Council gives full funding for walking park
The coming native plant and walking paths-park at the “Redondo Beach/King Harbor” sign could open by the end of this year.
The city council Tuesday night approved just under $1 million in Capital Improvement Project and Quimby Act funds – fees paid by developers for cities to create state-required parkland – to pay for the 2.5-acre space, a project that has woven through city hall for the entirety of City Manager Mike Witzansky’s career here; 19 years.
Initially, the larger area of the land – extending downhill along Herondo Street – was explored for use as sports fields but the idea was denied by landowner Southern California Edison.
In more recent years, an effort to build “passive open space” on the upper plateau gained traction, and SCE approved.
“To grow our open space; we haven’t done that in decades,” Witzansky said, as part of his recommendation to the council to fully fund the project.
Councilmember Paige Kaluderovic abstained from the vote, citing concerns about how much the park would be used.
Witzansky noted that the council’s funding of the project would make it clear to SCE that the city would like this land in perpetuity, and that once an SCE license has been established, it is routinely renewed.
He made a final point that the project would beautify one of the key entry points to the city (at Pacific Coast Highway and Catalina Avenue).
He told the council that city staff intend to execute pending contracts and have the park built this year.
“We are park poor,” said Mayor Jim Light. “It’s an anomaly for a wealthy community. It’s an embarrassment. We’re getting 2.5 acres for about $1 million. I think it’s a bargain.”
City Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr., made a motion to fund the full project.
Councilmember Kaluderovic said she will abstain.
“What’s giving me heartburn is, we’re putting a significant chunk into this, I’d hate to have it happen that we spend $1 million and nobody uses it. It could be like the cornhole installation I put in Franklin Park. It didn’t go well.”
She suggested that the money may be better spent on projects such as the Perry Park Teen Center.
Witzansky replied that unallocated Quimby funds are available for the Teen Center.
“We did value-engineer this… Delay is just not our friend,” he said, regarding rising costs over time.
City Councilman Chadwick Castle seconded Obagi’s motion, and the vote was 4-0, with Kaluderovic’s abstention.
Statewide, developers pay $25,000 per unit of a project to Quimby Act funds, which go to local and regional park projects.
Urgency moratorium: no more smoke shops allowed
No new smoke shops may open in Redondo Beach for the next 45 days, with a potential 10-month extension of the ban to follow.
The city council voted 5-0 Tuesday night to put in an emergency ordinance to this effect. The proliferation of the shops in recent years (and violations later discovered by police) drew the council’s attention.
“Thank you,” said Councilmember Paige Kaluderovic to city staff for finalizing the ordinance. “And I look forward to enforcement on this.”
City Clerk Eleanor Manzano counted 16 e-comments in support of the moratorium.
In April, Marc Weiner, community development director, presented a draft of a permanent ordinance to the council, which would limit smoke shops to 10 maximum in town, two per city council district. Buffer zones would be 1,000 feet between any two stores and 600 feet from schools.
The draft will go before the city’s planning commission in June.
The permanent ordinance also would call for rules that any new smoke shop in Redondo Beach requires a conditional use permit – granted by the planning commission and appealable to the city council.
Existing smoke shops would need to get a conditional use permit within five years.
For enforcement, the draft ordinance states that each shop would have to allow unannounced inspections; and the city retains the power to revoke a conditional use permit or a business license.
At least 15 smoke shops now operate in Redondo Beach, Wiener said, including some that run afoul of state law, as demonstrated in March inspections by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Assisted by RBPD, it turned up illegal tobacco and marijuana products at two shops on Artesia Boulevard.
A subsequent operation by Redondo Police two weeks ago closed down one shop for lack of a license, and seven were given notices regarding flavored tobacco. Three smoke shops were issued notices because of THC items.
Adams Middle School holds fourth Health & Wellness fest
Adams Middle School held its fourth annual PTSA Adams Health & Wellness Festival Saturday, April 26, with an estimated 600 people in attendance – half students, half parents – partnering with “Ready, Set, Gold!” which brought three former (track & field) Olympians to teach relay and hurdles, one of 17 “activations” at the event, among its 45 booths. The Los Angeles Rams flag football coaches were on hand to teach the game, and L.A. Sparks WNBA All-Star Odyssey Sims taught basketball skills. Activities also included a rock-climbing wall, Ninja warrior course, skateboarding, volleyball, rugby, a dunk tank and a live band. The Olympians were Marlene Harmon Wilcox, Prince Mumba and Allen James. Beach Cities Health Districted acted as festival supporter. ER
Finally, also looking foward to the power plant demolition and removal of the wires going up 190th and turning that into park space too