Planning Commission approves 43-unit condo project on North Pacific Coast Highway with three very-low‑income units amid parking, height and design debate

The Redondo Beach Planning Commission on Feb. 20 approved a proposal to demolish existing structures and build a 43‑unit for‑sale condominium development at 122 and 126 North Pacific Coast Highway and 208 Central Court, with three units reserved for very‑low‑income households.

Mark Weiner, the city’s director of community development, told the commission the application is being considered under recent state housing laws — including Senate Bill 330 and state density bonus provisions — and that those laws significantly limit local discretionary review.

The project, proposed by City Ventures and presented by Patrick Chen of the developer’s team, would place 35 units on the larger RH‑2 (high‑density multifamily) parcel and eight units on the smaller R‑3 parcel (low‑density multifamily). Buildings would be arranged across eight structures, with unit sizes the developer said range from about 1,466 to 2,096 square feet. The design team has proposed one‑ and two‑car garages per unit (three of the affordable units would be tandem), varied roof forms and a “seaside‑influenced” color palette and materials.

Why it mattered: Commissioners and dozens of neighbors spent most of the hearing contesting a central tradeoff: the project uses density‑bonus provisions to gain additional development capacity and design waivers (setbacks, heights, and open‑space requirements), while the city’s base zoning, neighbors and some commissioners said would have required more setback and open space and different massing. Opponents emphasized parking and traffic spillover into adjacent historic residential streets; proponents and affordable‑housing supporters said the site is designated for housing in the city’s housing element and provides three deed‑restricted very‑low‑income units that are needed locally.

Key project numbers and concessions: Senior Planner Steven Jang summarized site and code data: the total site area was reported in staff documents at about 1.56 acres (the developer’s presentation used a 1.67 gross acreage figure). The city’s base zoning calculation would require roughly 100 parking spaces for the proposed units; state density bonus law sets a lower parking requirement for the project type at 1.5 spaces per unit (about 65). The applicant proposed 93 spaces in submittals (staff noted a plan set discrepancy and analysis later in the hearing showed 91 numbered spaces on the plans). Staff also documented waivers requested for side and front setbacks, building height and open‑space…