Parks commission OKs start of long-term negotiations with Hope Chapel for annual picnic; staff to negotiate dates and fees

The Hermosa Beach Parks, Recreation & Community Resources Advisory Commission voted unanimously to recommend that city council begin long-term agreement negotiations with Hope Chapel for an annual community picnic to occur in 2026–2028.

Staff presentation said the application (filed Oct. 30, 2025) requests dates that are not yet confirmed and that the event producer anticipates up to 1,000 participants and spectators over the course of an event. Austin Dewey, special events and filming coordinator, told the commission staff would negotiate dates and terms and return to council for final approval of any agreement.

Hope Chapel volunteer and event organizer Joey Izvy summarized the church’s Oct. 12 picnic in a post-event presentation and said the producer estimates roughly 350 people attended at peak times and that the event cost about $12,000 to stage. "We had about 350 people throughout the course of the day," Izvy said, describing food, jumpers and a shaved-ice truck that were funded in part with savings from a fee waiver.

Commissioners discussed the long-term-agreement (LTA) policy’s three-year history requirement and noted pandemic-era gaps in past runs of the event. Several commissioners said they would consider an exception given Hope Chapel’s track record of following city rules and producing low-impact events. Commissioners expressed particular concern about expanding the event into September, when other high-impact programming already occurs, and asked staff to negotiate dates that would not exceed monthly limits.

A member of the public, Tony Higgins, urged the commission to consider neighborhood impacts from large gatherings, particularly parking shortages on nearby streets during past events. "There is a big impact to a small group of people… who live around the park who can’t move their cars all day long," Higgins said.

Commissioner Maroney moved to approve staff’s recommendation as amended — that staff commence long-term agreement negotiations with Hope Chapel for 2026–2028 and to include instructions not to exceed established monthly limits — and the motion was seconded and carried 5–0. Staff said specific fee waivers or reductions would be negotiated with event producers and that any recommended fee adjustments included in an LTA would return to city council for final approval.

Next steps: staff will negotiate dates, scope and any fee terms with Hope Chapel, and bring a recommended agreement (including any fee waivers) to city council for consideration.