Emailed To Mayor and Council: Do the Right Thing: Require Full EIR On 3701 Pacific Place Parcel

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News/ Viewpoint

by Rae Gabelich *

* Ms. Gabelich was CD8's Council rep from mid-2004 (when she unseated a Mayor-backed Council incumbent) through mid-2012. She submitted the text below (lightly shortened by us) at 12:45 p.m. April 13 to the City Clerk, Mayor Garcia and all nine Council incumbents in connection with tonight's agendized appeal hearing.

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(April 13, 2021, 2:25 p..m.) -- Dear Mayor and Long Beach City Councilmembers:

I implore you to question, explore and consider the well being of thousands of Long Beach residents before you cast your deciding vote tonight to deny the RiverPark Coalition appeal against the 3701 Pacific project.

Tonight you will be shown the history of this property that leaves no doubt about the contaminated condition of the land. Is simply covering it up the right thing to do for our future generations? In addition, it has been marked as "open space" in the city and county planning documents for the past two decades knowing that mitigation would be necessary.

The zoning change was determined during the LUE2017 fiasco when thousands of LB residents demanded consideration of quality of life changes that greater density would promote across our city. This parcel was rezoned during the adoption of the LUE and definitely was way under the public radar...

...This land is, at minimum, equally as contaminated as the 2nd phase of Davenport Park. That parcel took years to remediate and now is becoming additional open space for our eastside 8th district neighborhoods. Why is this discussion not taking place for our 7th and 8th district westside communities?

Please ask the questions and vote to require a full EIR on this land before approving any development regardless of who benefits. It's the right thing to do!

Respectfully,

Rae Gabelich

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