July 1 LB Council Agenda Item Will Seek Approval To Pursue Coastal Comm'n Consolidated Development Permit Process For Synergy-Owned Wetlands (North of 2nd St/West of Studebaker) And Lyon Owned "Pumpkin Patch" (PCH North of Seal Beach Bridge)

(June 20, 11:55 a.m.) -- LBREPORT.com has City Hall confirmation now, plus additional details from Development Services Director Amy Bodek, of our story reported first (again) by LBREPORT.com yesterday (June 19). Salient parts of the information below were publicly described by Ms. Bodek at a June 18 open meeting of an advisory committee reviewing a revision/update to LB's SEADIP (SE LB master plan zoning.)

Ms. Bodek says the City received an applicaton -- on Monday June 16 -- requesting an amendment to the current SEADIP plan in which the City would allow a process called a "Consolidated Coastal Development Permit." The process is relatively new, created by the state in 2009, in which if there is a project within the dual jurisdictions of the Coastal Commission and the City for purposes of issuing a Coastal Development Permit, the City can ask the Coastal Commission take to take over the city's role in issuing the Coastal Development Permit. The rationale is that the consolidated process can enhance efficiencies in permitting.
Ms. Bodek says the consolidated process doesn't mean the City waives any of its other duties. The City still has to perform a CEQA review and conduct other permitting measures to grant entitlements. The consolidated process allows the coastal permitting process to go more quickly when it gets to the Coastal Commission.
Ms. Bodek says the application was submitted to the City on Monday June 16 by Los Cerritos Wetlands, LLC which is effectively Synergy Oil and Gas LLC and Lyon Housing, LLC...and will be brought to the Council on July 1.
Ms. Bodek indicated the proposed project would [very brief description] consolidate oil operations from the wetlands pacel onto the pumpkin patch parcel and open up the wetlands for public access.
Ms. Bodek indicated that the agenda item will ask the City Council if it wishes to do proceed on the basis of a consolidated coastal development permit. This is because in authorizing the overall SEADIP revision process, the Council instructed staff to continue processing proposed development projects [no moratorium] if the projects don't require an amendment to SEADIP...BUT for projects that require an amendment to SEADIP -- which this one does -- the Council instructed staff to bring the item to the Council so the Council can let staff know how to proceed. Ms. Bodek says that accordingly, city staff is bringing the item to the Council for direction AND if the Council wishes to proceed with a consolidated coastal development permit, the July 1 agenda item will invite voted action to approve a resolution asking the Coastal Commission to utilize the consolidated coastal development process for this project.

(June 19, 2014, 9:45 p.m.) -- LBREPORT.com has learned that city staff plans to agendize for City Council action on July 1 -- the next to last regularly scheduled Council meeting for five exiting Council incumbents and the exiting Mayor -- proposed Council approval of a resolution asking the Coastal Commission to allow a consolidated [coastal] development permit process for the wetlands property north of 2nd St. and west of Studebaker Rd. [now owned by Synergy Oil and Gas] along with the "pumpkin patch" property (along PCH at the truncated portion of Studebaker Rd. north of the Seal Beach bridge) now owned by Lyon ~~Communities~~ Housing, LLC.

LBREPORT.com is told that the project [caveat: initial information sketchy] would basically remove some current infrastructure from the Synergy property (north of 2nd St.) and move it onto the "pumpkin patch" property. The move would reportedly benefit both companies as well as enable restoration of wetland areas north of 2nd St. to more closely resemble their orignal natural state, our sources indicate but without details.

LBREPORT.com is told the city staff report accompanying the July 1 agenda item is expected to be lengthy and detailed.

Our sources tell LBREPORT.com that the resolution won't relinquish the right of the City to determine use of the properties but begins the process at the Coastal Commission. Approval would ultimately include an amendment to the current SEADIP (master plan SE LB zoning), currently in the process of being updated/revised by the City.

Development Services Dir. Amy Bodek made reference to the upcoming July 1 agenda item during a June 18 public meeting of an advisory panel now considering an update to SEADIP (SE LB master zoning plan.) The consolidated development would involved an amendment to the current SEADIP plan.

In commencing the SEADIP update process, the Council didn't include a moratorium on new projects (which some environmental advocates favored), thereby opening the door to new proposed projects during the SEADIP revision proces.

Our sources indicated the consolidated development item doesn't include extension of Studebaker Rd. (either at ground level of via an elevated viaduct) which is strongly opposed by wetlands advocates.

Regarding timing of the item: city staff has previously indicated that it plans to take up two hot button issues on July 1. One is management's choice of a preferred private developer/operator that would finance, build, operate and maintain a new Civic Center for roughly 40 years. Under the "public private partnership" transaction, the City (and possibly the Port) would pay the private firm annual sums city staff says don't exceed what City now pays plus an annual CPI escalator. The developer/operator would also receive the now-public land under the now-closed former LB courhouse for the developer's private development.

City staff has also indicated that on July 1, it plans to present a report on possible alternatives to spraying concrete on LB's bluffs to address erosion and possible seismic issues.

LBREPORT.com will update this story as we learn further.