One of the largest housing proposals in Torrance’s current development pipeline could eventually bring 449 new apartments to a property near Del Amo Fashion Center.

The project is proposed for 3610 Torrance Boulevard, within the Hawthorne Boulevard Corridor Specific Plan’s Del Amo Business District.

The Torrance Planning Commission approved the project, and the City Council subsequently considered an appeal challenging that approval.

City staff recommended denying the appeal and upholding permits allowing construction of the 449-unit residential development.

The scale alone makes this project significant.

For comparison, Gable House contains 218 apartments and Soto contains 200.

The 3610 Torrance Boulevard proposal would be larger than either of them individually.

The site is currently associated with commercial development, meaning another substantial piece of the Del Amo area could transition toward residential use if the project proceeds through construction.

The development has also become an example of how rapidly California housing law is changing local planning.

The project was originally reviewed through the traditional California Environmental Quality Act process. Later city documents indicate that the applicant sought to use a newer AB 130 infill-housing exemption, which can streamline environmental review for qualifying residential projects in already-developed urban areas.

That does not mean every large housing project automatically qualifies.

State law sets conditions related to location, density, previous development of the site, environmental hazards and consistency with local planning rules.

But the implications for Torrance are substantial.

Large parcels along major commercial corridors are becoming increasingly valuable as potential housing sites, particularly as California places greater pressure on cities to accommodate new residential development.

The 3610 Torrance Boulevard project is therefore worth watching for two reasons.

It could add 449 homes to Torrance.

And it offers a preview of how state housing laws may influence the city’s development decisions in the years ahead.

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