Charles Parkin
Long Beach
City Attorney
411 West Ocean Blvd., 9th Floor
Long Beach, California 90802-4664
cityattorney@longbeach.gov
Long Beach, California 90802-4664
cityattorney@longbeach.gov
11/22/2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEPress Release # 025
Subject:
City of Long Beach, Long Beach TAPS Reach Settlement Agreement to Fund Downtown, Alamitos Beach Parking Studies
Contact:
Dawn A. McIntosh
Deputy City Attorney
(562)570-2212
dawn.mcintosh@longbeach.gov
Deputy City Attorney
(562)570-2212
dawn.mcintosh@longbeach.gov
The City of Long Beach has reached a settlement with Long Beach Transportation And Parking Solutions (TAPS) to resolve three environmental lawsuits by funding parking studies in the Downtown and Alamitos Beach areas. The focus for both studies will be on a balanced parking management approach for visitors, residents and businesses within the context of the City’s Complete Streets Program, the General Plan (including the Mobility Element and Land Use Element), and the Zoning Code.
“We are pleased that this settlement agreement has been reached,” said Long Beach City Attorney Charles Parkin. “The City will proceed with the sale and development of these properties, and move forward with the parking studies in Downtown and Alamitos Beach.”
The settlement agreement brings to a close three lawsuits filed by TAPS against the City challenging the sales of three properties formerly owned by the City’s Redevelopment Agency to three developers.
“TAPS was concerned that the development of these three parcels, which would replace existing parking lots in two cases, would exacerbate a perpetual problem identified by many residents – a lack of parking,” said Jamie T. Hall, an attorney with Channel Law Group that represented Long Beach TAPS. “The City has heard the voice of TAPS and its supporters and has agreed to grab the bull by the horns and tackle this problem – even though it might be challenging.”
The three properties are located at:
• 3rd Street and Pacific Avenue, (“Ensemble property”)
• 125-133 North Long Beach Boulevard and 234-248 East Broadway, (together with the property formerly owned by the City’s Redevelopment Agency located at 127-135 East Broadway, collectively, “Raintree property”)
• 200-232 Long Beach Boulevard, (“Broadway property”)
The parking studies are expected to be completed in approximately two years, at a maximum cost of $250,000.
Other elements of the settlement include:
• The City will deposit a percentage of the net proceeds from the sales of the three properties, approximately $139,000, into a parking solution implementation fund. The developers of the three projects will also each contribute $20,000 into this fund, which will be used to address parking-related issues in the Downtown area and to implement recommendations and suggestions identified in the parking study.
• The City will pay up to $30,000 in attorneys’ fees to Petitioners. The City will be reimbursed for this expense by the developers of the three projects.
• LB TAPS will dismiss the three lawsuits.
• LB TAPS agrees not to challenge the sales of the three properties or any projects brought forth by the developers at those properties. LB TAPS also agrees not to challenge any other sales of properties formerly owned by the City’s Redevelopment Agency, and agree not to challenge any other development projects in the Downtown area until the parking study is completed, presented to the City Council, and the City Council completes its analysis and action, if any, on the parking study.
“We are pleased that this settlement agreement has been reached,” said Long Beach City Attorney Charles Parkin. “The City will proceed with the sale and development of these properties, and move forward with the parking studies in Downtown and Alamitos Beach.”
The settlement agreement brings to a close three lawsuits filed by TAPS against the City challenging the sales of three properties formerly owned by the City’s Redevelopment Agency to three developers.
“TAPS was concerned that the development of these three parcels, which would replace existing parking lots in two cases, would exacerbate a perpetual problem identified by many residents – a lack of parking,” said Jamie T. Hall, an attorney with Channel Law Group that represented Long Beach TAPS. “The City has heard the voice of TAPS and its supporters and has agreed to grab the bull by the horns and tackle this problem – even though it might be challenging.”
The three properties are located at:
• 3rd Street and Pacific Avenue, (“Ensemble property”)
• 125-133 North Long Beach Boulevard and 234-248 East Broadway, (together with the property formerly owned by the City’s Redevelopment Agency located at 127-135 East Broadway, collectively, “Raintree property”)
• 200-232 Long Beach Boulevard, (“Broadway property”)
The parking studies are expected to be completed in approximately two years, at a maximum cost of $250,000.
Other elements of the settlement include:
• The City will deposit a percentage of the net proceeds from the sales of the three properties, approximately $139,000, into a parking solution implementation fund. The developers of the three projects will also each contribute $20,000 into this fund, which will be used to address parking-related issues in the Downtown area and to implement recommendations and suggestions identified in the parking study.
• The City will pay up to $30,000 in attorneys’ fees to Petitioners. The City will be reimbursed for this expense by the developers of the three projects.
• LB TAPS will dismiss the three lawsuits.
• LB TAPS agrees not to challenge the sales of the three properties or any projects brought forth by the developers at those properties. LB TAPS also agrees not to challenge any other sales of properties formerly owned by the City’s Redevelopment Agency, and agree not to challenge any other development projects in the Downtown area until the parking study is completed, presented to the City Council, and the City Council completes its analysis and action, if any, on the parking study.