Redondo Beach — Design Review

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes how design review works under the City of Redondo Beach zoning code (commonly titled Title 10 in the version retrieved). It explains who reviews projects (Administrative vs. Planning Commission vs. Harbor Commission), which project types trigger review, the standards reviewers use, and where to look for district-specific rules. All requirements below are grounded in the Redondo Beach Municipal Code; specific code citations are shown for every rule cited. For related topics see the city's pages on development standards, parking, overlay districts, ADUs, landscaping, and the California Building Standards Code.

What the code requires (core rules)

• Two primary design-review tracks exist: Administrative Design Review and Planning Commission Design Review (sometimes Harbor Commission for Harbor/Pier areas). The thresholds and criteria are set in §§ 10-2.2500 / 10-5.2500 (Administrative) and §§ 10-2.2502 / 10-5.2502 (Planning Commission).
• The Planning Commission must review specified large or potentially impactful projects — for example, new commercial/industrial/mixed‑use development on vacant sites over 10,000 sq ft, and new multi‑family projects with 16 or more units — and other categories listed in the code. See § 10-2.2502 / § 10-5.2502 for the full list of triggers.
• Administrative Design Review covers smaller projects and many residential changes; the code lists types of residential additions and new smaller multifamily projects subject to administrative review in § 10-2.2500 / § 10-5.2500.
• Applicants must submit scaled site plans, floor plans, elevations (all sides), landscaping, parking plans, trash/recycling location, grading/topography where relevant, and other data as listed in the Coastal/permit application content requirements in § 10-5.2210. The Community Development Department checks completeness under timelines in the same section.
• Design-review decisions are made against explicit criteria including neighborhood compatibility, traffic and pedestrian safety, avoidance of box‑like façades, landscaping, and compliance with objective residential standards (where applicable) — see § 10-5.2500 / § 10-5.2502.

District-by-district breakdown

Below are Redondo Beach districts and the code excerpts that most affect design review decisions. Each district subsection shows the district name bolded, a short purpose/typical uses, the code excerpts for dimensional or process features that affect design review, and where design review is applied.

RH-2 (High Density Multiple‑Family Residential)

• Purpose / typical uses: higher-density multi‑family housing.
• Key dimensional standards and development rules: building height limit 35 ft, maximum three stories, lot/unit density rules and detailed setbacks (front average 15 ft, min point 12 ft in some standards) and other standards used to judge design and massing. See § 10-2.518 for the RH‑2 standards.
• Design review applicability: projects in RH‑2 that propose multi‑family development or additions are subject to Administrative or Planning Commission Design Review as specified in §§ 10-2.2500 / 10-5.2500 and § 10-2.2502 when thresholds (e.g., unit counts, floor area) are met.

CC-2 (Coastal Commercial Zone)

• Purpose / typical uses: coast‑front commercial and visitor-serving uses; special rules because of coastal location.
• Key dimensional/process elements: district development standards are spelled out and include provisions on height areas, stories, and that setbacks are determined by the applicable review process (i.e., set at design review or planned review); see § 10-5.813 and adjacent sections for CC‑2/CC‑1 rules.
• Design review applicability: coastal commercial development, public signage above certain sizes, and many public waterfront proposals require Planning Commission or Harbor Commission design review; see § 10-2.2502 / § 10-5.2502 and the sign rules in § 10-2.1814 for when signs are elevated to Planning Commission review.

Harbor / Waterfront / Pier / Harbor‑Civic Center Specific Plan zones

• Purpose / typical uses: mixed harbor uses, public access, visitor services, recreation.
• Key standards: building heights are carefully segmented by area (examples: 45 ft or 30–60 ft depending on area), story caps (two‑three stories in portions), required public esplanade minimum 12 ft adjacent to water for certain new construction, and utilities undergrounding requirements. Setbacks are typically "determined pursuant to the applicable review process" (i.e., set through design/Harbor Commission review). See §§ 10-5.814, 10-5.815, 10-5.816.
• Design review applicability: Harbor Commission Design Review is required for harbor/pier area projects (the code refers projects in harbor areas to Harbor Commission in the design review articles); Planning Commission Design Review rules reserve an exception for W Waterfront and CC Catalina Corridor zones in some listings — see § 10-2.2502 and the cross references to Harbor Commission review.

PLD (Planned Development overlay)

• Purpose / typical uses: site‑specific master-planned development with its own standards.
• Key process notes: Planned Development Review exists as a separate review track: for PLD overlay projects, no project on a site under 20,000 sq ft is eligible for Planned Development Review; major additions and exterior alterations in PLD are also routed to Planned Development Review. See § 10-5.2514.
• Design review applicability: Planned Development Review uses design and neighborhood criteria similar to other design review processes but tailored to PLD design standards and the PLD application process. See § 10-5.2514(c) for criteria.

AHO (Affordable Housing Overlay)

• Purpose / typical uses: provides an overlay pathway for affordable housing projects with tailored standards and density incentives.
• Key applicability: AHO projects may elect to use AHO-specific provisions; where an applicant does not elect AHO provisions the underlying zone rules apply. The AHO rules set minimum densities and special standards for housing projects in the AHO site. See §§ 10-2.1432 – 10-2.1436.
• Design review applicability: Projects in AHO sites that propose residential development remain subject to the design review triggers and criteria in § 10-2.2500 / § 10-5.2500 and may be subject to Planning Commission review depending on size/units; AHO provisions supplement the underlying standards.

Public / P zones and Special Uses (signs, public facilities, moved buildings)

• Public zones: large signs (>30 sq ft) and electronic message displays on public/institutional sites are elevated to Planning Commission Design Review per § 10-2.1814.
• Moved buildings and public utilities: moving a building into or within the City requires Planning Commission Design Review and a building inspection report per § 10-5.1612; public utility facilities have specific review criteria and may require Conditional Use Permit plus design review per § 10-5.1614.

Quick Decision‑Relevant Table

Application Checklist

• Completed City design review application (Community Development Department form). § 10-5.2500(c)
• Owner affidavit authorizing application. § 10-5.2500(c)(2)
• Application fee (as set by Council resolution). § 10-5.2500(c)(3)
• Scaled site plan showing lot lines, setbacks, parking stalls, aisles, driveways, sidewalks, and adjacent street improvements. § 10-5.2210(b)(4–9)
• Floor plans and elevations of all sides (materials, colors, textures). § 10-5.2210(b)(13)
• Landscaping and screening plans, including existing trees ≥6" trunk diameter. § 10-5.2210(b)(2), (11)
• Parking calculations and striping plan (or deviation request). § 10-5.2210(b)(7)
• Drainage/erosion control review by City Engineer if applicable. § 10-5.2210(b)(18)
• Sign details or sign program consistent with § 10-5.1802 (or explain consistency). § 10-5.2500(b)(6)
• For coastal projects, concurrent Coastal Development Permit materials and completeness per § 10-5.2210 and § 10-5.2212.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English Summary

Design review in Redondo Beach is a two‑tiered process: smaller residential changes and many modest projects go through Administrative Design Review; larger commercial, major residential, waterfront, and special projects are handled by the Planning Commission or Harbor Commission. The code gives clear triggers (unit counts, lot area, sign size), a required package of plans and supporting studies, and a set of neighborhood/architectural criteria reviewers must apply; see the specific code sections cited below and confirm any parcel‑specific questions with staff.

Source References

• Redondo Beach Municipal Code — Planning Commission Design Review: § 10-2.2502 / § 10-5.2502. (ecode360 copy)
• Redondo Beach Municipal Code — Administrative/General Design Review: § 10-2.2500 / § 10-5.2500 (criteria, applicability, application).
• Redondo Beach Municipal Code — Application contents and Coastal Development Permit completeness: § 10-5.2210 / jurisdiction cross‑references § 10-5.2212.
• Planned Development Review: § 10-5.2514.
• Harbor / Waterfront Specific Plan rules and esplanade/height/stories: §§ 10-5.814 – 10-5.816.
• RH‑2 development standards: § 10-2.518 (height, stories, setbacks references).
• Public zone/Sign Design Review: § 10-2.1814 (signs sized over 30 sq ft and electronic message displays).
• Building moving / public utility facility reviews: § 10-5.1612 / § 10-5.1614.

Primary source location: Redondo Beach zoning code as hosted on eCode360 (downloaded copy used for this page).

Retrieved passages

• Redondo Beach Zoning Code (§ 6) High relevance show source text
• Redondo Beach Zoning Code (section will) High relevance show source text
• Redondo Beach Zoning Code (Section 10-5.2502) High relevance show source text
• Redondo Beach Zoning Code (Section 10-5.2502.) High relevance show source text
• Redondo Beach Zoning Code (§ 10-5.2514) Medium relevance show source text
• Redondo Beach Zoning Code (§ 10-5.815) Medium relevance show source text
• Redondo Beach Zoning Code (§ 10-5.816) Medium relevance show source text
• Redondo Beach Zoning Code (§ 10-5.812) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Redondo Beach Municipal Code — Planning Commission Design Review: **§ 10-2.2502** / **§ 10-5.2502**. (ecode360 copy) (§ 10-2.2502)
• Redondo Beach Municipal Code — Administrative/General Design Review: **§ 10-2.2500** / **§ 10-5.2500** (criteria, applicability, application). (§ 10-2.2500)
• Redondo Beach Municipal Code — Application contents and Coastal Development Permit completeness: **§ 10-5.2210** / jurisdiction cross‑references **§ 10-5.2212**. (§ 10-5.2210)
• Planned Development Review: **§ 10-5.2514**. (§ 10-5.2514)
• Harbor / Waterfront Specific Plan rules and esplanade/height/stories: **§§ 10-5.814 – 10-5.816**. (§ 10-5.814)
• RH‑2 development standards: **§ 10-2.518** (height, stories, setbacks references). (§ 10-2.518)
• Public zone/Sign Design Review: **§ 10-2.1814** (signs sized over 30 sq ft and electronic message displays). (§ 10-2.1814)
• Building moving / public utility facility reviews: **§ 10-5.1612** / **§ 10-5.1614**. (§ 10-5.1612)
• RedondoBeach_ZoningCode.md

• Official Redondo Beach code library