Waterfront Changes Reflect Community Input

June 27, 2016

As the process of finally approving the revitalization of our treasured waterfront moves forward, the project continues to be refined based on community feedback – including recent changes that address two of the most common concerns we’ve heard: Including the Sportfishing Pier (home to Polly’s) in the project and creating more view corridors from Harbor Drive.

Today will be the third of four scheduled Redondo Beach Harbor Commission hearings to review The Waterfront project and the Environmental Impact Report, the latest step in this critical process to ensure that The Waterfront becomes the perfect place for Redondo residents to enjoy their coastline.

At the last hearing – where supporters of The Waterfront displayed overwhelming support for the project – you may have heard that The Waterfront will be including the Sportfishing Pier and increasing view corridors by decreasing the footprint of the North parking structure as well as buildings near Seaside Lagoon. These adjustments were decided after extensive conversations with the City of Redondo Beach and reflect community input through public meetings and hearings, including comments from the Draft Environmental Impact Report.

CenterCal was eager to accept the City’s changes, particularly after listening to the community’s strong support for including the pier throughout this process. You can see here the Full Project Application that was submitted for review to the Harbor Commission and the City of Redondo Beach, as well the Staff Report from the City which can be found here.

These changes were stressed by Redondo residents, and their impact on the eventual final plans for The Waterfront are only the latest examples of how committed CenterCal is to bringing Redondo Beach a waterfront of which they could be proud.

Since 2012, CenterCal has engaged in more than 35 meetings with the community. More than 15 of those meetings were hosted by residents themselves in which CEO Fred Bruning and/or President Jean Paul Wardy discussed the project, answered any questions, and listened to the thoughts of the community. These meetings, together with the comments that the City received during the Draft Environmental Review Process, have been important and influential to the continued designing of The Waterfront – and are directly responsible for many project elements, including the market hall, pedestrian bridge, and wide boardwalks along the water.

In fact, community input has been integral to this project from the very beginning. Eight visioning sessions that included CenterCal, the City of Redondo, and Redondo Beach residents were the very first steps in this process. And this of course was prefaced with the passing of Measure G, a community led and voter approved initiative that outlined development limits at the Waterfront, which has guided this project from the very beginning.