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BCHD Plan Fails RBMC 10-2.2502 Planning Commission Design Review Sect b(4) "Balance and Integration

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Updated: Jun 9, 2022

The full statement in the RBMC for b(4) is “Balance and integration with the neighborhood. The overall design shall be integrated and compatible with the neighborhood and shall strive to be in harmony with the scale and bulk of surrounding properties.”

IN BCHDs OWN WORDS

"the height and mass of the proposed RCFE Building would be greater than what currently exists and is visible on-site" FEIR 3.1-43


"The proposed RCFE Building would be visually prominent from this viewpoint, rising above the retaining walls and vegetation along eastern slope in the mid-ground. The proposed 6-story RCFE Building would be substantially taller and larger than the existing 1- to 5-story buildings currently on-site, as well as the adjacent 1- to 4-story buildings. The RCFE Building would reduce access to views of the open sky for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians traveling westbound Towers Street and turning on Flagler Lane." FEIR 3.1-43


"the proposed RCFE Building would be substantially taller and would have substantially more massing than buildings in the vicinity, thereby reducing the view of open sky above" FEIR 3.1-55


BCHDs FAULTY AND SELF SERVING CONCLUSION

BCHD does not have the authority to draw conclusions on RBMC and TMC. As a result, it cannot. RBMC is intended to protect Redondo Beach residents and property values, and BCHD fails, despite its false assertion that "the Phase 1 preliminary site development plan would meet the development standards described in the Redondo Beach and Torrance General plans and municipal codes" FEIR 3.1-55. Adoption of such a flawed opinion from the project proponent would leave the City open to litigation from property owners who are clearly not having their property values protected, nor, are they being protected through enforcement of the RBMC.


Height

BCHD proposed height fail any reasonable scale integration standard. BCHD is proposing 109.7-feet above Beryl & Flagler streets. BCHD will be approximately 150-feet above Redbeam neighborhood properties in Torrance. All surrounding zoning for BCHD, and existing structures, are 30-foot maximum zoning in Redondo Beach, and 27-foot maximum zoning in Torrance. That includes the light commercial zoning of the Vons Plaza. The only relevant comparisons for RBMC consistency are Redondo Beach buildings. As such, at 109.7-feet, BCHD would be the 2nd tallest building in Redondo Beach and the TALLEST building built in Redondo Beach since 1974.

Size

BCHD proposed square feet in size fails any reasonable scale integration standard. BCHD is proposing a single 300,000 sqft building in Phase 1 that will be at 109.7-feet above Beryl & Flagler streets, and 83-feet above the internal courtyard. At 300,000 sqft, the single proposed building in Phase 1 is roughly the same size as the entire 312,000 sqft current campus buildings (according to BCHD EIR NOP). Following Phase 2, BCHD will be 800,000 sqft of buildings, which is larger than all Beryl Heights properties added together. Clearly, a facility that is larger than the entire adjacent neighborhood can make no claim of balance, integration or harmony in scale and bulk with surrounding properties.

BCHDs proposed height of 83-feet above the internal courtyard is for Phase 1 provides 300,000 sqft at 83-feet. Except for a single 968-sqft mechanical room ("the Penthouse"), the rest of the 311,000 sqft of the existing campus buildings are at 52-feet or lower. Thus, BCHD has made no attempt to integrate with the neighborhood scale for Redondo Beach or Torrance, both of which are 30-feet or less. Further, BCHD has not even been balanced with the existing campus, as it nearly doubles the campus sqft of size while increasing the height to 160% of 311,000 sqft feet of existing campus.

This all fails to consider that BCHD's Phase 2 is an 8-10 story parking ramp on the south perimeter of campus and a 4-story, approximately 70-foot structure on the west side, rounding out the 800,000 sqft. Those two structures further ignore integration with the neighborhoods in scale and bulk.


Despite BCHD claims to the contrary, the complex of nearly 800,000 sqft of surface buildings is only 10% smaller than the 900,000 sqft of Staples Center (Crypto.com) and only 20% smaller than the 1 million sqft of the South Bay Galleria. BCHD removed the 160,000 sqft of underground parking in its 60-foot tall version, moving it to an 8-10 story aboveground structure above Prospect & Diamond.


Perimeter Bulk/Mass/Height Maximization

BCHD proposed development is nearly all on the perimeter of the site, maximizing, not minimizing the bulk and visual size of the structures. BCHD is also ignoring its obligation to respect the natural terrain of the existing 30-foot elevated site, thereby creating a massive visual out-of-scale compound on the north, east and south where it is 100 to 150-feet above neighboring development.


As best demonstrated by visualizations, BCHD has MAXIMIZED the mass, bulk, and apparent height by locating the RCFE on the north and east perimeter, the 8-10 story parking structure on the south perimeter, and the pavilion on the west perimeter.

Admitted Failure to Integrate by BCHD

In conclusion, BCHD has made no attempt to integrate in scale or bulk, nor has it met its obligation to “strive”. Instead, it has ignored the neighborhood input and that of CWG members from the neighborhoods.


BCHD admits its plan is not consistent or integrated, and believes that through white concrete, glass, 1955 design and trees that its development is mitigated. IT IS NOT. For RBMC, BCHD must meet the letter of the code, or leave the City wide open to litigation.


BCHDs Proposal is Significantly out of Scale with Surrounding Property Heights



BCHDs Proposal is Significantly Taller than the Existing Campus Buildings

BCHD is proposing 300,000 sqft at 83-feet while the existing campus buildings are 311,000+ sqft at less than 52-feet. Only one single 968-sqft mechanical room is 76-feet and it is located in the center of campus.


BCHDs Current 76-foot Projection is located far from perimeter of campus in a mass and height minimizing position. The remainder of the campus buildings are 52-feet or lower.


BCHDs Proposed Placement on the Perimeter of Campus Maximizes Bulk and Mass Compared to the Existing Hospital Building. BCHD Fails the "Strive" Test.



BCHDs Proposed Commercial 1950s Miami-Style Hotel Design is Clearly Makes No Attempt to be Compatible with Residential Neighborhoods


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