The City's 2010 Strategic Plan requires us to develop a strategy for land use at
the Long Beach Airport. I am requesting the City Manager provide a status
report regarding the completion of these plans, which should include on and off-
Airport land uses and any remaining parcels that are suitable for development.
Eighth District residents have specifically requested information regarding the
City's long term goals for growth at Long Beach Airport, as well as all proposed
development within the immediate vicinity, including Sky Links Golf Course,
Boeing, Marriott Hotel, the National Guard property, the former Rochelle's
property, and any proposed on-site and offsite parking areas.
Making this information available to the public as soon as possible will serve to
ease the fears and concerns of residents whose homes are most heavily
impacted by Long Beach Airport activities. Because this is such a touchy issue
with my constituents, I would like to have the status report within 30 days.
Requesting the report "within 30 days" means it will almost certainly arrive after a crucial February 18 Council hearing on a City Hall backed plan to expand LB Airport parking (for employees and rental car operations) as far east as Clark Ave. by taking over part of the Veterans Stadium parking lot.
If approved by the Council, the Veterans Stadium airport parking expansion would mark one the largest expansions of airport uses eastward into the 5th district residential area. City Hall's proposal has been opposed by LBHUSH2 founder Rae Gabelich and other LB property owners.
Councilman Webb's request also follows his recent vote (and nearly incoherent verbal presentation; sound excerpts posted by LBReport.com, see below) in December, 2002 in connection with re-acquiring the abandoned National Guard facility near the 405 freeway for further development of the Kilroy Airport project.
LBReport.com was the only LB media outlet to alert readers to the story before the Council acted. A city staff memorandum (which we also posted) indicated that along with two other parcels, the property will accommodate completion of the Kilroy Airport development, which could include more office space and perhaps another airport area hotel (although the hotel is not a certainty).
Master Planning for the Kilroy Airport project took place in the 1980s, but final site plan review (City Hall approval of the exact configuration) has not yet taken place and may not include a hotel, city staff told LBReport.com.
The item was agendized by someone at City Hall for the "consent calendar" (items not usually subject to Council discussion until someone requests it) and scheduled for the last Council meeting of 2002, just days before Christmas. Councilman Webb did not request discussion of the item...but two of his constituents did.
To learn what happened to them, and read and hear (yes, hear) Councilman Webb's presentation of his constituents' concerns, see LBReport.com coverage by clicking here.
