To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: MARC WIENER, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
TITLE
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A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY’S CERTIFIED 2021-2029 (6TH CYCLE) HOUSING ELEMENT AND ASSOCIATED AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY’S ZONING AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCES REQUIRED FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND CONSISTENCY REPLACING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERLAY DISTRICTS ON THE CITY’S IDENTIFIED “HOUSING SITES” WITH HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (65 DU/AC) AND MIXED-USE ZONING DISTRICTS (65 TO 80 DU/AC)
ADOPT BY TITLE ONLY RESOLUTION NO. CC-2605-027, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING, PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT, AN ADDENDUM TO THE CERTIFIED “REDONDO BEACH FOCUSED GENERAL PLAN UPDATE, ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATE AND LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM AMENDMENT PROGRAM EIR” AND AMENDING THE CITY’S CERTIFIED 6TH CYCLE 2021-2029 HOUSING ELEMENT TO REPLACE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERLAY DISTRICTS ON THE CITY’S IDENTIFIED “HOUSING SITES” WITH HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (65 DU/AC) AND MIXED-USE ZONING DISTRICTS (65 TO 80 DU/AC).
INTRODUCE BY TITLE ONLY ORDINANCE NO. 3311-26, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING TITLE 10 PLANNING AND ZONING, CHAPTER 2 ZONING AND LAND USE OF THE REDONDO BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE TO IMPLEMENT AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY’S CERTIFIED 6TH CYCLE 2021-2029 HOUSING ELEMENT THAT REPLACE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERLAY DISTRICTS ON THE CITY’S IDENTIFIED “HOUSING SITES” WITH HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (65 DU/AC) AND MIXED-USE ZONING DISTRICTS (65 TO 80 DU/AC). FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING
INTRODUCE BY TITLE ONLY ORDINANCE NO. 3312-26, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING TITLE 10 PLANNING AND ZONING, CHAPTER 1 SUBDIVISIONS OF THE REDONDO BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE TO IMPLEMENT AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY’S CERTIFIED 6TH CYCLE 2021-2029 HOUSING ELEMENT THAT REPLACE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERLAY DISTRICTS ON THE CITY’S IDENTIFIED “HOUSING SITES” WITH HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (65 DU/AC) AND MIXED-USE ZONING DISTRICTS (65 TO 80 DU/AC). FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING
PROCEDURES:
1. Open the public hearing and receive all testimony and written materials regarding the proposed amendments from staff and the public, and deliberate on the proposed amendments;
2. Close the public hearing; and
3. Adopt Resolution No. CC-2605-027, approving the Addendum to the certified General Plan Update Final Program EIR and amending the City’s Certified 6th Cycle 2021-2029 Housing Element;
4. Introduce for first reading Ordinance No. 3311-26, amending Title 10 Planning and Zoning, Chapter 2 Zoning and Land Use of the Redondo Beach Municipal Code; and,
5. Introduce for first reading Ordinance No. 3312-26, amending Title 10 Planning and Zoning, Chapter 1 Subdivisions of the Redondo Beach Municipal Code.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Redondo Beach adopted its 6th Cycle 2021-2029 Housing Element on July 5, 2022. The State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) certified the City’s Housing Element in their letter dated September 1, 2022.
Since adoption/certification, the City has continued implementing Housing Element programs, including zoning amendments, updates to development standards, and monitoring of housing project activity. In furtherance of the City’s implementation of its strategy for meeting its Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA), and in response to a recent court decision impacting the City’s Housing Element, staff is proposing an amendment to the adopted Housing Element that would replace the program for “overlay” zoning standards on the City’s identified “housing sites,” required to meet the City’s RHNA, with High Density Multi-Family Residential (65 du/ac) and Mixed Use zoning designations (65 du/ac to 80 du/ac) obligating future redevelopment of the identified “housing sites” to include a minimum of 50% of the floor area as residential. The proposed amendment also eliminates one of the six housing sites, referred to in the Housing Element as the North Tech site.
Additional amendments to the Draft Land Use Element, and the City’s Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances are also required in order to implement and make consistent the replacement of the “overlay” designations/zoning with the proposed Housing Element updates. These amendments will be brought forward to Council in the future for consideration.
All the proposed amendments to the Housing Element have been reviewed and approved by HCD. A “substantial compliance” letter from HCD, dated March 13, 2026, is attached to this Administrative Report. Additionally, HCD reviewed the proposed amendments to the City’s Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances to implement the Housing Element amendments, and all of HCD’s comments/edits are included in the proposed Ordinances. If adopted by the City Council, the draft Housing Element amendments would be submitted to HCD for certification.
BACKGROUND
The revisions to the Housing Element fall into the following general categories:
Clarification of Housing Sites Zoning Strategy
The most significant revision to the Housing Element involves clarification of the City’s strategy for facilitating housing development on the “Housing Sites” identified to meet the City’s RHNA allocation.
The adopted Housing Element originally included a program that relied on “Residential Overlay” zoning standards applied to these sites to facilitate residential development. An overlay zone is a regulatory tool that creates a special zoning district, placed over an existing base zone, to include additional provisions. With the Residential Overlay included in the City’s certified Housing Element, a developer would have the option of building housing, or an alternative use (e.g. commercial, industrial) that is allowed under the base zoning.
Based on discussions with HCD, the City is proposing to modify this approach by replacing the overlay zoning framework with specific zoning designations that directly permit and require a certain amount of residential development at higher densities on future projects.
An exhibit that shows the existing and proposed General Plan land use and zoning designations at each of the “Housing Sites” is attached.
The proposed General Plan land use designations include:
• Very High Density Multi-Family Residential (RVH)
o 20 - 65 du/ac
o Applies to the southern portion of the “Kingsdale” housing site; the “South of the Transit Center” housing site; and the “190th Street” housing site
• Mixed Use Housing Required (MU-H)
o Residential only: Max FAR 1.0
o Commercial and Residential: Max FAR 1.5
o 50% of total floor area of any new development must be for residential use
o 20 - 65 du/ac
o Applies to the “FedEx” housing site
• Mixed Use Transit Center Housing Required (MU-TCH)
o Max FAR 1.5
o 50% of total floor area of any new development must be for residential use
o 20 - 80 du/ac
o Applies to the “South Bay Marketplace” housing site
Higher densities are proposed to offset the elimination of the North Tech housing site and provide the city with an additional buffer.
Updates to Housing Development “Pipeline”
The revised Housing Element includes updated information regarding housing projects currently under review, approved, or under construction within the City.
These updates ensure that the Housing Element reflects the most current housing development activity within the City.
Technical Edits and Clarifications
Additional minor revisions were made throughout the document to improve clarity and ensure consistency with State Housing Element requirements.
As an example, these revisions include updates of program implementation timelines and minor corrections to tables and site inventories. These changes are technical in nature and do not change the fundamental policy direction of the adopted Housing Element.
HCD Coordination and Public Review Process
This draft Housing Element Update was released for two seven-day public review periods from January 6, 2026 to January 13, 2026, and from February 13, 2026 to February 20, 2026.
A total of five public comments were received during this period and were transmitted to HCD along with the draft Housing Element update. All comments received are attached.
All of the proposed amendments to the Housing Element have been reviewed and approved by HCD. HCD’s “substantial compliance” letter dated March 13, 2026 is attached. Per HCD:
“This draft amendment does not impact the September 1, 2022 finding of substantial compliance. The element will continue to comply with State Housing Element Law once rezoning has been completed to meet all statutory requirements and the draft amendment has been adopted, submitted, and reviewed by HCD pursuant to Government Code section 65585.”
Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance Amendments - Summary
Zoning Code Amendments (RBMC Title 10 Chapter 1 Subdivisions and Chapter 2 Zoning)
As a result of the proposed Housing Element amendments/updates, state law requires that the City’s Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances be amended to reflect, implement, and be consistent with the updates of the policy documents.
Consistent with the Housing Element, the new zoning designations replace the “Affordable Housing Overlay” zoning category in favor of either high density residential or high-density mixed use. It’s important to note that although the density for proposed land use and zoning designations is higher for each of the “Housing Sites,” the development standards such as stories and height are the same, or very similar, to the development standards for the existing “Affordable Housing Overlay” zones applied to each of the “Housing Sites.”
Attached to this Administrative Report is a document entitled “Summary of Proposed Zoning Ordinance Development Standards” which summarizes the proposed zoning development standards at each of the “Housing Sites.”
Amendments have also been made to the City’s Subdivision Ordinance (RBMC Title 10, Chapter 1) replacing references to the “Affordable Housing Overlay Zone” with the new designations.
ENVIRONMENTAL
An “Addendum” to the certified Final Program EIR for the General Plan Update was completed for the proposed Housing Element updates and the associated amendments to the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances and is attached to the Administrative Report.
As demonstrated in Section 3, Environmental Analysis, of the attached “Addendum”, the modified project (Housing Element Update and associated Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance amendments required for consistency and implementation) would not result in physical impacts that differ from the approved project evaluated in the certified PEIR, and would not trigger the need for preparation of a subsequent or supplemental EIR under the criteria in CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162(a) and 15163(a). The modified project would not change the assumptions made under the certified PEIR.
COORDINATION
On the matters related to the Housing Element Update/Amendments, the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances, and the preparation of the “Addendum” of the General Plan Update Final Program Environmental Impact Report, the Community Development Department coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office, and the City’s General Plan and Housing Element Consultants, PlaceWorks, Inc. and Veronica Tam & Associates, Inc. respectively. City staff also consulted with State HCD on the proposed Housing Element amendments and the implementing Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances. Additionally, the Planning Commission reviewed the proposed documents and unanimously supported staff’s recommendations.
FISCAL IMPACT
The costs associated with the proposed Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances and environmental services fall within the City’s Agreement with PlaceWorks, Inc. for the General Plan Update. The total cost of the Agreement with PlaceWorks is $2,459,846. Except for the initial General Fund expenditure of $676,900, the costs to fund the General Plan Update work have been paid from the City’s General Plan Maintenance Fund and through the Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) Grant awarded to the City by the State of California. With regards to the Housing Element update, Veronica Tam and Associates, Inc. provided the required consulting services. The current Agreement with Veronica Tam and Associates, Inc. is $30,000. The cost to fund this work has also been paid from the General Plan Maintenance Fund.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Reso - No. CC-2605-027 Amending the City’s Certified 6th Cycle 2021-2029 Housing Element (“Exhibit A”: Draft Housing Element - Track Changes; “Exhibit B”: Addendum HEU/ZOA-SOA)
• Ord - No. 3311-26 Amending Title 10 Planning and Zoning, Chapter 2 Zoning and Land Use (“Exhibit A”: Draft Zoning Amendments - Track Changes)
• Ord - No. 3312-26 Amending Title 10 Planning and Zoning, Chapter 1 Subdivisions (“Exhibit A”: Draft Subdivision Amendments - Track Changes)
• Letter - HCD “Substantial Compliance” Letter, March 13, 2026
• Housing Sites Exhibits - Existing and Proposed General Plan and Zoning Designations
• Summary of Proposed Zoning Ordinance Development Standards
• Planning Commission Resolution 2026-03-PCR-03 (w/o attachments), March 31, 2026
• Planning Commission Administrative Report (w/o attachments), March 31, 2026