1_Jan30_2018_issue_LBBJ 1/27/18 9:43 PM Page 1 January 30-February 12, 2018 Long Beach’s Newsmagazine www.lbbizjournal.com Inside This Issue Rent Control Ballot Initiative Efforts Hotel Work Continue For November Election Rules May I By BRANDON RICHARDSON Go To Voters SENIOR WRITER Petition To Collect n January 12, Housing Signatures Targets O Long Beach Executive The City Of Carson Is Director Josh Butler refiled a Properties With 50+ Rooms Celebrating Its 50th Anniversary petition to collect signatures to place a rent control ordinance on I By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER Stories Begin On Page 20 the November ballot. His initial ASSISTANT EDITOR filing, submitted to the city clerk late last year, was rejected be- ast year, the local hotel indus- cause it was incomplete. L try, particularly in Downtown “Corporate development is Long Beach, was under the spot- changing what our city looks like. light as union groups and labor ad- Rising rents are pricing out long- vocacy organizations pushed for time residents and forcing them two major hotels to unionize and for to leave,” Butler said in an e-mail stronger protections for workers. Shaun Lumachi Business to the Business Journal. “That's These issues came to a head Innovation Center Coming Soon why Long Beach families, renters when an ordinance that would have Page 6 in the community, local advocates established safety provisions and and small business owners are workload restrictions for hotel coming together to demand new workers was brought forth by four community-first policies that pro- councilmembers and rejected by the tect current residents.” remaining members of the council According to Long Beach in September. Now, the community City Clerk Monique DeLa- backers of that ordinance are mak- Garza, the city attorney’s office ing moves to take the matter to the voters of Long Beach in November. Local Environmental Group has 15 days from the time of Stepp Commercial Principal Robert Stepp, left, and Phil Jones, partner at Coldwell submission to draft the ballot (Please Continue To Page 10) Teams Up With City To Educate Banker Coastal Alliance, are opposed to rent control and the current attempt to statement and summary. Once Youth On Plastic Pollution place an ordinance on the November ballot. The two are pictured at an apartment completed, Butler and his affili- complex at 360 Lime Ave., which has recently been renovated by Waterford Res- Page 14 idential LLC. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Brandon Richardson) (Please Continue To Page 10) On-Dock Rail City Mulling Whether To Appeal BNSF Facility Gets Rail Project To State Supreme Court Green Light I By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER ternational Gateway Project, a The project was originally I By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER ASSISTANT EDITOR $500 million proposed intermodal protested in court by appellants ASSISTANT EDITOR railyard adjacent to Westside including the City of Long Beach, Small Business Showcase: fter the California Court Long Beach and harbor commu- the Long Beach Unified School he Long Beach Board of 4th Street & Termino Avenue A of Appeal overturned the nities, was sufficient, with one ex- District, community groups and T Harbor Commissioners ap- Page 7 majority of a trial court’s earlier ception. The EIR “fails to businesses that would be dis- proved the Pier B On-Dock Rail findings that the environmental adequately consider air quality placed by the project. They ar- Support Facility, a project to ex- 2 PortSide impact report (EIR) for a new rail impacts of the project, particu- gued that much of the EIR was pand on-dock rail capacity at the 2-3 In The News facility proposed by BNSF Rail- larly impacts to ambient air pollu- insufficient and would negatively Port of Long Beach, on January 22. 4-6 Real Estate & Development way was largely insufficient, ap- tant concentrations and impact surrounding communities. The board approved the final envi- pellants – including the City of cumulative impacts of such pollu- The project was defended both by ronmental impact report (EIR) for 4 Realty Views Long Beach – are considering tant concentrations,” the court de- BNSF and the City of Los Ange- the project, selecting the largest 7 Small Business Dollars & Sense whether to take the matter to the cision states. A trial court’s earlier les, who presented the project as possible footprint for the facility 8-13 Newswatch California Supreme Court. ruling that identified other defi- a jobs creator and supply chain ef- outlined in that document. While most public commenters at the 14-17 Going Green The Court of Appeal ruled on ciencies in the EIR, including in- ficiency strategy. January 12 that the EIR for sufficient analysis of traffic noise Mike Mais, assistant city attor- meeting spoke in support of the 18-19 Lifestyle BNSF’s Southern California In- impacts, was tossed out. (Please Continue To Page 8) (Please Continue To Page 8) Long Beach Business Journal PRSRT STD 2599 E. 28th Street, Suite 212 U.S. POSTAGE Signal Hill, CA 90755-2139 562/988-1222 • www.lbbizjournal.com PAID Los Angeles, CA PERMIT NO. 447 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED By Assistant Editor Samantha Mehlinger The #MeToo Movement Gets Generational The past two weeks have generated so many think male Hollywood star (in this case, Aziz Ansari) has, pieces on the #MeToo Movement that I’m feeling instead of generating uniform outrage, sparked de- some serious philosophical whiplash. As eventually bate. The volley of op-eds that have been published was bound to happen, an alleged sexual assault by a in the days since are (Please Continue To Page 18) 1_Jan30_2018_issue_LBBJ 1/27/18 9:44 PM Page 2 Page 2 • January 30-February 12, 2018 • Long Beach Business Journal In The News PortSide Keeping Up With The Port Of Long Beach Wayne Smith, senior civil engineer and program manager for the Port of Long Beach, stood atop the fruition of his (and many other’s) labors – the new bridge being built to replace the Gerald Desmond Bridge – and acknowledged what a once in a lifetime opportunity the project has been for those working on it. Nearby construction workers, overhearing him, expressed their agreement. Since joining the port in 2010, the new bridge has been the main focus of Smith’s career. “We won’t see this type of project in Southern California for a long time to come. That said, this is a career defining project for a lot of people, especially myself,” he said. As a program manager and engineer, Smith is responsible for managing infrastructure and maintenance projects at the port. “We establish the [project] schedules and the budgets, and then we begin the procurement process,” he ex- plained. Prior to becoming a permanent employee of the port, the Carson-native and California State University, Long Beach graduate worked for a consultant tasked with retrofitting the existing Gerald Desmond Bridge, which was built in 1968. “I volunteered to perform inspections of the fatigue modifications which was essentially the work performed to strengthen the steel truss. So I used to have to climb the bridge,” he said. As a program manager assigned to the bridge re- placement project, he now manages numerous critical related efforts, including the design-build effort for the new bridge and planned demolition of the existing structure. “I love problem solving. I love working with people,” Smith said. “I am not going to be corny and say it’s a dream come true, because I didn’t dream this. But I can say I really do enjoy what I do here.” He added, “I am constantly trying to improve the quality of work that I produce.” – Samantha Mehlinger, Assistant Editor Community Hospital Long Beach Foundation Board Of Directors Ray Burton, professor emeritus (retired) at Long Beach City College is the new chair of the 2018 Community Hospital Long Beach Foundation (CHLBF) Board of Directors. He most recently served on the board’s executive committee. Pictured back row from left are: William Lorbeer; Mary Lockington; Kit Katz, board secretary; Lorie Merrill; Fredy Dominguez, Dennis McConkey, vice chair; Ross Riddle; Matthew Faulkner, executive director; Jan Miller; and Bill D’Alvia. Front row from left are: Suzanne Nosworthy; Andrew Barber, board treasurer; Bev Cook; Nancy Eilers; Andrea Caballero and Burton. (CHLBF photograph) Vol. XXXI No. 2 • January 30-February 12, 2018 EDITOR & PUBLISHER the State of California in July Advertising/Editorial Deadlines George Economides 1985. It is published every other Wednesday prior to publication SALES & MARKETING Tuesday (except between Christ- date. Note: Press releases In addition to its regular exhibits and programs offered daily, the Aquarium also offers hands- mas and mid-January) – 25 should be faxed, mailed or e- EXECUTIVE copies annually. The Business mailed to: [email protected]. No on education programs for schoolchildren visiting on a field trip and their teachers and chaper- Heather Dann Journal premiered March 1987 follow up calls, please. For a ones and for individuals of all ages interested in learning more about the ocean and environment. SPECIAL ASSISTANT as the Long Beach Airport Busi- copy of the 2018 advertising Students visiting the Aquarium on a field trip have the option of a chaperone-guided visit or Pat Flynn ness Journal. Reproduction in and editorial calendar, please a classroom or theater program on site. The Aquarium also hosts special events for homeschool- whole or in part without written e-mail or fax request to ers and travels to Southern California schools and community events in the Aquarium on Wheels permission is strictly prohibited 562/988-1239. Include your EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT outreach vehicle. unless otherwise stated. Opin- name, company and address ASSISTANT EDITOR Education programs open to the public include new Parent and Me classes for children ages ions expressed by perspective and a copy will be sent to you.