Housing for Cal State Long Beach students could be in the works downtown

Some Cal State Long Beach students may find a home in downtown if the city agrees to sell a prime parcel on the coer of East Broadway and Long Beach Boulevard to a developer for $7.8 million.

The City Council on Tuesday will consider an agreement to sell a former redevelopment property to a developer with plans to create 141 affordable units for graduate students enrolled in the fine arts program, in addition to a mezzanine level that would feature a student art gallery and creative office space, according to a staff report on the item.

The developer also has plans for an adjacent parcel to the north on Long Beach Boulevard closer to Third Street. Plans for this plot include a 21-story residential high rise complete with 11,459 square-feet of commercial space on the bottom floor. If approved, the developer would coect the projects by creating paseos and courtyards joined by a new restaurant and retail market in the historic Acres of Books building.

The project, which has an estimated pricetag of $154 million, would be funded through a joint venture with Ratkovich Properties LLC, Urbana LLC and The Owl Companies.

The city sees the potential relationship with the university as a way to bolster the East Village’s reputation as a hub of creativity.

Medical marijuana

City Clerk Maria de la Luz Garcia aounced earlier this week that a citizen-backed initiative to allow medical caabis dispensaries in Long Beach had gathered enough signatures to make it on the Nov. 8 ballot. The council will now have to decide whether to adopt the ordinance as is or agree to place it on the ballot and let the voters decide.

In February, council members’ inability to agree on how to regulate medical marijuana ended with a decision to abandon attempts to draft a policy and let the ballot initiative process take over.

If approved, the local measure would allow roughly 30 dispensaries, a number tied to the city’s population, which is some 474,000 people, according to 2015 U.S. Census data.

Long Beach has generally baed medical marijuana dispensaries since 2012.

Permit parking district

Also on the agenda for Tuesday is a recommendation to study parking impacts in neighborhoods around the George Deukmejian Courthouse to decide whether the city should create designated permit parking districts or explore additional off-site parking options.

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The area includes neighborhoods bordered by Broadway to the south, 4th Street to the north, Cedar Avenue to the east and Golden Avenue to the west.

If approved, the city manager’s office will report findings back to the council in 60 days.

Graffiti removal

A final item of note on the agenda is consideration of a contract with a Los Angeles company to provide as-needed graffiti removal services citywide, including in parks and marinas.

If approved, the contract with Graffiti Protective Coatings Inc. would span three years, with a total aual amount not to exceed approximately $1.6 million, with an option to renew for five additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the city manager.

Election

Tuesday will mark Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal’s final day in office after a decade of representing the 2nd District.

At the meeting, the council will declare the results of the June 7 election final, including numbers from a runoff election in the 2nd District and city Measures A and B.

Lowenthal’s successor, Councilwoman-elect Jeaine Pearce, will be swo in at the following City Council meeting on July 19.

The meeting begins at 5 p.m. at City Hall, at 333 W. Ocean Blvd.

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