South Bay Leader

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach Development Services Department is inviting residents to learn about and help inform updates to zoning regulations in Bixby Knolls as part of the ongoing citywide Zone In planning effort.

Zone In: Bixby Knolls is part of a citywide initiative to implement Long Beach’s 2019 Land Use Element by updating outdated zoning regulations. The project area covers approximately 3.5 miles and is generally bounded by the Union Pacific Intermodal Container Transfer Facility rail line to the north, Cherry Avenue to the east, East Wardlow Road and the 405 to the south, and Long Beach Boulevard and Country Club Road to the west.

The zoning regulations in place today for the Bixby Knolls area have not been updated since the 1980s. The updated regulations, which will guide the types of uses that are allowed on a property, will help the City meet future housing needs, provide and support neighborhood services and encourage business opportunities in Bixby Knolls and nearby neighborhoods. The effort is focused on commercial corridors and multi-family areas, not existing single-family neighborhoods.

The community is encouraged to learn more and share their feedback by attending an in-person open house event. The community open house is scheduled for Wednesday, July 26, from 5 to 7 p.m. at EXPO Arts Center, 4321 Atlantic Ave. Those interested in attending are requested to RSVP online. Interpretation services will be available upon request using the RSVP link at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Light refreshments will be provided.

Zone In: Bixby Knolls is expected to go before the City Council for adoption in early 2024. Additional opportunities for public input will be provided during the planning process.

In addition to this effort, the City currently has two major rezoning initiatives underway: Zone In: City Core, a collaboration with the community to rezone the area bounded by Pacific Coast Highway, 10th Street, Magnolia and Ximeno Avenues; and the Uptown Planning Land Use and Neighborhood Strategy (UPLAN), a collaborative effort between the City and North Long Beach community to guide future development through new zoning. The City expects to launch a related rezoning effort focused on the Wrigley community before the end of this calendar year.

Additionally, the City has recently completed the Zone In: WestLB initiative, which rezoned properties along West Willow Street and Santa Fe Avenue and was adopted in May 2023. These initiatives support the City’s implementation of the General Land Use Element and the General Plan Housing Element update, which was certified in April 2022.

For more information about Zone In: Bixby Knolls, visit longbeach.gov/zoneinlb or contact Alejandro Sanchez-Lopez, Advance Planning Officer at 562.570.6553 or Alejandro.Sanchez-Lopez@longbeach.gov. Media inquiries can be directed to Rick de la Torre, Community Information Officer, Long Beach Development Services Department, 562.570.7174 or Rick.DeLaTorre@longbeach.gov.     

Original source can be found here.