Posts by Ryan McDonald
Beach 2016: Hermosa Beach short-term rental debate persisted during 2016
No issue galvanized Hermosa Beach this year like short-term vacation rentals. Throughout the year, it pushed City Council meetings into the wee small hours, generated at least two lawsuits, and loomed over the pending approval of important city planning efforts. A practice that had occurred periodically over the decades became impossible to ignore in recent…
Read MoreBeach 2016: Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach pass school bonds
Two local districts passed school facilities bonds in 2016. In Manhattan Beach, voters approved measures C and EE, which will provide more than $150 million to improve school safety and upgrade the deteriorating Fisher Gym at Mira Costa High School; both measures cruised to victory, each garnering at least two-thirds of ballots. And Hermosa Beach…
Read MoreOpposition to county fire services contract beginning to soften in Hermosa Beach
As Hermosa Beach nears a decision on the future of its fire department, pockets of once-strenuous resistance to the prospect of contracting with Los Angeles County for fire services delivery are beginning to diminish. The City Council will vote some time next year on one of two choices: maintain the existing independent department with added…
Read MoreShort-term rentals in Hermosa Beach’s nonconforming properties face tough path forward
Citing uncertainty about statewide legal ramifications and skepticism about their local effects, Hermosa Beach’s Planning Commission declined Monday to support a draft ordinance that would permit and regulate short-term vacation rentals in a segment of commercial properties in the city. The decision leaves in place a kind of legal limbo for short-term rentals in nonconforming…
Read MoreStormwater discharges still a challenge for South Bay
Last week’s rains gave local surfers a familiar warning to avoid runoff by staying out of the water. But another flow of stormwater, earlier in the week, came without much notice. More than 1.7 million gallons of stormwater emerged out of the Herondo storm drain near the beachside border of Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach…
Read MoreManhattan Beach City Council okays awnings for Strand House
The Manhattan Beach City Council approved an encroachment permit that allows retractable awnings at the Strand House restaurant at its Tuesday night meeting, bringing up thorny questions about coastal views and intensification of use in the downtown area that had been part of recent discussion of the Downtown Specific Plan. The decision allows the upscale…
Read MoreCrowded city council race in Manhattan Beach
Crowded Council Race At least eight people have filed papers to seek three open seats on the Manhattan Beach City Council, according to the Manhattan Beach City Clerk’s office. Mayor Tony D’Errico and Councilmember Mark Burton filed. The third seat is currently held by Councilmember Wayne Powell, who will be forced out by term limits.…
Read MoreSuspect still at large after pursuit ends in Hermosa Beach
One man was arrested and another remains at large after a pursuit by Manhattan Beach Police officers came to an end in North Hermosa Beach early Friday morning, police said. The chase began about 2 a.m. near the intersection of Artesia Boulevard and Prospect Avenue, when MBPD officers observed a white, late-model Chrysler 300 with…
Read MoreHermosa Beach Police Beat
Washing machine burglary A commercial washing machine was damaged late last month when unknown suspects broke into a North Hermosa apartment complex and took quarters from the coin dispenser. The break-in occurred sometime 4 p.m. Nov. 29 and 10 p.m. Nov. 30 at a building at 110 34th St., police said. The units commercial washing…
Read MoreAbout Town in Hermosa Beach
Fire services meeting Hermosa will host a study session this Monday to provide information about possible options for the future of fire services delivery in the city. Hermosa is among the smallest cities in the state to maintain its own department. In recent years, staffing shortages have forcing employees to cancel vacations and work significant…
Read MoreBrought to you by art: Hermosa Beach painter’s work graces LA billboard
Mike Collins had just moved his psychology practice into a new office on Pacific Coast Highway. He and his fellow tenants were trying to reach an agreement on the right shades for the walls. He headed to the Dunn-Edwards store a few blocks away, and returned with an an armful of paint samples. Little did…
Read MoreJury in Zisette case finds for Manhattan Beach family
More than two years after a tragic accident took the life of Manhattan Beach teenager Mason Zisette, a jury delivered a multi-million dollar verdict for his family, bringing some closure and hope for future reforms that could prevent similar accidents. Zisette, who was 16 at the time of the accident, died as a result of…
Read MoreHermosa Beach City Council okays new sign for St. Cross
The Hermosa Beach City Council saw the light at its Tuesday meeting, agreeing to grant a variance that will allow a beloved local church to put a new, more visible sign in the public right-of-way. Council members were unanimous in their appreciation for the community contributions of St. Cross Episcopal Church, but divided over whether…
Read MorePersonal history: Hermosa Beach’s Jason Halpern honors the memory of his father with donation to Holocaust Museum
There is something about war and embroidery. The Bayeux Tapestry is a priceless artifact that uses more than 200 feet of cloth to tell the story of the Norman Conquest of England. The Civil War spurred the development of the modern sewing machine with the demand for Union uniforms. And when Myron Halpern returned home…
Read MoreLooking to the future at the Hermosa Beach library
By Ryan McDonald The Hermosa Beach Library has stood in its current location since 1962, when research meant dusty tomes and unspooled microfilm. Today, with nearly limitless information available at the fingertips of everyone with an Internet connection, libraries are changing, and Hermosa’s will be no exception. The question is, how? The city is in…
Read MoreUpcoming meetings for Hermosa Beach library
A series of focus group discussions on aspects of the future of the Hermosa Beach Library will be held today and next week. The focus groups will center on various library user populations or service areas, and community members may attend to offer input on programing. On Thursday at the Community Center, there will be…
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