By Kathryn Cross
Staff Writer
The closed AES Redondo Beach Generating Station should be transformed into a promenade and a residential zone because it will not heavily pollute the local waters, but it will spur economic growth and provide recreational areas for South Bay residents.
The Redondo Beach Station operated until 1998 when its methods of utilizing ocean water to cool the steam that spins turbines and creates electricity were banned. In order to take advantage of the property, the Redondo Beach City Council approved a plan on August 19 to build a Harbor Village, a commercial and a low-density residential area, in place of the power station.
According to AES Southland President, Eric Pendergast the Harbor Village was a win-win situation for South Bay residents and the AES Station because it transforms unused lands to 85,000 square feet of a vibrant waterfront, employment opportunities, and economic stimulation with the new promenade’s revenue for city services. This is an excellent and clearly organized use of land because without the Village plan, the power plant property would be left to waste.
Furthermore, Redondo Beach City Council member, Bill Brand said that the AES does not need a power plant to waste space in Redondo Beach.
As an electric company, AES already has power plants in Long Beach and Huntington Beach and Redondo Beach has functioned for over a decade without the power plant itself. Even Pendergast agrees that the Redondo Beach power plant should be permanently closed, so it should definitely be shut down regardless of what is done in its place.
According to Redondo Beach Mayor Steve Aspel, realistic and responsible people will be happy with the decision to take down the power plant and those who do not agree with it were and will be able to express their opinions through a Measure A vote in March 2013 and again in a March 2015 ballot. Measure A supported the permanent shut down of the power plant by 2022, but citizens voted against it by only 383 votes. In 2015, citizens should recognize that Measure A should fail because the power plant should be shut down sooner to make way for the Harbor Village.
The Redondo Beach city’s official voter’s guide stated that supporters for Measure A believed that it served as a reliable chance to permanently close the useless and polluting power plant. However, the opponents’ opinions on the voter’s guide agreed with these statements, but did not agree that the power plant should be closed by 2022. Instead, the power plant should be torn down immediately to make way for the Harbor Village plan.
The Measure A vote showed that even the Redondo Beach residents seem to agree with the AES opinion of the Harbor Village plan. Although updated and more informed opinions will be unveiled this coming March, the Harbor Village plan is clearly an efficient plan that a majority of residents agrees with.
While the Harbor Village scheme is unequivocally a productive proposal, AES did spend over $400,000 campaigning against Measure A, thus skewing residents’ views. Additionally, Jim Light, a member of the non-profit organization Build a Better Redondo and a Measure A author questioned the controls and cautions that would be put into the village plan. As a coastal property, the Harbor Village should have environmental controls in order to ensure that the Harbor Village does not harm the coast and Redondo Beach.
Light also stressed that the March 2015 initiative could determine whether or not the California Environmental Quality Act review will be put into place. If properties are created through initiatives, they don’t have to undergo this process. However, environmental and legal reviews are a necessity to ensure safety, security, and control.
Environmental hazards, such as consumers’ pollution or construction debris could even affect the CenterCal Mall, a nearby waterfront recreational area. Environmental perils should not be risked and the Harbor Village should not interfere with the CenterCal Mall’s already developed plans.
Despite these possible risks, Pendergast said that the Harbor Village would include zoning specifications and a state environmental review.
Although the California Environmental Quality Act review will not be included in the development process, the California Coastal Commission will be. These environmental assurances will also help to prevent any CenterCal Mall intrusions. Because AES has a solution to nearly every Harbor Village issue, the proposal is an excellent one.
While there are still some existing environmental variables, the Redondo Beach power station is currently useless to its citizens. A recreational area is the perfect solution to replace the unused property and spur unity and growth in Redondo Beach.
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