SO MOVED: Long Beach Councils First Closed Session Addresses BNSF Railyard Story Posted: Monday, August 4, 2014 6:00 am By Harry Saltzgaver Executive Editor A first test of the new Long Beach administration may take place next Tuesday, when the City Council conducts a closed session on the city’s lawsuit against Los Angeles over the proposed BNSF Railway container transfer yard on the border of west Long Beach. The lawsuit was initiated when Los Angeles approved construction of the large facility over Long Beach’s objections about its impact on west Long Beach residents. Heavy truck traffic would worsen air pollution there, opponents said. Former Mayor Bob Foster and former Seventh District Councilman James Johnson led the effort to gain mitigation or stop the project completely. Long Beach’s lawsuit has been consolidated with another, adding BNSF as a real party of interest and Fast Lane Transportation Inc. as a plaintiff. Mayor Robert Garcia sought and received Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcettis endorsement, and the two have appeared together several times. Garcia said his election means a “new day” in Long Beach’s relationship with Los Angeles. In other business Tuesday, the council is scheduled to: • Conduct another budget hearing, with presentations from the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, Library Services and Code Enforcement. • Authorize the city manager to update the 1998 Youth Employment Plan outlining the city’s commitment to hire at-risk youth aged 14 to 24. • Rule on two sidewalk dining permits in Belmont Shore for Baja Fish Tacos and Tavern On 2. • Approve an agreement with the Long Beach Unified School District to have the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department operate after-school programs at eight school sites, add $207,929 in the form of a match from the Community Development Block Grant, and increase appropriations for Parks, Recreation and Marine by $1.1 million. • Adopt an ordinance allowing the city to continue using the sale or manufacture of illegal narcotics as a justifiable cause for eviction from rental property. • Drop a provision in an ordinance limiting distribution of handbills or other printed matter since it has been ruled as limiting freedom of speech. The executive session is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, with the regular meeting following at 5 p.m. Harry Saltzgaver can be reached at hsalt@gazettes.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 23:52:47 +0000
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