City Council Tonight: Marketplace Item Withdrawn

Though an appeal to split the Marketplace shopping center into two parcels has been withdrawn from the City Council agenda, tonight's meeting may see many small changes made in different citywide areas.

Pacific Castle Management, the owners of the Marketplace shopping center located at Second and PCH, was planning to appeal a decision made by the Long Beach Planning Commission on April 21, 2011. The owners of the Marketplace wanted to split their 18-acre lot into two pieces of property, one 17 acres and one a single acre containing the United Artists movie theater, for what they said would be increased market flexibility, perhaps making it easier to sell the theater by itself.

Due to what it called vagueness of long-term goals and insufficient land use plans to address traffic and wetlands protection, the Planning Commission denied their request. When the Planning Commission denies a proposal, the proponents can appeal to City Council to overturn the ruling, as Pacific Castle had planned. However, according to Joe Toney, Legislative Assistant to Third District Council Member Gary DeLong, the owners have now withdrawn their request indefinitely.

---

Three Council members, including DeLong, are proposing to push back the date of the plastic bag ban for one month for large retailers. They also request that requirements be set for multi-use carryout bags.

---

In preparation for the , set to begin next month in Basin 4, preferences for marina slips may be eliminated. According to the Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW), which is loaning $18 million to the project, "all slips must be open to the public on an equal and reasonable basis." This has not been the case since 1960, when the Long Beach Yacht Club created a contradictory clause that allowed for preferences on boat slips, but the LBYC has agreed to amend the ordinance for the duration of construction. There is a chance they could restore preferences after the City repays all DBW loans.

---

The redistricting of the nine Long Beach districts is up for approval. District 3 is unaffected. You can view the new map here.

---

Other items of interest:

• The Council will vote to receive about $130,00 in Workforce Investment Act funds to begin a Prison-to-Employment program for paroled prisoners to begin transition back into the community. Providing job skills and workforce training is meant to reduce the rate of recidivism among prisoners.
• Pacific Gateway, the organization responsible for the above program, is also administering an $87,500 program to provide transportation in the form of taxis to low-income job-seekers for things such as job interviews, job training and employment when regular transporation is otherwise compromised.
• The Council will vote to approve $245,000 from Human Resources to start a Youth Employment Program for 2011. The program is designed to help approximately 165 low-income youth between the ages of 16 and 24 find employment and gain job skills over the summer.
• Another item seeks to provide $100,000 in employment services for teenagers with disabilities, helping them transition into the adult world.

---

Other government news this week:

• The Planning Commission will review the Local Development Report to see if it conforms to the Congestion Management Program, which was created in 1990 to address traffic mitigation with city growth.
• The Belmont Shore Parking and Business Improvement Advisory Commission, which meets Thursday morning, will vote to approve the installation of four Quiet Zone signs, at $150 each, at Corona Ave. and Covina Ave. It should take about 30-45 days to complete the project if approved.