Join us on August 23 at 6:30 PM at the Third District Field Office (340 Nieto Ave) where City Manager Pat West will be discussing the proposed Fiscal Year 2019 Budget. In addition to the monthly update from your Councilwoman, a representatives from various City Departments will also be discussing upcoming changes in our District.

Please attend for an informative night where attendees can gain a better understanding of next year's budget, learn about upcoming projects in the District, and give input on topics that are important in the community.

For more information please email [email protected].

CD3 WALKS THE WALK - August 5

The CD3 Walking Club is back! In partnership with resident, Lori Barber, we want to mobilize our community to make a difference. We don't just talk about it, we do it! Join us on Sunday, August 5th to help us beautify the Third District. Each month a different route will be identified. Let us know if your area needs special attention. This month we will meet at Marine Stadium Park at 8 AM and walk our way down Marine Stadium and Mother's Beach to pick up trash. A specific route will be outlined at the event.

Trash pickers, gloves and trash bags will be provided. 

The Coucilwoman has been glad to work together with the Parkin family as well as the community to help memorialize this fantastic person. On August 18th at 9:30 AM the Councilwoman will be hosting a dedication ceremony as the greenspace at E. 1st St. and Loma Ave. will be named after John Parkin.

John Parkin was a long time resident of the Bluff Park neighborhood. After his death in 2015 many neighbors were saddened to lose a community member like him. He was a resident of Bluff Park for 33 years and was a strong supporter and former board member of the local community association, the Bluff Park Neighborhood Association.

Although John is well known throughout the city for his role in addressing subsidence and the use of Long Beach oil revenues, it is his impact on his local neighborhood that many residents remember most fondly. His friends and neighbors remember him as a humble and loyal man with great integrity and always willing to lend a helping hand. He was seen as an icon in the neighborhood who was admired by everyone.

We hope to see you there to help honor the community legacy of John Parkin.

 - By Jack Cunningham

3rd District, Chief of Staff

In past weeks there have been some concerns regarding the state of beaches throughout the Third District. Issues around afterhours beach access, and significant problems with littering have been a major focus. The police have expanded their patrols of the beach, and have conducted a number of efforts to help those suffering from homelessness as well as ensure people are aware of the beach hours. Additionally, more intensive efforts to clean and manage the beach have been conducted to make sure trash is not making any residents feel like the beach is not a safe place for them. 

 

Last week the Councilwoman brought the first of a number of items before City Council that are designed to have a bigger impact on the maintenance we see of our beaches. The recent item asks staff to conduct an audit of how beach signage can be improved and expanded to better enforce beach rules. 

Link to recent agenda item:   Beach Maintenance

 

Please stay tuned for more efforts to increase our beach maintenance. 

HISTORY OF SIMS POND

Every month I try to provide residents with information on important upcoming polices or discussions at City Council, or upcoming events that residents will enjoy. However, this month I thought I would give some information on an interesting feature you are probably all aware of known as Sims Pond.

Located at the North West Corner of Loynes Drive and Pacific Coast Highway, it is a small pond that today functions as a great habitat for native plants and animal species. However, the pond has an interesting history on how it came about. Originally, Sims Pond was simply a part of the Alamitos Bay, but this changed when Marine Stadium was constructed in the 1920s in preparation for the coming Olympics being held in Los Angeles where Long Beach would host rowing, and that portion of the bay was back-filled cutting it off from the rest of the bay. Then in 1968 the site was determined to be private property and went undeveloped for many years except for a roadside stand that sold fish bait. But then a large seasonal pond developed next to the bait shop that would fill during winter months or major storm events, and would drain during the dry summer months. And eventually the pond that was filled primarily from runoff from the uphill Stonybrook apartment complex would be named after the bait shop owner.

Often the interesting history of a place can really make us all appreciate something even more, and for me, knowing that this native habitat was created due to preparations for the 1932 Olympics, and named after the owner of a fish bait stand makes me love Sims Pond even more.

As of July 1, oversized vehicles will be prohibited from parking on residential streets.  Nearly a year ago the City Council voted in support of Councilwoman Price's  recommendation to establish a ban on oversized vehicles on residential streets throughout the city. The policy would allow for free short term permits to be obtained for loading and unloading in preparation for usage of a vehicle. The ban on residential street parking is due to the safety concerns they create with lack of sight lines and visibility for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. This policy required Coastal Commission approval, and the development of new signs at all entrance points to the City in order to notify everyone of the new policy.  As of today, these signs have been installed, and notices have gone out to residents in utility bills with the intention for the new ordinance being fully enforced. The following restrictions will go into effect on July 1, 2018:

- Parking of oversized vehicles (exceeding 85 inches high, or 80 inches wide, or 22 feet long) is prohibited on City streets in residential neighborhoods without a valid permit.

-Residents may obtain free oversized vehicle parking permits for themselves and their visitors at www.longbeach.gov/parking

- Residents and their visitors may park oversized vehicles adjacent to their residence for a maximum of 72 consecutive hours with a valid permit. 

-An annual maximum of 20 permits may be issued to each resident per calendar year. 

-Exceptions to these restrictions may be requested in writing from the City Traffic Engineer. 

For questions regarding these restrictions or oversized vehicles, please contact Long Beach Public Works, Traffic Engineering at (562) 570-6331

To report an oversized vehicle exceeding the parking restrictions, please contact Long Beach Parking Enforcement at (562) 570-2866

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