What we aspire to be and what we value as a community

The Vision and Guiding Principles for the Redondo Beach General Plan serve as the framework to express the community’s desired future. They define expectations for what Redondo Beach will be like 25 to 30 years from now, defining its: role in the region, physical character, quality of life, diversity of residents, housing options and businesses, and other indicators such as the economy, health and safety, environment, sustainability, and mobility. These expectations are based on the things Redondo Beach residents and businesses value as important today and which should be retained in the future, as well as how the community should evolve and change in response to critical issues that arise that may challenge these values.

The Vision and Guiding Principles were informed by community feedback and formally drafted by the City’s General Plan Advisory Committee Members after evaluating extensive community input and were approved by the City Council.  However, they can be modified if a principle that may not have been previously considered (or was not a priority at the time) is identified as critical for the future of Redondo Beach.

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General Plan Vision 2050

Purpose of the Vision

The City’s vision statement is intended to confirm the overall direction of the General Plan. As such, it is more complex and longer than generalized “mission statements” or “mottos” used by communities and businesses. It highlights broad topics that Redondo Beach must develop goals and policies to address through state-mandates, and also applies to the City’s optional General Plan elements. The Redondo Beach General Plan Vision 2050:

• Is an articulation of the core values and desires of the community as they relate to the General Plan.
• Guides and informs the development of more specific policies later in the planning process.
• Articulates an image of the future the community wishes to create.
• Contains a succinct description of the things that the community values.

The Vision

A Portrait of Redondo Beach in 2050

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General Plan Guiding Principles

Purpose of the Guiding Principles

Guiding principles are a list of highly regarded and expected principles set by an organization. The term “guiding” refers to the fact that these values are established to lead the organization in any situation that may arise. They provide a common path forward to guide an organization’s next steps, even in the case of potential changes in City leadership or management and staff. They should be effectively communicated to every member of the community and staff member in the organization to make a clear connection to the fundamental rationale for the duties and activities they perform (the “why” we are doing this, and why it's important). Similar to the General Plan Vision 2050, no future decision made by staff, appointed committees or decision makers should contradict any of these principles. 

The Guiding Principles

The City of Redondo Beach shall achieve its vision by applying the following Guiding Principles that prioritize quality of life and embody our community’s character, transparency, health, vitality, and economic prosperity when making decisions and taking actions.

Guiding Principle 1

To enhance our Community Character and Livability, Redondo Beach seeks to preserve our beach town character that…

• Is vibrant, diverse, welcoming, and energetic
• Preserves our heritage and history
• Seeks to balance the built environment with green spaces
• Promotes community camaraderie and engagement to be inclusive
• Appreciates the natural beauty and improves environmental quality
• Promotes safety and security for its residents and visitors
• Reduces automobile traffic volume and congestion
• Provides safe, efficient, multimodal transportation that offers alternatives to the car
• Sustains and supports the highest quality education system for all ages and career paths

Guiding Principle 2

To ensure Economic Prosperity and Sustainability that fosters sound fiscal practices, achieves and maintains a high-quality level of services, and infrastructure by creating …

• A place to live and work that seeks to match its residents to jobs and promotes a workforce/job balance
• A place for recreation and commerce for residents and visitors alike
• Entrepreneurial spirit that fosters and facilitates hometown business creation and sustainability
• Responsible economic development opportunities that balance the needs of residents and businesses investing in our community 

Guiding Principle 3

To achieve greater Health and Vitality throughout our community by preserving and expanding open space for active and passive recreational opportunities. Redondo Beach seeks a healthy work-life balance, and active lifestyle for all age groups by providing…

• Walkable and bike-friendly interconnected neighborhoods
• Maintenance and expansion of parkland, trails, and sports facilities
• Self-sufficient neighborhoods that promote collaborative recreational and commercial uses
•  Improved access to open spaces 

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Community Input and Process

In 2016, the Mayor and City Council directed the City to perform an update of the City’s General Plan and appointed a broadly representative General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC), which first convened early in 2017. One of the first tasks of the GPAC was to develop a draft Vision Statement to guide the Plan update efforts. The draft Vision Statement that was collaboratively crafted with input from GPAC was then distributed to the broader community. Comments were received via a survey that asked the public to comment on the GPAC’s draft vision statement. The public was encouraged to participate in the survey through notices on the City’s Website, E-blasts, Cable Channel, and FaceBook page from October 25, 2017 through November 16, 2017. 

The Draft General Plan Vision Statement 2050, along with the survey responses, was presented to City Council on December 19, 2017, and City Council comments and direction was communicated back to the GPAC at their December 2017 meeting.