Court ruling against Redondo may open door to Builder’s Remedy developments statewide
by Garth Meyer The specter of city Housing Elements throughout the state, including those for Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach, being found invalid has been raised by a California State of Appeals ruling. Cities whose Housing Elements are not approved subject them to the State Builder’s Remedy Law, which exempts residential developments from local zoning laws, including height and density limits. On Friday, October 10, Judges J. Klatchko, P.J. Egerton and J. Adams’ of the Court of Appeal, State of California–Second Appellate District, faulted the Redondo Housing Element for identifying the Vons shopping center property on Inglewood Avenue as a site for residential development. Like cities throughout the state, Redondo has struggled to satisfy the State-mandated identification of sites for new housing. Redondo’s RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Assessment) is 2,490 new units by 2029. The appeals court ruling was in response to a lawsuit against the city by Leo Pustilnikov, a majority owner of the AES power plant site. He submitted plans to the city in 2022 for 2,700 apartments on the site. “This ruling is a kick in the teeth to cities who worked diligently to comply…
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