by Laura Garber
A proposal to renovate the century-old commercial building at 901 Hermosa Avenue won Planning Commission approval Tuesday night, after a multi-meeting debate that addressed tensions between preserving Hermosa’s downtown character and allowing new business development.
The 4-1 decision allows property owner Kyle Ransford to proceed with adding another story to the Mission Revival structure, which has sat at the corner of Hermosa Avenue and 9th Street since the 1920s. The commissioners’ approval was granted pending City Council approval, but only after reservations were voiced concerning the architectural workaround intended to bypass parking requirements.
To comply with parking requirements, the applicant proposed “decommissioning” 1,340 square feet on the second floor. The space would be built sealed off, and its use legally prohibited, reducing the net addition in square feet to below the 10% threshold that triggers compliance with parking requirements.
County records list the building as 7,780 square feet. But Ransford says the current building is 14,021 square feet. He said the discrepancy is explained by a “movable” second floor between the self storage facility’s two-deck lockers.
The proposed development with the additional floor would be 12,012 sq. ft.
Commissioner Pete Hoffman expressed skepticism that the “decommissioned” space won’t be used. “At $50 a square foot per year, this is space worth $60,000 annually,” Hoffman said. “I simply can’t approve this by pretending those 1,300 square feet are going to remain vacant.”
Community Development Director Alison Becker said violations could bring fines of $250 to $1,000, plus revocation of the project’s development permit.
Hoffman said those consequences seemed inadequate in comparison to the potential rental income.
Becker acknowledged Hoffman’s reservations.
“You’re not going to have a penalty that fits the crime,” Becker said.
Newly appointed Planning Commission Chair Steve Izant shared Hoffman’s concern while supporting the project: “I don’t want to find out five years from now that this whole thing has been leased out and they’re making money hand over fist.”
After consultation with legal counsel, the commissioners agreed to send a separate recommendation to City Council urging a review of enforcement mechanisms for development permits.
Commissioner Greg McNally questioned whether preventing business success should be the goal, while Commissioner Kate Hirsh praised having an owner-operator preserve the building’s character.
Alexis Oropeza, the city’s planning manager, noted Vista restaurant on The Strand and Pier Plaza previously used a similar approach, decommissioning interior space to expand outdoor dining.
The century old, 901 Hermosa Avenue building was originally a Ford truck dealership. Ransford purchased the property for $5 million in 2022 from the Dahl family, who had owned it since 1913.
Commissioners Hirsh, McNally, Flaherty, and Chairperson Izant voted for approval, with Hoffman casting the dissenting vote. The City Council is scheduled to review the project in January. ER
