Redondo council stays clear of Hermosa’s oil measure
Hermosa Beach councilmembers Nanette Barrigan and Hany Fangary urged the Redondo Beach City Council to express opposition to Hermosa Beach Measure O Tuesday night. The March 3 ballot measure would lift Hermosa’s ban on oil drilling.
Over a dozen others, on both sides of the measure, also addressed the council, leading to an hour long discussion about the oil measure
“We’re a big neighborhood here, this is a big region. As a good neighbor, you are entitled to an opinion and you have a responsibility to offer an opinion,” Hermosa Beach resident Dency Nelson said.
Former Hermosa Mayor George Barks argued, “Good neighbors do not meddle…and opening up intercity influence is a slippery slope.”
Councilmember Bill Brand expressed support for his council taking a position on the Hermosa ballot measure.
“This is definitely a regional issue,” he said. “In this district, beaches would be spoiled and would be risked…people need to take a regional approach to these issues. I hand it to Santa Monica and other cities that are willing to step up on this issue.”
Brand made a motion that Redondo adopt a resolution expressing opposition to Measure O, using the same language as Santa Monica’s anti drilling resolution.
Councilman Pat Aust opposed the motion
“I don’t believe it’s our job. I don’t think we need to be sticking our nose in other cities’ business,” he said. “We were elected by the people of Redondo to do what the people of Redondo want,” he said.
What bothered him the most, he said was the “fear mongers.”
“Do you know what fear is? Fear: False Evaluation of Actual Reality,” he said. “People fear Frankenstein, vampires and monsters. Are any of those real? Have any of those fears ever happened?,” he asked.
Brand’s motion failed for lack of a second.
“We ask each other for help and we do get help from police and fire. But I don’t know how I would react if a council from another city came adopted a resolution on how our citizens should vote,” Mayor Steve Aspel said. “The voters are going to have this out. We have a pretty contentious election [of our own] coming up soon, and I’m happy that the city of Hermosa is staying away from it.”
Redondo residents will vote in March on Measure B, which would allow the AES power plant property to be rezoned for residential and commercial development.
In other action Tuesday night:
— The city council approved the purchase of 360 single-space parking meters for Riviera Village, at a cost of $186,000.
— Freedom4U’s plan to hold the finals of its South Bay Idol youth singing competition at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center was approved unanimously.
— The Redondo Beach Police Department earned unanimous council approval for the expansion of its body-worn camera program. Thirty body-worn cameras, which were demonstrated by RBPD officers, will be purchased for more than $148,000 and paid for through grant and asset forfeiture funds. ER