The Hermosa Beach City Council voted to endorse the Hawthorne Boulevard alignment for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Sea Line (C-line) extension into Torrance.

After reviewing the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and hearing more than two hours of public comment from residents of Redondo Beach, Lawndale and other South Bay cities, council members concluded the Hawthorne Boulevard alternative best addresses safety, acquisition and construction impacts raised by neighborhoods along the existing freight right-of-way.

Council member Francois moved that the city support the Hawthorne alignment. “I’m gonna make the motion that we support the Hawthorne route,” he said during deliberations. The motion was seconded and carried.

Speakers for the Hawthorne alignment cited safety concerns about adding light-rail tracks adjacent to active freight lines, the presence of multiple underground fuel pipelines beneath parts of the right-of-way, potential residential acquisitions and prolonged construction impacts in narrow corridors. Those who favored the right-of-way alternatives emphasized cost and ridership tradeoffs and argued the hybrid/right-of-way options include mitigation and would achieve connectivity to the Redondo Beach Transit Center.

Outcome: The council instructed the interim city manager to send a letter to Metro reflecting Hermosa Beach’s support for the Hawthorne Boulevard alignment.

Why it matters: Metro’s final EIR and board decision will determine the alignment and funding priorities for a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar regional transit investment. Neighboring city councils and public agencies have taken positions; Hermosa Beach’s vote adds a local voice to regional deliberations.