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Redondo Beach staff update council on stormwater capture projects; several regional projects face funding shortfalls
Summary
City staff presented an update on stormwater capture and infiltration projects, describing benefits for flood control and water quality, listing regional projects in the watershed plan and flagging funding gaps — notably about $5.6 million for the Fulton Playfield project.
City staff briefed the Redondo Beach City Council on Feb. 4 about the city’s stormwater capture program, ongoing projects and remaining funding shortfalls for several larger, regional projects.
“Stormwater capture is a critical part of the city stormwater management plan, specifically when paired with infiltration,” Geraldine Trivedi, a city stormwater specialist, told the council as she opened the update. She described capture and infiltration benefits including flood control, urban runoff treatment before discharge to receiving waters, groundwater recharge and compliance with the city’s NPDES permit.
The presentation reviewed both private‑property low‑impact development (LID) tools — for example, permeable paving, bioswales, dry wells and perforated drain pipes — and larger regional projects that require multi‑agency cooperation and far greater funding. Examples included the county‑led Alondra Park regional capture project (an estimated $70 million and under construction), a Veterans Park infiltration gallery the city installed, and Fulton Playfield — a project that is design‑ready but currently has an estimated $5.6 million construction funding shortfall.
Staff told the council the city participates in a joint Beach Cities watershed plan developed with nearby cities and the county; projects listed in the city’s Watershed Management Plan (WIMP) include a mix of small‑scale LID retrofits and larger regional basins. Staff said the city receives annual allocations from the Safe Clean Water program and other competitive funds, but those sources do not fully cover several projects included in the WIMP.
Options staff presented for council consideration included directing discretionary capital to unfunded stormwater capture projects, updating municipal development standards to lower thresholds that trigger LID requirements, creating a codified in‑lieu fee option so applicants could fund regional rather than parcel‑level BMPs, pursuing additional grant funding and studying new fees to support future capture work.
Council members asked about timing and constructability. Director and staff said Fulton Playfield, if funded, would likely take roughly a year to construct because a large county retention basin already exists and the city would tie into that system. Council members also discussed using redevelopment or redevelopment‑style incentives and revising design guidelines to capture runoff when parcels are scraped and rebuilt.
Staff did not ask for immediate appropriations that night. Council members indicated they wanted staff to: continue to pursue competitive regional grants (including Safe Clean Water and possible Caltrans programs), return with budget response reports on prioritized local projects and consider the mayor’s request to study how redevelopment/permit activity could be used to spur more infiltration in high‑opportunity locations. Staff said some of these items would be addressed through the general‑plan/phase‑2 work program and other forthcoming budget items.
Staff also noted operations and maintenance are important: LID features require periodic cleaning and inspections to perform as intended. The council did not take a formal vote on a funding package; staff will return with cost estimates and grant‑pursuit recommendations.
