by Garth MeyerQuestions of engineering and finance met one of philosophy Jan. 22 in Los Angeles, and the latter took precedence when, by unanimous vote, the Metro board of directors chose Hawthorne Boulevard for the path to extend light rail to the South Bay.A total of 172 people gave public comment at Metro headquarters.Those against the Hawthorne Boulevard route cited concerns about lost sales tax and disrupted businesses along the commercial corridor. Those in favor cited quality
Redondo truck route warning signs go up in Torrance
Garth Meyer
March 9, 2026
Two nights before the Metro meeting, the Redondo Beach Council voted to throw the 6,000 homes that surround BCHD under the bus when it approved BCHD’s 100% PRIVATE developer’s request for enough square feet on our PUBLIC site to build a CENTERCAL MALL-BY-SEA scale PRIVATE development.
Grassroots activists didn’t block light rail from the right-of-way. A UNANIMOUS Metro Board voted to place the light rail elevated over Hawthorne Blvd. Grassroots activists engaged with the Metro Board for YEARS providing input, questioning staff reports, providing professional engineering data, and more. Their diligence resulted in the Board re-considering which option to choose.
Feeling it
Replying to BCHD
Granted, it is taxing and hard work to constantly be present in keeping our BEACH cities the charming beach communities they are.
People are not without voices. They need to show up, and in numbers to oppose Big Development if it negatively alters residents’ Quality of Life.
It would be a tragedy if “progress” wiped ‘charm’ off the map unnecessarily.
The character of our quaint, quiet, charming, beach communities, removed from the hustle and bustle of big city life (L.A. proper), are the very reasons I was raised here and later built my family home in the South Bay.
Great article on Metro’s Jan 22nd board meeting.
Supervisor Holly Mitchell’s track record reflects true “For the People” commitments, and she has yet to falter.
It is difficult for me to trust politicians, as more often than not their promises amount to empty words that never materialize.
On one of her Community Walks I presented Supervisor Mitchell with an arsenal of detailed facts rebutting what Metro was displaying. Her response was, “Trust the process.” I wondered whether that was simple political pacification, or whether she was genuinely weighing the facts for herself, unencumbered by outside agendas.
Supervisor Mitchell’s motion reflects authentic leadership, fairness, integrity, and a willingness to walk the walk.
When she says “trust the process,” it is earned. This is what effective representation is supposed to look like and is the standard to which public officials should be held.
I don’t believe any well considered decision will ever please everyone all of the time. However, progress should never be achieved by placing people’s health, safety, and daily lives at risk. Particularly when the impacts are long term, widespread, and avoidable, when safer, more beneficial alternatives exist, even if they require greater investment.
In this day and age, sacrificing the few for the benefits of the many is archaic, and frankly, lazy.
Claims that former Councilmember Christian Horvath advocated for residents during the 2018 Metro rail debate do not withstand scrutiny.
In reality, Horvath sent a city letter to Metro without consulting affected residents. While claiming to prefer the Hawthorne Blvd. route, his version also accepted the Right-of-Way option with mitigation (something his protégée/successor also stated in their 2023 campaign videos) . His letter was weak and only reached the full council on July 17, 2018, where stronger language was added by others, not Horvath.
When residents later asked why he never engaged them, Horvath responded with hostility, insulting fellow councilmembers, dismissing residents, and accusing Mayor Brand and advocacy groups of lying. This was consistent with his long-standing pattern of disregard for the people he represented.
If Horvath was an advocate, where was he? Residents report he skipped community meetings, never publicly opposed the rail line, and failed to engage affected neighbors. In the final months of his term, he purchased a home in Torrance and, by voter records and neighbors’ accounts, was living there (not his unpermitted Redondo Beach garage dwelling) while remaining silent on the Metro Right-of-Way.
His allies reflected the same mindset. Then-Councilmember Laura Emdee told residents they should have expected rail impacts, and Horvath-associate and then-Councilmember Jason Massey of Hermosa Beach pushed a pro–Right-of-Way letter to Metro without Hermosa’s full council knowledge, decisions made without residents, not in partnership with them.
This mirrors Horvath’s broader record, including backing the CenterCal harbor mall despite clear voter opposition, a decision that cost residents $22 million and froze harbor redevelopment for nearly eight years.
That is the record, not leadership, not advocacy, and not something that can be rewritten to fit a convenient narrative. Residents deserve honesty, not revisionist history.