By Los Angeles County Politics (LACP)
Hawthorne hits pause on data centers in aerospace hub
The City of Hawthorne, home to SpaceX’s rocket production and a growing aerospace and air-mobility hub, has paused new data center development while the city studies the facilities’ impacts.
The City Council adopted interim urgency ordinance U-2270 at its Sept. 9 meeting, the city announced this week. The ordinance bars establishing or expanding data centers anywhere in the city while staff prepares environmental reviews and drafts possible permanent zoning rules.
City Attorney David Caceres described it as a moratorium compliant with state law. It runs for an initial 45 days, through about Oct. 24, and could be extended to roughly a year.
“It is vital that we thoroughly evaluate these environmental and infrastructure factors. Taking this time to carefully study the impacts on our local neighborhoods ensures we are making responsible decisions that protect our community’s resources and well-being,” said Planning Director Gregg McClain.
The city’s announcement did not say whether a specific project prompted the pause. Hawthorne joins a growing list of local governments acting on data centers. El Monte and Baldwin Park have adopted yearlong bans, and the county Board of Supervisors this week took up Supervisor Hilda Solis‘ motion to permanently ban large-scale data centers in unincorporated areas.
Residents with questions can contact the Hawthorne City Manager’s office at (310) 349-2900.
Long Beach turns on speed cameras, eyes PCH next
The City of Long Beach turned on its speed cameras Oct. 7 to target dangerous speeding on its most crash-prone streets. A new state law will soon let the city add Pacific Coast Highway.
The program, run by the city’s Public Works Department, operates under AB 645, a five-year state pilot approved in 2023 for six cities: Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Glendale.
Cameras capture a vehicle’s rear license plate only when it’s going 11 mph or more over the limit. The system doesn’t record continuous video, use facial recognition, or operate as a license plate reader network. Tickets are civil and don’t add points to a driver’s license.
“We’re taking an important step forward in making Long Beach streets safer for everyone,” said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson.
A citywide warning period runs through Dec. 7, with signs posted ahead of each camera. After that, a driver caught going 11 to 15 mph over the limit gets one more warning if they haven’t already received one. Each violation after that results in a fine.
SB 1279, by State Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), expands the city’s pilot to Pacific Coast Highway, one of Long Beach’s most dangerous corridors.
Palos Verdes Estates asks voters for bigger police parcel tax
Palos Verdes Estates voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to replace the parcel tax that funds most of its police department with a larger one.
Unlike many small LA County cities that contract with the Sheriff’s Department, Palos Verdes Estates runs its own police department, which the city says averages a three-minute emergency response time.
The current tax, Measure E, brings in $5.1 million a year, nearly 60% of the police budget and about 20% of the city’s General Fund. It expires June 30, 2027, no matter how voters decide.
Measure PVE would replace it for six years starting July 1, 2027, raising the flat per-parcel charge from $342 to $1,025. Every property would pay $683 more a year, regardless of size. The 20-cents-per-square-foot charge on buildings would stay the same, with a 2% annual increase beginning in fiscal 2028-29. For a median home of 2,745 square feet, the annual bill would rise from $891 to about $1,574.
The measure would raise about $8.7 million a year: $7.7 million for police and $1 million a year to pay down the city’s pension debt. The money couldn’t fund new city buildings. It needs a two-thirds vote to pass and would expire June 30, 2033, with annual audits and oversight by the city’s Finance Advisory Committee.
The city is projecting a $1.5 million structural deficit this year. Since 2018, it has cut three sworn officers and four full-time civilian positions, deferred maintenance, and drawn on reserves.
City distributed materials describe the measure as an extension, not a new tax, since property owners would never pay both. It would bring in about $3.6 million more a year than Measure E.
More information is at PVEstates.org/MeasurePVE or by calling City Hall at (310) 378-0383.
Burbank voters weigh hotel tax hike, district elections
City of Burbank voters, whose ballots are now in the mail, will decide a hotel tax increase and a pair of linked measures that could change how City Council members are elected.
The City Services Measure would raise Burbank’s hotel tax, paid by hotel and motel guests, from 10% to 12%. The city estimates it would raise about $3 million a year for public safety, 911 response, disaster preparedness, wildfire prevention, parks, libraries, streets and recreation. The rate hasn’t changed since 1983.
The By-District Council Elections Measure asks whether Burbank should switch from citywide to district-based council elections in 2028 and 2030. It can’t take effect unless voters also approve a separate Charter Amendment Measure, which the city says would give the council and voters flexibility to respond to future changes in state election law or court rulings and reduce the risk of costly litigation.
The city has posted explanations of how the measures work together, including possible outcomes, at BurbankCA.gov/Election-Measures. Details on the hotel tax are at BurbankCA.gov/TOT-Measure.
Santa Monica to unveil airport park master plan Oct. 17
The City of Santa Monica will unveil the master plan for the park that will replace its airport at a community event Saturday, Oct. 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Memorial Park Gymnasium.
Santa Monica voters approved Measure LC in 2014, limiting the future use of the airport land to parks, open space and recreation unless voters approve otherwise. Under a 2017 settlement with the Federal Aviation Administration, the city can close the airport after Dec. 31, 2028.
“The airport land belongs to the people of Santa Monica, and its future should be decided by them,” said Santa Monica Mayor Caroline Torosis.
The event opens the fourth of the project’s five phases. The plan shows how the park will be organized and how people will move through it, with drawings of key views. It builds on a framework the City Council reviewed earlier this year and on an online survey that drew more than 4,200 responses from February to April. This phase will also explore phasing, implementation and cost estimates.
Residents who can’t attend can weigh in at upcoming board and commission meetings and through an online survey. Details are at smacproject.com.
