The Hermosa Beach City Council Tuesday night unanimously voted to reject the idea of further exploring a redevelopment proposal presented by resident and economic development committee chair Joe Mark to transform the Marineland Mobile Home Park into a mixed-use project.

The park has been in escrow with Millennium Housing for the past four months. Millennium is a nonprofit corporation aimed at providing affordable housing by way of acquisition and redevelopment of mobile homes and apartment communities.

“I can’t believe we are back here again,” said Joanne Edgerton, wife of City Councilman Sam Edgerton. “We need to leave these people alone and I don’t know why we think these people are the solution to the city’s problems.”

Mark presented his proposal to the City Council that suggested his development company, Venmar Holdings, in conjunction with Civic Finance Associates, enter into a development agreement, along with a public/private partnership for the acquisition and redevelopment of the 4.2-acre park located at 531 Pier Ave. with the project name Pierside Landing.

“We’ve been here time and time again, and if I had known that this person was out to make some money I would have never appointed him to this commission and I’m really hacked up about this,” said Sam Edgerton. “I don’t want this proposal on the agenda and I’m not in favor of a redevelopment that kicks people out of their homes.”

Mark, who is the chair of the city-sponsored Economic Development Review Committee, and other committee members presented their final findings to the City Council in 2002. The goal of this volunteer community group was to brainstorm ways to stimulate the city’s local economy through projects and improvements around town.

“Last year, to meet growing student population, the Hermosa Beach School District was faced with the dilemma of having to add more classrooms, the placement and construction of a gymnasium, and the need to expand administration space, all on a physically restricted Valley School site,” said Mark. “Also under consideration as an economic incentive to induce development of Hermosa’s commercial districts and as a solution to its residential needs was the suggested introduction of a mixed-use designation to Pier Avenue and PCH commercial properties. It was not generally well-received.”

Formed in 1991, Millennium expanded via the dedication of those involved in the effort to support mobile home residents by helping them retain their homes and lifestyles.

“Why are we here when this property is in escrow?” said longtime resident Shirley Cassell. “I think Mr. Mark is only interested in making a few bucks at the expense of people a part of the only low-income housing in the city.”

Millennium uses tax-exempt revenue bonds and other financing means such as grants and loans from redevelopment agencies to acquire the parks. Each park acquired comes with a long-term regulatory agreement that outlines limitations on rent increases and the operation of the park.

“I moved here about a year ago and it’s not cheap,” said new Marineland resident Kelly Richard. “I wanted the lifestyle and I was excited about my kids attending school here. I came here to this peaceful and beautiful city, and I don’t want to have to live here with a cloud over my head.”

Millennium assists residents in forming a homeowner’s association and in return, requires an administrative fee with the remaining budget funds reinvested back into the park for projects like capital improvements and maintenance services.

“As proposed, Pierside Landing is an urban-scale, multiuse project,” said Mark. “It will provide the community with an unobtrusive 544-space, semisubterranean parking garage servicing the community, the School District and residents; along with a 138-unit garden housing complex comprising a mix of senior/affordable and conventional housing. The public parking feature provides support, development incentive and opportunity to nearby commercial properties and the School District by providing adequate parking within walking distance to meet their client needs.”

Under the proposal, the residential housing would be offered for sale and for rent with about 45 percent of the units designated as senior/affordable housing. Mark contended the project would generate approximately $500,000 in annual property tax revenues. The city and School District would retain ownership of the public parking portion of the structure.

School Board member Lance Widman spoke in favor of holding a public hearing about the proposal.

“We have a proposal coming before this body, and I think it deserves a fair and impartial hearing,” he said. “I think at this point in time we should see all of the options laid out before us so that people who are against it and in favor of it can weigh in on it.”

Pat Love, president of the Golden State Manufactured Home Owners League, reiterated many of the comments expressed by virtually every resident living in the mobile home park.

“These people are the pulsating beat of this city,” she said. “They have lived in this park, some going back three generations, raised their kids and sent them to college, and now they are only asking to be left alone. I’m asking that you take precautions and show developers that Marineland is not for sale to just any developer.”

Since its inception in 1962, GSMOL has worked at, among other things, protecting mobile home owners’ investments in their homes and their lifestyle on a statewide level.

“I’ve been here 12 years,” said Marineland resident Lynn Logan. “I raised four kids here as a single parent and it’s been a good experience. It isn’t very much fun always wondering what’s going to happen to us.”