Density Debate Boils Over in Southern California's Third Largest City

"City Hall’s push to allow developers to build more — and taller — buildings across Long Beach is running into heavy opposition," reports Andrew Edwards.

The controversy has erupted as the city considers its new Land Use Element, currently in the process of getting its first comprehensive update since 1989.

As presently drafted, the Land Use Element may already be a dead letter. Mayor Robert Garcia doesn’t get to vote on city plans and other legislation, but he ordered a series of four town hall meetings, allowing residents to voice their thoughts on the plan. Two of those meetings have now taken place, and the prevailing view among those attending is that allowing more dwellings in taller buildings — a concept often referred to as density — is bad idea.

Edwards shares many examples of the talking points of the opposition forces that have collected to oppose Long Beach's draft Land Use Element. On the other side of the issue, Edwards shares the point of view of Long Beach Development Services Director Amy Bodek, who has the job of shepherding the plan through the approval process. Bodek says "Long Beach’s current plans are way behind the times," according to Edwards.

One particularly telling anecdote about the flavor and intensity of this controversy comes from a recent public hearing in Whaley Park, when the "night’s audience clapped and cheered the prospect of no new residents coming in to Long Beach," reports Edwards.

Leo Duran picked up the news of Long Beach's planning controversy, placing it in context of similar controversies in other parts of the region, such as Santa Monica and Los Angeles.