November 11, 2022

Christopher Koontz Named Director of Development Services

Christopher Koontz assumed the role of director of Long Beach Development Services on November 7, 2022. Koontz is a longtime city employee and came to Long Beach in 2015 as an advanced planning officer. He was promoted to planning bureau manager in 2018 and deputy director in 2020 and has served as acting director of the Development Services Department since August of this year.

Koontz brings nearly 17 years of experience in development services and city planning to his new role. Koontz will oversee planning, permitting, code enforcement, and housing services, leading a staff of 210 with an annual budget of $91 million. He has worked to align operations across the various bureaus to better address housing and quality of life needs in the city, among other things.

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Officials Celebrate Groundbreaking of New North Long Beach Townhome and Retail Project

On November 9, 2022, city and business representatives celebrated the groundbreaking of a RTHM located at Atlantic Boulevard and South Street in North Long Beach. Koontz estimates that the project will take two years or so to complete.

The project is situated on a 2.3-acre site and consists of 84 residential townhomes and 2,294 square feet of commercial space. The residential area will include two, three, and four-bedroom condominiums for sale, accommodating larger families. As for the project’s commercial space, according to the site plan review, the development is expected to include a public plaza with two cafe/restaurant/retail buildings. There will be 187 parking stalls through attached two-car garages and 19 surface parking stalls.

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Proposed Medical Building Next to Sunnyside Cemetery Heads to City Council for Approval

The Planning Commission voted on November 3, 2022, to recommend that the council approve a project consisting of a new 3,000-square-foot medical building that could be built next to Sunnyside Cemetery. It would include the construction of the new medical building at the corner of California Avenue and Willow Street, and the removal of a small walking trail and picnic area north of the proposed project.

The parcel is located west of the cemetery and south of Willow Springs Park. The project requires City Council to approve a zone change because the parcel is currently designated as open space. If the council approves, the site would be changed to neo-industrial.

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Draft of City’s New Zoning for Central Long Beach Could be Made Public in December

Draft versions of the new development zones that could be implemented along major corridors in Central Long Beach could be available to the public in December as the city works toward completing its “Zone In City Core” project, potentially in early 2023.

The city is in the process of rezoning portions of West and North Long Beach, but the City Core project is focused on the central part of the city bounded by Pacific Coast Highway and 10th Street between Ximeno Avenue in the east and Magnolia Avenue in the west. Rezoning the PCH, 10th Street and Anaheim Street corridors could allow more housing to be developed in the future and prohibit unwanted uses like liquor stores, motels, or more industrial use. The project could also lead to other pedestrian improvements and potentially more affordable housing.

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Industry Links

Rocket Lab Delivers Another Satellite to Space; Rocket Catch Attempt Scrapped

Ports of Long Beach, LA Team up with Singapore to Create Green Shipping Corridor



Long Beach to Break Ground on Tidal Channel Project Connecting Colorado Lagoon to Ocean