Speaker 1: Madam Clerk, can you please read the item? Item 50, please?
Speaker 0: I'm 53 poor from development services. Recommendation to receive and file a report on container stacking and height and height limit regulations and approve this item. Manager's Emergency Action to temporary waive enforcement for a period of 90 days in alignment with the governor's executive order citywide.
Speaker 1: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Orth. He will give the staff presentation. Thank you, Mayor. Can you hear me? Thank you, Mayor. Members of the City Council. The global pandemic has created a disruption in manufacturing and the supply chain that has risen now to a national crisis. Cyber shipping containers, storage shortages is a byproduct of a confluence of many factors that have existed now for many, many months. To that end, Governor Newsom signed an executive order to address the storage crisis. Shortly thereafter, the city manager temporarily waived the enforcement of cargo container stacking for a period of 90 days. Parking is permitted in the city's industrial zones. Subject. However, it's limited in terms of the stacking limits within within one or two heights. There are no stacking limits within the port of Long Beach. According to the according to the the zoning designations that are exhibited here. Well, give me 1/2. There are over 4900 acres of potential space that's available for cargo container storage. However, that said. Based upon sparse research, we have found that there are approximately 37 sites potential businesses permitted to start containers within the allowable zoning designation. However, there may be unlicensed operators as well as inaccurate business license information. And we're going to research that and bring that back to you. More information within the 90 days period. Thus far. Um. Why this creating problems? Thus far, we've had no reported impacts to surrounding communities that have been that we haven't received any. We will continue to monitor and engage with the port for assistance should we have any issues that come up regarding any potential impacts. And we will be reporting back to you within the next steps to either extend, expand or in the 90 day period of time. Please note that specialized equipment will be needed to start containers which may limit the stacking activity. At this point, we're asking that that you receive and filed this report and approve the city manager's emergency action reports that is available here to answer any questions that you may have. Thank you very much. And that concludes that report.
Speaker 5: Thank you. I'm just coming up my screen ahead on main screen, I'm going to vote cast. Okay. Is there motion on this? The second. Okay. Councilman Austin, any comment?
Speaker 1: Okay. I mean, I guess, you know, understanding it. And I'd like to hear from the board as well before we actually vote. That's a possibility.
Speaker 5: Let's do that now.
Speaker 1: Comment. We can we hear.
Speaker 5: From.
Speaker 1: Report. And thank you for your consideration of this recommendation. I'm here to answer any questions you may have with regard to the global crisis that we are experiencing in the supply chain. So let's to say the nation's largest port complex has received the attention not only in Washington but in Sacramento. So we're doing the best we can to address the scenario that we have currently. I do believe that we will at some point move beyond this challenge and not only in the global global supply scenario, but also here domestically. So hopefully, again, this is a temporary measure to address a real crisis that we have in goods movement here in the United States.
Speaker 5: Thank you. Thank you. We don't we don't have questions at this point.
Speaker 1: Okay. No questions. Okay. Well, thank you so much and appreciate your support. Thank you, Mr. Cordero.
Speaker 5: Councilman, anything else?
Speaker 1: Sure. I wanted to just to say, obviously, these are extraordinary times where we the last year have had to make adjustments through our ordinances to support. Just about everything to maintain our economy, maintain our systems. And this is one of those adjustments that is maybe a little painful, but one that that I think we have to make to support the, uh, the supply chain crisis that we're facing right now with our city. As you go out to the, to the beach right now and go along the boardwalk, you can see container ships lined up for as far as you can see them. If you take a flight and you come into Long Beach Airport, you can see these container ships lined up as far as you can see them. We need to have aggressive action to move this cargo, give back to a space of normalcy. And so I support this item and I think the council should as well. Thank you.
Speaker 5: Thank you, Councilwoman. And they are.
Speaker 2: Very supportive of this item. Thank you.
Speaker 5: Thank you all my comments here. So the the issue with capacity started well before they were car there were ships lined up four miles outside of there and there were pairs there were that created a rush for folks the same things as quickly as they could and broke things in a box and get out here and limited capacity for storage. And so even if you just drive over the Gerald Desmond Bridge and just look at the ports, and if you continue over to the Harry Bridges Bridge, you're going to see it, you know, cargo stacked up, levels higher than we've ever seen. And that's going to spill out. We're going to see that there's capacity going to be needed in the area surrounding the port all the way out to an inland empire. That's it. I think for a period of 90 days it makes sense. But we have to have a real conversation about is this really a 90 day deal? If they're in if if there's an indication that it moves beyond 90 days, there needs to be some public engagement in the neighborhoods surrounding these facilities. They're clustered in North Long Beach, the west side, and in some in areas around that are around the airport and these these neighborhoods. And I've looked at mine, there's only a few they're really adjacent to neighbors but we don't want to do is take these neighborhoods approval for granted. All too often the area, the neighborhoods directly adjacent to the ports are impacted by the operations. We've been heading in the opposite direction for a long time. And so what we don't want is for the way that we address this national crisis to be just on the backs of those who are most impacted. So as we think about this and other steps, let's just prioritize that the impacts on our local neighbors. We also have to have a conversation, some thoughts about what some of the air quality impacts are going to be as well. But that said, is there any public comments item?
Speaker 0: There's no public comment.
Speaker 5: Saying no members, please cast your vote.
Speaker 0: As with. Emotions carry.
Recommendation to receive and file a report on container stacking and height limit regulations, and approve the City Manager’s emergency action to temporarily waive enforcement of Long Beach Municipal Code, Section 21.33.150, for a period of 90 days beginning October 22, 2021, in alignment with the Governor’s Executive Order.  (Citywide)