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Overflow Crowd Packs Carson Park Community Group Meeting, Seeks Less Density In Woodruff Ave. Townhome Development
Displaying impressive organizational sophistication, the Carson Park Community Group -- formed in response to the proposed development -- repeatedly called for less density in the project...and announced it is now armed with local business support, a bank account...and an internet web site.
As reported in December, 2002 by LBReport.com, Anastasi Development Co. has proposed to build 88 townhouse type condominium units (27 residential bldgs. plus 1 recreation bldg.) on an Our group is not anti-townhome. Again, we'd love single family homes, but that's just not a reality. We're not anti-Anastasi. We have and will continue to try and work with the builder, and work with Supervisor Knabe's staff and his office, to see a positive project.
The overwhelming concern that I've heard from all of you is the density issue. The density of the project is, in my opinion, overwhelming to our community and will change the landscape of our neighborhood.
In our opinion, if you address the density issue, you can address...most of the other concerns...that all of you have voiced to our community.
We met with Anastasi Development, and Supervisor Knabe's field deputy Matt Knabe, in March and presented alternative plans. That alternative plan was of 50 units...and it was rejected at this point but we continue to try and broker some kind of compromise that we can accept here...
...We will continue to try and work with Anastasi Development and Supervisor Knabe's office to try to find a compromise and avoid having to appeal this before the Board of Supervisors if possible. However, if those negotiations are unsuccessful, the next avenue that we have is to file an appeal before the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, at which time we're going to need a group of people like we have here tonight to press our case to our elected officials and let them know we mean business... For roughly two weeks prior to the meeting, informational signs dotted surrounding neighborhoods, advising residents of the meeting's date, time and place. Volunteers also went door to door with leaflets to spread the word.
During the meeting, the group also announced it's now armed with a powerful 21st century communication tool: its own website: http://CarsonParkCommunity.tripod.com.
On learning of the web site -- barely two hours old when it was announced from the stage -- audience members (ranging in age from late teens to retirees) could be seen scribbling down the internet address for later reference.
As previously reported by LBReport.com, on December 11, 2002 L.A. County's Regional Planning Commission gave the proposed development tentative approval (with minor changes), brushing aside concerns expressed by City of Long Beach Director of Planning and Building Eugene Zeller. Mr. Zeller wrote in a December 5, 2002 letter to the Commission that the density proposed by the developer is 22 [residential] units per acre although "[t]he average density in the adjacent area of Long Beach is 7-12 dwelling units per acre. In addition, the design standards of the [LB] Zoning Ordinance permit only detached single-family dwelling of one and two stories (with a maximum of 28 feet in height.)"
Mr. Zeller's letter said in pertinent part:
"We request that the project be redesigned to be more compatible with the Long Beach environmental [sic] and that the project conform to the Long Beach standards as follows:
Height: maximum two stories (28 feet)
Parking: two garage spaces per dwelling
Building style: detached dwellings." At the time, County staff's analysis also noted that "to develop the 3.79-acre subject site with 88 units is considerably higher in density than the surrounding residential development. The proposal to develop the site for an 88-unit attached condominium complex with 28 separate buildings is not compatible with the adjacent low-density residential developments but the proposed project density of 22 units per acres is within the range of the Medium Density Residential land use category."
The Planning Commission's tentative approval means that after the developer submits some relatively minor changes to the County, the Commission could approve the project. Its decision could then be appealed to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.
LBReport.com contacted Anastasi Development Co. by telephone today, extending an opportunity to respond. Our message was courteously received, along with our standing offer to post the firm's latest site plans or artist renderings when available.
Anastasi Development Company describes itself on its web site ("about us") as follows:
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(May 1, 2003) -- Àn overflow crowd of roughly 275 homeowners packed the Patrick Henry Elementary School Auditorium on April 30 to voice concern over the a proposed 88 unit townhome development on the eastside of Woodruff Ave. at Harco St.
Carson Park Community Group leader Angela Kimball conducted the meeting in a businesslike manner, stating in part:
The group wasted no time getting written materials into the hands of the audience, equipping them with fact sheets, advocacy tools...and politicians' names, office addresses and email contacts.
The results were clearly evident as the school auditorium's seats were filled...
...and people crowded around doors to hear the proceedings.