Redondo Slow Growth Initiatives (2008)
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Both measures passed. However, Measure DD obtained 58.51% of the vote, while competing Measure EE obtained 50.34% of the vote. Therefore, Measure DD prevails.
- Measure DD is an initiative that earned a place on the ballot because its supporters collected over 6000 signatures on petitions. This initiative is the Building a Better Redondo (or BBR) initiative.
- The second ballot measure about growth issues was placed on the November ballot through the referral process by a vote of the Redondo Beach City Council. That measure is Measure EE.
Both ballot measures require voter pre-approval of major land-use decisions and changes.
The citizen initiative (Measure DD) applies to any zoning changes that would:
- Have the effect of converting any public land to private use,
- Change business zoning to residential or mixed-use developments with certain density limits, or
- "Significantly increase" traffic, density or intensity of use in a neighborhood.
According to the BBR, when any such zoning changes are in the works, they must be put to a vote of the people, rather than being decided by a zoning commission or the city council.
The city's competing ballot measure (Measure EE):
- Has an effect on times when a low density residential neighborhoods would be "upzoned" to a higher residential density than is currently allowed.
- Prevents any zoning changes to non-residential uses in single family dwelling neighborhoods.
- Has no effects on medium and high density neighborhoods.
- Has no effects on rezoning business or public property (other than P-PRO) to condo zoning.
- Prevents the rezoning of parks and open space to any other type of zoning,
- Limits the height of buildings within the Coastal Zone to current 45-foot specifications.
- Any proposals by the city's Planning Commission that change zoning beyond these parameters must go to a public vote.
Contrasting the two measures
Supporters of the city council measure say that the main difference between that measure and the BBR is that the BBR would require project-by-project voter approval while the city measure would require public votes at a "much broader level, rather than project by project".
Diels, a supporter of the city measure (EE) , says the major difference between the two is:
- "Ours is clearer, concise, and protects single-family residence zones, parks and coastal zones. It’s not taking away anybody’s property rights, and it’s subject to environmental review. Theirs is confusing, complicated, is an economic threat and does not protect single-family zones."
Supporters of the BBR respond that:
- The citizen initiative (DD) clearly states that any zoning change must still undergo a full CEQA review.
- Second, the BBR puts all major upzoning including upzoning residential neighborhoods and upzoning ALL public property to a vote.
- Third, the BBR has been accurately summarized by Redondo's city attorney in 500 words, suggesting that Diels' concern about undue complexity is misplaced. To the extent the BBR is complex, it is to preempt loopholes.
- Fourth, the BBR is broader in scope than the City ballot measure. The City Measure (EE) avoids the zoning changes that have been most prevalent in Redondo.
- Fifth, it isn't true that the BBR would require voter approval of projects. Rather, the language of the BBR states that a public vote is only triggered by major zoning change actions, not specific projects.
- But the biggest differentiator in the two measures is motive. Two of the authors of EE (both are Councilmen) have stated in public meetings they do not believe in residents voting on ballot changes(Daily Breeze and Beach Reporter articles). One of the authors is telling residents to vote "no" on both. Clearly, the only reason EE is there is to confuse and lure voters away from DD. They are afraid after a recent survey showed the majorityof the voters polled support voting on rezoning.
What Redondo DD supporters dislike about EE
Supporters of Redondo DD say:
- The city's measure (EE) does not address the core concerns that motivated residents to qualify DD for the ballot.
- EE does not address the trend in Redondo to convert business zoning and public land to high density condo zoning.
- The city initiative only protects some public property. It does not protect public right of ways and school property, and both of those types of property have recently been rezoned to condo use.
- The City's ballot measure protects a relatively small part of Redondo land that is vulnerable to re-zoning, especially given that the harbor has already been rezoned with height increases.
- With minor changes the Heart of the City zoning and the Torrance Boulevard rezoning to condos and mixed use would not require a vote under EE. Nor would the over 250 condos recently developed and in development on Ruxtan Lane and Artesia Blvd.
- The resident initiative DD requires a vote for major zoning changes like these examples, where the city's does not.
- Furthermore, the City's measure (EE) treats Condo dwelling Redondo residents as second class citizens. Residents in single family housing get more protection than those that live in condo.
The public relations battle
Save Redondo is a Political Action Group fighting measure DD (the residents' ballot measure). It gets 99.5% of its funding cumulatively from California Association of Realtors Political Action Committee (over $50K in donations), Apartment Owners Association Political Action Committee, Marina Cove Limited ($13,000), the AES Power Plant ($5,000)and Councilmen, Commissioners and Chamber of Commerce leaders that have been long time advocates of more extensive development in Redondo. Less than 0.5% of Save Redondo's donations come from normal everyday residents.(Save Redondo FPPC filings). Last minute filings show that Save Redondo has spent over $110,000 fighting Measure DD.
The group's opposition to the citizen-initiated measure (DD) is based on two main factors (per Save Redondo web page and flyer):
- The assumption that if DD passes, and people have the opportunity to vote on development projects, they will reject them.
- A second assumption is that all investment in Redondo will dry up if DD passes.
- And, if that happens, the city of Redondo's tax revenues will decrease, because less development means less property and other taxes.
- And, if tax revenues decline, all the city services offered by the City of Redondo will have less money to spend, including its public safety services, and therefore, the quality and quantity of those services will decline.
- Save Redondo literature and website do not cite sources substantiating their position on revenue and resident voting.
Supporters of Redondo DD, the citizen measure, disagree with this opinion. They say:
- The city revenues in Newport Beach have increased (34% in five years) since voters in that city passed the Greenlight Initiative, which, like Redondo DD, requires a public vote on zoning changes. (Newport Beach Revenue Report 2007) Newport also increased fire department staffing and built a new fire station during this time (per telecon with Newport Beach Fire Department. According to the Daily Breeze, the Assistant City Manager of Newport Beach stated that significant investment has occurred within current zoning.
- Over 30 California cities and most of New England require public approval on zoning changes, without an apparent degradation in their public safety services or general tax revenues.
- It's not true that voters will vote against development proposals if the proposals go to a vote; for example, Newport voters voted for a new general plan that included development increases in parts of the city, residents of the City of Davis voted for a green Target, and Manhattan Beach voters voted for development at their Metlox site. Obviously voters in New England have voted for some development since the early 1700's. Residents have proven they will vote for balanced development.
Additional arguments include:
- Councilman states Measure DD (the residents' initiative) will cause affordable housing to spring up everywhere (City Council meeting video). However, both measure EE and DD have the same language with regard to affordable housing, which is based on state mandates (per text of each ballot measure). The idea that developers will flood Redondo with development projects that are 100% affordable housing is a scare tactic that is not rooted in fiscal reality.
- Councilman states Measure EE underwent environmental review(Reported in Daily Breeze and Beach Reporter) Both EE and DD are administrative processes (not zoning changes) so they in themselves have no environmental impact and consequently it is a non sequitur to claim that Measure EE underwent an environmental review.
- Graphs have been displayed at Councilman Town Hall meetings with the representation that the graphs show the impact that Measure DD would have on the city's revenues. A California Public Records request showed that the graphs were comparisons of 2007 to 2008 City revenues and had nothing to do with the residents' measure (DD).(City response to California Public Records Request)
- The same councilman was reported to be misrepresenting zoning in his district calling R-2 and R-3 zoned (multi family townhome/condo zoning) "single family" zoning. This was in response to his consitituents concern that they were less protected than R-1 (single family housing)zones under EE.
- All three authors of EE and two additional councilmen have joined "Save Redondo" per Save Redondo literature and web page. Many residents question how the Council who voted for EE (which is ballot box zoning) could join a group that is against ballot box zoning.
- Councilman Aspel, one of the three authors of EE, has stated at town hall meetings he recommends residents vote against DD and his own measure, EE.
- Former Councilmen Bob Pinzler stated in the Beach Reporter that EE represents "a cynical jab at the initiative process." He then went on to evaluate that EE gives voters the chance to vote on zoning changes "that are not likely to happen."
- "Save Redondo" has published information stating that DD would require a city-wide vote to upgrade the kitchen of a local coffee shop. Discussions with City officials revealed that the owner of the properties would want the whole block rezoned. It is this rezoning that would trigger a vote under DD not the remodeling of the kitchen.
Election Results
Measure DD passed 15301 votes for, 10850 against Measure EE passed 12671 votes for, 12499 votes against
Because Measure DD passed with 2630 more votes, it prevails and must be implemented in its entirety, Elements of EE will be written into the charter where it does not conflict DD.
Discussions with Councilmen and the City Attorney reveal that a specific definition in EE may put the entire measure in conflict with Measure DD. It does not seem likely that any element of EE will be implemented.
The Council will discuss implementation on November 18th. It must be filed with the California Secretary of State before any Charter change is final.
External links
- City battles slow-growth group with its own ballot measure
- Building a Better Redondo, website supporting the citizen initiative (Measure DD)
- Land use showdown in Redondo Beach
- Q&A on Redondo Beach ballot measures
- Election results
