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Recommendation to receive and file a report on container stacking and height limit regulations, and approve the City Manager’s emergency action to temporarily waive enforcement of Long Beach Municipal Code, Section 21.33.150, for a period of 90 days beginning October 22, 2021, in alignment with the Governor’s Executive Order. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The COVID-19 global pandemic has created a disruption in manufacturing and distribution of goods; specifically, a disruption of port gate operations, driver and chassis shortages, and a shortage of container storage facilities. This has resulted in a national economic emergency that has impacted supply chains especially in our nation’s ports, including the City of Long Beach (City) and neighboring port operations.
Except for the Port-related Industrial (IP) Zone that has no stacking limit, the Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC), Section 21.33.150 (Outdoor Storage and Activities), contains provisions that limit the number and/or height of shipping container storage in the industrial zones and certain Planned Development Districts (PDs) to either two stacked containers or eight feet in height. These provisions, which have been in effect for many years, were established to address the environmental impacts (noise, circulation, air quality, aesthetic, etc.) on the surrounding areas related to excessive storage activities.
Given the current national emergency and the Governor’s Executive Order to take necessary steps to provide assistance during this state and national crisis, the City Manager has temporarily waived enforcement of current shipping container stacking and height limits for a period of 90 days, beginning October 22, 2021. During this period, affected operations that are currently permitted and zoned to allow shipping container stacking will be allowed to stack up to four shipping containers without being cited for a Code violation. Properties that wish to stack up to five containers high are requir...
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