NOTE: Our previous email listed incorrect text for an email to the City Council and City Clerk, and has been updated in this message. We apologize for the double emails.

The BCHD Team

October 28, 2024

UPDATE: Public Hearing #3 - Get Involved - YOU can help safeguard & preserve our Programs & Services

Your voice matters! Support a 1.25 FAR and fair treatment from the city and save BCHD's programs:

First, a big THANK YOU goes out to all who have attended in-person meetings or submitted e-comments to the City Council regarding the General Plan Update and the floor area ratio issue. By our count, more than 80 e-comments have been submitted in favor of BCHD and nearly 50 friends of BCHD have attended CIty Council meetings with the General Plan Update on the agenda (Oct. 1 & 15). WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR HEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY! Let's continue to let the City know how important Beach Cities Health District is to you!

Here's how you can support BCHD at the next City Council meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 29:

1) Attend the City Council Meeting:

• Attend the City Council meeting in person
• Make or submit a comment OR just attend to show your support by wearing a BCHD t-shirt!
• Attend the meeting via Zoom and comment. (Zoom instructions are available on the meeting agenda)

Date: Tuesday, October 29

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location: City Council Chambers, 415 Diamond Street, Redondo Beach

2) Submit a Comment:

• E-comments may be submitted before and during the City Council meeting. eCOMMENT: Comments may be entered directly on the City's website at: https://redondo.granicusideas.com/meetings

Check the box "OPPOSE.”

Here is suggested text for your comment: "Regarding Agenda Item L1, I OPPOSE certification of the EIR as presented. I SUPPORT a uniform 1.25 FAR for BCHD and all public institutions.” You can also tell the City Council what BCHD Programs and Services mean the most to you. 

1. Public comments can be entered before and during the meeting.
2. Select a SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM to enter your comment; (L1 is the Item regarding BCHD and the General Plan update)
3. Public will be prompted to Sign-Up to create a free personal account (one-time) and then comments may be added to each Agenda item of interest.
4. Public comments entered into eComment (up to 2200 characters; equal to approximately 3 minutes of oral comments) will become part of the official meeting record. Comments may be read out loud during the meeting.

3) Email the Redondo Beach City Clerk and City Council:

Tell them you support keeping public institutional land uses the same for BCHD and the City with a 1.25 FAR in the General Plan update.

EMAIL: To participate by written communication, EMAILS MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE 3:00 P.M. THE DAY OF THE MEETING. Public comments may be submitted by email to cityclerk@redondo.org. In addition to emailing the City Clerk, cc: the Mayor and City Council members on your comments:

Mayor Jim Light: james.light@redondo.org

District 1: Council Member Nils Nehrenheim: nils.nehrenheim@redondo.org

District 2: Mayor Pro Tem/Council Member Todd Loewenstein: todd.loewenstein@redondo.org

District 3: Council Member Paige Kaluderovic: paige.kaluderovic@redondo.org

District 4: Council Member Zein Obagi, Jr.: Zein.Obagi@redondo.org

District 5: Council Member Scott Behrendt: scott.behrendt@redondo.org

Here is suggested text for your comment: Here is suggested text for your comment: "Regarding Agenda Item L1, I OPPOSE certification of the EIR as presented. I SUPPORT a uniform 1.25 FAR for BCHD and all public institutions.” You can also tell the City Council what BCHD Programs and Services mean the most to you. 

Save Your Public Health Services - Redondo Beach City Council meets again Tuesday, Oct. 29

Keep Public Institutional Use Levels the Same for the Health District and City - Support a 1.25 Floor Area Ratio

The Redondo Beach City Council will meet Tuesday evening with an agenda item that could directly impact Beach Cities Health District. The Planning Commission made a change to the proposed City of Redondo Beach General Plan that could significantly reduce BCHD’s programs and services, proposing a dramatic reduction in the Floor Area Ratio for select public property, targeting BCHD.  

The programs you use, know and love are under attack, including: 

• The Center for Health & Fitness 
• Social Workers for disabled and older adults 
• allcove Beach Cities – youth wellness center 
• Blue Zones Project 
• Summer Free Fitness
• LiveWell Kids and BCHD’s numerous other free programs and services 

Initially, a 0.75 FAR was considered for BCHD’s campus by the Planning Commission, where they recently recommended a further reduction–without being studied–to 0.50, while select City of Redondo Beach properties, which have the same land use designation, are allowed a 1.25 FAR.  

The General Plan update will be on the agenda at the next meeting of the Redondo Beach City Council on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 415 Diamond Street in Redondo Beach.

Funding & BCHD’s Budget 

Forty-two percent of BCHD’s revenues that fund programs and services come from leases on BCHD’s campus and public-private partnerships. Limiting BCHD’s ability to utilize the campus to generate revenue through leases for medical offices, memory care for the elderly and other health-related services would decrease BCHD’s budget and limit its ability to provide its current programs and services.  

What is a Floor Area Ratio? 

Floor Area Ratio (or FAR) – is a technical planning term that determines how much can be built on parcels throughout the city. It is calculated by dividing the gross floor area of a building by the total lot size.   

Q & A

Q: How much longer can the old South Bay Hospital building operate?

A: BCHD has invested a significant amount of time and resources working with seismic consultants regarding the next steps for the 514 N. Prospect Avenue building.

In January 2018, Nabih Youssef Associates made a presentation to BCHD’s Community Working Group regarding the seismic integrity of the 514 N. Prospect Avenue Building (the old South Bay Hospital). Their presentation cited information about a City of Los Angeles ordinance that allowed owners of non-ductile concrete construction buildings 10 years to submit a detailed evaluation of their building(s), and 25 years to “complete all retrofit or demolition work.” This was not a recommendation from Nabih Youssef Associates. Here’s a link to their presentation: https://www.bchdcampus.org/sites/default/files/archive-files/January-2018-Nabih-Youssef-and-Associates-Presentation_CWG.pdf

In November 2020, Nabih Youssef Associates provided follow-up information regarding the status of the hospital building, writing:

“We evaluated the 514 Building in 2017 and recommended seismic strengthening to improve performance. We understand that Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) has determined the recommended seismic strengthening is not economically feasible and intends to demolish the building within 5 years to mitigate the hazard.  Given the vulnerability of the building and poor performance of non-ductile concrete buildings in past earthquakes, demolition is prudent.” 

Here is a link to that letter: https://www.bchdcampus.org/sites/default/files/archive-files/Youssef%20Assoc_Proposed%20Demo%20514%20Building_2020_0.pdf

In October 2021, ImageCat, working with Nabih Youssef Associates, produced a Seismic Risk Consulting Report for the 514 N. Prospect building. Their report called “The building damage, downtime and probability of collapse with 10% probability of exceedance in the next 3 to 5 years are basically close to what would be expected, and deemed acceptable by most commercial lenders and institutional owners.

“Beyond the next 3-5 years, the risk picture is different. Risk results presented for exposure periods of 10 to 50 years are significantly high, with probabilities of collapse that would likely be deemed unacceptable, especially for buildings that are used for assisted living, memory care, or other medical purposes.” This means that the building can operate within acceptable risk standards relating to insurance and grants until the end of 2026.

Here’s a link to the ImageCat Seismic Risk Consulting Report.

Healthy Living Campus Facts

Beach Cities Health District has been working closely with the community since 2017 to reimagine our medical campus – home to our 64-year-old former hospital building located at 514 North Prospect Avenue in Redondo Beach – into a Healthy Living Campus for all ages. Since May 2017, BCHD has held more than 60 meetings, drawing more than 1,000 comments regarding the modernization of its property.

For accurate information regarding the Healthy Living Campus project, visit https://www.bchdcampus.org/.

acres of active green space in Campus Plan