by Kevin Cody

Michael Keegan’s replacement of Justin Massey on the Hermosa Beach City Council, following the November 5 election, portends a change in the council’s direction. 

Massey advanced a progressive agenda with majority support from fellow council members Mike Detoy and Raymond Jackson. But Massey did not seek reelection to a third term in the November election.

Keegan campaigned for the open seat on the promise of a “course correction.”  He previously  served two terms on the council, from 2001 to 2009.

Massey said during his farewell address following swearing in ceremonies at the December 5 council meeting, that a highlight of his two terms was a lawsuit settlement in 2016 that “forever bans oil drilling in Hermosa Beach.”

Another highlight Massey mentioned was the movement he spearheaded toward carbon neutrality. He noted that one third of the city’s nearly 100 vehicles are now electric or hybrid, and that solar panels are being installed on civic facilities. 

Massey led the fight to have Hermosa join 40 other cities this year in the Clean Air Alliance. As a result, he said, 90 percent of Hermosa residents received their electricity from renewable energy sources.

Massey also supported the 2016 ban on short term vacation rentals (STVRs) in the residential coastal zone, and advocated approval of the sales tax increase on the November ballot. The STVR ban has withstood court challenges, but the sales tax ballot measure failed.

“I believe in investing in our community, like our predecessors did. The buildings we love, the places we love are here because someone had the vision and spent the money to make something future generations would enjoy,” Massey said during a November 2023 council meeting. A new Civic Center is estimated to cost $80 to $120 million. 

Massey also supported a new communications protocol that calls for all city communications with the press to be coordinated by the city’s public information officer.

In contrast to Massey, Keegan signed the ballot argument opposing the sales tax increase. He said during his campaign he favors remodeling rather than rebuilding the civic center, and that he believes the city’s STVR ban is illegal.

He also said during the campaign he would eliminate the public information officer position.

And unlike Massey, Keegan does not regard carbon neutrality as a priority. He blasted the council for approving the expenditure of an estimated $100,000 for a 5-panel solar array to power a single LED light at a restroom in Sea View park.

During the council swearing in ceremony, Mayor Dean Francois jokingly said he hoped for a “peaceful transition.” The reference was not only to the national Presidential transition, but also to Francois’ own mayor pro tem transition last October. Traditionally, the council unanimously approves the mayor and mayor pro tem transitions. But Francois did not receive unanimous support. Councilmember Raymond Jackson voted against Francois becoming mayor pro tem

Newly elected Councilmember Michael Keegan (second from left) seated next to Councilmember Raymond Jackson, Mayor Dean Francois and Councilmember Rob Seamann during the December 5 swearing in meeting. During the past year, Jackson was frequently in the majority and Francois and Seamann in the minority. Photo by Kevin Cody

The peacefulness of the current council transition is likely to depend on the collegiality of Keegan and Councilmember Michael Detoy, who was reelected November 5. Detoy often provided the third, majority vote for Massey and Jackson over the past two years.

Detoy signed the November ballot argument in favor of the sales tax increase, supports the city’s ban on STVRs, voted in favor of retaining consultants to study building or remodeling the civic center, and supported the new communications protocol. 

Detoy has also been supportive of City Manager Suja Lowenthal. Keegan has criticized the city manager, along with the council, for spending too much on consultants.

But despite their differing positions, Keegan said at the swearing in ceremony he looks forward to working with Detoy.

Detoy responded by saying, “His [Keegan’s] small business, and past council experiences will be an asset.”

Detoy added, “I’m Brown Act buddies with all of my colleagues.” (The State Brown Act prohibits a majority of elected officials from discussing policies together in private. But it allows a minority to discuss policies in private.) ER

Hermosa’s ban on short term vacation rentals in the coastal residential zones is intended to preserve the neighborhood character. Illustration by Keith Robinson

Short Term rental ban questioned

 In 2016, the Hermosa Beach City Council passed an ordinance banning short term vacation rentals (STVRs), for periods of under 30 days, in coastal zone, residential neighborhoods. The ordinance allows STVRs in commercial districts.

In April, the city council raised the fines for illegal STVRs to $5,000 for the first violation, $10,000 for the second and $20,000 for the third.

The purpose of the STVR ban is to prevent Hermosa’s residential coastal neighborhoods from becoming “lodging districts,” in the words of city staff reports.

But in August of this year, the enforceability of the ban was called into question when a hearing officer ordered the city to refund $8,000 in fines to two residents cited for hosting STVRs in the coastal zone residential districts.

The city issued the refunds. The city’s record on STVR citations that have been appealed since May 2023 is one win, six losses. But the city continues to issue citations, and since May 2023 has collected $43,000 from STVR citations.

Newly elected City Councilmember Michael Keegan said in November he believes the STVR ban will be overturned by the courts.

“The cat’s out of the bag,” he said.

Manhattan Beach’s similar ban was overturned in 2022. Manhattan now collects $1 million annually from Short Term Vacation Rental transient occupancy taxes (bed taxes).

“Let’s follow Manhattan’s lead, and collect the money.” Keegan said. ER

Hermosa resident Richard Roe warns e-bikers to dismount on The Strand. Photo by Kevin Cody

E-bikes gain acceptance 

Protests against e-bikes gave way to acceptance this year as ridership skyrocketed and concerns about e-bike safety ebbed. Stepped up traffic enforcement, accompanied by stiff fines, and technology all contributed to their broader tolerance.

Hermosa Cyclery co-owner Steve Collins said e-bikes jumped from practically zero to nearly 50% of his sales following the pandemic. But he resisted renting e-bikes because his shop is half a block from The Strand, where it is illegal to ride e-bikes if pedal assist is engaged. Then, midway through the year he found a solution. He equipped his rental e-bikes with geofencing software that disengages pedal assist on The Strand. 

Hermosa’s city council was so impressed with the geofencing technology that in June it passed an emergency ordinance requiring all e-bike rentals shops to have geofencing for The Strand, Pier Plaza and public parks.

The three Beach City school districts addressed complaints about students riding recklessly by requiring students who wished to park their e-bikes on campus to take an e-bike safety class.

Even Hermosa resident Richard Roe, who lives half a block from The Strand, acknowledges the e-bike problem has subsided. Last summer, Roe planted himself on The Strand wall at 14th Street, in front of his house, and yelled at speeding e-bikers to slow down. He became a local folk hero after alleging pepper spraying an e-biker who cursed and physically threatened him.

Now, the biggest problem posed by e-bikes is e-bike theft. 

“We’re seeing a lot of e-bikes stolen from garages,” Hermosa police chief Paul LeBarron told the Hermosa Council. Like catalytic converters on cars, thieves are targeting e-bike batteries, which are not secure, and are easy to sell, the chief told the council. ER