by Garth Meyer
The Redondo Beach city council took in a strategic planning session March 31 to assess what has been completed in the last 10 months, what is ongoing and what to do next.
It was an abbreviated strategic planning this year, without a usual consultant, explained City Manager Mike Witzansky.
“We want to be judicious about what we might add… as city staff is pretty maxed-out,” he said.
The session, held in the second floor meeting room of the main Redondo Beach Library, marked the end of the cycle since the last “strat plan.”
First, a list of the previous 10 months’ accomplishments were compiled, each councilmember naming a few, as well as department heads: the Wilderness Park Lower Pond reopening, Seaside Lagoon reconstruction design, the boat ramp decision, smoke shop ordinance, ribbon cuttings, Perry Park teen center refurbishing, pickleball courts at Alta Vista Park, truck-route warning signs, fully-implementing an electronic permitting system, a $1 million grant to update the Historic Library to ADA-requirements, pothole response times down to less than 24 hours “as far as I can tell,” said Public Works Director Andy Winje; the city applying for trademark protection for its logo, an $800,000 grant for more police barricades and license-plate readers, new public records request software and outdoor wi-fi expanded to include the pallet shelter.
The list reached 127 items (though some may later be condensed).
Witzansky noted that in his 20 years with the city and the 30-35 strategic planning meetings he has been in, “This is astronomical, I’ve never seen a list like this… We don’t celebrate our successes that often…”
Lude Smude, assistant to the city manager, reported that last year’s list was 94 items.
Next to be discussed were goals and priority areas for the coming year, which drew two public comments, one calling for more attention to Artesia Boulevard walkability, and the other for building more housing.
Discussion followed on more subjects.
Enhancing the waterfront – should the city do a land swap to move the old Gold’s Gym out of the Tidelands Trust? It would give more flexibility in uses for the space. Seaside Lagoon reconstruction – Request for Proposals is coming, along with an advance construction drawing; the city could also look for opportunities to demolish Joe’s Crab Shack, in lieu of a new option agreement with Marine Mammal Care Center to build a facility on the site, if the Center can raise the money.
“Activities at the waterfront have gone up exponentially the past year and a half,” Witzansky said.
Mayor Jim Light suggested that perhaps the city’s waterfront department should be separated from economic development again.
Witzansky noted that the departments were combined in the 2000s because “we haven’t been able to fund both.”
The mayor also called for further enhancement to Christmas and holidays events at the waterfront, “so we’re on par with our neighbors.”
Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr., and others countered that the expanded boat parade last year delivered. The mayor clarified that he wanted a prominent tree at the Pier, similar to Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach at their pier.
Obagi, Jr. also asked about strategies for vacant storefronts on the Redondo pier.
“Anything we can do to be more proactive to seek businesses,” he said.
“Proactive so we don’t lose a Nordstrom’s,” said Mayor Light, referring to the surprise exit of the store from South Bay Galleria in 2014.
Witzansky and Marc Wiener, city development director, said they could draft something on this front.
On a similar note, Councilman Brad Waller suggested that, after the previous efforts to plan for improvement on Artesia Boulevard, “if it works, we could do it on PCH.”
That would be more than 12 months out, someone said.
For another item, a potential underground parking garage in Riviera Village was discussed, also if widening sidewalks is the future of the dining decks in the Village, compared to the additions using the street itself.
Aviation Park pickleball courts were mentioned for a next parks project and for the Information Technology department, an “A.I. strategic plan for the city.”
City staff will now refine the new, 12-month plan list and present it to city council for approval in May. ER
