Council Seeks to Revise Law on Indecent Exposure

Indecent exposure has never been legal in Redondo Beach, but city officials have proposed changing an ordinance that regulates activities in the harbor area so that beach-goers understand it will not be tolerated.

The City Council is scheduled to discuss revising the ordinance Tuesday to specify that people can not expose themselves indecently on public beaches. The law, which was established in 1977, prohibits disrobing in a public place, but does not specifically prohibit indecent exposure.

Mayor Greg Hill said city officials have not received complaints about people undressing; they merely want to clarify the rules.

He said that the law, as it is now written, also makes it illegal to change under a towel or in a public restroom.

“The intent of the original ordinance wasn’t to prohibit reasonable behavior,” Hill said. “It’s meant to prevent lewd behavior and it just needs to be clarified.”