Manhattan Beach residents will soon receive earlier and broader notifications about possible large residential developments, after the City Council voted unanimously last week to overhaul its public noticing policy. 

The move comes as residents have voiced concern over the potential for large new housing units to overwhelm residential neighborhoods, especially those abutting Sepulveda Blvd.

Sizable new buildings with virtually no city-imposed limitations are possible in certain areas under the Residential Overlay District (ROD) rules. 

At its December 2 meeting, the council approved sweeping changes designed to give residents more time and information to respond to projects, even if the city itself has little power to regulate. 

The new policy requires “Informational Notices” to be mailed at the earliest stage of review, expands the notification radius from 500 feet to at least 1,000 feet and mandates plain‑language explanations of the city’s limited authority under state law. 

Some council members spoke of expanding beyond 1,000 feet. "A thousand feet is just a start," said council member and mayor pro-tem Joe Franklin. "It should be a little bit bigger."

Notices will also include contact information for developers and state legislators, as well as QR codes linking to city resources, such as email lists for more notifications.

Residents Demand Transparency on ROD Projects

Public frustration over ROD projects was evident once again at the December 2 council meeting, where residents criticized the city’s existing “courtesy notice” system as inadequate.

“This is not real public outreach, it’s just checking the box,” said resident Phil Wa, who argued that the community needs the ability to step in early if the city’s hands are tied.

Others emphasized the scale of the projects and their potential impact on Manhattan Beach’s character. “This is the biggest thing I’ve seen – it’s going to permanently change the character of Manhattan Beach,” said longtime resident Steve Alexander. “We’re talking about losing the small‑town atmosphere.”

Some speakers called for citywide notifications, not just notices nearby potential buildings, noting that developments of this size affect more than just immediate neighbors.

Council Responds with Overhaul

Planning Manager Adam Finestone presented options for strengthening the notice policy, including earlier timing, expanded distribution and clearer language. 

An example of a current notice sent to residents around a ROD project at 2301 Sepulveda Blvd. (From city staff presentation.)

While staff cautioned that early notices could be “premature” if projects change or are abandoned, councilmembers sided with residents in favor of maximum transparency.

Councilmembers agreed that notices must avoid “government speak” and instead use direct language to explain the ministerial nature of approvals. 

They also supported including developer contact information to encourage direct engagement and listing state legislators responsible for the laws driving the changes. The notion of including developers' contact info came from public comments and was embraced by council members during the discussion. Finestone's presentation had suggested including legislators' info, and that was expanded upon as council debated the issue.

The council explored creative distribution methods, such as push notifications through the city’s mobile app, QR codes on notices and messages on water bills encouraging residents to sign up for e‑alerts.

As Alexander put it, “If we can’t control the projects, at least we can control how informed we are.”

Residents of Hermosa Beach recently spoke up and helped alter the course of a proposed new apartment building at 3415 Palm Drive, inspiring the developer to reduce the height and scope of the project from 5 units to 4, and from 50 feet tall to about 35 feet tall. The scaled-down development received city Planning Commission approval in mid-September, although more hurdles are ahead before the structure can be built.

As Wa said in his remarks, "The Hermosa Beach residents – they made real changes, and I think we can do the same. But we as the residents can only do things if we know what's coming."

Alexander said, "Give us opportunity to contact the developers. Maybe they'll change their mind. They did that in Hermosa Beach, and people there are much happier about it."

Mayor Pro Tem Franklin encouraged the sentiment, "Go and talk to them. Tell them what you would like to see. Don't expect them to do nothing. They have an investment in this land... Work with them to make something that's a good compromise for everybody."

(The Hermosa project, which still goes against some normal development rules in its residential neighborhood, was permissible under a different state law known as the "builder's remedy," in effect a "punishment" for Hermosa Beach lacking a state-approved housing plan for a period of time.)

State Mandates Driving Local Change; 4 'ROD Projects' Filed

In 2022, Manhattan Beach adopted its state‑required 6th Cycle Housing Element, which led to the creation of the ROD in 2023. The district covers properties along Sepulveda and Rosecrans boulevards and allows qualifying projects to be approved “by‑right” if they reserve at least 20 percent of units for affordable housing.

Under California’s Density Bonus Law, developers can also request waivers from local standards – such as height limits and open space requirements – further limiting the city’s discretion. 

As a result, projects like the seven‑story complex proposed at 2301 N. Sepulveda Blvd. and the 273‑unit redevelopment of the former Fry’s site at 3600 N. Sepulveda Blvd. are advancing with minimal local review.

The city has sent notices on those two "active" projects, but not yet on two potential projects, those at 2705 N. Sepulveda and 1500 Rosecrans. Under the new policy, notices would go out even for projects facing only "preliminary review," which may or may not ever receive serious consideration or investment by potential developers.

The city's ROD projects page online is kept up to date and has a deep and growing set of Frequently Asked Questions to help residents understand all aspects of the district and development rules.