To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: GREG KAPOVICH, WATERFRONT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
TITLE
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ADOPT BY TITLE ONLY, RESOLUTION NO. CC-2511-084, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, APPOINTING AN ADVISORY BOARD IN CONNECTION WITH THE RIVIERA VILLAGE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND DIRECTING THE PREPARATION OF A REPORT FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026
ADOPT BY TITLE ONLY, RESOLUTION NO. CC-2511-085, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE REPORT OF THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2025 IN CONNECTION WITH THE RIVIERA VILLAGE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
ADOPT BY TITLE ONLY, RESOLUTION NO. CC-2511-086, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, DECLARING ITS INTENTION TO LEVY AN ASSESSMENT AGAINST BUSINESSES WITHIN THE RIVIERA VILLAGE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026 AND SETTING A TIME AND PLACE FOR HEARING OBJECTIONS THERETO; AND
SET NOVEMBER 18, 2025 AT 6:00 PM AS THE DATE AND TIME FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE LEVY OF THE PROPOSED ASSESSMENTS
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Riviera Village Business Improvement District (BID) was established by the City Council in 2003. The BID operates on a year-to-year basis with an annual expiration on December 31. In accordance with State law pertaining to business improvement districts, each year City Council must appoint a non-profit organization to serve as the Advisory Board to manage BID funds and implement improvements and programs. Historically, the City Council has appointed the Riviera Village Association to manage the BID. The Advisory Board appears annually before City Council to deliver a report that identifies improvements and activities proposed by the BID for the upcoming calendar year (2026) and highlights the accomplishments of the current calendar year (2025).
City Council action must be taken to consider resolutions at the November 4, 2025 City Council meeting approving the attached 2025 report, re-appointing the Advisory Board for calendar year 2026, and directing the re-appointed Advisory Board to prepare a report for calendar year 2026. A third resolution must be considered to set a time and place for a public hearing to consider a levy of assessment against businesses within the BID for calendar year 2026. Staff has set the public hearing to occur within City Council chambers at a regular meeting of the City Council on November 18, 2025 at 6:00 PM. A presentation on the BID’s 2025 activities will also be provided as part of the November 18 Public Hearing.
BACKGROUND
The Riviera Village Association has historically been appointed by the City Council to serve as the BID’s Advisory Board. The Riviera Village Association has prepared its annual report for 2025, identifying improvements, activities, and associated costs proposed within the BID for upcoming calendar year 2026. The report also includes highlights and accomplishments to date for calendar year 2025. City Council action must be taken to consider two resolutions to approve the 2025 report, re-appoint the Riviera Village Association as the BIDs Advisory Board, and direct the Advisory Board to prepare a report for 2026.
The Advisory Board is also tasked with advising the City Council on the method and basis for the yearly levy of assessments against businesses to fund improvements and activities. BID funds are collected from businesses in the district by the City via the annual business license renewal process. Historically, the BID has distributed funds according to the following allocation: 50% for beautification, 40% for marketing, and 10% for administration. The Advisory Board does not recommend any changes to the existing assessment, which would remain as follows: each business license holder is assessed a base fee of $125 plus a fee of $34 per employee per year for a maximum assessment of $1,400. Those licensees who are property owner, are assessed on a per unit basis and pay a base fee of $125 plus $34 per rental unit per year for a maximum assessment of $1,400. As examples, a licensee with 10 employees would pay a total annual assessment of $465, and a licensee with no employees would pay a total annual assessment of $125. A licensed property owner with four rental units would pay an annual assessment of $261. The assessment is expected to bring in $106,000 in revenue for 2026. The levy of the assessment must be considered at a public hearing.
A third resolution is under City Council consideration to set the time and place of the public hearing to occur within City Council chambers at a regular meeting of the City Council on November 18, 2025 at 6:00 PM. A verbal presentation on the BID’s attached 2025 report will also be provided as part of the November 18 Public Hearing. Staff recommends City Council adopt all three resolutions approving the 2025 report, re-appointing the Riviera Village Association as Advisory Board, directing the Advisory Board to prepare a report for calendar year 2026, and setting a time and place for a public hearing to levy an assessment to participating businesses.
The following serves as a summary to the attached 2025 activities report:
CALENDAR YEAR 2025 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Parklet Program
The parklet program continues to be managed by the Riviera Village Association in 2025. Though parklet utilization can wane in the cooler weather, most restaurants opted to remain in the program to take advantage of summer and fall popularity. The parklets aesthetics refurbishment is wearing well and provides a cohesive clean look to the BID area. BID board meetings are well attended, and the parklet program has been associated with higher sales activity, per BID reports.
Beautification Funds
The BID funded the building and installation of four sidewalk planter boxes with drought tolerant plants located on the east side of South Catalina Avenue between Vista Del Mar and Avenida Del Norte, and one on the east side of S Catalina Ave. The planter boxes replaced areas that were either barren or had unsightly overgrown weeds and dying plants. The BID continues to maintain/replenish planter boxes along Catalina Ave, Avenue I, Avenida Del Norte and Elena which enhances the look of Riviera Village to foster placemaking. New “Shop, Dine, Relax” street banners are expected to be installed soon as the BID coordinates the timing of installation with Public Works receipt of new banner bracket hardware.
Joint Projects with the City
The RVA has managed several projects successfully and continues to be a reliable partner to the City. The RVA coordinates with City staff regularly, including at the monthly BID board meetings. In 2025, the City added pavers and landscaping to Avenida Del Norte. An ongoing item that both sides continue to work towards includes the installation of permanent retractable bollards in key areas of Riviera Village for ease of street closures and pedestrian safety during community events.
MARKETING/PROMOTIONAL FUNDS
The RVA BID has moved a project forward geared towards educating the public about the BID through a marketing campaign that will coincide with event and project fundraising. To accomplish this, the BID has hired a qualified consultant to assist with a workshop. The session focused on leadership, values, mission, goals, vision, and produced a draft mission statement, which is as follows:
“The RVA strives to create a welcoming and vibrant community by collaborating with local businesses and the City to enhance public spaces and create economic vitality while maintaining its village charm.”
The workshop and creation of a mission statement will be followed by a professionally produced video.
The BID also has a current digital ad plan that is focused on maintaining a steady increase in social media followers, raising overall awareness, informing the community of Village-wide events/business events, and featuring local business owners. Since 2017, the RVA’s marketing has been managed by a paid local professional whose responsibilities include social media, email marketing, website content management, project management, and other content creation. This includes advertising to promote restaurants, retailers, service businesses, the farmer’s market, and large-scale community events.
SIGNATURE EVENTS
Halloween Trick or Treat & Holiday Stroll
The 2025 Riviera Village Halloween Trick or Treat took place on October 31, 2025. The event included a street closure allowing visitors to walk the village in costume with their family and collect Halloween treats in a safe environment closed to motor vehicles.
The RVA partnered with local sponsors to celebrate the Holiday Stroll which helped offset event costs. The event team organized various attractions including interactive photo studios with classic holiday characters and inflatables for kids. The event also featured a DJ with holiday music, up lighting on palm trees, and snowflakes projected on the asphalt. Santa and the Grinch appeared in a vintage fire truck led by members of the Redondo Union High School marching band. The event drew several thousand attendees.
Riviera Village Summer Festival
The Riviera Village Summer Festival returned the last week of June 2025 with a schedule enhancement and attendance was strong all three days. The 2025 festival earned the RVA $60,000 versus $39,000 in 2024.
Merchant Mixers
RVA Merchant Mixers are held twice per year in April and November at a Riviera Village restaurant. The mixers provide a networking opportunity to meet fellow business owners, talk with BID Board members, and discover the restaurants available in the BID. At the September 15, 2025 Board Meeting, it was decided to increase mixers to four times per year.
Certified Farmers Market
The BID continues to support the Certified Farmers Market located in the Triangle Parking Lot on Sunday and features family friendly entertainment and live music. The Kids Zone continues in 2025 and provides a place for parents and kids to craft and play. The manager of the Farmers Market has curated a higher caliber and diverse vendor selection, focusing on organic farmers and a quality shopping experience, and the market continues to be a source of income for the BID.
ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDS
The coordinator of the BID Board was hired in January 2022. The coordinator is working well and helps maintain needed consistency. She is responsible for creating board meeting agendas, inviting outside guests to board meetings, notifying board members of meetings, assisting the board secretary with meeting minutes, organizing the annual report and other projects as needed. Board members continue in their additional volunteer positions managing specific village tasks and projects. Examples are: plant maintenance, lamp post banners/holiday decor, insurance, mixers and events.
INSURANCE POLICIES
The BID’s City-mandated General Liability Insurance was renewed for the upcoming year, along with the policy covering Liability Insurance for the Officers and Directors. A Certificate of Insurance for Events (Outside Dining Parklets & Sidewalk Sale during COVID-19) is in place as well.
PROJECTS/GOALS ANTICIPATED FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026
The BID is working, as needed, with the City of Redondo Beach and the Coastal Commission on recently proposed plans to widen sidewalks on S Catalina, incorporate parallel parking within the right-of-way, and the creation of new bike lanes. The intention of wider sidewalks is to transition to sidewalk dining and remove the temporary parklets. Another BID goal is enhanced beautification on Avenida Del Norte. Additionally, an ongoing goal is to add a unique feature to the village with a Roundabout at Catalina Ave & Avenue l to improve traffic flow. The BID's current long-term goal is to continue vetting possible solutions to the short-term and long-term parking challenges within the Village.
COORDINATION
The Riviera Village BID renewal is coordinated by the Waterfront and Economic Development Department, with assistance from the City Manager’s Office, City Attorney’s Office, and the Financial Services Department.
FISCAL IMPACT
The BID enhances spaces in the public right-of-way and provides supplemental services in common areas that would otherwise fall to the City to maintain. BID assessments are restricted for use exclusively by the BID and must be reported to the City Council annually. It is anticipated that the BID’s annual activities encourage activity and retail growth in the area and result in additional sales tax revenue for the City.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Reso - No. CC-2511-085 Approving the Report of the Advisory Board for Calendar Year 2025
• Reso - No. CC-2511-086 Declaring Intent to Levy Assessment for upcoming Calendar Year 2026
• Reso - No. CC-2511-084 Appointing an Advisory Board for upcoming Calendar Year 2026 and directing Advisory Board to prepare a report for 2026
• Report - Calendar Year 2025 Annual Report & Financials - Riviera Village Association