From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 5, 2026 9:10 PM
To: Kalani, Sharon <[email protected]>; Kartsonis, David <[email protected]>; Lewis, Bridgett <[email protected]>; Sheikh, Asam <[email protected]>; Lieu, Betty <[email protected]>; Barnett, Linda <[email protected]>; Gerson, Jeremy <[email protected]>; Sullivan, Patrick <[email protected]>; City Clerk <[email protected]>; Gomez, Yolanda <[email protected]>
Cc: Lewis, Jeff <[email protected]>; [email protected]; 'Scott Douglas' <[email protected]>; 'Rosa, Mike' <[email protected]>; 'Kevin & Rita Nakano' <[email protected]>; 'Annie Hou-Lee' <[email protected]>; 'Rita Nakano' <[email protected]>; Vivian Lee <[email protected]>; Mike Griffiths <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Joan Davidson <[email protected]>; Judy Brunetti <[email protected]>; 'Mike Schuricht & Molly McGee' <[email protected]>; [email protected]; 'Holly Osborne' <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Josey Vanderpas <[email protected]>; Carol Clark <[email protected]>; 'Kristine Kobe' <[email protected]>
Subject: Regarding Support of Our Appeal to Deny the Construction of the Proposed Mixed-Use Project located on the Eastside of Hawthorne Blvd north of Rolling Hills Road Honorable Mayor Kalani and Members of the Torrance City Council, We have attached our letter summarizing numerous issues with the Proposed Project that will be difficult or impossible to remedy. This is an inferior Project that will not create a suitable or safe housing facility for senior residents. Even Katy Geissert and Gary Butcher referred to this property as junk property. In fact, in many ways placing seniors in such a congested housing facility on a busy, noisy, high-speed road with inadequate parking and safe accessibility is not in their best interest.
Please reconsider your decision to deny our Appeal made on Sep 15, 2026.
Thank you,
Dave & Elaine Brent
1 PUBLIC COMMENT REPORT #3
AGENDA ITEM 10C
1 1
David and Elaine Brent October 5, 2026
Torrance, CA 90505
Torrance City Council
3031 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90503
Re: Proposed Walteria Mixed-Use Project, Eastside Hawthorne Blvd, 200 Ft. North of Rolling Hills Rd.
Dear Mayor and City Council Members,
We are the owners of a home immediately adjacent to the proposed mixed-use development. This project is unsafe and cannot with any modifications be made safe. We urge you to carefully consider the numerous objective reasons our neighbors and consultant have provided to you, so that you will unquestionably deny the project and support our Appeal submitted on Jan 2, 2026. There are many technical issues with the design, many flaws in the technical reports, and multiple unresolved issues that make it appear very doubtful the project can comply with the Torrance City Municipal Code. It seems the City is ignoring all of these due to concerns with the State’s directives.
Project construction and development will interfere with high-speed downhill Hawthorne Blvd Highway traffic for many months during excavation and construction. Also, there will be no available safe storage location on Hawthorne Blvd for building construction materials.
Steep Sharp Hairpin Entrance Driveway into the Semi-Subterranean Garage The Project Semi-Subterranean Garage will have a Steep Sharp Hairpin Entrance where the driveway splits off from northbound Hawthorne Blvd at a sharp aggressive angle rather than a standard 90-degree intersection, requiring an immediate, sweeping pivot. Navigating a steep, sharp, hairpin parking garage entrance requires a mix of proper lane positioning and precise timing to avoid scraping a vehicle or hitting inner walls. Due to the driveway’s midpoint radius of approximately 22.5 ft many SUVs and trucks will not be able to smoothly negotiate the steep tight turn into the garage. Some might even have to backout onto Hawthorne Blvd.
The Project appears to be pushing the Torrance Driveway Code Limits to the maximum. The proposed driveway will apparently have a 20% longitudinal slope (steepness along the path of travel) and a 10% cross slope (tilt from side to side) which is exceptionally steep and structurally challenging.
While a 20% main slope is pushing the absolute limit for vehicular traction, combining it with a 10% cross slope creates a severe compound slope that can easily cause vehicles to slide, scrape, or tip. Wet weather and a damp driveway and/or worn tires will likely create additional challenges for senior drivers. The steep sharp hairpin entrance driveway will be a challenge for senior drivers! Emergency Vehicles Might Not Be Able to Access the Semi-Subterranean Garage Emergency vehicles have large turning radius requirements approaching 40 ft. Typical ambulances, fire trucks, law enforcement vehicles, emergency medical service vehicles, etc. probably will not be able to access the 22 2
Intense Traffic Noise Infiltration into Senior Living Quarters The Project Acoustical Report specifies that the exterior building shell including walls, doors, windows, etc. should be capable of maintaining an interior noise level of 45 dBA. However, to support the health, sleep quality, and cognitive well-being of senior citizens, public health and environmental agencies recommend keeping interior noise levels from Hawthorne Blvd traffic significantly lower than the standard residential limit of 45 dBA.
The recommended indoor traffic noise levels for senior citizens are as follows:
Setting & Time Recommended Level Purpose for Seniors
Daytime Living
Areas
35 dB (A-weighted) To prevent communication strain, accommodate age-related hearing loss, and reduce cognitive fatigue.
Nighttime
Bedrooms
Less than 30 dB (Aweighted)To avoid sleep fragmentation, which is a major contributor to elevated blood pressure, cortisol spikes, and falls in the elderly.
Absolute Peak
Spikes
45 dB maximum
(\(L_{Amax}\))
To prevent single loud traffic events (like a modified exhaust or a truck braking) from abruptly awakening an individual.
While standard building codes often cap interior residential noise at a general 45 dB over a 24-hour average, seniors represent a highly vulnerable group who require quieter baselines due to specific physiological factors:
• Age-Related Hearing Loss (Presbycusis): Seniors often experience a reduced ability to filter out steady, low-frequency background sounds (like road traffic rumbling). High interior noise forces them to strain to follow conversations or television audio.
• Sleep Disruption Risks: As people age, sleep naturally becomes lighter and more easily disrupted.
Traffic spikes exceeding 35 to 45 dB can easily fracture sleep patterns, which clinical studies link to increased cognitive decline, daytime agitation, and cardiovascular strain. • Dementia and Stress: Continuous traffic-related noise exposure above 65 dB at night has been associated with an elevated risk of late-life dementia and cognitive impairment (CIND) due to the longterm impacts of elevated stress hormones and blood pressure.
To achieve an ideal safe living environment on busy and noisy Hawthorne Blvd, all exterior doors and windows should have a minimum rating of significantly greater than 39 STC. This will require the use of highperformance noise attenuation dual-pane laminated glass for exterior windows and solid high-performance noise attenuation doors not standard dual pane glass windows and typical residential doors. garage requiring them to occupy the 6 ft wide pocket lane in front of the Multi-Use Project Building on Hawthorne Blvd. Hopefully pickup/delivery vehicles or transport trucks are not occupying this lane. 33 3
Typical STC Ranges by Configuration
• Insulating Laminated (Single Laminated Pane + Airspace + Monolithic Pane): STC 35–39 • Double Laminated Insulating (Laminated Pane + Airspace + Laminated Pane): STC 40–51 It is highly recommended that “double laminated Insulated” glass windows be installed in this building since it is located in a very unfavorable and unhealthy acoustical environment! As an Environmental Acoustics team, we have conducted hundreds of acoustical studies in the South Bay communities, largely in Torrance including Torrance City Hall. In addition, we have conducted previous exterior and interior noise traffic measurements at the intersection of Rolling Hills Road and Hawthorne Blvd. The typical exterior noise level was approximately 75 dBA which means that high-performance exterior window glass and doors are mandatory for senior living quarters! In addition, in 2008 we also recommended that thick laminated glass windows rated at 39 STC be installed in a Daily Breeze Newspaper Office on the first floor facing Hawthorne Blvd traffic at 21250 Hawthorne Blvd near Torrance Blvd in Torrance. The window acoustical attenuation performance was very good. Interior noise dropped significantly so that Daily Breeze workers could function normally!
Single ‘Affordable Housing Unit’ Recommendations
One housing unit will be set aside as “affordable.” This unit should not be the one having the noisiest interior, that is, a housing unit facing Hawthorne Blvd. It should also not be the smallest unit. It shouldn’t be considered the most acoustically uncomfortable unit or the least desirable unit! Semi-Subterranean Parking Garage is Very Tight and Undersized The City’s environmental determination notes the project could house up to 53 residents at full occupancy. However, only 20 parking spaces are proposed for the 20 units, plus 5 additional spaces intended to serve both the ground-floor commercial use and guest parking. This is simply not enough parking and the sharing of spaces should not be granted to avoid conflicts. Care givers, family friends, etc. will have to park on residential streets in Torrance Country Hills and walk hundreds of feet back to the Multi-Use Project on Hawthorne Blvd.
In a car-dependent, low-walkability area such as this stretch of Hawthorne Blvd, those 5 shared stalls will almost certainly be used by residents, caregivers, or service providers first—leaving no available parking for business employees, customers, or additional visitors. For senior living, parking demand commonly originates not only from residents but from caregivers, health staff, mobility transport services, food delivery, and family visitations.
Therefore, the 53-person occupancy figure cited by the City actually forecasts greater total traffic and parking demand, not negligible impact. This directly challenges the finding under CEQA §15332(d) that The Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating for laminated insulating window glass units typically ranges from 35 to 51, depending on the specific glass thickness, airspace size, and interlayer type. 44 4
Replacement of the Existing Traffic Guard-Rail on the Eastside of Hawthorne Blvd Additionally, staff is providing three additional Conditions of Approval from the Public Works –Traffic Engineering Division that were inadvertently omitted from the original resolutions. These conditions are proposed to be incorporated into the CUP Resolution, as follows:
1. That the applicant shall remove and replace the affected thrie-beam barrier at the project frontage; (Public Works – Traffic Engineering)
2. That the applicant shall remove and relocate the affected SCE pole and anchors at the project frontage.
The applicant must coordinate directly with SCE for the removal/relocation of the existing SCE pole, anchors, and all associated aerial utilities. SCE relocation plans must be submitted prior to Building Permit issuance; (Public Works – Traffic Engineering)
3. That the design and construction of the offsite improvements shall be made to the satisfaction of the Public Works Director and Community Development Department Director. All work must be completed prior to Certificate of Occupancy issuance; and (Public Works – Traffic Engineering) The guardrail is essential for protecting drivers traveling downhill on Hawthorne Blvd and also serves to protect residents and their property on Eleda Drive. The guardrail has been a safety asset for the area for many years.
Insufficient Sidewalks Planned
There will be limited sidewalks available for senior residents and no sidewalk downhill on the eastside of Hawthorne Blvd. Senior residents will have to ‘walk’ on the steep Hawthorne Blvd ‘traffic carrying roadway’ to access nearest stores & restaurants located north & downhill on Hawthorne Blvd near Newton Street.
Provisions should be made so that seniors can safely walk along Hawthorne Blvd using their walkers and rollators.
Rainwater and Sanitary Drainage
Project sewage pipe and rainwater drainage pipes should not be connected to Eleda Drive residential lines which have small diameter and are only slightly sloped for adequate drainage. Rainwater collected on the semi-subterranean garage floor will probably be pumped-out onto Hawthorne Blvd along with roof-water collected by project catch-basins on the roof leading to potential hydroplaning of vehicles going downhill on Hawthorne Boulevard during rainstorms.
the project “would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic.” The proposed parking arrangement also increases the likelihood of overflow onto nearby residential streets and potential conflict with traffic on Hawthorne Blvd.
55 5
Uncertain status of the onsite PV-Landfill hazardous groundwater monitoring well M63B. Potential dangers in plugging or replacing the well which could potentially impact hazardous groundwater table, its drainage under the property, and loss of capability to monitor onsite hazardous-groundwater. The existence of the hazardous groundwater well M63B near the center of the property is not discussed in the Developers submitted documents. This well is important for monitoring the hazardous groundwater status, organic vapors, and their movement.
Our residential hazardous vapor sensors periodically detect very excessive PV Landfill hydrocarbon vapor percolating from the soil on our property. When this occurs, we vent our home using a whole house fan that draws in air from the north side of our home. Normally this requires periodic venting of our home for up to four days.
If this occurs on the Project property it would be advisable to evacuate the property for a few days.
Unfortunately, newly laid underlying vapor barriers such as 100+ mil PVC sheets fail within two years.
Project SCE Transformer Location
Required Project SCE transformer location is uncertain and apparently undetermined. It must be safely located and isolated from high-speed traffic on Hawthorne Blvd. Also, an impact assessment has not been done for the proposed relocation of the electrical support pole on eastside of Hawthorne Blvd for power-lines located on westside of Hawthorne Blvd.
Deep Excavation in Unconsolidated Soil Near the RHBC Property Boundary Potential collapse of Rolling Hills Business Center (RHBC) 8 ft high cinder-block wall and potential damage to RHBC building due to very-deep ‘close excavation’ in unconsolidated-fill due to soil structural weakness and intense excavation vibration. Potential damage to automobiles and large trucks parked and/or moving on the RHBC parking lot during deep excavation up to 23 ft which will occur only 1-foot from the 8-ft high cinder-block wall located at the north-edge of the parking lot driveway.
Property Damage & Health Impact Bonds Need to be Secured by the Developer Construction Bond(s) are needed and should be secured by the Developer to cover both RHBC/residential property damages due to intense excavation vibration, damage to existing residential walls/fences/homes due to physical impact, and health damage to business/residential neighbors caused by inhaling hazardous airborne particulates during excavation and construction. There is no mention of Bonds in the Developer’s documents submitted to the City of Torrance. This needs to be addressed! Potential damage to the neighboring Rolling Hills Business Center and neighboring residential buildings is likely due to long-term ‘intense ground-transmitted excavation vibration’. In addition, neighboring residents and Hazardous Organic Landfill Vapor Infiltration Protection 66 6
Hazardous inhalable 2.5 Micron dust will likely be generated during extensive excavation which will impact those residing and working in the area. The SCAQMD and residents will use air-quality sensors to monitor airquality and hazardous dust continuously and will make real-time measurement data available online for the SCAQMD and other authorities and residents to assess! This dust can travel many miles. When dicalite (Diatomaceous Earth) mining was active at the Butcher-Solana mining pit years ago, the dust was observed in Long Beach.
During the Sunrise Development in Torrance from 2008 to 2009 excessive dust became airborne during excavation and caused several individuals nearby to develop asthma. Improper and inadequate water spraying during excavation and the ‘dry-sweeping’ of neighboring roadway dust on Hawthorne Blvd. and neighboring road surfaces were the primary causes of excessive airborne dust generation. Elaine is currently under medical care with Dr. Edward Buchsbaum for asthma developed during Sunrise excavation.
We hope that the multitude of ‘serious negative environmental, health, and safety issues’ that the proposed project will create, encourages you to make the obvious objective finding to deny this project! Thank you for the time you have spent reviewing our concerns, David and Elaine Brent
Note: We are the owners of Reliant Environmental Acoustics, LLC located in Torrance and have performed hundreds of industrial, commercial, multi-unit residential, and civic environmental acoustical studies in Torrance, Redondo Beach, and neighboring cities. We have performed acoustical studies at the Torrance City Hall Permit Center, Torrance Cultural Arts Center, Torrance High School Stadium, American Honda Motor Company Headquarters, Toyota North American Headquarters, etc. On April 14, 2015 we each received a Volunteer Noise Consultant Award from the Torrance City Council. Dave also supported and provided technical guidance to a Student Wind-Tunnel Research Project at San Diego State University that simulated excavation dust migration for the proposed Butcher-Solana Project in 2019. As a tenured Assistant Professor of physics, Dave taught environmental acoustics and applied physics at the Lawrence Technological University for several years. Dave was also a Multi-Disciplinary Research Physicist/Engineer at the Northrop-Grumman Corporation Aerospace Systems (NGC) and TRW Space and Electronics Group, Redondo Beach, California. Earlier Dave was a reservoir engineer at Michigan Consolidated Gas Company where he tested and monitored large gas storage wells for deliverability and leakage.
RHBC office workers will be subjected to ‘intense excavation and construction noise’ for many months due to the close-proximity of the Project to their property line. 77 From: Dave Roelen <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, 05 October 2026 14:33:34
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Cc: Chaparyan, Aram <[email protected]>; Sullivan, Patrick <[email protected]>
Subject: Agenda item 10c (project on Hawthorne Blvd. near Rolling Hills Road) October 5, 2026
Mayor Kalani and Members of the Torrance City Council:
The proposed project (10c) should be returned to the Planning Commission, or referred to a Select Council Committee, to allow additional consideration of reducing the project height to be no higher than a typical single story business building.
This would also allow the community to have more input on a project that is too large, too high, too noisy and too dense adjacent residential homes.
Dave Roelen
Torrance
8