Redondo Beach voters decide Nov. 3 whether to allow taller buildings and larger developments along the Artesia-Aviation corridor. Measure ART would overhaul zoning across several commercial strips in a change supporters call long overdue.

The measure would amend the city's General Plan and Zoning Ordinance to raise height limits, increase allowable building sizes and create new zone types across several corridors, as the Daily Breeze reported Oct. 14. A simple majority passes it, according to City Attorney Joy Ford's impartial analysis.

What would change

The biggest shifts would hit the Artesia and Aviation boulevards corridor in North Redondo Beach. Maximum floor area ratio (FAR), which measures how much of a lot can be built on, would jump from 0.6 to 1.5. Building heights would rise from 30 to 45 feet, and the two-story cap would become three stories, according to the Daily Breeze.

Along Pacific Coast Highway, FAR would increase from 0.5 to 1, and some parcels would be rezoned from mixed-use or residential to commercial. Industrial properties north of Manhattan Beach Boulevard would see FAR grow from 0.7 to 1.

The measure would also create a mixed-use transit center zone and an industrial flex overlay zone allowing research and development, technology incubator spaces, offices and hotels. Some areas along Artesia and Aviation would be redesignated as neighborhood commercial zones.

Housing density would shift in both directions. Some areas would drop from 35 to 30 dwelling units per acre, while others would rise from 28 to 30 units per acre. The measure does not require additional housing units, according to the city's Measure ART FAQ.

Who's for it, who's against it

Mayor James "Jim" Light and four City Council members signed the official argument in favor. Council Member Paige Kaluderovic, who represents District 3, wrote separately that the measure grew from years of community input and unanimous council action.

The official argument against was filed by Patrick Healy, who signed as an individual with no official title. Healy argued the city scheduled a $250,000 special election for one measure only four months before the March 2, 2027, general municipal election. He wrote that the 53-page measure "combines commercial, residential, inland, and coastal changes affecting separate corridors and neighborhoods into one all or nothing vote."

Healy also cautioned that increased zoning capacity does not guarantee completed projects. Rooftop dining, for example, would require an Administrative Use Permit and count toward a building's floor area.

Coastal Commission still has a say

Any approved changes that apply to properties in Redondo Beach's coastal zone would also need approval from the California Coastal Commission before taking effect, according to Ford's analysis. The measure would not apply to public institutional zones such as school properties, the Redondo Beach Civic Center or the Beach Cities Health District.

How to vote

Ballot drop boxes are open 24 hours through 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 at five locations, including the Redondo Beach Main Library at 303 N. Pacific Coast Highway and the North Branch Library at 2000 Artesia Blvd., according to the city's elections page. Vote centers are at Aviation Park Gymnasium, 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., and Alta Vista Park Community Center, 715 Julia Ave.