by Laura Garber
A nearly century-old commercial building at 901 Hermosa Avenue will undergo a modern and third-story renovation while retaining several of its original mission-style architectural features.
The Hermosa Beach City Council unanimously approved the renovation at its January 27 council meeting but rejected the Planning Commission’s recommendation to “decommission” space to avoid triggering city code parking requirements.
At its December 16 meeting, the Planning Commission proposed decommissioning the second-floor space to keep additions under 10% of the existing building, a threshold that triggers parking requirements under city code.
The strategy had worked before, Vista Restaurant used a similar approach in 2019, sealing off interior space to expand outdoor dining.
Instead, City Council approved the plans requiring the developer Kyle Ransford to use 1,340 square feet of the second-story as storage use only and to pay in-lieu parking fees.
Planning Manager Alexis Oropeza informed the council that the fees would apply to a minimum of seven parking spaces, with each unprovided space triggering a $28,900 fee, according to City code.
Councilmember Michael Keegan described the existing second floor as dangerous, lacking sprinklers, proper stairs, or fire-rated doors. “It’s a fire trap,” Keegan said.
Staff relied on 1998 permits signed by former building official Bob Rollins to calculate the existing square footage, though Keegan questioned whether proper construction drawings ever existed.
Mayor Rob Saemann’s motion, which passed 4-0 with Mayor Pro Tem Mike Detoy absent due to illness, requires the second-floor storage areas to remain storage only. “Storage facilities don’t see much traffic,” Keegan explained. “People put their stuff in there and they never come back.”
Ransford, who purchased the former Ford truck dealership for $5 million in 2022, agreed to the conditions after working on the project for four years. The project now moves forward to building permits, with final parking calculations to be determined by City Staff. ER
