Cerritos GIS Mapping Tool Now Available Online

Residents, business owners researching prospective business sites in the city and all visitors to the city of Cerritos’ website, can now access property information and Planning Commission approval history via the Cerritos GIS mapping tool.

Available since February, the online tool and its features were discussed during an information report presented by city planning manager Robert A. Lopez during the Planning Commission’s August 3 meeting in the City Council Chambers.

“This (GIS) is all filtered, non-sensitive information being made publicly available,” he said.

A description of the GIS tool was included in the meeting’s agenda report.

“Cerritos GIS offers interactive, 24-hour access to information regarding properties in Cerritos including zoning, aerial imagery, City data layers, Assessor property data, and entitlement history…,” the description read.

Director of Community Development Torrey Contreras said the innovative tool was developed “in-house” by the Cerritos GIS staff. He later added that it had was “screened” before being made available to the public.

When Commissioner Alon Barlevy asked if city staff members have access to parts of the tool not available to the public, Contreras said “yes.”

Barlevy also asked whether properties of surrounding cities would be identifiable via the GIS tool.

Lopez responded saying that the GIS tool will only access information within Cerritos’ borders.

During the presentation, Lopez showed the commission the GIS map, which displayed a buffer surrounding Cerritos properties. Information for properties in bordering cities such as Bellflower, Buena Park and Lakewood did not appear.

Among the features of the GIS tool are a window pane listing projects (including property data), a measuring tool and links to the Cerritos Municipal Code.

Lopez said there are plans to add a link to provide further details about specific projects.

For further information regarding the Cerritos GIS mapping tool, visit www.cerritosgis.com

Commissioner “Bothered” by Canceled Meetings

Prior to the GIS tool presentation, during the new and old business portion of the meeting, the commission decided to cancel the Aug. 17 meeting at the recommendation of staff.

Contreras said staff reviewed the tentative items scheduled for that meeting, and “realized that applicants' applications weren’t ready to be presented” to the commission.

Four of the commissioners voted in favor of the recommendation, however, there was one abstention.

Commissioner Frank Yokoyama voted to abstain and asked Contreras how often the commission canceled meetings.

“Once or twice (per year), but not regularly,” Contreras responded.

Later in the meeting, during commissioner reports, Yokoyama chose to revisit the issue.

Not only did Yokoyama express reservations about the canceled meeting this month, he also questioned the wisdom of canceling a Dec. 19, 2012 meeting.

“It just bothered me,” Yokoyama said. “We should not cancel a meeting unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

The December date Yokoyama made reference to was canceled along with two other meeting dates during the commission’s July 6 meeting.

July 4 and Nov. 21 meetings were also canceled.

Yokoyama suggested the body convene for the Aug. 17 meeting despite agenda items not being ready.

“Just because there’s no public hearing items, I’m still willing to give residents an opportunity to come address the commission,” he said.

Chair Larry Sagert disagreed, saying it would be a “waste of money” to conduct a meeting without public hearing items.

Yokoyama made a motion to discuss the canceled meetings at a future meeting; however, he didn’t garner the required three votes needed.

City Attorney Mark Steres said, “At anytime the commission can undo the action if there was interest by any of you.”

Vice Chair Naresh Solanki, who voted in favor of canceling the meetings, and told Patch after the meeting, “I understand where Commissioner Yokoyama is coming from, but I’ve been involved in city government for over six years, and that time of year (December) is always slow.”

“People are getting ready for Christmas and heading out of town with their families," he added. "Trust me; the commission won’t be missing anything. And like Steres said, we have the option of always reinstating the meetings.”

The next Planning Commission meeting is will be held on on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.