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(562) 570 5555 | district5@longbeach.gov | |
Weekly Updates | Jan. 31, 2025 | |
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Happy Friday, District 5! As January comes to a close, we can continue to look forward to what the rest of 2025 has in store. Next month holds a number of opportunities for community engagement—more details can be found below, as well as updates from the Public Works, Library, and Parks departments.
If you have yet to do so, there is still time to be an early participant of the FY26 Budget Development Process! The final meeting of this first round of community engagement is on Monday, Feb. 3rd from 6pm – 7:30pm at Cornerstone Church (1000 Studebaker Rd). Visit longbeach.gov/fy26 to RSVP, or to alternatively share your priorities by completing the online Budget Priority Survey. If you haven’t made it to a meeting yet, don’t worry—this is only the first stage of the budget development process and there will be more opportunities to provide your input later in the year.
This Saturday, February 1st, is Opening Day for Village Baseball Little League at Heartwell Park! Village Baseball has been active in our community for nearly 70 years, inspiring local youth with the joys and values of team sport. Good luck to all the young ball players on the fields this weekend, as well as throughout the rest of the season!
Throughout next week and beyond, find plenty of ways to get involved in and around CD5! On Wednesday, Feb. 5th, you can attend LBPD North’s first Commander’s Forum of the year to hear from North Division’s new leadership, Commander Hughes. Then next weekend will hold both First Fridays in Bixby Knolls on Feb. 7th, and Second Saturdays at the Parkview Village shops on Feb. 8th. See the flyers and information blocks below for more details on these and other upcoming community events.
As February starts this weekend, so does Black History Month! Start your celebrations in CD5 with the African American Cultural Center of Long Beach and their handful of activities and events coming up next weekend, Feb. 7th & 8th. From a fashion show to family portraits to a card-game tournament, there’s fun for the whole family! Find details in the flyers below.
Finally, I’d like to remind you that the next City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at 5pm in the City Hall Chambers. A list of items of interest will be included can be found at the bottom of this newsletter. I encourage you to attend or watch online.
As always, I am grateful for your continued engagement with me and my office, and I look forward to seeing you out in the community.
Working together,
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Megan Kerr, Councilwoman
Long Beach, District 5
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CD5 Community Survey
Want to Plant Trees in Your Neighborhood? Let Us Know!
Do you wish there were more trees on your block or in your neighborhood? Does the parkway in front of your home have an open space you’d like to see filled with a public tree? Would you enjoy the hands-on experience of helping plant trees and supporting the growth of our city’s urban forest, but don’t know how to get involved? If you answered yes to any of these questions, please let our office know by completing this community survey!
This year, our office hopes to partner with the Office of Sustainability and their Tree Planting Program to bring tree-planting events to District 5—but we need your help to tell us where they’re needed! By participating in the Tree Planting Program, if you or a neighbor accepts responsibility for the tree’s maintenance and survival, you can choose from a list of approved trees to have one planted in the parkway adjacent to your property for free. Keep in mind that wait times for trees typically take at least 2 months, and the planting season excludes summer as the heat makes it difficult for young trees to flourish.
Public trees offer a number of health benefits to the surrounding community such as improving air quality, urban cooling, reducing stormwater runoff, increasing property values, and more. The Tree Planting Program has resulted in 394 trees planted across Long Beach since last September alone, and we are hopeful to continue the momentum with more trees in District 5!
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Long Beach Public Library
Long Beach Public Library Expands Digital Collection with Over 150,000 Non-English Language Titles
Earlier this week, the Long Beach Public Library (LBPL) announced a significant expansion of its digital offerings, including the addition of over 150,000 non-English-language titles, through the hoopla Digital platform. With this enhancement, LBPL now offers over 1.9 million digital materials through hoopla, including over 275,500 non-English-language titles, aligning with its commitment to serving its diverse community.
hoopla Digital partners with public libraries throughout the world to provide a user-friendly platform where library patrons can borrow, instantly stream, and download content using a valid library card. Patrons can sign up for a free hoopla account by using their Long Beach Public Library card through the LBPL Digital Library or through the hoopla mobile app, available for iOS or Android. In addition to its expansive multilingual content, hoopla provides users with access to topics covering themes of diversity, equity and inclusion, including race, mental health and religion. The app also offers family-friendly features, with more than 152,000 titles for young learners and a Kids Mode designed for children ages 12 and under, as well as a collection of entertainment streaming content.
Learn more about the recent expansion, review the recent press release. For additional information about hoopla and our public libraries, visit lbpl.org or call 562-570-7500.
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Long Beach Police Department
North Division Commander's Forum | Feb. 5
On Wednesday, February 5th, join the LBPD North Division Commander’s Forum starting at 6pm at the North Division Substation (4891 Atlantic Ave).
As the first Commander’s Forum of the year, this is a great opportunity to meet North Division’s new leadership, Commander Hughes, and ask questions, voice concerns, and get to know your local officers.
For any questions, please email LBPDNorth@longbeach.gov or call (562) 570 9827.
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Public Works
Feb 13 | Orange Ave Community Meeting
Join the Public Works Team at a community Town Hall for updates and information on the Orange Ave Backbone Bikeway project on Thursday, February 13th, from 6 -7pm at the Expo Arts Center. Have your questions answered and comments heard to help inform decision making around the project’s final design.
Visit longbeach.gov/orangeaveproject to learn more.
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Public Works
Bixby/Weston Roundabout
As you may remember from our 12/13/24 Newsletter, the Public Works Department made plans to retrofit two of the city’s traffic circles (at Bixby Rd/Weston Pl and Daisy Ave/25th St) to adjust their shape from an elongated ellipse to a truer circle. This work began earlier today, January 31st, and will continue for the next couple of weeks, weather permitting. Signage is posted onsite.
The modified designs will implement several tactics to reduce vehicle speeds, simplify turning maneuvers and create a more intuitive path for vehicles, improve visibility of pedestrians and the circles themselves, and limit vehicle encroachments into crosswalk areas.
We will continue to keep you informed on the work and its timeline via these newsletters as updates become available.
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Community Development Department
Feb. 26 | 1131 Wardlow/3401 Cerritos Community Meeting
On February 26th at 6pm, the Community Development team will be hosting a project design review meeting at the Expo Arts Center as a next step in the process for the proposed affordable housing development at Wardlow & Cerritos. If you plan to attend, they ask that you please RSVP.
In the meantime, please feel free to review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and other project and review process information all found on the Community Development Department’s Environmental Reports page.
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Parks, Recreation, & Marine
Somerset Pickleball Courts
Next week, the Parks, Recreation, & Marine Department plans to close the pickleball courts at Somerset Park for maintenance and resurfacing. The city’s contractor is scheduled for the repairs beginning on Monday, Feb. 3rd and lasting through Friday, Feb. 7th. Notices of the closure will be posted on site. Thank you to the community members who reached out to our office and helped identify the need for these repairs, as well as for the tree-trimming that was completed in December to improve nighttime visibility on the courts.
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Long Beach Transit
Transit Service Changes in Effect Beginning Feb. 2
Long Beach Transit has three annual service changes in February, June and August. LBT’s next service change will go into effect on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.
Learn about upcoming changes, improvements in service and other announcements at ridelbt.com/service-change.
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City of Long Beach
Long Beach Seeking 'Best & Brightest' for City Commissions
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson and City Council leaders are putting out the call for the ‘Best and Brightest’ from across the city to apply to serve on a City Commission. The Mayor will be doing another round of appointments this Spring and Summer and we are looking for residents with a passion to get involved and make a difference for their communities. The Mayor has made more nearly 100 Commission appointments since taking office and is working to make sure that residents from all parts of Long Beach are considered in order that the Commissions best reflect the communities they serve.
Some of the Commissioner vacancies have a specific Council District requirement, but most of the positions are ‘At Large’ and can be filled by a resident from any part of the city. Residents are encouraged to connect with their Council Offices to learn more and share their interest. Contact our office for more information on the appointment process or you can contact the Mayor’s office at: readytoserve@longbeach.gov
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Below is a list of current vacancies:
• Advisory Commission on Aging
• Board of Examiners, Appeals and Condemnation
• Board of Health & Human Services
o Environmental Health Professional
o Physician or Surgeon
o State Licensed Pharmacist
o State Licensed Dentist
o State Licensed Veterinarian
• Climate Resilient and Sustainable City Commission
• Commission on Youth & Families
o Member of LBUSD
o Commissioner under the age of 19
• Economic Development Commission
o Education
• Equity & Human Relations Commission
• Ethics Commission
• Homeless Services Advisory Commission
• Housing Authority
o Tenant
• Long Beach Transit Board of Directors
• Technology & Innovation Commission
• Transactions & Use Tax Citizens’ Advisory Committee
• Veterans Affairs Commission
Please find the application on the Mayor’s page at: Commissions Boards Committees
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Upcoming Meetings & Events | |
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Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine to Offer a Variety of Classes for Residents This Spring | |  |
City Transitions to Cashless Entry Payment for ElDo East Regional Park, Nature Center and Belmont Plaza Pool | | |
Long Beach Named One of Nation’s Visionary Digital Inclusion Trailblazers for Seventh Consecutive Year | | |
City Seeks Community Input on Feasibility of Permitting Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations | | |
City Announces First Sidewalk Vending Cart Giveaway Recipients | | |
Long Beach Airport Food Scrap Program Diverts 35 Tons of Waste from Landfill | | |
Memos to the Mayor & Council
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To continue to enhance the way we keep neighbors informed of city news and updates, we are now including the recent Memos to the Mayor & Council in our weekly newsletters. These memos will range in topics as various department heads and city teams develop and post reports or updates as needed to inform the Mayor, the Council, and the public. The full list (and all archived memos) can always be found at the City Manager's webpage. | |
Upcoming
City Council Meeting
Tues. February 4, 2025, 5:00pm
411 W Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802
Item 2 Recommendation to provide contributions to The Little Lion Foundation in support of their Community Cat Project; to the California Conference for Equality and Justice in support of their Roots of Justice event. (Item Details)
Item 21 Recommendation to accept the Notice of Determination Number 2019100514 prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act; and Authorize City Manager, or designee, to accept an easement deed from Duke Realty Orange L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, property owner at 2851 Orange Avenue, for the installation and maintenance of public utilities. (Item Details)
Item 24 Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the public hearing, and adopt resolution continuing the Long Beach Tourism Business Improvement Area assessment levy for the period of October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025; and, authorize the City Manager, or designee, to extend the agreement with the Long Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau for a one-year term. (Item Details)
Item 26 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation on the development of the City’s Strategic Roadmap in preparation for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. (Item Details)
Item 30 Recommendation to declare ordinance amending Title 5 of the Long Beach Municipal Code by amending and restating Chapter 5.77 all relating to short-term rentals, read the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for a final reading; and Adopt resolution directing City Manager, or designee, to submit the ordinance amendment and associated materials and findings to the California Coastal Commission for review and a finding of conformance with the City’s Certified Coastal Program. (Item Details)
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