Redondo Beach : Rezoning Gets Tentative OK

The City Council tentatively approved rezoning this week to allow senior housing and commercial development on the Andrews and McCandless school sites.

Some neighbors of the schools fear such development will disrupt the area, according to Kevin Callahan, Redondo Beach senior planner. But, he said, “it should be a big improvement because right now all you’ve got is buildings and asphalt.”

Once a preliminary project is submitted, the city will have an environmental assessment done, which will consider such concerns as traffic, ocean views and air quality, he said.

The Andrews site, 1800 Artesia Blvd., and McCandless, in the 100 block of Pacific Coast Highway, are zoned for public school facilities. The council is expected to give final approval to the rezoning at Tuesday’s meeting. If approved, the new zoning classifications would take effect 30 days later.

Seventeen firms have expressed interest in developing the sites, Callahan said. A portion of the Andrews site and adjacent properties are expected to be rezoned to include commercial and residential development, and the McCandless site for multiple-family, medium-density residential uses. The council may rezone part of the McCandless site as commercial, Callahan said.