TO: HARBOR COMMISSION
FROM: GREG KAPOVICH, WATERFRONT & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
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DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN
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BACKGROUND
City staff takes direction on projects, assignments, and priorities from our City Council. To that end, City Council holds a meeting every six months (twice per year) to produce a “Strategic Plan”, which is a list of projects that City Council wants staff to complete over the next six months. Once a list is established, the City Manager then assigns each project to a specific city department and establishes a deadline to complete the task. The process to create the Strategic Plan is collaborative. It is common for City Council to solicit project ideas from staff. In addition, City Council is amenable to accepting letters of recommendation from various City Commissions, inclusive of the Harbor Commission. The intent of this discussion is to form a list of agreed upon priority projects to better inform staff and City Council when deliberating during the next Strategic Planning Session, which is currently scheduled for April 29, 2025.
Over the past six months, city staff have successfully completed several major strategic plan items which include;
• Developed a leasing strategy for properties in the Harbor,
• Installation of new kitchen venting equipment along International Boardwalk,
• Created an economic development workgroup to identify impediments to business investment,
• Prepared a budget response report on the cost to perform a structural analysis of the Pier Parking Structure’s upper deck,
• Provided City Council with an update on the impacts of the Business Concierge Program,
• Presented the recommended Seaside Lagoon design scope (overhaul vs. renovation), cost, and phasing schedule to City Council for approval,
• Completed the engineering studies (parking, demand, traffic, circulation) associated with the new boat launch project on Mole D,
• Applied for grant funding to the Coastal Commission to fund a climate resiliency plan,
• Purchased a shark buoy for the Shark Lab at Long Beach State University,
• Identified a potential partner to construct a waterfront education center at the old Joe’s Crab Shack site,
• Improved and free WiFi within the harbor area,
• Fully renovated the existing restrooms along International Boardwalk and the Pier,
• Amended the municipal code to allow electronic signage within the harbor upon review by the Harbor Commission,
• Complete the harbor dredging project and ensure sholling is removed so larger equipment for the breakwall repair project can access the breakwall,
• Implemented the recently awarded SAVE grant and removed nine abandoned or surrendered vessels in the harbor, and
• Considered the expansion of the Harbor Commission purview for Harbor Commission, Planning Commission, and City Council review.
Staff has identified the following projects to be included in the next Strategic Plan and seeks Harbor Commission input.
1. Waterfront Education Center - Finalize a partnership with a non-profit, education-based organization to construct a state-of-the-art education facility at the old Joe’s Crab Shack site. The previous strategic plan directed staff to solicit outreach to garner a potential partnership to ultimately construct an education facility. City staff identified a partner and is currently in ongoing negotiations. Staff recommends the item enter into the next phase, which includes finalizing an agreement with said partner.
2. Seaside Lagoon - Complete the entitlement process for the Seaside Lagoon redesign. The previous strategic plan directed staff to present the recommended Seaside Lagoon design scope (overhaul vs. renovation), cost, and phasing schedule for City Council approval, which staff successfully completed. Staff recommends the item enter into the next phase to complete the entitlement process. This would include presenting the environmental studies and final design of the multi-phase complete overhaul project for Harbor Commission review and advancing the project for Coastal Commission review.
3. Boat Launch - Present the recommended boat launch design, cost, and construction schedule for consideration of City Council approval. The previous strategic plan directed staff to complete the necessary engineering studies (parking, traffic, circulation, and demand). The consultant submitted the studies to City staff on February 28, 2025. City staff provided the consultant with comments and the necessary revisions are underway to reflect the comments. Staff anticipates completion of the traffic, parking, demand, and circulation studies in May 2025, which will guide location and design options of the boat launch itself. Once complete, the consultant and staff can work on location and design options for formal consideration.
4. Breakwater Repair - Continue to work with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to perform necessary repairs to the break wall. The recently completed dredging project was considered phase 1 of the project and ensured the sholling was cleared to provide better access for the large equipment needed to perform breakwall repairs. Staff recommends a Strategic Plan item to ensure the repair is completed. Work is expected to begin in mid-May and representatives from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers anticipates project completion before the new year.
5. Harbor Opportunity Sites - Solicit outreach and identify potential partners for harbor opportunity sites, inclusive of new tenants for the old Fun Factory site, old Gold’s Gym site and the old Maison Ritz site, as well as construction at Pad 2 and a new food hall on Mole D.
6. SAVE Grant - Seek additional grant funding to continue the removal or surrendered or abandoned vessels in all three basins of the harbor.
7. Economic Development Workgroup - Utilizing the newly created economic development workgroup, identify existing impediments that exist in the City that may impede business reinvestment. The previous strategic plan item directed staff to form the workgroup. Staff recommends the group work towards identifying the impediments with possible corrective actions in the form of municipal code text amendments, policy changes, etc.
8. Basin 1 Leasehold - Work with the existing Basin I master leaseholder to divide the leasehold into five or six smaller direct leases with the City.
9. Dinghy Dock - Begin development of one dinghy dock within Basin III. This project is currently in progress but has not been completed. Staff anticipates installation of the dinghy dock to be completed in late May 2025.
10. International Boardwalk Roof - Perform weatherproofing improvements to the roof along International Boardwalk.
Staff requests comments/feedback on Harbor Commission’s support on the above referenced ideas. Staff is also open to additional suggestions from the Harbor Commission for inclusion into a letter for City Council review at the April 29, 2025 Strategic Planning workshop session. Finally, staff can take the lead on formulating a letter from Harbor Commission. Alternatively, the Harbor Commission can form a subcommittee to write the letter.