📬 Brad Waller — District 1 Newsletter — February 16, 2026

Neighbors,

Happy Presidents’ Day. While we recognize leadership at the national level today, it is also a reminder that public service happens closest to home. The decisions we make locally on budgets, infrastructure, public safety, and economic vitality directly shape the quality of life in our community.

This week brings a big City Council agenda tomorrow night, including a housing project appeal on PCH and a surprisingly strong General Fund update. I also got to attend a Mayors AI Workshop at Google's Spruce Goose campus last week. And on Thursday, we're cutting the ribbon on a new bikeway extension in North Redondo.

Here's what you need to know.

🏛️ City Council Preview: Tuesday, February 17

🔹 Tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m., Council takes up two items I want to make sure you know about. One involves housing, the other your tax dollars. Both deserve your attention.

→ 🏠 401–417 S. Pacific Coast Highway — Mixed-Use Project Appeal: The Council will hold a public hearing on the appeal of a four-story mixed-use condo project on PCH. The proposal includes 49 residential units (8 of them affordable), about 17,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space, and two levels of underground parking. Since the Planning Commission hearing, the applicant has revised the project to address parking and safety concerns. The new proposal adds more commercial parking spaces (129 total, up from 105), improves driveway grades for better pedestrian visibility, adds secure bike parking (including cargo bike spaces), expands valet queuing, and installs bike racks on Pearl Street and PCH.
👉 View the agenda item

→ 📊 General Fund Update — Better Than Expected: Here's a piece of good news. We originally budgeted $3 million in reserves to balance the fiscal year. Instead, revenues came in higher and expenses came in lower than projected, resulting in a $3.8 million increase to the General Fund balance, which ended the year at $33.2 million. Responsible budgeting and conservative projections paid off. I'll be asking questions about how we sustain this trajectory.
👉 View the General Fund report

💻 AI and Local Government: Mayors Workshop at Google

🔹 Last Thursday, I joined Mayor Light and Mike Cook (Redondo's IT Director) at the Mayors AI Workshop hosted at Google's Spruce Goose campus. The session focused on how cities can use artificial intelligence to improve services, streamline operations, and better serve residents.

→ 💡 Why this matters for Redondo Beach: I've watched technology reshape industries for four decades. From early internet infrastructure to mobile apps to the AI tools transforming how organizations operate today. The cities that figure out how to use these tools responsibly will serve their residents better and faster. Between this workshop and the records digitization work we're already doing with AWS, Redondo Beach is positioning itself to be a leader in this space. I'll keep pushing for technology investments that make city services smarter without losing the human touch.

🚲 North Redondo Beach Bikeway Extension Ribbon Cutting: Thursday, February 19

🔹 This Thursday at 4:00 p.m., join us at the corner of Perkins Lane and Rockefeller Lane for the ribbon cutting on the North Redondo Beach Bikeway Extension. The new segment connects Felton Lane to Inglewood Avenue and includes a concrete pathway for cyclists and pedestrians, decomposed granite paths, native plants, added landscaping, and updated irrigation. Funded by LA Metro, the project is part of a larger vision to extend the path south to Inglewood Avenue and Grant Avenue.

→ 🎯 My take: Every safe mile of bikeway we add is an investment in how people actually move through our neighborhoods. This extension is practical infrastructure with real environmental and quality-of-life benefits. I hope you'll come out on Thursday and see it for yourself.

📅 Coming Up This Week & Beyond

🔹 Spring Class & Summer Camp Registration — Monday, February 23. Redondo Beach residents get first access to sign up for spring recreation classes and summer camps through Community Services. Non-residents can register starting March 2.
|👉 View classes and activities

🔹 Annual Public Safety Open House — Sunday, March 8, 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Head to the Civic Center for a chance to meet our police, fire, and emergency response teams up close. Demos, displays, and a great family-friendly way to connect with the people who keep us safe.

🔹 Wilderness Park Lower Pond Ribbon Cutting — Thursday, March 19, 2:00 p.m. Wilderness Park continues to get the upgrades it deserves. Mark your calendar for this one.

🔹 Springfest — April 16–19. Redondo Beach's beloved tradition since 1982 returns with carnival rides, live music, food trucks, and family fun at the Performing Arts Center. Admission is free. Wristbands for rides are on sale now at 20% off for a limited time.
👉 Get Springfest details

🔹 BeachLife Festival — May 1–3, 2026. The lineup keeps stacking up: Duran Duran and The Chainsmokers on Friday; The Offspring, Joan Jett, and Switchfoot on Saturday; James Taylor, My Morning Jacket, and Sheryl Crow closing Sunday. Three days of music right on our waterfront.
👉 Follow BeachLife Festival (Instagram)

🥕 Weekly Markets

Farmers' Market by the Pier (Veterans Park) — Thursdays, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. 309 Esplanade.
👉 Read more

Riviera Village Farmers Market — Sundays, 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Triangle Lot, 1801 S. Elena Ave.
👉 Read more

📱 Access Redondo

Do you have a problem or need to report an issue to the city? Use the Access Redondo App.
👉 Download App

Tomorrow's Council meeting covers everything from a major housing decision on PCH to the state of our city's finances. Thursday brings a ribbon-cutting that shows what smart infrastructure investment looks like. And in between, we keep building a city that works better—with AI tools, with bikeway extensions, and with the input of neighbors who care enough to stay informed.

And I hope everyone had a good Valentine's Day this weekend — whether that meant dinner out with a special someone, time with family and friends, or just a quiet night in. No matter what you did, I hope you gave some love back to Redondo.

Got a question about the PCH project or anything else on the agenda? Hit reply. I read every message.

See you around the neighborhood.

"I believe progress isn't one headline — it's how we treat each other at games, how we welcome visitors to our beach, and how we keep showing up for small, unglamorous work. Thanks for doing that work with me. 🤝"

Brad Waller
City Council Member, Redondo Beach
brad.waller@redondo.org