(Sept. 13, 2001) -- A report prepared by City Manager Henry Taboada in support of his request for City Council approval of a proposed tidelands trust exchange involving parts of the QW Bay retail area and areas along the L.A. river, includes appraisal values and background information regarding the properties and the process.
The City Manager's report says the City's appraisal work was conducted under contract to Ronald P. Laurain, ASA, SRPA, whom it identifies as an independent local appraiser who "has been under contract with the City of Long Beach and its Redevelopment Agency since 1973 and has conducted numerous appraisal studies of a broad range of properties."
The Manager's report further indicated that Mr. Laurain "also provides professional appraisal services for the federal and state governments as well as for the County of Los Angeles and numerous other municipalities in Southern California."
The Manager's report indicates that Mr. Laurain and the State Lands Commission's staff appraiser reached agreement on the following values (all rounded totals):
QW Bay parcels (3.05 acres): $2,923,000
The City Manager's report was filed Sept. 7 at 1:45 p.m. to accompany the item set for the Sept. 11 Council agenda. (That meeting was cancelled due to the day's east coast terror attack and rescheduled for a special meeting this afternoon).
We will separately post the attachment to the City Mgr's report (two maps of the areas involved). We're working to reduce the size of the files while keeping the images reasonably clear.
The City Manager report text can be accessed at: City Manager report re Council action item (Sept. 11/13) on QW Bay tidelands designation exchange
If approved by the Council and the State Lands Commission, the exchange could help facilitate the City Hall-approved retail and entertainment complex by removing tidelands designation from four commercial uses about which two State Lands Commissioners (Lt. Gov. Bustamante and State Controller Connell) voiced concerns at their April, 2001 meeting.
City Hall's chosen developer for the 18 acre retail and entertainment complex, Developers Diversified Realty (DDR), is not a party to the transaction.
The proposed tidelands exchange is agendized for State Lands Commission action on September 17 (after being postponed from a previously scheduled August 29 meeting). However, the State Lands Commission does not have permit authority over the QW Bay project.
The CA Coastal Commission has project permit authority and it has previously granted the QW Bay project a coastal permit. The coastal permit is conditioned on consistency with state tidelands grants, which Coastal Commission staff (citing LB City Attorney and Lands Commission staff representations) deemed satisfied.
City Manager Taboada stressed to the Council at its August 28 meeting that the project has all necessary legal entitlements.
Developer DDR likewise says it has legal entitlement to proceed. A spokesperson for the firm has previously told LBReport.com that any disagreement involving City Hall and the State Lands Commission is a matter for City Hall to resolve.
In an August, 2001 letter to the City Council, posted verbatim on LBReport.com, DDR said is moving forward with the project. To view the letter, click (while on line) on DDR Aug. 14, 2001 letter to Councilmembers.
At the February 13, 2001 Council meeting (detailed with extended transcript excerpts on LBReport.com), the City Council voted (6-1, details below) to approve a 15 month extension to meet certain deadlines by DDR as part of an amended development and disposition agreement.
The Council's vote effectively approved proceeding with the project by giving DDR a 15-month extension of a deadline for meeting predisposition requirements in return for which City Hall accepted certain additional commitments from the developer.
A series of six motions made by Vice Mayor Baker carried 6-1 (Yes: Baker, Colonna, Carroll, Kell, Richardson-Batts, Webb. No: Grabinski. Shultz absent. 1st district seat open pending special election).
Details, including transcript excerpts, can be viewed at Feb. 13, 2001 Council meeting.