To: The Mayor and Long Beach City Council members July 19, 2017

cc: Planning Commission and City Staff

From: Corliss Lee District 5 Plaza area
corlisslee@aol.com phone 714 401 7063

Subject: MOBILITY PLAN & SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE FOSSIL FUEL EMISSIONS

If our Land Use Plan is to govern Long Beach growth for the next 40 years, we need to
ensure that both the Land Use Plan and Mobility Plan are consistent with a vision that
includes targeted key technology advances as a part of the solution to reduce fossil fuel
emissions.

The problems that caused our legislature to draft and pass SB375 are compelling, but the
proposed solutions put forth in the Mobility Plan giving up cars, taking public transit,
riding bikes and walking are all solutions that would cause residents that work to
increase their transit time. It is not believable that this tradeoff would be acceptable to
the public. The most obvious pitfall is that the Mobility Plan is not enforceable.
Therefore, the Mobility Plan is a weak foundation for the Land Use Plan.

The idea that we can reduce fossil fuel emissions by creating the opportunity for people
to live near their work or near public transit is one prong in a set of possible solutions.
But once again, the expectation that there will be a giant real estate swap so everyone
lives closer to where they work is neither likely nor enforceable.

Long Beach is already built out. The proposal to add height to buildings has the
undesirable side effect of creating density. While new and upgraded buildings are
attractive, crowded conditions are undesirable. Increasing density will increase traffic
congestion, create gridlock and add more pollution. Friends tell me you can see this
outcome by visiting Santa Monica where they continue to increase building heights with
little or no attention to solving traffic problems.

In America we are innovative enough to work our way out of the muddle we have made
with fossil fuel emissions and we will probably do it with technology. It is not necessary
for us to make a mess of our cities and neighborhoods as the by-product of a poorly
conceived set of solutions that are ill-fated.

Approximately 25 years ago, Hughes Satellite Systems participated in a technology race

to build a solar car. My recollection is that the companies involved in that competition
built and raced prototype solar cars across Australia. It would seem that it is altogether
possible to reduce fossil fuel emissions with the invention of solar cars. Shouldnt our
State Legislature fund and compete a contract for research and development (R&D) on
such a product in support of SB375?

Approximately 25 years ago, a group of entrepreneurs were experimenting out in the

desert (Palmdale/Lancaster) with building cars that can fly. About 3 years ago, the
television news magazine 60 Minutes did a segment reporting on the progress of that
invention. If I recall correctly, the reporter was able to learn to fly the prototype within
30 minutes. The car lifted off like a helicopter, flew at low altitude and landed on the
street, ready to taxi into the garage. In that segment, I recall they stated that the FAA was
ready to handle flying car traffic. When flying cars come to market, traffic congestion
may be alleviated by layering vehicle traffic above ground along key traffic corridors. If
in the meantime we have allowed building height to reduce visibility and narrow the air
space available, our efforts would be to the detriment of this technology. If the
entrepreneurs investing in this product could be incentivized to continue development
with solar power, it would create a win-win solution for commuters.

There is increasing incidence of companies allowing their employees to work from home.
This innovation is a by-product of computers and smart phones. The benefit to the
Company is that if they can get enough employees to do it, they can give up a building.
Next to labor costs, facilities are usually the next highest line item in a budget. This
solution is increasingly popular because of the potential budget reduction which in turn
increases profit. This practice has the positive side effect of reducing fossil fuel
emissions. Once again, this practice cannot be mandated or enforced, but business
owners could be encouraged to experiment with this practice as part of our plan to
implement measures to comply with SB375.

Retail businesses are moving away from brick and mortar and hosting their offerings
online. Products are delivered from warehouses or direct from the manufacturer. On-line
shopping is another prong in the set of solutions for reducing fossil fuel emissions.

Assuming we invest in these and a plethora of developing opportunities, it is probable

people will still live in the suburbs, buy solar and flying cars and work and shop from
home while reducing fossil fuel emissions.

In the meantime, improving our public transit system is something that should have been
done years ago and it is still a worthy goal that should have our commitment with plans
and funding. To allow construction that would increase density in our city without first
providing a reasonable means to handle the outcome is the very definition of poor
planning.

The creation of a Mobility Plan grounded in reality that moves us forward toward our
future (as opposed to backward toward the technologies of the past) is key to establishing
a foundation for the update of the Land Use Plan and providing for compliance with
SB375.

I urge you to consider reframing the Mobility Plan. For all the neighborhoods of Long
Beach, our quality of life is at stake. Once it is ruined, it cannot be easily reversed.

Respectfully,

Corliss Lee
Ref: http://www.cp-dr.com/articles/node-2140
Distribution:
The Mayor and City Council Members

Mayor Robert Garcia

District 1 Lena Gonzalez
District 2 Jeannine Pearce
District 3 Suzie Price
District 4 Daryl Supernaw
District 5 Stacy Mungo
District 6 Dee Andrews
District 7 Robert Uranga
District 8 Al Austin
District 9 Rex Richardson

cc
Heidi.Eidson@longbeach.gov.
fern.nueno@longbeach.gov for distribution to The Planning Commission and City Staff

Donita Van Horik, Chair

Erick Verduzco-Vega Vice Chair
Mark Christoffels, Commissioner
Ron Cruz Commissioner
Richard Lewis Commissioner
Andy Perez Commissioner
Jane Templin, Commissioner