The Parks & Recreation advisory commission on Jan. 6 voted unanimously to recommend that City Council consider amending Hermosa Beach Municipal Code Chapter 12.2.0.3 to allow vendors associated with approved special events to sell prepared food, nonalcoholic beverages and merchandise on the beach (but not on the Strand), with a $115 per‑vendor daily fee.

Staff told commissioners the change would be limited to vendors operating within an approved event footprint and that event producers would be responsible for vendor insurance, vendor lists and preventing unpermitted sales. Staff proposed eliminating an existing event co‑sponsor fee in some circumstances and would charge the per‑vendor daily fee to the event producer on the final permit invoice.

The police chief warned of enforcement and staffing challenges if alcohol were permitted on the beach, saying access control and strict staffing would be necessary to keep consumption limited to a defined, secured area. The chief cautioned that permitting alcohol at one beach event could create future enforcement and precedent issues for the city.

Commissioners voiced concern about competition with local brick‑and‑mortar businesses, vendor footprint size, and how staff would approve vendors. After debate, the commission added three clarifications to the staff recommendation before moving it to council: exclude alcohol sales or consumption on the beach, limit the sale of food to prepared/non‑hot items (consistent with the municipal code definition of "prepared food"), and ask staff to consider a discounted per‑vendor fee for businesses based in Hermosa Beach to encourage local participation.

The motion to forward the staff recommendation with those modifications passed 5‑0. Staff said the proposed code amendments and fee changes would be prepared for City Council review through the required public hearing process.