A ballot initiative that gained more than 6,500 signatures to rezone the Redondo Beach waterfront was held from placement on the March 2017 municipal election ballot by the Redondo Beach City Council, as council members mulled a decision to adopt the measure outright.
Council members Laura Emdee and Christian Horvath moved to hold placing the measure as they asked city staff to create a report that showing the potential impacts of the King Harbor Coastal Access Revitalization and Enhancement Act.
Specifically, Horvath and Emdee asked staff to analyze the fiscal impact of the CARE Act, its effects on land use, on the city’s ability to fund infrastructure and how it might affect future parking issues.
“I think having information and understanding the specifics on both sides is extremely important,” said Councilwoman Martha Barbee.
The CARE Act would “clarify” the language of 2010’s Measure G, according to local activist Jim Light, leader of Building a Better Redondo. Measure G set in place development limits and guidelines that have given rise to CenterCal Properties’ Waterfront: Redondo Beach redevelopment plan by allowing for up to 400,000 square feet of additional development in the harbor area.
The CARE Act is designed to block CenterCal’s existing proposal, which proposes 312,289 square feet of new commercial development in the harbor, not including a 276,836 square foot parking structure, as well as renovation of Seaside Lagoon park. It would ensure that the 400,000 square foot development cap would not exclude parking structure square footage. The CARE Act also requires that Seaside Lagoon either remain untouched or be replaced by a swimming pool of equal water area.
An Environmental Impact Report for the project cleared both Harbor Commission review and an appeal before the City Council, allowing it to move forward in its entitlement process.
Councilman Bill Brand, a long-time opponent of the CenterCal project, was livid at Horvath and Emdee’s proposal.
“Don’t think for a second that Christian Horvath or Laura Emdee are going to adopt this,” Brand said. “They’re sending city staff to take more time and spend more money…it’s an incredible waste of city resources.”
Emdee, however, noted that she would be open to adopting the CARE Act outright if the report figures made sense.
“I want to prepare people, this report is going to make it sound like a disaster,” Brand protested. “The campaigning has begun, and staff has been pushing this for years.”
But with the support of Horvath, Emdee and Barbee, the motion for staff to bring back a report on the CARE Act’s passed. It will be brought back on November 29, allowing 10 days for council to decide to adopt the CARE Act as is or place it on the March ballot by a December 9 deadline.
