City Manager Posts Proposed New Maps of City Council Districts

You can see the proposed new maps of how City Council boundaries might be depending upon how City Council votes.

New boundaries are required because of changes in the census population. The only anomaly in the 5th Council District is that the 4th District boundary continues to jut into the 5th district in order to take park property even though there are no residents adjacent. Kinda silly. This would be like the 5th Council district boundary jutting downwards to include some beach property!(?) Oh well, we have much more important issues to grapple with than this.

Click here to see the proposed maps.

The Story of SEADIP -- How Corruption Brought a Plan

There is much confusion over exactly what is SEADIP in Long Beach, how it came about, whether or not it has to be followed today and why the issues it dealt with are the very same ones now being raised by potential developers at 2nd and PCH.

History:
In the 1970's Long Beach was famous for allowing the building of developments without much care for their impact. The City Planning Director in fact was convicted of taking more than $52,000 in bribes from a team of architects who worked on 6 projects..that by the way were built...including Marina Pacifica (at that time the largest building permit ever issued by the City Planning Department).

The City Manager resigned before being ousted and the Council formed taskforces to deal with a number of issues including: citizen participation, reforming appointments to committees, commissions and boards.

Prior to the arrest of the planning director a citizen taskforce north of Seal Beach. The plan to be developed was called Southeast Area Development and Improvement Plan (SEADIP). Members of the taskforce became very upset when it was disclosed that 4 of the developments for which bribes were accepted were in the area being studied for regulation.

The focus of the taskforce was to deal with development in a responsible way that did not adversely impact the existing neighborhoods. Residents contended that PCH and Second Streets were clogged.
They argued that projects already under way (Marina Pacifica Shopping Center and the Market
Place) were too big for their approaches and that coordination of planning between city and developers
was inadequate.

As the Chairwoman Jan Hall told the local press: "It would be a tragedy to allow high density development in the SEADIP area that would compel unacceptable traffic conditions or radical measures..."

One of many newspaper articles pointed out that increasing the density of the SEADIP area would not be consistent with the Naples-like character recommended for the area in a shore line study done for the city by Sasaki-Walker.

When the 113 page document was finalized by the taskforce and adopted by the Planning Commission, SEADIP was hailed in editorials by the local press because it was a compromise of development with preservation. -- setting a maximum commercial building height of 35 feet.

SEADIP became an amendment to the 1961 general plan and was adopted unanimously by the City Council in 1977.

See below to read a series of newspaper accounts of what went on during the formation of SEADIP.
 Traffic Snarls SEADIP
Del Sol Project Approved
Beginnings of SEADIP
SEADIP Talks Extended
SEADIP Hearings
LB City Council Adopts SEADIP
 SEADIP A Dilmemma for the City
 Heart and Soul of SEADIP Gets Approved
Citizens Help in Planning
The Map of Long Beach's Last Frontier
Editorial Praising SEADIP


There are many more articles on SEADIP. But these should give you an idea of the intent and purpose of those many citizen meetings.

LBTV Wins Two First Place Awards for Coverage of 5th District Solar Grand Prix

Long Beach Television (LBTV), a division of the City's Technology Services Department, received 11 government programming STAR awards at the States of California and Nevada National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (SCAN NATOA) annual conference in Long Beach on June 2, 2011.  The STAR Awards were established in 1996 to recognize outstanding community television programming produced by local jurisdictions serving California and Nevada communities.

"LBTV provides our community with some the nation's best local programming," said Mayor Bob Foster.  “I know first-hand that the LBTV staff are talented and hard-working professionals who are vital to telling viewers why it’s great to live and work in Long Beach in an informative and entertaining way.”

LBTV received first-place awards in four categories, second-place awards in five categories, including the prestigious Overall Excellence Award, and two third-place awards.

1944 Movie -- Since You Went Away -- to Show at Art Theater on June 12

Ladies and Gentlemen -- Get Ready for a Good Cry -- Art Theater to Show 1944 Film "Since You Went Away"

Long Beach, CA – Grab your favorite guy or gal and head on down to the Art Theater on Sunday, June 12 at 11 am and step back in time as you watch the 1944 film "Since You Went Away" presented by The Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Foundation "Home Front Theater."

The very emotional 1944 film, Since You Went Away, depicts the life of a mother, played by Claudette Colbert, and her two daughters, played by Jennifer Jones and Shirley Temple, on the home front at their father is away at work.  In their struggle to make ends meat, they take in a lodger.  However, the inconveniences and rationing cannot hinder the love affair of a daughter and the grandson of the lodger.  This movie won the 1945 Academy Award for Best Music, as well as, nominated for eight other nomination including Best Picture.  1940s newsreels will also be shown.

The screening will take place 11 a.m. at the Art Theater, 2025 4^th Street in Long Beach.  Tickets will be available at the door for a suggested contribution of $20 for The Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Foundation, a non profit organization established to develop and maintain the history of the women who worked on the home front in Long Beach during WWII.