consultant team to develop a Site Restoration and Recreational Improvements Conceptual Plan for 200 acres of the Los Cerritos Wetlands Complex.

In February 2011, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued and three firms – Moffat & Nichol, AECOM and Psomas – bid to conduct the work. Of the three proposals, Moffat & Nichol was ranked as having the strongest proposal, with AECOM second and Psomas, third.

At the upcoming LCWA meeting, the board will vote to execute a contract with Moffat & Nichol to conduct the work. Congrats and good luck to Moffat & Nichol!

Details of the LCWA meeting follow:

Wednesday, May 11 @ 3:15
Long Beach Yacht Club, 6201 Appian Way

Egrets Not Regrets Is Two!

2011-05-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

Egrets Not Regrets is officially two years old today! Happy birthday to us!

Small Fire on the Wetlands

2011-05-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

Small fire out on the Los Cerritos Wetlands this morning. LBReport did a good job breaking this.

A Cool Gift Idea

2011-04-27T17:18:00.000-07:00

Looking for a super nifty mother's day gift? Check out Gifted Vine! Free shipping on any 2 bottles or more....offer good through May 8.

Second + PCH Recirculated Draft EIR Comment Letter

2011-04-25T14:06:00.001-07:00

The comment period for the Second + PCH Project Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report (RDEIR) is now closed. Following is the letter I submitted earlier today.

Round and round and round we go.....

Second + PCH Comment Letter Recirculated Draft EIR

Naples Improvement Association Meeting - April 20

2011-04-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, April 20, the Naples Improvement Association will be hosting a community meeting wherein the topic will be the proposed Second + PCH Project.

Third District Councilmember Gary DeLong will be hosting a panel of representatives speaking for and against the Project. Questions will be taken from Naples residents in attendance. Yours truly is on the panel.

Details follow:

WHEN: Wednesday, April 20 @ 7 p.m.
WHERE: Naples Elementary School

If you arrive early, you are encouraged to stop by the Naples School Library. The school's book fair is having late hours that day from 5:30-7:00.

Blight Makes Right....

2011-04-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

Amusing article over on Greater Long Beach entitled, "Blight Makes Right: How-Low-Can-You-Go, Tips for Getting What You Want."

This article is in response to a comment thread which originated here (also on GreaterLongBeach.com).

Check em out!

Second+PCH Study Session - April 7

2011-04-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

The Long Beach Planning Commission will be conducting a study session regarding the Second+PCH development Project this Thursday, April 7. The meeting will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall (333 W. Ocean Blvd).

The meeting starts at 5 p.m. and the study session is the last item on the agenda.

The public will have an opportunity to provide comment. The planning commissioners will not be voting on the matter.

Podcast Available!

2011-03-29T06:09:00.000-07:00

While on my way home from Councilman Gary DeLong's Third District monthly meeting last week, I got a call from Greater Long Beach publisher, Dave Wielenga, asking if I'd do a radio bit with him for KBeach (CSULB's radio program) later that evening. Though I have never "done radio" nor did I have really any time to prepare, I figured I'd give it a whirl.

We were to discuss the Second + PCH Project, as was also the topic at Councilman DeLong's meeting.

A podcast of the interview, dubbed on the fly as "a very special feature named special feature," is available here:

http://kbeach.podbean.com/2011/03/24/special-feature-2nd-and-pch-development-project-with-guest-commentator-dave-wielenga/

Check it out!

Second + PCH at 3rd District Council Meeting Today

2011-03-24T06:48:00.000-07:00

The Second + PCH development team will be making a presentation at Councilman Gary DeLong's 3rd District Meeting today. Given limited seating at the event and an abundance of interest, the meeting will also be webcast via WebcastLongBeach.com, so those unable to attend can watch online. LBReport.com will also be carrying the live feed (LBReport discloses that they have no ties of any kind to the development).

The meeting starts at 11:45.

Commenting on the Second+PCH EIR

2011-03-11T08:25:00.000-08:00

The comment period for the revised Second + PCH Project Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) started yesterday, March 10. All comments on the document must be received no later than April 25, 2011. You can download the document here.

Comments can be sent either via email or snail mail, as follows:

Craig Chalfant
Development Services Department
City of Long Beach
333 W. Ocean Blvd., 5th Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802

or

craig.chalfant@longbeach.gov

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

Comments received on the April 2010 Draft EIR will NOT be responded to in production fo the Final EIR. The currently circulating DEIR states, "...the [original] comments were considered and addressed through revisions to the [currently circulating] EIR where appropriate."

So, should you wish to comment, you should try and do the following:

Go back to your first comments and see if they were adequately addressed in this new DEIR. If they were not, you need to provide the comment again, and also request an explanation as to why the comment was not addressed.
Review the currently circulating DEIR on its merits (i.e. is the information contained therein adequate).
If you see information that was in the first EIR that just isn't in the second DEIR, comment on that too, asking for explanation as to why it was removed.

Whereas I recommend conducting a comparative analysis between the first DEIR and the second DEIR, the City doesn't make this a very easy task. Effective yesterday, the City has removed the first DEIR from the "environmental reports" download area. However, I have electronic copies of the fist DEIR. Should anyone want a copy, since the City isn't making it easily available, I will. You can email me at egretsnotregrets@gmail.com and I will burn it to cd and mail it to you.

Sidenote: writing a strong comment letter will not win you an iPad. Sorry.

Second + PCH EIR Released for 45-Day Public Comment

2011-03-10T14:51:00.000-08:00

The long awaited revised Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR 2011) for the Second+PCH Project hit the streets today, beginning the 45-day comment period. You can download the DEIR 2011 here.

They have apparently decided not to post the Appendices online and if you want to see them, you've got to traipse down to City Hall. Given that there was a huge inconsistency between the text and appendices in the initial EIR, and that the appendices contain infinitely more detail as to the analysis, this decision is a bit illogical. Further, since the text of the DEIR 2011 references specific pages/figures in the appendices, not having the appendices electronically available really makes commenting difficult.

Second + PCH Presenting at 3rd District Monthly Meeting

2011-03-07T09:12:00.000-08:00

The Second + PCH development team will be making a presentation at the upcoming 3rd District Neighborhood Association Meeting. Details follow:

When: Thursday, March 24 @ 11:45 a.m.
Where: McKennas on the Bay (190 N. Marina Drive) **Note location change**

If you wish to attend, please RSVP to Julie Maleki (Julie.Maleki@longbeach.gov or 562.570.8756).

I would think that there will be a lot of people attending this meeting, so I would recommend arriving early to procure a seat.

The revised Environmental Impact Report (EIR) should be released sometime this week, and will be available for a 45-day comment period.

Offer to CSULB Students

2011-03-01T07:28:00.000-08:00

In an effort to help "make the Second + PCH Project happen," the Second + PCH development team is now ~~bribing~~ marketing to CSULB students:

As explained by the publisher of LBPost, Shaun Lumachi, on the Project's facebook page, "Students at CSULB have the chance to help us make second+pch happen. All they have to do is join this [facebook] page and comment on the project. And, as a thank you for your interest, we'll be giving away 5 brand-spanking-new iPad 2's! (Subject to rules and regulations. Limit one per person. iPad 2 not yet available)."

I wonder if all commenters will be considered, or just the ones who comment positively?

Loynes, LLC vs. California Coastal Commission

2011-02-11T10:17:00.001-08:00

Apparently Sean Hitchcock wasn't particularly pleased with the permit conditions the California Coastal Commission imposed and he has decided to take legal action. That's right, he's suing the Coastal Commission.

From the introduction of the Petition for Writ of Mandate:

This lawsuit seeks a writ of mandate directing Respondent California Coastal Commission to vacate Special Condition Number 1, and its subparts of Coastal Development Permit No. A-5-LOB-10-015 that requires Petitioners and Plaintiffs Loynes, LLC and Sean Hitchcock to, among other things, construct an impermeable cap and seasonal pools on Petitioners' property.
In imposing the condition, the Coastal Comission failed to proceed in the manner required by law. The condition lacks any nexus or rough proportionality with the impacts of the project authorized by the CDP and, therefore, results in a taking of Petitioners' property without compensation in violation of the Constitution of the United States and the State of California. Furthermore the Coastal Commission's decision to impose the Condition was arbitrary and capricious and was not supported by substantial evidence in the record.

Based on my quick review of the most recent Coastal Commission agenda, it seems as though this matter was discussed in closed session on Wednesday.

The petition for writ of mandate is below:
Loynes v CCC Petition for Writ of Mandate

The Gifted Vine Wine Company

2011-02-02T12:50:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's no secret that I think local graphic artist, Stephanie Mallon, is equally creative and talented....she is the one who came up with this very clever blog name and penned the fantastic egret sketches I continually use to adorn this blog! So clearly she's got skills.

Well. Stephanie has a new venture: The Gifted Vine Wine Company!

Steph has partnered with Harbinger Wine (super yummy, ultra-premium, hand-crafted Washington state wines). Harbinger creates the wine and she creates the labels.

And the cool thing about it is, the labels are you-specific! Want to wish someone a happy birthday? There's a label for that! Valentines Day? Happy Holidays? Thank you? Labels! Labels! Labels! She does custom orders too - just ask.

Anyway, check it out...it's worth a peek: www.giftedvine.com

Plastic Bag Ban Town Meeting

2011-01-25T16:39:00.000-08:00

Fifth district councilwoman, Gerrie Schipske, is hosting a Plastic Bag Ban Town Meeting on Saturday, January 29 at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Long Beach Water Treatment Plant (2950 Redondo Ave., near Spring St. and Redondo Ave.).

Panelists are: the American Chemists Council, Heal the Bay, Surfrider Foundation, Sierra Club and California Grocers. They will be discussing the effects plastic bags have on the environment, issues and concerns with the prohibition of plastic bags, and options for Long Beach.

For more information, contact the Office of Councilwoman Schipske at 562.570.6932, or district@longbeach.gov

Bicycle Master Plan Workshop, January 22

2011-01-19T12:04:00.000-08:00

Ten years ago, Long Beach created the first bicycle Master Plan. It has been updated and the City would like your opinion!

The City will be holding community workshops with at least one in each council district. Plus, on Saturdays, they are sponsoring neighborhood bike rides with Charles Gandy, Long Beach's Mobility Coordinator, and fun bike rodeos for the entire family (note: I have no idea what a bike rodeo is).

The first Bicycle Master Plan Community Workshop & Bike Ride will be this Saturday, January 22 at Lowell Elementary (5201 E. Broadway).

The bike ride departs from Lowell and runs from 11:30-1:00 p.m. The Community Workshop runs from 1:00-2:30 p.m.

You are welcome to do just the bike ride or the workshop or both!

For questions, call: 562.570.6667 or email: bikelongbeach@longbeach.gov

Hellman Acquisition Closed....and a Community Meeting to Learn About It!

2011-01-05T06:39:00.001-08:00

After years of trying and many false starts along the way, the 100 acre Hellman Ranch property is now publicly owned by the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority! Hurray!

This parcel is a key piece of the Los Cerritos Wetlands complex. It is located north of Gum Grove Park, west of Heron Pointe and east of the San Gabriel River.

Folks interested in this key acquisition are encouraged to attend a Neighborhood Meeting (details follow):

When: Thursday, January 13 from 7:00 - 8:30 P.M.
Where: Senior Center at the Mary Wilson Library (707 Electric Avenue, Seal Beach)

For further information, contact:
Mark Persico, AICP, Director of Development Services
562.431.2527 x1313, or, mpersico@ci.seal-beach.ca.us

LBReport.com

2010-12-18T14:41:00.000-08:00

LBReport.com is on hiatus. The site's publisher has always been very supportive of Egrets Not Regrets and I wish him all the best. I hope this hiatus is temporary.

From the LBReport homepage:

Earlier today, after over ten years of continuous publishing (with pauses only for a death in the family and religious holidays), LBReport.com's publisher has chosen to take a short hiatus.

The precipitating event came suddenly and was unplanned: we found ourselves unable to attend an awards ceremony at which our daughter received an award for academic excellence at her school...because we had to get across town to cover a news event.

Although that was the precipitating incident (and we got that story with video, although we haven't run it), the truth is that a number of factors prompted this hiatus.

One of them, known previously only to our closest friends, was an unpleasant afternoon a few months ago in the emergency room at a local hospital attached to heart monitors and discharged with advice we followed in part and disregarded in part.

Part of the disregarded advice was to slow down. We don't know how to do that. At the same time, we're no longer willing to disregard that advice.

There are other factors as well. We'll discuss them with you in the coming days.

For those who wish us ill: we're not going away.

For those who hope we'll be stronger than before: stay tuned.

A Very Good Day!

2010-12-09T20:35:00.001-08:00

The 20 or so people in attendance at today's Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority (LCWA) meeting heard some very good news!

The meeting started off with a bang when the LCWA staff announced that all documents have been signed for the Hellman acquisition and escrow will likely close no later than this month.

Additionally, the LCWA unanimously voted to accept a $225,000 grant from the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy for the Phase 2/Hellman restoration.

In a subsequent item, the LCWA unanimously voted to authorize the hiring of a consultant or consultant team to develop a Site Restoration and Recreational Improvements Conceptual Plan for 200 acres of the Los Cerritos Wetlands Complex. The subject lands are the 67 acre Phase 1/Bryant property, the 100 acre Phase 2/Hellman property and the 33 acre City of Long Beach Marketplace Marsh (i.e. land swap) property.

The LCWA will be issuing a Request for Proposals to conduct this work, and the selected team will be responsible for collecting the needed data, producing the Plan and engaging agencies and members of the public throughout the planning process. The total budget for this activity is $450,000—comprised of a previously awarded $225,000 grant for Phase 1 restoration, and the $225,000 grant for Phase 2 restoration as identified above.

In one of the final items in a packed agenda, the LCWA unanimously voted to award AECOM the contract to conduct the wetlands delineation of the Marketplace Marsh property, and Buss-Shelger Associates will conduct the property appraisal. The delineation and appraisal have a $30,000 budget (not to exceed).

The conservation effort is moving in the exact right direction, and I hope that the positive momentum continues! Commissioning the production of this Conceptual Plan is monumental, and its significance cannot be overstated.

I have found that one of the biggest obstacles in this conservation process, from a public perspective, is that people look at the Los Cerritos area and have a difficult time seeing its potential. For many, I recognize that it is hard to look at the area in its degraded state and see anything but a weedy, active oil field. Additionally, it doesn't help that the area has been publicly inaccessible for a very long time and the bits of thriving ecosystem that currently exist are largely out of eyesight.

But with more acreage moving from private ownership into the public domain, with the area opening to the public via guided tours, and with production of a conceptual plan, restoration of the Los Cerritos Wetlands is becoming increasingly more likely. Yes, there are still dominoes to fall, but today marked major progress.

It is still a long and difficult road, and I'm absolutely certain that there will be bumps along the way, but today was an extremely positive stride forward. I am entirely supportive of the actions taken by the LCWA and I encourage the public to participate throughout this restoration process.

Much Afoot with the Los Cerritos Wetlands....

2010-12-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

Anyone thinking that the conservation effort surrounding the Los Cerritos Wetlands has stalled, or is hopelessly lost, should plan on attending the next Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority (LCWA) meeting!

On Thursday, December 9 at 3:15 in the Seal Beach City Council Chambers (211 8^th Street) the LCWA is getting a chance to live up to its mission: to provide for a comprehensive program of acquisition, protection, conservation, restoration and environmental enhancement of the Los Cerritos Wetlands area.

The governing board’s four voting members—Chair Gary Delong (City of Long Beach), Vice Chair Sam Schuchat (State Coastal Conservancy), David Sloan (City of Seal Beach) and Patrick O’Donnell (Rivers and Mountains Conservancy)—will be taking action on several items of extreme significance.

If all the votes fall "correctly," the 100 acre Hellman Ranch purchase will be finalized in a matter of weeks, the land swap parcel will be undergoing an LCWA funded wetlands delineation study and real-estate appraisal, the fate of the 5 acre LCWA owned parcel at the corner of 2nd and Studebaker will soon be determined, and $450k has been acquired to start the conceptual design process for restoration of 200 acres of the woefully degraded Los Cerritos Wetlands.

Exciting stuff!

The meeting agenda can be found here. The corresponding board report can be found here.

Finally!

2010-11-19T17:03:00.001-08:00

The 2H Construction/Sean Hitchcock illegal grading matter was heard at the California Coastal Commission's (CCC) Friday, November 19 meeting in Santa Monica, and the Coastal Commissioners did something that the City of Long Beach never really seemed able to do. They unequivocally, angrily and unanimously sent Mr. Hitchcock a message: you screwed up and there are consequences. Several commissioners could not hide their disdain, or skepticism, at Mr. Hitchcock's actions and rationales.

He had it coming, of course. He did a pretty stupid thing, and it wasn't exactly legal. He razed an approximately 9 acre area of the Los Cerritos Wetlands complex and ripped off the landfill cap, exposing humans and critters to dangerous levels of methane. Oh yeah – and he didn't have any permits. He just wanted to do a little weed abatement with his bulldozers and then lay a little asphalt down. As one typically does in wetlands areas of the California Coastal Zone.

And to make matters worse, it looked like he was going to get away with it. He sailed right on through the City of Long Beach Zoning hearing with nary a scratch. He did, though, hit a speed bump at the Planning Commission when the commissioners directed the City to prepare a restoration plan. However, the City pushed the matter up to the CCC, sans plan. Bullet dodged.

Fortunately, though, the Coastal Commissioners were having none of Mr. Hitchcock's shenanigans. Coastal Commission staff made recommendations for a restoration and monitoring plan, and the Commissioners added to them. Sean Hitchcock is to: 1) restore the contours which he bulldozed, I mean weed abated; 2) up the percentage of native plants onsite from 75% to 80%, an onerous jump; and 3) add an impermeable landfill cap to keep ponding water out of the landfill. The CCC is also requiring a 3^rd party monitor throughout the life of the Project, ya know, because Mr. Hitchcock doesn't exactly have a sterling track record. They are solid conditions, I think. I'm particularly glad to see the bit about the contours.

All in all, it was a good day, at least for the environmentalists who recognized this for the egregious action it was, and just wouldn't let it drop.

And to the Coastal Commissioners who upheld the Coastal Act and sent a clear message that this illegal activity isn't okay? Thank you.

Hitchcock Hearing Tomorrow!

2010-11-18T20:28:00.001-08:00

The de novo hearing before the California Coastal Commission is tomorrow, November 19 at the Annenberg Community Beach House (415 Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Monica, CA 90204).

The item is number 12.a on the agenda, which can be found be clicking here.

WAMSEC Re-Opening Celebration and You are Invited!

2010-11-10T06:57:00.001-08:00

Due to noise and other impacts associated with construction of the Termino Avenue Drain Project (TADP), it was necessary to close the Wetlands and Marine Science Education Center (WAMSEC), home to the Friends of Colorado Lagoon's (FOCLs) education center.

Now that the TADP construction has moved further on down the road, FOCL is pleased to announce that the WAMSEC can be re-opened and the education programs can begin again!

But that’s not all that is being celebrated! Phase 1a of the Colorado Lagoon Restoration -- including the trash separation devices, low-flow-diversion system for contaminated water and cleaning of the culvert -- has also been completed. Plus, the dilapidated footbridge has been re-constructed.

Details of the re-opening event follow:

When: Saturday, November 13
Schedule: Open house (10 a.m. - 11 a.m), Ceremony (11 a.m. - 11: 30 a.m.), Planting of Native Plants (11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
Where: the WAMSEC (on Appian Way between Colorado and Park)

Honored guests include Gary Delong, 3rd District Councilman, and Christopher Kroll, State Coastal Conservancy.

For more information, check out coloradolagoon.org!

Hope to see you Saturday!

CCC Staff Report Available re. Hitchcock Hearing

2010-11-06T17:14:00.001-07:00

As posted previously, the hearing has been set to finally settle the Sean Hitchcock illegal grading business.

The staff report is now available and can be found by clicking here.

VOTE!

2010-11-02T06:03:00.000-07:00

Today is election day, so remember to vote!

If you live in Long Beach, you can find election information (including the location of your polling place) by clicking here.

So get out and exercise your civic duty! VOTE!

Hearing Set for Sean Hitchcock re. Illegal Grading

2010-10-28T07:11:00.001-07:00

Remember how Sean Hitchcock illegally graded the triangle parcel over off of Loynes Drive? (If not, see a listing of related posts by clicking here). Well, it is finally coming to a head.

The de novo hearing before the California Coastal Commission is scheduled for Friday, November 19 at the Annenberg Community Beach House (415 Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Monica, CA 90204).

The item is number 12.a on the agenda, which can be found be clicking here. The item reads,

"Appeal No. A-5-LOB-10-15 (2H Properties, Long Beach) Appeal by Commissioners Mary Shallenberger & Sara Wan, Los Cerritos Wetlands Trust (Elizabeth Lambe, Executive Director), Thomas Marchese, Heather Altman, Mary Suttie, David Robertson, El Dorado Audubon Society (Mary Parsell), and Our Town-Long Beach (Joan Hawley McGrath, Sandie Van Horn, Pat Towner, Cindy Crawford, Tarin Olsen, Kerrie Aley, Allan Songer & Brenda McMillan, from decision of City of Long Beach granting permit with conditions to import 1,000 cu.yds. of soil to re-establish and maintain cap over existing landfill (in response to Coastal Commission Emergency Permit 5-09-068-G, and weed abatement and remediation, at 6400 Loynes Drive, Long Beach, Los Angeles County. (CP-LB)"

The staff report is not yet out, and I'll post it when I am aware that it is available.

Second + PCH Project Shake-Up

2010-09-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

Check out Dave Wielenga's article on Greater Long Beach and read about who is out of - and who is still involved with - the Second + PCH Project......

Enter to Win the City's Energy Efficiency Opportunity Drawing

2010-09-28T07:52:00.000-07:00

The Energy Efficiency Opportunity Drawing is now accepting applications.

Grand-prize winners and runners-up will be selected from each of the 9 council districts making for a total of 18 winners in all!

Grand-prize winners of this one-time drawing will receive an energy efficiency home makeover of up to $5000, while runner-up prizes include a choice between whole house fan, energy star refrigerator, energy star AC, or variable speed pool pump; an $800 value.

Eligible contestants include all Long Beach residents who are SCE customers and homeowners.

The drawing closes on November 19, 2010.

To enter click here.

Joy Zedler Marsh Clean Up

2010-09-21T15:16:00.001-07:00

The 5th Annual Joy Zedler Marsh clean-up at the Los Cerritos Wetlands is this Saturday, September 25 from 1-3 p.m.

The clean-up is presented by the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority through the Los Cerritos Wetlands Stewardship Program.

The event has limited space so please RSVP to reserve a spot. To do so, contact Eric Zahn: eric@tidalinfluence.com

Visit lcwetlands.org for more information.

Green is Greater, a Great Success!

2010-09-21T07:12:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who attended the Green is Greater Festival at the Gaslamp over the weekend. I didn't write down the name of the man who won the raffle, but he was on hand to collect his money! Also, the group "People Defending Animals" took home 1/3 of the pot as well.

And, best yet (for me), over $800 was raised for the the Egrets Not Regrets Scholarship Fund! Yeah!

Get Thee to the Gaslamp!

2010-09-18T07:31:00.000-07:00

Green is Greater Festival today! Noon to 6 p.m.

The Gaslamp Restaurant and Bar
6251 E. Pacific Coast Highway (corner PCH and Loynes)
Long Beach, CA 90803

8 bands in 6 hours! Environmental and animal organizations! Arts and crafts! Green businesses! Good food and drink!

33/33/33 drawing to benefit: 1) YOU if your ticket is pulled, 2) a participating organization that YOU designate, and 3) the Egrets Not Regrets Scholarship Fund.

What are you waiting for? Get to the GiG!

Green is Greater Festival Tomorrow!

2010-09-17T08:39:00.000-07:00

The Green is Greater Festival is tomorrow from noon to 6 p.m.!

We have a great music line-up scheduled to play. If you haven't already done so, read Dave Wielenga's piece about the bands.

It's a packed house with respect to attendees....local environmental organizations and clubs, various arts and crafters, and even a green business!

A little something to occupy the kids...a craft area and a place for photos.

And a fundraiser to boot!

Phew!

So come down to the Gaslamp (6251 E. PCH, at Loynes Dr) on Saturday, grab some food and drink, meet the attendees, listen to the music and ENJOY YOURSELF!

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE.....

LBReport.com will be webcasting the GiG live! The live on-scene video will be transmitted remotely direct from the event site through teh facilities of WebCastLongBeach.com, whose owner/operator Dan Halverson will host the webcast on-scene.

And a special thanks to LBReport for the additional media coverage!

Green is Greater Festival - In the News!

2010-09-16T08:48:00.001-07:00

Woke up this morning, turned on the computer and perused the local news.

Saw a fantastic write-up about the Green is Greater Festival by Bill Pearl, LBReport.com publisher. Thanks!

Also, Dave Wielenga of Greater Long Beach did an absolutely wonderful write-up about the bands scheduled to play at Saturday's event.

If you haven't already done so, I encourage you to check out both fine articles!

Looking forward to Saturday and hope you can attend (noon to 6 p.m.)!

Green is Greater Festival - The Fundraising Opportunity!

2010-09-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

As has been continually touted, the Green is Greater Festival is nearly upon us...Saturday, September 18 from noon to 6 p.m.! We hope you have been able to clear some time in your schedule so that you can head on over to the Gaslamp Restaurant (6251 E. PCH) to check out the festivities. The event is free to attend.

The band line-up has been determined, the list of attendees has been finalized and all the details have been ironed out (I hope!). We are really looking forward to the event.

For those that didn't realize, it is also a FUNDRAISER!

We will be having a 33/33/33 drawing:

Tickets are $5 each or 5 tickets for $20 (what a bargain!).
At the end of the evening, we will draw the winning ticket.
The winner gets 1/3 of the pot.
The winner designates which of the participating organizations/clubs get 1/3 of the pot.
The Egrets Not Regrets Scholarship Fund gets 1/3 of the pot.

So show up Saturday, September 18 between noon and 6 p.m., listen to some great live music, learn about local organizations, check out various arts and crafts booths, have some food and drink, and purchase some 33/33/33 tickets. Who knows....you may walk away with more money than when you entered....and local organizations/clubs benefit too!

The Green is Greater Festival is co-hosted by Egrets Not Regrets and Greater Long Beach, in conjunction with the Gaslamp Restaurant and Bar.

Green is Greater Festival - The Band Line-Up

2010-09-14T07:05:00.000-07:00

We've got some really great bands lined up to play at Saturday's Green is Greater at the Gaslamp Festival!

12:00 - 12:30 The Potential Lunatics
12:40 - 1:10 Alicia Murphy
1:20 - 2:00 The Extinction Theory
2:10 - 2:50 Oh Girl
3:00 - 3:50 Heavy Water
4:00 - 4:20 Jenny Stockdale
4:30 - 5:00 The Gospels
5:10 - 6:00 Korey Dane & Co.

Dave Wielenga of Greater Long Beach just posted a fantastic write up on each of the bands. Additionally, check out Alex Roman III's article on Summer and Music's Buskerfest winner Korey Dane, "It's Starting to Look Like Korey Dane's Timeless Time Has Come."

Hope to see you Saturday!

Green is Greater Festival

2010-08-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

[Updated 9/9/2010]

In conjunction with the Gaslamp Restaurant & Bar, Egrets Not Regrets has partnered up with the new local media sensation, Greater Long Beach, and is co-hosting the Green is Greater at the Gaslamp Festival!

On Saturday, September 18 from noon to 6 p.m. head on over to the Gaslamp Restaurant and Bar (6251 E. PCH, corner of PCH and Loynes) to meet local environmental organizations, peruse various arts and crafts booths, listen to live music and enjoy the food and drink at the Gaslamp!

The event is even family friendly! There will be a kids crafts corner where the littler ones can show off their mad crafting skills.

Though it is absolutely free to attend, it's also a fundraiser! Here's how:

There will be a 33/33/33 drawing (tickets $5) wherein the "winner" gets 1/3 of the pot, the Egrets Not Regrets Scholarship Fund gets 1/3 of the pot, and the winner gets to designate which organization gets the other 1/3. Runner up prizes will also be awarded!
The Gaslamp is donating 10% of the proceeds to organizations!

Organizations/clubs:

Arts and crafts:

Jeanine Birong Photography (who is donating 50% of her proceeds to the scholarship fund! Yeah!)
Watermallon Studios
Some Things Creative
Chasing Bluebirds
Luna Sangre & Nocturnal Housewife Endeavors
Various Local Artists

Green Businesses:

Featherstone, Inc.

The musical groups who have agreed to play (schedule not yet determined):

The Potential Lunatics
Alicia Murphy
Oh Girl
The Extinction Theory
Heavy Water
Jenny Stockdale
The Gospels
Korey Dane & Co.

This is lining up to be a really fun event.

Be sure and spread the word....and check back often for updated details and information! Additionally, check out Dave Wielenga's article about the event.

Looking forward to the 18th! Hope to see you there!

Announcing The Egrets Not Regrets Scholarship Fund!

2010-08-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

The escalating costs of college tuition are alarming, especially when coupled with budget cuts at these same colleges and universities. While the economy is poor and belts are tightening everywhere, it saddens me to realize that otherwise qualified students are unable to obtain the degree they desire simply because they cannot afford rising tuition costs. I benefited from an "affordable," quality education and I think others should too.

So I basically had two choices: sit and stew about it, or try and do something. I opted for the latter.

As I equally love Long Beach and have environmental leanings, I approached the California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), Environmental Science & Policy (ES&P) Department to see what, if anything, could be done.

And so born is the Egrets Not Regrets Scholarship Fund!

The Fund, managed and maintained entirely by CSULB, allows the university to award their outstanding ES&P students with scholarships for their combined commitment to community service and scholarly achievement in the environmental field. Once the Fund accumulates a base of $25,000 (yikes!), a partial tuition scholarship will be awarded annually to a senior student with a GPA greater than 3.0. The selected student will also have demonstrated a commitment to volunteering and/or some sort of community involvement.

And how will the Egrets Not Regrets Scholarship Fund be funded, you ask? Well. I'm going to raise the money by (herein) soliciting donations. There will, most definitely, be fundraiser events on the horizon.

It's daunting, and likely tiring, but again, the alternative is sitting and stewing about the declining state of education in California. My goal, with your help, is to support a student's education.

So, please, help if you can.

Donations (which are tax deductible!) can be made as follows:

Please make checks payable to: CSULB Foundation. Under Memo: Acct #09516800 - ES&P Scholarship

Mail checks to:

California State University, Long Beach Foundation
6300 State University Drive, Suite #332
Long Beach, CA 90815
Attention: Gift Processing

Additional information can be found on the CSULB, ES&P website by clicking HERE.

Thank you for your support and generosity!

I would also like to thank Dr. Paul Laris, Director of the ES&P Department for his assistance (and patience) throughout this process. Without his help, this would not have been possible.

Tank Removal to Begin Today

2010-08-09T07:26:00.000-07:00

Per the distributed "Neighborhood Emergency Plan," work to demolish the tanks at 400 Studebaker (Studebaker and Loynes Drive) is scheduled to begin today. It is expected to last 6-8 weeks.

Adios, Tank Farm!

Alternatives Analysis Report Colorado Lagoon Restoration Project, Phase 2

2010-08-04T17:48:00.000-07:00

As blogged previously, there will be a public meeting regarding Phase 2 of the Colorado Lagoon Restoration Project. Discussed will be the 5 alternatives, as identified and analyzed in the recently released engineering study (which can be found here).

Over the next several days I'll be blogging about the various sections of the report, describing the alternatives and offering up some opinions (shocking).

To get ya started, following is the Executive Summary from the report (clicking on it will open it in a larger window wherein it will be more legible):

Community Meeting - Colorado Lagoon Restoration Project, Phase 2

2010-08-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

The City of Long Beach Departments of Community Development and Parks, Recreation and Marine are hosting a public meeting on Phase 2 of the Colorado Lagoon Restoration Project.

The purpose of Phase 2 is to further improve water and habitat quality at Colorado Lagoon by improving the tidal connection to Marine Stadium. An engineering study on the different options available was recently completed, and is available here.

Meeting details follow:

Wednesday, August 11
7 p.m.
Recreation Park's Bruin Den (5000 E. 7th Street)

Friends of Colorado Lagoon (FOCL), an advocacy group working to restore and preserve this important urban wetland, is strongly supportive of Alternative 4a. Dave Pirazzi, FOCL President, articulately explains why in a "Spit and Argue" piece published in the Grunion Gazette, which can be read here.

(Disclaimer: I am on the FOCL board)

Hugh's Bite Nite, July 26

2010-07-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

Back on June 21, Long Beach resident Hugh Boyle was in a very serious motorcycle accident at the intersection of Palo Verde and Stearns, and has only very recently been transferred from critical care to a rehab facility.

Hugh's wife, Shelly, has been chronicling the days post-accident on her blog, Sweet Vintage Cherry Lingerie, and LBReport.com has also provided periodic updates. Though this is clearly a tragedy, what I find so heartening, however, is how the Long Beach community is supporting this family in their time of need. And you can do your part too....

On Monday, July 26 various restaurants throughout Long Beach will be hosting "Hugh's Bite Nite," and have agreed to donate a portion of their proceeds to help with the family's medical bills. The participating restaurants are:

La Strada Restaurant, 4716 East 2nd Street (Belmont Shore)
Naples Rib Company, 5800 E. 2nd Street (Naples)
Marri's Pizza, 6436 E. Stearns St (Los Altos area)

So if you want to help a family in need, consider dining at one of the above restaurants on Monday, July 26. Either print out the following flyer, or tell the server that you are there for "Hugh's Bite Nite."

Second + PCH, Open Space

2010-07-08T05:49:00.000-07:00

At last week's Beer and Politics, I made some claims about how the Second + PCH development team is drastically overstating their open space (they claim approximately 5 acres of open space, or 49% of the project site). I have been asked to provide documentation substantiating my claims. No sweat; I should have done that anyway. I'm always left scratching my head when people offer "facts" then either can't or won't provide the supporting documentation....and then there I go making claims and not providing any back-up. Not acceptable. Apologies, and here goes....

The open space provision within SEADIP reads, "A minimum of thirty percent of the site shall be developed and maintained as usable open space (building footprint, streets, parking areas and sidewalks adjacent to streets shall not be considered usable open space. Bicycle and pedestrian trails not included within the public right-of-way may be considered usable open space)."

Following is the "Open Space Plan" from the DEIR (Figure II-17, clicking on the below will open it in a larger window).
As you can see from the Figure, to arrive at their 49% open space, they captured open space from the second and third stories of the development. These aspects fall within the "building footprint" and are to be excluded from open space determinations, pursuant to SEADIP. Excluding these "building footprint" items knocks the open space down to 34.58%, per the provided open space plan.

As you can also see in the plan, the "first story" open space includes open space associated with Marina View Lane, a street. Clearly streets aren't open space. Or at least it should be clear: streets are not open space. So the 34.58% needs to be reduced to reflect the removal of the Marina View Lane "open space."

In any event, 49% open space isn't in the ballpark of accurate, under SEADIP, as I asserted at Beer and Politics.

As an aside, this was also addressed in my comment letter on the Project's Draft EIR.

Acoustic Tidal Artwalk, July 9 and 10

2010-07-07T07:19:00.001-07:00

There's a great event happening this weekend....the Acoustic Tidal Artwalk to be held on the South Beach of the Colorado Lagoon! Check out the info below (clicking on them will open them in a larger window)....

Flyer:

Map:

For more information, also check out Friends of Colorado Lagoon

Veggies and Arts and Ponies, Oh My!

2010-06-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

As posted on Greater Long Beach, there was to be a hearing before the zoning administrator to consider a farmer's market at the "Pumpkin Patch" property. That hearing was delayed.

Subsequent to the (delayed) hearing, I received some additional information about this farmers market, and I think it's important to share.

From the application/site plan, looks like the farmer's market will include the following:

100 vendor spaces (55 spaces @ 10 ft x 10 ft; 44 spaces @ 10 ft x 20 ft ; and 1 space @ 10 ft x 30 ft).
Vendor mix: 30% certified farmers only; 30% produce vendors; 30 mixed use (i.e. hot/cold prepared food, arts and crafts, etc); 10% non-profit
470 on-site parking spaces (370 customer spaces and 100 vendor spaces).
5 porta-potties
An entertainment area.
A train area.
An area for ponies.
Hours of operation (per the hearing notice): 7am - 4pm, Saturday and Sunday
Hours of operation (requested in the application): February thru August, 2pm - 7 pm, Wednesday and Friday; 7am - 4pm Saturday and Sunday.

The City has assumed that this Project is exempt from CEQA. The zoning hearing notice also stated that the Project cannot be appealed to the Coastal Commission.

Beer and Politics!

2010-06-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

Yours truly is on the panel for the upcoming Beer and Politics!

Topic: Second + PCH: Dreamy New Gateway or Traffic Nightmare?

Panelists include: Cliff Ratkovich and David Malmouth (developers), Gary Delong (3rd District Councilmember), Elizabeth Lambe (Executive Director, Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust) and Moi!

Event details follow:

Beer and Politics
Tuesday, June 29 @ 7 p.m.
Gallaghers Pub and Grill
2751 E. Broadway
Long Beach, CA

Should be an interesting evening; Beer and Politics is always a good time!

Long Beach Just Got Greater!

2010-06-24T06:29:00.000-07:00

Dave Wielenga launches GreaterLongBeach.com!

Greater Long Beach is a full-service website grown from very deep roots … and the pooled talents and experience of the city’s very best journalists.

Together, these journalists provide something … well, GREATER:

GREATER, as in a Long Beach that is reported, investigated and explained with intelligence, diligence and fearlessness.

GREATER, as in a Long Beach that is explored and celebrated with expert coverage of arts, entertainment and recreation, as well as insightful looks at its people, culture, lifestyles and social issues.

GREATER, as in a Long Beach that is connected to satellite cities–suburbs from Seal Beach to Cerritos, Bellflower, Lakewood, Compton and Downey to San Pedro–through coverage that tracks their particular orbits and their influence on one another.

GREATER, as in a Long Beach that is improving and ascending in both big-city and small-town ways—the natural outcome of a free flow of information through first-rate independent journalism, reported quickly but explained clearly, with necessary objectivity and reasoned perspective.

Check it out!

New Look!

2010-06-18T20:10:00.000-07:00

Decided that Egrets Not Regrets needed a makeover. Hope you enjoy this new look.

Support the Colorado Lagoon by Shopping at Blue Windows!

2010-06-15T07:20:00.000-07:00

During the month of June, the good people at Blue Windows have agreed to donate 10% of all kids sales to Friends of Colorado Lagoon!

They have selected FOCL as their monthly charity as they, "hope to help out this wonderful organization so that they can continue to provide free nature education programs to the community, general public, and neighboring schools." Awesome!

Blue Windows is located in Belmont Shore at 5276 Second Street.

Pick up some kids stuff today and help the Colorado Lagoon!

Thanks Blue Windows!

Second + PCH Draft EIR Comment Letter

2010-06-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

updated: I have been asked if my comment letter is "all inclusive" of the issues present in the DEIR. In short, not by a long shot. I had benefit of seeing some VERY STRONG comment letters wherein various issues were already identified. I saw no reason to duplicate as there are only so many hours in a day....and finding flaws with this document was like shooting fish in a barrel.....

Following is my comment letter on the Second + PCH Draft EIR. Enjoy (or not)!

Second + PCH Comment Letter Draft EIR

Second + PCH Draft EIR Comments Due Friday!

2010-06-01T14:37:00.000-07:00

Quick reminder that comments on the Second + PCH Project Draft EIR are due by close of business Friday, June 4.

All comments should be sent to:

Jeff Winklepleck
Department of Development Services
333 W. Ocean Blvd, Fifth Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802
or
jeffrey.winklepleck@longbeach.gov

Additionally, it is important to let elected officials, City staff and the media know how you feel about the Project. Contact information follows:

Elected Officials:

Mayor Bob Foster
info@longbeach.gov

Councilmember Robert Garcia
district1@longbeach.gov
562-570-6919

Councilmember Suja Lowenthal
district2@longbeach.gov
562-570-6684

Councilmember Gary DeLong
district3@longbeach.gov
562-570-6300

Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell
district4@longbeach.gov
562-570-6918

Councilmember Gerrie Schipske
district5@longbeach.gov
562-570-6932

Councilmember Dee Andrews
district6@longbeach.gov
562-570-6816

Councilmember Tonia Reyes-Uranga
district7@longbeach.gov
562-570-6139

Councilmember Rae Gabelich
district8@longbeach.gov
562-570-6685

Councilmember Val Lerch (soon to be Stephen Neal)
district9@longbeach.gov
562-570-6137

City Staff:

City of Long Beach, Department of Development Services
Derek Burnham
Derek.burnham@longbeach.gov
562-570-6261

Local newspapers and media outlets:

Long Beach Press Telegram
speakout@presstelegram.com

Grunion Gazette
editor@gazettes.com

LB Report
mail@LBReport.com

Long Beach Post
ryan@lbpost.com

Seaport Marina Hotel and Second + PCH Project, Traffic Comparison

2010-05-30T10:16:00.001-07:00

Using information found in the Second + PCH Draft EIR (Table 5-2: Project Generation Forecast, Appendix J), following is a table comparing the number of vehicle trips associated with the current Seaport Marina Hotel and the number of vehicle trips associated with the proposed Second + PCH development:

Time Period	Seaport Marina Hotel	Second + PCH Project	% Change
Weekday AM Peak	54	372	+ 689%
Weekday PM Peak	57	902	+ 1,582%
Saturday Peak	69	1,209	+ 1,752%

A comparison of the traffic associated with the previously proposed Lennar Project and the currently proposed iteration can be found here.

CCC Issues Staff Report for Hitchcock Item

2010-05-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

The California Coastal Commission just released the staff report for the upcoming hearing regarding the whole Sean Hitchcock illegal land scraping. The summary of staff's recommendation follows:

On March 10, 2010, the Commission determined that a substantial issue exists with respect to the grounds of the appeals because: a) the certified LCP designates the bay-fronting site for restoration as a brackish pond, b) the certified LCP requires that open space and natural habitat areas be preserved and that the waters of Alamitos Bay be protected from runoff, and c) the absence of a detailed and enforceable habitat protection and restoration plan could adversely affect wildlife, wetlands, and the quality of adjacent tidal waters.

Staff is recommending APPROVAL of the coastal development permit with special conditions. The recommended special conditions of the permit, address restoration and re-vegetation of the previously graded area of the site subject to the landfill cap with native plants appropriate to the location; timing of the re-vegetation; monitoring and future maintenance of the site; and protection of water quality and marine resources.

The staff report can be found here (and is item 9a on the Friday, June 11 agenda). The "special conditions" begin on page 3 of the compiled PDF.

Great Turnout!

2010-05-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who showed up to Happy Hour last night. I was VERY, VERY pleasantly surprised with the turnout!! What a great showing; I was floored. And not just the usual cast of characters...but new faces too! Excellent! I'm thrilled.

Given that the attendance was great and everyone seemed to be having a good time, I've decided to start making these "events" a regular feature in the local environmental scene.

So stay tuned for event details. To receive the latest information, be sure and sign up for the Egrets Not Regrets newsletter by entering your email address in the upper right of this blog!

Happy Hour, Anyone?

2010-05-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

Without question, all work and no play makes for a very ornery egret! And since there seems to be a flurry of environmental activity in Southeast Long Beach at the moment, now seems like the perfect time to let off a little steam!

So as promised, to celebrate the "first birthday" (blog-aversary?) of Egrets Not Regrets, I've organized a happy hour. I'd love for you to join me. It should be fun.

Details follow:

Thursday, May 20 from 6 - 8 p.m.

The Gaslamp Restaurant and Bar
6251 E. Pacific Coast Highway (corner PCH and Loynes Drive)

The Gaslamp offers a good happy hour (from 5-7): 1/2 price appetizers, $3 well drinks and $2.50 domestic beers. An organized wine tasting will also be available for those so inclined. And if alcohol isn't your thing, you can always order your favorite unleaded beverage from the bar. A full dinner menu is also available.

Hope to see you on the 20th! Bring a friend...the more the merrier!!

Keep Your Fingers Crossed.....

2010-05-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

Could a piece of the Los Cerritos Wetlands be moving into the public domain in the not-so-distant future (and no, I'm not talking about the land swap!)???

The California Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) recently released the preliminary agenda for its upcoming May 27 meeting in Sacramento.

Of note, item 32 (Los Cerritos Wetlands, $6,180,000): To consider the allocation for a grant to the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority for a cooperative project with the State Coastal Conservancy and the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy, to acquire 100+/- acres of land to protect critical coastal wetland habitat, scenic features and vanishing remnants of California's wetland landscape located in the City of Seal Beach, in Orange County. The proposed funding source allows for the acquisition, protection and restoration of lands in or adjacent to urban areas. [Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Fund of 2002 (Proposition 50), Section 79572(a)].

The land in question is the Hellman Property.

You can find out more about the WCB by clicking here. Essentially (and from their website), the primary responsibilities of WCB are to select, authorize and allocate funds for the purchase of land and waters suitable for recreation purposes and the preservation, protection and restoration of wildlife habitat. WCB approves and funds projects that set aside lands within the State for such purposes, through acquisition or other means, to meet these objectives. WCB can also authorize the construction of facilities for recreational purposes on property in which it has a proprietary interest.

Keep your fingers crossed for a positive outcome!!

Egrets Not Regrets is 1-Year-Old Today!

2010-05-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Egrets Not Regrets!

One year ago today this blog was born! When I started writing, I wasn't sure where it would lead. Nor did I know if I'd even like doing it. Well, I was pleasantly surprised on both fronts - the blog is quite successful (if the number of positive comments I receive and web traffic stats are any indicator) and I actually enjoy it. So looks like I'm here to stay.

To celebrate, I'm in the process of organizing a happy hour to be held a little later this month. So stay tuned for details and information!

If you haven't already done so, I encourage you to sign up to receive the Egrets Not Regrets "newsletters." Your email address will be kept confidential and will not be shared. Sign up today (box in the upper right hand corner of this blog).

Tank Removal Project Before Planning Commission Again

2010-05-02T06:49:00.001-07:00

I'm cruising through the Planning Commission agenda for the Thursday, May 6 hearing and I see that the Tank Removal Project is back for approval. From the staff report (agenda/staff report can be found here):

"This project was continued from the Planning Commission meeting of February 18, 2010. After a lengthy discussion relating to environmental concerns regarding removal of the tanks, the Planning Commission voted three to two to continue the item. The purpose of the continuance was to allow the applicant to obtain a certified work plan from the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and an engineering analysis to determine the location of the interlocking Plains Petroleum pipeline system running through the site. The applicant has submitted an approved workplan from the Department of Toxic Substances Control (Exhibit A -DTSC letter of March30, 2010; Waterstone Environmental, Inc. revised work plan dated March 26, 2010 and Plains Petroleum tank map). Soil sampling and analysis will take place after the tanks have been removed."

So, if you are interested in the Tank Removal Project, go to the Planning Commission hearing:

Thursday, May 6, 5pm

City Hall, 333 W. Ocean Blvd.

Second + PCH Has a Plan, E-I-R-I-O (part one)

2010-05-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

As you all are likely aware, the Second + PCH Project Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) is out for public comment. I'm just starting to pick my way through it and I'm finding it, well, rather befuddling.

For Dave Wielenga's Redistricted!, I have agreed to take his readers through the more confounding parts of the analysis in a periodic feature he is calling "E-I-R-I-O." The first dilemma: How high is the Second + PCH 12 story building? Enjoy.

Second dilemma: How do I get the "Old McDonald Had A Farm" song out of my head?

In any event, stay tuned for the next "E-I-R-I-O" over at Redistricted!

Second + PCH vs. Lennar, Traffic

2010-04-24T06:27:00.001-07:00

Using information found in the Lennar EIR and the recently released Second + PCH Draft EIR, I compiled a table comparing the traffic generation estimates of the two projects. The last column represents the difference between the two projects.

	Lennar	Second + PCH	% Change
A.M. Peak	354	372	+5.1%
P.M. Peak	726	902	+24.2%
Weekend Peak	885	1,140	+28.8%
Weekday Daily Total	10,156	12,273	+20.8%
Weekend Daily Total	12,738	15,410	+21.0%

I'm sorry, but those numbers are sobering, especially considering that Lennar (primarily) died a painful death over substantial traffic concerns.

Second + PCH Draft EIR Available

2010-04-23T22:15:00.001-07:00

The City of Long Beach just released the Second + PCH Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). It can be downloaded here.

The Notice of Availability indicates that the comment period ends Monday, June 7th. It also states that all comments must be received by close of business (COB) Friday, June 4 (which represents a 44 day comment period). Not sure why the contradiction, but it exists nonetheless. To be safe, have comments in by COB Friday. Send all comments to:

Jeff Winklepleck
Department of Development Services
333 W. Ocean Blvd, Fifth Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802
or
jeffrey.winklepleck@longbeach.gov

I have only checked two things:

to see if my comments on the NOP were included (they were not), and
to take a quick peek at the traffic analysis. Couldn't do that comprehensively since the traffic appendix (appendix J) wasn't posted on the City's website with all the other appendices. [The City has since made Appendix J available for download.]

0-2. Not very confidence inspiring, I tell ya.

Since the document preparers couldn't be bothered to include my comments on the NOP, they are provided below (and were also posted on this blog):

Given the likelihood of significant traffic impacts associated with the proposed Project, feasible mitigation will be necessary to reduce said impacts to below a level of significance. Such mitigation should not include extension of either Shopkeeper Road or Studebaker Road as doing so would cut a road through the wetlands, and would also have associated environmental impacts. Should extension of either road be identified as traffic mitigation for the Project, however, impacts of the road extension(s) must be analyzed in the Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
For consideration of compliance with SEADIP's 30% usable open space standard, only "on the ground" aspects should be included in analyzed calculations, being mindful that "building footprint, streets, parking areas and sidewalks adjacent to streets" shall not be considered usable open space. Whereas the Project contains both "above ground" and "private" open space, these areas should not factor into the equation when determining usable open space under SEADIP.
It is my understanding that the Project will also include approval of a Development Agreement (DA). Aspects contained within the DA should be analyzed in the EIR. For instance, if the DA is to include off-site improvements such as landscaping (either adjacent to, or even on, the wetlands), the EIR must identify and analyze the potential direct and indirect impacts associated with this (and any other) surface disturbing activity.

Happy reading!

VOTE - April 13!

2010-04-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

It's election time in Long Beach so please REMEMBER TO VOTE on Tuesday, April 13!

To find the location of your polling place, click here and you will be redirected to the City of Long Beach Election information home page.

Second + PCH Project Needs Critical Review

2010-04-04T09:32:00.001-07:00

As posted earlier, the Second + PCH development team has ramped up their efforts to generate support for their Project in advance of the soon to be released Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

I believe that, in principle, they have it exactly right: you need to make your voice heard. You need to speak out. I just find their timing curious.

Ultimately, the Second + PCH development team is asking for you to support the Project before you know how it will impact southeast Long Beach.

And I think that is a patently bad idea.

Within the next few weeks the EIR will be made publicly available. At that time, the environmental impacts associated with the proposed development will be revealed. We'll soon know how many additional cars the project will generate per day. We'll know if they can successfully mitigate traffic at one of the most congested intersections in Long Beach. We'll know all that and more. That's important, right? To know how a proposed development is going to impact you before you make up your mind?

Well, apparently it's not. The Second + PCH development team doesn't want you to wait for all that. They want you to call your councilperson ASAP and voice support. Write your letters now, before you know the impacts. Petition the decision makers today, encouraging them "to vote YES when second+pch comes up for a vote!"

In the support letter they think you should have written weeks ago, they suggest you state that, "the project has the architectural style, residential and commercial spaces and cultural amenities that I want." They tell you to extol the economic benefits of the Project. As quick as you can, they tell you to tell the decision makers that "this is the right project at the right time for Long Beach."

They tell you what to say, but what they aren't telling you is to wait and look at the project's impacts. No, no, they don't want you to focus on those.

Personally, it makes me wonder why. Is it because the environmental impacts are significant? Is it because the traffic simply can't be mitigated, and for many that's a deal breaker? I dunno, but I guess we'll soon find out.

Fundamentally, I believe that this Project should be reviewed with a critical eye. The environmental impacts should be weighed against the Project's benefits. A decision to support or oppose should be made in light of full information, with all factors considered.

And shame on the Second + PCH development team, or anyone for that matter, who recommends otherwise.

Second + PCH Begins Email Requests for Support

2010-03-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

The Second + PCH development team has begun sending out emails soliciting support in advance of the soon to be released EIR. And they have made it VERY easy to do so. Really all you have to do is just give your name and occupation and they'll do the rest for you. They do give you the option to modify the provided form letter. For that extra special personal touch.

The email is provided below in its entirety.

We are here to give you the latest information on the exciting new development planned for second+pch in Long Beach, and to provide you with ways to voice your support.

This project will only become a reality if people in Long Beach SPEAKOUT and show support. The Planning Commission, the City Council and the Mayor need to know that people in our city are ready for a high quality development on an important gateway to that we can be proud of.

Polling data from Goodwin Simon Strategic Research shows that residents of Long Beach support the project by a two-to-one margin.

How can I help?

If you believe this project is good for Long Beach, will bring jobs and revenue into the City and will revitalize the eastern gateway to the City, we need you to SPEAK OUT.

Here's how to do it:

Send an easy to prepare, online letter of support to our city officials.
Become a fan of second+pch on Facebook and send our link to all of your other Facebook friends.
Send a personal letter to the newspaper or to the on-line media voicing support.

Timing

The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be released in the first two weeks of April opening a 45-day comment period. Now is the time to SPEAK OUT and be heard. Your opinion matters.

For more information, visit our website at www.second+pch.com and join our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Sincerely,

David Malmuth

second+pch

He's baaaack.....

2010-03-22T06:48:00.000-07:00

Can't keep a good man down apparently. Less than one week after the District Weekly folds, "orphaned" reporter Dave Wielenga launches a new blog: Dave Wielenga Redistricted.

And he's got support, Bill Pearl of LBReport has offered to carry the blog on his Website.

Welcome to the world of blogging, Dave. Good luck to you.

Farewell, District Weekly

2010-03-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

The District Weekly folded today. What an absolute pity. Long Beach is worse because of it, I think.

They will be missed tremendously.

Read, "Dave Wielenga reflects on passing of The District Weekly," at LBReport for more.

Substantial Issue Found, CCC

2010-03-11T05:17:00.000-08:00

At the California Coastal Commission's meeting yesterday, they voted to uphold the appeals on the 2H/Sean Hitchcock matter. They found that a "substantial issue" exists and a de novo hearing will be held in the future. The staff report and hearing results can be found here.

As I am currently out of town on business, I was neither able to attend the hearing nor listen to the meeting online. I will do so (once I get back to civilization), and provide an update as to what transpired (and what it means).

An educated voter is a better voter.....

2010-03-06T12:49:00.000-08:00

It's election time in Long Beach!

The Long Beach Business Journal is in the process of conducting and publishing candidate interviews. They can be found here.

They started with the 9th district and are working their way down. To date the following are available:

Four Vie for Ninth District Council Seat (2/2/2010)
Four Vie for Seventh District Council Seat (2/16/2010)
Two in the Fifth, Three in the Third Vie for Council (3/2/2010)

Additionally, LBReport has direct links to campaign contributions reported by the candidates for the period January 1 - February 27, 2010. You can access that information here.

I encourage you to read up on the candidates! Enjoy.

Tank Removal Project Status

2010-02-23T13:17:00.001-08:00

Okay, I admit it. I'm a bad blogger.

Here I am blogging about the tank removal project, and then not providing an update as to its status after the Planning Commission meeting. Hey, what can I say? Life happens.

In a nutshell, it was delayed pending additional information.

LBReport.com did an absolutely fabulous job covering this meeting. Check it out here.

Tank Removal Project Before Planning Commission Tonight

2010-02-18T05:10:00.000-08:00

Quick reminder that the Tank Removal Project is set to be approved by the Planning Commission tonight, 5pm, at City Hall (333 W. Ocean).

Attend and comment!

Snowy Bayou

2010-02-14T07:11:00.000-08:00

Remember Tim Anderson, former Executive Director of the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust? Naturalist and volunteer extraordinaire?

He moved to Louisiana a bit ago. He just sent me this picture of the snowy bayou he calls home. Snow is an anomaly, apparently. Pretty though.

Be well, my friend, and stay warm!

Thanks LBReport!

2010-02-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

Just saw that LBReport published a blurb about tonight's tank talk. Thanks LBReport!.

Tank Talk Reminder

2010-02-11T08:01:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder that tonight at Kettering Elementary (500 Silvera), I'll be speaking about the Tank Removal Project.

As posted earlier, the meeting starts at 6:30. It's a packed agenda and I'm speaking later in the evening.

If you are at all curious about this Project, come have a listen.

Thanks District Weekly!

2010-02-04T19:59:00.000-08:00

Saw that The District Weekly ran a blurb about my upcoming Tank Talk. Hey thanks!

I'm Talking Tanks

2010-02-03T07:10:00.000-08:00

At the request of Pat Towner, University Park Estates Neighborhood Association (UPENA) President, I will be speaking about the Tank Removal Project (Project) at UPENA's upcoming meeting. Details follow:

Thursday, February 11
6:30 P.M. (that is the meeting start time; I will be speaking a little later in the evening)
Kettering Elementary School (500 Silvera)

I have been asked to speak about the following (generally, and briefly):

Explaining what a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) is and how it differs from an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
Explanation of the Project
Concerns regarding the Revised MND
Question and Answer Session

Sound thrilling? Well, probably not, but it will be informative.

I am told this meeting is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend and learn.

And if you go, remember....no heckling the speaker!

Reminder - Tank Removal Project

2010-02-02T08:15:00.000-08:00

Just a quick reminder that the comment period on the Tank Removal Project revised Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) is running now and expires, February 16.

The Project is scheduled for approval at the Planning Commission on Thursday, February 18.

It is important to note that if the Planning Commission approves the Project and you want to appeal the decision to the City Council, you need to have established yourself as an "aggrieved party." To do this, you must have participated in the Planning Commission hearing process, either by submitting written comments to the Commission directly or by testifying at the hearing.

Green Speed Dating.....

2010-01-28T20:49:00.000-08:00

Okay. So I was having dinner at Tantalum tonight and I saw this flyer thing by the hostess area. I thought it was interesting, so I'm posting about it.

On Wednesday, February 24 at 7 p.m., Tantalum will be hosting "green speed dating" wherein eco-conscious singles (age 30-50) can meet.

Cost is $25 and all proceeds benefit Power to the People's solar project in Nicaragua.

Brilliant.

RSVP: greenspeeddating.com
General info greenspeeddatinglb@gmail.com

Want to Learn More About Los Cerritos Wetlands?

2010-01-26T11:37:00.000-08:00

Following are two links to videos produced by the Aquarium of the Pacific. Both are about the Los Cerritos Wetlands and star local salt marsh ecologist, Eric Zahn. Check em out!

The podcast is 4 min, 40 seconds and can be found by clicking here.

The full length feature is 71 minutes, 50 seconds and can be found by clicking here.

I know the video is long, but it's great and worth a viewing. So saddle up with some popcorn or something and check it out!

Water, Water Everywhere!

2010-01-23T05:43:00.000-08:00

There's water out on the Los Cerritos Wetlands......

Thanks to Eric Zahn of Tidal Influence for providing me with all these photos (taken 1/21). My fave is the last one....totally caught that bird flying across (clicking on the photo below should open it in a larger window).