Save the Cypress

Dear ER:

I grew up in South Hermosa Beach. I left in the late ‘90s to go to college, and after many years of living and working in other states, and other countries, I have come home to raise a family. I bought a home near Cypress Ave because I grew up playing in South Park and spending my summers eating Mickey’s pizza. I want to pass those memories to my young children. I love my neighborhood, and until now I trusted our city government to protect and care for our neighborhood. But right now it is failing me and my family. The biggest threat to the future of our community and our way of living is the proposed changes to the city’s General Plan Housing Element (“Housing mandate, resident opposition put staff in vice,” ER July 20, 2023).  It is the small print that is most concerning. The City proposes changing the zoning code that has long reflected the redevelopment values of Hermosa Beach. The City is contemplating increasing Cypress Corridor’s allowable height from 35 feet to 45 feet. With California’s density bonus law, they are allowing building heights of up to 65 feet. That is nearly double the current height limit for homeowners. If I wanted to live in new tower blocks, I would have bought a home in Redondo Beach. 

The city proposes deleting the clause “protect from the adverse effects of unharmonious uses” [Chapter 17.28, C]. It proposes deleting the clause “Minimize the impact of development on adjacent residential districts” [Chapter 17.28, D]. It proposes deleting the clause “Ensure the provision of adequate off-street parking” [Chapter 17.28, F]. 

If this is approved, our streets, parks and beaches in South Hermosa will be overcrowded. The traffic from the increased density will be crippling. Not to mention the blocked views, evicted small businesses, and decade long construction pollution and noise. I support thoughtful redevelopment of the Cypress Ave area, including greater access to low-income housing, community-minded development, and redevelopment that preserves the fabric of Hermosa Beach. I do not support redevelopment that comes at the cost of our community, and the standard of living for those who live adjacent to Cypress, or redevelopment that creates open season for greedy developers.

Carrie Ferman Smith

Hermosa Beach

Council carnage

Dear ER:

I’m a Redondo Planning Commissioner, and a 57 year resident of our wonderful city. In case you missed the City Council meeting on Tuesday July 18, here are my thoughts. First some background. The City Council asked the Planning Commission and a consulting firm to come up with state requirement that Design Standards be objective for residents and developers building a new home. The Planning Commission studied, listened, learned and put together guidelines that took into consideration the resident’s wishes to stop “mansionization,” and balance that with the designers recommendations. Our last act was to put together a list of suggestions the City Council should consider, discuss and possibly add to the final document. At the City Council meeting the Council threw out our recommendations and took a dagger to the consultants document. They sided with the developers in the chambers who gave each other high-fives with each cut. The most disturbing part for me is not the 2-plus years the commission has worked on this, but the total disregard for the wishes of the 70,000 residents who live in this city. Instead the council gave thumbs up to the developers in the audience to acknowledge that they heard their wishes to continue to overbuild and mansionize one of the densest cities in the state. I made a huge mistake. When asked to support the offenders from District 4 and 5 in their elections I agreed. I had no idea they would disregard the wishes of the people in this city. There is one more meeting before this is a done deal. Please show up and make your wishes known. And don’t miss last week’s meeting on the cities’ YouTube channel.

Gale Steubs Hazeltine

Redondo Beach Planning Commissioner

Redondo Beach

The sky is already falling

Dear ER:

One of our esteemed Hermosa Beach Planning Commissioners may have shown his wrinkles by suggesting during the July 18 commission meeting that mid-size, four-to six-story affordable housing “defies-logic” because of construction costs (“Housing mandate, resident opposition put staff in vice,” ER July 20, 2023). The fly in that ointment is it’s already happening here in Los Angeles using modular construction techniques that allow off-site construction. And given the push to stop urban sprawl, and “Build-up and not Out,” it could happen here courtesy of density bonus laws, a church that already owns the needed property and believes it has a Christian duty to provide low income housing. It doesn’t defy logic dear commissioner nor is it beyond possible. It might go a long way towards allaying residents’ concerns over a low income housing project if St. Cross church officials would offer guarantees that any project on their site would go no higher than 30 feet, would provide adequate onsite parking for its residents, and match the character of the church and the surrounding neighborhood. Was that a piece of the sky that just hit me in the back of my head?

Anthony Higgins

Hermosa Beach

WEC needs life

Dear ER:

As soon as I saw the rendering of this proposal, I knew it was $30 million (“Ocean education building design revealed,” ER July 21, 2023). Contractors lick their chops when they see opportunities like this. Take a close look at the concept for the Waterfront Educational Center. The interior is mostly empty open floor space for tables and chairs. It features two rooms with floor to ceiling LED screens for simulation of ocean environments. The entire concept relies heavily on video content. The WEC lacks what the former Redondo Beach Sea Lab had, which was a real experience with sea life environments. The touch tanks had real animals. The jelly tanks were fascinating to watch and continued to create their own content. The developer said the takeaway from their public outreach was the community didn’t want just another aquarium. I think that was a cherry picked notion used to make their job easier. The input was provided by only Redondo residents. For the WEC to be a regional success it must have content and programming that is on par with the Los Angeles Science Center. Redondo City Council must get beyond the pretty picture of modern architecture and focus on a genuine experience for the patron. The site is literally steps from a real ocean environment. Why not take advantage of that?

Paul Moses

Redondo Beach

Opportunity cost

Dear ER:

I am so disappointed that the Redondo Beach PTA is supportive of spending $3,500 per foot for a bike path (“Letters,” ER July 20, 2023). It doesn’t matter if it’s taxpayer funding from LA County or Redondo Beach; that sort of waste is simply wrong.  Imagine the good that could have been done within schools with the $1.4 million Beach Cities Health District is squandering. Books, computers, teachers’ salaries, etc. Instead, the public is the loser as BCHD spends 17-times more on this project than was authorized in the South Bay Bike Path Master Plan (after adjusting the master plan costs for inflation, of course.) Metro’s grant was based on BCHD’s assurance that it would complete 1,200 feet of bike path for $1.8 million. Instead, BCHD is attempting a mere one-third of the 1,200 feet for $1.4M (80% of the budget). I sure hope the school budgets aren’t run as carelessly as BCHD’s.

Mark Nelson

Redondo

‘Big B’ keeping on

Dear ER:

Big B was a classic beach man (“‘Big B’ set the beat, and the scene for life at the beach,” ER July 20, 2023). I once asked him; “Brian, have you ever used an umbrella in your whole life?” “No,” was his reply. I was not surprised. I came to learn many of Brian’s songs, adding some leads and solos to the Proto-punk band Big Jerks. Brian was game for anything. When we didn’t make the cut at IRS Records in the ‘80s we decided to ‘keep-jamming’ and recording. But, we had had a negative recording experience earlier, and we’d said, “We sound like we have the tape wimpy’s!” So, after that, we would always record. The tape wimpy’s disappeared Markie (drummer) said recently; “Brian would want us to ‘go on.’” So guess what, we shall. Love you B…

Karl Grossman

Hermosa Beach

Immovable feast

Dear ER:

Redondo Beach Councilman Nils Nehrenheim noted how he has wanted the Artesia Boulevard area to be like the Champs-Elysees in Paris (“Walkability Zoning: Change coming to Aviation-Artesia Blvd. strip,” ER July 13, 2023). Does this guy know what the Champs-Elysees looks like? The sidewalks are triple the size of the ones on Artesia.

Annette Gallardo

Redondo Beach

Bukowski buddy

Dear ER:

Very enjoyable novel, mostly based on real events presented with some artistic embellishment (“Bells & whistles, and Charles Bukowski,” ER News July 20, 2023). Yes, Michael Meloan was friends with Linda and Charles Bukowski, and draws on actual experiences with them. Meloan is a person with many fascinating experiences and interests and there is always a spiritual dimension to his work. The book was also published in Germany in translation.

Matt Dukes Jordan

ERNews comment

Greek hospitality

Dear ER:

Thank you St. Katherine’s for the wonderful hospitality you offer each year at the Greek Festival (“40th South Bay Greek Festival celebrates Greek community, traditions,” ER July, 2023). This is a model that could be replicated by other faiths to promote greater brotherhood in our community. Deepest gratitude for this huge effort and enormous heart.

Barbara Epstein

Redondo Beach

Alarming bark

Dear ER:

I live on Manhattan Avenue in Hermosa Beach. After midnight on Wednesday, July 19, I called 911 to report a dog that had been barking continuously. I was concerned that it might indicate a serious problem. They immediately put me through to the Hermosa Beach Police Department who also answered immediately. Police Officers arrived at my residence less than 10 minutes later in response to my call. Fortunately, the incident turned out to not be serious and the officers left after checking. I want to thank the 911 operator and our Hermosa Police Department for their prompt response to my call. We can all rest easier knowing they are there when we need them.

Larry Moreau

Hermosa Beach