The Long Beach City Council on Tuesday held an extended public hearing on a petition, now with more than 1,700 signatures, asking the city to allow dogs on the beach during the off-season, and adjourned the hearing without a vote to its Nov. 4 meeting.
Residents spoke on the proposal with a range of views, from permit and fee systems to concerns about enforcement and waste. Dr. Daniel Moran opposed the change, arguing existing rule-breakers already cause problems. "I'm asking you to vote against this amendment because the problem isn't the responsible dog owners that are here. It's the people who already ignore the rules," he said.
Other residents pushed back on the idea that dog waste was a major issue. One resident said, "People are acting like there's mountains of dog feces. Like it's the Mount Rushmore of dog poop in the West End. It's not." Michael Lock argued dog owners already pay enough in taxes to warrant beach access without new fees, saying, "We already pay some of the highest taxes in the entire county, in the entire country. This shouldn't even be an issue."
The council discussed a proposed $260,000 settlement of a tax certiorari lawsuit with the owner of 485 West Broadway, known as the Air China Building, covering 2022 through 2026 and barring new grievances through 2030. The city's tax assessor, present to answer questions, recommended the settlement as the best path forward for the vacant building.
The council also discussed a proposed $100,000 settlement with the owner of a KFC/Taco Bell at 551 Long Beach Boulevard, resolving litigation dating to 2015, and reviewed the annual resolution setting the tax levy split between residential and commercial properties, which the assessor said would limit the shift to 1%.
Other items presented to the council included a $20,050 contract with Graphic Management Partners to print and mail the 2027 city calendar, a $49,000 emergency contract with Macedo Construction Services to repair a failed sewer line that caused a sinkhole under Kerrigan Street, and a motion to publish a revised traffic and motor vehicle ordinance ahead of a future public hearing.
During public comment, Eileen Hessian criticized the variances sought by the long-running Hebrew Academy development, calling them outrageous and asking President Finn to sign a letter opposing the project. Finn said he has always advised the council to stay separate from the zoning board's deliberations on the matter.
Karen Riskin asked the city to push for removal of asbestos-containing material from decommissioned wind turbine equipment stored at Jones Inlet. A council member responded that the council has repeatedly shown it opposes the turbines.
Paul La Balbo urged the council to opt into a state property tax exemption for permanently and totally disabled veterans, noting the school district has already done so and only three of the city's roughly 35,000 residents currently use the exemption. A resident told the council he suffered two broken fingers after being hit by a bicycle on the boardwalk and asked for posted speed limits for regular bikes. "I was going like five miles an hour. He passes me, hits my handlebars. I go down, he's telling me I cut in front of him," he said.
The council announced that its next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 4, the day after Election Day, instead of the usual Tuesday.