The Hermosa Beach City Council Tuesday night voted to reconsider hosting the Mervyn’s Beach Bash as its next meeting. The vote was 3-2.

“I think this event is worth consideration by a full City Council,” said Mayor Sam Edgerton. “If I can put up with some of the council’s views on the Fiesta, then you can put up with my views on the Beach Bash.”

The council will now vote on the issue again at its May 13 meeting. The decision came after a 2-1 vote at its April 8 meeting when the municipality denied the approval of the fifth annual weekend event organized on the city’s beach in early June. Councilman Art Yoon and Edgerton were absent from this meeting, but the council needed only three votes at its next meeting to reconsider the item.

“In my opinion I think the City Council has made an effort to respond to the concerns of residents by scaling down the event from 22 days to 13 days,” said Yoon. “I said last year if this event was still incongruent to the wishes of residents then I would curtail it or eliminate it, but this event greatly improved last year,”

Councilwoman Kathy Dunbabin and Councilman Michael Keegan voted against reconsidering the item and the Beach Bash itself, claiming it attracts too many people to the beach causing traffic and parking problems for residents.

“I do appreciate all of IMG’s (event promoters and organizers) efforts to make this event smaller and the donations Mervyn’s has given to our city,” said Dunbabin. “But what I hear from many people is that this event has gotten to be too successful and too large for Hermosa Beach.”

The event itself, along with its setup and teardown time, usually lasts about 13 days. The event highlights extreme sports like skateboarding and BMX freestyle biking, along with an AVP volleyball tournament. Organizers usually erect the “Soul Bowl” which resembles an empty swimming pool made out of wood.

If approved, the city will generate approximately $46,000 in revenues from the event along with a $30,000 donation from the national retailer Mervyn’s, owned by the Target Corporation.

IMG’s vice president, James Leitz, spoke at the meeting urging the entire council to reconsider the matter as soon as possible.

“We respect and appreciate the views and opinions of each council member regarding the Beach Bash, and recognize that each member represents the residents of Hermosa Beach,” said Leitz. “It has been and will also be our intention to bring an event to your city that is representative of the family-oriented activities and beach lifestyle that is Hermosa Beach.”