Harbor commission hears series of waterfront project updates and votes to add reef-augmentation item to a future agenda

Redondo Beach Harbor Commission members on Feb. 10 received a broad waterfront update from staff on projects ranging from a public boat launch study to parking and Seaside Lagoon improvements, and approved placing consideration of augmenting the Redondo artificial reef on a future commission agenda.

The action to agendize potential city support for reef augmentation followed public comment and discussion during the meeting and passed after commissioners answered in the affirmative when the chair called for a vote. The commission did not record a roll-call tally at the time of the motion on the transcript; the chair announced the motion carried.

Why it matters: the projects discussed affect harbor access, local business circulation, public amenities and environmental permitting. Several initiatives noted by staff will move into design or permitting stages that require further review by city planning staff and, for some items, the California Coastal Commission.

Director'level updates

Greg, the city director who presented the report, said consultants are completing studies for a planned public boat launch and associated parking, traffic and circulation analysis. The city has contracted Moffatt & Nichol for work on the boat launch; staff expects the consultant studies to be delivered within a week or two and then reviewed by city planning before moving into design and environmental review. The wave attenuation study for the launch will be conducted over a full calendar year to capture seasonal conditions.

Marina parking lot work is already underway in phases. Staff described a conversion from a staffed toll booth to electronic pay stations and pay-by-app systems, plus ADA improvements. Phase 1 covers the northern half of the service lot serving California Surf Club and Seaside Lagoon; staff said it was under construction and expected to be complete in mid-March, including about 80 additional accessible stalls, new pedestrian routes and ADA-compliant sidewalks. The southern portion, with similar upgrades and new payment signage, is expected to follow and be completed in mid-April, after which the existing toll booth will be removed and parking enforcement will operate the lot.

Seaside Lagoon and waterfront facilities

Staff reported that the City Council approved the overall scope for a phased overhaul of Seaside Lagoon in October 2024 that aligns with the commission's recommendation. The consultant has been refining building placement and programmatic elements (restroom sizing, break rooms, and other code-driven spaces) and has met with the commission subcommittee to gather feedback. Staff said the project remains on track for entitlements in August 2025 and anticipates submitting to the California Coastal Commission in September, subject to the commission's scheduling.

On the former Joe's Crab Shack site, staff said the city has been in discussions with the Marine Mammal Care Center about a possible waterfront education facility. The center has expressed interest in developing a building estimated (by the presenter) at roughly $25 million but has not yet started fundraising; staff and the center are discussing a short-term document that could show a level of city commitment short of a lease and help the center demonstrate readiness to potential donors.

Operations, leases and docking policy

Staff said the city has received Coastal Commission approval for a nonprofit sailing operator at two Portofino slips; the proposed operator is Julie Cole and the agreement is in the hands of city attorneys, with the signed agreement to go to City Council after the parties finalize language.

The Port Royal redevelopment option is expected to be presented to City Council on Feb. 18. Staff outlined an option that would give the Port Royal leaseholder a path to a 50-year lease extension if the redeveloper meets a series of entitlements and building-permit benchmarks by defined deadlines. Staff also said a lease/option provision would require that when a slip is vacated the city retains it for hourly rental availability until it is re-let, and that policy would be implemented across multiple basins over time.

Dinghy docks, pay-by-hour pilot and harbor operations

As part of the harbor amenities plan, staff described a forthcoming dinghy-dock pilot that will implement paid hourly dinghy slips in Basin 3 and additional docks across basins; the pilot will use an app-based payment system analogous to the parking pay-by-app. Staff said this is intended to expand access for visitors while ensuring fair distribution of docking resources.

Other items and community notes

Staff reported progress on new sea-pen fabrication and Coastal Commission permitting for grow pens at the fire-station docks, with an installation target around July 2025; that item is still awaiting a Coastal Commission decision. The city also completed a ribbon-cutting for a skatepark mural and used Council-allocated funds for International Boardwalk improvements, blade signs and façade grant matches for local businesses.

A public commenter, Mark Hansen of the King Harbor Yacht Club, spoke about local boating groups' activities and suggested reusing removed pier pilings to augment the offshore artificial reef; the commission voted to place consideration of reef augmentation on a future agenda so the idea can be discussed with staff and potentially included in a letter of support. The commission chair said staff would work with the commenter to prepare the item.

Process notes and next steps

Staff introduced Catherine Buck as the new waterfront manager and reminded commissioners that the next Harbor Commission meeting is scheduled for March 10, when staff expects at least one conditional use permit (CUP) to appear on the agenda. Several items described by staff will require further design review, subcommittee meetings and external permitting (including the California Coastal Commission) before definitive approvals or construction begin.

Action taken

The commission voted to add a future-agenda item to consider possible commission support for augmenting the Redondo artificial reef. The motion was seconded and the chair called the vote; the motion carried.

Notes: The meeting transcript did not record a detailed roll-call vote or named mover/second for the reef-augmentation motion in the public record excerpt provided.