Redondo Votes to Rebuild Its Pier; Funding Still Uncertain

After five hours of community debate at a special meeting this week, City Council members voted unanimously to rebuild the fire-ravaged Redondo Beach Pier, although they haven’t figured out how to pay for it.

Councilman Ronald Cawdrey made the recommendation when he held up a large yellow button that read “Save the Pier” and told the audience: “This is where I stand, folks.”

Since the devastating May 27 fire that destroyed a large section of the horseshoe-shaped pier, the council has never suggested not resurrecting it. But at a July meeting where about 50 people expressed opposition to reconstruction, Mayor Barbara J. Doerr and a majority of the council members tentatively agreed to put the decision to a public vote.

Vote Called Unlikely

City Manger Timothy Casey said the council’s decision to proceed with plans for a new pier suggests that no vote will take place.

This week’s meeting drew 150 people, who filled the council chambers and spilled out into a foyer. Supporters of reconstruction greatly outnumbered opponents.

“A lot more burned down than glass, wood and steel,” a young man told the council amid applause. “A spirit burned down, and that has to be replaced. And if you don’t have a legal obligation to rebuild, you definitely have a moral obligation.”

A large majority of the business owners, residents and visitors at the meeting told the council that they want the city to begin reconstruction immediately. They wore yellow buttons and blue, yellow and orange T-shirts that read “Save the Pier,” and applauded as those who filed toward the podium voiced support for reconstruction.

A smaller but vocal group wore tags that read “Take the Pier to the Polls.” They told the council that the pier brings crime, litter and traffic to the city and urged a citywide vote on whether to rebuild it.

In an interview Wednesday, Mayor Doerr, who is not a member of the council, said a vote by residents “is still an option. We still need to hear from the people of Redondo Beach.”

While the intended topic of the meeting was to discuss design options for a rebuilt pier, most of the comments focused on whether or not to rebuild.

Adeline Bagnasco, a nine-year resident, called the pier “an attractive nuisance” and said litter and crime problems have to be addressed before the pier is rebuilt. She presented the council with a petition with 507 signatures seeking to put the issue of reconstruction to a vote.

Bob Resnick, president of the Redondo Pier Assn., presented another petition with nearly 8,000 signatures calling for rebuilding.

Crime Problems

Reconstruction opponents argued that the 4 million visitors the pier attracted each year aggravated crowding and traffic, and that some visitors caused crime and gang problems. Some argued that enough of the pier remains to satisfy the community’s needs.

City Manager Casey said there are no figures that prove or disprove the assertion that crime is higher around the pier than in other areas of the city.

“My husband and I have had five businesses on the pier for 17 years and we have had no major problems with crime,” said Judy Milner, who said residents have to learn to accept the problems of having a major tourist attraction.

Some speakers suggested that the pier be rebuilt with a turn-of-the-century theme. They said the pier should be lined with gaslights, benches and more open areas. Others, including Doerr, suggested an aquatic museum on the new pier.

All those in favor of rebuilding suggested that the new pier retain the horseshoe shape. “After all, what does a horseshoe stand for?” asked one man. “Good luck, right?”

An oceanographic study by consultants, which was received Tuesday night, concluded that a new pier could be safely built as far as 100 feet farther offshore than the old pier. The study also concluded that an offshore breakwater is not required to protect the new pier.

The study’s conclusions and the suggestions of the public and the council will be forwarded to three urban design architects, who will prepare separate designs for the council, Casey said.

Officials estimate that it will cost about $4 million to replace the pier as it was--a wooden structure with a concrete deck--or at least $6 million to replace it with a steel or concrete structure.

Responding to questions from residents, Casey said the city has not found a way to pay for reconstruction but is looking into options including funding from the state Department of Fish and Game.

“We have about a dozen opportunities,” he said. “If we get lucky on a few of them, we can put the pier back together with little problems.”

The federal government rejected a request for money. City and state officials are appealing that decision, Casey told the council.

$11,000 Raised

The council previously created a pier reconstruction fund and approved a campaign to solicit donations. Casey said $11,000 has been collected so far.

The owners of a Redondo Beach record store, John English and Alan Ostroff, have scheduled a Sept. 25 fund-raiser called “Surf Band Reunion ’88.” The party, which is expected to raise about $9,000, will bring together four South Bay beach bands at The Strand in Redondo Beach.

The local Knights of Columbus has scheduled an Oct. 2 bingo marathon at the organization’s hall on I Street in Redondo Beach. All proceeds from the fund-raiser, which will go from noon to 6 p.m., will go toward rebuilding the pier.

The blaze, which destroyed most of the pier and 15 businesses and threw about 200 people out of work, caused about $7 million damage. Other parts of the pier and several other businesses were damaged by a devastating two-day storm in January and by wind-swept waves on April 30 and May 29.

In June, stores and restaurants still on the pier saw business drop 30% compared to last year, Casey said, but in July the decrease was only 22%.