This afternoon, the City of Long Beach released new Land Use Element maps, which were revised after community meetings and review. The city issued the following statement regarding the maps:

“Today, the City of Long Beach released revised Land Use Element (LUE) maps for community review. Based on community discussions over the past two months, City staff presented revised maps to meet the projected job and housing needs, as well as address concerns related to height, density, additional housing units and traffic. The revised maps reflect changes that modified multi-use designations to commercial designations, proposed height reductions in several areas, and lighter intensity uses throughout. The revised maps reflect a reduction in density of 686 acres through height-reduction and modified land-use designations.

“It is clear from the community input we have received that changes to the proposed maps were necessary,” said City Manager, Patrick H. West. “These maps continue to protect existing single-family neighborhoods across the entire city, and responds to specific issues raised by the community, while acknowledging the need for smart planning for our future. I am pleased with the direction these revisions have taken, and look forward to the Planning Commission and City Council’s input going forward.”

The City is in the process of updating its Land Use Element, a document required by the State of California to ensure every city is making wise and thoughtful decisions about land use, and appropriately planning for job growth and population increases. Over the past several years, Long Beach has adopted the Downtown Plan, Midtown Specific Plan, and the South East Area Specific Plan, all of which account for a portion of the future need.  The Land Use Element builds upon these efforts by also planning for the City’s commercial areas and mixed-use corridors. Specifically, the revised maps include the following categories of land use:

• 44 percent of the City’s land is comprised of single-family neighborhoods, which will see no changes under the revised maps.
• Approximately 19 percent of the acreage includes regional serving uses such as Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach and other infrastructure.
• 16 percent of the City’s acreage would be planned for public and private open space and parks.
• Approximately 6 percent of the City would be planned for neighborhood-scale mixed-use projects along corridors, which combine retail and office uses with housing opportunities.
• Approximately 5 percent of the City includes existing multi-family residential buildings.
• 5 percent of the City would include job generating uses in industrial or neo-industrial areas.
• 2 percent of the City would be planned for Transit Oriented Development along rail transit corridors.
• 2 percent of the City’s land use includes the Downtown area, which remains an important driver of jobs and housing.
• 1 percent of the City would be planned for traditional commercial or retail shopping centers.

With no changes to many traditional shopping centers, industrial job centers, the Port, Airport, parks and open space as well as no changes to single-family neighborhoods, only about 16 percent of the City is available to accommodate projected housing demands. Of that approximate 16 percent, the majority is proposed for lower-density development such as three-story apartments, townhomes and small mixed-use buildings.

The City will take input regarding the revised maps via email at LUEUDE2040@longbeach.gov. The Planning Commission will consider these revised maps on December 11, 2017. The community is encouraged to visit www.longbeach.gov/lueude2040 to get involved, to learn the facts, and to gain a better understanding of this effort.  Maps available on the website include the revised maps, a map of existing land uses, and previous versions of the maps from August 2017 and February 2017 for comparison purposes.”