Title
Amendment to Section 14.20 of the Long Beach Municipal Code unifying the appearance of newsracks along portions of Pine Avenue and Ocean Boulevard. (Districts 1,2)
DISCUSSION
On June 3, 2003, Councilmembers Bonnie Lowenthal and Dan Baker requested that the City Council study the possible expansion of the pilot news rack program in place on Second Street in Belmont Shore in order to improve the appearance of newsracks on the city streets downtown. Meetings were held with local news distributors to ask for their cooperation in determining an acceptable course of action that would achieve this goal. With their input, a decision was made to pursue a pilot program that would reduce visual clutter and unify the appearance of newsracks along the most heavily used pedestrian corridors downtown. The proposed pilot program provides the following:
• Newsracks placed on Pine Avenue between Ocean Boulevard and Seventh Street, and Ocean Boulevard between Golden Avenue and Shoreline Drive shall be standardized in appearance.
• The standard newsrack shall be similar to the K-Jack 100 Flattop model, with a square column-style base. A picture of this newsrack is attached as Exhibit A.
• Newsracks shall be bolted to the sidewalk except where special sidewalk paving is not compatible with bolting.
The locations where news racks may be placed are governed by the existing provisions of Sections 14.20.030 through 14.20.040 of the Municipal Code, which are not being changed with this program. Color choice for the newsracks is left to the individual newsrack owners in orderto allow them to maintain their market identity.
Deputy City Attorney Lisa Peskay Malmsten reviewed this item on March 8, 2004.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on May 4, 2004, to implement this program as soon as possible.
FISCAL IMPACT
Additional staff time must be devoted to code enforcement activities related to this program, estimated at 160 staff-hours initially...
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