The Redondo Beach Planning Commission will decide how large a building Sunrise Senior Living can put on the Beach Cities Health District's 11-acre hilltop campus, after the City Council voted 5-0 on Tuesday, July 14, to keep density limits for that site off the November ballot.

The vote means no floor-area ratio cap exists for the BCHD land at 514 N. Prospect Ave. If one is ever set, it will come through the Planning Commission's project-level review rather than a citywide ballot measure.

That matters because of what BCHD CEO Tom Bakaly told the council at its July 7 session, according to Easy Reader: Sunrise would likely pull out of its proposed 217-unit assisted living, memory care and independent living project if the FAR drops below 1.25. Bakaly is characterizing Sunrise's position; the developer has not made a public statement.

Councilman Zein Obagi Jr. made the July 14 motion to defer any FAR decision for Public-Institutional zones. After the unanimous vote, Obagi turned to Mayor Jim Light.

"You're not going to veto it, mayor?" Obagi asked.

"Uh, no. I think we gave the people what they wanted," Light replied.

Competing visions for the hilltop

The numbers frame the divide. The Planning Commission recommended a 0.5 FAR for Public-Institutional land citywide in September 2025, with a 1.25 exception only for city hall and police facilities. Former Councilmember Todd Loewenstein, who termed out of District Two in 2025 after eight years, urged a 0.75 FAR at the July 7 meeting, warning that 1.25 could allow up to 240 units and produce a building larger in square footage than the Sonesta Hotel on the waterfront.

The BCHD campus's existing buildings add up to a FAR of 0.77.

Bakaly countered that any FAR should be applied uniformly across all Public-Institutional zones, as it is under the current code, which sets no numerical limit. Community Development Director Marc Wiener confirmed the effect of the council's vote to Easy Reader: it "maintains the status of our current General Plan and Zoning Ordinance, which do not specify a limit, and leaves it to the discretion of the decision-making body (i.e. Planning Commission)."

Ground lease and what comes next

The BCHD Board authorized a 99-year ground lease with Sunrise on Thursday, May 28. Under that deal, Sunrise would finance construction and demolition of the former South Bay Hospital, paying BCHD $10 million over the first 10 years. Sunrise plans to apply for a Conditional Use Permit in fall 2026, according to BCHD, which would go before the Planning Commission.

Mark Nelson, leader of the neighborhood group STOPBCHD, called the arrangement "spot zoning" at the July 14 meeting. Several public commenters at the July 7 session favored a lower cap.

Under Redondo Beach rules, any zoning change that could add 150 or more vehicle trips per day during morning and peak hours qualifies as a "major change" requiring voter approval. By deferring the FAR question, the council sidestepped that trigger.

Residents can track Planning Commission agendas through the city's Community Development Department for hearing dates once Sunrise files its application.