Redondo Beach planning commission backs housing-element amendments, replaces overlays with high-density and mixed-use zones

Redondo Beach

The Redondo Beach Planning Commission on March 31 voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve amendments to the citys 20212029 housing element and related zoning and land-use regulations, including replacing Affordable Housing Overlay designations on identified housing sites with high-density residential (RH4) and mixed-use (MU) zones and removing one previously-identified housing site. The commission also approved an addendum finding no new environmental impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Commissioners reopened a continued public hearing on the proposed updates and heard a staff presentation before deliberating. Planning staff said the amendments respond to a recent court decision and follow guidance from the state Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). "This is the housing element update. We're replacing the affordable housing overlay districts with highdensity residential and mixeduse districts," planning staff said during the presentation. Staff said HCD issued a substantial compliance letter stating the draft amendment did not alter the agencys prior substantial compliance finding.

Why it matters

The update changes how the city implements several previously-identified…