H-21 Correspondence – Austin Metoyer
From: Austin Metoyer [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2022 3:57 PM
To: CityClerk <[email protected]>
Cc: Ray Morquecho <[email protected]>; Connor Lock <[email protected]>; Diana Tang <[email protected]>; Tom Modica <[email protected]>; Mayor <[email protected]>; Cindy Allen <[email protected]>; Mary Zendejas <[email protected]>; Morris Mills <[email protected]>; Alexis Oropeza <[email protected]>; Christopher Koontz <[email protected]>; Oscar Orci <[email protected]>; Loara Cadavona <[email protected]> Subject: DLBA's Letter Regarding Agenda Item #21: Land Use Equivalency Program
-EXTERNAL-
Please find attached DLBA's letter regarding tonight's City Council agenda item:
• Agenda Item 21: PD-30 Development & Land Use Equivalency Program
Please file this letter into the public record for tonight's City Council meeting under agenda item 21.
Thank you,
AUSTIN METOYER
Pronouns: He/Him/His
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & POLICY MANAGER
100 W. Broadway, Ste. 120
Long Beach, CA 90802
[email protected]
562-506-2960 714-869-4945
DowntownLongBeach.org | #DTLB
January 18, 2022
Long Beach City Council
Civic Center Plaza
411 West Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90802
RE: Agenda Item #21: PD-30 Development & Land Use Equivalency Program
Dear Mayor Garcia and Honorable City Council Members,
Please accept this correspondence on behalf of the Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DLBA) Board of Directors and enter into the public record for the City Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, January 18, 2022, support for the City of Long Beach’s use of the Downtown Plan Program EIR Land Use Equivalency Program (Equivalency Program) as demonstrated in the 636 Locust development project.
DLBA has continuously supported implementation of the Downtown Plan (PD-30), including its stipulations for housing units, office space, and commercial retail. Both development and demand for Downtown housing has increased since the inception of PD- 30, already outpacing the maximum planned construction of 5,000 new units. Concurrently, the creation of anticipated new office and retail space has not occurred, leaving the opportunity for greater residential density in PD-30 through City’s Equivalency Program. DLBA supports such efforts to modify City development policy in order to accommodate new housing units at all price levels in Downtown.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to create market uncertainty in housing, retail, and in -person work and DLBA commends the City for its policy flexibility, recognizing that previous land use stipulations may no longer fit the market realities of Long Beach or its residents. In projects such as the proposed development at 636 Locust, the immediate need for housing supersedes previous long- term goals for other projects. The Equivalency Program is able to ensure the best and highest use for such cases while preserving still-applicable PD-30 land-use regulations.
DLBA is keen to provide future policy feedback as it relates to the PD-30, and we look forward to our continued partnership with the City of Long Beach and its Development Services Department.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Broc Coward, COO
CC:
DLBA Board of Directors
Tom Modica, City Manager, City of Long Beach
Oscar Orsi, Director of Development Services, City of Long Beach