Office of Jim Light, Mayor
415 Diamond Street
Redondo Beach CA 90277
January 21, 2026
Honorable Chair Dutra
Metro Board Members
Board Administration
One Gateway Plaza
MS: 99-3-1
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Via Electronic Mail
[email protected]
RE: Item XX: C Line Extension to Torrance Project Final EIR Certification City of Redondo Beach Comments In Support of Hawthorne Alternative
Dear Board Chair Dutra and Honorable Board Members:
On behalf of the City of Redondo Beach, please accept this letter as Mayor Light and the City Council’s unanimous (4-0) support for the Hawthorne Alternative. Redondo Beach has consistently weighed in to support the Hawthorne Alternative as it achieves the Project objectives, including but not limited to improving mobility, providing alternative modes of transit, and providing more equitable access to regional destinations, displacing the greatest amount of VMT1 and resulting in the greatest number of annual project trips.2 The Hawthorne alignment increases commercial visibility instead of impacting and dividing a residential neighborhood. Some of the significant issues associated with the LPA option would be resolved with the Board’s selection of the Hawthorne alignment.3 The Hawthorne Alternative, studied in depth in the draft and final EIR, resolves potential issues associated with selection of the LPA.4 In particular, the Hawthorne Alternative avoids relocation of utilities and high risk construction activities associated with the LPA option, such as the multiple fuel and gas pipelines, some of which must be relocated and some of which 1 Final EIR page 3.4-52 and 3.5-18.
2 5.2-16 MR-16: Response to Lawndale and Redondo Beach Community Letter, 6. 3 As Metro staff recently confirmed at the Planning Committee Meeting, the FEIR can be used to substantiate approval of any of the alternatives studied in the Draft and Final EIR, including the Hawthorne Alternative. See Planning and Programming Committee, January 16, 2026 Agenda Item 11, Attachment E - Hawthorne Option Key Issues & Responses page 24.
4 A stable project description requires the CEQA documentation and final approval to “describe substantially the same project.” Washoe Meadows Community v. Department of Parks & Recreation (2017) 17 Cal.App.5th 277, 288. “An accurate, stable and finite project description is the sine qua non of an informative and legally sufficient EIR.” County of Inyo v. City of Los Angeles (1977) 71 Cal.App.3d 185, 192-193.
Tel: 310.697.3653
Redondo.org
C Line Extension FEIR
Redondo Beach Comments
January 21, 2026
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must rest in place.
5 As presented in the DEIR, a total of 13 properties and the existing freight ROW were identified with potential Recognized Environmental Conditions (RECs) for the LPA project. All of these properties will have an impact on the construction of the LPA option.
The subsurface environmental impacts include contaminated soil, groundwater, and/or soil vapor. The historic railroad operations may have led to the presence of hazardous materials along the ROW including heavy metals, hydrocarbon contamination in soil, herbicides, treated wood waste, and asbestos, which would need to be properly handled when disturbed.
In addition, several oil and gas pipelines run within the Metro ROW including a 10- inch Shell crude oil, 8-inch ExxonMobil jet fuel, and 20-inch Chevron gas line.6 These utility lines have the potential to leak and contaminate the subsurface. The DEIR did not identify any construction impacts or contingencies for subsurface impacts (such as encountering hydrocarbons) discovered during the development of the project.
Whether faced with low or high levels of contamination within the ROW, the proximity and types of construction activities associated with the LPA option introduce unnecessary scheduling uncertainties due to unidentified assessment/remediation work. These deferred assessment, remediation, and relocation activities may extend many years, thereby significantly impacting the project construction costs and schedule.
For these reasons and many more, the Hawthorne Alternative provides the greatest return on regional investment. As a result, if and when the Board certifies the FEIR and approves the Hawthorne Alternative, Redondo Beach is ready to expedite any necessary local approvals and permits to enable timely Project construction and reduce the risk of schedule delays. The City also commits to working expeditiously through the Caltrans relinquishment process for Hawthorne Blvd (SR 107) to enable local control of permitting and approvals.
Redondo Beach will work with neighboring jurisdictions to centralize permitting for the Hawthorne option.
Redondo Beach will further advocate for funding for this Project at the South Bay Cities COG, specifically during the Measure M Decennial Review process commencing this year. The City is already actively identifying funding to support the Hawthorne alignment.
The City is also uniquely positioned to ensure traffic in Redondo Beach along Hawthorne Blvd is managed efficiently with minimal disruption during construction. In that regard, the City also appreciates the Board’s stated commitment to helping small businesses remain viable during and after construction.7
Redondo Beach supports expansion of the
5 Final EIR, p. 2.5-1.
6 Final EIR, p. 3.9-35.
7 https://metro.legistar1.com/metro/attachments/daa3b202-f3d7-42a5-b556-4ce9b976b46a.pdf page 11.
C Line Extension FEIR
Redondo Beach Comments
January 21, 2026
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Business Interruption Fund to cover businesses impacted by Project construction along Hawthorne Blvd to ensure their continued success.
The Hawthorne Alternative is the only Project alternative that meets the Project objectives, fulfills the Board’s CEQA requirements, and delivers high ridership. Redondo Beach looks forward to working in partnership with Metro, Caltrans, and neighboring communities to deliver high quality transit to the region.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of our comments.
Sincerely,
Jim Light
Mayor
Joined by:
Brad Waller Chadwick Castle
Council Member, District 1 Councilmember, District 2
Paige Kaluderovic Zein Obagi
Council Member, District 3 Council Member, District 4
CC: L.A. County Metro Board
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
Luke Smude, Assistant to the City Manager
Andrew Winje, Public Works Director
L.A. County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell
L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn