Bluff Park Neighborhood Assoc. *** Beach Area Concerned Citizens

Bluff Park Neighborhood Assoc. *** Beach Area Concerned Citizens

About the Neighborhood

In 1972, the neighborhood was organized into an incorporated Association known as the Beach Area Concerned Citizens (BACC). In 1980, our neighborhood was inventoried and surveyed for the designation Bluff Park Historic District which was approved and became official in 1982. In 1998, recognizing the changing role of the Association to be more neighborhood oriented but still concerned with the overall improvement of our beaches, the Association formally changed its name to “The Bluff Park Neighborhood Association-a.k.a. Beach Area Concerned Citizens”.

Within the boundaries of the Association are over 3000 residents and property owners. Of these, over 350 are registered as Active members. The Association does not collect dues, but rather, relies on donations and member activism to accomplish goals.

The Association general membership meets every other month starting in January. These meetings are open to the general public. The specific date, time, location and agenda for these meetings can be found in another location of this web page.

In accordance with our by-laws, 12 Directors are elected annually by the attending general membership at our November general meeting. At the subsequent first Board of Directors meeting, the Directors elect the Association officers. At this same meeting, the Board of Directors formally approves the Association Strategic/Annual Plan. The Annual Plan states Association goals and responsibilities for the coming 12 months. The Association Strategic/Annual Plan can be found in another location of this web page.

The Association VISION is that the Bluff Park neighborhood of Long Beach is recognized as one of the most desirable family oriented locations to reside in the state of California. Those that live there, as well as those that visit, recognize the neighborhood as a friendly, caring and participative group of residents and families of many diverse backgrounds, ethnicity, living preferences and other unique characteristics that strive to live in harmony and mutually support each other and the community in general.

About our association

A Brief History of the
Bluff Park Neighborhood Association
a.k.a. Beach Area Concerned Citizens

The road to what presently appears to be a tranquil and charming neighborhood, that has been honored with a Neighborhood Preservation Award by the Long Beach Heritage, is paved with the pioneering efforts of many people.

1961- The struggle for the preservation of the neighborhood, now known as the Bluff Park Historic Neighborhood, began as far back as 1961 when a small group of neighbors banded together to fight a proposed high rise tower at Ocean blvd. and Paloma Ave.. A developer had proposed rezoning the area from R2 to R5- a custom made zone that stated nothing lower than five stories could be built-the only zoning of its type in the country. Fortunately, the tower was never built.

1968- Another preservation effort that comes to mind was the work done in 1968 to prevent the replacement of the “antique” light poles on First St. with the standard “freeway” light poles, when the City changed from incandescent to mercury vapor lighting. Neighbor Polly Ridgeway led the effort on that successful campaign.

1972 to 1980- In 1972, the neighborhood was organized into an incorporated Association known as the Beach Area Concerned Citizens (BACC) under the guidance of Admiral Ruff. He steered us through the difficult time of rezoning Ocean Blvd., from Kennebec Ave. to Redondo Ave., from R5 to R2N. That effort took a full five years of corresponding, petitions, testifying and political lobbying. It also took extensive participation by our members in the development of the Local Coastal Plan (LCP).

In 1973, another developer attempted to build a high rise at the corner of Ocean Blvd. and Temple Ave. A lovely Victorian home was demolished in anticipation of the event. Sharon Shen and Peter Deveraux led the effort, along with others, to convince the State Coastal Commission that coastal historic neighborhoods are valuable state assets and the Bluff Park Neighborhood was a prime example. Many citizens inside and outside the neighborhood agreed and were very much involved in the development of Long Beach’s Local Coastal Plan.

In 1973-1978, Louanne Pryor pioneered the effort to bring the Cultural Heritage movement to Long Beach. She worked with civic groups, neighborhood groups and City officials to convince the City Council to establish the Cultural Heritage City Ordinance and establish the Cultural Heritage Committee (later designated a Commission). She served as the Committee’s first Chair.

In 1974-1980, the BACC led the drive to purchase the Taper property, located at the East End of the Bluff Park. Unfortunately, the City’s leadership refused the communities advice at the time and in 1980 paid a tremendous price for the parcel.

In 1978, the BACC was successful in having Ocean Blvd. designated as a “scenic route”.

1980-1982 In 1980, our neighborhood was inventoried and surveyed for the designation, Bluff Park Historic District. The community labored long and hard for this designation, which became official in 1982.

1981-1984 During these years, a lot of effort was devoted to improving traffic conditions in the neighborhood. Several traffic signals were installed on Ocean Blvd., STOP signs were installed on First St. and Second St. and speed limits were reduced from 35mph to 30mph on Ocean Blvd. and from 30mph to 25mph on First St. and Second St.. Many neighbors participated in the drive to accomplish these changes, among them were Dr. Elbert Segelhorst, Randolph Linehan esq., Marty Noonan, Ken Marks, Larry Borges and Dr. Steve Westbrook.

In 1983, a developer attempted to combine three lots, subdivide them into five lots and then build a ten unit condominium rather than the two units per lot standard of the neighborhood. He did win the right to build the ten units but the neighborhood got a better design and a zoning reclassification from R2N to R2L.

1989 The BACC was successful in stopping the construction of an eighteen unit, three story building at 2111-2135 E. Ocean Blvd.. The developer demolished one old home and Wendy Harn moved the second home to 3214 E. Second St.. The E. Ocean Blvd. site is now occupied by two duplexes.

In 1989, the BACC joined forces with LAMBDA to create an anti-cruising ordinance that has since been copied by several other cities.

1990-1997 During these years of the Long Beach financial decline and recovery, the BACC was not a very cohesive Association. Neighborhood activists did work on improving concerns but pretty much as individuals. Noteworthy, however, was that in 1991 the Association members were successful in having Ocean Blvd. reclassified from a “major arterial” to a “minor arterial”.

In 1997, Helena and Dr. Elbert Segelhorst organized a steering group to revive the organizational aspects of the Association. As a result, administrative details were closed and a new Board of Directors was elected. The new Association Directors, elected to serve for the year of 1998, were Kym Anderson, Ted Briggs, John Fialko, Shirley Fialko, Louis Foch, Nancy Hayes, Jay Hong, Wendy Harn, John Parkin, Elbert Segelhorst, Helena Segelhorst and Robert Teller.

1998-1999 The newly organized Association worked to involve as many as possible of the potential 3000 members in the improvement of the neighborhood quality of life. Recognizing the changing role of the Association to be more neighborhood oriented but still concerned with the overall improvement of our beaches, the Association formally changed its name to “The Bluff Park Neighborhood Association-a.k.a. Beach Area Concerned Citizens”. Four priorities became evident from responses to a neighborhood survey: 1) curbs, sidewalks, streets and tree maintenance; 2) traffic and parking control; 3) improvement of resident safety; and 4) improvement of the Bluff Park ambiance.

A walking survey of sidewalk conditions was completed. Thirteen sidewalk sections were reported to the City as in critical need of repair; nine of these have been repaired and the remainder has been placed on a priority list for repair in 2000. Additionally, a process has been set up for citizens to report sidewalk repair needs; a total of approximately fifty-seven are currently on the list. Tree trimming needs were conveyed to the City and the City has established a schedule of tree trimming. Almost all of the trimming was completed in 1999 and the remainder will be completed in 2000. As in the case of sidewalks, a process to report critically needed tree trimming has been established to arrange early accomplishment. John Parkin has led the effort to improve this category of neighborhood concern.

Traffic and parking control has been worked on as well. Thirty miles per hour speed limit signs were placed on Ocean Blvd. and 25mph speed limit signs were placed on Second St.. This was long overdue since the speed limits had been changed in 1995 but since the signs were not changed, the speed limit could not be enforced. Effort was also placed on installing a traffic light at the intersection of Ocean Blvd. and Kennebec Ave. The City finally saw the need and did the job in 1999. The final installation, however, will not be completed until mid-2000. The East Division of the LBPD has helped by placing the radar speed sign in our neighborhood 4 times in 1998 and 5 times in 1999 to advise motorists of their speed through our neighborhood. The use of radar-photo speed traps and Photo red light runner detection as an improvement to LBPD productivity has also been recommended but not accepted as of yet by the City Staff as an effective deterrent to traffic law violators. We hope to continue with these later two recommendations in 2000. John Fialko has led the effort in this priority area.

Louis Foch has led the effort in the area of improving resident safety. He is formally a member of the EPAC, a committee of community activists that meets regularly with the East Division of the LBPD to discuss citizens concerns. He has been instrumental in reporting our need for increased police surveillance in the area of auto theft and residential burglary.

In 1998, your Association pursued a garage sale ordinance change to prohibit professionals from making a commercial district of our neighborhood. After evaluation, the City determined that this was not a Bluff Park Neighborhood problem, but rather, one that was prevalent in many residential neighborhoods of the City. As a result the City has changed the ordinance to prohibit such practice and the result has been positive to the community. John Fialko led the effort for our Association.

In 1998 and 1999, your Association has led a drive to renovate the Ocean Bluff from Shoreline Dr. to the Belmont Pier and restore it to the icon of Long Beach that it once was. We have been successful in that the City has appropriated $2M for the restoration in 2000 and we expect as much as $5M in 2001. We are working this project in alliance with the Alamitos Beach Neighborhood Association. Community contributors to this effort have been John Ekhoff, John Fialko, Harvey Keller, Tom Herzog, George Johnson, Frank Morley, Paul Racko and George Ramos, to mention a few.

In 1999, the Association initiated a “Bluff Cleanup” one-hour effort on the second Saturday of each month from 9am to 10am. We rendezvous at various locations along the Bluff Park and clean up litter as a part of the City sponsored “Adopt a Park” program. We averaged 52 persons in October, November and December, helping to make our Bluff a better place to visit. We are continuing this effort into 2000. Please come and join us. WE NEED YOUR HELP! Instrumental in this project have been John Fialko, Peter Hecht and Marsha McRae.

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