Torrance council upholds planning commission, approves 106-unit mixed-use project at 3475 Torrance Blvd

The Torrance City Council on Aug. 2025 unanimously denied an appeal and approved a mixed-use project at 3475 Torrance Boulevard, upholding the Planning Commission’s earlier approval and determining the project qualifies for a Class 32 categorical exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

The project would demolish an existing medical office building and construct 106 residential units and about 12,226 square feet of medical office space, including 16 affordable units, according to the city presentation. The plan includes a podium configuration with residential units above a podium, a central courtyard, and a three-level subterranean parking structure that would serve both medical and residential uses.

City staff told the council the project meets the five criteria for a Class 32 infill exemption: it is consistent with the general plan and zoning (Del Amo Business Subdistrict 2), is on an urban site smaller than five acres, is not located in a habitat for rare or endangered species, staff technical studies showed traffic/air/noise impacts would be below thresholds, and the site is served by existing utilities. Robert Garcia, the city’s Community Development staff presenter, recommended upholding the Planning Commission approval.

Supporters of the appeal, represented by attorney Haley Uno of Lozo Drury LLP speaking for Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (SAFER), urged the council to require further CEQA review. Uno presented technical reports asserting construction and operational noise and vibration would exceed thresholds identified by noise consultants, that an updated CalEEMod analysis found construction daily NOx emissions (159 pounds per day) exceeding the South Coast Air Quality Management District threshold (100 lb/day), and that an indoor air-quality expert estimated formaldehyde-related cancer risks for occupants well above commonly used screening levels. “SAFR respectfully requests that the city council grant SAFR’s appeal…and require the city to prepare a mitigated negative declaration or environmental impact report,” Uno said.

Representatives for the property owner and project team said those technical claims were either not in the administrative record or were based on modeling choices they disputed. Proponent Jim Sir, identified as a partner with 3475 Torrance LLC, described the project design, affordable-unit mix and parking, and said the developer had worked with staff to reach the current plan. Megan Kilmer of Best Best & Krieger, representing the applicant, told council: “With our technical studies, we clearly demonstrate that there is substantial evidence that there won’t be an impact…There is no substantial evidence to demonstrate there’s any noise or air quality impacts.”

After public comment and a council discussion that focused on the CEQA exemption and the technical evidence offered by both sides, a council motion to deny the appeal, adopt resolutions 2025-51 and 2025-52, and determine the project exempt from CEQA carried unanimously.

The council’s action upholds the Planning Commission’s approval and clears the project to proceed with the entitlements identified in the staff report. The project record cites the project site’s general plan land-use designation as commercial center and the Del Amo Business Subdistrict 2 zoning.

Votes and next steps: Council members voted unanimously to deny the appeal and adopt the two resolutions; staff will proceed with ministerial and permit processing consistent with the council action.

Why it matters: The decision allows a major infill housing project with ground-floor medical office space to move forward in the Torrance Civic Center corridor and features contested technical claims about construction and operational impacts as well as procedural questions about the use of the Class 32 infill exemption under CEQA.