CC 4/21/26 Jl
f3 City Council Statement (Urban-Forest Planning & Tree City USA Emphasis)
Good evening Mayor and Councilmembers. My name is Andre Leroux. I'm a life-time Redondo Beach resident, and I am here tonight to raise concerns about a ordinance that no longer reflects the city we are today - or the direction the City itself is taking.
Redondo Beach has become far denser over the last 50 years. Homes are closer together, lots are smaller, and residents rely more than ever on trees and landscaping for privacy, cooling, and quality of life. Yet the City is still enforcing rules written for a much less dense city, without modern definitions or standards.
Today, City staff met on-site with the City arborist, code enforcement, and fire officials to review my property. What became very clear in that meeting is this: there is no clear, objective definition in the municipal code that distinguishes a "tree" from a "hedge." Even the City's own arborist explained that vegetation can function as either depending on spacing, density, and maintenance — not based on a measurable legal standard.
That lack of clarity leaves residents guessing, and enforcement becomes subjective and complaint-driven.
At the same time, the City is actively advancing urban-forest planning and tree-canopy expansion, and proudly holds the designation of Tree City USA. Those goals depend on residents maintaining healthy trees on private property - especially since roughly three-quarters of Redondo Beach is privately owned land.