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Planning commission approves redevelopment plan for 1100 Pacific Coast Highway shopping center, including 35-foot clock tower and parking reconfiguration
Summary
The Hermosa Beach Planning Commission approved a precise development plan for improvements to the shopping center at 1100 Pacific Coast Highway, including a 35-foot clock tower, landscaping, accessibility upgrades and tenant‑improvement flexibility; the commission found the project categorically exempt from CEQA and approved the plan on a 5-0 vote.
Hermosa Beach — The Hermosa Beach Planning Commission on Monday approved a precise development plan for improvements at the shopping center located at 1100 Pacific Coast Highway, including facade renovations, accessibility upgrades, new landscaping, a 35-foot clock tower feature and interior tenant flexibility.
Staff presented the application on behalf of Park Pacific Realty Partners; Associate Planner Jake Whitney described the proposal as primarily aesthetic with an ADA path of travel, a parking reconfiguration that converts eight standard stalls to compact stalls while keeping the total number of spaces unchanged at 103, and landscaping increases. Staff recommended that the commission find the project exempt under CEQA’s Class 1 categorical exemption and approve Precise Development Plan 25-05. Whitney said the project would add approximately 1,208 square feet of landscaping resulting in a total of roughly 2,937 square feet of planted area and that three tenant-improvement alternatives were provided for the first floor and two for the second floor to allow flexibility at the time of construction.
Christine Adler, who identified herself as director of construction and development for Chartwell Real Estate representing Park Pacific Realty Partners, told commissioners the new owners had held outreach with tenants and shoppers and said: "We're very excited for the opportunity to bring some new life to this already thriving establishment." Neighbors who live immediately east of the center raised concerns at the hearing about view impacts and parking. John Kamanski of 57 Aubrey Park asked to see renderings showing the landscaping and screening along the east property line; Steven Johnson of 931 Montgomery Drive told the commission he was "very concerned about an open ended opportunity to subdivide that that could, allow there to be more businesses," saying additional tenants could increase parking demand on nearby neighborhood streets.
Staff and the applicant said the project keeps the site’s total building area unchanged at 49,454 square feet and would not increase the building footprint; planning staff also cited municipal code parking thresholds that do not require additional parking so long as the project does not add building area greater than 500 square feet or more than 10 percent of the building area. Staff identified the relevant findings for approval in section 17.58.040 of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code and cited consistency with General Plan policies on design, scale and diverse retail centers. The commission also heard that a vacated road and historical parcel patterns around the site affect city parking and ownership responsibility; staff said they would attach a previously referenced document to the project file to clarify parking ownership.
After public comment and commissioner questions about employee parking management, queueing at drive-through sites and the clock tower’s placement, Commissioner [name not specified in transcript] moved the staff recommendation. The motion was seconded and carried on a 5-0 roll call (McNally, Hoffman, Flaherty, Vice Chairperson Isant, Chairperson Sarah Hirsch). The commission adopted the staff-draft resolution finding the project categorically exempt from CEQA and approved Precise Development Plan 25-05 for site plan, parking, accessibility, architectural and interior tenant improvements.
Why it matters: The approval allows the new owner to proceed with visible architectural and site changes at a neighborhood shopping center anchored by Trader Joe’s that could affect nearby residents’ sight lines and parking patterns; staff and commissioners emphasized that total building area and parking counts remain unchanged. The commission directed staff to include relevant documents about the vacated roadway and parking ownership in the project file and noted the applicant’s commitment to manage employee parking off-site where possible.
What happens next: The applicant may proceed with design and tenant improvements consistent with the approved PDP and conditions of approval. Any substantial changes to building area or use that would trigger additional parking or environmental review would require further action by the city.
