Re SEADIP Update: What Two Add'l Things Does Lyon (Owner of "Pumpkin Patch") Want City Hall To Do Re City-Owned Parcel Adjacent To Office Bldgs At "Marketplace"? Company's LB Advocate, Mike Murchison, Tells Us...

(March 6, 2012, 8:30 p.m.) -- This report follows-up on the news story reported first (again) on LBReport.com (click here) regarding the Feb. 29, 2012 memo by City Hall's Director of Development Services, Amy Bodek, to the Mayor and City Councilmembers discussing city management's plans to update SEADIP with a Southeast Area Specific Plan (SEASP) [master plan zoning affecting portion of SE LB].

In a section that referred to Lyon Communities [a private development firm which owns the "pumpkin patch" parcel on the east side of PCH near the Seal Beach bridge], Ms. Bodek's memo indicates that Lyon is willing to provide up to $1 million in in-kind services toward preparation of the Specific Plan and the firm requests that the city enact a moratorium to restrict new development or amendments to SEADIP)...and then Ms. Bodek's memo states:

[text from Ms. Bodek's memo] "In addition, Lyon raised two related issues that will need to be resolved as part of this process. One is to have any outstanding Tideland funding issues prior to starting the process, and two, is determine the best course of action related to the City owned parcel adjacent to the existing office buildings at the Marketplace."

So...what is Lyon requesting and why? LBReport.com asked the firm's LB advocate, Mike Murchison, and he emailed this response to LBReport.com:

1. Lyon is interested in working with the City Attorney’s Office and the State Lands Commission to identify all of the tidelands areas along Marine Drive.

2. Lyon has offered to acquire from the city additional acreage that would be utilized as either long-term traffic solutions or as additional parking, if Lyon acquires surrounding properties in the area.

3. Lyon believes it’s critical that a piecemeal planning approach is not approved for any part of the SEADIP area. If this is truly going to be a comprehensive planning effort, all of the potential projects within the area need to be included. To exclude an area from this process, would compromise the integrity of the plan and limit the ability to create effective solutions throughout the planning effort.

Further as we learn it on LBReport.com.