Years of planning and negotiations with the city and community groups came to a satisfying conclusion for the Long Beach Yacht Club on Thursday, with the club receiving state approval to move ahead with its new, three-story poolhouse and remodel of its main clubhouse.
The coastal permit will run alongside the club’s lease, which extends through January 2050.
The 10-1 vote by the California Coastal Commission, the authoritative body on any projects in or around the state’s shore, took into account the club’s good standing with the city, a construction plan that will employ local union labor and that its representatives’ acquiescence to 21 special conditions around the site amenities, parking for its workers and general accessibility to the public.
“The applicant agreed to every single special condition, which I found to be incredible,” said commissioner Jose Preciado.
Construction will entail a remodel of the organization’s 21,000-square-foot clubhouse — built in the 1960s — and replacement of its aging pool area with a three-story, 20,000 square foot building complete with a pool and deck, multipurpose rooms, classrooms and terraces.
The Long Beach Yacht Club, established in 1929, built the clubhouse shortly after negotiating the original, 25-year lease on its current site in 1959. Little to no renovations have come since then, club members said.
Six years later, it launched two prestigious sailing events: the world-renowned Congressional Cup, which attracts the great names in yacht racing, and La Paz Race, a 1,000-mile event.
The new elbow room, which the club hopes to finish by 2028, is the kind of turn-of-the-century beachfront architecture that club members have sought ahead of the 2028 LA Olympics.
Long Beach is expected to host 11 Olympic events — the second-most in the region — including several sailing events. Club leadership says they want their clubhouse to be a standout hosting ground for world leaders and international travelers, and to leave a lasting impression on those who come to Long Beach for the Games.
It previously earned approval from the Long Beach Planning Commission.
Written support came from local business associations and officials, including state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal and Mayor Rex Richardson.
“Long Beach Yacht Club has been an anchor institution in our community for nearly 100 years,” said Councilmember Kristina Duggan. “… I can attest that the club has been a responsive, collaborative and proactive partner to the proposed modernization of its aging 1960s facilities and a thoughtful project (like this) underscores the club’s commitment to public benefit.”
But opposition persisted from the Sierra Club and the Unite Here Local 11 hospitality workers, who together voiced anxieties over the building height, parking spaces and public access to the waterfront.
The club, at 6201 Appian Way, sits on state tidelands property on the eastern tip of Naples Island that is under the jurisdiction of the city.
“The project fits the very definition of environmental injustice,”said Anna Christensen, a local environmentalist. “The cumulative impact of the privatization of public coastal lands may generate revenues locally, but this comes at the expense of public access lands, waters and amenities are off limits to those who cannot afford boat slips, yacht club memberships, fine dining or costly special events without the specific charity of these private entities.”
The project will double the size of the club facilities, with the new building reaching 30 feet in height — the maximum allowed under city code. It will not come with an increase in club memberships; the club will remain capped at 1,000 regular members.
The club has 878 members who pay an average $455 a month in dues.
Parking might also be affected, residents say, at the adjacent 316-space Basin 4 Parking Lot, which offers public parking on a first-come, first-served basis. Members with Unite Here Local 11, which represents workers at the yacht club, said the expansion will encourage more members to park in public spaces, at the cost of residents who can’t afford membership.
And others took issue with some of the club’s public benefits, namely its free swimming lessons and various sailing or boat-safety classes for kids and teens. “How valuable are sailing lessons for those with no further access to a boat?” said resident Ann Cantrell.
In its 21 special conditions, the club agreed to prohibit reserved parking by members or their guests in the public lot, and it will allow its workers to park in their 72-space private lot. They also plan to install bike racks and a parking area for scooters, and offer discounted bus fares to all club employees “for the life of the development.”
Pat West, a former Long Beach city manager, said in his 12-year tenure, he never “had any complaints” regarding parking at the public lot.
A minimum $50,000 will be contributed each year to the Long Beach Sailing Foundation to help cover the cost of free sailing and swimming classes to “disadvantaged youth.” Long Beach Police and Fire departments will also be able to use the pool building for their training.
Officials also said they have high hopes for their community room in the new building, which will be made available to nonprofits like the Boys and Girls Club and Children Today.
Others, such as those with the Laborers’ International Union of North America, which represents more than 20,000 members in the LA County area, were overjoyed with the project.
“I spend mostly all my personal time at the beach,” said Jason Baez, a journeyman with LiUNA. “I’m hoping I still get to hit the water today. Anytime there’s an upgrade or remodel at the beach, it never ceases to give me pleasure and a feeling of joy to see that.”