Council Approves Mole B Master Plan

Second time was the charm for the Mole B Master Plan as the Redondo Beach City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the staff's revised plan.

• Previously:

Mole B, also known as Moonstone Park, is a small bit of land at the end of Marina Way in the harbor. Right now, it houses the Harbor Patrol facilities as well as two outrigger canoe clubs.

The first proposed master plan caused controversy after it made mast-up boat storage optional and inserted an emergency helicopter landing zone—something which many boaters said was a last-minute addition.

The second draft presented to the City Council included space for the Harbor Patrol, an emergency helicopter landing zone in the open park space, mast-up boat storage, outrigger canoe storage, a public hand launch and a sea wall. (See attached .pdf file for the draft submitted to the City Council.)

On Tuesday night, the only criticism focused on the plan's lack of an enclosed classroom. Councilman Bill Brand said he had received several emails on the subject.

Nevertheless, Councilman Steve Aspel said that he was wary about dedicating public funds to the construction of a classroom.

"I think a lanai is suitable," Aspel said during the meeting. "In my mind, [an enclosed area] would turn into a de facto private classroom" where one group would store their equipment.

Councilman Pat Aust also expressed concern about a classroom.

"I don't know where we're going to get the money for this, much less a classroom," he said.

The boaters' concerns about the classroom were remedied with the addition of a line saying that the groups may build an enclosed classroom in the area devoted to the outrigger canoe and mast-up boat storage.

Al Ching, the founder of Lanakila Outrigger Canoe Club, said that throughout the process of creating the master plan, city staff kept in close contact with stakeholders.

"I'm pleased with the decision … everybody had to give a little bit here and there," he said.

Pete Carmichael, the city's director of harbor, business and transit, also said he was pleased with the plan the city approved.

"I thought it went really well," he told Patch after the meeting. "I think we found a solution that worked well for almost everybody."