Metro board holds off on South Bay light rail decision
by Garth Meyer
The Los Angeles County Metro transportation board voted unanimously May 23 to wait on choosing a route for a light rail extension to the South Bay.
Boardmember James Butts, mayor of Inglewood, and County Supervisor Holly Mitchell led the way, calling for Metro to come back with a funding plan, a more detailed environmental impact analysis for the two possible routes, and to engage more effectively with South Bay residents, a matter brought up in public comment at Metro’s downtown headquarters.
“I share the concern,” Supervisor Mitchell said. “It doesn’t feel genuine that flyers are distributed after a meeting takes place. I am going to ask that this never happens again.”
She also noted as “problematic,” a time-constrained Metro meeting in April in which public comment was passed over.
Mitchell seconded a motion from Mayor Butts before the vote of the 14-member board, chaired by L.A. Mayor Karen Bass.
“This will be a very sincere expansion of looking at these two alternatives,” Butts said, of a potential light rail route down Hawthorne Boulevard or down an existing right-of-way (ROW) through North Redondo Beach and Lawndale neighborhoods.
The mayor then referred to a man who brought a baby in during public comment.
“And I would encourage you, encourage you, to bring the baby back next time,” Butts said.
Also in attendance were a busload of red-shirted “NO to ROW” Redondo Beach residents, whose public comments were referred to in the board’s decision.
“I agree that the 108th/172nd change is not enough,” Butts said of a revision to the ROW idea which would send the light rail train under the two streets; what is called the “Hybrid ROW” option. “The game is not over.”
His motion also included a directive to Metro to “respond fully, fully, to public comments on the ROW in the final EIR (Environmental Impact Report).”
Metro spokesman Patrick Chandler told Easy Reader Tuesday that the agency expects to return to the board with the requested tasks completed – within a final EIR – in the next 18 months to two years.
“Staff will then (come back) to the Metro Board and bring a recommendation for certification and project approval,” Chandler said.
Supervisor Mitchell referred to a request made in public comment by Redondo Beach City Councilman Todd Loewenstein about empathy.
“I would argue we lead with empathy every day…” she said. “We make decisions for the greater good of all of L.A. County. Having gone to D.C. and asked, I wish I could be as cavalier as some have said about just getting the (necessary) money to fund either project. We will continue to try.”
She said that she has walked the ROW repeatedly.
“We’re not only talking about two stations in four miles. It’s a much bigger picture,” Mitchell said. “ … I am clear that the Hybrid option addressed a number of key issues; three neighborhood paths, landscaping and lighting, quiet zones to reduce noise and vibrations, and not moving freight closer to Breakwater Village (senior living).”
“I will ask Metro to address these issues; construction and noise impacts, CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act), imminent domain, proximity to homes, access to Galleria, ridership and outreach to non-English speaking and low-income neighbors.”

A diagram of the two proposed Green Line extension routes. Courtesy of Metro
Mayor Butts said he had to increase the size of his Inglewood city mailbox for the “25,000” e-mails he has received on the light rail matter, some from aliases, he suspects.
Georgia Sheridan, Metro project manager, noted during the May 23 meeting that a final EIR would add more detail in mitigation of noise, byway of sound walls, and laying new, modern, quieter freight tracks for the existing full-size tanker trains that go up the ROW today, and would continue alongside light rail.
A total of 105 people signed up to speak in public comment to the board, in one-minute segments.
Longtime activist and organizer Nikki Negrete-Mitchell of North Redondo opened it, talking about 1,600 signatures she had gathered against the ROW.
“Ridership, safety, commerce; win, win, win,” said her husband Kevin Mitchell.
“I ask you to put yourselves in the shoes of the families within 350 feet of ROW,” said Redondo Beach Councilman Loewenstein. “1,624 homes, to have 200+ Metro trips over a 20-hour period each day for the rest of their lives.”
Lawndale Mayor Robert Pullen-Miles spoke in favor of Hawthorne Boulevard and a former Torrance mayor spoke against it.
Redondo Beach Mayor Jim Light said that, “Mass transit by definition should be attainable and carry the most riders possible,” noting 1.72 million more annual riders projected for the Hawthorne Boulevard route, and 47% more boardings at a subsequent station by South Bay Galleria – slated to be redeveloped into the South Bay Social District.
“We want to be connected to greater Los Angeles…,” said Redondo Beach City Councilmember Paige Kaluderovic, speaking in favor of light rail to the South Bay. “… The cons on the ROW are safety issues that can’t entirely be mitigated. The cons on Hawthorne Boulevard are financial and we can overcome them. We will work together (to do so).”
Sean Moore, Lawndale city manager, submitted a letter to the board, saying that the draft EIR for the ROW route did not properly address impacts, nor mitigation areas.
“(By) significant legal precedent, you cannot adopt an alternative and not bring the final EIR forward,” he said.
Luke Smude from the Redondo Beach city manager’s office asked the board to receive and file an official letter from the city council, approved the week before.
“Respect history, respect the data, respect the people,” said Nils Nehrenheim, Redondo Beach city councilman. “Realign the old Red Car line with Hawthorne Boulevard ….”
He made a point that “Metro wants ridership,” and that was where to get it.
A Torrance city councilmember and a Chamber of Commerce representative spoke in favor of ROW, and a former mayor of Torrance said he was “supporting the Hybrid alternative; the most cost-effective and least disruptive method to alleviate traffic congestion…”
Redondo Beach City Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr., lamented 173 mature trees that would be cut down in Lawndale for a ROW project and “disparate health impacts, physical and mental health” and “trauma inflicted” on Breakwater Village residents.
He noted a Metro phone poll saying that 67% of 670 people favored light rail to go down the ROW.
Metro owns the right-of-way, bought in 1993.
“There’s 240,000 people in the region,” Obagi said.
The Torrance city manager spoke, and the head of the Torrance Visitors Bureau, both in favor of the ROW.
Brianna Egan made remarks, representing South Bay Forward, with “strong support for the (ROW) Hybrid option.”
She said she had 450 signatures in favor of the choice, citing a “cost-effective, safe and deliverable project. This is the all-inclusive solution with the most benefit (and) nearly $1 billion less than Hawthorne.”
Preliminary estimated costs show a funding gap of $825 million for the ROW and $1.48 billion for Hawthorne.
A Lomita resident spoke against the ROW, calling a proposed noise mitigation effort a “graffiti sound wall.”
“ROW hybrid – A.K.A. death row,” she said.
A community organizer for Abundant Housing L.A. followed, giving her perspective as “an actual transit rider.”
“… And honey, that ain’t the real death row, let me tell you,” she concluded.
A man from Breakwater Village gave his view, one of 200 residents.
“The downside of Hawthorne is temporary and economical. The downside of ROW is permanent and catastrophic,” he said.
Rob Gaddis of the Redondo Beach Planning Commission alluded to his experience in Washington, D.C., before and after its Metro system was built.
“A guiding mantra; build it right, don’t build it fast,” he said.
ROW neighbor Josh Standifer questioned Supervisor Mitchell and talked about cut-off public comment at the meeting in April.
In further input from Metro project manager Sheridan, on ridership, for a station at the Galleria, she said it was a matter of which corner of the large site the station would be built — either out front on Hawthorne Blvd., or back to one side, which would lead to the ROW.
She said the ROW is more cost-effective to attract new riders.
An option to not build any extension to the South Bay remains viable, too.
Supervisor Mitchell pointed out various Metro projects that have not been built after reaching this stage.
“The project is designed to avoid eminent domain wherever possible,” said Sheridan, counting 13 properties on Hawthorne and three on the ROW which would be subject to seizure.
“No homes we see at this stage that need to be required,” she said.
“What this all means,” Mayor Butts summarized to the attendees May 23, “In essence, we live to fight another day.”
“(The decision) left room open for us. It’s not a big, wide opening,” said Obagi later, who represents the area in which the ROW passes through Redondo Beach. “But they definitely have heard our concerns. And they recognized that even in the motion that passed. It’s a big victory; not the biggest victory.” ER