Redondo Beach council backs expedited Seaside Lagoon rehab, opts for 5‑foot sand‑entry design

Redondo Beach City Council unanimously directed staff to advance a revised design for Seaside Lagoon that preserves a sand‑entry beach feel while achieving a usable deep end by building up the existing bulkhead, rather than costly dewatering excavation.

Community services director Elizabeth House told the council the existing lagoon’s ocean intake and discharge model has driven repeated maintenance problems and regulatory fines; the city secured roughly $10 million in grant funding and previously selected a recirculating Option 2 design in 2024 but has since refined plans in response to public‑health and geotechnical constraints. "Seaside Lagoon is a very popular water amenity in our waterfront," House said. "Last year we had to shut down for two weeks during our prime season and expended about $60,000 in repairs on the pump." (Elizabeth House)

Why it matters: the existing facility is costly and fragile to operate; continued reliance on the intake/discharge model exposes the city to growing regulatory costs and operational interruptions. Staff presented a narrowed Phase 1 that preserves community priorities (zero‑depth sand entry, new slide, fountains and buoys for informal lap swimming, concrete bottom beyond the sand, and a new slide), and recommended building up the platform to provide up to five feet of depth without deep dewatering, reducing construction complexity and risk.

Design choices and budget: staff described three approaches. The base option (3.5 ft depth) was estimated at about $9.5 million; an elevated build‑up to 4–5 ft would be approximately $9.95–$10.05 million; fully excavating to 5 ft (with dewatering) could raise the cost toward $12.7 million. Optional add‑ons include replacement of sand (roughly 5,000 cubic yards, ~ $550,000), upgraded restrooms and showers (staff recommended prefabricated two‑stall restrooms with an exterior shower), and perimeter fencing upgrades (chain link to tube‑steel or hybrid glass options). Nuvvice principal Linda Ford emphasized the groundwater constraint: the design skirts a high groundwater table, allowing 3.5 ft excavation without dewatering; deeper excavation would incur substantial dewatering costs.

Council debate and maintenance concerns: council members pressed staff on long‑term maintenance, sand migration, bird use, and operational costs. Council Member Waller urged maximizing depth in the shallow, sand‑entry zone for play value: "I like that we've relooked at the sand and being able to put it on the slope down in the shallower areas for the younger kids," she said (Council Member Waller). Several members asked that plans include flexibility for fencing and bid alternates so higher‑quality fencing or sand replacement could be added if bids permit.

Funding and schedule: staff said the project is currently supported by about $10 million in grant funds and local seed money; the remainder would be considered from Quimby fees, tidelands capital, and other capital resources. Because of upcoming major events (Beach Life and LA 2028), staff recommended entitling Phase 1 only and moving quickly on coastal permitting; the target construction start date projected by staff is April 2027 with roughly 10 months of construction.

Public input: representatives from Surfrider Foundation and harbor stakeholders spoke in favor of expedited action to improve water quality and recreation access.

What happens next: the council’s unanimous direction instructs staff to prepare a coastal development permit application, finalize plans and specs for the base Option 2 design with build‑up to approximately 5 ft, include two‑stall prefabricated restrooms and an exterior shower in base design, and structure fencing and sand replacement items as bid alternates if feasible. Staff will return with refined cost estimates and funding allocations during the CIP process.

The council emphasized that while the preferred Option 2 is a pared‑back version of earlier concepts, it represents a pragmatic way to modernize the lagoon, reduce regulatory exposure, and deliver a more reliable year‑round amenity for residents and visitors.