Jan
26
Los Al Base to go in new BRAC round(s)?
Filed Under 2012 Issues, Planning & Zoning, The Base, Traffic | 19 Comments
(1/26/2012, Los Alamitos) Earlier today the word was that Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta (left, with General Martin Dempsey, Joint Chiefs Chairman) would seek two new rounds of military base closures, in 2013 and 2015.
Ultimately, Panetta’s announcement wasn’t quite a specific, but did include a strong recommendation for more military base closures. As the New York Times put it, “Pentagon Plan Includes Base Closings and Read more
Jan
9
Planning Commission focuses on General Plan Issues tonight
Filed Under 2012 Issues, Commission Meetings, Planning & Zoning | 7 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 1/9/2012)If you want to give your input into issues relating to the Los Alamitos General Plan revision, tonight’s your chance!
From the staff report for tonight’s Planning Commission Meeting:
Tonight is the Planning Commission’s third meeting addressing the General Plan.
Discussion will include further discussion on Preliminary Issues, Opportunities, and Constraints of the General Plan Update.
The General Plan update is now in its sixth month of progress and a Read more
Nov
14
General Plan overview, public hearing on Block Grant at tonight’s Planning Commission
Filed Under Commission Meetings, Planning & Zoning | 4 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 11/14/11) It looks like there will be lots of information on two important topics at tonight’s 7 p.m. Los Alamitos Planning Commission:
- A mandated Public Hearing on priorities for the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.
- Continued discussion on incorporating the City’s Strategic Plan into the General Plan, currently under a state mandated revision, including a staff overview of the goals Read more
Sep
29
Let’s Not Forget The Elephant In The Room
Filed Under Highlands Guy's Thursday column, Planning & Zoning, Tenet's Los Al Medical Center | Leave a Comment
(9/29/2011, Los Alamitos) by Highlands Guy:It seems like the city council and selected city employees spent a lot of time and energy over the past 2 years on the hospital issue. And I know that I’ve put forth some of the locals’ concerns in the past.
Funny we haven’t heard anything for a while, especially highlighted by the city council skipping a meeting since “there is not enough business.” I think a revisit of the subject is called for.
One of the things that brought it to mind, was what I see as I travel East on Katella from Los Alamitos Blvd. Sure seems like there are Read more
Sep
12
Residential Infill Task Force on tonight’s Planning Commission Agenda
Filed Under Commission Meetings, Planning & Zoning, Your reporting & comments | Leave a Comment
(Los Alamitos, 9/12/2011) Well, the agenda finally is posted, and there’s really only one significant item I could find: Establishment of a task force composed entirely of developers to “streamline the development process for residential infill in Read more
Sep
11
Agenda for tomorrow’s Planning Commission: Top Secret?
Filed Under Commission Meetings, Planning & Zoning | 2 Comments
Monday afternoon update: The link’s now working, & click here for what’s on the agenda, & to comment on it. (Los Alamitos, 9/11/2011) I can’t say for sure whether it’s intentional or something else.
Maybe Al Queda in Los Alamitos Read more
Sep
1
(Los Alamitos, 9/1/2011) by our Highlands Guy: Some time back I remember reading or hearing about the overall “look and feel” that was incorporated into the Los Alamitos General Plan. The closest documentation that I can now find is contained in the Land Use Element area of the 2010 General Plan.
The look, as I remember it, was to be consistent with Read more
Aug
20
Public Hearing on Rossmoor “4th Corner” annexation Monday, 8/22/11
Filed Under Commission Meetings, Planning & Zoning, Rossmoor, Troy Edgar | 5 Comments
(8/20/2011, Los Alamitos) Our Planning Commission’s regular meeting at 7 p.m. this Monday includes a Public Hearing ” will consider the annexation of the businesses and apartments in the area known as the “Rossmoor Shopping Center,” at the southwest corner of Los Alamitos Boulevard and Katella Avenue.
Specifically, the Public Hearing deals with the Read more
Jul
11
Lexington & Los Al Blvds, & left turn into 24 hour fitness on Monday Council Agenda
Filed Under 2011 Issues, City Council Meetings, Los Alamitos Priorities, Parks and Recreation, Planning & Zoning, Uncategorized | 3 Comments
Monday’s 7 p.m. regular Council meeting has a heavy and interesting agenda, primarily consisting of 4 “Discussion Items,” 8 A – D on the agenda, in order:
8A: $35,000 for “Outreach” on Los Al Blvd.
(Pages 37 – 68 of the agenda package) The “Los Alamitos Blvd. Revitalization Project” seems to only focus on Los Al between Katella & Cerritos. When the Council first received SCAGs “Compass Blueprint” for Katella and Los Alamitos Blvd., I was surprised the Council immediately chose to focus only on this one city block of Los Al Blvd. Especially since the proposal was to slow traffic by narrowing the already congested artery which is the only through north-south street between Studebaker Rd. and Valley View.
Originally the Council’s idea was for the city to seek grant money to proceed. However, when none was forthcoming, the Council just Read more
Jul
10
Massage, Tatts, & taking a bite out of Long Beach on Planning Commission’s Monday Agenda
Filed Under Commission Meetings, Planning & Zoning | Leave a Comment
(7/10/2011, Los Alamitos) Three public hearings to conclude three items discussed at an earlier P.C. meeting comprise the bulk of the agenda for Monday’s 7 p.m. Los Alamitos Plannning Commission meeting in the Council Chambers:
- Modifications of the city code concerning massage establishments are required to Read more
May
9
Hearing on Boundary Adjustment pre-zone at tonight’s P.C.
Filed Under Commission Meetings, Planning & Zoning | 1 Comment
(LosAlamitos, 5/9/11) Opposition to switching land on the eastern side of Coyote Creek and San Gabriel River from Los Angeles County to Orange County is coming from some surprising quarters.
You’d think the City of Long Beach would be happy to get rid of the narrow 36 acre sliver of vacant and nursery land south of Katella between the Creek/River channels and the 605 freeway, but you’d be wrong. Long Beach claims to want to keep that narrow, inaccessible sliver, claiming it could provide “future open space opportunities for Long Beach residents.”
Also surprising is that due to the possible reassessment of their lots, the six affected Los Alamitos homeowners in College Park North are Read more
May
4
Weekly your comments & reporting on local media post, 5/4
Filed Under News Enterprise & other local media, Planning & Zoning | 7 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 5/4/2011) Every Wednesday we put up an open post for your comments, thoughts, & reporting on Los Al’s only weekly local paper, the News Enterprise
This weekly post is also the place for you to tell our community about anything else that caught your eye in any of the local websites & blogs, the N-E’s sister Seal Beach paper, the Sun, which comes out on Thursdays in Seal Beach, Rossmoor, & Rossmoor Highlands, as well as the 3 regional papers that deliver in Los Al.
Today’s N-E was fairly light–info we discussed a few weeks ago on Los Al’s agreement with Read more
Apr
12
Helicopter transfer: Pros & Cons
Filed Under 2011 Issues, Planning & Zoning, The Base | 5 Comments
The good news is that the Army has extended to May 5 the time for public comments on their plan to move a company of Blackhawk helicopters from the high desert to Los Alamitos (Comments can be e-mailed to Ms. Carmen Call, carmen.call@usar.army.mil, or sent to the City of Los Alamitos to be included in the city’s comments, or both).
The bad news is the citizens appear deeply divided about the additional choppers.
I suspect part of the division lies between those whose homes are circled by helicopters regularly already, largely those along the northeast border of the Base, and those who aren’t affected as much, or who just love the sound of choppers.
I live near a “quiet” corner of the Base, but I had my eyes (& ears) opened Read more
Apr
5
Citizens, Councilwomen express concerns about more choppers at Base
Filed Under City Council Meetings, Planning & Zoning, The Base | 2 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 4/5/11) At Monday’s Los Alamitos City Council meeting a number of residents living close to the Joint Forces Training Base were joined by at least 3 in expressing concerns about the Army’s plans to move an 87 member, 8 helicopter unit from Victorville to Los Alamitos.
As seen in the reader comments on two posts on the sparsely attended helicopter Open House here, residents appear split on the proposal, which the army seems determined to move ahead with. (See “Proposed Black Hawk Open House” and “Black Hawk fleet moving to Los Al Base?”
“They’re always going over our house on Mindora Street, said one New Dutch Highlands resident.
Mayor Ken Stephens, who also lives Read more
Mar
15
Proposed Black Hawk Fleet Open House Wednesday night at Joint Forces Base
Filed Under 2011 Issues, Planning & Zoning, The Base | 22 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 3/15/2011) The U.S. Army is hosting an Open House from 7 – 8 p.m. this Wednesday night, 3/16 to inform the public of a proposed stationing action that includes the transfer of an 87 member, 8 helicopter Aviation Company from Victorville to the Joint Forces Training Base at Los Alamitos.
The Open House will feature Read more