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 housing sites by removing one site (the North Tech site), increasing allowed density on remaining sites and aligning zoning, the land-use element and subdivision ordinance with the housing element. Staff and commissioners said the changes are intended to preserve the citys eligibility for state certification while addressing a court interpretation that affected the earlier overlay approach.

Key details

- Zoning and land-use: The proposal replaces Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) designations on the citys housing sites with RH4 (very high-density residential) and MU (mixed-use) zones and removes the North Tech housing site from the inventory. Staff walked commissioners through site-specific changes (Kingsdale, South of the transit center, 190th Street, South Bay Marketplace, FedEx site) and corresponding development standards.

- Density and standards: Staff said most development standards (height, floor-area ratio, setbacks, stories) remain similar to the prior designations; density allowances were increased in some zones (for example, South Bay Marketplace was described as increasing from 55 to 80 dwelling units per acre). Staff said those changes were analyzed in the previously certified program EIR and an addendum would cover the amendments without requiring a subsequent or supplemental EIR.

- Residential-floor-area requirement: Commissioners discussed a change intended to address the courts concerns: future development on the identified sites will be required to allocate a minimum share of building floor area to residential uses. Staff and commissioners described that requirement as a minimum of 50% of floor area devoted to housing on future projects at those sites.

- Incentives and affordable housing: Staff described existing incentives (reduced setbacks, parking concessions and other ministerial incentives) and said the housing element includes a program to study an inclusionary housing ordinance in the future; adoption of an inclusionary ordinance is not currently mandated.

Legal and procedural context

Commissioners pressed staff on legal risk, asking whether the courts decision that affected the North Tech site could be applied to other sites. Staff said the North Tech removal followed the courts determination and that HCD has reviewed the amendments and supports certification, but acknowledged that legal challenges remain possible with any land-use change.

Vote and next steps

A motion to adopt Resolution No. 2026-3-PCR-3 (recommending City Council approval of the housing element amendments, associated land-use and zoning updates, and the CEQA addendum) was seconded and carried on a roll-call vote with all commissioners voting in favor. The commissions recommendation will be transmitted to the City Council for its consideration; the council retains final decision-making authority.

Quotes

"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.

"We worked really closely with and Veronica Tam especially with HCD on these updates," staff added, noting coordination with the state's housing agency.

What remains unresolved

Staff and commissioners acknowledged the possibility of future legal challenges to the amended housing element and zoning changes. The commission also left for future study whether the city should pursue a mandatory inclusionary housing ordinance, noting HCDs concerns that overly high mandatory requirements can make projects infeasible.

The planning commissions recommendation will go to the Redondo Beach City Council for final action; staff said the city expects to continue related planning efforts through the coming year, including adoption of the general plan and additional ordinance work.