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Redondo Beach staff proposes economic development working group, highlights business concierge successes
Summary
City staff briefed the council on a two-year business concierge program that handled 26 businesses and proposed forming an Economic Development Working Group with a council subcommittee to recommend regulatory and process changes to attract and retain businesses.
Redondo Beach staff on Tuesday asked the City Council to formally back an economic development working group and to create a council subcommittee to guide it, saying the city's two-year-old business concierge program has sped problem-solving for applicants and identified regulatory and permitting bottlenecks.
The business concierge program, approved by council in December 2022, provides centralized help for prospective and existing businesses as they navigate land use, planning and building-permit requirements. "Since its launch, the business concierge program has improved interdepartmental coordination," Economic Development staff member Dave Scribe told the council, citing a mix of online resources, regular cross-department meetings and proactive outreach to applicants.
Why it matters: Council members described the item as a strategic step to retain and attract businesses to Redondo Beach's commercial corridors, reduce the number of projects that start construction without required permits, and make the waterfront and Artesia Boulevard more investment-friendly.
What staff recommended: Staff asked council to receive and file the report, to authorize continued upgrades to permitting systems and communications, and to indicate support for forming a city-council subcommittee to work with a staff-and-business working group. Staff said the city has implemented integrated permitting software, a business-concierge web page, appointment scheduling and in-person kiosks at City Hall to help applicants.
Examples staff cited: Scribe gave three recent examples where concierge support changed outcomes: a waterfront restaurant whose utility meter was replaced in time to open as scheduled after staff interceded with the utility; a cafe on Artesia that resolved safety and permitting issues during construction and opened; and the Sonesta Hotel obtaining a fast-turnaround event permit four days before an event.
Council reaction and next steps: Council members generally supported the proposal and indicated interest in serving on a subcommittee. Mayor James Light said he would like to participate. Staff said the subcommittee could be formalized by resolution later; no appointments were made at the meeting. Council voted to receive and file the staff report (motion to receive and file recorded as approved by the council). Staff said the next steps will include targeted outreach to the local business community, feedback surveys for applicants and a continued push to reduce internal permitting delays.
Ending: Staff will return with a formal resolution and implementation details for the council subcommittee, plus follow-up budget or resource requests as needed.
