Council Upholds Panel Decision to Deny Parking Lot on Hermosa Avenue

One local man’s hope of opening a parking lot on Hermosa Avenue was shot down when the Hermosa Beach City Council decided to uphold the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission’s denial of a precise development plan to construct the lot. 

Hermosa Beach resident Thomas Brodie, who proposed the 35-space parking lot to be built at 1429 Hermosa Ave., filed an appeal in March to the Planning Commission’s decision (see accompanying city staff report under photos). A public hearing was held at Tuesday's council meeting to discuss the matter.

About 100 residents who live adjacent to the Hermosa Avenue space signed a petition against the idea, arguing that the proposed 24-hour operation of the lot could result in late-night noise that would disturb them.

“It’s going to be 35-plus people coming to their cars at night and possibly creating a lot of noise,” said Angela Capparelli, who told the City Council that her bedroom window sits across from the proposed parking lot area.

“I just don’t see how a parking lot will benefit that street,” she said.

For that reason, City Councilman Howard Fishman and some of his fellow panel members defined the issue as a “quality of life” concern.

Fishman also added that he understood the hearing “isn’t easy” for Brodie, because the same people who have publicly spoken against the parking lot plan are Brodie’s neighbors.

Brodie, too, lives in the area where he proposed to open the parking lot and also serves on the city’s .

He argued that there is a serious need for parking in the downtown area, and he planned to reduce the parking lot’s impact on residents.

“The lot is clearly located, surrounded by commercial property,” he told council members. “I’m interested in minimizing any effect on the community.”

City Councilman Kit Bobko argued that the parking lot could help provide easy access to downtown stores for shoppers and residents—thus, benefiting the local business community.

“This is commercial property and I fully hear the residents and appreciate their concern. I, though, think that this is something that would benefit the downtown in a good way,” Bobko said.

But residents in opposition not only warned that the parking lot could bring noise, but also extend the amount of late-night partying that occurs downtown. Mayor Peter Tucker agreed. 

“The more we build, the more they come, the more problems we’re going to have downtown,” he said at the council meeting. “To me, it’s a quality of life issue. I don’t think it’s a good usage of that property.”

Council members voted 4-1 to adopt a resolution sustaining the Planning Commission’s decision, and they encouraged Brodie and residents to consider a compromise and then possibly bring that new plan before the city.