City Council Meeting Notes

Kevin and Emma discuss two reports the council received on expanding the city's Cannabis Equity Program. Plus, the contractor that was supposed to build the new Alamitos Beach concession stand has been dropped from the project for missing deadlines -- find out what's next. And, the council is eyeing increased incentives to encourage more housing production.

Kevin and Emma dive into a proposal to ban protests targeting individual residence -- aka councilmembers don't want protests outside their homes anymore. Plus, the council took initial steps toward transferring control of the Queen Mary to the Harbor Commission and Councilmember Al Austin may have walked into a possible Brown Act violation. Oh, and Kid Zones!

Kevin and Emma discuss the important points of the newly adopted FY 22 budget, including the police budget. Also on this episode: The city is scrambling to comply with Senate Bill 1383, which requires organic waster to be separated, and the council votes to study the feasibility of creating a public pool in North Long Beach.

Lots of changes to the show! We're now monthly instead of weekly and Kevin is joined by new co-host Emma DiMaggio, managing editor at the Signal Tribune. On this month's show we discuss the Belmont Aquatic Center, the latest on the Queen Mary saga, and Long Beach's newest tenant protection. Plus, it's budget season once again—and we've got all the details on the first draft of the fiscal year 2022 budget.

The council this week approved a zoning change that will allow adult-use marijuana dispensaries in the downtown area. Also on this week's episode, the council inked an agreement with Caltrans that will allow city employees to access state land near freeway onramps and offramps to clean up homeless encampments, plus a plan to expedite COVID-19 rent relief to tenants facing eviction.

On this week's episode, the council approves a new ordinance to streamline and facilitate building over or near oil and gas wells. Plus, one councilmember's has an idea to encourage neighborhoods to reduce the use of fireworks and how the city's tree maintenance policy could be destroying the habitats of nesting birds.

This week the council took the first steps to create a local memorial in honor of those who have died of COVID-19. Plus, a new grant will give rise to the city's first Homeless Court and the city pumps more money into fighting another police misconduct lawsuit, this time from a transgender women accusing officers of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

This week the council approved a $325,000 settlement in a civil rights case involving a man who died after being tasered several times by police in 2018. While the item was not publicly discussed by council because it was on the consent calendar, we take a closer look at some of the details taken from the court documents. Plus, the city is taking a closer look at whether its fee structure is recovering enough of the costs of providing public services.

On this week's episode, the council faces the dilemma of when to schedule next year's local elections—the charter says one thing, but a fast-approaching deadline to have new council districts drawn could make aligning elections with the state and county the better option. All the while, voter turnout hangs in the balance.Plus, the police and health departments spell out what they're doing to fight crime amidst a surge in shootings.

The council gave the stamp of approval to a controversial development in the Wrigley Heights area along the banks of the LA River. The project was vehemently opposed by community activists who instead demanded that a park be built at the site. In the second half of the show, we talk to Carlos Ovalle, a co-founder and board member of the RIverpark Coalition, a group that formed to oppose the development,.

This week the city council received a presentation on the progress the city is making on its updated Housing Element. The council also voted to lease the Long Beach Convention Center to the federal government in order to house migrant children. Plus, the council move forward with exploring transferring control of the Queen Mary to the Harbor Commission.

The council signs off on $24 million in grants from LA County Measure W funds for three stormwater treatment projects. We also talk to Vincent Vo of DSA Long Beach about what it means that the council is moving forward with a resolution to support Medicare for All and how folks can get involved in grassroots organizing in the city around the M4A.

We talk to Long Beach Forward Executive Director James Suazo about the $220 million Long Beach Recovery Plan the council approved this week. Also on the show: the city's outlook for the next budget cycle and the council's decision to study the possibility of offering up to eight more cannabis retail dispensary licenses to applicants of the Long Beach Cannabis Equity Program.

The City Council votes to give the Aquarium of the Pacific an up to $5 million loan to help them weather the pandemic. Also on the show: We'll go over some of the potential benefits and dangers of the plan to make Long Beach a "smart city," plus the council moves forward with a federal grant application that could restore Engine 17.

Hear from former Long Beach Councilmember Gerrie Schipske about the council's decided to (finally!) reintroduce video into their meeting webcasts -- which have been audio-only for the last year since meetings went completely virtual due to pandemic restrictions.The council also tackled a recent performance audit of the city's library services that found several deficiencies, including inadequate access for non-English speaking visitors, working families, students, and people with disabilities.Also: the council took the first steps toward creating a dedicated Latino cultural district called El Mercado de Long Beach.

Find out where the chips fell in regards to the city's FY 2020 budget, plus the council awards a contract for the operation of a Best Western that will be converted into temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness and a new plan to demolish the old City Hall building.

The city unveiled it's Strategic Plan for Youth and Emerging Adults, a blueprint to improve the health and wellness of young people in Long Beach. We talked to Jennefer Heng, a community organizer for Khamer Girls in Action, about the plan and what it means for the city's young people.We also break down the city's proposal for a permanent flavored tobacco ban and a massive renter assistance program that will soon take shape in Long Beach using federal and state funds.

With a sharp increase in violence since the pandemic started, the City Council expressed a desire to direct more police into areas being affected by the crime.Plus how the city's coronavirus vaccine rollout is going and why a grassroots movement in the Eighth District may have had something to do with the council's decision to further explore creating green space along the LA River.