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Details Of Updated Advancing Pro-Density Neighborhood-Impacting SB 50

Councilwoman Mungo signals plans to bring SB 50 issue to Council; SE LB state Senator Umberg has already voted once for SB 50 in Committee; LB Mayor Garcia remains mum


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(April 27, 2019, 11:57 a.m.) -- LBREPORT.com has obtained the document publicly referenced during the April 24 meeting of the state Senate's Governance and Finance Committee that summarizes amendments to SB 50 agreed to by its author, state Senator Scott Wiener (D, SF) and SB 4 author Senator McGuire (D, north CA coast).

The document, provided to LBREPORT.com by Senator McGuire's office, was handed to reporters and others in the hallway outside the Committee hearing room after the Committee voted 6-1 (Hertzberg dissenting) to advance SB 50 to the Senate Appropriations Committee, one step away from a vote on the full state Senate floor. Although labeled a compromise (by blending some aspects of SB 4 into SB 50), the net result has left SB 50 mainly in full force against counties with large populations -- impacting L.A. County and thus Long Beach -- while letting smaller counties (including pricey SF-adjacent Marin) avoid SB 50's more intense density increases.

To view the document showing amendments to SB 50, click here.

To view SB 50's text prior to the agreed amendments, click here. A revised text for SB 50 won't be online for some time.

Although the specific amended text of SB 50 isn't online yet, its sweeping preemptive effects on local single-family-home zoning have been known since SB 50 was introduced on December 3, 2018.

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As reported Dec. 4 by LBREPORT.com, SB 50 would prevent cities from limiting density within a half mile of fixed rail, or a quarter mile of high frequency bus stops (amended April 24 to specify every ten minutes) or -- regardless of transit -- in areas deemed "jobs-rich" (at or above regional median income and near quality schools.) It would require cities to allow apartments, duplexes/triplexes/fourplexes with 0.5 parking spaces per unit in residentially zoned areas (including the Coastal Zone for infill.) In addition, within half a mile of fixed rail stops, SB 50 would override local height limits lower than either 55 feet or 45 feet. (Areas adjacent to high frequency bus stops and areas designated "job-rich" areas would become subject to density increases and reduced parking requirements but not the specified building height increases; in those non-rail transit adjacent areas, local height limits will apply.)

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As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, on April 2, 2019 state Senator Tom Umberg (Dem), elected in November 2018 to represent areas in zip codes 90815 and 90803, has already once voted "yes" on SB 50, sending it he state Senate Housing Committee from which it advanced on April 24, now headed to the Senate Appropriations Committee (review limited to state budget impacts) one step away from voted action by the full state Senate.

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The only audible Committee opposition on April 24 came from state Senator Bob Hertzberg (D, L.A./SFV), who noted that the L.A. City Council had recently voted 12-0 to oppose SB 50 (unless amended to remove L.A.) In contrast, the Long Beach City Council hasn't voted to date to take a position on SB 50, despite the fact that the Council voted without dissent in late 2018 to approve a 2019 LB "state legislative agenda" that stated in part that the City of LB will "Oppose legislation that would reduce the City's local land use authority" and "Oppose legislation that preempts the City's existing control over local matters."

Over half of Long Beach (and part of S.E. L.A. County) don't have a state Senator for now but will decide whether to fill the seat previously held by state Senator Ricardo Lara with either LB Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez (a Dem) or Cudahy CPA/Councilman Jack Guerrero (a Repub.) Vote-by-mail ballots begin flying starting May 6; "election day" is June 4.

Since December 2018, no LB Council member has agendized SB 50 to take a City of LB position on the bill (traditionally support or oppose or oppose unless amended on certain terms.)

However LBREPORT.com has recently learned that 5th dist. Councilwoman Stacy Mungo briefly mentioned SB 50 during remarks at an April 18 meeting of the Lakewood Village Neighborhood Association. Councilwoman Mungo said SB 50 is "going to try to overturn all of the work we did with LUE [Land Use Element]" and added "I stand opposed to that and I'm bringing it back to City Council..." (drawing applause.)

ELB's 5th district and adjoining eastern portions of the 4th Council district were developed after WWII with single family home tracts that could be impacted by SB 50. Neither Councilmembers Supernaw nor Mungo have -- thus far -- mentioned SB 50 in their respective e-mailed newsletters or urged the City to take a specific stance on SB 50. (LBREPORT.com has reported on SB 50 for months.)

Density is sore point in Long Beach, where 1980's City Hall pro-developer policies enabled "crackerbox" apartment density in single-family home neighborhoods surrounding downtown. The result saddled the City with a number of chronic issues (including parking.) LB's experience with "crackerbox" density was among the reasons for grassroots LB neighborhood opposition to increased density proposed by LB city staff in 2017-2018 Land Use Element changes.

The three members of the Council's State Legislation Committee -- chair Al Austin, vice chair [now state Senate candidate] Lena Gonzalez and Committee member Rex Richardson) recommended the 2019 state legislative agenda verbiage (cited above) for Council approval but since then haven't specifically discussed SB 50. Council Committee discussion and a Committee voted recommendation to the full Council aren't legally required for Council voted action to support or oppose specific proposed state bills.

SB 50 now proceeds to the state Senate Appropriations Committee (review limited to state budget impacts), and if approved will go to the state Senate floor. If it receives majority approval in the state Senate, it will proceed to the Assembly where the process repeats. If it clears the Assembly, it will return to the state Senate for any amendments, then goes the Governor for sign into law or veto.

Developing...with continuing coverage on LBREPORT.com.


April 29, 7:53 a.m. Text updated to indicate that Councilman Richardson replaced Councilwoman Mungo on the Council's "state legislation committee" in the second half of 2018. Mayor Garcia chooses the members of Council committees.
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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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