Speaker 2: Thank you. We're going to go now to our second hearing that we have. And so if I can have the clerk, please read the next hearing.
Speaker 3: Report from Economic and Property Development Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record. Conclude the hearing. Adopt a resolution continuing the Bixby Knolls Parking and Business Improvement Area Assessment for the period of October 1st, 2016 through September 30th, 2017, and authorize the City Manager to extend the agreement with the Bixby North Business Improvement Association for a one year term. District seven and eight.
Speaker 2: Thank you, staff, please.
Speaker 4: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. That staff report will be given by Jim Fisk, our development project manager.
Speaker 7: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members. This item is the annual approval of the Bixby Knolls Parking Business Improvement Area and report and ongoing assessment. On September 20, 2016, City Council approved a resolution granting approval of the annual report and set today's date for the public hearing. The recommended action on this item continues the assessment for another year. There are no proposed changes to the basis of assessment nor significant changes in approach and proposed activity. Therefore, staff requests City Council received a supporting documentation of record. Approve the resolution. Continue the levy of the assessment and authorize the city manager to extend the agreement for one additional year. That concludes my report.
Speaker 2: Thank you. With that, we're going to go ahead and did there's nothing additional from economic development, correct? That was it. I mean, note that said that maybe this McDermott was going to say something. Is that not correct?
Speaker 7: I know. I think that's the some of our staff report.
Speaker 2: Okay, great. I'm gonna go on to public comments. Any public comment on this issue?
Speaker 4: Good evening, Mr. Mayor. Council members. I would take more than 3 minutes to talk about what's happened in rolls over the last year, so I'm just gonna give the top line of what's happened here first. We've welcomed over 70 new businesses in the last year, which we're very pleased with covering from services to retail and restaurants. We saw Trader Joe's move into the north shopping center, which is now full of tenants Crunch Fitness, Jersey, Mike's, Tripoli Pizza, Verizon and Pet Food Express. The current retail store from Goodwill called Ed and James will take the Trader Joe's space and open on the first of the year. Last night, our new restaurant, Russell Bok, opened Dutchess Brewhouse, opened the week before the pan, and Lola's restaurants have some of the largest draws in. The Neighborhood Liberation Brewing Company has started its demo and the highly anticipated steel craft will open soon. We received we got new markets in the district. I own Pacific Aldi will open in December. Smart and Final will be here just after the first of the year for retail tweaking will open their second store shown to a good second store. Covent Lane will open just down the street from Steal Craft and the merchant will be a new bakery in the neighborhood. A new post office is built out and we're waiting for the grand opening date for that. On the street we are continuing with our facade improvement programs, painting facades and our clean and safe line items remains a priority. That means we continue with our security patrols five nights a week and during the days as well. And currently we're working with ten business owners for the installation installation of safety lights at their property because it's very important that the corridors, front back are lit up and safe for everybody. Our events continue with concerts in the parking lots, grand openings, anniversaries. We have our business breakfast to bring our members together and share relevant resources. Are we a walkable neighborhood? Community, yes. The fictional stories have been walking together for almost nine years now, and there are two new running running clubs that have been formed in the neighborhood . Are we bikeable? Yes, indeed. We've been teaching kids and families bike safety for four years with our monthly critical mass bike rides for reading and literature. Our literacy society has 105 books strong and we will have a drink together each month at a good spirits club. But one of the biggest milestones for this year will be that First Fridays will celebrate its 10th anniversary next month. We've used arts really as a catalyst to spark the economic development in our district, and it's our strongest economic development driver. Some businesses will pay the rent for the whole month just on one night and they look forward to it each month. And we look at it really as as the monthly showcase for the district. We've included everybody from Public Works who installed a temporary separate bike lane this year to the council offices, senator, lawyers office, the city auditor, the airport rentals, retailers, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, area nonprofits and our schools and churches. It's really a family friendly community building event. It builds neighborhood pride, and it's the best business showcase. And you can bet that in November we'll have just as much of our surprises and tricks up our sleeves as we normally do. But we don't do it alone. We have to think, of course, the support we get from the council offices for the seventh and eighth. Again, thank you very much for opening the doors and kind of letting us do what we do. Support from the mayor, mayor's office and city managers. All the help we get from public works, environmental services, LAPD, which fire all of our community partners, my board who helps drive the momentum and progress in the neighborhood. And of course, all of our business owners who work hard every day to serve the community. Thank you.
Speaker 2: Thank you, Councilman Austin.
Speaker 9: Well, thank you very much. And thank you, Blair, for that summary. You've summed up quite a bit in a 3 minutes. And pretty amazed that you were able to do that because, you know, the Business Improvement Association is doing a fantastic job and does so much to to enhance the character, not only of the businesses, but both our major corridors and Long Beach Boulevard and, of course, Atlantic Avenue. I can tell you that it has been a pleasure over the last four plus years that I have been in office to work with the BCP. I do see them as an extension of the eighth district office in many ways. They are truly partners in every sense of the word. And it is, Blair mentioned, full of surprises. I'm and I say that seriously. It's good to see you in a suit and tie today. Blair, you look very distinguished. And I also see your family here, your beautiful wife, Eliza, and Marlee, who is well known across the city. I am static with the results and the continued progress that we have with in Bixby Knolls, thanks to the Bixby. And so I certainly stand in support of the motion to receive and file this documentation into the record and to extend the agreement with the Bixby notes Business Improvement Association for a one year term. I will just say that Bixby knows we've talked and for many years that it would be really nice to to borrow what we have in that community and move it across the city and across the region and in other places. Just yesterday was in an office and there were a couple of commissioners from the City of Compton who were interested in, you know, doing an art walk, emulating what is happening in Bixby Knolls and so many others across the city have emulated. We often jest and say, you know, we're often imitated but never duplicated. But but we're willing to share because it does build a strong sense of community when you have a good, thriving business district, business improvement district that has strong business support and community support as well. And so, again, I would encourage your support for this. Thank you.
Speaker 2: Thank you, Councilmember Ringo.
Speaker 7: Thank you. I think Councilmember Austin said it all in about 5 minutes.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 7: All I had to say is you're looking great. Make it look good in the suit. More often, man. You know you are running a business, this great business, man. And I see Marty was very anxious to say a few words while you were up here talking and you were looking over your shoulder like, Oh, she's coming down , but you got a great, wonderful family, very much engaged. And I support wholeheartedly the receipt of our motion that Councilmember Austin is a push forward and looking forward to see more events in the near future. Thank you.
Speaker 2: Councilwoman Gonzalez.
Speaker 5: Yes. I just wanted to say congratulations on all the amazing work I know my council colleague Al Austin is always parading about all of the the fantastic work that you all do. And so it's great to have the synergy from downtown all the way up to Bixby. I go to a lot of those shops up there and spend a lot of money that I probably shouldn't. But it's exciting to support local business both in downtown and in Bixby. Don't give me that look, Craig, but congratulations. Thank you.
Speaker 2: Thank you. Vice Mayor Richardson.
Speaker 8: Thank you. I just want to say I'm honored to support this tonight. I've seen this transition from I was actually as a college student. I worked at Genesis Motorsports. That was on Atlantic Avenue directly across from the the Cold Stones back then. And just to see that transition from, you know, what it was like back in, say, 2000 to 2003 to today is just fantastic. So I just want to say, I'm you know, this is this is great. I mean, it's just amazing. And I tend to agree. If you could just bottle up Blair Cone and just just take him all over town, that would be fantastic.
Speaker 2: Thank you. Hey, Blair. Mr. Cohen, you're. I think, obviously, we're all big supporters of you. And I want to just recognize the work you do, not just obviously in the Bixby area, but your work with Kobe. I know you're sitting next year, Kobe partner in crime there next to you. And I think your your work in developing a really new voice for the business community, which is much more community centered and really thinks about bringing community together. It's been really great and I think welcome for the city of Long Beach. And so congratulations on all the success. Obviously, I know I know that you that in many ways it's a it's like an orchestra. There's a lot of moving players out there, a lot of businesses. The council office I know Councilman Austin is always talking about Bixby Knolls, but there's a lot of people up there that are the small business owners who have done so much to kind of roll up their sleeves and fix the street up. So thank you for all you do. And I want to also just take a minute to just say thank you to our staff that work with the associations. A lot of you look at Bixby Knolls and the success. We're also looking at a successful use of tax dollars. And so all those investments, those infrastructure investments, those investments on the street are all because I think we've wisely used the the revenue, not just from the businesses but from the city to improve a neighborhood. And that's what really what what this is all about. So congratulations to you. Congratulations to Councilman Austin. I wanted to make sure I spoke longer than Councilman Austin, which is why. I'm just kidding. I'm just making a bad joke. So with that, we're going to go ahead and take a vote.
Speaker 9: I'm trying to keep up with Councilmember Price.
Speaker 3: Motion carries.
Speaker 2: Thank motion. All right. Next is item 11.
Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the hearing, adopt resolution continuing the Bixby Knolls Parking and Business Improvement Area assessment for the period of October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017; and authorize City Manager to extend the agreement with the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association for a one-year term.  (Districts 7,8)