6700 East Pacific Coast Highway
City Council Public Hearing – July 18, 2023
Background
• April 20, 2023 – Planning Commission approved a Site Plan Review (SPR0 and a Compliance Checklist for the project.
• May 1, 2023 – The Planning Commission’s approval was appealed by:
1. Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (SAFER)
2. Long Beach Marina Boat Owner’s Association
3. Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust
• June 15, 2023 – A second hearing was conducted to correct a procedural error. The item was re-noticed and went back to the Planning Commission. • June 26, 2023 – No additional appeals received following June 15th meeting of Planning Commission. Appeals submitted on the first approval remain valid.
• July 18, 2023 – City Council conducts de novo hearing on the appeals. 2 Project Location
3 Location – 6700 East Pacific Coast
Highway (PCH)
Zoning – Southeast Area Specific Plan (SP-
2); Mixed Used Community Core (MU-CC)
Zoning District
Overall Site Area – 113,874 SF
Existing State – Congressional Office
Building and Surface Parking Lot
General Plan – 1989 Land Use Element
District 7, Mixed Uses
Proposed Project
4 • Six story building
• Building height: 85-feet 6-
inches
• 281 dwelling units with 13
affordable units
• Unit mix:
o 17 studios
o 161 one-bedroom
o 85 two-bedroom
o 18 three-bedroom
• 27,534 sf common open area
for residents
• A minimum of 507 on-site
parking spaces
5 Pacific Coast Highway and Studebaker Road Elevations
Pacific Coast Highway Elevation
Studebaker Road Elevation
6 Marina Way and San Gabriel River Elevations
Marina Way
Elevation
San Gabriel River Elevation
N
Site Plan
Studebaker Rd.
Marina Dr.
San Gabriel River
N
San Gabriel
River Path
Access
Vehicular
Access to
Site
7 Common Outdoor Open Space
8 Landscaped
Setback
Passive
Outdoor Space
Active Outdoor
Space
Outdoor Seating
Area
N
Common Public Outdoor Open Space
N
9 B-1 Level Floor Plan
10 Retail Space
Fitness Center
Lobby
Bike Parking
Bike Parking
Studebaker Road
Entrance
11 2nd and 3rd through 6th Level Plans
Floor Plans – Studio and 3-Bedroom Examples
12 Studio Unit
3-bedroom Unit
Project Compliance – Site Plan Review
13 General Plan
• Mixed Use Community Core
Southeast Area Specific Plan (MU-CC
SEASP) (SP-2)
SEASP Standards
• Setbacks with public gathering
spaces
• Building floor height requirements
• Building story requirements
• Private and common open space
• High quality design and amenity
features
Project Entitlement
• Site Plan Review
• Local Coastal Development Permit
N0-Net Loss – Housing Element Site Inventory
14 • Larger parcel part included on Housing
Element Site Inventory.
o Housing element identified potential of
95 low-income units on the site
o Project includes 13 very low- income
units and 268 market rate units
• No-Net Loss Analysis required for Regional
Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA)
capacity.
o Accessory dwelling unit (ADU)
production: 1,015 net increase from
initial HE
o Entitlement project processed: add 72
affordable units (39 low and 33 very
low-income units in high resource area)
Project Compliance – Local Coastal Development Permit
15 General Plan
• MU-CC SEASP (SP-2)
Public Access Goals
• Affordable housing via a density
bonus with 13 affordable units
distributed throughout the building
• New access to the San Gabriel River
Bike and Pedestrian Path
• New public gathering spaces along
Studebaker Road and Marina Way
Public Path to San
Gabriel River
Bike Path
Path from PCH
to San Gabriel
River Path
N
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) – Environmental Review 16 Environmental Review
• Pursuant to CEQA and the State CEQA Guidelines:
o Project was analyzed as part of the Previously Certified Southeast Area Specific Plan Program Environmental Impact Report (SEASP PEIR).
• A Compliance Check was prepared for the project:
o The Compliance Checklist determined that the project is within the scope of the previously certified EIR.
o Significant impact areas in the previously certified EIR include Air Quality, Biological Resources, Hazards/Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Noise and Traffic.
No greater impact was identified with the addition of the project than was previously analyzed.
o The project is subject to the SEASP PEIR Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP).
Appeal – SAFER
The appeal from SAFER objects to the reliance on a programmatic EIR (Southeast Area Specific Plan Program Environmental Impact Report) (“SEASP EIR”) (State Clearinghouse No. 2015101075) and believe that a project specific EIR is required to analyze and mitigate the impacts.
Response from staff:
Staff has found the appeal to be without merit in that this appeal claims that a project specific EIR is needed, however there is no legal grounds to back this claim. Consistent with CEQA statute, a Compliance Checklist was prepared to evaluate and document that the project is consistent with the assumptions contained within the previously analyzed and adopted SEASP Program EIR. Consistent with CEQA, the checklist documents that none of the criteria requiring the preparation of a new EIR or an Addendum occurred.Therefore, no further environmental study is necessary.
17 The Long Beach Boat owner’s Association appeal claims:
• Lack of transparency
• Recreation summary fails to highlight there is a marina across the street • Significant impact not reflected in the trip budget estimates • Not included is the entrance on Studebaker Road for ABM basins 2,3 merchants and 1,152 parking spaces
• Bundling of parking should be mandatory to minimize the impact of street and unauthorized parking within ABM basin 2,3
Appeal – Long Beach Marina Boat Owner’s Association
18 Response:
• The SEASP EIR addressed the potential traffic impacts of all development contemplated by the SEASP.
• The traffic impact analysis for the project confirmed that the project is consistent with the PEIR.
• No basis to determine project will result in additional significant circulation impacts not addressed by the SEASP PEIR.
• Peak traffic from boat owners and peak traffic from residential traffic differs, making them complimentary, not conflicting.
• Lack of evidence that shows the mostly residential project will result in a significant circulation conflict.
• Unbundled parking is permitted in SEASP; it is planning best practice for separating the cost of housing and parking so that housing is more affordable.
Appeal – Long Beach Marina Boat Owner’s Association
19 Appeal – Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust
The Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust appeal claims:
• Inconsistencies between project and SEASP and the General Plan including but not limited to setback requirements at PCH and Studebaker, building scale and height, open space, biological resource protection and affordable housing.
• Project specific impacts and cumulative impacts to the wetlands, marine and river resources insufficiently analyzed and mitigated from population increases and associated activity nearby sensitive resources. • Lack of consistency and clarity of mitigation and conditions for bird safe landscaping and biological resources.
20 Appeal – Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust (continued) Response:
• Project was reviewed in accordance with the development standards of SEASP and is consistent, except in those areas for which a waiver/incentive/concession was requested (floor area ratio, building height and tandem parking) for the density bonus. The City has no discretion in awarding the density bonus, concessions and waivers. • Biological claims are without merit as the project area is currently fully developed and has no marine, sensitive plant or river resources.
• The existing development which can be fatal to birds will be replaced with a six-story building that is designed and conditioned to comply with the SEASP biological resource protection requirements including landscaping and bird safe glass. 21 Timing Considerations
• Action on the appeal is required by the Zoning regulations within 60 days of receipt of the appeal by the City Clerk from the Development Services Department. • Timely conclusion of this matter is required under the State Housing Accountability Act and Long Beach Municipal Code Section 21.21.504
22 Recommendation
23 Receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the public hearing and consider third-party appeals from Lozeau Drury, on behalf of Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (SAFER) (APL23-006); Joan Palango, on behalf of the Long Beach Marina Boat Owners Association (APL23-008); and Elizabeth Lambe, on behalf of the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust (APL23-007);
Adopt a Resolution determining that the project is consistent with and within the scope of the project previously analyzed as part of the Southeast Area Specific Plan Program Environmental Impact report (State Clearinghouse No. 2015101075) and subject to the Southeast Area Specific Plan Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program and making certain findings and determinations related thereto and warrants no further environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15162; and, Deny the appeals and uphold the decision of the Planning Commission to approve the Site Plan Review (SPR 22-093) and a Local Coastal Development Permit (LCDP 2208-36) and adopt certain findings and determinations related thereto for a project within the appealable area of the Coastal Zone consisting of the demolition of all existing structures on the site, and construction of a new mixed-use project consisting of 281 residential dwelling units (thirteen of which are affordable (very low income)), 3,100 square feet of commercial/retail space in a building with 592,100 square feet of area including a minimum of 507 vehicular parking spaces, 142 bicycle parking spaces and 27,534 square feet of common and private open space area within the Southeast Area Specific Plan (SEASP) Mixed Use Community Core (SP-2 MUCC) Zoning District located at 6700 East Pacific Coast Highway. (District 3) Thank you
24 Christopher Koontz
Director
Development Services Department
[email protected]