Planning Commission finds 2025–30 capital improvement program consistent with Redondo Beach general plan; recommends budgeting for strategic priorities

The Redondo Beach City Planning Commission voted unanimously Monday to confirm that the city's proposed 2025'2030 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is consistent with the city's general plan and to recommend that the city manager attach proposed budgets for strategic-plan priorities to the upcoming 2025'26 budget.

Staff presented the item as a required consistency determination under state law. "The requirement by state law is that the planning agency, which is this body, has to confirm prior to the city council's adoption of the [CIP] that the capital improvement program is, in fact, consistent with the city's general plan," said Sean, staff (Community Development), during the presentation. He cited Government Code section 65401 as the statutory basis for the review.

The commission heard staff describe sample CIP projects — including sanitary sewer rehabilitation, sewer camera inspection, enhanced watershed management and bicycle-transportation improvements — and how those projects map to policies in the general plan's utilities, open-space and circulation elements. "We're looking and monitoring, if you will, that these projects are aligned with the city's general plan," Sean said.

Commissioners asked for clarification about next steps. Commissioner Gattis summarized the commission's choices: adopt the resolution confirming consistency and separately issue a recommendation to the city manager to include budgets for strategic-plan items. Staff confirmed both actions were on the table.

The commission discussed several project-level concerns during the public exchange. Commissioners and staff discussed the condition and prioritization of the public works yard, which several speakers said is aged and limits in-house capacity. Commissioner Craig noted that improving the city yard would increase project efficiency; Jesse Reyes, the city's capital improvement programs manager, said: "We would love a new yard. . . . That is more of a $5,000,000 project, give or take, the order of magnitude. What we are doing in terms of facilities is . . . improvements as we can." Jesse added that most CIPs are built by outside contractors and that staff capacity to perform CIP work in-house is limited.

The commission also received extended comment about a proposed police firing range included in the CIP. A commenter said the program included "a $1.3 million plus going towards design for a $17,000,000 possible structure" and questioned community support for such a project. Jesse Reyes replied that the $17 million figure referenced a Department of Defense grant application and that staff's first goal is to secure federal funding so "the city does not have to put its own discretionary money towards this." Jesse characterized the likely grant split as roughly 80/20 or 75/25 but said staff is seeking a waiver from the Secretary of Defense to secure full federal funding.

Commissioners noted the planning commission's legal role is limited to a consistency determination, not prioritization. "It's not within the purview of the planning commission to weigh in on the merits of any of the projects within the capital improvement program or prioritization of any of those programs or projects — strictly limited to a consistency determination between the capital improvement program and the general plan," Sean reminded the commission.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution confirming CIP consistency with the general plan: motion passed by roll call (7-0). - Motion recommending the city manager attach budgets for strategic-plan items to the 2025'26 draft budget and forward that recommendation to council: motion passed by roll call (7-0).

The commission closed the special meeting after approving the two motions and hearing that staff will follow up with city council and the city manager on budget input and CIP implementation details.