In an effort to make the areas along Willow Street and Santa Fe Avenue more walkable and provide a variety of resources for its residents, Long Beach City Council unanimously approved rezoning codes in the neighborhood.
The changes are part of a Zone-In West LB outline that city staff created two years ago to make new developments in low-income areas of the city mixing residential and commercial uses. Central and North Long Beach have also begun similar Zone-In processes that follow guidelines set in the 2019 General Plan Land Use Element.
Long Beach issued a moratorium with temporary zoning codes along the corridor in July 2021 and set a deadline of early 2023 to make the changes official.
“We think about the generations of our communities and making sure they have what they need and a lot of that comes down to zoning,” said Councilmember Joni Ricks-Oddie, who was on the Planning Commission that helped develop the plan.
At community meetings last year, West Long Beach residents said they wanted more affordable housing, public transportation, grocery stores, banks and pharmacies, according to staff reports.
“It all starts with a plan and the westside has been without a plan for a very long time. The aim here is to expand the vitality of the commercial corridors on Willow Street and Santa Fe Avenue, expand small businesses and build quality housing.”
-Councilmember Al Austin
Under the new zoning codes, new developments will have to include commercial elements such as restaurants, cafes, daycares, senior centers, fitness centers, banks or grocery stores with a residential element such as an apartment or condominium. The changes only affect future developments, and will not apply to any projects set in motion before the zoning changes.
A new land-use type was issued that prohibits any 100% residential buildings from being developed on the major intersections along Willow Street and Santa Fe Avenue. Long Beach also developed new zoning codes during the North Long Beach process that “reflect community priorities and concerns,” according to staff reports.
North and West Long Beach are both deemed Community Development Block Grant areas by the California Department of Housing and Development, meaning the city should aim to improve the lives of its moderate and low-income residents through zoning and developments.
“What’s important now that this is here is that we continue to make the investments necessary to make sure it comes to fruition,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “Zoning alone isn’t going to bring the types of amenities and services the westside needs, it’s going to take investment as well.”
Only one West Long Beach resident spoke during public comment. John Talifi asked the city to guarantee that a pharmacy and a bank will be developed and for more parking spaces to help mitigate the density of new housing and commercial developments.
“Don’t just bring a mass of buildup within our little community and leave us there without services to be reckoned with,” Talifi said.
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