Public hearings on SEADIP

Beehive of interest in land-use study

By MARY ELLIS CARLTON
Urban Affairs Editor
Residents of Long Beach ap-
pear to be doing homework on the
complex issues of city planning.
Never has it been more appar-
ent than in the citizen input to the
city's evolving land-use study call-
ed South East Area Development
and Improvement Plan (SEADIP).
The plan will be the subject of a
continued public hearing before the
Planning Commission Thursday,
starting at 9 a.m., in the Veterans
Memorial Building, Broadway and
Cedar Avenue.
At the first hearing on April 8,
14 persons representing organiza-
tions in the area said they basically
favored a master plan but opposed
specific provisions, particularly the
transportation and density recom-
mendations.
Now, East Long Beach citizens
groups have mobilized even more
forces to fight City Hall on ele-
ments of the plan they oppose.
SEADIP covers 1,470 acres of
Long Beach south of Seventh Street
and east of Marine Stadium — the
area of the city which is undergo-
ing the greatest development pres-
sures.
About 881 acres already are de-
veloped, but the rest represents the
largest tract of undeveloped land in
the city.
Citizens and neighborhood
groups pored over SEADIP's 229-
page Environmental Impact Re-
port, complex traffic studies, plan-
ning maps and proposed population
allocations.
They concluded, spokesmen
say, that there are some problems
to be ironed out if the East Side is
to retain its unique character.
One is traffic. The accesses
along Pacific Coast Highway, Sev-
enth Street, Second Street and
Westminster Boulevard, they con-
tend, already are clogged.
They argue that projects al-
ready under way (Marina Pacifica
Shopping Center and the Market
Place) are too big for their ap-
proaches and that coordination of
planning between city and develop-
ers was inadequate.
Five neighborhood associations
have banded together for Thurs-
day's hearing.
They include representatives of
the Belmont Heights-Belmont Park
United Citizens Group, Beach Area
Concerned Citizens, Alamitos
Heights Improvement Association,
College Park Estates Homeowners
Association and A l a m i t o s Bay
Beach Preservation Group.
"Strong reservations have been
expressed by all groups that SEA-
DIP, as presently proposed, is
incomplete and that acceptance by
the Planning Commission should be
delayed," says Al Taucher, presi-
dent of the Belmont Heights-Bel-
mont Park organization and
spokesman for the five-group coali-
tion.
He cited three areas where they
contend more information was
needed:
—A financial analysis of the im-
pact of the East End development
on city taxpayers.
—Completion of an acceptable
traffic study, including the sur-
rounding residential areas.
—Consideration of alternative
lower population densities for the
SEADIP area.
City Planner Ernest Mayer has
noted that the population clement
in the city's new General Plan sets
Long Beach's optimum population
at 400,000 by 1990, allowing for 23,-
000 additional dwelling units in the
city.
Conforming to this growth
scale, 3,200 additional housing units
would be permitted in the SEADIP
area, he says.
League of Women Voters Presi-
dent Ina Aronow, voicing the stand
of that group, commended the
Planning Department for its "for-
ward looking effort" in developing
the SEADIP plan.
"This kind of integrated land-
use planning is certainly preferable
to haphazard, piecemeal develop-
ment of individual holdings without
regard to the total impact," she
said.
She argued, however, that the
planned zoning changes and density
increases in the SEADIP study
indicate a large portion of the new
developments would be multiple
housing units, discouraging family
and owner occupancy which, she
contends, is so important to a sense
of community.
"This is not the Naples-like
development recommended in the
approved Sasaki-Walker plan,"
Mrs. Aronow said. "These higher
densities with their unsolved traffic
(Turn to Page B-5, Col. 1)

PEOPLE
TALK
PRESS-TELEGRAM
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 1976—SEC. B, PAGE 1
f.C. ANDERSON

A score of "People Talk" read-

ers backed ex-convict Lewis Caulcy
in his attempt to become a solid,
productive citizen. Their invest-
ment has paid off.
Caulcy now is the general man-
ager of three hotels in the down-
town area of Long Beach. He's
working hard, satisfying his em-
ployer and showing what a man
down on his luck can do if given a
chance.
The hotels supervised by Cau-
ley will never be mistaken for the
Ritz, but they're home to many
men and women whose hold on
solvency and survival is as shaky
as Cauley's when he turned to this
column for help on March 11.
Having been helped himself,
Lew Caulcy is now trying to help
others with jobs, a few dollars of
tide-over cash, a meal here and
there. In short, he's doing what he
can to make life a little better for
the have-nots of his community.
One man being aided by Lew
Cauley is a 22-year-old ex-convict.
Caulcy put him to work painting
hotel rooms. Maybe Lew is looking
back 22 years in his own life, when
a little help such as he is now
extending would have made a big
difference in reclaiming one of
society's losers.
Lew's protege is a baker by
trade, a skill he learned in prison.
He'd like to make baking his ca-
reer. If you hear of any openings in
that field, let me know; I'll see the
word gets to Lew Cauley.
Well, that's an update on what
Lewis Cauley has been doing with
t h e chance readers of "People
Halm* Mansell in 'word fight9
Talk" have given him. I thought
you'd like to know.
IT FIGURES: A Long Beach
postal worker has provided this col-
umn with some statistics which
help explain why the Postal Service
just isn't what it used to be.
I won't tax readers with a com-
plete rundown of the figures, which
show that between 1971 and 1975
NONPRODUCTIVE Postal Service
personnel (postmasters, s u p e r v i -
sors, inspectors and headquarters
s t a f f ) increased by 11,235, and
PRODUCTIVE personnel declined
by 37,889.
The productive personnel in-
clude clerks and mailhandlers, city
carriers, r u r a l carriers, special
delivery messengers, b u i l d i n g
maintenance, vehicle maintenance
and substitute employes.
My informant, who has earned
a sleeveful of hashmarks in the
Postal Service, thinks more "In-
dians" and fewer "chiefs" would
do much to help the U.S. Mail run
as efficiently as it once did.
In any event, my informant has
given us something to think about
while we're waiting and waiting for
the mail to come through.
DID YOU KNOW? There arc
10.000 different federal forms which
individuals and businessmen must
fill out, and every year the govern-
ment sends out 10 billion copies of
those forms — at a cost of $40
billion for printing, mailing, proc-
essing, filing and storage.
Further, 100,000 lawyers are
needed to write, review and enforce
the federal regulations behind those
forms.
Okay, so I've spoiled either
your breakfast, lunch or dinner —
depending on the time of day you
digest this column. But there's
more. The Federal Paperwork
Commission ran a computer cheek
on federal laws, with this finding:
There arc more than 12,000 differ-
ent laws requiring individuals and
businessmen to file reports with the
federal government.
Any citizen who contends .there
is more form than substance to
federal rule knows what he's talk-
ing about. In fact, the only forms
we haven't filled out yet are strait-
jackets. But just w a i t ; the
computer will find them, too.
Bagpipes piping aboard Coral Sea
When one of Scotland's premier bag-
pipe and kilt makers decides to come
aboard, the smart ship pipes him
aboard with bagpipes 'stead the tradi-
tional bosun pipe. So it was Tuesday as
Hugh MacPherson. Edinburgh, visits
the carrier Coral Sea in Long Beach
Naval Shipyard. Two members of the
Beach takeover issue delayed
Supervisors Tuesday put off for
a week consideration of a report
calling for county officials to begin
negotiations with Long Beach for a
proposed county takeover of city
beach operations.
The delay came after Supervi-
sor Kenneth Hahn said he had
heard reports that city officials
were ••willfully letting their equip-
ment deteriorate."
"I have heard they wouldn't
grease their equipment so t h a t
when the county took over the
beach operations it would be costly
to repair or replace the items,"
Hahn said. "It rests on them to
have their machinery and equip-
ment in good repair when the coun-
ty takes over."
City Manager John R. Mansell
today called Hahn's charges "ridic-
ulous."
"If Mr. Hahn wishes, he and I
will make a personal inspection of
all of the city's beach equipment so
he will know the truth and not be
putting out unfounded and untrue
statements.
"If Mr. Hahn has any questions
on the matter, he should address
them to the proper authorities in
Long Beach and not make ridicu-
lous statements to mislead the
public," Mansell said.
L.B. Council, O.C. Board oppose Prop. 15
The Long Beach City Council
and the Orange County Board of
Supervisors voted Tuesday to op-
pose Proposition 15, the nuclear
initiative, on the June 8 primary
ballot.
The initiative, which would re-
strict the construction and opera-
tion of nuclear power plants in Cali-
fornia, has become the object of
heated debate as proponents argue
the potential dangers of nuclear
fuel leaks and opponents point to
future energy shortages.
The Long Beach council put its
opposition on record by a 5-2 vote,
with two members absent, while
Orange County supervisors passed
ship's bagpipe band handle the piping
as C a p t . J o s e p h F r i c k welcomes
MacPherson. The bagpipe band will
perform Saturday, May 8, when the
ship holds an open house from noon to
4 p.m. — a week prior to returning to
her Alameda home port.
—Staff Photo by CURT JOHNSON
Supervisor James Hayes said
there had been problems over
equipment when the county took
over the beach operations of the
city of Los Angeles but said he was
not aware of any similar problems
in Long Beach.
"It seems to me that all the
Proposed L.B. marina OKd in principle
By DON BRACKENBURY
Staff Writer
A proposed 571-slip marina, to
be financed and built by the Fein-
berg Development Corp. next to its
Queensway Hilton Hotel, was ap-
proved in principle Tuesday by the
Long Beach City Council.
Council members emphasized,
however, that numerous approvals
still must be obtained, both from
cjty departments and outside agen-
cies such as the U.S. Army Engi-
neers and the Coastal Commission.
"We should keep in mind that
this really does not guarantee in
any way that this marina, as it is
drawn here, will become an actual-
ity," said Councilwoman Renee B.
Simon. "Many studies, economic
their resolution, 3-0, with one mem-
ber abstaining and another absent.
Supervisor Ralph Clark of Ana-
heim mustered support from fellow
board members Thomas F. Riley of
Newport Beach and Laurence J.
Schmit of Garden Grove, while
Board Chairman Ralph Dicdrich of
Fullerton abstained.
Supervisor Ralph W. Battin of
Santa Ana was absent.
In Long Beach, meanwhile,
council members Wallace Edgerton
and Renee Simon cast the two
votes against the action, urging
their colleagues to take no position
on the issue.
Hospital funds
for L.B. sought
Health Services Director Listen
Witherill Tuesday called for a $46.8
million increase in his budget next
year to allow, among other things,
Long Beach General Hospital to
remain as an inpatient facility.
Witherill had been scheduled to
present his case to the county
supervisors, but because of a
crowded agenda he was not able to.
He is now scheduled to be heard at
11 a.m. next Tuesday.
A n u m b e r of c o m m u n i t y
spokesmen who had come to pro-
test health cuts also were not given
a chance to speak. A band of about
40 patients from an alcoholic reha-
bilitation program at Long Beach
General again demonstrated out-
side the meeting room.
At a press conference today at
the hospital's alcoholism unit,
Supervisor James Hayes told about
100 patients gathered in a court-
yard that he "is reasonably sure
the program alcoholism program
will be reliiineri."
"I'm deeply committed to this
program," Hayes said, "If I need
to, I'll cut all kinds of programs in
my district to keep this one going."
Gary Futino, a patient at the
hospital, presented Hayes with two
four-foot-long petitions signed by
patients, staff and friends of the
alcoholism program protesting the
proposed budget cut.
Chief Administrative Officer
Harry Hufford Monday had recom-
mended, in his proposed $3.2-billion
county budget calling for a 41-cent
tax rate increase, that cuts of up to
$31.4 million be made in the health-
equipment in Long Beach is up to services program.
date and properly serviced and
maintained," Hayes said. One proposed cut would discon-
tinue all inpatient services at Long
The Long Beach City Council Beach General Hospital starting
has approved in principle the trans- Nov. 1. Hufford said patients could
fer of beach operations and mainte- be absorbed into other county inpa-
nance to the county. tient facilities, leaving the hospital
and environmental, will have to be front of the Queensway Hilton is
made." part of the Feinberg lease with the
Harbor Department, on which the
"This just initiates the proc- corporation has been paying about
ess," agreed Mayor Thomas J. 814,000 annually.
Clark. "Certainly it doesn't do any
more at this time." The city area basically would
The proposed marina, which cover water on which boat slips are
would extend from the Queensway to be installed and the proposed
Hilton Hotel to the protective rock breakwater, which will run from
dike surrounding the Queen Mary, the shoreline at the northwest cor-
is about half within the harbor dis- ner of the hotel area to the Queen
trict and half under city jurisdic- Mary's protective dike.
tion. One of the first steps following
Councilwoman Eunice N. Sato council approval, Mansell said, will
said she had no criticism of the be to submit the proposal to the
Feinberg Development Corp. but Corps of Engineers for review, in-
asked if there had been any bidding cluding its opinion on feasibility of
on the proposed marina by other a proposed floating breakwater.
developers. The council action, in addition
City Manager John R. Mansell to approving the marina in princi-
pointed out that the water area in ple, authorized Mansell to negotiate
The city's legislative staff had George Medak, acting director
recommended that the council not of administrative management for
take sides. the city, said members of his staff
Edgerton said he has no objec- were unable to make recommenda-
tion to individual council members' tions "because of the conflicts
taking a public stand on Proposi- among the experts."
tion 15, but said it would be "pre- Councilman Don Phillips, chair-
sumptuous" of the council, as a man of the council's legislative
body, to do so. committee, said he opposes the
"I do not feel I am in a position i n i t i a t i v e as an unnecessary re-
to tell the voters of Long Beach striction. "The big concern should
whether they should support or op- be the cost of energy," Phillips
pose, because I don't know added.
myself," Mrs. Simon said. The legislative committee
She pointed out that the legisla- voted, 3-1, with Edgerton opposed,
tive staff report noted that there is to recommend that the council op-
disagreement among scientists and pose Proposition 15.
engineers about plant safeguards. Phillips and Rublcy said an
as an outpatient health center.
He also recommended a trans-
fer of services at El Cerrito Health
Services Center to the Long Beach
General program.
Witherill said Tuesday t h a t
Hufford's recommended cuts would
"in general severely jeopardize the
county health-care system." '
He said he agrees with Hufford
that some services at the 300-bed
Long Beach General can be read-
justed, but he said the two disa-
greed on the nature and scope of
any readjustment.
He said his department would
like to see the hospital continue to
operate as an inpatient facility
providing acute medical, rehabili-
tation, skilled nursing and alcohol-
treatment services.
This would require an increas-
ed cost of $4.9 million and an addi-
tional 332 positions, he said.
He said nothing about El Cerri-
to.
In March, when the health-
services department was faced
with a $31-mUlion deficit, Witherill
and Hufford put out a list of pro-
posed cuts.
Among those were closing of El
Cerrito, reduction of 50 alcohol
detoxification beds at Long Beach
General, and a reduction of the
inpatient alcoholism rehabilitation
service there from 96 to 45 beds.
While those proposed cuts have
been set for a public hearing June
11, Hufford has proposed that pub-
lic hearings on his budget begin
June 9. And since his budget calls
for additional health cuts, the two
hearings are expected to coincide.
Hayes, meanwhile, charged
that "the alcoholism detoxification
program at Long Beach General
Hospital is targeted for oblivion if
(Hufford) has his way in the current
budget negotiations."
an agreement with Feinberg Devel-
opment Co., subject to subsequent
City Council approval.
It also authorized the city to
apply to the State Department of
Navigation and Ocean Develop-
ment for a low-interest loan to fi-
nance construction of the break-
water. Although the city will apply
for the loan, its repayment will be
the responsibility of Feinberg
Development Corp. Terms of the
loan also will be subject to future
council approval.
In response to a question from
Councilman Wallace Edgerton,
Mansell said the marina project
will go before the Planning Com-
mission, which will also get reports
from the city's Marine Department
and Engineering Department.
unfortunate aspect of Proposition
15 is that a "no" vote on the meas-
ure is a "yes" vote for nuclear-
power plants, and vice versa.
Officials of the the city's Gas
and Water Departments feel "very
strongly" t h a t the proposition
should be opposed, Medak told the
council.
"I certainly don't pretend to
know all about this issue," said
Mayor Thomas J. Clark, "but this
is an extreme measure and one I
could not support."
Vice Mayor James H. Wilson
and Councilman Wes Carroll were
absent.