TITLE
Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record; conclude the hearing;
Adopt resolution amending the Open Space and Recreation Element of the General Plan to include additional City parklands established in 2005;
DISCUSSION
With the adoption of implementation programs in the City's Open Space and Recreation
Element of the General Plan on October, 15, 2002, the City Council created programs
requiring formal dedication of all City-owned parks; designation of such lands for
preservation as parks in perpetuity; complete consistency between the General Plan and
zoning for these City parks; and an annual report to the Planning Commission and City
Council documenting the City's progress in creating more park space in Long Beach. The
2004 annual report was reviewed by the City Council on March 1, 2005. (The Planning
Commission and City Council will review the annual report for 2005 in the spring of 2006.)
At a hearing on September 15, 2005, the City Planning Commission made a unanimous
decision to recommend that the City Council adopt resolutions and ordinances in order to
amend the Open Space and Recreation Element of the City's General Plan and Zoning
Regulations to include six (6) new parks and three (3) park expansions for this year's
annual park dedications and rezonings. The new parks are:
* Arbor Street Park at 47* and Arbor Streets (just east of Long Beach Boulevard)
* Burton Chase Park at Market Street and Dairy Avenue
* Fellowship Park at Willow Street and Pasadena Avenue
* Peace Park at 14* Street and Atlantic Avenue
* Rotary Centennial Park located between Pacific Coast Highway and Juniper0
Avenue, and
* Sims Pond at Loynes Drive and Pacific Coast Highway
The park expansions are:
* Pacific Electric Right-of-way Park located between Loma Avenue and Tenth Street
* Victory Park at Ocean Boulevard east of Cedar Avenue, and
* Santa Cruz Park at Ocean Boulevard west of Cedar Avenue.
A total of 11.07 acres of City-owned lands are being zoned and dedicated as City parks
with this amendment. For more details on each park, the Planning Commission report is
attached for your reference.
Updating of the General Plan and the zoning regulations, formally dedicating these nine (9)
areas as City parks in perpetuity, and ultimately forwarding these changes to the California
Coastal Commission for their approval, will be achieved through the City Council's adoption
of the attached resolutions and ordinances. Performing the recommended actions will
implement the goals and objectives, policies and implementation programs in the City's
General Plan, particularly in the Open Space and Recreation Element.
In accordance with the Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental
Quality Act, Categorical Exemption No. 184-05 was certified by the Planning Commission
for this project.
This report was reviewed by Assistant City Attorney Michael J. Mais on December 6,2005.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this item is not time sensitive.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
BODY
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF LONG BEACH ADOPTING, AFTER PUBLIC
HEARING, AMENDMENTS TO THE OPEN SPACE AND
RECREATION ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN OF THE
CITY OF LONG BEACH RELATING TO PARKS IN
PERPETUITY
Respectfully Submitted,
SUZANNE FRICK
DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND BUILDING
PHIL T. HESTER
DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE