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Ad banners are set to span two city streets
Advertising banners for businesses will be draped over Hermosa thoroughfares, after the city council fine-tuned a plan calling for the businesses to contribute money to the Hermosa Beach Education Foundation and other local nonprofit organizations.
The council on Tuesday gave final approval to the plan for banners over Pacific Coast Highway near First Street, and Aviation Boulevard near Prospect Avenue.
The council plans to review the banner program in two years.
One quarter of the area of each banner will advertise the nonprofit entity receiving the revenue and the rest of the banner will be devoted to the business.
Bars barred
The council extended a limited moratorium on new downtown bars and restaurants to a full year. The moratorium, originally set to last just 45 days, is designed to encourage more stores to locate amongst the restaurants and bars.
The moratorium does not prevent new bars and restaurants from opening, but it forbids them from moving into spaces last occupied by retail businesses in the downtown area. No bars or restaurants have recently asked to occupy retail space, and city officials knew of no upcoming requests for those spaces.
While the moratorium is in place, the council plans to hire a consultant to study long-term methods to attract more retail businesses to the area.
A prospective timetable for the downtown study has the city hiring a consultant near the beginning of the year, and considering possible solutions to the struggle for retail around April 2001, according to a report by City Manager Steve Burrell.
City officials want a market survey for the moratorium area along Hermosa Avenue from Eighth Street to 16th Court and along Pier Avenue from the Strand to Valley Drive.
A report by Burrell listed 42 downtown establishments that carry permits to sell alcohol.
In the Navy
Mayor JR Reviczky, a U.S. Navy veteran and tireless Navy booster, announced plans to once again bring naval vessels to Hermosa’s offshore area, saying that officials want to send two frigates from San Diego the weekend of Jan. 20.
Weather and sea conditions permitting, the Navy again wants to offer tours of the vessels to area residents.
The council voted 3-to-2 to explore spending money from a special events fund to help put on the event, with Sam Edgerton and Kathy Dunbabin casting the dissenting votes.
The events fund is made up of money from businesses that pay the city to hold special promotions such as a summer rice giveaway on the Pier Plaza by the Uncle Ben’s company. ER