Signal Hill made progress on several elements of its downtown revitalization plan, known as the Opportunity Study Areas (OSAs), at Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
The moves are meant to get the OSAs from “conceptual planning to development-ready conditions” and included:
- Preparing for zoning changes to existing buildings and corridors
- Issuing a Request For Proposals for the CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) documents for environmental review
- Developing an economic plan for infrastructure investments
- Engaging in discussions on proposed branding opportunities
In late March, the city council approved the Economic Analysis for the OSA to guide reinvestment and the layout of the new downtown, with areas focusing on retail, hotels, residential and office and industrial.
PlaceWorks, a California-based planning and design firm that conducted the economic analysis, is still assisting the City with the next steps, such as choosing a name and exact location for the main gathering space. A primary goal of the framework is to attract investment and development from outside parties by making the areas an attractive location for investors.
Signal Hill’s revitalized areas will undergo zoning overlays, meaning the existing buildings will not see zoning changes or have to vacate, but they will receive additional allowances for what can exist within a building or lot. However, lots or buildings operating using a conditional use permit can be refined.
The overlay zones will also add requirements like building height, open space, setbacks, parking and more and will require buffers for residential uses.
Three zones have been identified to guide development:
- Community Core (mixed-use)
- Innovation and Enterprise
- Workshop, Studio and Entertainment
Community Core
The Community Core zone will have a combination of uses, including residential, retail and office uses “within a cohesive development framework” using both vertical and horizontal layouts from Atlantic Avenue to Temple Avenue. Community Core zones are proposed in every block of the project.
Vertical mixed-use is when multiple buildings serve multiple uses. Horizontal is when a building is, for example, retail on the bottom floor and residential on the top floors. The plan envisions these spaces being used for things like shops, cafes and services that offer street level engagements and walkability.
Innovation and Enterprise
The Innovation and Enterprise zone is for “cutting-edge industries and forward-thinking ventures” such as incubators, aerospace firms, research and development labs, light industrial operations, creative office spaces and technology-driven businesses, as well as medical uses like an urgent care or a niche medical office. This space is most concentrated between Atlantic Avenue and California Avenue.
Workshop, Studio and Entertainment
The Workshop and Studio zone is also for a mix of uses, including restaurants, small-scale breweries, small venue event spaces and other recreational activities, “creating a dynamic environment where industry and leisure coexist.” This zone is between Cherry Avenue and Temple Avenue.
Economic Plan
Signal Hill will pursue two plans to pay for investments into the areas before development begins. PlaceWorks said if the City improves its sidewalks, sewage systems, lighting and other infrastructure, developers will be more likely to want to build in the city.
Two options were presented to afford investment:
- Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD): property taxes used towards public-use infrastructure.
The city would be using the growth in property tax revenues generated by the new development. “Since property taxes are expected to skyrocket, as previously noted, there is great potential for such public financing,” a representative with PlaceWorks said. This can be used for sidewalks, sewers and lighting improvements, or other investments that have a lifespan of at least 15 years. Since it can take years to accumulate tax increments, Signal Hill would be able to take out a bond against the future property-tax revenue to fund capital projects.
Signal Hill would need approval from Los Angeles County to establish this district. These districts are difficult to establish, the City said, but Lakewood was approved for one last year.
2. Federal Economic Opportunity Zone (OZ): attracting private investments with tax incentives.
This federal program allows investors to defer, reduce or eliminate federal taxes when investing through certified Qualified Opportunity Funds into real estate or business projects. “We have been contacted by a number of developers specifically asking if we have federal opportunity zones,” PlaceWorks said. They are hopeful that OSA one can be eligible for this incentive, but it’s still unknown at this time.
Additional Elements
PlaceWorks also presented a path that will go through the entire proposed area, and will be open to bicycles and pedestrians either through a sidewalk or trail.
The path will travel through neighborhoods in the Atlantic Avenue and Willow Street block, along the border of the Sunnyside Cemetery and Willow Springs Park and through neighborhoods along 27th Street, then 28th Street to Temple Avenue. PlaceWorks said they’ve done outreach with the City of Long Beach to discuss a path along Willow Springs Park.
There is no official name for the soon-to-be revamped areas between Atlantic and Temple Avenues to the east and west and Spring and Willow Streets to the north and south, but the council reviewed three possibilities:
- The Place at Signal Hill: “Symbolizes a hometown” and is “everyone’s space” to “enjoy life, create memories and live fully.”
- North of Willow (NOW): “Has a modern vibe that’s naturally attractive and locally rooted for authenticity.”
- Viewpoint: “Honoring the symbolism of the city’s name” and is about “a new perspective and vision for the city.”
Councilmembers didn’t particularly like any of the names, and disagreed on whether “Signal Hill” should be in the name itself, with some councilmembers saying it’s redundant and others wanting more city recognition.
The goal of the name is to give Signal Hill a “real sense of self” versus being adjacent to Long Beach, lean into the small town feeling while remaining contemporary and to move away from the connotations of the oil industry.
Next Steps
For the remainder of the year, PlaceWorks and City staff will be working on drafting the overlay standards and their permitted uses, trying to decide on a name, developing a fiscal analysis of the area and figuring out economic incentives.
In the first half of 2026, the City’s goals are to finalize the fiscal analysis, begin the CEQA, develop a traffic study, conduct stakeholder outreach, continue area marketing and evaluate the current infrastructure. Late 2026 will be focused on finalizing the CEQA, adopting the overlays and new zones, continuing area marketing and conducting more stakeholder outreach.
