Commission approves beer-only conditional use permit for South Bay Golf Club at Hermosa Pavilion

The Hermosa Beach Planning Commission on May 20 voted 5'0'' to approve a conditional use permit allowing on-sale beer only at South Bay Golf Club, a 2,445-square-foot virtual-golf facility located in the Hermosa Pavilion at 1601 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 180.

Assistant Planner Johnny Case summarized staff's review and reported that the Police Department did not object to the CUP subject to conditions of approval. Case said staff evaluated the proposal under the CUP findings in Hermosa Beach Municipal Code and recommended approval with conditions including limits on hours (9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday'Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday), storage limits (two 3.2-cubic-foot storage areas for canned beer only), and ABC licensing requirements consistent with the General Plan.

Applicant Will Ingram told the commission the business has been operating since November 2024 without alcohol and that offering canned beer would be a modest enhancement to the virtual-golf experience. "We've been up and running without it, so it's not necessarily crucial to our business as a bar or restaurant might be," Ingram said, adding that the facility typically limits customers' time (about 90 minutes per session).

Commissioners questioned whether alcohol service should be limited to patrons using the facility and discussed language to prevent the space from becoming a stand-alone drinking venue when not operating as a golf facility. The commission directed staff to add a condition that alcohol sales be limited to patrons of the business whose primary purpose is to use the golf facility; the applicant said he had no objection to the additional condition.

A motion to adopt staff resolution 25-07 with that added flexibility for staff to craft the enforcement language passed 5'0''. Staff noted the decision is subject to a 10-day appeal period following the City Council hearing on May 27.