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Redondo Beach Newsletter — December 22, 2025
📬 Brad Waller — District 1 Newsletter — December 22, 2025
Happy Holidays, Neighbors,
The sleigh wrapped up its final routes Friday night, and this week Chief Hoffman closed out three decades of service. Both milestones, one seasonal, one career-defining, remind me how much this city runs on people who show up consistently and build trust one interaction at a time. Wednesday is Christmas Eve, and whether you're hosting family, working through the week, or stealing a quiet walk along the Esplanade, I hope you catch a moment to breathe before the new year arrives.
Below is what wrapped up this week, what shifts in January, and where to jump in when City Hall reopens.
👮 Public Safety & Leadership Transition
🔹 Chief Joe Hoffman retired on Wednesday, December 17, after 31 years with RBPD. I joined close to 100 people, including local police chiefs and LA County Sheriff Robert G. Luna, at the library retirement ceremony to celebrate a career that started when Hoffman walked through the station doors as a 20-year-old cadet in 1994. He climbed every rung: patrol officer, pier unit, motorcycle officer, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, assistant chief, and finally chief in 2022. Under his leadership, the department hired 165 personnel, promoted 33, built a wellness program, and strengthened operational capacity while keeping crime trending down.
→ 💡 My take: Hoffman's legacy isn't just the stats, it's the culture he built. Officers who feel supported show up differently for residents, and that trust compounds over time. His successor will be selected by City Manager Mike Witzansky, with input from Council. I've weighed in on what District 1 needs: someone who prioritizes community engagement, transparency, and operational excellence. Expect an announcement in the coming week.
👉Read Chief Hoffman's full career story
🏘️ Housing
🔹 Planning Commission denied a mixed-use project at PCH and Pearl. The applicant proposed 49 residential units across four stories with 17,000 square feet of commercial space. The site is currently zoned C-2, which doesn't allow residential, but the developer invoked AB 2011 (the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act), which permits ministerial approval of mixed-income housing on commercial corridors. The project also claimed State Density Bonus Law benefits and submitted an SB 330 preliminary application to lock in current rules.
→ 🎯 Why this matters: State housing law now preempts many local zoning decisions. Because the site sits in the Coastal Zone, a Coastal Development Permit triggered Planning Commission review. But only for limited criteria, not full design review or conditional use permits. The Commission denied the CDP based on objective coastal standards, and the applicant has about a week to appeal to the City Council.
→ ⚡ What I'm watching: This is how state mandates collide with local context. AB 2011 was designed to fast-track housing near transit and commercial corridors, but it also strips cities of tools to shape projects that fit the neighborhood. If appealed, I'll weigh the legal requirements against what makes sense for that corner of District 1. This won't be the last time we see this tension.
💳 Economic Development
🔹 Riviera Village is offering free metered parking through December 24. I pushed for this in the 2025-26 budget we adopted back in June. I got one week of free holiday parking at a date determined by the Riviera Village Association. The Council formalized the dates last week, and meters went free last Wednesday morning. It's a small thing, but it removes friction during the busiest shopping week of the year and signals support for the small businesses that anchor the Village.
→ 💡 Why it works: Economic development isn't just about recruiting big projects. It's removing barriers for residents to support local shops. Free parking drives foot traffic, foot traffic drives sales, and that revenue keeps independent businesses competitive against chains and online retail.
🎄 Community Events & Holiday Schedule Changes
🔹 Santa's sleigh completed its final routes on Friday, December 19. The Redondo Beach Police Officers Association brought Santa through every neighborhood starting December 2, with officers donating their time and pulling the sleigh mid-block so families could gather curbside. I rode along twice through District 1, and the turnout was incredible. I saw kids waiting with cocoa, neighbors meeting for the first time, and families who've lived here for decades reconnecting with the tradition.
→ ⚡ This is how real community builds: low-tech, loud, and effective. Officers donate their time, families step outside, and neighbors who've never spoken exchange waves. It's trust that’s built one block at a time.
🔹 No Farmers Market the next two Thursdays. The Farmers' Market by the Pier (Veterans Park) is closed on Thursday, December 25 (Christmas) and Thursday, January 1 (New Year's Day). It'll resume its regular Thursday schedule on Thursday, January 8. The Farmers’ Market in the Rivera Village will be closed this Sunday as well.
🔹 Keep the Esplanade Beautiful sweeps resume in February. The volunteer coastal cleanup runs on the first Saturday of each month from February through December (no January sweep). The next sweep is Saturday, February 7.
🌊 Environment & Coastal Access
🔹 Preferential parking permits transition to online portal. The city is migrating permit sales to a new system, which has caused delays. During this period, 2025 permits remain valid until January 31, 2026. Check the city website for updates on when the new portal launches and how to renew.
👉View preferential parking details
📅 Looking Ahead — January Events
🔹 City Hall and Council meetings resume early January. The Council calendar typically pauses for the holidays and picks back up mid-month. Watch for agenda postings as staff returns from the break.
👉View the City Council calendar
🥕 Weekly Markets
🔹 Farmers' Market by the Pier (Veterans Park) — Closed Thursday, December 25 and Thursday, January 1 for the holidays. Resumes Thursdays, 8am–1pm starting Thursday, January 8. 309 Esplanade.
🔹 Riviera Village Farmers Market — Closed Sunday, December 28, resuming in 2026 on Sundays, 8:30am–1pm. Triangle Lot, 1801 S. Elena Ave.
📱 Access Redondo
Do you have a problem or need to report an issue to the city? Use the Access Redondo App.
This week closes out with gratitude. Chief Hoffman's retirement reminds me how much public service depends on people who show up year after year, building trust and capacity quietly. The sleigh tours, the free Village parking, the volunteers who sweep the Esplanade—this isn’t flashy stuff, but it’s the work that makes District 1 feel like home.
Wednesday is Christmas Eve, and I hope you find time to slow down. If you're celebrating, enjoy it. If you're working, I appreciate you. And if you're looking for a quiet moment, the beach is always there.
City Hall reopens after the holidays, and I'll be back in your inbox with January updates. If you've got questions about projects, policies, or anything Council-related, just reply to this email. I read every message.
See you around the neighborhood. Happy holidays, and thanks for sharing this year with me.
