The City of Hermosa Beach has five boards and commissions, each comprised of five volunteer members appointed by the City Council, to provide expertise, advice and approvals on various matters. Please visit the City's Agenda/Minutes/Videos page for meeting information.

Becoming a Board or Commission Member

The City of Hermosa Beach appreciates your interest in serving on one of the City’s boards and commissions. Members provide a valuable service and serve in a voluntary capacity, without compensation.

• Application Form - please submit your completed application to the City Clerk's office. Please note that all submittals will become public records.  

• Appointments - the City Council will periodically review applications for fulfillment based on term expiration or special vacancies of current board members and commissioners.  Applicants may be requested to appear for in-person interviews with the City Council prior to selection and appointment. Appointees serve staggered four-year terms, with the exception of the Building Board of Appeals (no specified term limit), at the pleasure of the City Council. 

• Local Appointments List - Maddy Act - In compliance with the requirements of Government Code Section 54972 (Maddy Act), the following local appointments list shows all regular and ongoing board and commissions which are appointed by the City Council and is posted annually by December 31.

Local Appointments List - Terms Ending in 2025

• Meeting Attendance Requirements - generally, two absences from regularly scheduled meetings of any member within one calendar quarter and/or four absences from regular meetings within one calendar year constitutes grounds for removal or creates an automatic vacancy, with no distinction between excused and unexcused absences.

• Statements of Economic Interests / Fair Political Practices Commission Filings - All board and commission members are required by law to file statements of economic interest (assuming office statement, annual statements, and leaving office statement) for the purpose of disclosing potential conflicts of interest. The completed statements are filed with the City Clerk, who will provide all forms and instructions at the appropriate time, with one exception:  Planning Commissioners now file electronically on the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) website. 

City elected officials and staff are not eligible to serve on a board or commission; and no members may serve on more than one board/commission at the same time.

The following provides a brief summary of qualifications and duties for each of the City’s boards and commissions, and the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code (HBMC) reference.

Building Board of Appeals 

• Key Duties - this five-member board provides reasonable interpretations of the Building Code [HBMC 15.04.020].
• Board Member Requirements - members must be qualified by training and experience to provide guidance and expertise upon matters pertaining to building construction. Members are not required to be residents or qualified electors of the City.
• Appointment Term - there are no specified terms; members serve at the pleasure of the City Council.
• Meetings - the Board of Appeals meets in City Council Chambers at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of every month, as necessary.

Civil Service Board

• Key Duties - The Civil Service Board functions as the City's Review Board pertaining to personnel functions in conjunction with the City of Hermosa Beach Personnel Rules and Regulations Civil Service Employees adopted by the City Council on May 23, 2023.
• Board Member Requirements - members must be qualified electors of the City. No person who holds any salaried public office or employment with the City is eligible for appointment; no member of this board is eligible for appointment to any office or employment with the City.
• Appointment Term - members are appointed to staggered four-year terms.
• Meetings - the Civil Service Board meets regularly in City Council Chambers at 5 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month, as necessary, with additional meetings called, if needed.

Parks, Recreation & Community Resources Advisory Commission

• Key Duties - this five-member commission serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters pertaining to the Community Resources Department; cooperates with other governmental agencies and civic groups on the advancement of sound leisure, cultural, social services and educational programming; provides guidance and approvals for City special events; and formulates policies on the services, programs and lease agreements of the Department, subject to approval of the City Council [HBMC 2.28].
• Commissioner Requirements - commissioners must be bona fide residents of the City, and not members of the Hermosa Beach Community Center Foundation Board.
• Appointment Term - commissioners are appointed to staggered four-year terms.
• Meetings - the Commission meets regularly in City Council Chambers at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month, or as scheduled by the Commission.

Planning Commission

• Key Duties - this five-member commission is governed in all respects and performs duties as prescribed by applicable state and local laws. The primary purpose of the Commission is to maintain and enhance the environment of the community, which entails advance or long-range planning (updating of the General Plan and specific elements), current planning (short-range projects), and land use controls (administering to the code and review of all subdivisions and zoning petitions). The Commission serves as an advisory board to the City Council on all matters pertaining to zoning, conditional use permit process, etc. [HBMC 2.32].
• Commissioner Requirements - commissioners must be qualified electors of the City.
• Appointment Term - commissioners are appointed to staggered four-year terms.
• Meetings - the Commission meets regularly in City Council Chambers at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month (except December when the meeting is on the second Monday).

Public Works Commission

• Key Duties - the duties of this five-member commission are to review and make recommendations to the City Council on all capital improvement program projects, assist with developing and updating design guidelines for public improvements and other matters referred to the Commission by the City Council [HBMC 2.80].
• Commissioner Requirements - commissioners must be qualified electors of the City.
• Appointment Term - commissioners are appointed to staggered four-year terms.
• Meetings - the Commission meets regularly in City Council Chambers at 7 p.m. on the third Wednesday of odd-numbered months (January, March, May, July, September and November).

Community Advisory Groups

The City Manager may also create informal community advisory groups to assist staff with specific topics or projects. Information on the active advisory groups may be found on the Community Advisory Groups page.  

For more information, please contact:

City Clerk's Office
1315 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Phone: (310) 318-0204
Fax: (310) 372-6186
E-mail: cityclerk@hermosabeach.gov

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.

Acrobat Reader Windows Media Player Word Viewer Excel Viewer PowerPoint Viewer