Hermosa Beach council narrows event rules, keeps M1 outdoor events with 50% indoor cap

Hermosa Beach City Council members spent more than three hours April 8 debating proposed changes to the municipal code that regulate temporary uses and special events on private property.

Council approved a package of amendments that staff and the Planning Commission recommended for a zone text amendment governing temporary uses and events. The council modified key limits—raising allowed event capacity in some categories, preserving limited indoor “Cypress District” event allowances, and adopting a caveat that events in the M1 (Cypress) area that use public-facing outdoor space must include a substantial indoor component.

The Planning Division presentation said the proposed ordinance would consolidate existing regulation in chapter 17, simplify permitting for temporary minor special events (indoor or outdoor gatherings such as flea markets, concerts or car shows), and add clearer provisions for parking, accessibility and restricted days for public-safety reasons. Staff recommended keeping accessible parking in place, allowing limited temporary signs with a permit and expanding permit duration options to reduce paperwork for recurring event producers.

Why it matters: Council members said they wanted clearer rules for businesses and event organizers while protecting neighbors from repeated impacts. The debate focused on whether the M1 (Cypress) district—created previously as a light-manufacturing/art area—should be treated the same as commercial zones for outdoor, assembly-style events.

What the council decided: After extensive council and public discussion the council voted to adopt the Planning Commission’s amendment package with several council-directed changes: raise the permitted annual activity from the prior proposal to 24 events (a combined maximum of 72 aggregate event days) for certain event categories; allow limited events in the Cypress District (M1) to continue but require that temporary minor special events in the M1 include both indoor and outdoor elements and limit outdoor footprint so the indoor portion is not entirely absent (the council settled on a 50% indoor/50% outdoor guideline for events in the M1 district); and to limit the frequency of seasonal sales lots (Christmas tree/pumpkin lots) so they do not occupy the same site repeatedly for extended stretches.

Speakers and public input: Planning Manager Alexis Orpiza summarized the zoning changes and said staff and the Planning Commission had tried to balance flexibility for businesses with protections for residents. Police Captain Phillips answered questions about public-safety authority, including the city’s power to revoke permits when safety conditions change. Council members—Mayor Dean Francois, Mayor Pro Tem Rob Seaman, Council Members Ray Jackson, Christian Keegan and John DeToy—asked detailed questions about parking thresholds, amplified sound, lighting rules, allowable hours and whether the police would be the final authority on public-safety revocation. Dozens of public commenters—business owners from downtown and Cypress District (including Cathy Knoll and representatives of Uncorked), artists and residents (including Barbara Ellman and Beth Rohrer)—urged the council to protect small businesses and arts venues while others called for strict limits so the M1 area would not become a nightlife district.

Key technical points discussed - Parking: Staff’s tiered approach remains: if an event uses five or fewer off‑street spaces no parking mitigation is required; above that level a parking demand management plan is required and the director may require additional parking mitigations based on event characteristics. - Hours and lighting: Staff recommended 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. as permissible hours for entertainment; moving/strobe/laser lights would be restricted because of traffic and residential impacts. Council asked staff to clarify the lighting language so that common decorative LED strings do not become prohibited while flashers/lasers/beam lights that affect drivers or residents remain restricted. - Revocation: Council confirmed revocation authority for public-safety reasons resides with public-safety staff and will remain an express condition in permits. - Incidental/ancillary uses: Planning recommended a clearer exemption for incidental activities (book signings, trivia nights, small game nights) so lower-impact programming would not trigger a full temporary event permit.

Council votes and direction: A motion to approve the zoning amendments with several modifications was made and then replaced by a substitute motion that the council adopted on a 3–2 vote (Mayor Francois, Council Members Jackson and DeToy voted yes; Mayor Pro Tem Seaman and Council Member Keegan voted no). The council directed staff to implement the adopted changes in final ordinance language, return with a revised fee structure to match permit adjustments, and provide a follow-up to clarify the definitions and operational rules (lighting, amplification and the new 24-event/72-day thresholds).

Next steps and follow-up: Staff will file the revised ordinance language and return with a fee schedule amendment for council review. The council also asked staff to craft a narrowly tailored definition or rule for ‘moving lights’ so typical decorative strings do not become prohibited inadvertently. Planning staff noted the ordinance was submitted for CEQA review as exempt under the “common sense” exemption (section 15061), and the draft will be returned with ordinance text for final adoption.

Provenance: Council opened the public hearing on the zone text amendment at the April 8 meeting (transcript begins: item introduction at s=8176.6353) and council action on modifications concluded with the substitute motion vote (s=17053.842).