Hermosa Beach planning commissioners approve three-story mixed-use building at 54 Hermosa Avenue with conditions

Hermosa Beach Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit and precise development plan on July 28 to allow a three‑story mixed‑use building at 54 Hermosa Avenue, voting 5–0 after adding conditions addressing short‑term rental limits and trash storage review.

The commission's decision allows demolition of an existing ~1,200‑square‑foot commercial building and construction of a new three‑story structure containing a 950‑square‑foot ground‑floor retail unit, a single‑family residence with attached two‑car garage and roof deck, and an 813‑square‑foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU) with a roof deck. Staff found the project complies with the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code and recommended a categorical exemption under CEQA Guideline section 15303 (new construction).

Staff contract planner Kanika Pompey told commissioners the 2,340‑square‑foot interior lot is in the Neighborhood Commercial (C‑1) zone and carries a general plan land‑use designation of neighborhood commercial. The site currently has three at‑grade parking stalls and no landscaping; the project proposes no new public landscaping at this stage, though any future landscaping would need to meet the city's water‑efficient landscaping requirements. Pompey said the project meets applicable development standards and the city's housing element policies encouraging ADUs and access to daily activities.

Commissioners and members of the public focused on parking, use of the ADU, short‑term rentals (STRs), and trash storage. Pompey explained that under current local code the C‑1 zone requires no on‑site parking for the first 5,000 square feet of ground‑floor nonresidential space that is not an office or late‑night alcohol outlet; because the proposed commercial unit is roughly 952 square feet, no commercial parking is required. The single‑family residence will provide two off‑street parking spaces plus one guest space.

Residents Scott and Rachel Hayes, who live across Palm Drive, urged commissioners to require parking equivalent to nearby projects, to prohibit short‑term rentals, and to ensure adequate trash storage. Scott Hayes questioned whether the second unit qualifies as an ADU under the municipal code and expressed concern that labeling it an ADU could be used to avoid parking requirements; he asked for specific prohibition language to keep units from becoming STRs. The Hayeses also noted past citations they attributed to the applicant at another rental property and asked that the commission restrict STRs in conditions of approval.

Applicant representative Yvonne Bernard and architect Charles Bloodburger responded in public comment that they intend to follow the approved plans, do not plan STR use, and expect a construction timeline of roughly 18–30 months once a building permit is pulled; Bloodburger said the stairs to the roof deck will remain open to the sky unless later revised.

During deliberations, commissioners repeatedly noted the project is code‑compliant but expressed concern about enforcement of permitted uses after construction. Vice Chair Azzant proposed — and the commission agreed to add — language to the conditions of approval stating that neither the condominium nor the ADU may be used as a short‑term rental unless permitted by Hermosa Beach Municipal Code. Commissioners also secured a staff review of the trash enclosure plans before building permit approval to address neighbors' concerns about bin size and access.

The motion to approve the resolution adopting CUP 24‑02 and PDP 24‑01, as amended with the short‑term rental language and the trash‑enclosure review, carried 5–0 (Commissioners McNally, Hoffman, Flaherty, Vice Chair Azzant, Chairperson Hirsch). No public comments on this item were taken by Zoom. The record shows the project was noticed to roughly 494 nearby property owners and published in a legal ad on July 17, 2025.

The commission made no change to the project’s finding that it qualifies for a CEQA categorical exemption under section 15303 (small new construction). Staff will incorporate the added conditions into the final resolution and the project's conditions of approval.

Construction‑period timing, enforcement of ADU and rental rules, and the configuration and capacity of the trash enclosure were flagged for further staff coordination; commissioners asked staff to confirm how the trash area will accommodate the required solid‑waste volumes and to coordinate code‑enforcement follow‑up if needed.