Public Involvement Workshop Public Involvement Workshop November 10, 2011November 10, 2011

Public Involvement Workshop #1 Theme: Spirit

Mascot: Wandering Skipper butterflyColor: Yellow

• Workshop Goal: Introduce the project to the community and receive initial feedback on public interests and concerns.

• Workshop Objectives: – Discuss Los Cerritos Wetlands’ natural history– Introduce the LCWA and consulting team members – Introduce project goals and objectives– Exhibit a road-map for Public Involvement Plan – Perform activity to collect feedback on community values and

vision– Introduce stakeholder email database and project website– Inform participants of next workshop date

• Workshop Ground Rules

Public Involvement Workshop #1 Workshop Outline

1.Introduction to Los Cerritos Wetlands-Los Cerritos Natural History & virtual tour

2.Project Introduction-Project goal and objectives, timeline, & organizational chart

3.Public Involvement Plan-Introduction to workshops process & how to stay informed

4.Public Feedback Activity-What is your connection to Los Cerritos Wetlands? -Workshop Activity to gain perspectives on community values & visions

5.Next Steps-Review of workshop-Next workshop topics, time, and location

Natural History of Los Cerritos Natural History of Los Cerritos WetlandsWetlands

Historical Etching from 1895

900 acres

1300 acres168 acres

956 acres129 acres

234 acres

- 2011

12,063 Acres of Total Wetlands Loss 1894-2011

Belmont ShoreBelmont Shore

Seal BeachSeal Beach

Naples

San Gabriel RiverSan Gabriel River

East Long Beach Coast – September 1921

Seal Beach & Long Beach Coast – December 1921

Belmont ShoreBelmont Shore

Seal BeachSeal Beach

Naples

San Gabriel RiverSan Gabriel River

Anaheim BayAnaheim Bay

CSULBCSULB

Alamitos Bay - 1921

Belmont ShoreBelmont Shore

Seal BeachSeal Beach

Naples

Alamitos Bay 1928

Alamitos Bay – 1960s

Mar

ine

Sta

diu

m

Mar

ine

Sta

diu

m

Los Cerritos WetlandsLos Cerritos Wetlands

NaplesNaples

Colorado Lagoon

Colorado Lagoon

• Historically over 2400 acres of coastal wetlands• Currently less than 500 undeveloped acres

remain– Only 50 acres of full tidal coastal salt marsh habitat– Highly degraded upland, marine, transition, brackish &

salt marsh habitats– Large invasive exotic weed infestations – Impacted by industrial, commercial & residential

land uses– Serves as refuge for migratory & special status species

special concern

Los Cerritos WetlandsExisiting Conditions

Belding’s savannah sparrow

southern tarplant

brown pelican

leastterns

mudflat tiger beetleswandering skipper

Publicly-Owned Properties in Los Cerritos Wetlands

Land Ownership of Entire Los Cerritos Wetlands

Any Questions?

In February of 2006, a joint powers agreement was adopted among the:

Rivers & Mountains Conservancy, State Coastal Conservancy, & Cities of Long Beach & Seal Beach

=

These agencies compose the project’s Steering Committee

Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority

Conceptual Restoration Planning

1. Restore wetland processes and functions;

2. Maximize contiguous wetland areas and minimize the edge between wetlands and sources of disturbance;

3. Restore the complex as habitat for a diverse array of resident and migratory floral and faunal species;

4. Ensure long-term viability and sustainability in the face of such threats as urbanization and climate change;

5. Create a public access and interpretive program that will ensure a memorable visitor experience; and

6. Implement a program that is practical and economically feasible

Preliminary Project Goals

1. Characterize existing conditions within the study area. 

2. Identify potential restoration alternatives based on opportunities and constraints

3. Evaluate beneficial and adverse impacts of potential alternatives, as well as engineering and economic feasibility

4. Identify preferred alternatives for further planning

Preliminary objectives in support of those goals

Conceptual Restoration Planning

Project Timeline• 2 year long Project• 6 public involvement workshops through Spring

2013

Project Organization Chart

Consulting Team

Community Stakeholders

Public Involvement

Plan

Technical Advisory Committee

Staff from Applicable Public

Agencies

Steering Committee:RMC, Coastal Conservancy,

Cities of Seal and Long Beach

Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority:Project Manager

Technical Advisory CommitteeMembers of each of these organizations provide

regular advising throughout this project:• Rivers and Mountains Conservancy• California Coastal Conservancy• City of Long Beach • City of Seal Beach• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service• NOAA Marine Fisheries• Counties of Los Angeles & Orange• US Army Corp Of Engineers • Regional Water Quality Control Boards• California Department of Fish and Game• California Coastal Commission• State Lands Commission• Southern California Water Resources Research Project• Port of Long Beach• Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission

Any Questions?

Public InvolvementRoad MapRIVER Trail

• LCW Conceptual Design Website– intoloscerritoswetlands.org

• LCWA Email Database• Stewardship Program

Public Involvement: Outreach and Staying Involved

Public Involvement: Tentative Workshop Schedule

# Date Location

1 November 10th, 2011 Seal Beach Senior Center

2 March 1st, 2012 TBD

3 May 3rd, 2012 TBD

4 September, 13th 2012 TBD

5 February, 21st 2013 TBD

6 April 18th, 2013 TBD

Any Questions?

Workshop ActivityNow that you have been introduced to the conceptual restoration planning team,

we want to learn more about you and your relationship with Los Cerritos Wetlands

1.How far do you live or work from Los Cerritos Wetlands? a. Less than 1 mileb. 1-5 milesc. 5-10 milesd. More than 10 miles

2.If you live less than a mile from Los Cerritos Wetlands, what neighborhood do you live in?3.Have you visited Los Cerritos Wetlands? If so, was it on an organized tour or did you visit on your own?4.Do you use Los Cerritos Wetlands , or areas immediately adjacent, currently for recreation? Is so, what recreational activities do you engage in? Fishing, Hiking, Biking, Jogging, Dog Walking, Birding, or others?5.What do you value most about Los Cerritos Wetlands in its current state?6.What about Los Cerritos Wetlands would you most like to see changed?7.Do you visit other wetland areas in the region? If so, what places do you visit and why do you visit those them?8.Use the map of the Wetlands Complex on the back of this sheet to make drawings, notes or other indications of areas you value, areas that need improvement, or areas that you are passionate about.

Next Steps

• Launch the Public Information Website• Fully Characterize Existing Site Conditions • Initiate Opportunities and Constraints Analyses• Initiate Discussions With the Public and the LCWA

for:– Public Access and Interpretation Designs – Potential Restoration Design Alternatives

• Conduct the 2nd Public Workshop

• Goals: 1) Identify opportunities and constraints of the wetlands

and urban landscape; 2) Initiate alternative concept design

• Objectives: – Discuss the urban setting of Los Cerritos Wetlands and the

opportunities and constraints to restoration– Collect community feedback on RIVER Team’s GIS project base

map– Present findings from hydrology report, watersheds report, and

habitat assessment report– Perform activity to initiate discussion of possible alternatives

• March 1st, 2012, Meeting Place To Be Announced

Public Involvement Workshop #2 Theme: Earth

Mascot: Southern TarplantColor: Green

Closing / Leave BehindFinal Questions?Final Questions?

Contact:info@tidalinfluence.co

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