Long Beach Wins SCAG Sustainability Award

From the Office of the City Manager: The City of Long Beach has received a Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Sustainability Award in the Integrated Planning category for the Midtown Specific Plan (Plan). SCAG annually honors planning projects that promote and improve mobility, livability, prosperity, and sustainability in the region.

“Long Beach is honored to be recognized for our efforts to revitalize one of the City’s primary transit corridors,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “The Midtown Specific Plan provides new opportunities for investment and development in the area, and will have long-term benefits on the quality of life and sustainability of the community.”

Adopted by the City Council in May 2016, the Plan replaces the former Planned Development-29 (PD-29), and provides a framework for the development and improvement of a 369-acre area along Long Beach Boulevard, spanning from Anaheim Street to Spring Street. The Plan will stimulate investment and improvement of the corridor and enhance mobility, safety, recreation and open space opportunities, and overall connectivity in the adjacent neighborhoods.

The Plan also establishes land use strategies and focused development standards that support new mixed-use, transit-oriented housing opportunities along the corridor to stimulate economic development, housing production for all income levels, transit use, and active transportation.

“It’s an honor to receive this prestigious award and be recognized amongst numerous high-quality planning projects in the Southern California region,” said Amy Bodek, Director of Long Beach Development Services. “This award is a testament to the City’s commitment to sustainable planning efforts that yield high-quality developments and enhance the livability of our neighborhoods.”

The Plan was developed following a 2011 study of Long Beach Boulevard, which was supported in part by the SCAG Compass Blueprint Grant Program.

SCAG, founded in 1965, is a Joint Powers Authority under California law, and is committed to promoting innovative and outstanding planning efforts from local agencies in the region. The SCAG Sustainability Award for Integrated Planning honors a project or plan that focuses on the integration of land use and transportation planning, and promotes sustainable land use mixes.

For more information or to view the Plan, go to: http://www.lbds.info/midtown_specific_plan/.

Image courtesy of Long Beach Manager's Office