The City of Long Beach is getting close to saving the Los Cerritos Wetlands— a proposed land swap that has been in the works for months, aimed at making sure wetlands stay wetlands.
If done correctly, the proposed 190-acres of somewhat environmentally protected land could be restored after years of oil dredging and land development threats.
But don't count your acres before they're hatched.
The Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority still has to come up with $25 million to purchase the land along with millions more for any restoration that would take place. How the public agency is going to do that is unknown right now.
Before any restoration moves forward, the city has to sort out a "complex" land swap with the current land owner, Los Cerritos Inc., which is headed by investors Tom Dean and Jim Berger, according to Press Telegram's report as well as the District Weekly, which first broke the story.
Basically, in return for the 66-acre Bryant property and the 174-acre Hellman property, the land owners will be able to develop a portion of what was originally going to be a $50 million Sports Park at Spring Street and Cherry Avenue,... so the wetlands will have its costs. City officials say the deal was made after plans for building the extensive recreational park went sour amidst economic hardships.
Once the deal is made final, the wetlands acres will then be bought by the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority, a public agency, designating the land for restoration, with government officials by their side.
During a press conference this Wednesday, city officials said protecting the land will by the most extensive "wetlands" restoration for the city of Long Beach, envisioned as a "jewel," similar to nearby Bolsa Chica's efforts.
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