TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Mark Leyman, Parks and Recreation Director
Linda Robb, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of a Resolution for a One-Year Film LA Agreement to Facilitate the City’s Film Permitting Process, and Consideration of Revised Film Permit Fees, and Filming Limitations (No Budget Impact) (Parks and Recreation Director Leyman).
(Estimated Time: 30 Mins.)
A) ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 26-0007
B) APPROVE
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt Resolution No. 26-0007 authorizing a one-year FilmLA Agreement to facilitate the City’s film permitting process;
2. Approve the updated daily filming rates; and
3. Approve filming limitations.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no new fiscal impacts associated with this follow-up report. Revenue impacts from the revised fee structure will be updated after City Council adopts final daily rate values.
BACKGROUND:
On November 18, 2025, staff presented a proposal for a one-year pilot program with FilmLA. While City Council expressed support for the administrative efficiencies the program offers, several concerns were raised:
• Reduced fees may attract too much filming
• Increased filming may erode the small-town beach character valued by residents
• Additional activity may burden Police and Fire services
• The City should consider adopting limits on filming frequency or timing
• The proposed daily rates may need to be increased
The City Council directed staff to return with further analysis and policy options. City staff, in collaboration with the team from FilmLA met to discuss each Council concern and addressed these concerns with updated guidelines, fees and operational changes to minimize potential impacts.
DISCUSSION:
Likelihood and Nature of Increased Filming Activity
Staff acknowledges that filming activity may increase modestly during the pilot year due to FilmLA’s centralized system and industry visibility. However, this increase is not expected to be driven primarily by lower rates.
Manhattan Beach’s physical characteristics-limited parking, narrow residential streets, coastal constraints-naturally restrict the size, frequency, and type of productions that can occur. The City will remain a niche filming location with inherently limited capacity.
Protecting Quality of Life and Community Character
City Council noted that many residents value the City’s small-town coastal atmosphere and desire to avoid filming-related inconveniences such as parking impacts, noise, or blocked streets.
Staff emphasizes:
• The City retains full approval authority for all film permits
• FilmLA cannot approve a permit without City review
• Staff will continue to evaluate each application’s impact on traffic, noise, parking, and public access
• Permits may be modified or denied in sensitive filming areas based upon impact and adherence to predetermined filming conditions. Examples: requiring remote parking; limiting crew size, parking permits, filming hours
The pilot program is designed to improve administrative efficiency-not to increase filming at the expense of community character.
A downtown filming request approved during summer 2025 provided valuable insight into the level of impact certain productions can have on core commercial areas. Based on that experience, staff has established more stringent guidelines for parking, street closures and seasonality. Under this refined framework, a comparable filming request would not be recommended for approval. In addition, it was pointed out that this production did not use local vendors during their production. This can be improved by actively encouraging future productions to use local restaurants and vendors for catering, and providing a list of restaurants and catering establishments, developed with the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Business and Professionals Association, to production managers.
Public Safety Workload
A Councilmember expressed concern that increased filming could burden the Police and Fire Departments.
Historical data shows:
• The vast majority of productions in Manhattan Beach do not require Police or Fire staffing
• Most productions are in the minor-impact category:
o Small cast and crew (up to 15 personnel)
o No specialized or additional equipment required
o Location situated away from the pier
o Major-impact productions requiring sworn staff are rare and easily flagged during the review process. Production in the major-impact category may have some or all of the following:
o Large cast and crew (more than 15 personnel)
o Requires traffic control or temporary road closures
o Multiple filming locations
o Filming over multiple days
o Large amount of equipment
o Additional vehicles for transport and logistics
o Basecamp or staging area required
In fiscal year (FY) 2025, out of 36 shoots, three required the presence of Community Services Officers (CSO) and one required sworn officer presence. In FY 2024, out of 35 shoots, two required CSO presence, zero required sworn officer presence.
Necessity for police presence is determined by visibility, celebrity, and potential to draw large crowds. During the pilot, staff anticipates minimal change in Public Safety staffing needs, even if the total number of permits increases.
If any permit poses an unreasonable safety or staffing burden, the City may condition or deny it.
Filming Limitations Used by Other Cities
To proactively manage activity levels and maintain neighborhood well-being, the City may adopt filming controls similar to those used by other coastal and residential cities.
Examples include:
A. Limits on Simultaneous Filming
• One major-impact production citywide per day
• One production at a time in Downtown, the Strand, or the Pier area
• No more than one production within a four-block radius
B. Blackout Dates / Seasonal Restrictions
No filming requiring City services (staff, reserved parking) at the following times:
• Memorial Day weekend
• July 4th weekend
• Summer peak weekends (May 15 - Labor Day weekend)
• Major community events (Hometown Fair, Pumpkin Races, Holiday Fireworks, Concerts in the Park)
C. Location Rotation / Frequency Limits
• Caps on filming days per residence, block, or district per month or year
• No consecutive filming days in the same area
• Quarterly limits for major-impact shoots at parks or coastal areas
D. Time-of-Day Protections
• Standard hours of 7:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m. on weekdays, 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. on weekends
• Extended hours only with neighborhood consent and City Manager approval
It should be noted that staff have received complaints from one neighbor regarding one address that has been used for several film shoots. Staff acknowledges that filming can be disruptive for residents, particularly those who work from home.
Staff have meaningfully addressed neighborhood concerns with enhanced conditions of approval such as limiting parking within the neighborhood, and restrictions on generators to reduce noise that better balance property rights with community quality of life.
FilmLA is equipped to administer and enforce any such policies the City adopts.
Potential Adjustments to Proposed Daily Filming Fees
At the City Council’s request, staff reevaluated opportunities to increase the proposed daily rates while remaining competitive and within FilmLA’s permitting framework.
A. FilmLA Requirements
FilmLA does not require jurisdictions to match a specific rate. Rates must be:
• Reasonably aligned with regional values
• Predictable and defensible
• Not so high as to discourage use of FilmLA's unified system
B. Peer City Comparison (Film Production Rates)
Hermosa Beach: $282 - $3,643
El Segundo: $256-$4,076
Newport Beach: $12-$51
Seal Beach: $730-$1,496
Staff’s original proposal ($750-$1,215) placed the City in the lower-middle range.
C. Recommended Adjusted Fees
Staff, in further conversations with FilmLA, agree that the City may increase proposed rates modestly, as follows:
Location Original Proposal Revised Fee
Private Property/Residential $750 $850
Parks/Fields/Facilities $950 + hourly rental $1,050 +hourly rental
Ocean/Strand/Downtown $1,215 $1,350
These fees maintain regional competitiveness, reflect the premium nature of Manhattan Beach’s coastal locations, and allow the City Council flexibility to select appropriate values.
D. Revenue Impact
Raising rates would reduce the projected revenue decrease associated with the original proposal. The exact fiscal impact will depend on the final rate values selected by the City Council.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
Staff discussed the pilot program with Kelly Stroman representing the Downtown Manhattan Beach Business & Professionals Association and Jill Lamkin of the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, this item was discussed at the November 18, 2025 City Council meeting.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that it is not a “Project” under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines. Therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3), the activity is not subject to CEQA, and no further environmental review is required.
CONCLUSION:
The FilmLA pilot program offers meaningful administrative and operational benefits while preserving the City’s full authority over filming activity. Through careful monitoring and potential implementation of filming limitations, the City can ensure that filming remains compatible with the community’s expectations and quality of life.
Staff believes this balanced approach:
• Modernizes and streamlines the filming process
• Retains all local control
• Protects community character
• Minimizes Public Safety impacts
• Ensures filming remains compatible with the City’s small-town coastal identity
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt Resolution 26-0007
2. Approve updated filming rates
3. Approve the following filming limitations
A. Limits on Simultaneous Filming
• One major-impact production citywide per day
• One production per day in Downtown, the Strand, or the Pier area
• No more than one production within a four-block radius
B. Blackout Dates / Seasonal Restrictions
No filming requiring City services (staff, reserved parking)at the following times:
• Memorial Day weekend
• July 4th weekend
• Summer peak weekends (May 15 - Labor Day weekend)
• Major community events (Hometown Fair, Pumpkin Races, Holiday Fireworks, Concerts in the Park)
C. Location Rotation / Frequency Limits
Cap on filming days per residence
• No more than four filming days per quarter
• Max 12 filming days per year
• Max three consecutive days
Cap on filming days per block
• Only one active production per block at a time
• No more than 2 productions per block per month
• Minimum 7 days between productions
D. Time-of-Day Protections
• Standard hours of 7:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m. on weekdays, 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. on weekends
• Extended hours only with neighborhood consent and City Manager approval
Staff will continue to monitor filming activity and return with a comprehensive evaluation at the end of the pilot period. This evaluation will include a review of usability of the FilmLA system by staff, production statistics, and tracked, reported feedback from community stakeholders, including complaints, so that the City Council may make an informed decision on whether to continue utilizing Film LA.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Agreement - FilmLA
2. Resolution No. 26-0007
3. PowerPoint Presentation