TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance amending Ordinance No. ORD-21-0020 extending for twelve (12) months interim regulations (moratorium) in accordance with Chapter 21.50 of the Long Beach Municipal Code on the issuance of building, construction, occupancy permits, or other entitlements for new stand-alone residential construction along transportation corridors in areas that are designated by the 2019 General Plan Land Use Element update as the neighborhood-serving corridors or centers placetype on Willow Street, west of the I-710 freeway to the City terminus; and Santa Fe Avenue, between Pacific Coast Highway on the south and Wardlow Road on the north, in the west Long Beach area of the City; declaring the urgency thereof; and declaring that this ordinance shall take effect immediately, read and adopted as read. (District 7)
DISCUSSION
On June 15, 2021, the City Council enacted a one-year moratorium on standalone new residential development along transportation corridors in West Long Beach in areas that are designated by the 2019 General Plan Land Use Element Update as the Neighborhood-Serving Corridors or Centers PlaceType on Willow Street, west of Interstate-710 (I-710) to the City terminus; and Santa Fe Avenue, between Pacific Coast Highway on the south and Wardlow Road on the north, in the West Long Beach area of the City (Attachment A).
This action was based on a May 18, 2021 request by the City Council, which outlined the unique circumstances leading to the request for the interim moratorium ordinance, given that the existing regulations for the West Willow and Santa Fe Corridors pre-date adoption of the General Plan Land Use Element and do not allow for mixed-use development that would be consistent with the Land Use Element and Urban Design Element (Attachment B). The moratorium was put in place to prevent out-of-character development that could be permitted under existing zoning and that would result in standalone single-use residential structures, forestalling the ability to create walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods and corridors. The moratorium is limited to parcels along the Willow Street and Santa Fe Avenue corridors, west of the I-710, which have been designated as “Neighborhood Serving Centers” within the Land Use Element. This moratorium prevents new standalone residential structures to support the City of Long Beach (City) in meeting its overall goals, as established in the Land Use Element.
The action by City Council also included a request that the City Manager work with the Economic Development Department to develop a plan and identify funding to conduct a market study including economic research and community outreach to attract investment and neighborhood serving uses to West Long Beach along the Santa Fe Avenue and Willow Street Corridors, consistent with the Land Use Element. This project would report back on strategies to attract neighborhood-serving businesses including but not limited to grocery, banking, pharmacy, and coffee, among other amenities, that have long been absent and are needed in West Long Beach.
The moratorium was set to expire either after one year; or, when existing zoning regulations had been updated to be consistent with the Land Use Element and when an economic study had been completed. Both efforts are still in progress. The Development Services Department has been crafting zoning code recommendations for the Willow and Santa Fe corridors and needs additional time to complete the community engagement and undergo the adoption processes for the proposed new zones. A draft of the zoning recommendations has been developed and will be refined based on community feedback through a May 2022 virtual open house and an ongoing community survey. The Economic Development Department identified a strategy for completing the economic study as part of the broader, related effort to conduct studies to develop Economic Empowerment Zones (EEZ) in specific areas of the City including West Long Beach to support economic recovery goals. The Economic Development Department is finalizing a strategy for conducting the data collection and community outreach for the EEZs currently slated to commence in July 2022.
Public Hearing Notice
Pursuant to Long Beach Municipal Code Section 21.50.040(B), a Public Hearing Notice was published in the Long Beach Press-Telegram on June 3, 2022.
This matter was reviewed by Retired Annuitant Attorney Michael J. Mais and Revenue Management Officer Geraldine Alejo on May 26, 2022.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on June 14, 2022, to extend the moratorium prior to its expiration on June 15, 2022.
FISCAL IMPACT
The market study will include economic research and community outreach to attract investment and neighborhood serving uses to West Long Beach along the Santa Fe Avenue and Willow Street Corridors. This market study will be completed as part of a larger study to develop EEZ, which is a part of the Long Beach Recovery Act’s Economic Inclusion program category and funded from the $3.4 million in funding allocated specifically for EEZ. Any related City staff time required to continue with these efforts will be funded within existing resources appropriated in the Development Services and Economic Development Departments. This recommendation has a minimal staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. ORD-21-0020 EXTENDING FOR TWELVE (12) MONTHS INTERIM REGULATIONS (MORATORIUM) IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 21.50 OF THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE ON THE ISSUANCE OF BUILDING, CONSTRUCTION, OCCUPANCY PERMITS, OR OTHER ENTITLEMENTS FOR NEW STAND-ALONE RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION ALONG TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS IN AREAS THAT ARE DESIGNATED BY THE 2019 GENERAL PLAN LAND USE ELEMENT UPDATE AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD-SERVING CORRIDORS OR CENTERS PLACETYPE ON WILLOW STREET, WEST OF THE I-710 FREEWAY TO THE CITY TERMINUS; AND SANTA FE AVENUE, BETWEEN PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY ON THE SOUTH AND WARDLOW ROAD ON THE NORTH, IN THE WEST LONG BEACH AREA OF THE CITY; DECLARING THE URGENCY THEREOF; AND DECLARING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY
Respectfully Submitted,
OSCAR W. ORCI
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER