TITLE
Recommendation to adopt the West Long Beach Livability Implementation Plan and accept Categorical Exemption CE 15-139. (Districts 1,2,6,7,8)
DISCUSSION
Over the last several decades the City has prepared various plans for West Long Beach. These have included zoning and land use, park improvement, public works and transportation, as well as port impact area mitigation plans, green port policy, and climate action plans. Additionally, capital improvements for the area are covered in the City budget within the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). While these prior planning efforts all serve specific purposes, the West Long Beach Livability Implementation Plan (Livability Plan) provides a single document with an overall framework and implementation plan for improving livability in West Long Beach (Exhibit A - West Long Beach Livability Implementation Plan).
The Board of Harbor Commissioners provided the impetus and funding for this effort. Harbor Department and Development Services staff partnered to create and develop the Livability Plan. The Livability Plan will influence public and private investment in West Long Beach which will impact matters before the City Council in the future. The Harbor Commission reviewed, received and filed the Livability Plan on July 27, 2015, signaling its support. The Planning Commission followed with their action on the Livability Plan on August 20, 2015, recommending approval from the City Council (Exhibit B - Planning Commission Staff Report & Proposed Work Plan).
The purpose of the Livability Plan is to promote livability, environmental quality, community health and safety, and economic vitality. A livable community promotes pride among its residents and creates spaces for walking, bicycling, transit use, outdoor exercise, along with social and economic opportunity for all community members. A mitigation plan focuses solely on achieving reductions in emissions and physical health impacts of those emissions. A standard...
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