To: PLANNING COMMISSION
From: MARC WIENER, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
TITLE
title
PUBLIC HEARING TO INTRODUCE UPDATES TO THE CITY’S GENERAL PLAN LAND USE, OPEN SPACE & CONSERVATION, NOISE, AND SAFETY ELEMENTS
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Open the public hearing, administer oath, take testimony from staff, the public and other interested parties, and deliberate; and
2. Continue the public hearing to August 15, 2024.
end
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Planning Commission is required to review updates to the General Plan, along with any associated Zoning Ordinance amendments required for consistency, and make recommendations to the City Council pertaining to its adoption. Updates to the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance, along with the Environmental Impact Report, are tentatively scheduled for final consideration by the Planning Commission in September 2024. The City Council will review and take action on the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance amendments in October 2024.
At the June 20, 2024 Planning Commission meeting, staff provided a high-level introductory overview of the pending updates to the City’s General Plan Land Use Element, Open Space and Conservation Element, Safety Element, and Noise Element along with associated Zoning Ordinance amendments required to implement the Housing Element and for general consistency. Attached to this report is a copy of the June 20, 2024 Administrative Report (inclusive of attachments).
At this July 17, 2024 Planning Commission public hearing, Staff will introduce the specific “Goals and Policies” of each of the General Plan Elements to be updated (Land Use, Open Space & Conservation, Noise, and Safety). Staff is requesting that the Planning Commission review and deliberate on the proposed updates and continue the public hearing to the next regular scheduled meeting on August 15, 2024 for further consideration.
The Planning Commission may make recommendations on proposed edits or modifications to the draft Goals/Policies for any of the draft Elements or may propose new Goals/Policies. The General Plan update has been through an extensive public review and development process as part of the multiple years of development by the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) and it is preferred that proposed modifications be minimal at this stage in the project. Additionally, there could be implications from any proposed changes by the Planning Commission that affect the analysis conducted for the accompanying Environmental Impact Report (EIR) potentially requiring additional environmental analysis and delays in moving the project forward. Certainly, if the Planning Commission does propose changes those can be compiled for consideration by the City Council at a later date.
BACKGROUND
In this section, staff will provide a general overview of each of the draft Elements followed by some sample Goals and Policies from that Element. Attached to this report is a comprehensive list of each draft Elements specific Goals and Policies. Although not technically part of the General Plan, a copy of the proposed “Implementation Measures”, which is an appendix to the draft General Plan, is also attached. Additionally, the Planning Commission can suggest amendments to the “Implementation Measures”.
Before the summaries of each of the updated draft Elements is presented a few remarks on the proposed “Introduction” chapter of the draft General Plan are provided below.
Introduction
The “Introduction” chapter is new to the City’s General Plan and includes the “Vision” and “Guiding Principles” for the General Plan; a description of the planning area; an explanation of the role, purpose, and organization of the General Plan; an overview of the General Plan update process; and Community Engagement goals and policies.
An “Introduction” is not a State required General Plan Element but did become a necessary new chapter in order to guide the GPAC as they went through the update process. Attached to this report is a copy of Section 1.1.1 and Section 1.1.2 from the Introduction, which includes the City’s adopted “General Plan Vision 2050” and the City’s adopted “Guiding Principles”.
Land Use Element: California state law requires that every city and county adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan that addresses the broad range of issues associated with a local jurisdiction’s planning area (Government Code § 65300).
California Government Code Section 65302(a) stipulates that the general plan must designate the proposed general distribution, general location, and extent of the uses of the land for housing, commerce, industry, open space, education, and public facilities. It further requires that the Land Use Element include a statement of the standards of population density and building intensity for the land use designations that comprise the city’s land use plan.
The Land Use Element provides the primary basis for City decisions on development applications and establishes policies to help establish the general framework for the future pattern of growth, development, and sustainability in Redondo Beach. The goals, policies, and implementation measures within this element support the city’s Vision and Guiding Principles, contribute to the character of the community and serve the health, safety, and needs of the citizens.
The important components of this element are the policy framework, which includes the goals and policies that guide land-use decisions and help shape future development and public investment; the land use plan, including the land use map and designations; the focus areas and special policy areas discussions; and the implementation measures (Appendix B).
Through years of outreach and collaborative efforts to gain feedback from the community, the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC), the City’s Planning Commission, City Council and other stakeholders (residents and the business community at public workshops), a “vision” statement and “guiding principles” were established. The goals, policies, and implementation measures contained in this Element were developed with those in mind.
As established by the “vision” and “guiding principles”, the intent of the approach in the development of the Land Use Element and Land Use Plan (map and designations) was to maintain the fundamental pattern of existing land uses in the City, preserve residential neighborhoods and commercial and industrial districts, provide opportunities for enhancement and improvements through intensification or reuse within centers of community activity and identity, and to provide locations and development intensities for accommodating the City’s State-mandated Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). As such, changes to the plan aimed to:
• Preserve established residential neighborhoods and principal commercial districts allowing for infill development and recycling of uses that are compatible with adjacent development.
• Maintain the fundamental pattern of existing land uses, preserving residential neighborhoods and commercial and industrial districts, while providing opportunities for intensification or reuse of focused areas of the City (Special Policy Areas, for example).
• Focus on reuse or repurpose of underutilized sites (transitioning retail properties), corridors, and areas located adjacent to the freeway and proposed (or planned) Metro station stops such as the North Tech District, Galleria, and South Bay Marketplace.
• Target change in areas essential to satisfy the City’s State-mandated obligation to demonstrate it could meet its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) requirements for housing.
In addition to identifying the locations and residential development intensities required in order to satisfy the City’s RHNA obligation and maintain its certified Housing Element, the development of new and innovative goals and policies for environmental sustainability, historic preservation, and the development of “Special Policy Areas” for enhancing, revitalizing, and in some cases preserving the City’s most critical commercial and industrial centers were the most significant new components of the updates to the Land Use Element.
In addition to identifying the locations and residential development intensities required in order to satisfy the City’s RHNA obligation and maintain its certified Housing Element, the development of new and innovative goals and policies for environmental sustainability, historic preservation, and the development of “Special Policy Areas” (SPAs) for enhancing, revitalizing, and in some cases preserving the City’s most critical commercial and industrial centers were the most significant new components of the updates to the Land Use Element.
The Land Use Plan also includes several land use changes, primarily focused within the Special Policy Areas. Land use changes include those required by the Housing Element as well as updates to reflect the Citywide vision and support the goals of each SPA.
Land use changes required by the Housing Element, include the creation of six residential overlay areas to promote affordable housing development, map changes to adjust where residential high (RH) and mixed-use land uses are allowed (see Figure 2.1), definition changes to increase to the maximum density allowed within RH zones (see Table 2.1), and several revisions to the City’s mixed-use designations.
Some of the changes to the mixed-use designations are required by the Housing Element, but the Land Use Plan also reflects recommendations of the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) to reduce the maximum density of mixed-use development in the commercial corridors and concentrate new mixed-use growth on properties with deep enough lots to allow for projects that transition to adjacent residential neighborhoods. Mixed-use designations are identified in areas where recent mixed-use projects have developed, areas required by the Housing Element, and areas with deeper lots as shown in Figure 2.1. The Housing Element evaluated sites consistent with the revised definitions identified in Table 2.1.
In addition to changes required by the Housing Element and changes to the mixed-use areas/definitions, the Land Use Plan includes changes to commercial, industrial, and public/institutional uses.
Commercial changes are limited to SPAs, and include increasing the development potential within select commercial corridors to allow for reinvestment and redevelopment of project larger footprints. The Land Use Plan also establishes a new Commercial Neighborhood (CN) land use designation (see Table 2.1), applied to SPAs covering the City’s corridors and gateways (along PCH and Artesia, Aviation, and Torrance Boulevards). The CN designation aims to foster commercial districts with uses that support adjacent residential neighborhoods and provide goods and services for residents and businesses in a pedestrian-oriented environment.
The Land Use Plan also redesignates some of the existing residential properties within the PCH corridor from residential (RH and R-3) to Commercial (CN and C-4) to allow for uses that are more compatible with the location adjacent to one of the City’s busiest thoroughfares. Provisions in the zoning ordinance would allow existing residential uses to remain, but new residential development would only be allowed under provisions of SB 6, consistent with State Law.
Industrial changes are focused around existing and future metro stations. North of Manhattan Beach Boulevard (near the existing metro station) the Land Use Plan preserves opportunities for new jobs to develop when market conditions allow by preserving existing industrial areas and increasing the amount of development that could occur (See Figure 2.1 for locations and Table 2.1 for the proposed increases in floor area ratio (FAR)). Within the Galleria SPA (near the planned metro station) the Land Use Plan establishes an Industrial Flex (IF) designation (see Table 2.1), to preserve existing industrial areas while providing for an integrated mix of light industrial, commercial, an office uses in a creative/tech incubator district to create opportunities to live and work in proximity to resources and transit if housing is built within the Housing Element Residential Overlay.
Changes to Public, Institutional, and Open Space designations divide a single land use designation for public uses into three designations to better depict the general character of the uses allowed on each site. The designations include Public Institutional (PI), Public/Utility (U), and Parks and Open Space (OS). The divided designations also establish a maximum FAR, which was not previously included in the General Plan. The FAR was added to comply with State General Plan Law requiring Cities to establish standards of population density and building intensity for the various districts covered by the plan (Gov. Code Section 65302). Table 2.1 includes the definitions and proposed FARs for the new designations and Figure 2.1 identifies where each applies.
Below is an outline of the sections and subsections within the updated Land Use Element:
• Introduction
o Purpose
o Relationship With Other Plans and Programs
o Agency Coordination
• Land Use Strategy
o Key Considerations
o General Approach
o Components Of the Land Use Plan
§ Land Use Designations and Map (attached)
• Goals and Policies
o Goal LU-1 Balance
§ Fourteen (14) Policies
o Goal LU-2 Identity
§ Eight (8) Policies
o Goal LU-3 Compatibility
§ Eleven (11) Polices
o Goal LU-4 Health And Vitality
§ Eight (8) Policies
o Goal LU-5 Environmental Sustainability (NEW)
§ Nine (9) Policies
o Goal LU-6 Economic Sustainability
§ Twenty-Two (22) Policies
o Goal LU-7 Historic Preservation (NEW)
§ Nine (9) Policies
• Special Policy Areas
o North Redondo Tech District (SPA-1)
o Artesia Boulevard (SPA-2)
o Aviation Boulevard (SPA-3)
o Galleria (SPA-4)
o North PCH (SPA-5a)
o Central PCH (SPA-5b)
o Torrance Boulevard (SPA-5c)
o South PCH (SPA-6)
o Riviera Village (SP-7)
The full list of Draft Land Use Element Goals and Policies as well as the policies in support of the proposed “Special Policy Areas” are included as an attachment. Below are a few examples of proposed draft Land Use Element Goals with some associated Policies.
GOAL LU-1 BALANCE A sustainable community with a range of land uses that meet the diverse needs of Redondo Beach residents, offer a variety of employment, commercial, recreational, and housing opportunities that make it possible for people of all ages and abilities to live, work, recreate, and maintain a high quality of life in Redondo Beach.
Policy LU-1.1 Balanced Land Use Pattern. Preserve existing residential neighborhoods, while balancing development trends and state mandates, and provide for enhancement of focused planning areas to improve community activity and identity.
Policy LU -1.4 Jobs-Housing Balance. Create a place to live and a place to work that seeks to match its residents to jobs and promotes a workforce/ jobs balance.
Policy LU -1.11 Creation And Distribution of Parkland. Promote the creation of new open space and community serving amenities throughout Redondo Beach to achieve minimum parkland standards and to keep pace with the increase in multi-unit housing development. This policy includes specific prioritization of opportunities at the current power plant site and powerline right of ways. Additionally, the City will prioritize opportunities for parkland expansion in park-deficient areas.
GOAL LU-3 COMPATIBILITY Preserve and improve the character and integrity of existing neighborhoods and districts.
Policy LU-3.3 Neighborhood Buffers. Encourage all commercial property owners bordering residential areas to mitigate impacts and use appropriate landscaping and buffering of residential neighborhoods, while considering the potential to provide access in the form of pass-throughs between the commercial corridors and adjacent residential neighborhoods.
Policy LU-3.10 Utility Corridors. Develop plans and programs for the reuse of infrastructure and utility properties and easements as they are currently managed and should they no longer be required for their currently intended primary use and operations. In particular, the City shall target these corridors to provide active and passive uses and recreational amenities including bicycle and pedestrian paths to create connectivity to city-wide amenities and amenities located in neighboring cities.
GOAL LU-5 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY An environmentally aware community that utilizes tools, strategies and approaches that protect and minimizes the impacts to the City’s environmental resources.
Policy LU-5.1 Environmental Sustainability. Ensure that new development is sensitive to the City’s stewardship of the environment. Provide measures to minimize the impacts of future development on air quality, runoff, water use, trash generation (and its impacts on the ocean), noise, and traffic (including things such as exhaust generated from underperforming intersections.
Policy LU5.7 Preserve and Expand Native Habitat and Encourage Use of Native Plants for Landscaping. Continue to support the expansion of native bluff habitat along the waterfront. Continue to support reestablishment of native habitat in Wilderness Park. Continue to pursue wetlands and native habitat restoration at the power plant site and the adjacent powerline corridor. Ensure connectivity of native habitat, particularly habitat for the endangered El Segundo blue butterfly, with Torrance and Hermosa Beach. Redefine city plant and tree palettes to prioritize native plants. Apply the strategies and approaches to fund and incentivize expansion of native habitat and plants throughout the city on both public and private property.
Open Space & Conservation Element: The Open Space and Conservation Element serves as both the “open space” and “conservation” elements required by the California Government Code. The open space element is required to ensure that “cities and counties recognize that open space land is a limited and valuable resource which must be conserved whenever possible” (California Government Code [CGC] § 65562[a]; CGC § 65561 and § 65302[e]), while the conservation element is required to address the conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources (CGC § 65302[a]). In Redondo Beach, a coastal city that is generally built out and has limited but important natural resources, conservation efforts are largely related to the protection of coastal resources (including King Harbor, beaches, and bluffs), water resources (including water supply, stormwater, and groundwater recharge), and biological resources (including wildlife habitats and the City’s urban forest).
This Element provides information about, and policy direction, for the City’s parks, public spaces, community facilities, programs, events, and the conservation of natural resources. The Goals and Policies defined in this Element promote the improvement, maintenance, and development of high-quality open spaces, including traditional parks and innovative privately-held public areas. The intent is to allow for the enjoyment of the City’s diverse settings, conservation of natural resources, and programming and events that meet the physical, mental, and social needs of Redondo Beach residents regardless of life stage, lifestyle, ability, or income.
The Goals and Policies within this Element emphasize and advance the City’s commitment to improving the health and wellness of residents by providing safe, accessible, and engaging park spaces for casual and organized recreation experiences. In addition, the Goals and Policies reconcile competing demands on open space resources and emphasize the vital role parks, public spaces, recreation facilities and programs, community events, and the preservation of natural resources play in economic development, land use, sustainability, climate adaptation, infrastructure, and transportation Goals.
There were a number of “drivers” for the update to the City’s Open Space & Conservation Element, one of which was to more accurately define and quantify the various park types within the City. Quantifying the City’s existing ratio of parkland to population (Quimby Act) was necessary to set goals for future desired ratios. The City’s existing parkland ratio is 2.1 acres per 1,000 residents and Open Space Element sets a goal of 5 acres per 1,000 residents. This analysis and goal setting supports the Quimby Act, which allows the City to require certain types of new development to provide parks through land dedication or an in-lieu fee.
In addition to quantifying the City’s existing parks and its “parkland standard”, pursuing new avenues to complement the City’s existing parks, beach, and recreational network with creative approaches to establish public gathering places and recreation facilities in nontraditional settings, such as private plazas dedicated for public use and “streetlets,” which are streets that have been closed to vehicle traffic and repurposed for park/pedestrian use. The Element’s intention to pursue creative approaches of enhancing the City’s “open spaces”, combined with urban greening efforts that lessen the impact of development, will play an increasingly important role in providing opportunities for Redondo Beach community members to socialize, learn, exercise, play, and incorporate healthy behaviors in their daily routines. These “other open spaces” are recognized as recreational “resources” in the Element and include:
• Redondo Beach Municipal Pier
• King Harbor
• Boardwalk, Seawall & Public Plazas
• The Esplanade
• Pass-Throughs
• Public-Private Open Spaces
• Streetlets
• Conservation Open Spaces
o The Coastal Bluffs
The remaining emphasis in the Element, concerning “Parks”, was the intentional identification of “Future Opportunities” to expand the City’s open space network. The following is a list of the future “targets” identified for park expansions in the future:
• Southern California Edison Right-of-Way
• Powerplant Property (AES)
• School Facilities
o Pursue future “joint-use” agreements
• Surplus Green Areas and “Dual Purpose” Public Infrastructure
o Drainage areas - Wylie Sump
The “Conservation” components of this Element identify the City’s “resources” (including coastal, water, biological, and the City’s urban forest) and commit the City to the conservation and protection of these resources. In addition to protecting existing resources, this Element explores several opportunities to reclaim and restore natural resources that were once present in the City but have been compromised or degraded by development.
The GPAC identified the following natural “resources” as part of multiple discussions concerning the “Conservation” components of this Element:
• Coastal Resources
o King Harbor
o Beach and Bluff Erosion
• Water Resources
o Water Supply
o Stormwater Management and Water Conservation
o Groundwater Recharge
• Biological Resources
o Habitat Areas
o Urban Forest
Following the identification of the City’s natural resources the Goals and Policies focused on the protection, restoration, and conservation of these resources. Many of the Goals and Policies in this Element will be implemented with the future development of the City.
Below is an outline of the sections and subsections within the updated Open Space & Conservation Element:
• Introduction
o Purpose
• Open Space, Parks & Recreation
o Parks, Beaches, and Recreational Facilities (Definitions & Acreages of all the City’s Park Types)
§ Regional Parks; Community Parks; Neighborhood Parks; Parkettes; Right-of-Way Parks; Beaches
§ Summary of Existing Parks, Beaches, and Recreational Facilities - 148.8 Acres
o Public Spaces & Other Open Spaces
§ Redondo Beach Municipal Pier; King Harbor; Boardwalk, Seawall, & Public Plazas; Esplanade; Secondary Public Spaces (Pass-Throughs and Public-Private Open Spaces; Streetlets
§ Summary of Public Spaces & Other Open Spaces - 70.4 Acres
o Future Opportunities
§ Southern California Edison Right-of-Way; Powerplant Property (AES); School Facilities; Surplus Green Areas and “Dual Purpose” Public Infrastructure
§ Summary of Future Opportunities - 37.2 Acres
• Future Open Space & Recreation Needs
o Quantity, Location & Access
§ Quantity of Open Spaces - Redondo Beach has established a citywide Parkland Standard of 3 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, with an aspirational goal of 5 acres per 1,000 residents.
o Providing High-Quality Open Spaces & Recreational Facilities
§ Universal Accessibility; Shifting Demographics; Responding to Changes in Climate and New Technology
o Prominent Public Viewpoints
o Programs & Events
§ Diversity of Programs: Youth; Adult; Older Adults and Seniors; Excursions
§ Events
§ Responding to Changing Needs
o Funding
§ Development and User Fees; Financing Districts; Private Funding Sources; Grants and Parks Foundations
• Conservation
o Coastal Resources
§ Regional Coordination; King Harbor; Beach and Bluff Erosion;
o Water Resources
§ Water Supply; Stormwater Management and Water Conservation; Groundwater Recharge;
o Biological Resources
§ Habitat Areas; Urban Forest;
o Mineral Resources
• Related Laws and Plans
o State Laws
§ Planning and Zoning Law; California Coastal Act; Quimby Act (Parkland Standards and Fees); Sustainable Goundwater Management Act; Water Conservation in Landscaping Act; Surface Mining and Reclamation Act
o State Plans
§ 20x2020 Water Conservation Plan; California Model Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance
o Regional Plans
§ South Bay Cities Climate Adaptation Plan; South Bay Bicycle Master Plan; 2020 Urban Water Management Plan; Beach Bluffs Restoration Project - Master Plan; Santa Monica Bay National Estuary Program Action Plan for the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan; Santa Monica Bay Restoration Plan 2013 Update
o Local Plans
§ Local Coastal Program; Measure C; Harbor/Civic Center Specific Plan; Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP); Redondo Beach Climate Action Plan; Redondo Beach Parkway Trees Master List; Redondo Beach Living Streets Policy; Water Quality Task Force Recommendations Report
• Definition of Terms
o Park; Other Open Space; Public Space; Trail; Plaza; Pass-through; Public-Private Open Space (Usable Public Open Space); Streetlets; Recreational Facility; and Wildlife Corridor
The full list of Draft Open Space & Conservation Element Goals and Policies is included as an attachment. Below are a few examples of proposed draft Open Space & Conservation Element Goals with some associated Policies.
GOAL OS-1 QUANTITY, LOCATION, AND ACCESS A comprehensive, accessible, and well-balanced network of high-quality parks, public spaces, and recreational facilities that enhances the livability, wellness, and connectivity of the community.
Policy OS-1.1 Parkland Standard. Achieve a minimum park acreage standard of 3 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents and aspire to 5 acres per 1,000 residents.
Policy OS-1.3 New Parkland and Recreational Facilities. Acquire land to create additional high quality, resident-serving parkland and recreational facilities, including regional, community, neighborhood, and ROW parks, parkettes, and recreational facilities. Continue investment in the Open Space Acquisition Fund. Prioritize opportunities on the AES site and SCE Right of Ways.
Policy OS-1.9 Urban Greening. Improve access routes to parks and recreational facilities through urban greening programs that enhance the City’s urban forest, provide shade, and incorporate best practices for sustainable landscaping emphasizing drought tolerant native plants and conservation.
GOAL OS-2 HIGH-QUALITY OPEN SPACES AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES Parks, public spaces, and recreational facilities that are highly utilized by residents and visitors of all ages, abilities, and incomes and are well-maintained, safe, and meet the long and-short term needs of the Redondo Beach Community.
Policy OS-2.1 Park Types. Develop, maintain, and implement a Parks Master Plan to provide a range of high-quality park types, recreational facilities, and public spaces to meet active and passive recreational needs of Redondo Beach residents of all ages, abilities, and incomes.
Policy OS-2.9 Sustainable Landscaping. Incorporate sustainable landscape practices that limit water usage and energy consumption, reduce urban runoff, and encourage groundwater recharge, such as drought-resistant and native landscaping, low impact development standards, and maximizing permeable surfaces.
Policy OS-2.12 Harbor Revitalization. Capitalize on the opportunity presented by harbor revitalization to expand and enhance recreational facilities, parks, and resources in the harbor and pier area. Ensure adequate facility spaces to support coastal dependent educational recreation uses such as waterfront education, whale watching and Sportfishing excursions, sea bass grow out, and similar educational and recreational coastal dependent uses.
GOAL OS-6 COASTAL RESOURCES Beaches, bluffs, harbors, and waters that serve the recreational needs of the community, enhance the City’s economic vitality, preserve the unique natural environments, and sustain sensitive habitat areas within the City’s coastal zone and jurisdictional waters.
Policy OS-6.2 Harbor Water Quality. Improve water quality within the harbor and ocean areas surrounding the harbor to ensure they are safe for human recreation and capable of supporting fluctuations in the harbor’s marine life for future generations.
Noise Element: California Government Code 65302(f) requires municipalities to prepare and adopt a Noise Element that identifies and evaluates noise problems in the community. Per California Government Code 65302(f), the noise element needs to analyze and quantify (to the extent achievable) current and projected noise levels from all the following sources:
• Highways and freeways.
• Primary arterials and major local streets.
• Passenger and freight railroad operations and rapid transit systems.
• Commercial, general aviation, heliport, helistop, and military airport operations, aircraft overflights, jet engine test stands, and all other ground facilities and maintenance functions related to airport operation.
• Local industrial plants, including, but not limited to, railroad classification yards.
• Other ground stationary noise sources, including, but not limited to, military installations, identified by local agencies as contributing to the community noise environment.
The noise element also includes implementation measures and possible solutions that address existing and foreseeable noise problems. The adopted noise element shall serve as a guideline for compliance with the state’s noise insulation standards.
The noise element of the general plan provides a basis for comprehensive local programs to control and abate environmental noise and to protect residents and businesses from excessive exposure. The fundamental goals of the noise element are:
• To provide sufficient information concerning community noise so that noise may be effectively considered in the land use planning process.
• To develop strategies for abating excessive noise exposure through effective mitigation measures in combination with zoning, as appropriate, to avoid incompatible land uses.
• To protect those existing regions of the planning area whose noise environments are deemed acceptable and also those locations throughout the community deemed “noise sensitive.”
• To utilize the definition of the community noise environment in the form of CNEL or Ldn noise contours as provided in the noise element for local compliance with the State Noise Insulation Standards. These standards require specified levels of outdoor to indoor noise reduction for new multifamily residential constructions in areas where the outdoor noise exposure exceeds CNEL (or Ldn) 60 dBA.
The Noise Element confirms the standards and policies the City proposes to utilize to define and enforce acceptable noise levels within the different land use categories that make up the City. Table 5.1 entitled “Maximum Permissible Sound Levels by Land Use Category” from the Noise Element identifies the City’s proposed standards and is attached. In summary, the allowable daytime noise levels permitted for the City’s various Residential land use categories are below:
Residential Low Density (R-1, R-1A, R-2) (Permitted noise at the property line)
• 45 dB between 10 PM and 7 AM
• 50 dB between 7 AM and 10 PM
Medium Density (R-3, RMD)
• 50 dB between 10 PM and 7 AM
• 55 dB between 7 AM and 10 PM
High Density (RH)
• 55 dB between 10 PM and 7 AM
• 60 dB between 7 AM and 10 PM
Below is an outline of the sections and subsections within the updated Noise Element:
• Introduction
o Noise Element Requirements
• Community Noise Exposure
o Existing Conditions
o Future Conditions
• Noise Standards
o Noise Level Exposure and Land Use Compatibility Guidelines
o Redondo Beach Noise Standards
o State of California Building Code
o Figure 5.2 Future Roadway Noise Contours
§ Special Note: This Figure will be updated to reflect current traffic volumes and provided as a “Blue Folder Item” prior to the July 18, 2024 Planning Commission Public Hearing on this item.
The full list of Draft Noise Element Goals and Policies is included as an attachment. Below are a few examples of proposed draft Noise Element Goals with some associated Policies.
GOAL N-1 NOISE An environment where public health and welfare are protected by reducing existing noise problems and preventing future degradation of the acoustic environment.
Policy N-1.1 Noise Compatibility. Require mitigation to ensure existing and future land use compatibility as required by the City’s Noise Ordinance (Table N-01), and interior and exterior noise standards identified in the building code.
Policy N -1.2 Enforcement and Maintenance of Local Standards. Enforce the City’s Noise Ordinance to effectively regulate noise conditions that are expected to occur within the City. Update the ordinance when necessary to regulate new or previously unidentified noise conditions, comply with new laws and regulations, and reflect best practices in noise regulation.
Policy N-1.10 Construction Noise. Minimize the impacts of construction noise on adjacent uses through the enforcement of mitigation requirements established in the City’s Noise Ordinance, such as legal hours of operation, advance noticing of construction operations, incorporating physical barriers as necessary, and using tools and equipment properly outfitted with sound-dampeners.
Safety Element: The purpose of the Safety Element is to identify and address natural and human-caused hazards existing in or near Redondo Beach that may have the potential to cause harm to residents and visitors, infrastructure, buildings, and economic systems that the City relies on. The Safety Element evaluates how these hazards are projected to change in the future, as well as a comprehensive set of goals and policies to minimize the effects of these hazards. Cooperation between the City and surrounding emergency response agencies, such as Torrance, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and El Segundo, is a key component of this element. The Safety Element serves the following functions:
• Develops a framework by which safety considerations are introduced into the land use planning process.
• Facilitates the identification and mitigation of hazards for new development, thus strengthening existing codes, project review, and permitting processes.
• Presents policies and implementation programs, contained in Appendix B, directed at identifying and reducing hazards in existing development.
• Strengthens hazard preparedness planning and post-disaster reconstruction policies.
• Identifies how hazards are likely to increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change and provides policies to increase community resilience.
The Safety Element is divided into six sections addressing required or supplementary issues identified in California Government Code Section 65302(g). Each provides an overview of the hazard, as well as goals and policies to reduce the effects of the hazards. These sections include the following:
1. Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
2. Geologic and Seismic Hazards
3. Flooding and Sea Level Rise
4. Hazardous Materials
5. Fire Hazards
6. Additional Climate Change Hazards
State law provides explicit regulations on the specific requirements that must be addressed in a Safety Element. Below are the statutory requirements that guided the development of each component of this Element.
• Protect the community from risks associated with a variety of hazards, including seismic activity, landslides, flooding, and wildfire, as required by the California Government Code Section 65302(g)(1).
• Map and assess the risk associated with flood hazards, develop policies to minimize the flood risk to new development and essential public facilities, and establish effective working relationships among agencies with flood protection responsibilities, as required by California Government Code Section 65302(g)(2).
• Map and assess the risk associated with wildfire hazards, develop policies to reduce the wildfire risk to new land uses and essential facilities, ensure there is adequate road and water infrastructure to respond to fire emergencies, and establish cooperative relationships between fire protection agencies, as required by California Government Code Section 65302(g)(3).
• Assess the risks associated with climate change on local assets, populations, and resources. Note existing and planned development in at-risk areas and identify agencies responsible for providing public health and safety and environmental protection. Develop goals, policies, objectives, and feasible implementation measures to reduce the risks associated with climate change hazards, including locating new public facilities outside of at-risk areas, providing adequate infrastructure in at-risk areas, and supporting natural infrastructure for climate adaptation, as required by California Government Code Section 65302(g)(4).
• Identify residential developments in any hazard area that do not have at least two emergency evacuation routes, as required by California Government Code Section 65302(g)(5).
• Identify new information relating to flood and fire hazards and climate adaptation and resiliency strategies applicable to the city or county that was not available during the previous revision of the safety element, during each revision of the housing element or local hazard mitigation plan, but not less than once every 8 years, as required by California Government Code Section 65302(g)(6).
The development process of the Safety Element began with the GPAC but was ultimately reviewed at two (2) public hearings before the City’s Public Safety Commission. At their public hearings the draft element was presented and the Public Safety Commission addressed staff with questions and comments. Ultimately the Public Safety Commission recommended unanimously to approve the draft Safety Element as drafted.
As the outline for this Element generally follows the strict requirements of the noted State laws summarized above, an additional outline of the Element is not included in this Administrative Report.
The full list of Draft Safety Element Goals and Policies is included as an attachment. Below are a few examples of proposed draft Safety Element Goals with some associated Policies.
GOAL S-1 EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY A prepared Redondo Beach that can effectively plan for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and hazardous events.
Policy S-1.5 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. Incorporate the current Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, most recently adopted by FEMA in July 2020, into this Safety Element by reference, as permitted by California Government Code Section 65302.6 to ensure that emergency response and evacuation routes are accessible throughout the city.
GOAL S-2 CRITICAL FACILITIES Redondo Beach’s essential facilities retain functionality and structural integrity following natural and human-caused disasters.
Policy S-2.5 Citywide Network of Resilience Hubs. Establish a network of equitably located resilience hubs throughout Redondo Beach and ensure that resilience hubs are situated outside of areas at risk from hazard impacts to the extent possible, offer refuge from extreme heat and poor air quality due to regional wildfire smoke, and are equipped with renewable energy generation and backup power supplies. Such facilities should be in easily accessible locations and be available to all community members.
GOAL S-3 HAZARD AND EMERGENCY DATA Up-to-date hazard and emergency data to ensure effective planning and response to natural and human-caused hazardous events.
Policy S-3.2 Ongoing Fault Location Data Collection. Continue collecting relevant data on fault locations and history of fault displacement activity, as a basis for future refinement of seismic-related policies.
GOAL S-5 TSUNAMI HAZARDS Protection of life, prevention of injury, and reduction in the potential for property damage from tsunami runup.
Policy S-5.2 Tsunami Evacuation Notices to Community Members. Obtain information from the U.S. Tsunami Warning System and the Tsunami Ready Communities program to send evacuation notices to community members in the event of a tsunami.
GOAL S-7 SEA LEVEL RISE A resilient and thriving community, safeguarded and adaptively managing for rising sea levels.
Policy S-7.2 Agency Coordination. Coordinate with regional agencies, cities, utilities, property owners, community groups, and other stake holders to conduct regional sea level rise adaptation planning.
GOAL S-10 ADDITIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE HAZARDS A resilient community able to adapt to climate change hazards.
Policy S-10.5 Shading and Heat-Mitigating Materials. Coordinate with local governments and transit agencies to increase shading and heat-mitigating materials on pedestrian walkways and transit stops.
Policy S-10.11 Use of Existing Natural Features. Where feasible, encourage the use of existing natural features and ecosystem processes, or the restoration of, when considering alternatives and adaptation projects through the conservation, preservation, or sustainable management of open space. This includes, but is not limited to, the conservation, preservation, or sustainable management of any form of aquatic or terrestrial vegetated open space, such as parks, rain gardens, and urban tree canopies. It also includes systems and practices that use or mimic natural processes, such as permeable pavements, bioswales, and other engineered systems, such as levees that are combined with restored natural systems, to provide clean water, conserve ecosystem values and functions, and provide a wide array of benefits to people and wildlife.
ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a program Environmental Impact Report is being prepared and will be presented to the Planning Commission at the same time as the final draft of the General Plan Update and Zoning Ordinance Amendments. The overall purpose of this program Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) is to inform the City, responsible agencies, decision makers, and the public about the potential environmental effects resulting from full implementation of the proposed Redondo Beach General Plan Update, and the associated Zoning Ordinance, Zoning Ordinance for the Coastal Zone, and Local Coastal Program amendments that are required by the for consistency purposes. This DEIR addresses effects that may be significant and adverse; evaluates alternatives to the project; and identifies mitigation measures and alternatives to reduce or avoid identified potentially adverse effects. Included as an appendix to the program Environmental Impact Report is a document that explains the buildout assumptions and methodologies utilized for projecting the potential growth in the City over the next 25 years. The horizon year of the General Plan Update is 2050. An attachment to the DEIR entitled “Appendix A_Buildout Methodology” which explains the projections used to analyze the “project” will be provided to the Planning Commission with the General Plan Update documents. The DEIR will be released for a 45-day public comment period starting July 22, 2024 and ending September 4, 2024.
ATTACHMENTS
1. June 20, 2024 GPU Administrative Report (with attachments)
2. RBGP LU Element Goals and Policies
3. RBGP LU Element Special Policy Areas
4. Appendix B Implementation Measures
5. RBGP Vision and Guiding Principles
6. RBGP Table 2.1 General Plan Land Use Designations
7. RBGP Figure 2.1 Land Use Plan
8. RBGP Noise Element Table 5.1 Maximum Permissible Sound Levels
9. RBGP Noise Element Goals and Policies
10. RBGP OS Element Goals and Policies
11. RBGP Safety Element Goals and Policies
12. Appendix A Buildout Methodology