SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON FRIDAY, MAY 23 at 5 PM

What: Special Torrance City Council Meeting

Why: To discuss the pending proposal from Los Angeles County to include the Extended Stay America Hotel on Torrance Boulevard as one of the five properties being submitted to the State’s Homekey+ Program for potential conversion into interim or long – term housing.

When: Friday, May 23, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.

Where: LeRoy J. Jackson City Council Chambers, 3031 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503

You can find more information on the City of Torrance website here.

RHA General Meeting Updates

Thanks to those who joined our General Meeting on April 29, and for those who missed it, here’s a recap.

The RHA’s updated bylaws were approved. They hadn’t been updated since 1995! You can find the new bylaws here.

Our President Elizabeth (Libby) Spatz gave an update on the Hillside Overlay status. The RHA is working on improving the Hillside Overlay so there’s specific objective language for the Planning Commissioners to use in their decision-making. Please come to the City Council meeting June 17 in Council Chambers at City Hall to voice concerns that Hillside Overlay needs to be brought up to date.

Thanks to our speakers from the City of Torrance, Torrance Fire Department and Torrance Police Department. The information shared on fire safety was very helpful. Here are short summaries:

Nazy Chiniforoushan, Emergency Services Manager, Office of the City Manager, provided resources for emergency or weather alerts and notifications:

  • Sign up at the QR code below or at https://www.TorranceCA.gov/torrancealerts
    • Other sources of information during an emergency situation are:
      • Phone Number: 310-618-2320 is the phone number that city set up to call for emergency information
      • Radio Station for emergency information: 1620 am
  • Also, https://www.ready.gov/ is a great resource to create emergency plans, how to communicate with your family, and what to have in your go-kits

Nazy’s most important advice: Heed evacuation orders as soon as you hear them!

Daniel Singleton, Public Affairs/Education Fire Prevention with the Torrance Fire Department, advised that we are all first responders — be sure you know how to evacuate. Visit CalFire’s website — it’s a good resource for go-bags and other tips: https://readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/go-evacuation-guide/. His other advice included:

  • Be sure to plan your exit ahead of time in case streets are blocked during evacuation
  • Evacuate away from the ocean because of winds
  • Have an action plan like a safe meeting point for your family and a communication plan
  • Prepare your property to create a defensible space and remove dead vegetation

Lt. Daniel Moreno, Emergency Operations Coordinator with the Torrance PD, emphasized that their role in an emergency is to:

  • Enforce evacuation orders, direct traffic, clear roadways and clear hazardous zones
  • Assist vulnerable populations such as the elderly, though they strongly encourage everyone have their own evacuation plans
  • Support emergency response with heavy equipment
  • Secure areas where people shouldn’t be after evacuations
  • If there is a crime scene, they will secure it

Mark your calendars for our next General Meeting! It’s live and in person! Monday, Sept. 15, 2025 at Riviera United Methodist Church, Redondo Beach (TBC)

Riviera Reporter is Here!

After a drier than normal winter, we welcome any showers that April may bring. We have many updates in this issue of The Riviera Reporter

  • Join us for our General Meeting on April 29 at 7 pm via Zoom. (More info on p. 1)
    • Our main topic will be fire safety, with guest speakers focused on emergency preparedness and plans for our community, among other things.
    • The Riviera Homeowner’s Association board members updated our bylaws, which you can review here. Another agenda item is voting on the new bylaws by the RHA membership.
    • Here’s the link to join the Zoom meeting; Meeting ID: 842 2687 4083; Passcode: 737740
  • We’ve handed out two Landscaping Awards — see page 2
  • We continue to mark the RHA’s 80th Anniversary on page 3
  • Join us in congratulating our scholarship winners on page 4
  • We answer a resident’s question about a neighbor’s illegal dumping on page 4

Read the entire issue: Riviera Reporter Spring 2025

If you would like to become an RHA member or need to renew your membership, here’s how.

We look forward to seeing you at our Zoom meeting! 

Elizabeth “Libby” Spatz, RHA President

Advertising Circular Delivery Update

You may have noticed that the weekly advertising circulars that used to be included with your USPS mail are now being delivered in plastic bags, thrown near your home.  Occasionally they land in the gutter, and they could potentially interfere with our storm drains.  The RHA reached out to the distributer of these circulars, Save.com, and spoke with the distribution manager Oscar Diaz, who has changed our delivery module to forego the use of plastic bags (unless rain is expected), using rubber bands instead, and will instruct the delivery agent to be more precise in the circulars’ placement.  Mr. Diaz said he hopes this will improve the situation, and for anyone who wants to opt out of receiving these flyers, call him directly at (310) 439-0680.

Announcing the First Annual Torrance Residential Beautification Awards Program!

The Torrance Residential Beautification Awards is a newly approved program by the Torrance City Council and the nomination period is open now through March 31. There are two award categories:

  • Landscape Beautification Award: This award will recognize homes that exhibit exceptional pride of ownership through well-maintained and exceptional landscaping of their property. This includes an attractive landscaping design of the front yard and parkway, a clean and well-maintained exterior, and overall good curb appeal.
  • Sustainable Landscape Beautification Award: This award will recognize homes that exhibit exceptional pride of ownership through the use of water conservation practices as part of their landscaping design. This includes the use of drought-tolerant or native plants, water-friendly irrigation systems, and energy-efficient or solar lighting.

Judging criteria includes curb appeal, pride of ownership, landscape design, structure maintenance, sustainable design features, and contribution to the beautification of Torrance. 

Up to two Award Recipients will be selected in each Council District. Up to three additional overall Honorable Mention Recipients will also be selected. The honorees will be announced by the Torrance Environmental Quality and Energy Conservation Commission at their meeting in June.

Recipients will receive a certificate of recognition, a commemorative yard sign, and a gift card to a local home improvement store.

For more information, please contact the Neighborhood Services Division of the Community Development Department at (310) 618-5929 or via email at DDInfo@TorranceCA.Gov noting “2025 Torrance Beautification Awards” in the subject line.