March 2011 Archives

The Long Beach City Council was supposed to discuss a proposal to explore outsourcing street sweeping services Tuesday night. However, that discussion was swept aside until the council meets again April 5.

The idea had come from 3rd District Councilman Gary DeLong and the Budget Oversight Committee, but a member of the committee who had opposed the proposal, 4th District Councilman Patrick O'Donnell, was absent Tuesday. O'Donnell, who is a teacher at Paramount High School, was absent because he had open house night at the school, according to his chief of staff, Bridget Sramek.

Fifth District Councilwoman Rae Gabelich asked to postpone the item until O'Donnell can attend, and the council agreed. That meant that the 30 or so street sweeping workers who had waited for three hours to give the council their thoughts on the proposal had to leave without a peep and will have to return in two weeks if they want to be heard.

The Long Beach City Council is putting its foot down on a proposed railyard expansion in West Long Beach. But it's mostly a symbolic foot, and the expansion could roll right over it like the trains and trucks that rush by the city's Westside neighborhoods.

The council unanimously voted Tuesday to create a resolution supporting a zero-emissions goods movement option in the environmental impact report of the $300 million Intermodal Container Transfer Facility expansion project. Seventh District Councilman James Johnson had proposed the resolution.

The railway center, known as the ICTF, is operated by Union Pacific railroad to transfer cargo from trucks coming out of the Port of Long Beach to trains bound for locations throughout the country. Located in West Long Beach between the San Diego (405) Freeway and Willow Street, the rail yard also happens to be near a school and homes in a part of town that port critics have dubbed the "diesel death zone."

The zero-emission solution that the council wants could involve magnetic levitation trains or any number of other non-polluting technologies. However, the decision isn't up to anyone at City Hall.

The ICTF Joint Powers Authority, an entity controlled equally by the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, will decide its fate. The environmental impact report, which is the first step toward any expansion, is expected to come out sometime this year.

The public can learn more about zero emissions technologies and air pollution Thursday during a forum sponsored by Johnson, the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the West Long Beach Association. The forum begins at 7 p.m. in Silverado Park, 1545 W. 31st St.

The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved three measures to hold liquor stores accountable for nuisance activity there, to discourage the approval of new liquor stores and to provide more healthy food at convenience stores.

The proposal by 9th District Councilman Steve Neal originally was to implement a moratorium on new liquor stores, but he altered that to focus on greater scrutiny of liquor store applications.

The voluntary healthy foods program will provide education and will use existing grants to help convenience stores improve their appearance and explore healthy food options.

The liquor store restrictions require liquor stores to keep up their properties, not contribute to nuisance activities such as graffiti and unruly behavior, and not negatively impact the neighborhood, among other conditions. Liquor stores that violate these rules could face fines, penalties and civil legal action.

Several members of the public spoke in support of the measures, but a few local liquor store operators said the council was unfairly targeting small liquor stores when all businesses should have to comply with such rules.

"It's not fair just to single out the liquor stores," said Tom Berberet, a Long Beach alcohol distributor.

Neal responded: "This is not an attempt to attack small businesses."

After a year-long hiatus, the monthly Beer & Politics gathering has returned.

Its next gathering will be April 1 during the First Fridays art walk in Bixby Knolls. The event will be at Nino's restaurant, 3853 Atlantic Ave. Beer & Politics is a great opportunity to discuss hot or controversial topics of the day while enjoying a cold one. Occasionally, significant news comes out of the event.

At the upcoming event, City Manager Pat West will discuss Long Beach's Bike Master Plan. The city has been setting the standard in Los Angeles County for becoming more bicycle friendly, with new separated bike lanes on Broadway, a new bike boulevard and other efforts.

Beer & Politics is run by Michael Clements, who has been busy the last year as he took on the role of chief of staff for new 7th District City Councilman James Johnson. Get more information about the event at www.beerandpolitics.org.

You won't see Long Beach City Councilman Robert Garcia at tonight's council meeting.

The jetsetting councilman is in Sevilla, Spain, this week for the VELO-CITY International Bike Policy & Mobility Conference, a gathering of policy-makers from around the globe, organized to promote bicycle-friendly policies and infrastructure.

Garcia was invited to attend and given a full scholarship for conference and travel expenses by the Active Transportation Alliance, a Chicago-based non-profit dedicated to promoting and improving bike, pedestrian, and public transit options and services. Bikes Belong Foundation, a national, non-profit bike policy organization, funded the scholarship. No city funds are being used for this trip, he noted.

"Bikes Belong Foundation has provided us an incredible opportunity to see world-class bike infrastructure and meet with policy makers from around the world to discuss mobility and how to make cities safer for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists," Garcia said.

Sevilla is one of the most bike friendly cities in the world, recognized for having successfully integrated dedicated bike lanes, similar to those now being unveiled in Downtown Long Beach, throughout the whole city of 700,000. Garcia's visit began with a 5-hour bike ride, in which he and other participants traveled the whole city by bicycle.

"It was extremely impressive to be able to navigate the entire city by bicycle, with absolutely no obstacles or difficulties," said Garcia.

ActiveTrans invited 10 Councilmembers from across the country to learn about the latest bike policy and infrastructure developments worldwide. Accompanying Garcia are council members Ed Reyes from Los Angeles, Frank Quintero from Glendale, John Avalos from San Francisco, Felix Arroyo from Boston, and Joe Moreno from Chicago.

The conference includes workshops and panels on mobility policy, best practices in infrastructure, and models for bike sharing program and education. Garcia said he intends to host a community roundtable upon his return to share what he has learned and discuss applications for Long Beach.

Updates on the health of Mike Jensen, the sole survivor of the twin-engine plane crash Wednesday at Long Beach Airport, are being posted by his company, Pacific Retail Partners, here. Below is the latest update, posted at 11:40 a.m. this morning.

Awesome news today!!!

Mike is doing much better. The Dr.(s) have told us that his lungs and heart are doing extremely well. We are praying for a full recovery :).

From the Jensens and the Pacific Retail Partners team , we thank each and every one of you for your amazing love and care for Mike, the Jensens, and the team @ Pacific Retail Partners.  Pease keep Mike in your thoughts and prayers.

Please note that no visitors are allowed as per the Dr.(s) orders. Please allow the Jensens private time with Mike and the rest of the family.

Five other men died in the plane crash, which is still under investigation.

The Downtown Long Beach Associates issued the following open letter this week to Mark Bixby, who died with four others in a plane crash at Long Beach Airport.

Dear Mark:

A wise man once said that 'To live in the hearts of those we leave behind is not to die.'  There isn't a more fitting sentiment as we reflect on the life that you led and the lasting impact you will have on those of us who had the honor of calling you a friend.

There are few people in this world who carry with them such passion and dedication to the things they hold dear.  Your contagious energy and vigor for life were part of that Mark Bixby charm that so many enjoyed, but it was your commitment to this community, your allegiance to friends and your incredible love of family that will continue to be an inspiration to us all.

It was such an honor to work side-by-side with you and to see your vision come to fruition with the Long Beach Bicycle Festival and Tour of Long Beach.  We were all awed by your excitement and enthusiasm and unrivaled ability to rally support for a cause.  Your leadership and can-do attitude helped create an event that will raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the patients of Miller Children's Hospital of Long Beach in the coming years.

Your contributions as a DLBA Board member were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to the generosity you showed in giving your time to make a difference for good of the community.  You quietly supported so many organizations that help make Long Beach a great city and your smiling face and gentle spirit lit up the room wherever you went.

We honor you, Mark, not only for the extraordinary man that you were, but for the lasting impression you made on the world around you.  Your life was short, but made an immeasurable difference.

Thank you for giving us so much of yourself and for making us laugh and smile along with you as you did.  And thank you for reminding us that it is not how a man dies that is important, but rather how a man lives.  May your next adventure be as fulfilling as the one you shared with us.

With love and admiration.

The public is invited to a reception tonight of the California Latino Legislative Caucus and a chance to contribute to a scholarship in memory of state Sen. Jenny Oropeza.

Latino members of the state Legislature, local elected officials and community leaders will be at the free reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Ave.

The Latino Caucus established the Latino Leaders Reception series in 2009 to stay connected to the community. This year's reception will also feature an opportunity to contribute to the Jenny Oropeza Memorial Scholarship, benefitting first-generation college students who are leaders in their communities.

Oropeza, who died in October, once served as vice-chairwoman of the caucus. During her political career, she was a state senator, Assembly member, Long Beach City Council member, and board member of Long Beach Unified School District.

The city has released a revised environmental impact report for the proposed 2nd+PCH development. The massive hotel, residential and retail project at 2nd Street and Pacific Coast Highway has received its share of criticism, including about its size, density, and potential impact on birds whose habitats include the nearby coast and Los Cerritos Wetlands.

The proposed development at the southwest corner of Second Street and Pacific Coast Highway would replace the SeaPort Marina Hotel. It would contain a 12-story residential tower and other buildings and would encompass 822,500 square feet.

The village would have 220,000 square feet of upscale retail outlets and restaurants; a 100-room boutique hotel; 95 condominiums and an additional 230 for-sale residences designed as a mix of lofts, flats and town homes; a 99-seat Cal Repertory Theater; and a coastal science learning center.

Check out the project website here.

Mayor Bob Foster will take part in a forum this morning on the state's employee pension system.

The forum takes place from 8:30 to 11 a.m. and will be streamed live online at www.ustream.tv/bayareacouncil starting at 8:45 a.m. Viewers can participate in the discussion by tweeting questions via Twitter during the forum, using the hashtag #BACpension.

The Bay Area Council is sponsoring the forum, in which six other experts on both sides of the issue will participate. Foster has made headlines here in Long Beach with his aggressive call for pension reform at the city level.

The other forum participants are:

• Jeff Adachi, San Francisco Public Defender
• Marcia Fritz, President of the California Foundation for Fiscal Responsibility
• Dave Low, Chair of Californians for Health Care and Retirement Security
• Joe Nation, Stanford Professor and former State Assemblymember
• Harvey Robinson, President of the Retired Public Employees Association of California
• Corey Cook (moderator), Professor of Political Science and Director of the Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good, University of San Francisco

Before the Los Angeles City Council prepared to vote today on a bicycle master plan, one supporter recognized Long Beach for already being a leader on that front.

From a Los Angeles Times story about the plan:

Damien Newton, the writer and publisher of the transportation-focused Streetsblog, said the plan should help Los Angeles catch up with more evolved cycling cities, including Portland and New York and nearby Long Beach and Pasadena.

"Our plan closes that gap," he said. "If it's implemented."

The council did implement a plan, which you can read about here.

Check out Long Beach's own bicycle master plan here.

Long Beach is also in the process of updating the plan and is holding community workshops to get feedback from the public. See the workshop schedule here.