To: PLANNING COMMISSION
From: LUKE SMUDE, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER
TITLE
title
PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 10, CHAPTER 5 (ZONING ORDINANCE) OF THE REDONDO BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE (RBMC) PERTAINING TO SERVICE STATION REGULATIONS REGARDING GENERAL FOOD SALES. CONSIDERATION OF FINDINGS/EXEMPTIONS UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENT QUALITY ACT (CEQA), INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FINDINGS THAT SAID ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS AND/OR AMENDMENTS OF EXISTING REGULATIONS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO CEQA PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 15060(C)(2), 15060(C)(3), AND 15061(B)(3) OF THE CEQA GUIDELINES, AND THAT THE CODE AMENDMENTS ARE NOT A “PROJECT” SUBJECT TO SECTION 15378(B)(5).
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Open the continued public hearing, take testimony from staff and other interested parties, and deliberate;
2. Close the public hearing; and
3. Adopt a resolution by title only subject to the findings contained therein
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING REDONDO BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE TITLE 10, CHAPTER 5, SECTION 10-5.1602 PERTAINING TO GENERAL FOOD SALES, INCLUSIVE OF BEER AND WINE, AT SERVICE STATIONS
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
At its January 13, 2026 meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to direct staff to take the necessary steps to prepare an ordinance to allow for the sale of general grocery items at service stations in the City’s Coastal Zone to make it congruent with regulations in the City’s Inland Zone. The sale of general grocery items in the City’s Inland Zone was approved with Ordinance No. 3263-23 in November of 2023.
The City Council previously discussed this item on September 19, 2023, when the Council initiated approval of Ordinance No. 3263-23 that allowed for the sale of general food items at service stations in the City’s Inland Zone.
BACKGROUND
There are currently 10 service stations in the City of Redondo Beach, 8 of which are in the inland portion of the City. At this time, those service stations permitted to sell general grocery items while the two stations in the Coastal Zone are only permitted to sell incidental convenience items for the immediate consumption of the motoring public. This class of goods includes soft drinks, candy, cigarettes and other small items.
The City Council considered lifting prohibition in both the Inland and Coastal Zones at their February 21, 2023 meeting, but directed staff to only pursue an ordinance change in the Inland Zone at a Special Meeting held on February 28, 2023. That action was approved with Ordinance No. 3263-23 in November of 2023.
The Ordinance approved by Council for the Inland Zone included all provisions required by Business and Professions Code (BPC) Section 23790.5. This sets the minimum state standards, but does not limit additional local regulation. The baseline BPC standards state:
• No beer or wine shall be displayed within five feet of the cash register or the front door unless it is in a permanently affixed cooler
• No advertisement of alcoholic beverages shall be displayed at motor fuel islands
• No sale of alcoholic beverages shall be made from a drive-in window
• No display or sale of beer or wine shall be made from an ice tub
• No beer or wine advertising shall be located on motor fuel islands and no self- illuminated advertising for beer or wine shall be located on buildings or windows
• Employees on duty between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. who sell beer or wine shall be at least 21 years of age to sell beer and wine
Under California law, the City Council has discretion to implement additional regulations beyond what is required by the California BPC. The Ordinance adopted by Council also contained additional restrictions that are memorialized in the Inland Ordinance. These include:
• Compliance with all conditions required by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
• Explicit limiting of alcohol sales to beer and wine
• Limiting the percentage of retail space dedicated to alcohol sales
• Requiring that coolers containing beer and wine be locked during hours they are not sold
• Prohibiting single serve/individual containers of alcohol
• Prohibiting advertising of alcohol visible from the location’s exterior
• Ensuring that the proposed hours of operation are complementary, and will not negatively impact, the surrounding business district
• Prohibition on electronic games
Staff is requesting that the Planning Commission consider the proposed ordinance amending Title 10, Chapter 5, Section 10-5.1605 of the Redondo Beach Municipal Code (RBMC) allowing service stations in the Coastal Zone to sell general grocery items and find that the proposed change is consistent with the City’s General Plan. This would bring the regulations in the Coastal Zone in line with those currently in effect in the City’s Inland Zone. Staff will return to City Council with the Planning Commission's recommendation on the proposed Ordinance amending RBMC Title 10, Chapter 5, Section 10-5.1602 Service Stations.
COORDINATION
This item was coordinated with the Community Development Department , City Manager’s Office, and the Police Department. The City Attorney’s Office prepared the draft Ordinance.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for the preparation of the report is included in the annual operating budgets of the participating Departments. Any fiscal impacts associated with future processing of Conditional Use Permits for gas station food sales would be offset by application fees collected by the Community Development Department.
APPROVED BY:
Mark Wiener, Community Development Director
ATTACHMENTS
• Reso - Proposed Planning Commission Resolution, Inclusive of Proposed Amendments to the RBMC
• Ord - No. 3263-23 Amending RBMC Title 10, Chapter 2, Section 10-2.1605 - General Food Sales Service Stations in the City’s Inland Zone
• Administrative Report - City Council, January 13, 2026
• Administrative Report - City Council, September 19, 2023
• Administrative Report - City Council, November 1, 2022
• Map - Service Stations Citywide