Results tagged “mike ruehle” from Neighbors

<CF12>The votes are still being counted, but Belmont Shore residents seem to be opposed to a proposed Seaport Marina project.

The plans will soon be reviewed during the Long Beach permit process, and Belmont Shore Residents Association president Mike Ruehle has sent out an email questionaire about the project.

As of Dec. 22, 46 residents, slightly more than half of those responding, want the current zoning to remain, limiting; 10 approve six-story limit; 13 support 12-story buildings; five want to wait for the pending SEADIP study details; and seven decided to abstain from the informal association poll.

The developer indicates the plans to replace the existing low rise hotel with 6-story and 12-story buildings to include a hotel, condominium units and 200,000 square feet of restaurants and retail, according to Ruehle. This will require rezoning of this area to include residential uses. It will also require a variance from the city in order to exceed the maximum 35-foot height zoning requirements, he added.

The potential benefits include: The city may receive more sales tax and property tax revenue because more residential and commercial units can be constructed.

The potential detriments include: The zoning variance may set a precedent, allowing the surrounding area, including Marina Pacifica, Marketplace Shopping Center, Pumpkin Patch, Gaslamp restaurant and Golden Sails Hotel, to also construct buildings to the same high-rise standard, aggravating traffic congestion.

The poll ends Tuesday (Dec. 23).

There are 11 board positions up for election of the Belmont Shore Residents Association, and association president Mike Ruehle is recommending a slate for Thursday's balloting: 

In an email sent out Monday, Ruehle's recommended slate is: president: Ruehle; vice president: Terry Endersen; treasurer:Christopher Van Horn (new); secretary: Jeff Miller; and at large: Tim Clark (new), Aileen Colon (new), Charles Folks (new),  John Forstrom,  Marvin Jones,  Larry Jordan (new) and Jim Lazarus.

Ruehle also noted in his newsletter this week that the candidates are "all a mix of retired residents and working family members."

He added: "None of the above candidates are Second Street commercial property owners." That's important for the residents to know, he said in a telephone interview.

Ruehle also noted that the association ranks have grown, thanks to the upcoming election:

"Of particular interest," he added in his newsletter, "is the high number of new members that have only recently joined the BSRA in August.  Many of the new members are either city employees, city staffers, elected officials ... or people who have spoken before City Council in support of alcohol licenses and entertainment permits for Second Street bars."

The Belmont Shore Residents Association is fighting an effort to grant a liquor license for the Chronic Tacos.
The push for the license was on Tuesday night's Long Beach City Council agenda, but rescheduled to Aug. 5, after a number of residents raised concerns.
They formally opposed the request for an original Alcoholic Beverage Control license at 3870 Ocean Blvd.
According to association president Mike Ruehle, ABC only allows five licenses in Chronic Tacos' Census Tract.
"However, it is already oversaturated with 10 on-sale licenses," he added in an email message to association members Wednesday. "Chronic Tacos' license would be 11."
Ruehle asserted that adjacent Belmont Shore Census Tracts are "extremely oversaturated" with 47 liquor licenses.
The association president also said there are 23 residences within 100 feet of Chronic Tacos -- a stand with no enclosed seating.
"All seating is in an open air, covered patio," he noted. "Their conditions allow them to be open until midnight. Thus the noise impact on neighboring residents of drinking patrons would be serious."
Heavy traffic -- and potential patron-related problems -- would tax police resources, Ruehle argued in his association message.
"The community does not need more drinking drivers," he said. "Long Beach police are already overburdened and short staffed ... (Chronic Tacos) drinking patrons will add to their burden and those of the taxpayers.