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Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce hosts Annual Golf Tournament

The Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament was held on May 15 at the Aliso Viejo Country Club. More than 100 guests participated in 18 holes of golf and raised funds for the Chamber of Commerce to continue to support and advocate for our businesses and community in Laguna Beach.

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Photos by Guilder Rivera

Laguna Beach Chamber Board of Directors (L-R): Jeffrey Redeker, J.J. Ballesteros, Julie Laughton, Paula Hornbuckle-Arnold and Reinhard Neubert

Tournament participants enjoyed a variety of competitions in addition to 18 holes of scramble golf tournament play. Winner of the men’s Longest Drive was Louis Weil. High school student Julianna Franconi-Krychman won the women’s Longest Drive. Closest to the Pin women’s winner was Isabel Mattson-Pain and Closest to the Pin was a Hole-in-One for the men, made by Roger Mungaray.

laguna beach four ladies

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(L-R): Susan Cavka, Jennifer Halbert, Tamara Frederick and Kristin Nicholson

Grand prize went to the winning team of Erik Jorissen, Brett Jerhoff, Mike Johnson and Doug King.

John L. Campbell had the opportunity to play the $100,000 Shootout competition.

“What a great day!” said CEO Erin Slattery. “We had so much fun. It was a day of great weather and great company.”

laguna beach golf cart

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John Lin

Sponsors included: Julie Laughton Design Build, The Scinto Foundation, County of Orange 5th District Katrina Foley, Waste Management, Soul Focus Optical, Empress Builders, Laguna Beach Spirits, Smart Processing Solutions, Eagle Eye Drone Services, Berkshire Hathaway, Fredric Rubel, Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs, CalPrivate Bank, CR&R, Laguna Benefits, Laguna Board of Realtors and John Campbell Insurance Agency. They helped the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce raise funds to support its mission.

laguna beach Julie

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Javier Valdivia with Eagle Eye Services capturing Julie Laughton and Richard Williams celebrating

The Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce has served the businesses of Laguna Beach since 1917 as a tool for promoting commerce and allowing members to connect to one another and the community. The Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce’s core mission is to promote, represent and support members of the business community.

For more information and to find out about upcoming events, visit www.lagunabeachchamber.org.

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Council OKs market rate fee structure for outdoor dining in Downtown

By SARA HALL

City Council this week unanimously approved moving forward with a market rate fee schedule for outdoor dining programs on public property in Downtown.

Councilmembers voted 5-0 on Tuesday (May 16) to direct staff to return with the market rate approach, or a modified version of the option as it seems appropriate, for their consideration at the June 13 meeting when council adopts the budget for fiscal year 2023-24.

The vote also extended the Promenade on Forest’s coastal development permit and temporary use permit for three years (to January 2027) while staff proceeds with the preliminary design, entitlement and permitting process to convert the Promenade to a permanent pedestrian plaza. It also extended the outdoor dining and parklet program’s TUPs for an additional three-year term (to January 2027) while staff addresses the requirements for outdoor dining on private and public property to become permanent.

Mayor Bob Whalen made the motion following about an hour of discussion, primarily focused on the fee structure. It’s still a temporary timeframe, he noted, and suggested an appraisal be conducted before the second year.

“We could look at this for a one-year solution,” Whalen said.

They could include a provision for consumer price index adjustment or something similar to allow it to grow, confirmed Jeremy Frimond, assistant to the city manager.

There are also other aspects to consider, Whalen added, like the spaces are fully serviced with utilities and the overall experience and increased pedestrian traffic increases sales tax, as staff pointed out. Noting some public comments that the fee structure doesn’t take other costs into account, like additional policing, Whalen also noted that those aren’t charged to businesses elsewhere in the city.

“That would mean every business would get assessed for general costs that we have, which makes no sense,” he said. “What we’re looking at here is recovering the direct costs, which are the parking revenue loss and the maintenance costs. I think this approach does that.”

By doing nothing tonight and holding off on an updated fee structure, the current calculation would continue, which is far under market value, noted Councilmember Alex Rounaghi.

“To me, that wouldn’t be serving the fiduciary interest of the taxpayers,” he said. “We’re the landlords in this situation, so it makes sense for us to do market rate.”

There will also be some closures during the renovation, so restaurateurs are not going to be able to take advantage of that momentum, Councilmember Mark Orgill added.

“I don’t think that what staff has done is inappropriate considering that this is a temporary solution and we’re going to come back for the bigger picture,” Orgill said. “I think it’s fair.”

Also, a majority of residents enjoy the Promenade, added Mayor Pro Tem Sue Kempf. It’s OK to spend money on projects that people like, she said, comparing it to funding parks without getting any revenue back. But in the case of the Promenade, it does help the overall economy, she noted.

“It’s a good solution,” Kempf said.

Although not everyone on the dais was on board with the fee rate.

“There is a gift of public funds here that’s gone on for three years,” said Councilmember George Weiss.

The city built the Promenade, provided private spaces for the restaurants at a very low cost, and now it’s being renovated by the city.

“Meanwhile we lost a tremendous amount of revenue for Forest Avenue,” Weiss said.

Weiss ultimately agreed to the market rate structure with the one-year appraisal plan.

Council OKs market rate fee structure Promenade

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

The city is working to make the Forest Avenue Promenade permanent and this week approved a fee structure for outdoor dining

Council approved the Promenade TUP and CDP, as well as the outdoor dining TUP program, in May 2020. The parklet program was approved later that year. At meetings in 2021, permits for both the Promenade and outdoor dining (including the parklets) were extended through January 2024. Council’s action this week extended the permits for the programs again, this time for three years.

“That’s going to give us time to get the entitlements for the permanent Promenade and then also to commence construction and complete the project,” said Community Development Director Marc Wiener. For the parklets, the three-year extension will “give the city time to evaluate what amendments need to be made to our zoning code, if any, to allow it. Also, to evaluate whether it can be addressed through the parking master plan.”

Currently there are 16 restaurants participating in the outdoor dining program, with seven of those businesses operating parklets on public property (not including the Promenade restaurants). Currently, there are 59 public parking spaces and 54 private parking spaces being utilized by the programs. There are approximately 3,000 parking spaces in the Downtown, about half of which are public, Wiener noted, so the outdoor dining is utilizing approximately 3% of the total supply.

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Council to hear update on outdoor dining, South Laguna beaches, facilities master plan

By SARA HALL

Laguna Beach City Council will consider a variety of interesting items during their meeting tonight.

At tonight's meeting (Tuesday, May 16), during a special budget workshop, regular business and on the consent calendar council will consider: An update on outdoor dining programs and proposed fee schedule; facilities master plan scope of work; update on operations of South Laguna beaches; increase residential solid waste collection service maximum rates; contracts for Laguna Canyon Road improvements project and several other contracts.

During regular business, council will hear an update on outdoor dining programs, including permanent permitting process and revised fee structure options. Council will consider recommending directing staff to return at a future council meeting to extend the Promenade on Forest’s coastal development permit and temporary use permit for three years (to January 2027) while staff proceeds with the preliminary design, entitlement and permitting process to convert the Promenade to a permanent pedestrian plaza. The recommended action also includes directing staff to return at a future council meeting to extend the outdoor dining and parklet program’s TUPs for an additional three-year term (to January 2027) while staff addresses the requirements for outdoor dining on private and public property to become permanent. Council will also provide input to staff on the proposed outdoor dining fee structures for adoption as part of the final fiscal year 2023-24 budget.

Following direction from the council, staff has been evaluating the process for converting the city’s temporary outdoor dining into a permanent program. Staff will present an updated entitlement process for the program and outline the process for permitting permanent improvement for the Promenade on Forest. A proposed revised fee structure includes options for businesses utilizing outdoor dining on public property. Currently there are 16 restaurants participating in the outdoor dining program, with seven of those businesses operating parklets on public property (not including the Promenade restaurants). Approximately 59 public parking spaces and 54 private parking spaces are being utilized by the programs.

Last up during regular business, council will review the proposed facilities master plan scope of work.

At their February 21 meeting, councilmembers approved the priorities they set at their annual planning workshop on January 28 and directed staff to work with a council subcommittee on the development of the scope of work and the procurement process for the facilities master plan effort. The facilities master plan aims to provide the city with information regarding current and future facility needs and establishes a framework for the orderly growth of city services, administration and community programs, according to the staff report for next week’s agenda item. The goal of a FMP is to evaluate the condition of city facilities, assess their ability to meet the needs of current services, anticipate growth and future service delivery requirements, analyze gaps in providing services and create an action plan to address these issues. When the plan is finalized, it will provide recommendations with cost estimates to guide future decisions, timelines and steps forward in delivering city services.

“Ultimately, this effort will improve program and service efficiencies, streamline workflows and modernized facilities to position the city for effective municipal administration in the years ahead,” the staff report reads.

Council to hear update on outdoor dining Camel Beach

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Council will hear an update on South Laguna beaches, including Camel Beach, and will consider several action items

Also during regular business, council will hear an update on operations of South Laguna beaches. Staff is also recommending council weigh in on some potential items for direction, including: More warning signage at key locations in South Laguna for the potential for naturally occurring hazards, including applying for a Coastal Development Permit to provide signage at locations within existing signage infrastructure; direct staff to return with either a rental program for city portable propane fire pits and develop a permit application to rent the portable fire pits at Aliso Beach, or with a process to proceed with permitting, procurement and installation of permanent wood burning fire pits at Aliso Beach; moving the Pride Tower 20 feet south of the current location and install a camera at, or near, the location to address resident safety concerns; request staff to return to the council in January 2024 for an update focused on lessons learned over the summer regarding South Laguna beaches, including an update on Aliso Creek and the berm at Aliso Beach, and direct staff to establish a special event permit process to authorize private events at Aliso Beach and other South Laguna beaches as needed.

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Council to hear update on outdoor dining, South Laguna beaches, facilities master plan

By SARA HALL

Laguna Beach City Council will consider a variety of interesting items during their meeting next week.

At the Tuesday (May 16) meeting, during a special budget workshop, regular business and on the consent calendar council will consider: An update on outdoor dining programs and proposed fee schedule; facilities master plan scope of work; update on operations of South Laguna beaches; increase residential solid waste collection service maximum rates; contracts for Laguna Canyon Road improvements project and several other contracts.

During regular business, council will hear an update on outdoor dining programs, including permanent permitting process and revised fee structure options. Council will consider recommending directing staff to return at a future council meeting to extend the Promenade on Forest’s coastal development permit and temporary use permit for three years (to January 2027) while staff proceeds with the preliminary design, entitlement and permitting process to convert the Promenade to a permanent pedestrian plaza. The recommended action also includes directing staff to return at a future council meeting to extend the outdoor dining and parklet program’s TUPs for an additional three-year term (to January 2027) while staff addresses the requirements for outdoor dining on private and public property to become permanent. Council will also provide input to staff on the proposed outdoor dining fee structures for adoption as part of the final fiscal year 2023-24 budget.

Following direction from the council, staff has been evaluating the process for converting the city’s temporary outdoor dining into a permanent program. Staff will present an updated entitlement process for the program and outline the process for permitting permanent improvement for the Promenade on Forest. A proposed revised fee structure includes options for businesses utilizing outdoor dining on public property. Currently there are 16 restaurants participating in the outdoor dining program, with seven of those businesses operating parklets on public property (not including the Promenade restaurants). Approximately 59 public parking spaces and 54 private parking spaces are being utilized by the programs.

Last up during regular business, council will review the proposed facilities master plan scope of work.

At their February 21 meeting, councilmembers approved the priorities they set at their annual planning workshop on January 28 and directed staff to work with a council subcommittee on the development of the scope of work and the procurement process for the facilities master plan effort. The facilities master plan aims to provide the city with information regarding current and future facility needs and establishes a framework for the orderly growth of city services, administration and community programs, according to the staff report for next week’s agenda item. The goal of a FMP is to evaluate the condition of city facilities, assess their ability to meet the needs of current services, anticipate growth and future service delivery requirements, analyze gaps in providing services and create an action plan to address these issues. When the plan is finalized, it will provide recommendations with cost estimates to guide future decisions, timelines and steps forward in delivering city services.

“Ultimately, this effort will improve program and service efficiencies, streamline workflows and modernized facilities to position the city for effective municipal administration in the years ahead,” the staff report reads.

Council to hear update on outdoor dining Camel Beach

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Council will hear an update on South Laguna beaches, including Camel Beach, and will consider several action items

Also during regular business, council will hear an update on operations of South Laguna beaches. Staff is also recommending council weigh in on some potential items for direction, including: More warning signage at key locations in South Laguna for the potential for naturally occurring hazards, including applying for a Coastal Development Permit to provide signage at locations within existing signage infrastructure; direct staff to return with either a rental program for city portable propane fire pits and develop a permit application to rent the portable fire pits at Aliso Beach, or with a process to proceed with permitting, procurement and installation of permanent wood burning fire pits at Aliso Beach; moving the Pride Tower 20 feet south of the current location and install a camera at, or near, the location to address resident safety concerns; request staff to return to the council in January 2024 for an update focused on lessons learned over the summer regarding South Laguna beaches, including an update on Aliso Creek and the berm at Aliso Beach, and direct staff to establish a special event permit process to authorize private events at Aliso Beach and other South Laguna beaches as needed.

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Council approves emergency contract to replace wooden decks at Promenade on Forest

By SARA HALL

A majority of City Council this week approved an emergency contract to replace the wooden decks at the Promenade on Forest, but not without some opposition.

Councilmembers voted 4-1 on Tuesday (May 2) to award the contract to Laguna Construction in the amount of $260,000 to replace the decks in their current configuration. Councilmember George Weiss dissented. 

The Promenade on Forest opened in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on indoor dining. The project included outdoor dining decks for several Downtown restaurants. City staff is currently developing design concepts for a permanent pedestrian plaza (a community workshop to gather public input will be held on May 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Susi Q Center). The city anticipates a two-to-three-year timeline.

Councilmember Mark Orgill pulled the item from the consent calendar for further discussion. A contract of that high amount on the consent calendar deserves a little extra attention, he said. 

“I thought that it warranted a discussion since it was on the consent calendar and it was an emergency issue,” Orgill said.

He pointed out that the Promenade has been a great community asset and a space that he often utilizes. 

“I want it to continue. I want it to be healthy through the summer,” he said. 

He raised concerns about the short one-year lifespan of the original outdoor decks and, since it’s an emergency contract, that the city didn’t send out a request for bids to receive options and more competitive offers.

“We can maybe learn from this and, in the future, ask ourselves some questions when it relates to these kinds of things,” Orgill said. 

He reluctantly supported moving forward with the item. Although he admitted to “Monday morning quarterbacking” (criticizing the action after the fact), he emphasized that they should learn from the experience so if something similar comes up in the future they can better address it. Hindsight is 20/20, others agreed. 

“I think all of us would have probably handled this differently, in terms of the way that we were doing the procurement and how we can make sure that this works long term,” said Councilmember Alex Rounaghi. However, “the creation of the Promenade is one of the most visionary things the city’s done in the last 20 years. I really do. And I think it took a crisis to make that happen because it’s really created a space that is for the community.” 

“The question in front of us now is are we going to allow this to turn into a blighted area, where you have these decks that are falling apart?” he asked.

Echoing other comments from the public and his fellow councilmembers, Rounaghi said he is also looking forward to the workshop and the eventual permanent Promenade design, but in the meantime keeping the decks in good shape will allow the space to continue. 

Council approves emergency contract promenade dining

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Council approved replacing the wooden decks at the Promenade on Forest

They have learned from the experience and are taking steps so it’s not repeated, said Jeremy Frimond, assistant to the city manager. 

The original decks are made of plywood and pine, he confirmed. They were installed in January 2020 and had an initial lifespan of approximately one year, Frimond explained. The city paid approximately $190,000 for the original project, he said, answering a council question. 

This time around they will use redwood and other hardwoods that are water resilient and will be pressure sealed, Frimond confirmed. 

“We believe that what’s being proposed and the materials we’re using will get us over the line and close that two-to-three-year gap,” he said. 

Orgill questioned how the city got into this situation in the first place.

“It’s an outdoor deck, it’s an outdoor system, so it should be able to withstand some amount of water,” he said. 

The one-year lifespan is very short, he noted. It doesn’t make sense that a structure meant for outdoor use wouldn’t be able to withstand the elements. 

The Promenade was developed during the COVID pandemic and was supposed to be temporary, that’s why the decks were not made to really last, explained City Manager Shohreh Dupuis. It was a challenge to get the project done so quickly, she added. 

“It was during a very difficult time when they were built,” she said. “It was very difficult to even find a contractor at the time, find materials.” 

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Community Development Director highlights programs focused on business improvement, economic development

By SARA HALL

There are a number of business improvement, economic development focused programs in the works, a city department head shared this week.

Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee held their regular meeting via Zoom on Thursday (May 4) with Community Development Director Marc Wiener as the featured speaker.

Wiener started with Laguna Beach in late 2019 and hit the ground running. 

“It’s been a really busy three and a half years,” he said. “We’re always staying busy and there’s a lot of exciting things in the works.” 

Community Development Director highlights programs Marc Wiener

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Community Development Director Marc Wiener

A project they’re working on, which was just approved as part of the community development workplan, is a commercial district beautification and property maintenance ordinance, which was identified as a shared priority at the council’s annual planning workshop on January 28. The ordinance will provide better tools to ensure that properties are maintained in good condition in the Downtown and other commercial districts. It is expected to be adopted by March 2024.

“It’s going to give the city some more enforcement authority to require property commercial owners to keep their buildings in good condition,” Wiener explained. “I think that’s going to be really helpful.” 

It could include updated paint or fixing any deteriorated features on the building, he said. It will also cover financial hardships, if for some reason there’s a challenge for the property owner to be able to make those improvements.

“I think we want to be able to raise the level of the commercial properties in town, but without being too heavy handed. It’s not a one-size-fits-all,” Wiener said. 

Additionally, they’re also working on commercial design guidelines with a Planning Commission subcommittee. As part of that project, they studied the commercial corridors throughout the city and noticed that Laguna Beach has an interesting building stock. 

“We have a lot of great buildings, but some of them would just really benefit from new paint, updated paint and landscaping,” Wiener said. “It could really improve the aesthetic of our town.”

 These improvements could be done while keeping with the character of the community, he added. Not every building needs to be demolished and rebuilt, he said, there are a lot of good buildings to work with. 

As part of this effort of property maintenance and repair, they are trying to enforce, but also encourage commercial property owners to keep their buildings in good condition. They are showing property owners simulated renderings of sections of Coast Highway and what the buildings could look like if they were updated.

“We want people to be able to envision how much better their sites could look with this and get them excited about it,” Wiener said. 

He also discussed a new service the city has called CoStar that maps out where the commercial vacancies are throughout the city. The new tool shows a map and list of available properties along with details like the leasing agent contact information and the average rental rate. They can utilize it to identify where there are opportunities within the city, he said.

“We want to make that available to the public,” and are in the process of seeing how to make it work, Wiener said. 

At this point, he’s unsure if they will post a link to the CoStar map or if the city will create their own customized map. They could add specifics like the allowed uses and city information, he explained. 

They are also in the process of an “economic development effort” to search for potential business tenants to fill the vacant spaces, Wiener said. The city hired a consultant to help with the effort, he added. They’re currently focusing on the Downtown and are in the process of developing marketing materials as well.

“We’re really looking to try to attract some high-quality businesses to our town, in particular the Downtown,” Wiener said. “It starts with understanding, knowing, where the opportunities are, but then also working on marketing the city because we have a lot to offer as a city. It’s a beautiful place. We get over six million visitors, we get a lot of foot traffic. And I think there’s a lot of reasons why a business would want to come here.”

Community Development Director highlights programs 500 Broadway

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Play Coffee moving into the formerly vacant 500 Broadway is one example of a recently approved business under the new Downtown Specific Plan

They’ve also seen some new businesses get approved under the new Downtown Specific Plan, he noted, like the Laguna Fish Company, Play Coffee and Rye Goods.

“We’ve also had a number of businesses that have been subject to the more streamlined process for allowing them to open in the Downtown and I think we’re just scratching the surface of that,” Wiener said. “I do think it’s been effective and especially the update to the parking standards has allowed for more flexibility and land use and we see property owners capitalizing on that, and that’s a really good thing.”

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Commission continues request to demolish 1914 cottage, build parking lot by Presbyterian Church

By SARA HALL

The Planning Commission this week decided to hold off on a decision on a request by the Laguna Presbyterian Church to demolish an unoccupied bungalow cottage built in 1914 and construct and temporarily use the property as a parking lot for private use by the church.

Commissioners voted 5-0 on Wednesday (May 3) to continue an application for a temporary use permit and a coastal development permit for the demolition of an existing structure and the construction and use of a new parking lot at 359 3rd St. The application is slated to return to the commission on July 13.

There was confusion from commissioners on several issues, including: The landscape plan, or lack thereof, and whether or not 11 trees would be removed from the site or the adjacent parcel and how they impact this request; the actual historical status of the building, which was unclear if it had previously held a C-rating or K-rating, and whether they are obliged to consider the entire record of historic assessments under the city’s new and revised historic preservation ordinance and confusion about the demolition and an overall lack of clarity on what they were being asked to approve.

A landscape plan wasn’t included since it’s a TUP not a full conditional use permit application, explained Planning Manager Amber Dobson.

Even though this is a TUP, there is some need to reconfigure landscape so it should have been part of the staff report, said Commission Chair Jorg Dubin. 

“How are we to ensure that the new mystical landscaping project…without seeing a plan for that how are we assured that that’s actually going to happen?” he asked. 

The commission could require it through conditions of approval or continue the item and request that information, Dobson answered. 

“We didn’t feel it was necessary, but obviously we were wrong,” Dobson said, answering a commissioner question about why staff didn’t already request that information.

Commissioner Susan McLintock Whitin proposed the commission continue the item and direct staff to “do a reset” and return with answers to their questions and a more complete report. 

“It seems clear that a landscape plan should have been included with this,” Ed Sauls, commenting on behalf of the church, said after the commissioners commented about continuing the item, which he agreed to and confirmed that they will “clear up” the tree issue. 

Associate Planner Arlen Beck read from the staff report that “the applicant is also requesting 11 of the existing 12 trees be removed in the parking lot at 361 and 363 3rd St., however, this request is only for the parcel at 359 3rd St. and the applicant may submit an application to remove the trees in the parking lot at 361 and 363 3rd St. at a later date.” 

They applied for the removal of those trees, but that wasn’t the item before the commission on Wednesday and it’s not included in the current application, Dobson said, answering a commissioner question about why they are requesting to remove so many trees. 

Staff also noted that there are two new trees proposed to be installed along the area of the new parking spaces.

Commission continues request to demolish parking lot plan

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Rendering courtesy of City of Laguna Beach

A rendering of the proposed site plan for the requested parking lot

“It is a little confusing. They want to remove all the trees and here we are planting (two) more trees,” Whitin said.

Other commissioners agreed that it was unclear in the staff report. 

Branden Sjulin, the applicant for the project on behalf of the church, said there are three trees included in the requested TUP that they would like to remove. It’s specific to those trees due to the root disturbance and heaving of the parking lot, he said. Removing those three trees would allow them to resurface the parking lot so it’s smooth, level and safe to traverse when parking.

In terms of conflict with general plan components, there are policies that consider the issue of neighborhood character and Downtown village character, noted Commissioner Steve Kellenberg, but they weren’t included or mentioned in the staff report. 

The staff report should actually discuss the General Plan elements that relate to neighborhood character – not just historic and cultural – but neighborhood character because it does seem that it is a relevant general plan policy as part of this discussion, Kellenberg said. 

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On the agenda for council: ADU amendments, community development workplan, replacement of damaged Promenade decks

By SARA HALL

Laguna Beach City Council will consider a variety of interesting items during their meeting tonight.

At tonight's meeting (Tuesday, May 2), during regular business and on the consent calendar, council will hear and/or consider: Amendments to the city code and Local Coastal Program regarding accessory dwelling units; community development workplan with priority projects set at the council planning workshop; emergency contract to replace the Promenade on Forest’s decks, which were damaged during the recent winter storms; replacement ballistic helmets for the police department; utility assessment district on Diamond Street and several council reviews. 

Last up during regular business, council will consider amendments to the city code and Local Coastal Program, as modified by the California Coastal Commission, that will repeal and replace the chapter about second residential units with a section covering accessory dwelling units and junior ADUs.

Council adopted zoning and LCP amendments on Dec. 14, 2021, related to the regulation of ADUs. Coastal commissioners reviewed and certified the amendments on February 9 and conditioned their approval with several of their own modifications, which were primarily intended to bring the city’s ADU ordinance into better conformity with state laws, which went into effect on January 1.

Most notable was that the height allowance of a detached ADU was increased from 16 to 18 feet, and there is a new by-right allowance for second story attached ADUs that can be a maximum of 25 feet, next week’s staff report on the item explains. Additionally, the CCC made modifications to the parking standards by requiring on-site replacement parking for the primary residence when a garage is converted to an ADU. To provide flexibility, the replacement parking spaces may be uncovered, tandem and located in the front yard setback. The original ordinance did not require replacement parking in those situations.

Councilmembers unanimously voted in support of the code amendments on Nov. 16, 2021, although there were some concerns, primarily about parking. Council previously reviewed an earlier draft version of the ordinance and made some recommendations to staff, it was then sent back to the Planning Commission, who suggested their own changes. The revised version was aimed at complying with state regulations and being more flexible for ADUs.

At a joint City Council and Planning Commission housing workshop on April 6, 2021, officials reviewed and provided input on the draft 6th Cycle Housing Element. The discussion included an ADU amnesty program, which could help bring currently illegal ADUs up to code and count toward the city’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment, which is 394 units for Laguna Beach’s current cycle.

The ADU program (program five in the Housing Plan section) in the draft Housing Element document is meant to ease restrictions on ADUs and provide incentives for their development or preservation.

In response to the state’s housing crisis, California law was amended in 2017 to incentivize a DU development by creating minimum standards that all local agencies were required to implement.

On the agenda for council ADU amendments blufftop houses

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut 

Council will consider the community development workplan next week, which includes blufftop and major remodel regulations 

Also during regular business, council will review and approve the proposed community development workplan for updates to the general plan, zoning code and specific plans.

At the council’s annual planning workshop on January 28, several of the identified priorities were focused on updating the city’s plans and codes. During next week’s item, staff will report back to the council with a summary of the proposed updates, tentative schedule an estimated cost. Staff is seeking the council’s affirmation on the scope of each project and prioritization.

The project prioritized at the top of the workplan for the next phase of land-use plan updates are housing code amendments. According to the staff report, the update is intended to reduce barriers to housing production as directed by multiple programs in the city’s certified housing element. The update would also create objective standards for multifamily housing projects to provide the city with greater discretion over design in response to recent state legislation.

Staff plans on initiating the project in June with local adoption aimed for June 2024. It will be done in-house so there is no external associated cost. An amendment to the Local Coastal Program is required, which will need to be certified by the CCC.

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Inside City Hall

Dear Laguna Beach Community,

On the heels of an eight-year drought, this winter’s relentless, record-breaking storms seem like an unequivocally good thing. Over the past years, fire departments have grown accustomed to dealing with dry winters and preparing for the fire season with minimal precipitation and vegetation growth. 

But this year will be different. Now that we’ve had the rain we needed, the vegetation throughout our community is growing faster and more densely than we’ve seen in several years. While many of our native plants can be more adapted to fire, invasive grasses and invasive mustards dry out and turn into light flashy fuels that have the potential to increase fire danger to our community in the coming months. 

Inside City Hall Niko King

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Courtesy of City of Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach Fire Chief Niko King

For decades, your Laguna Beach Fire Department has had fuel modification programs in place to protect the community from wildfires. Part of what makes our fuel modification program – and our community – so special is the habitat surrounding the City of Laguna Beach. We’re surrounded by some of the last coastal sage scrub habitats in the world, endangered plants like big-leaved crownbeard, wild bobcats and threatened species like cactus wren and gnatcatcher. Because of this, we developed a unique fuel modification program that strikes the balance between fire safety and habitat protection. 

Our program focuses on creating a wildfire-resistant landscape by thinning vegetation and removing particularly fire-prone dead brush and invasive species. This work can slow the speed at which a wildfire grows, giving us valuable time to evacuate and bring in resources to protect our homes and property. We have 27 different fuel modification zones in the city, and we work with contracted partners to make sure the work is done efficiently, effectively and sustainably.  The zones are located adjacent to neighborhoods and are intended to slow the progression of an encroaching wildfire. We assess, permit and modify each zone to make sure we’re increasing life safety and preserving property and our natural environment.

Our 2023 fuel modification program has been well underway for a couple of months now. Work will continue to thin vegetation growth in fuel modification zones to make sure our community is as prepared as possible before the hot dry summer months roll in, accompanied by the late fall wind events.

You can help by keeping an eye out for fire hazards in the community and prepare your own home to be fire safe:

–Clean roofs and gutters of dead leaves, debris and pine needles that could catch embers.

–Replace or repair any loose or missing shingles or roof tiles to prevent ember penetration.

–Reduce embers that could pass through vents in the eaves by installing 1/8-inch metal mesh screening.

–Clean debris from exterior attic vents and install 1/8-inch metal mesh screening to reduce embers.

–Repair or replace damaged or loose window screens and any broken windows.

–Screen or box-in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent debris and combustible materials from accumulating.

–Move any flammable material away from wall exteriors – mulch, flammable plants, leaves and needles, firewood piles – anything that can burn.

–Remove anything stored underneath decks and porches.

The fire department also provides a free wildlife consultation where our experienced staff will come to your home and offer advice about how you can prepare your property and landscape to best withstand a wildfire. Click the link above, or call 949.497.0700 to find out more.

We always encourage our community to stay informed about the weather, especially on those days when the fire hazard level increases. Know how to get out of your home and stay connected to citywide messaging so you know when to evacuate and what direction to travel. Make sure you subscribe to our city Nixle Alerts by texting 92651 to 888.777. Specific messaging can also be broadcast through the city’s Emergency Warning System.

By working together, we can continue to enjoy our special town and stay fire safe at the same time. 

In Community Spirit,

Niko King, Fire Chief

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Committee agrees to present report on draft emergency tenant protection ordinance to council

By SARA HALL

A city committee this week agreed to present their report on a possible draft emergency/urgency eviction and tenant protection ordinance to the Laguna Beach City Council.

The Housing and Human Services Committee members voted 9-0 on Wednesday (April 26) to present their report to council, supported by information from a statewide coalition of local tenant organizations, a proposed state Senate bill and examples from other California cities.

HHSC Chair Ketta Brown presented the item to the committee. After residents spoke at the January 25 meeting during public comment, the issue was placed on the committee’s February 22 agenda for further discussion. At that time, the group agreed to add it to their workplan and discuss it in more detail for potential future action at their April meeting.

“We heard you, we feel your pain and we’re sorry we can’t help now,” Brown said. 

Following the February HHSC meeting, she did some online research and wrote up a report detailing what prompted the effort, her findings and the next steps. 

In the report, she noted that the longtime residents spoke regarding loss of their rental units due to “substantial remodel” reasons for which no permits had been pulled, but for which they were given their 60 days.

As protections that were enacted due to COVID-19 are been rolled back, “many landlords have taken the opportunity to raise rents aggressively and use the no-fault ‘substantial remodel’ clause written in the California State statute to evict long-time tenants,” Brown explained in her report. 

A number of cities have either created or amended rental ordinances to address this problem, she noted. A few of the key changes that were ratified by some of the ordinances in other cities included: That prior to noticing tenant, all permits must be pulled and copies provided to tenant; that the renovation take over 60 days to complete; and the current tenant has the right of first refusal to re-occupy the unit after remodel is complete.

The biggest loophole is that landlords say they are planning major repairs in order to evict their tenants, but can take years to actually pull the permits, HHSC Vice Chair Cody Engle explained. 

“There are a number of cities that have closed the loophole,” with local ordinances, he said.

Senate Bill 567, Termination of tenancy: no-fault just causes: gross rental rate increases, authored by State Senator Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), was just submitted to the Senate judiciary committee and covers a lot of what they’ve discussed, Brown noted.

The proposed bill “builds on existing law to better protect California’s low-income renters from unjust evictions and exorbitant rent increases,” according to a statement from several organizations sponsoring the bill.

As written, the bill will close loopholes in the Tenant Protection Act that allow for “rampant abuse of the no-fault just causes for eviction, expand the population of protected tenants, limit allowable rent increases to a more reasonable cap, and provide mechanisms for accountability and enforcement,” the statement reads. 

It’s a great effort, but it will take some time to go through the process and actually be implemented, if it even passes at the state level, Brown pointed out on Wednesday.

“However, although I appreciate that and I think it’s a great way to go, it’s going to take a long time,” she said. “I really feel incredibly strongly that we need to do something yesterday.” 

This draft ordinance is something the city could implement immediately and could act as a stopgap before the state law is implemented, Brown explained. 

“In the meantime, we’re losing housing by the day and something has to be done. We have to take active steps to help our residents or we’re going to lose them,” Brown said.

Committee agrees to present beach houses

Click on photo for a larger image

Photo by Mary Hurlbut 

A city committee will present a report to council on a possible draft emergency ordinance aimed at protecting renters in Laguna Beach 

Tanya Yacina, who also spoke at the previous HHSC meetings, commented again on Wednesday. She agreed that it would take too long for SB 567 to go through the process. It likely won’t be voted on until around August and, if it even passes, it won’t go into effect until next year.

She pointed out that it’s already too late for her and another neighbor who spoke at the previous meetings, Kathrin Holt.

“Kathrin and I are already out of town. We’ve lost this battle,” Yacina said, but there are many more residents facing the same issue, several of them attended Wednesday’s meeting either online or in-person. “We’re all having the same problem” 

Resident Melissa Maiden also spoke during public comment and shared her own situation as an example of what’s happening all over town. She and her husband work and live locally with their kids. They are very much a part of the community, she said, but they are being forced out by the landlord.

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Shaena Stabler, President & CEO - Shaena@StuNewsLaguna.com

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