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Belmont Beach and Aquatics Center Project
Last Tuesday, the City Council authorize City Manager to proceed with the design, permitting, and bidding for the revised Project design “Option 1” recommended by City staff; and Authorize the City Manager to execute all documents necessary to amend the contract for design services for the Belmont Beach and Aquatics Center Project. There is much concern by residents on the slimmed down version which is moving forward. This paragraph from the linked document explains:
On August 31, 2022, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 1137, which would have a significant impact on the City’s oil-related revenue, particularly in the Tidelands area. SB 1137 establishes a 3,200-foot health and safety zone around new and reworked existing oil wells and prohibits drilling of new wells and improvements to existing wells within that radius, which affects a significant portion of the City’s oil operations in the Tidelands and Uplands areas. SB 1137 accelerates the City’s transition away from oil production, which was planned for 2035. Simply put, as a result of SB 1137 the resulting oil operations cannot support either the operating or the capital requirements of the previously approved Project without significant modifications. As such, staff worked with Project architects, engineers, and aquatics experts to reduce the Project’s costs and align it with expected revenues moving forward. The new law was slated to take effect in January 2023; however, private interests qualified the bill for a veto referendum on the Statewide ballot scheduled for November 2024. Whether upheld or repealed, and despite the challenges encountered, the City is steadfast and committed to delivering an inspiring facility for all age groups that will engage, instruct, and train our public aquatics users, while providing equitable access to recreational water space for the larger Long Beach community in a fiscally sustainable way. More info HERE.
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