TITLE
Recommendation to increase appropriations in the Capital Projects Fund Group in the Public Works Department in the amount of $2,500, offset by the Fifth Council District One-time District Priority Funds transferred from the General Fund Group in the Citywide Activities Department to support critical need safety improvements in the Fifth Council District;
Increase appropriations in the General Fund Group in the Public Works Department in the amount of $7,500, offset by the Fifth Council District One-time District Priority Funds transferred from the General Fund Group in the Citywide Activities Department to support critical need safety improvements in the Fifth Council District;
Decrease appropriations in the General Fund Group in the Citywide Activities Department by $7,500 to offset a transfer to the Public Works Department; and
Direct City Manager and all applicable departments to work with Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) on options for installing an additional gate at the Spring Street Service Road to limit pedestrian and vehicle access to the land owned and operated by LADWP, formerly occupied by Jauregui Nursery (“Tree Farm”); and to coordinate additional “No Trespassing” signage that would give legal authority to Long Beach Police Department to access the property and enforce any reported illegal activity occurring in the property.
DISCUSSION
In the Summer of 2020, the Tree Farm started the process of vacating LADWP property due to a non-renewal of lease. Since then, LBPD East Division has seen elevated calls-for-service to the Emergency Response Call Center regarding late night and early morning disturbances of people accessing the property at the Spring Street Service Road and Stevely Avenue entrance and utilizing the Spring Street Stairwell to get to and from El Dorado Regional and The Los Angeles County Flood Control Area (see attached map for reference).
In two community meetings conducted in January 2021, various safety improvement options were discussed. As a result, supplemental funding is needed to address critical need safety improvements to minimize late-night disturbances in the Fifth Council District for the following:
|
Location |
Improvement |
Cost |
|
Spring Street Service Road Stairwell at the main E Spring Street entrance |
Installation of a publicly accessible coded gate, similar to a recent installation conducted on a pedestrian bridge at Elmfield Ave |
$7,500 |
|
Within the dead-end or Stevely Ave & Spring Street “nub” |
Installation of a light on the SCE utility pole number 913142 E |
$2,500 |
Both installations will need additional community outreach and noticing prior to installation to ensure a positive impact to the surrounding neighborhood and residents.
In a recent walkthrough of the Tree Farm property on February 1st with council office staff and LADWP, they stated that they would be amenable to working with the City to ensure the property is clean and secure.
To this end, we move that the City Council direct the City Manager and all relevant City Departments to work with LADWP to ensure proper access is given for enforcement of illegal activity and to look into options for installing an additional gate on the City-side to mitigate late night and early morning disturbances happening on the Spring Street Service Road outside of public view.
STATEMENT OF URGENCY
Approval of this recommendation is urgent due to the current and ongoing late night and early morning noise disturbances happening to District neighbors.
FISCAL IMPACT
Due to the urgency of this item, no fiscal analysis was conducted.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
STACY MUNGO
COUCNILWOMAN, FIFTH DISTRICT