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9/27/23

BCHD Board Meeting

Tonight - September Board Meeting

Agenda: here.

CEO Report: here.

Up for approval - Project management contract for construction of the allcove building on Flagler Lot - See allcove presentation here.

8/20/23

BCHD Project

In Sept. 2022, the BCHD Board rushed through approval of up to a 95-year ground lease contract with private developer PMB LLC, giving BCHD’s CEO full authority to negotiate key elements of the contract, which were left blank. Terms included a 120-day period to complete the so-called “due diligence” items.

According to their latest reports, BCHD is still “resolving” key terms of the contract, nearly one year later. Bakaly stated he plans to come back to the Board in September (or later).

8/16/23

More Letters on the Bike Path to nowhere

Read more letters to the editor from Redondo Beach residents on BCHD's costly and self-serving bike path project.

7/17/23

Tuesday, July 18, at Henderson Library, 6:30 p.m.

Come out and meet Torrance District 2 Councilmember Bridgett Lewis and City Manager Aram Chaparyan for a District 2 Community Meeting on Tuesday, July 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Henderson Library. Hear what's happening in West Torrance and join the conversation.

7/13/23

BCHD has begun construction on their "Diamond Street" Bike Lane project. See the latest Letter to the Editor below and other letters and articles on this costly and mishandled project.

See link here.

Bike path dollars don’t go far

https://easyreadernews.com/letters-to-the-editor-7-13-23/

Dear ER:

BCHD received a $1.83 million grant from Metro for a quarter-mile long bike path between Redondo Beach and Torrance. On Jan. 13, 2019, the Beach Cities Health District Board passed a resolution stating the Class I bike path was an “integral component” of the proposed Healthy Living Campus. This bike path was not included in the DEIR of the Healthy Living Campus and subsequently not studied for its proposed impacts. This is synonymous with BCHD’s track record to skirt the public and surrounding neighboring community and move forward with their agenda of no accountability. BCHD’s initial grant “estimate” for the Measure M funds was excessive, at $1,500 per foot. However, BCHD’s current $3,500 per foot for $1.4 million for 400-feet is irresponsible use of our tax dollars. Given their egregious spending and lack of accountability, how can we trust them with the Health Living Camps project that is 253,700 sq.ft. The bike path lacked permission from the City of Torrance, so it abruptly stops at the Redondo Beach property line.

As Former Councilmember Bob Pinzler states in an Easy Reader article: “Why would BCHD be so insistent on building this dangerous, unneeded, and incomplete bike path when the city that controls two thirds of it has said no?”

Candace Nafissi

Redondo Beach

6/22/23

New to the project? Beach Cities Health District is working with a private developer, owner and operator PMB LLC to finalize their application for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and Design Review to the City of Redondo Beach. According to BCHD sources, it has again been pushed back, now perhaps in the 3rd or 4th quarter 2023.

The controversial project then goes to a new decision maker: the Redondo Beach Planning Commission. For the first time in this multi-year process, the BCHD Board will not be approving the project.

Next steps: The Redondo Beach Planning Commission will schedule hearings to review the project and get public input. They will decide whether the project complies with Redondo Beach municipal code and design guidelines that include compatibility with neighborhood character, mass and scale. The project cannot move forward, as proposed without approval.

Note: BCHD may also need permits from the City of Torrance for grading work on Torrance property that runs along the eastern border of the project.

A few things to know:

In the 65 to 95 year ground lease to PMB, PMB (or their LLC) would develop, own and operate the massive RCFE project. They would have 100% ownership – BCHD has 0% ownership.
According to their BCHD would PAY MORE to "lease back" a small portion of the nearly 300,000 sq. ft. structure for their own admin offices and for a youth center (allcove - currently funded by a grant) than they would receive from the PMB for 3 acres of PUBLIC LAND
As currently planned, the city block-long RCFE structure would tower 100 ft. over surrounding homes in Torrance and Redondo Beach. It is currently proposed at 83 ft. high on the edge of the 30- ft. elevated site along Beryl and Flagler Lane.
Due to the height of the structure, construction noise would EXCEED federal thresholds, causing “Significant” impacts to surrounding residents (Ref: HLC EIR).
The massive structure and 24/7 operations on the elevated site would PERMANENTLY damage the quality of life of surrounding neighborhoods and open sky views in the South Bay.

6/9/23

Read the latest article on BCHD's bike path.

On Local Government:

PROPOSED BIKE PATH MISSED THE CUTOFF

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR | JUNE 8, 2023

by Bob Pinzler

Flagler Alley in Redondo Beach and Torrance has long been a source of controversy. It connects Diamond Street in Redondo to Towers Avenue in Torrance.

During the 1980s, consideration was given to connecting Diamond to Flagler Lane in Redondo to alleviate vehicle traffic clogging Aviation Boulevard leading to what was then TRW. Redondo even started to purchase lots along Flagler Lane to facilitate its widening.

When that failed, the alley went untended, but was used by bike riders looking for a shortcut from Redondo High to the northern part of the city. The problem was that at the northern end, the alley fed directly onto Flagler Lane, where it bends sharply into Towers Street, which then proceeds downhill to the east. This residential street is very active and overused, particularly during the school drop-off and pick-up hours. Many accidents occurred.

Part of the problem has been that those exiting Flagler Alley add to a mix of skateboarders, pedestrians, cars, and commercial traffic, which those streets were never meant to bear. E-bikes have been added to the mix, and the speeds at which those riders emerged onto Towers has exacerbated the safety issue. The danger finally forced Torrance to build a partial barricade at its end to force riders to dismount. It has been reasonably successful.

Many years ago, as part of the planning for its proposed expansion into residential care for the elderly, the Beach Cities Health District obtained a grant from LA County to build a high-end bike path. It would, they said, create a means by which riders could safely take advantage of that Flagler Alley shortcut.

The opposition from the Torrance residents at the bottom of the hill grew so loud that Torrance rejected BCHD’s program, and refused to allow their land to be used for the path. Torrance was emphatic that the altered traffic flow, including bikes and e-bikes that would inevitably use the “shortcut,” would create even more serious and frequent safety issues, especially for children.

The grant BCHD got was for $1.8 million dollars. They were to use that money not only for building the entire Flagler Alley path, but for sidewalks and other amenities. The proposed bike path is also abutted by a large, steep hill. Substantial work on that hill would have been needed, but Torrance has very strict hillside use ordinances, and said no to the hillside work.

Recently, BCHD did a complete switch. They claimed they would build about one third of the path in the Redondo portion of Flagler Alley only. Yet, BCHD also claimed now it would cost $1.5 million of the $1.8 million grant to accomplish that diminished distance. The bike path is now more expensive per mile than a mile of freeway.

The “shortcut” which BCHD now proposes would leave bike riders in the middle of an alley, careening head on into traffic — pedestrian and vehicle. This area is not engineered nor even dedicated for high-volume traffic.

Bicycle lanes are an important mobility element for any city. Making them safe must be the first priority. The Flagler Alley proposal does not meet that test. If BCHD insists on spending on the Redondo portion, it would be in the best interests of Torrance to completely shut off that access.

Closing the alley would be safer, and not inconvenient for bikers. Since the “shortcut” was envisioned more than a decade ago, bike lanes have been added to Beryl Street to facilitate safer traffic, thus making the more dangerous alleyway a moot point.

Why would BCHD be so insistent on building this dangerous, unneeded, and incomplete bike path when the city that controls two thirds of it has said no?

That $1.8 million could be better spent elsewhere. ER

https://easyreadernews.com/on-local-government-proposed-bike-path-missed-the-cut-off/

6/8/23

Recent letter to the editor about BCHD's bike path.

PATH TO NOWHERE

Dear ER

From even the most casual review, the Beach Cities Health District has spent around $500,000 in planning the bike path from Beryl and Flagler; along Flagler in Torrance; and then a 200-foot long strip in Redondo Beach. Based on the distance and work planned, well over half of the expenditure is for Torrance. BCHD announced it plans to spend $1.8 million to improve that 200-feet in Redondo Beach, from Diamond and Prospect to the Torrance city border at Flagler Alley. That is both an unreasonable, exorbitant expenditure and also a stranded segment because Torrance has rejected the work from the Torrance border to Beryl and Flagler.

BCHD should not be allowed to waste $2 million of scarce taxpayer resources on a 200-foot strip of stranded bike path. BCHD needs to stop playing real estate developer for a 100% privately owned building and get back to basics — providing benefits to the residents who reside in the District (Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Manhattan Beach).

Mark Nelson