Public Comment Correspondence – Armando Vazquez-Ramos Jr.
From: Armando Vazquez-Ramos, Jr. [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2022 3:26 PM
To: CityClerk <[email protected]>
Cc: Armando Vazquez-Ramos Sr. <[email protected]> Subject: Request for LB Planning Commission Approval of Distillery AUP Application ~ Sept. 20, 2022.pdf
-EXTERNAL-
Good afternoon,
My name is Armando Vazquez-Ramos, Jr. with the California-Mexico Studies Center of Long Beach. I would like for the attached letter to be entered into the record for this evening’s meeting of the Long Beach City Council. I plan to attend and read the attached at Public Comment today.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Armando Vazquez-Ramos, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
Please dismiss any spelling errors made in haste.
California-Mexico Studies Center, Inc.
I 55 I N. Studebaker Road, Long Beach, CA 90815
Professor Armando V{Tuzquez-Ramos, President and CEO
Phone: (562) 430-5541 ~ Mobile phone: (562) 972-0986 Email: [email protected]
Website: httD://www.california-mexicocenter.ore
September 20, 2022
Christopher Koontz, Development Services Director
Ms. Alexis Oropeza, Planning Officer/Zoning Administrator Long Beach Development Services, Planning Bureau
411 West Ocean Blvd., 3rd Floor
Long Beach, CA 90808
Subject: Proposed Distillery and Tasting Room project at 601-621 Golden Av., Long Beach, CA
The California-Mexico Studies Center (CMSC) formally requests that the pending Administrative Use Permit (AUP) application for the proposed Distillery and Tasting Room project at 601-621 Golden Avenue be rereferred to the Planning Commission. This request is consistent with discretionary review responsibilities of the Zoning Administrator as per Title 21 Zoning/Chapter 21.21 Administrative Procedures/Division V.-Appeals.
This request is warranted based on the following information:
1. The proposed project at 18,708 square feet of gross floor area substantially exceeds 6,000 square feet of gross floor area allowed per Title 21 -Zoning/Chapter 21.45- Special Development Standards, and therefore requires an AUP. This zoning requirement was not enforced (for reasons unknown) in the Planning Bureau`s Administrative Land Use Permit process and has resulted in the absence of public notice and the knowledge of its potential negative environmental impacts.
2. The project requires a full CEQA analysis to identify potential significant cumulative environmental impacts related to traffic and circulation, public safety, air quality, hazardous materials and waste present on the site, and compatibility with the adjacent land uses and public faciltities (i.e., Edison and Chavez Elementary Schools, Cesar Chavez and Drake Parks, and the surrounding neighborhoods).
3. The existing zoning (PD-30) for this project site is inconsistent with and in conflict with the city's adopted General Plan for Open Space (OS) and exists as a remnant parcel with no relationship to the immediate surrounding land uses.
4. There is significant community opposition for this project based on the potential cumulative negative environmental impacts it will have on the adjacent elementary schools, parkland and surrounding residential neighborhoods, in addition to the negative effect of gentrification in an area of the city that has historically been under resourced and underserved.
We look forward to your positive determination and referral of this pending AUP application to the Planning Commission.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact me anytime at (562) 972-0986 or at armando@,calmexcenter.org.
The California-Mexico Studies Center
Cc: Mayor Robert Garcia
Vice Mayor Rex Richardson
Councilwoman lst District, Mary Zendejas
Councilwoman 3rd District, Suzie Price
Planning Commission Chair, Dr. Joni Ricks-Oddie
LBUSD Board member, District 3, Dr. Juan Benitez
Superintendent of LBUSD, Dr. Jill Baker
City Manager Tom Modica
Economic Development Director Johnny Vallejo
Public Works Director Eric Lopez
Parks, Recreation & Marine Director Brent Dennis