Planning commission tells council to limit new ground‑floor professional offices in Riviera Village

The Redondo Beach Planning Commission on Sept. 18 recommended the City Council adopt an amendment to Title 10, Chapter 5 of the Redondo Beach Municipal Code clarifying that ground‑floor, street‑facing professional offices — including real estate, legal and insurance offices — are not permitted within the C2PD‑RIV (Riviera Village) overlay zone. The commission also recommended a cap of six ground‑floor professional office storefronts be permitted to remain while the city pursues further review.

City planning staff said the proposed ordinance seeks to preserve South Catalina Avenue between Avenue I and Palos Verdes Boulevard as a pedestrian‑oriented commercial corridor. "Professional office uses such as real estate, legal, or insurance offices cannot locate in Ground Floor street facing locations," Associate Planner Sean O'Rourke told the commission during the public hearing presentation.

The commission’s vote followed extended discussion about the mix of uses that best support a ‘‘village’’ pedestrian environment. Commissioners and several speakers noted that some professional and medical offices are currently located along Catalina Avenue and that those existing businesses would be treated as legal nonconforming uses and could continue to operate.

Commissio…