Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Redondo Beach public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
17 issues in zoning
Artesia and Aviation Boulevards Revitalization
Resident Jim Mueller said developer-led revival of North Redondo's main street has stalled and pushed for pop-up fairs and walkable public space; the council's general plan action raises building caps there to 1.5 FAR, and Councilmember Behrendt called fixing Artesia his 'exclusive focus.'
PCH/Ruby Street zone change concerns
A property owner pleaded with the council to pause the PCH rezoning heading to the November 3 ballot, saying owners face financing trouble and unfair treatment versus developers allowed to build residential nearby.
Nonconforming Uses and Structures Zoning Amendments
Homes on PCH and Torrance Blvd were rezoned commercial, sparking fears about insurance, financing and rebuilding. The draft amendments would let those owners rebuild under the old residential standards — 'dual zoning' — and give nonconforming businesses citywide more flexibility, including rebuild rights after 50% destruction.
Music Instruction Use in Commercial Zone
A music instruction business is seeking a conditional use permit to operate in an existing commercial building, with its parking on residentially zoned land. The hearing would determine whether the use is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
Remodel and Rear Addition at 209 Avenue E Historic Landmark
A public hearing was scheduled on a certificate of appropriateness for a remodel and rear addition to a designated historic home. The Commission weighs whether the changes fit the property's historic character.
Hedges Ordinance
The city is rewriting its hedge rules with a 100-foot 'bona fide complainant' radius, clearer height definitions and citywide maintenance requirements. Council wants the height-measurement language tightened before a first reading next week; residents worry the complaint limits suppress reporting.
Historic landmark designation for 519 Garnet Street
A request to designate the building and property at 521 Garnet Street as a local historic landmark was scheduled for public hearing. Designation could protect the structure's historic features while restricting future changes.
General Plan Land Use Element and FAR Limits
The Council adopted two ordinances aligning the zoning code and coastal plan with the new General Plan. Residents allege the recitals set up a future 1.25 floor-area-ratio on Beach Cities Health District property; the Mayor says the actual zoning assigns no FAR to public institutional land and the PI question was deferred to the Article 27 ballot process.
Unexpected commercial rezoning at 512 South PCH
Property owner Hamza Goodmani says he bought his property expecting it to revert to residential use if he let the grandfathered commercial license lapse — then learned the whole zone changed to commercial in November 2024 without notice to him.
November 2026 Land Use Ballot Measure
Voters will decide in November whether to approve major land-use changes — including higher floor-area ratios, height caps, and rooftop dining — required to go to the ballot under the city charter. The council is refining a 46-page ballot text that few residents are expected to read in full.
Rooftop Dining Regulations in AACAP
New regulations are being established to allow rooftop dining within the Artesia and Aviation Corridors, giving restaurants more creative design options and outdoor dining capacity.
Fit Kids Gymnastics Center conditional use permit
A gymnastics business for kids and teens wants to open in an existing industrial building on Manhattan Beach Boulevard. The Commission was scheduled to hear testimony and decide whether the use fits in the Industrial IC-1 zone.
Residential variance for reduced setbacks
A homeowner in an R-2 zone wants to add a first and second story to their single-story house with smaller setbacks than the zoning normally allows. The decision affects that property and could set a reference point for similar requests.
Riviera Village outdoor dining deck program
The dining decks that transformed Riviera Village got a five-year extension, keeping 47 parking spaces occupied. Retail owners complain about parking shortages — one 30-year shop closed over it — while restaurants credit the decks for booming business. The council wants a fee review and is studying a possible underground garage.
Waterfront Local Control Resolution
A draft resolution would reaffirm the city's local control over its waterfront and coastal resources in response to the National Park Service's Los Angeles Coastal Special Resources Study. It's a statement about who decides the future of the harbor and shoreline.
Preferential Parking Zone on North Gertruda Avenue
Residents on the 500 block of North Gertruda Avenue will get relief from commuter parking congestion with a new daytime permit parking zone.
School District Property General Plan Designations
The City Council reviewed general plan land use designations for three Redondo Beach Unified School District properties currently used for community, park, and recreation purposes (Alta Vista Elementary, former Franklin School, and Lincoln Elementary). Ensuring these sites retain proper designations protects local park and community space from unexpected commercial redevelopment.