Tickets -- Happen even to Councilmembers

So the story goes likes this: I had to travel out of state -- to Washington DC for a week of meetings -- and I asked someone to pick up my car and then park it in my driveway. Well, I didn't realize that I failed to move the other car in the driveway up enough so that when my car was parked it unfortunately hung over the driveway and the sidewalk.

I came home to a $46 ticket.

I often get emails asking me to waive a parking ticket to which I reply that Councilmembers cannot become involved in the disposition of tickets. Not even if it was the Councilmember who received the ticket.

PS It is illegal to park over a sidewalk because it blocks access to people using wheelchairs. However, in my case it is a moot point because my sidewalk is so damaged and raised because of a 60 foot sycamore tree in the parking strip that passage on the sidewalk is difficult even without a car hanging over the sidewalk. Guess I should complain to my City Councilmember...oh, wait...

Please come and help me honor the women and men who gave their lives in service to our country

Reader --

I write this having just visited Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. I hope you agree with me that Long Beach should honor the women and men who gave their lives in service to our country during this holiday season.

On December 11, 2010 thousands of Christmas wreaths will be placed on the graves of the women and men who gave their lives in service of our country at Arlington and at 450 other locations across the U.S. The wreath laying ceremony is a project of Wreaths Across America.

I am proud to tell you that for the very first time in Long Beach, we will be participating in those ceremonies by laying Christmas wreaths in honor of those women and men who gave their lives in service to our country at the Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center military memorial.

Do you have a family member or friend you want to have remembered during the ceremonies on December 11? I ask that you click here to let me know if you have someone you wish remembered during the ceremony. Also please let me know if you will attend the ceremonies.

Do me a favor. Please forward this blog posting to a friend who might want to know about this event.

The ceremonies will include a dedication of the wonderful enhancements to the Rosie the Riveter Park such as our walking path with etched history, compass rose and historical signs. Thanks to the Long Beach Naval Heritage Association, Supervisor Don Knabe, Wal-Mart and many others, Rosie the Riveter Park is the first of its kind in Long Beach and only the second of its kind in the United States.

I look forward to hearing from you and to seeing you at the ceremonies this coming Saturday, December 11 at 10 am.

Gerrie

Residents can get free mulch

Free Mulch

Plastic bag ban needs to be gradual and not punitive...and City Hall needs to lead the way

China has banned them. Ireland has banned them. So has the County of Los Angeles and the City and County of San Francisco. Washington, D.C. also. They all have joined the growing list of governments banning plastic bags because of the on going problems with the bags winding up all over the place as debris.

China actually banned plastic bags because their manufacture consumes too much petroleum.

They pollute our land fills and our waterways -- no doubt strong arguments to get rid of them. But a mandatory switch to paper bags as is being proposed in Long Beach makes little sense because wood -- which is what paper is made from -- means the loss of more trees. Also the imposition of 10 cents per bag is punitive instead of providing an incentive for the switch -- and in this economy where unemployment benefits have run out for many in California it doesn't seem prudent.

San Francisco actually has the best proposal -- a gradual phase in and allowing large markets and pharmacies to have the option of using compostable bags made of corn starch or bags made of recyclable paper.

So I will support a gradual phase in of moving away from plastic bags to compostable bags without any tax or fee passed along to the consumer for this switch.

I also think that if my colleagues really want to deal with the growing pollution from plastic then let's lead the way:

• No bottled water in City Hall. These plastic bottles also wind up in dumps and in the ocean and do not decompose.
• No plastic bags used in the hundreds of trash cans in City Hall offices. Use compostable bags.
• No use of plastic cups, plates, forks or spoons at the Convention Center. These items are now available in compostable forms from corn starch.

The environment is important but we need to be reasonable especially in tough economic times.

Am in Washington, DC and it's 29 degrees...but beautiful

I am reporting from our nation's capitol -- Washington, DC where it is so cold but so beautiful. Especially when you look at the Capitol lit at night -- lit because the House is in session trying to deal with a number of legislative issues before they leave and the new Congress takes over in January.

It is sad and amazing to see homeless sleeping in this weather. But I see fewer of them since the last time I was here. I just cannot imagine how they survive.

Am here for a legislative conference and to visit the sculptor who is doing a bas relief for the Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Park. Ray Kaskey did all the art/bas relief and sculptures for the National World War II Memorial which is here and which I am visiting. He is graciously doing a copy of his bas relief that is at the memorial depicting riveters making planes during WWII. Long Beach will be the only location outside of Washington, DC to have this art work.  

Will visit the Smithsonian which houses the replica of the Vin Fiz - the plane flown by Cal Rodgers from New York to Long Beach in 1911 -- making it the first transcontinental flight in the US. This historical event will be celebrated next year in Long Beach and across the US. Have been working with a community taskforce to make this event spectacular.

What to do if you see coyotes in your neighborhood...

Coyotes

In case you missed it -- sidewalks we fixed in the 5th District in 2010

What We've Fixed

As I have reported on several occasions, the 5th Council District has the most sidewalks in the City and the most in need of repair. Historically, Long Beach required residents to fix the sidewalks (and many cities continue to do so because the sidewalks were installed by the developers) and then in the later 1970s began assuming the costs. Unfortunately, because city trees began maturing and raising more and more sidewalks, the costs to the City to repair the sidewalks increased dramatically.

Prior to my taking office, the City Council divided up sidewalk repair money evenly -- so the 5th received proportionately less than the other districts even though more was needed. Consequently, repairs in the 5th District lagged.

Last year, I worked with my colleagues and convinced them that the money needed to be divided based upon need. So for the first time, the 5th District received the most funds for sidewalk repair -- $600,000 and we were able to start putting a dent into the repair list.

I also added two programs that have helped with the repair of sidewalks not only in the 5th District but citywide: sawcutting -- which allows raised sidewalks to be fixed at a fraction of the cost of removal -- @ $25 per panel vs. $800 or so. The second program is a sidewalk cost share program that allows residents who cannot wait their turn on the long list -- to share in the cost of getting their sidewalk repaired as soon as possible. The resident contacts my office and then contacts a licensed contractor. The city waives the permit costs and  will share the cost of replacement up to $500.

So here is the list of sidewalks fixed this past year (I have several lists since I took office in 2006 that I share at the State of the 5th in January). As soon as I have the list finalized for the coming year I will post it.

• 3400 block- Shipway
• Los Altos Methodist Church --- Willow Street
• Conant (north). Palo Verde (east), Wardlow (south) and Woodruff ( west)
• East side of Studebaker Rd ( from Spring Street to Mezzanine Way)
• North side of Spring St ( from Lees Ave to Stevely Way)
• Lees Ave ( from Spring St to Mezzanine Way)
• Kallin Ave ( from Spring St to Mezzanine Way)
• Karen Ave. ( from Spring St to Mezzanine Way)
• Volk Ave ( from Spring St to Rosebay St)
• Shipway Ave ( from Spring St to Pattiz Ave.)
• Pattiz Ave ( from Spring St to Shipway Ave)
• Stevely Ave ( from Spring St to Mezzanine Way)
• Rosebay St( from Karen Ave to Stevely Ave)
• Mezzanine St ( from Studebaker Rd to Stevely Ave)
• East side of Studebaker Rd ( from Mezzanine Way to Wardlow Rd)
• Kallin Ave ( from Mezzanine Way to Wardlow Rd)
• Stevely ave ( from Mezzanine Way to Wardlow Rd)
• Metz St ( from Karen Ave to Stevely Ave)
• Lanai St ( from Karen Ave to Stevely Ave)
• Killdee St ( from Karen Ave to Stevely Ave)
• Premium St( from Karen Ave to Stevely Ave)
• Coralite St ( from Karen Ave to Stevely Ave)
• South side of Wardlow Rd ( from Studebaker Rd to Stevely Ave)
• Chatwin Ave ( from Spring St to Pageantry St)
• Peabody St ( from Bellflower Blvd to san Anseline ave)
• Marwick Ave( from Spring St to Pageantry St)
• Pageantry St * from Bellflower Blvd to San Anseline Ave)
• N/side Spring St ( Alley W of Chatwin Ave to San Anseline Ave)
• E/side Bellflower Blvd ( South of Pageantry St)
• Keynote St ( from Rutgers Ave to Bellflower Blvd)
• Peabody St ( from Rutgers Ave to Bellflower Blvd)
• Carita St ( from Rutgers Ave to Bellflower Blvd)
• Conant St ( from Rutgers Ave to Bellflower Blvd)
• Stearnlee Ave ( from Conant St to Peabody St)
• Harco Street ( from Greenbrier Rd to W Charlemagne Ave)
• Charlemagne ( from S Harco St to Brockwood St)
• S/side Conant St ( Gondar Ave to Carfax Ave)
• S/ side Conant St ( Carfax Ave to Palo Verde Ave)
• Keynote Street ( from Rutgers Ave to Bellflower Blvd)
• Peabody ( from Rutgers Ave to Stearnlee Ave)
• Peabody (from Stearnlee Ave to Bellflower Blvd)
• Carita Street ( Rutgers Ave to Stearnlee Ave)
• Carita Street ( Stearnlee Ave to Bellflower Blvd)
• S/side Conant St ( from Rutgers Ave t Stearnlee Ave)

 

How sidewalks are selected for repair

In order to get the most sidewalks fixed at the same time, we review our files that include: complaints from residents and inspection by my staff of areas in the 5th District. When we receive a complaint or we see a problem sidewalk, my staff goes out and photographs the sidewalk. A report and the photograph are logged in our data system, forwarded to Public Works and mapped/GPS so we can see location. We then work with Public Works to bunch sidewalk repairs together so an entire area can be repaired instead of a scattergun approach (used before I came to office).

As usual, you can call my office or email us, or go on my website at: http://www.lbdistrict5.com/ and complete a service request form and we will respond with a staff inspection.

Update on DeMille site conversion

Residents have asked what is happening with the DeMille site at Los Coyotes and Parkcrest since we haven't heard anything in awhile from the Long Beach Unified School District. Apparently, it is still go forward with demolition and building of a high school. I am including a fact sheet I just obtained. Keep in mind that since the school district owns the land, the City of Long Beach has no jurisdiction over what they do.

DeMille

Public records request on my contacts with constituents regarding medical marijuana

Several people have sent a public records request to the City Attorney demanding to see any contacts I, Gary DeLong and Patrick O'Donnell have made with our constituents concerning regulating medical marijuana collectives.

While folks I think we are spending far too much time on this issue -- especially since the City continues to struggle with a bad economy --- my office complied with the request as we always do.

What the requesting party is finding is that I personally answer my emails. Now this can be good or bad depending on whichever way you look at it. Unlike other council members who don't answer their emails personally, I have a written record of my opinion -- which I personally believe is good. But that also means everything I write can be taken out of context and pointed back at me.

For instance, the requesting party wanted to know what I meant in my email to a constituent who complained about having marijuana collectives in Long Beach that I don't want the collectives and I didn't think we could make any changes to the ordinance that we passed earlier this year.

I meant what I wrote. I don't want marijuana collectives in my predominantly residential council district. With the most schools, libraries and parks in the City, I don't want the collectives located near where children gather. That's why I have been consistent about advocating for the buffer zones around schools, parks, libraries, etc. I also don't want more liquor stores and bars in the district (stop right here -- I cannot do anything to remove the current ones) and my residents were very vocal when a bar attempted to reopen on Woodruff and Spring --- and it didn't.

That being said, instead of outright voting against them I felt it was important to help craft an ordinance that was reasonable and if other council members wanted the collectives in their districts then so be it.

At the time I received emails about changing the initial ordinance -- which by the way did not include a buffer zone for parks -- I was under the impression that we could not make changes. However, I consulted with the City Attorney who informed me that since no permit was issued there was no vested right for anyone to operating a collective and that if the council felt it needed to make revisions, it could do so. And so I advocated for several changes -- including putting the park buffer back where it should have been when it was first raised. Thankfully my colleagues agreed.

So there you have it. I will get blasted for saying what I believe by those who are looking for any reason to loosen up the ordinance.

But this may all become moot -- which is a legal expression for of little or no practical meaning -- because if the collectives who are suing us on the basis that federal law pre-empts state and local law get a ruling in their favor  -- it will mean that federal law becomes the controlling law in this matter. And if that is the case, federal law considers marijuana to be a controlled substance and thus illegal to possess or to "sell."

Medical Marijuana Survey Results -- Adjusted for different browsers

Some readers complained that their browser did not let them see all of the information on the survey results on the issue of medical marijuana. I hope the version below helps:

Results

Allegiant to Launch Flights between Long Beach and Las Vegas

On Friday, November 19, 2010, the Allegiant Travel Company (our newest airline) will formally announce a new service destination from the Long Beach Airport. In connection with the new service announcement, Allegiant is working with local establishments in Long Beach to promote the new destination.

An event is planned for Friday at Legends in the Belmont Shore neighborhood, which will include travel giveaways. Allegiant is a travel company specializing in full vacation packages to various destinations including the Southern California area. We believe Allegiant will start releasing some of the details of their travel promotion today.

Changes for Wireless Towers in Long Beach

 Several months ago I brought the issue of residents' concerns about the placement and proliferation of wireless towers in church parking lots and locations adjacent to homes. The city placed a moratorium on new placements until the City could modernize its ordinance. The following document outlines the direction we are heading:


Wireless

Old McDonald's Farmers' Market Opening a Great Success

If you missed the grand opening last Sunday, you can still come on down to the 5th District Farmers' Market at Spring and Clark each Sunday at 8 am until 2pm.

There's lots of good, fresh food. Community booths with information. Activities for kids. Music and lots more.

Here's a few pictures of the first day of the market. Thanks to our LB Junior Concert Band for coming out to help open the market.

Council Backs Adding 1,000 Foot Buffer Zone for Parks

I want to thank my colleagues that voted to support my proposal to include a 1,000 foot buffer zone for parks in the medical marijuana collective ordinance. This will make Long Beach's law consistent with other cities which allow these collectives. A number of other changes were approved with the same vote. Additionally, there will be a one year moratorium on additional collectives applying for permits in Long Beach.

What 1045 people had to say about tightening up the City of Long Beach ordinance to regulate medical marijuana collectives

Results

Learn How to Get Help from Habitat for Humanity

Habitat

1045 responses on pending changes to medical marijuana ordinance -- Mixed by District

Pay no attention to the man behind the smoke screen because he's out there telling the world that the on line survey I put out asking people's opinion on pending changes to the medical marijuana ordinance indicates a city wide overwhelming opposition to these changes.

Not.

Unless you think getting 29 responses from the 1st District; 96 from the 2nd; 205 from 3rd; 72 from the 4th; 514 from the 5th; 17 from the 6th; 38th from the 7th; 41 from the 8th; and 13 from the 9th are a "citywide" response. Hardly overwhelming. You can click on the results below:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/42830505 - 9th
http://www.scribd.com/doc/42830503 - 8th
http://www.scribd.com/doc/42830501 - 7th
http://www.scribd.com/doc/42830499 - 6th
http://www.scribd.com/doc/42830498 - 5th
http://www.scribd.com/doc/42830497 - 4th
http://www.scribd.com/doc/42830495 - 3rd
http://www.scribd.com/doc/42830495 - 2nd
http://www.scribd.com/doc/42830493 - 1st

Overall responses: 1045.  Until the last hour the survey was posted and over 100 signed on -- most anonymous responses-- the 5th District continued to support a buffer from parks, libraries and day care centers. Then it tightened up to about even.

The 5th District also didn't support moving the retail growers to industrial, nor placing the issue on the ballot.

I will post the overall results and the comments (oooo, the comments) that people posted on a later blog entry.

978 Responses -- 471 from 5th District

978 people have responded to the survey on placement of medical marijuana collectives. Of these, 471 have indicated they are residents of the 5th District.

By no means a scientific poll -- because people self select themselves to respond instead of it being done randomly -- never the less, these are the people most interested in the topic on either side.

The results are running consistently since the start of the survey -- 5th District residents want the collectives out of a buffer zone from parks, libraries, schools and day care centers. They don't necessarily believe they should have to grow in industrial areas and they aren't in favor of a ballot measure to prohibit them as does Lakewood and Signal Hill.

I will close out the survey this evening and make the results available to anyone.

P.S. For those who criticize the survey as not including information on the various medical conditions "needing" medical marijuana -- that's not what it was about. It was to get a read on how residents feel about where the collectives should be located. -- not a debate on the merits of medical marijuana. At least someone bothered to ask your opinion.

865 Responses to Marijuana Collective Survey -- Some Thoughts About Responses

The responses to my survey are coming in hourly.

The results are holding steady. 5th District residents don't want them around parks, libraries, schools and day care facilities. But they don't want to vote them out of Long Beach.

I find it interesting that if marijuana is supposed to mello people out -- some of those supporting these collectives are nasty and rude in their comments. Guess they don't like being asked for their opinion on proposed legislation.

And for the person who wrote on the survey that maybe Lesbians should be prohibited in Long Beach --- you seriously need to get a life and stop attacking personally. This is a survey about regulations. If you don't agree with the ideas -- say so. No need to personally attack -- I certainly haven't attacked you.

By the way, the City of Long Beach is not taxing medical marijuana collectives -- thanks to me. I would not approve the vote that would have placed a tax on the collectives because we don't tax other "medicines."

Regarding lawsuits -- we already have 5 of them on this issue. And while those applying to become permitted (not licensed) collectives think they have the corner on suing the city if they are further regulated -- get in line with the residents who most likely will sue if their property values go down because they are close to a collective and all the traffic it brings. Better that the City Council fix the flaws in the ordinance before these collectives open than to wait and then change the law. You think there's yelling now...try making changes once these places open for business.

If the operators really cared about Long Beach -- they would agree that collectives should not be operated near schools, parks, libraries and child care centers -- just as is the case in the other cities in which they are doing business.

835 Respond to Survey So Far on Marijuana Collectives

I will close the survey on Monday night but as of this moment 835 people have responded to the survey.
5th District residents want the buffer for parks and libraries but are not as in favor of moving growing shops to industrial. The majority are not in favor of placing the issue on a ballot to prohibit the marijuana collectives as do Lakewood and Signal Hill.

Putting a buffer for parks and libraries would be consistent with EVERY ordinance currently operating in cities in California which allow medical marijuana collectives to operate.

After I close the survey on Monday, I will share the results.