Council Considers Renaming Artesia

The Redondo Beach City Council voted unanimously last Tuesday to move forward on plans to rename Artesia Boulevard to Redondo Beach Boulevard.

The proposal, which was first brought up by Councilman Pat Aust at a North Redondo Beach Business Association meeting, calls for renaming the stretch of Artesia Boulevard between Hawthorne Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard/Pacific Coast Highway. For it to occur, the cities of Lawndale, Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach would have to approve of the name change, too.

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According to a report by City Engineer Steve Huang, it would cost about $300 to notify the 611 residents and businesses of public hearings about the name change, while posting signs about the hearings would cost about $800.

If the name change is approved, it would cost nearly $20,000 to change all the street signs in Redondo Beach.

"The NRBBA group wants this … is behind this 100 percent," said Councilman Steven Diels. "There is anecdotally popular support."

Aust agreed, adding that the suggestion was "well received."

"[It] could be called 'The Boulevard,'" he said, referring to how some locals call Riviera Village simply "The Village."

According to Aust, the street was actually named Redondo Beach Boulevard in the 1960s. The name was changed with the construction of the 91 Freeway.

"We're putting [the name] back—we're not coming back with something new," he said.

Nevertheless, Councilman Matt Kilroy expressed concern about whether the neighboring cities would agree to the name change, which would cost them money, too.

"At a bare minimum, we have to cover the cost of changing the signs" in the other cities, he said.

"What you're saying [is], 'Since we're initiating it, we should pay for it,'" Mayor Mike Gin clarified.

City Manager Bill Workman said that the cost to the city would be fairly minimal and consist of some staff time—especially with outreach and notifying neighboring businesses, stationery modifications and street-sign changes.

"There's initial enthusiasm [for the proposal], then people figure out they've got to change their stationery … change their advertising and phone books and so forth," he said.

John Parsons, a current planning commissioner and former city councilman, spoke during the public comment portion of the agenda item.

"I think it's going to be a big deal for the folks along Artesia in all four cities, and before we use up too much political will … I think we ought to get some momentum going," Parsons said.

Diels suggested getting businesses in Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach on board, too.

"That kind of engagement could help us, and it's probably a good place to start," he said.

The talk of renaming Artesia Boulevard also prompted some comments from the two South Redondo Beach councilmen, Steve Aspel and Bill Brand, about renaming Torrance Boulevard within Redondo Beach city limits.

"There's a big name-changing craze going on," Brand said.

Because renaming Torrance Boulevard was not an agenda item, California's open-meetings law prevented councilmen from discussing the proposal in greater detail.