News & Events - Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust
PROPOSED LOS CERRITOS WETLANDS LAND SWAP
On November 18, 2008, the City Council discussion went late into the night. The Council voted to take up the matter again at its meeting on December 9, 2008.
The Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust would like to share the following information:
The City of Long Beach is currently negotiating a deal which would appear to move the Berger-Dean (formerly Bixby) parcel into the public domain. This is a complicated transaction and the LCWLT will evaluate this as the details become known and public scrutiny ensues.
The information we have so far is as follows:
City Hall would swap a package of City properties for the 175-acre Berger-Dean (formerly Bixby) wetlands parcel (Mr. Dean retaining oil and mineral rights). Mr. Dean would acquire: •the City's Public Service Yard on San Francisco St. (12.10 acres); •Long Beach Gas and Oil’s headquarters on Spring St. and Junipero (9.47 acres); •29.5 acres of frontage on Spring St. (at the location formerly known as the “Sports Park” and now designated the “Hilltop Property”); •two other small parcels—one at Spring and Atlantic (.25 acres) and one at Cherry and Creston (1.35 acres).
City Hall would sell the wetlands property to the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority for a sum currently estimated at $25 million. City management says it plans to use the money from that sale to support efforts to: (1) acquire, restore and develop the 19-acre Wrigley Heights "oil operators" property as open space; and (2) develop 18 acres of open space at the “Hilltop Property” (formerly called the "Sports Park") site at Spring St. and Orange Avenue.
At a press event on 11/12/08, Assistant City Manager Suzanne Frick explicitly noted that this is management's plan and not a "done deal." The plan is subject to City Council approval.
To learn more, there will be a "study session" at City Council chambers on 11/18/08 from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. Additionally, Suzanne Frick will be speaking about the transaction on 11/20/08 at 11:45 a.m. at Council member Gary DeLong's Third District Neighborhood Association Meeting to be held at Long Beach Yacht Club. If you want to attend, please RSVP to Julie Maleki at Council member DeLong's office. Telephones: (562) 570-6300 (City Hall); (562) 570-8756 (Field Office); Email: district3@longbeach.gov.
We encourage you to attend either or both of the above as it is important to be as educated about this as possible before making a decision as to the merits of this deal.
The Board of Directors of the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust will be in attendance to do just that. We hope to see you there.
As always, we will continue to keep you apprised of any matters pertaining to the Los Cerritos Wetlands.
Thank you for your continued support.
Press reports on the land swap can be found at: The District Weekly (thedistrictweekly.com/print/news/how-to-save-the-wetlands/); LBReport.com (www.lbreport.com/news/nov08/wetland2.html); Grunion Gazette (www.gazettes.com/articles/2008/11/14/community_news/doc491b4636b4358872609626.txt); Press Telegram (www.presstelegram.com/search/ci_10970099).
CALENDAR OF EVENTS - Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust
GENERAL MEETINGS
When: last Tuesday every other month
Time: 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Where: Belmont Shores Mobile Estates Community Center
Directions: Loynes Drive between PCH and Studebaker Ave. Map. . .
Details: Tell the Security Guard you are there for the Wetlands Land Trust Meeting
Future general meetings:
March 31, 2009
NATURE/BIRD WALKS - GUM GROVE PARK
(rain cancels)
[photo credit: Tim Anderson]
Dates:
December: Sat., 12/13
Time: 8 a.m.
Where: Gum Grove Park, Seal Beach
Directions: from Long Beach, take PCH south to Mar Vista; left on Mar Vista; left on Coastline; right on Catalina; left on Avalon. Avalon dead ends into the park.
Details: Join us for a relaxing and informative bird and nature walk this summer. On this casual walk, we hope to see the usual resident birds. At a distance, along the bike path, one can see some of the 66 acres purchased by the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority (LCWA) in 2006. Closer to the park (just on the other side of the fence) is property that the LCWA hopes to purchase and restore.
“This morning, I grabbed by coat and my binoculars. . .and drove over to Gum Grove. Now I’ve been there dozens and dozens of times, but what a wonderful display. The white crowned sparrows weren’t just flying, they were playing wildly, and I figured out the reason shortly. On the ground, by the hundreds, were red worms that had been washed out of their homes by the rain. The sparrows all looked similar – fat with worms. For the fifth time this week, I saw two red-shouldered hawks screaming and flying together, apparently a courtship behavior. The frogs were as loud as I’ve ever heard them, and were calling to others some distance way. They were all croaking like madmen.”
--Beth Taormina, member (the morning of 1/24/08)
NEWS - Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust
HOME DEPOT DESIGN CENTER, RETAIL AND RESTAURANT
2007-2008
An approximately 155,000 sq. ft. development at the intersection of Studebaker Rd. and Loynes Dr. was approved in October 2006. This Big Box Retail project is across the street from the Los Cerritos Wetlands. Project design includes utilization of 50 metal halide light poles, 40 feet in height, in an area that is currently dark. Traffic will increase by up to 8,000 cars, increasing noise and air pollution. Trash and runoff from the development will likely end up in the wetlands.
***CURRENT STATUS***
There have been actions on two fronts: (1) a lawsuit against the City of Long Beach under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); (2) an appeal to the California Coastal Commission.
(1) Case settled. No Home Depot yet. See stories as follows:
Press-Telegram:www.presstelegram.com/search/ci_10075127, www.presstelegram.com/search/ci_10060043.
The District Weekly: thedistrictweekly.com/daily/writing-shotgun/dean-abandons-plan-for-home-depot-in-wetlands-will-pay-opponents-legal-fees/#more-4184. LBReport: www.lbreport.com/news/jul08/homede08.html.
(2) No further proceedings before the California Coastal Commission involving the proposed Home Depot site are anticipated in the near future.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT!
SEAPORT MARINA MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT
On 12/4/07, Lennar announced that it had pulled out of this project and sold its interest to the current owner, Taki-Sun.
***CURRENT STATUS***
Taki-Sun intends to submit its own plans for a mixed-use development. See article at www.lbreport.com/news/dec07/lennar.html. They have an architect, consultant and public relations team seeking public input and have made presentations at Gary DeLong's monthly meeting at the Long Beach Yacht Club, the Belmont Shore Residents' Association and Belmont Heights Residents' Association. Their presentation to the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust took place at our July general meeting on 7/29/08. See the story about the LCWLT meeting in The District Weekly at thedistrictweekly.com/daily/writing-shotgun/2ndpch-project-will-seek-permission-to-ignore-zoning-laws/. In their recent July '08 interview with Art Levine, they reported these efforts will continue for three more months. In that interview, they stated they expect the process to take two years, including the EIR and approval by the Coastal Commission. Their website is: www.secondandpch.com.
***WHAT YOU CAN DO***
Attend all their meetings with the public. Keep abreast of this process and participate. Below are the email addresses of the mayor and all Long Beach council members.
Bonnie Lowenthal: district1@longbeach.gov
Suja Lowenthal: district2@longbeach.gov
Gary DeLong: district3@longbeach.gov
Patrick O’Donnell: district4@longbeach.gov
Gerrie Schipske: district5@longbeach.gov
Dee Andrews: district6@longbeach.gov
Tonia Reyes Uranga: district7@longbeach.gov
Rae Gabelich: district8@longbeach.gov
Val Lerch: district9@longbeach.gov
Mayor Bob Foster: mayor@longbeach.gov
For more information, please email info@lcwlandtrust.org.
SHOPKEEPER ROAD EXTENSION
In June 1991, the Long Beach Planning Department approved a 6-lot subdivision. The extension of Shopkeeper Road was listed as a mitigation measure. Though the subdivision was built, the mitigation was never enforced and the road was never extended.
Sixteen years later, the City wants to enforce this mitigation and has sent it to the California Coastal Commission for approval. Roadway extension, however, includes the filling of 0.58 acres of wetlands! The City-issued permit did not acknowledge the existence of wetlands, nor did it analyze the impacts to wetlands or sensitive habitat.
Coastal Commissioners Sara Wan and Dr. William A. Burke appealed the extension. At the Coastal Commission meeting in November 2006, the commissioners unanimously found that a “substantial issue exists” with the City’s approval of this project and temporarily voided the City-issued permit.
***CURRENT STATUS***
Former Coastal Commissioner and practicing attorney, Mel Nutter, has been retained to represent us through the California Coastal Commission process. The date of the hearing has not been determined. We anticipate that this hearing will be scheduled in 2008.
***WHAT YOU CAN DO***
We need to raise money for our Legal Fund! Tax-deductible donations payable to the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust graciously accepted. Please write “Legal Fund” on the check memo line.
Email the Long Beach City Council members and Mayor, telling them you oppose any wetlands destruction!
Bonnie Lowenthal: district1@longbeach.gov
Suja Lowenthal: district2@longbeach.gov
Gary DeLong: district3@longbeach.gov
Patrick O’Donnell: district4@longbeach.gov
Gerrie Schipske: district5@longbeach.gov
Dee Andrews: district6@longbeach.gov
Tonia Reyes Uranga: district7@longbeach.gov
Rae Gabelich: district8@longbeach.gov
Val Lerch: district9@longbeach.gov
Mayor Bob Foster: mayor@longbeach.gov
SEADIP REVISION
SEADIP (Southeast Area Development and Improvement Plan) was adopted by the Long Beach City Council in 1977. The plan was carefully crafted by citizens, developers, landowners, homeowners, environmentalists and science teachers in a process that took over two years to complete. The meetings were open to the public. The plan went to the California Coastal Commission for approval and SEADIP was established as a part of Long Beach’s Local Coastal Program (“LCP”).
In the spring of 2007, Third District Council member Gary DeLong spearheaded a small committee (less than ten individuals) to review SEADIP and submit suggestions for revision to the Planning Commission. The meetings of this committee were not open to the public and requests by members of the public to attend were denied. After numerous complaints, two meetings were added for the general public. A few months after its inception, on June 5, 2007, the committee’s proposed SEADIP revisions were put on the City Council’s agenda for referral to the Planning Commission. The Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust’s concerns about proposed revisions to SEADIP, voiced during the private and public process of this committee and at City Council, have remained the same. They include: exclusion of stakeholders of all city districts and the public from the revision process; proposed increased height limits for over 1/3 of new construction from 30/35 feet to 60 feet; increased traffic; additional roads proposed through Seaport Marina, Albertson’s and the Marketplace; development of wetlands for public roads and mixed use development; proposed re-zoning of open space; a need for an independent assessment and delineation of the wetlands before any revision of SEADIP; the necessity of even revising SEADIP.
***CURRENT STATUS***
City of Long Beach Development Services (formerly the Planning Dept.) began its public outreach in late January, 2008. Mark Hungerford, Angela Reynolds and Ira Brown made presentations to local groups and handed out survey forms. A great deal of public comment about the survey form resulted in changes to the form. The survey was also posted on the City's web site. The comment period closed on 3/31/08. Development Services has compiled the surveys (both written and online) and submitted its Survey Summary Report to the City Manager. To see the report, go to: www.longbeach.gov/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=18997. The matter will be put on the City Council's agenda in the near future. Our members and donors have recently received a mail alert from us on this subject.
***WHAT YOU CAN DO***
Keep abreast of this process and participate.
TIRE DUMPING ON "PA'S PUMPKIN PATCH"
In June 2007, hundreds of large tires were dumped on the site known as “Pa’s Pumpkin Patch” (also the “Snowy Pines” Christmas tree lot). After several telephone calls from Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust to city officials, it was confirmed by Parks & Recreation, Planning and the Third District Council member that the tires were those used at the Grand Prix. While the pumpkin and Christmas tree concessions use this area as if it were a vacant lot and routinely spray herbicides on the natural wetlands vegetation and “hard pack” the dirt for parking, this is a former Least Tern nesting site and is part of the Los Cerritos Wetlands.
***CURRENT STATUS***
We did not learn the identity of whoever dumped the tires, but after our telephone calls, the tires were removed.
WETLANDS DRAINING
The Marketplace Pond was 5.38 acres of biologically productive wetland pond which supported a year-round population that included the last breeding pair of American Bitterns in southeast Los Angeles County, a dozen breeding pairs of Marsh Wrens along with Mallards, Teal, Redwing Blackbirds, Herons and Egrets, all dining on the minnows, frogs and crawfish that lived there. Today, it is but a remnant of its former glory and the remaining birds hang on in a much diminished home. First the habitat was attacked with floating weed-whacking bulldozers (see http://home.earthlink.net/~earthcorps/cattails.asx). The nests of many birds were destroyed on a single day. Then, the inflows were redirected north of Second Street causing the pond to dry up. Yet another wetland appeared there and several of the displaced species relocated their nests in the cattails and bulrushes that sprang from the hydric soils there proving that these are wetlands. Just add water and watch what grows! After the habitat destruction south of Second Street, Bixby Ranch Co. resumed habitat destruction when it put dozer and pump to work and drained the ponds and sloughs north of Second Street, as well!
***WHAT WE HAVE DONE***
The Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust reported these violations to: the California Coastal Commission enforcement branch for violations of the California Coastal Act; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for violations of the Migratory Bird Act and Treaty; and the CA. Dept. of Fish and Game for violations of the California Fish and Game Code, Sec. 1600-1603. The Los Angeles Times reported, on July 11, 2007, that the Coastal Commission “has ordered Bixby Ranch Co. to halt a construction project that altered and filled a piece of the Los Cerritos Wetlands in Long Beach, calling the work a violation of the state Coastal Act. The commission staff is also investigating two other alleged violations. . . . A pond estimated at five acres has dried up on Bixby land just east of the Trader Joe’s off 2nd Street.”
Trashing The Wetlands
See the video and read Don May's letter to Fish & Game Commissioner Bob Hattoy
