Michael DiVirgilio will be handing his mayoral position over to Mayor Pro Tempore Peter Tucker at the City Council meeting on Tuesday.
The city rotates its councilmen into mayor and mayor pro tem leadership every nine and a half months. Tucker's term will end June 28.
DiVirgilio told Patch over the weekend that one thing he treasured about serving as Hermosa Beach's mayor is that the small town's residents are forward-thinking.
"It's a community of innovators," he said. "Our history in this little square mile town is populated and packed with them."
He provided examples of local people and establishments that the city should be proud of—ultra distance athlete Christian Burke, filmmaker Warren Miller, the Comedy and Magic Club and the city's impact on surf culture.
After DiVirgilio says his "farewell" (he'll still remain a council member) and appoints Tucker as mayor, the City Council will tackle discussions surrounding zoning code for outdoor seating at eateries, a regional bikeway plan and new bylaws recommended for temporary advisory committees.
If the City Council agrees to amend a private property zoning code for businesses, then residents could soon enjoy designated outdoor seating for small eateries housed within local shopping centers or strip malls, such as Jamba Juice and Pick Up Stix.
The City Council will consider adopting a text amendment to this code that would allow limited outdoor seating, as recommended by the Planning Commission. Currently, outdoor dining is allowed on private property in commercial zones subject to a conditional use permit.
The city will also consider working on the South Bay Regional Bicycle Master Plan along with the L.A. County Bicycle Coalition and South Bay Bicycle Coalition.
The county's coalition has awarded a two-year grant to develop this plan, which includes improving bike paths that connect South Bay cities.
As for the temporary advisory committee matter, the City Council will discuss new bylaws that all panel members would need to follow.
These temporary groups, such as the PCH-Aviation Committee, are occasionally created to study specific issues and make recommendations to the council based on their findings.
The proposed committee bylaws include "rules of decorum" saying that "members of the committee shall maintain a polite, respectful and courteous manner when addressing one another."
City Manager Steve Burrell wrote in a staff report that "The purpose of the bylaws, code of conduct and resolution is to adopt standard bylaws that will govern the procedures and operations of all temporary advisory committees created by the City Council."
In a closed session preceding the public meeting, the City Council will discuss the public safety unions' lawsuit over future pension plans, as well as how to comply with the recent ruling that the city's ban on tattoo parlors is unconstitutional.
These lawsuits and other cases are deliberated in private because "discussion in open session will prejudice the position of the city in the litigation," according to policy.
The council meeting is Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. in council chambers.
