📬 Councilmember Ray Jackson | Hermosa Beach | March 30, 2026

Dear Hermosa Beach neighbors and friends,

Tuesday night's City Council meeting did not adjourn until 12:15 a.m. Six hours of deliberation, multiple split votes, and decisions that will shape the future of our pier, our budget, and our neighborhoods. That is local government doing its job, even when the job keeps the lights on past midnight. Today’s update covers everything that came out of that meeting, a significant offshore drilling development, a court ruling with real financial implications for our city, and a few moments of community pride that remind me why this work matters. Here is what you need to know.

🏛️ City Council: March 24 Recap

Council convened for a Special Meeting on Tuesday, March 24, at 6:00 PM. The agenda was dense and the meeting ran past midnight. Below are the key decisions.

🔹 Hermosa Pier: $3.7 million in high-priority repairs approved. Council voted unanimously to move forward with critical structural repairs to the Municipal Pier. This was not a debate about whether to act. It was a recognition that our pier needs immediate attention, and I fully supported getting this work underway without delay.

→ 🎯 My position: The pier is one of the most iconic structures on the California coast. Protecting it is not optional. This vote ensures the highest-priority repairs begin while longer-term questions about the pier's future are still being studied.

🔹 Surfer Walk of Fame: next steps with Parks and Recreation Commission. Council voted 3-2 to direct the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission to identify replacement options for the Surfer Walk of Fame plaques, which have honored legendary surfers and board builders since 2003. I voted in favor. The original pier deck plaques need a new home, and sending this to the Commission ensures community input stays at the center of that process.

🔹 Pier replacement study: Public Works Commission to evaluate options. In a separate 3-2 vote, Council directed the Public Works Commission to begin exploring long-term pier replacement options. I supported this as well. Studying what a future pier could look like does not commit us to a specific plan, but it gives us the information we need to make smart decisions down the road.

🔹 Midyear budget review: $548,000 shortfall addressed. Council approved budget revisions to cover a $548,007 General Fund shortfall, including appropriations, fund transfers, and assigned fund balance adjustments. Council also voted to defer vehicle replacement funding to Fiscal Year 2026-27, continue participation in the Beach Cities Transit Line for the current year, and directed staff to evaluate the city's public transportation system. All items passed 5-0. Fiscal responsibility means making honest adjustments when the numbers require it, and I am satisfied this was handled transparently.

🔹 ADU and JADU ordinance: adopted. The second reading of the accessory dwelling unit ordinance passed on the consent calendar, bringing Hermosa Beach into compliance with current state housing law. This was a necessary step, and I am glad to see it finalized.

🔹 Transient Occupancy Tax update: adopted. The TOT code update also passed on consent. A key change: the word "permitted" was removed before "short-term rental," meaning the city can now collect the 14% tax from all short-term rentals operating in Hermosa Beach, not just those with city permits. More on why this matters below.

🔹 Kelly Courts pickleball: hours and fees modified. Council voted 3-2 to set pickleball hours at 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily, with Fridays designated as free walk-on play and all other days requiring reservation. Fees were raised to $15 per hour for court rental and $25 for annual resident memberships. Council also unanimously directed staff to evaluate noise and other complaints. I voted against the hours change because I believe the framework needs further refinement before locking in a schedule, but I supported the noise evaluation and fee adjustments.

🔹 Public safety presence report: received and filed. Council received an informational report on public safety presence along The Strand, beach, and parks. I voted to receive and file the report. Understanding how our officers are deployed in our most-visited public spaces is essential to keeping residents and visitors safe.

🔹 Recognizing Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani. Council officially recognized Hermosa Beach resident and UFC welterweight contender Jean-Paul "Mufasa" Lebosnoyani. Jean-Paul grew up on the mats at his father Nono's martial arts studio on Pier Avenue, trained as a Hermosa Beach Junior Lifeguard, wrestled at Mira Costa High School, and earned his UFC contract with a first-round knockout on Dana White's Contender Series last September. He won his UFC debut in February. This is a homegrown athlete who represents everything good about this city: discipline, family, and community roots. Congratulations, Jean-Paul.

🔹 Other consent calendar actions: Council approved an agreement with Hope Chapel for picnic events through 2028, approved removal of three of six basketball hoops at Clark Field, ratified a letter of support for reforming mental healthcare in homeless services, approved vintage sign repairs for downtown commercial districts, and amended the sewer maintenance and landscape maintenance agreements.

👉 View the full March 24 meeting recap and agenda

🌊 Environment & Protecting Our Coast

🔹 Offshore drilling update: Sable begins oil sales as legal battle intensifies. Since I reported on the federal government's use of the Defense Production Act to order Sable Offshore to restart operations off the Santa Barbara coast, the situation has escalated. On March 23, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration, calling the restart illegal and declaring the state will not back down. On March 29, Sable announced it has begun commercial oil sales, with Chevron's El Segundo refinery contracted to purchase 20,000 barrels per day. Production at Platform Harmony is running at approximately 22,000 barrels per day, with a second platform expected to restart soon and a third targeted for June. A court hearing on whether to maintain the existing injunction against Sable is scheduled for April 17.

→ 🎯 My position: Oil is now flowing through a pipeline that ruptured and caused one of the worst spills in California history. As a sitting California Coastal Commissioner, I will continue monitoring this closely. The Coastal Act exists because California voters decided our shoreline belongs to the public. That principle has not changed, regardless of what federal orders are issued. I will report back as the legal proceedings develop.

👉 California Coastal Commission meeting information and agenda

🔹 Cesar Chavez Day: City Hall closed Tuesday, March 31. In observance of Cesar Chavez Day, City Hall and Community Center offices will be closed on Tuesday. Offices reopen Wednesday, April 1. Street sweeping and Pacific Coast Highway parking restrictions will be suspended, though metered parking remains in effect. Trash collection proceeds as scheduled.

🔹 Farmworkers Day. Today, March 30, is National Farmworkers Day, a day to honor the labor, sacrifice, and dignity of the workers who feed this country. Their contributions deserve recognition not just today, but in how we approach labor rights and equity year-round.

💰 Budget & Finance

🔹 Short-term rental ruling: what it means for Hermosa Beach. On March 26, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Chalfant ruled that Hermosa Beach's ban on short-term rentals in the Coastal Zone is unenforceable because the city lacks Coastal Commission approval for the restriction. The plaintiff, Hermosa Avenue resident Todd Koerner, had been fined $2,500 for advertising a one-bedroom rental in his home. This ruling follows a similar decision in Manhattan Beach several years ago by the same judge.

→ 💡 What this could mean financially: Despite the loss in court, there is a potential upside. Over 200 short-term rentals are currently advertised in Hermosa Beach's Coastal Zone, most without city permits. With the TOT ordinance adopted on March 24 now applying the 14% tax to all short-term rentals regardless of permit status, the city could see a meaningful increase in revenue. Manhattan Beach collects roughly $1 million annually from its short-term rental tax. That kind of revenue would help address the $548,000 budget shortfall identified in the midyear review and contribute to more than $100 million in unfunded capital improvement projects.

→ 🎯 My take: This is a complex intersection of coastal policy, city finances, and housing. As someone who serves on both the City Council and the California Coastal Commission, I take these issues seriously from every angle. What matters most is that we move forward with a clear, lawful framework that protects residents, generates fair revenue, and respects the Coastal Act. I will keep you informed as the city evaluates its next steps.

🏘️ Housing

🔹 South Bay Regional Housing Trust: first meeting April 23. As a reminder, Council voted unanimously on March 10 to join this regional joint powers authority. The Trust's first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 23. This body will enable South Bay cities to collectively finance affordable housing development and preservation projects through pooled funds, revolving loans, and construction bridge financing. I will be tracking what comes out of that session and will report back.

👉 South Bay Cities Council of Governments regional housing information

🤝 Community & Regional Collaboration

🔹 ICA board meeting: Amazon Studios, Culver City. The Independent Cities Association held its first in-person board meeting last Friday in Culver City, and it did not disappoint. As President-Elect of ICA, I was glad to see strong engagement from board members across the region. A special thanks to Executive Board Member Dan O'Brien for welcoming us to his city. These regional relationships matter. The issues we face in Hermosa Beach, from coastal protection to housing to infrastructure, do not stop at our city limits, and neither should our partnerships.

🔹 RimoVision Group: live theatre in Hermosa Beach. Saturday night I had the chance to check out RimoVision Group's Comedy Night at Second Story Theatre in the Community Center. The comedians were hilarious, and the energy in the room was a reminder of what makes our local arts scene special. RimoVision is a nonprofit theatre company that produces original comedies, satire, and community shows right here in Hermosa. If you have not checked them out yet, I encourage you to look into their next offering. Supporting local arts is supporting our city's character.

👉 Learn more about RimoVision Group

🔹 Robert Vargas mural: South Bay pride. If you have not seen it yet, artist Robert Vargas recently completed a freehand mural on a corrugated surface at the DoubleTree in Torrance featuring Dodgers stars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki. Ten days of work. No stencils. Art, culture, precision, and unity on full display right here in the South Bay. Worth the drive.

📅 Upcoming

🔹 Tuesday, March 31 — Cesar Chavez Day. City Hall and Community Center offices closed. Offices reopen Wednesday, April 1.

🔹 Saturday, April 5 — Spring Paper Shredding and Compost Giveaway, 8:00 AM to noon at the Community Center (710 Pier Avenue). Free for Hermosa Beach residents. Bring your own containers for compost. Paper shredding limited to three boxes per vehicle.

🔹 Tuesday, April 14, 6:00 PM — City Council takes up the "After Dark Tour LA 2026" half marathon proposal for further deliberation. Public comment is welcome.

🔹 Friday, April 17 — Court hearing on Sable Offshore injunction in Santa Barbara County.

🔹 Wednesday, April 22 — Earth Day. 🌎

🔹 Thursday, April 23 — First meeting of the South Bay Regional Housing Trust.

🔹 Public Works note: Street sweeping signage is being updated citywide. The restricted "No Parking" windows are being reduced from four hours to three hours. Check the updated signs on your street for the new times. Questions can be directed to City staff at 310-750-3603.

📱 Stay Connected

If you have a service issue to report, the Go Hermosa! app is the most direct way to get it to the right department at City Hall.

👉 Submit a service request via Go Hermosa!

For community updates and commentary between weekly newsletters, you can follow me on Instagram.

👉 Follow @RayForHermosa on Instagram

This was a week of consequential decisions. The pier, the budget, housing law, offshore drilling, and a court ruling that will reshape how our city handles short-term rentals. Not every vote was unanimous, and that is how it should be. Disagreement on the dais, when it is honest and principled, is a sign of a healthy democracy. What matters is that the work gets done and you stay informed about it.

Thank you for reading. Reach out anytime with questions, concerns, or information you believe I should know.

Working together to build an ever better Hermosa Beach.

Ray Jackson
Councilmember, City of Hermosa Beach
rjackson@hermosabeach.gov