Suburban Long Beach : Belmont Heights vs Los Altos (Fremont, Carson: house, neighborhoods)

[HSP1161]

We're in the final stages of our relo and have narrowed down to the Belmont Heights and Los Altos neighborhoods within Long Beach. We are a relatively young family and want the convenience of Los Altos to the freeway (work in South Bay and friends in OC) but the beach access and authenticity of the Belmont communities.

Some questions:

Los Altos:

1) What is the average summer temp difference between Los Altos and BH? Marine layer difference?
2) How is the airplane noise, in general? Is it more/less/same as the rest of LB?
3) What is the best way to access the beach from here via bike or jogging?

Belmont Heights:

4) What can one expect time-wise to/from the 405 freeway during rush hour?
5) Do the parking headaches of Belmont Shore spillover into Heights?

Schools:

In search of narrative beyond API scores and "it's a great school" forums:

6) One of our sons is non-athletic, very creative, bright, high-achieving third grader. Recommendations for a public school fit? (Gant / Fremont / Lowell / Emerson Parkside Academy) We're concerned about bullying and/or attitudes that may be endemic to the schools.
7) Same question as #6 - Will Rogers vs. Stanford Middle schools?

General:

8) Which area would you recommend for our situation? We're honestly torn and are looking to the forums to help guide our decision!

Thanks all!

[timtemtym]

Traffic going to the South Bay on the 405 in the morning is yuck! Coming back is worse as it can sometimes crawl all the way down. I sometimes take it to work just as far as Carson and coming back home, especially on a Friday after 3:00pm can be a good 40 minutes between Carson (Avalon exit) and Lakewood.

The temperature wasn't that much different this summer. It was hot all over! I'm from Texas but a lot of places in the area aren't air conditioned and everyone said it was the hottest summer they'd seen in a long time. I live in the Traffic Circle (West of Los Altos) and I house sat for friends a block off the beach in Belmont and it was maybe a few degrees cooler but I have AC and they didn't so it wasn't that pleasant.

But the hip factor of that area is many degrees cooler! The ability to walk to have dinner, meet other friends for a drink, walk to the little Vons by the beach for groceries. You'd definitely want a reserved parking spot in that area and having friends over is sometimes a hassle if they have to drive over.

Getting to the 405 from down there isn't all that bad. I'd say maybe 15 minutes, but once you get to the 405 your speed doesn't really increase. I'm not sure about airplane noise. I live a mile south of the airport but am not in the flight path and never hear it. Los Altos might put you in the flight path.

[HSP1161]

Thanks! I have a carpool sticker on my car. Does that make a difference on the 405?

[timtemtym]

Yes! But a lot of people have those so sometimes it's hit or miss. But overall it definitely is preferable to being in the single lanes.

[HSP1161]

Originally Posted by timtemtym

Yes! But a lot of people have those so sometimes it's hit or miss. But overall it definitely is preferable to being in the single lanes.

There used to be more HOV stickers, but the bulk of them (yellow ones) expired last year.

[HSP1161]

Looks like there are some great resources on the LBUSD website for GATE that spell out the process and particulars, but less info on the GATE programs by school:

Long Beach Schools - Curriculum: GATE: Identification

[scubashawn68]

I would also check out California School Ratings, rankings, test scores. The LB schools are not the best for High schools, but I guess Elementary schools are OK.