Goals and Accomplishments
Goals
- Balance budgets without raising taxes while maintaining first-rate police and fire services.
- Push for revitalization of the Artesia and Aviation Blvd. Corridors.
- Fight to stop the Green Line extension from running through our neighborhoods.
- Stop the California State Legislature’s push to rezone our neighborhoods to high-density by supporting a statewide initiative to make zoning and development municipal affairs.
- Continue to advocate to permanently retire the AES power plant and remove the overhead power lines.
- Focus on a recreational and amenities plan for King Harbor before considering any new development. “Revitalize not Supersize” our waterfront.
- Continue to work with SCE to purchase land just west of PCH for public uses once the power lines are removed.
Here are some of Mayor Brand’s accomplishments since stepping into the ring of local politics in Redondo Beach:
2001 – Actively opposed Heart of the City project that rezoned the AES site for 2,998 condos and 650,000 sq.ft. of commercial development on our waterfront.
2002 – Successfully petitioned City Council for a public vote on the Heart of the City project.
2003 – Successfully petitioned City Council a second time to place the proposed Heart of the City project on the ballot. The City Council rescinded the plan after this second referendum that simply called for a public vote.
2005 – Led the Heart Park vision to convert the AES Redondo Power Plant site to mostly park and wetland uses with commercial development as needed to financially sustain the park. This vision won the advisory vote in 2005.
2005 – Unsuccessfully ran for City Council, but won 43% of the vote against a popular incumbent.
2008 – Co-authored Measure DD, which won more votes than anything or anyone in the history of Redondo Beach. Measure DD amended our City Charter to always require a public vote for a major change in allowable land use or zoning, such as the Heart of the City project.
2009 – First elected to the City Council representing District 2.
2010 – Unsuccessfully opposed Measure G, which allowed for zoning that was advertised as protection of our waterfront, but actually rezoned the King Harbor area to allow for a very large, mall-like development. This was the beginning of what became the CenterCal mall project. The voters later replaced Measure G with Measure C in 2017.
2012 – Co-authored Measure A, which rezoned the AES Redondo Power Plant site for 60% open space and 40% commercial uses. Measure A was narrowly defeated in 2013.
2013 – Reelected to the City Council.
2015 – Successfully opposed Measure B, which would have rezoned the AES Redondo Power Plant site for yet another BIG development of wall-to-wall condos and commercial space with no defined park area.
2016 – Co-authored Measure C, which successfully downzoned the Redondo Beach Pier and King Harbor area to protect our ocean access and views from overdevelopment projects. This is all public land that should serve the public.
2016 – Joined as appellant of the Redondo Beach Waterfront (CenterCal mall project on the harbor) to the California Coastal Commission that went on to hear our appeal due to their “substantial issues” with the project.
2017 – Elected to four-year term as Mayor of Redondo Beach.
2017 – Personally sued by Redondo residents Christopher Voisey and Arnette Travis alleging violations of campaign regulations. The trial revealed that Redondo Beach Waterfront LLC was secretly funding Christopher Voisey’s and Arnette Travis’ lawsuit. The judged ruled against Christopher Voisey and Arnette Travis, calling them “shills” fronting a “sham lawsuit”, and awarded attorney fees to Mr. Brand and those of the other defendants, which are still unpaid by Christopher Voisey and Arnette Travis. The case is pending an appeal ruling.
2018 – Successfully advocated for $60 million allocation of state funds to restore former coastal power plant sites for public uses as part of State Proposition 68. This will support public-use redevelopment of the AES Redondo Power Plant site.
2018 – Successfully argued for certification of Measure C before the California Coastal Commission. This was the first time in the history of the Coastal Act that a citizen-led initiative that amended a certified local coastal program was approved with no changes.
2018 – Initiated and helped lead the first open water swim event in Redondo Beach – “Swim the Avenues”. It is now an annual event thanks to Council Member Nehrenheim and local race organizers Mike Ward and Rick Crump.
2018 – Negotiated redevelopment of the South Bay Galleria. This is a 1.6 million sq.ft. project that the City Council approved after gaining more open space, $2 million for Artesia Blvd., doubling of affordable housing, and other important concessions to protect Redondo residents.
2019 – Helped lead the successful 3-day BeachLife Music Festival at the SeaSide Lagoon. This 3-day festival generated $5.6 million to businesses in Redondo Beach, with $216,100 in fees and taxes to city coffers.
2019 – Drove the process for Southern California Edison to confirm that they would remove the large, 220 kV overhead power lines along 190th Street once the power plant is permanently retired – at their expense!
2019 – Successfully negotiated an agreement with AES and the potential new property owner for the sale of 25 acres of the AES Power Plant site to the City for public use, for $2 million per acre AFTER remediation by the new owner. This offer was rescinded by the new owner about a year later when the prospect of extending operation of the AES power plant was under consideration by the State Water Resources Control Board. This process is not finished and is a work-in-progress.
2019 – Oversaw the award of $4.8 million from California Natural Resources Agency to the City of Redondo Beach to begin design and purchase of some of the AES power plant site once the power plant is permanently retired.
2019 – Successfully advocated for formation of Financing District around the AES Power Plant site and SCE power-line corridor to divert future LA County tax revenue back to Redondo Beach. This is valued at over $100 million over 40 years.
2020 – Coordinated with residents, City staff, neighboring cities, County of Los Angeles and local businesses to adopt various regulations to address the spread of the COVID-19 virus and resulting pandemic.
2020 – Successfully negotiated with the County of Los Angeles, the City Council, the City Attorney’s office and other groups and agencies to bring the first temporary homeless shelter to Redondo Beach. This offers a temporary place for Redondo residents down on their luck, and willing to accept help, to shelter and receive services addressing how they became homeless, and how they can get back on their feet.
2020 – Conducted and hosted Facebook Live events for COVID-pandemic information outreach by doctors, nurses and local-hospital and other healthcare leadership.