TITLE
Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the public hearing, and adopt resolution approving an Addendum to the Midtown Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report for the purposes of analyzing potential impacts related to the proposed General Plan Amendment GPA17-006;
DISCUSSION
On December 7, 2017, the Planning Commission (Exhibit A - Planning Commission Report) held a public hearing and voted to recommend that the City Council approve an Addendum to the Midtown Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and to approve a General Plan Amendment (GPA17-006) to change the Land Use District (LUD) Map on 13 properties from LUD #3B (Moderate Density Residential) and LUD #8A (Traditional Retail Strip Commercial) to LUD #7 (Mixed Uses) on lots located in the Midtown Specific Plan (Exhibit B - Midtown Specific Plan Map). The Planning Commission also recommended approval of a Lot Merger and Site Plan Review request for a new five-story, mixed-use development, consisting of 102 residential units, and 3,938 square feet of commercial space located at 1795 Long Beach Boulevard (Exhibit C - Location Map) in the Midtown Specific Plan (SP-1).
The General Plan Amendment is necessary after the Midtown Specific Plan (SP-1) replaced the Long Beach Boulevard Planned Development District (PD-29) in 2016 and new zoning districts were created. The underlying Land Use Designations (LUD) were to be updated as part of the City’s current Land Use Element/Urban Design Element (LUE/UDE) update (anticipated to occur within a year of the SP-1 adoption). A Mitigation Measure was included as part of the Midtown Specific Plan EIR to complete these General Plan Amendments within one year of the approval of the SP-1. However, the LUE/UDE update has thus far not been completed and has now hindered the review and processing of proposed development projects due to inconsistencies between SP-1 and the underlying General Plan land use designations. ...
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