The Redondo Beach city council took in a strategic planning session April 30, assembling a list for staff to focus on for the next 10-12 months.
New strategic goals included increasing Floor Area Ratio (buildable space) on Artesia Boulevard, Measure FP matters for the coming new police and fire stations, and continuing to be a leader in technology for the police department – working with its drone vendor to get FAA waiver for autonomous use.
“I think we’re getting close,” said Police Chief Joe Hoffman, who also talked about possibly issuing citations in the future with QR codes instead of paper. Mike Cook, the city’s I.T. director, talked about a 3-5 year goal of paperless city records, to allow for “global searches.”
All told, the department heads and city council settled on a list of 50 items.
“Let’s get a count and then talk priorities,” said City Manager Mike Witzansky. “If we’re talking 10, 12 months, we’re in the ballpark.”
For prioritization, the city council centered on Measure F.P., and economic vitalization on Artesia Boulevard and the waterfront.
The Artesia Boulevard part includes Floor Area Ratio, smoke shop limitations and possible further relaxing of parking regulations – which could include the city buying a building to tear down and make a public parking lot.
Near the end of Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Jim Light questioned the planning process, as the city council and department heads sat at L-shaped tables, guided by a consultant.
“We’re like a board of directors,” he said to the council. “The operational components of the company builds the plan and presents it to us; what they can do, and what they can’t do, realistically.”
“This is a punchlist of things that people who aren’t here every day came up with in one meeting.”
City Manager Witzansky said that in recent years the strategic planning process had migrated to more of a top-down approach after previous city councils felt they lacked control over staff.
“I’d like the pendulum in the middle,” Light said.
He will put together a way to do this and present it to the council.
The city held its last strategic planning session last fall.
“Our staff is already doing a ton to move the city forward on a wide array of issues,” Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr., told Easy Reader.
The objectives are not final until voted on by the city council in May. ER
