by Bob Pinzler
Over the last few months, the Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) has focused on obtaining approval of a floor area ratio (FAR) of 1.25 on its property on Prospect in Redondo Beach. This would enable it to build to a density level more than half again as much as already exists there.
Those opposed to building their assisted senior living project focused on the scale being too large for the property and the surrounding neighborhoods. Little did we know that the reason for seeking this density was not for the existing project but a new one, which was unknown to the public until this past week.
For months, many of us had speculated that the project BCHD had been flogging for years was being abandoned. Several options occurred to us. One that made sense was housing. That was the proposed project offered to the District Board last week.
However, a very substantial wrinkle was added to the housing concept: affordability. This is a smart political move for the District because who could oppose affordable housing for seniors?
Yet, there is a problem. By offering 100% affordable housing, as their consultant recommends, the District could take advantage of California law and obtain a density bonus of up to 80%. That would mean that if the Redondo Beach City Council approves a 1.25 FAR, it would allow a 2.25 FAR. That means that the District could build up to two and a quarter times the square footage of its entire property.
This would be by far the densest senior housing development in the City. And if that were not bad enough, it would provide a precedent for other public landowners, such as the School District, to monetize any of their potential surplus property.
As with all proposals offered by an entity that has been less than forthright with the public it serves, the details are critical to examine. For example, their consultant included what will likely be positioned as “open space” on the property. Yet, all the existing senior housing projects in Redondo Beach enforce limited access.
This makes sense as seniors are seeking affordability and safety. Thus, any “open space” will likely be walled off from general public use. If it is not, then the residents will be unlikely to use it. To prove that case, look at Andrews Park, adjacent to Heritage Point in North Redondo. It has been underutilized for years, especially by the nearby senior residents, likely because of limited security.
The concept of affordable senior housing is a good one. But it must be built to a scale that considers the residential nature of the neighborhood.
BCHD, don’t get greedy. ER
Thanks to Bob Pinzler for spotting “the Devil in the Details”.
So, here’s what we know. We have a pro-development Mayor, Jim Light, who will greenlight any BCHD project out before the city council. We have a District 3 city councilwoman, Paige Kaluderovic, who does not discuss the potential density of this project with the surrounding neighborhood because she doesn’t understand it. We have newly elected District 2 councilman, Chadwick Castle, ignoring the project because it sits outside his councilmanic district by about 300 feet to the east, and he refused to address the potential density during his campaign because he was supported by Beach Cities Democratic leader, Dency Nelson, who is a tenant of BCHD and proponent of expansion. You have a newly elected City attorney who will continue to advocate for BCHD, just as did former city attorney, Mike Webb. And, you have a pro-development city council that will look for excuses to not limit the size of a project at the site and will ignore what the original purpose and mandate was of the voters when the hospital district was formed, and funded, years ago. And, think about this. Who is really to blame for this potential over-developed disaster waiting to happen on Prospect Avenue ? None other than residents who could not be bothered to vote in the last election, and those who did vote who acted like sheep and went along, to get along. So, when your homes are dwarfed by tall structures and choked by constant traffic, you’ll have no one to blame except yourself. Many thanks to Bob Pinzler for exposing this BCHD plan.