[{"_1":2,"_94":-5,"_95":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,85],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6652055,"mediaKeyId","2496671-62504d40dbd706a97a4fbbeca2ebcd32","parentId",2496671,"title","Lake Forest council explores pickleball tournaments as community amenity; asks staff to gather data","audioSeconds",1219,"startMs",3341000,"endMs",4560000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2496671-62504d40dbd706a97a4fbbeca2ebcd32&start=3341&end=4560","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2496671-62504d40dbd706a97a4fbbeca2ebcd32/thumbnail_3341000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6652055/Lake-Forest-City/Orange-County/California/Lake-Forest-council-explores-pickleball-tournaments-as-community-amenity-asks-staff-to-gather-data","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652055-a809f67d5716da87f5cfb37f474cdf69/orig.mp4?Expires=1770436571&Signature=NyAzBGiDPPWka9sX8aWsCRdjKJ3zkwAKHzFJZG3MJKlkWi0RDKHqcklvIq1fNegh9E9H4Wae7CijHX8HzakVlF5EWHA8Me27D4KRprmI05i1q8e-SRGNcJInDvXUrTAPdJK~oBudjjdkxqVzjdy6Ro6Pp6fiKG3Uigp-mt4J~2AYs~sXxWGf-waMq-G4QEeMcQvz7Fhc6LCIxenfj3paMWqUCuTAiBe2rsviApj0ir25nAEdZUvf5rlVc6UO~l2QKuhAN8SKGLBaXVDyWIUyH5MNad1rEMldH5uXHuxNDAHzcoIITbb9a51I-OabBwmPShbcfVEOd-dMxmJxA5ugjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-04T19:35:59Z","article","The Lake Forest City Council held an informational discussion on March 4, 2025 about the possibility of pickleball tournaments or leagues in the city, led by Council member Servos. The item was informational only; no formal action or funding commitment occurred.

Council member Servos said the idea originated from community interest and discussed formats ranging from HOA competitions to city-coordinated events. He noted the city currently has access to five public courts — three at Portola and two at Rimgate — and that other courts exist inside homeowners associations or private facilities. Servos said the goal would be a recurring amenity to encourage community engagement, not a one-off event.

Council members voiced a mix of support and caution. One council member said tournaments should be open to all Lake Forest residents rather than limited to HOAs because not all residents belong to HOAs. The mayor raised a concern about precedent, saying the city sponsors some events but should be cautious about obligating funding for many different sports. Councilman Benjamin Yu suggested a district-based amateur competition with limited staff hours and a fee-based registration model to recover costs.

Staff said it could follow prior small-scale efforts and reach out to contract instructors and local private facilities; the city’s contract instructor had run a small tournament in February 2022, and staff could explore expanding that model or working with private venues. City staff suggested people provide input through the Ask Lake Forest online system; City Manager said, “If people wanted to give us their ideas on a pickleball tournament, they could use the Ask Lake Forest system and just submit and we will get that and we will get back to them and acknowledge their input.”

Council asked staff to compile an inventory of public and HOA-owned courts and to report back with options for how a tournament or league could be structured, potential costs and fee-recovery models. The discussion closed as informational only; no vote was taken.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Regular Meeting March 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council member Servos introduced an informational discussion at the March 4 meeting about holding recurring pickleball tournaments or leagues in Lake Forest; councilmembers asked staff to study feasibility and gather community input.","taxTitle","Lake Forest City, Orange County, California","taxId",4518,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":44,"_47":79,"_49":80,"_51":81,"_53":82,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":83,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":84,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6652060,"Council approves amendment to InterWest building-and-safety contract, shifts to hourly compensation",856,2485000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2496671-62504d40dbd706a97a4fbbeca2ebcd32&start=2485&end=3341","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2496671-62504d40dbd706a97a4fbbeca2ebcd32/thumbnail_2485000.jpg","/articles/6652060/Lake-Forest-City/Orange-County/California/Council-approves-amendment-to-InterWest-building-and-safety-contract-shifts-to-hourly-compensation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652060-9d0c6a6e463e588776b9247ec82b244e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770436571&Signature=NntrHwKKv-16o3qyKUSSqogAouhybuFKA5RZg9RSzTftE3zA0yd7ZvctsgqmtCgdTKQyzV1fL1~pGImiHioY-l9OTqGTcO0MaMaPTTy3UqWNj3H1TPy0XJpiUETDMu5fwZZR4ebPFUhPd8bAdhZStFBLdXxitwxfw6Pdu8IPKaUvKGsbVLiCqoDxIrLIfSiqwfxn09KVRq9nhtwenIqFOGbCgqeKArhnTBPLNvh4kuN1DFYIwk1Mr-Gtr7mW650COmrc6N4adPTSeAL-xHXox~u6t6SDBAedejoL4JsetzvSvD6Y8OwZYB9oE0OkVs3c8~SOjnQ7PInXQIugy5p8-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lake Forest City Council on March 4, 2025 approved a third amendment to its building-and-safety agreement with InterWest Consulting Group that extends the agreement through April 30, 2026 and changes the compensation model from a percentage-of-fees split to hourly rates, with an estimated additional cost of roughly $972,000 for the extended term.

City staff presented data showing that plan-check and permit revenues have declined and stabilized as the city’s major residential build-out nears completion; staff noted permit and plan-check revenue decreased by about 48% between fiscal years 2022 and 2024. Management analyst Arianna Young told the council that the city and InterWest previously split permit and plan-check fees, with InterWest receiving 52% and the city retaining 48% to cover staff and overhead, but that months have occurred when revenue did not cover InterWest’s costs under that model.

Staff recommended switching to an hourly compensation structure, effective May 1, 2025, to align payment with hours worked and to make it easier to monitor performance metrics such as turnaround time. The proposed staffing adjustment would reduce the InterWest team by one permit technician and one building inspector compared with 2024 staffing; staff said operating hours at the permit counter would be adjusted if necessary to match peak times. The presentation estimated an additional $972,000 would be needed to fund services through the amended term; staff said sufficient funds are available in the operating budget to cover that amount.

During public comment Andrew O'Connor argued the city should “cut the cord” and move building and permit services in-house, and raised questions about inspector vehicle use. In response to council questions about the $972,000 figure, Arianna Young said, “This is the additional compensation needed,” and clarified the amount is an estimate for the next 12 months under the transition.

Councilman Benjamin Yu moved approval of the amendment; Councilman Tetimer seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Staff said they will release a request for proposals in spring 2025 to solicit proposals for future building-and-safety services and will conduct a comprehensive study of building permit fees to ensure fees reflect time required for permit, plan check and inspection services.

What the amendment does
- Extends the InterWest agreement through April 30, 2026.
- Changes compensation from a percentage-of-fees split to hourly rates effective May 1, 2025.
- Adjusts staffing downward by one permit technician and one inspector from 2024 levels; staff said adjustments will prioritize maintaining service during peak counter times.
- Adds an estimated $972,000 in compensation for the extended term; staff said funds are available in the operating budget.

Council directed staff to publish an RFP in spring 2025 and to study fee structures and the option of operating building-and-safety services in-house in future fiscal years.","Lake Forest City Council approved a third amendment to its contract with InterWest Consulting Group on March 4, 2025 to extend the agreement, switch compensation from a permit-fee split to hourly rates effective May 1, 2025, and add approximately $972,000 for the extended term.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":78,"_45":78,"_47":89,"_49":80,"_51":90,"_53":91,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":92,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":93,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6652063,"Lake Forest council approves consent items including unarmed security contract; wildlife corridor item continued",0,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2496671-62504d40dbd706a97a4fbbeca2ebcd32&start=2485&end=2485","/articles/6652063/Lake-Forest-City/Orange-County/California/Lake-Forest-council-approves-consent-items-including-unarmed-security-contract-wildlife-corridor-item-continued","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652063-9dc5e21f9b0fe60a44650c5b0d6267ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1770436571&Signature=D3OnatW5mVZMEqktJ2HUaGioOjzxFrA7xmlU2ixgO7z8kRaQoQAe4uw~s5zg~Y--2PS~dufY0GSTQNzkI187c~PF4ukp7IO~tqMbjhokvRoehZAPB9jJcsDk61E-2LrAujA2vqLoMs6g~1dQSBNHH1yOzOJORSnqHmZlgV3urd9PHiWejuR11EeUt4DeK7TT84ynoIgKtVhoqNrExoTMcCu5Gv8f4pAFL9C4HiBNkG0yazHMxQabZOAwCz6ILM87YTc4gMfm7VwaIh3AxNDlyJHGX-9pfOxTVkVBJIGmB-Krk3HSaQMFJ597fhzV82Pm8Mxin6uNeuo7rjvPZSv-iw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lake Forest City Council on March 4, 2025 approved routine consent-calendar items that included a one-year agreement for unarmed security guard services and an award of contract for contract administration and construction inspection for El Toro Road projects, and continued consideration of a partner charter for the Irvine–Laguna Wildlife Corridor to a later date.

The consent calendar groups routine matters for a single vote unless a council member or member of the public asks to pull an item for separate discussion. Council members moved and approved the remaining consent items in two motions; items 2, 5 and 6 were approved together after public comment, and item 4 (the wildlife corridor partner charter support) was continued to a future meeting after a council member requested more information and a meeting with the applicant organization.

Public speakers raised concerns before the votes. Resident Andrew O'Connor told the council the unarmed security contract's scope and coordination procedures were “very vague,” asking who would be the city's dedicated account manager and how guards would be deployed and supervised. He asked whether guards would be dedicated to Lake Forest or rotated among assignments and whether they would coordinate with the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Another public speaker, Joseph Petit, raised accessibility concerns about the city's parking-permit system during public comment.

Council members acknowledged the public comments and approved the consent items. Council discussion about the continued wildlife-corridor item focused on a desire for more information about the organization’s plans and how its work would relate to Lake Forest. Council authorized a continuance to allow staff and at least one council member to meet with the organization before the council takes further action.

Votes at a glance
- Consent calendar (items 1 and 3): approved (unanimous). Motion recorded as passed; individual roll-call votes were not listed in the public transcript.
- Consent calendar (items 2, 5 and 6): approved (unanimous). Item 2: minutes of the Feb. 18, 2025 meeting; item 5: agreement for unarmed security guard services; item 6: award of contract for contract administration and construction inspection services for the El Toro Road projects.
- Item 4 (partner charter support for the Irvine–Laguna Wildlife Corridor): continued to a date to be determined for additional information and meetings.

Council and staff did not provide additional detail at the meeting on some of the operational questions raised by speakers (for example, the identity of the contract account manager or specific deployment patterns for private guards). Staff indicated they would follow up on requests for further detail and public records as required.

The motions passed unanimously. Councilmembers and staff noted they will return with more information on the continued item and respond to public records requests mentioned during the meeting.","At its March 4, 2025 meeting the Lake Forest City Council approved multiple consent-calendar items including an agreement for unarmed security services and a contract award for El Toro Road project administration, while continuing consideration of partner charter support for the Irvine–Laguna Wildlife Corridor.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lake Forest council explores pickleball tournaments as community amenity; asks staff to gather data

Council approves amendment to InterWest building-and-safety contract, shifts to hourly compensation

Lake Forest council approves consent items including unarmed security contract; wildlife corridor item continued