Community Development
Planning Bureau
411 West Ocean Boulevard, 3rd Floor, Long Beach, CA 90802 562.570.6194
Agenda Item No. 3
August 1, 2024
CHAIR AND PLANNING COMMISSIONERS
City of Long Beach
California
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation to find a proposed vacation of a portion of right-of-way abutting 2111 West 14 th Street in conformance with the adopted goals and policies of the City’s General Plan (GPC24-001). (District 7)
APPLICANT: Paul Colins
1415 Cota Ave
Long Beach, CA 90813
(Application No. 2404-09)
DISCUSSION
The applicant requests a finding of conformance with the General Plan of the City of Long Beach (City) for the vacation of a portion of right -of-way abutting 2111 West 14 th Street. The right-of- way is located at the west end cul-de-sac of 14th Street, abutting 2111 West 14th Street, and is 1,387 sq. ft. in area (Attachment A - Vicinity Map). The applicant requests the City to vacate the excess right-of-way while maintaining public pedestrian and vehicular access (Attachment B – Vacation Exhibit). The vacated right-of-way would then be merged with the applicant’s property and become part of their site.
On October 22, 2018, the Site Plan Review Committee approved a new 2 -story, 38,400 sq. ft. industrial building at 2111 West 14 th Street. As part of the conditions of approval, the Public Works Department (Public Works) required the developer to process a vacation of said right-of- way which was found to be in excess of their standards. The applicant has subsequently initiated the vacation process with Public Works which will be heard at a City Council hearing. Part of this process, however, requires a General Plan Conformity Finding before the application can move forward. Public Works has reviewed the request and has found it feasible while ensuring appropriate sidewalk standards are maintained in accordance with existing City standards.
Conditions of approval have further been draf ted and attached to ensure compliance with applicable City standards (Attachment C – Conditions of Approval).
CHAIR AND PLANNING COMMISSIONERS
August 1, 2024
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY FINDINGS
Before an application for the vacation of public right -of-way can go before the City Council, a finding of conformity with the maps and policies of the General Plan must be made by the Planning Commission. The General Plan consists of 13 elements; each element carries the same authority concerning land use issues. City staff reviewed this project’s conformance with all elements of the General Plan, and the proposed vacation was found to be in conformance with all applicable elements. A review of the relevant elements and specific General Plan consistency findings are presented below.
LAND USE ELEMENT
The Land Use Element (LUE) divides the City into 14 land use districts, which provide general guidance as to the appropriate type and density of land uses. The subject site is located within the Industrial (I) PlaceType of the LUE. The LUE states that the Industrial PlaceType is intended for uses that serve the general industry at large. The vacated public right -of-way will become part of the previously approved industrial building site under the same LUE PlaceType and continue the industrial land use.
According to the LUE, a subdivision approval (which category would include the proposed vacation) is considered consistent with the LUE when the density of the proposed subdivision meets the PlaceType intensity. In this case, the vacation would be consistent, as the intensity of the proposed development is not changing and remains consistent with the LUE.
MOBILITY ELEMENT
The City's Mobility Element is aimed at transforming Long Beach into a city with flexible, convenient, affordable, and energy -efficient transportation options for residents and visitors alike. The portion of public right -of-way to be vacated has been found by Public Works as no longer necessary for present or prospective public use or convenience. This vacation would therefore not prove detrimental to the movement of people and goods.
14th Street is classified as a Local Street and requires a right-to-way width of 56 fee t per the Street Typology Design Criteria of the Mobility Element. The existing width of the 14th Street right-of-way is 60 feet , surpassing the minimum standard. Moreover, the proposed vacation is at the terminus of the 14 th Street cul-de-sac where no future public use is foreseen by Public Works. Nonetheless, as shown on the proposed vacation attachment, pedestrian access will be maintained via a sidewalk flanking the c ul-de-sac. Therefore, the vacation can be found consistent with the Mobility Element.
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
A General Plan Conformity Certification does not require public noticing. However, Public Works conducts a public notification for the vacation in accordance with State law, as the vacation is processed and subsequently heard before the City Council.
CHAIR AND PLANNING COMMISSIONERS
August 1, 2024
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action to make a finding of conformance with the General Plan is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), per Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines, and no environmental review is required.
Respectfully submitted,
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Attachments: Attachment A – Vicinity Map
Attachment B – Vacation Exhibit
Attachment C – Conditions of Approval
JONATHAN INIESTA
PROJECT PLANNER
DONALD TAYLOR-PATTERSON
PROJECT PLANNING OFFICER
ALISON SPINDLER-RUIZ, AICP
PLANNING BUREAU MANAGER
for CHRISTOPHER KOONTZ, AICP
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT