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Recent Pacific Ave. "Beach Streets" (Open Street) Event Cost Quarter Million Dollars: $200k From Metro + $50K From LB City Hall's "Special Advertising & Promotion Fund" (Same Source Used For $1 Million New City Hall "Media Wall")


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(April 30, 2019, 10:30 a.m.) -- An item agendized for the May 7 City Council "consent calendar" (items proposed for approval without Council discussion) shows city management estimates last weekend's (April 27) "Beach Streets" (open street) event (Pacific Ave. from 3rd St. to Willow St.) cost a quarter of a million dollars, $200,000 of which will be paid by the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) with the City of Long Beach paying the remaining roughly $50,000 (event day costs, such as Public Works/Police staffing) using City Hall's "Special Advertising and Promotions Fund" (consists mainly of revenue from LB hotel room [transient occupancy] taxes.)

The May 7 Council item seeks Council approval to accept the $200k Metro grant; the Council already voted to approve the $50k City cost item as part of the Council's FY19 budget votes.

City staff's agendizing memo (here) seeks Council approval to accept the $200,000 grant from Metro (among a number of Metro-supported "open streets" events in various cities) while acknowledging the City will spend roughly $50,000 to cover the remaining costs using City Hall's "Special Advertising and Promotions Fund" (comprised mainly of money collected from LB hotel room taxes ("transient occupancy tax.") [LBREPORT.com reported $50,000 "beach streets" cost item among spending included in the FY19 city management/Mayor recommended FY19 budget, approved by the Council in September 2018.]

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In the May 7, 2019 agendizing memo, Public Works Dir. Craig Beck writes in pertinent part:

In 2009, the City of Long Beach (City) announced its goal of becoming the most Bicycle Friendly City in America. Since then, bicycling and walking in the City have increased in popularity, with the number of people riding bikes nearly doubling over that period. Beach Streets, the City's signature Open Streets event, celebrates sustainable and active transportation, local businesses, and communities in a comfortable, family-oriented environment. In addition, Beach Street events promote first and last mile connections since many people arrive at these events using public transit service, such as Long Beach Transit and Metro Blue Line.

In June 2018, staff pursued funding for Open Streets events through the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Cycle Three Open Streets Grant Program, which provides Metro Proposition C 25% Transit-Related Highway (Prop C 25%) funds for such events. In September 2018, Metro awarded the City $200,000 for the City's seventh, fullscale Beach Streets event, Beach Streets West. The event took place on April 27, 2019, on Pacific Avenue from Third Street to Willow Street and Willow Street from Pacific Avenue to Magnolia Avenue. The event showcased Wrigley Village and Washington communities. The event was programmed with live music, family-oriented entertainment, and local food vendors.

Beach Streets events encourage active transportation options by providing a safe and protected environment for adults, families and children who may not otherwise consider walking or bicycling. The City has committed to hosting Beach Streets events throughout the City with previous events taking place in Uptown, Downtown, Midtown, and in East Long Beach near CSULB. Beach Streets West was the first Open Streets event held in the Willmore, Washington and Wrigley neighborhoods...

SUSTAINABILITY

Beach Streets events include a focus on sustainability, efficiency and alternative transportation modalities, which are intended to reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions while also prioritizing and promoting active transportation options, in accordance with Metro's mobility goals for the Open Streets Program.

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Public records show that a November 2016 "Beach Streets" Midtown event (Anaheim Street, from Orange Avenue to PCH) cost $254,478, of which Metro paid $190,000 with the Council voting to spend $64,478 to cover the remainder from LB's "Special Advertising and Promotions Fund."

On December 23, 2018, the Council voted 7-0 (motion by Mungo) to use City Hall's "Special Advertising and Promotion Fund" to spend $1 million for a "media wall" (a large high definition City-programmable TV screen) inside new City Hall. (A subsequent Public Records Act request by LBREPORT.showed what million dollar media wall will look like.)

[Image source: Internal city staff communications obtained under Public Records Act request by LBREPORT.com.]

LB Muni Code section 3.64.100 (adopted by a previous Council) specifies that City Hall's "Special Advertising and Promotion Fund" may only be expended for purposes that include "advertising, promotional, and public relations projects calling attention to the City, its natural advantages, resources, enterprises, attractions, climate, and facilities." A Council majority could remove this restriction and use the "Special Advertising & Promotion Fund" revenue for general fund purposes (such as streets, sidewalks, police and firefighter services) but this would require a formal ordinance change with at least two (usually three) Council voted actions.

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Support really independent news in Long Beach. No one in LBREPORT.com's ownership, reporting or editorial decision-making has ties to development interests, advocacy groups or other special interests; or is seeking or receiving benefits of City development-related decisions; or holds a City Hall appointive position; or has contributed sums to political campaigns for Long Beach incumbents or challengers. LBREPORT.com isn't part of an out of town corporate cluster and no one its ownership, editorial or publishing decisionmaking has been part of the governing board of any City government body or other entity on whose policies we report. LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. You can help keep really independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.


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