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Hermosa Beach council backs immediate pier repairs and orders review of replacement options
Summary
After a year‑long structural assessment that flagged the 1965 pier as in “poor to serious” condition, the council approved high‑priority repairs and plaque replacements and asked staff to advance planning options for a possible full replacement in coming years.
Hermosa Beach city officials on March 24 approved a package of near‑term repairs to the municipal pier and instructed staff to begin planning work to evaluate long‑term replacement options.
City engineers told the council a detailed January 2026 inspection found extensive delamination, spalling and rebar corrosion on the concrete deck and piles of the 1965 structure. John Krookshank of JMC2 Squared said the pier is in a “poor to serious condition,” and highlighted that patching and pile repairs will be needed repeatedly unless the city chooses to replace the structure.
The presentation included a 45‑year cost‑benefit model: the city could spend roughly $210 million to keep repairing the pier on five‑year cycles, while a full replacement in the near‑optimal window (counsel discussion centered on 2032–2036) would require a much larger upfront cost in today’s dollars (presented as roughly $45–58 million depending on timing) but could yield substantial lifecycle savings.
Public comment reflected the split in the community: some residents urged immediate replacement planning to avoid escalating costs and repeated closures, while others pressed for better outreach and for commissions to vet design and placement options for surf‑walk plaques and other aesthetics.
Council action: the council voted to proceed with the staff‑recommended high‑priority repairs and to include plaque replacement work in CIP 623. The body also directed staff to bring the surfers’ “Walk of Fame” plaque relocation to the Parks & Recreation Commission for public review and requested additional analysis and community engagement on any future replacement path. The specific motion approving near‑term repairs and plaque work passed unanimously.
What happens next: staff will advertise the repair project and continue permitting work this summer, while bringing back more detailed financing and environmental planning options for any replacement timeline the council may later choose to pursue.
