[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6116305,"mediaKeyId","2733390-9544a70b1ccfc62a4975c7de3c3397c1","parentId",2733390,"title","Laguna Woods proposes insourcing building inspections and adopts modest fee increases tied to the change","audioSeconds",3953,"startMs",2712000,"endMs",6665000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2733390-9544a70b1ccfc62a4975c7de3c3397c1&start=2712&end=6665","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2733390-9544a70b1ccfc62a4975c7de3c3397c1/thumbnail_2712000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6116305/Laguna-Woods-City/Orange-County/California/Laguna-Woods-proposes-insourcing-building-inspections-and-adopts-modest-fee-increases-tied-to-the-change","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6116305-1f40e0b32498af06dcdd9358182754e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201151&Signature=jCtBDX0lU7WGODOZUKbg4f1qcE1yKX-Tl~RHZUuzR~wk9Su6S3aykm76nM1bW0ngOicgrZ9ky7ELFjnspKtGSqcTicV~lW8rgkChOlWyrfrijW-affRfDuYsCBVbne0YzPe-uMngQmxgg9ovxUfsoTXBaJ71dlX2LJVe1Hp~Tvk6UstIbtuEOLWTYC07FJQEfngam8cBMUX-ycn6fF6BTqlRukzyjG--mK2RLFG6YLxUy5ARUyygZv10Lr6PNE5fqqMcBzDUMXFv2E4ORAYGzDxi4iqUirsPrSXXP8spsTesd0poDF8Vk9Xm6takWmd8zJPKQ-jOdkAsdcvcFEOd~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Laguna Woods, California","date","2025-03-20T07:20:30Z","article","The Laguna Woods City Council heard a multi-part proposal from staff to insource building-permit, plan-review, inspection and code-enforcement services that are currently provided by consultants, and then approved a separate fee-study resolution to set new permit and planning fees timed to the staffing change.

City Manager Chris Macon said the city has contracted building services for many years but that rising contract labor costs and the desire to better manage long‑term permit fee growth motivated a proposal to move most services onto city payroll. \"The only way for us to manage the growth of building permits over time is to take control of the single largest cost driver by a mile in those permits, which is labor,\" Macon told the council. He proposed authorizing a building official, three building inspectors, two permit technicians, one code-enforcement officer and one new planning and environmental services director — a net authorized staffing increase from 10.25 to 18.25 full‑time equivalent positions, with seven of the proposed positions currently provided by consultants.

Macon and staff emphasized the change is intended to moderate permit-fee increases by controlling the labor-cost component. Macon said the city would still plan to use contracted inspection firms to augment staff during demand spikes, but that moving the core service in house should make year‑to‑year fee growth more predictable and avoid outsized annual increases tied to a consultant’s fully burdened hourly rate.

Terry Madsen of ClearSource Financial, the city’s fee-study consultant, presented the updated cost-of-service analysis and recommended adoption of fee adjustments based on the staffing change. Madsen said Laguna Woods’ hourly rates \"align very well to the region, but to the lower end of the region,\" and told the council the current recommended adjustments are relatively modest: roughly a 3% aggregate change on building fees, about 2% on planning fees and about 5% on engineering fees. Staff proposed an effective date of July 1, 2025, to match the anticipated in‑house staffing transition and to provide the 60‑day notice required by state law.

Council members and public commenters generally expressed support for the insourcing idea while asking questions about timing, delays in permit processing and fiscal risk. City staff said the city has enough restricted AB 2766 (air-quality) funds to purchase electric vehicles for inspectors — reducing mileage costs — and that the item would be revisited during the next annual fee update once the new employees are on payroll and detailed time‑on‑task can be measured.

After public comment and council discussion, the council voted to adopt a resolution setting the new building, planning and encroachment fee schedule effective July 1, 2025. The staffing proposal itself was advanced for inclusion in the upcoming two-year budget; council members voiced support and directed staff to proceed with recruitment and to return with final budget adoption materials in June.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Laguna Woods City Council Meeting - March 19, 2025, Regular","oneSentenceSummary","City staff proposed bringing building-permit, inspection and code-enforcement work in house, adding a planning and environmental services director and up to eight full‑time equivalents; council signaled support and approved a fee schedule increase (effective July 1) that reflects the planned staffing change.","taxTitle","Laguna Woods City, Orange County, California","taxId",71912,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6116310,"Laguna Woods adopts broad zoning-code updates to Title 13",162,2579000,2741000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2733390-9544a70b1ccfc62a4975c7de3c3397c1&start=2579&end=2741","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2733390-9544a70b1ccfc62a4975c7de3c3397c1/thumbnail_2579000.jpg","/articles/6116310/Laguna-Woods-City/Orange-County/California/Laguna-Woods-adopts-broad-zoning-code-updates-to-Title-13","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6116310-2649186b8b46b1c6f72d353cd3bcb207/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201151&Signature=glRJMj548Obl9qUS3GGvoE1wWhy8O-DkpsTp-760DEFm~ttKXVhgsfPl19uwdijMBu4Bu-DO8fB7Cd43ew9WumJ~8R06c60usDwT-H3Dn8Bk8Ibyn3oyS7VAGaqA~XY4esFCU81ILQykGNEE-FXGWFPnRT5yRxM3ebU5PNqaBQoB9vTHn~4aYw2N92-6q9hachddtBgE4oas3j4NDl905Ou9pAs7qvXBurUXrrBLHrKqCXwjZxLFwFXPTC11SKPkyI10Ri~CdQAzMvG9IbDpZYr9xCzD5VBwQXfh7XS-chKr4KKpkeUO4TnBDcz8oGSi-sN6rrmufl2NNqeByXKP3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Laguna Woods City Council voted to adopt comprehensive amendments to Title 13 (Zoning) of the Laguna Woods Municipal Code, approving the ordinance at second reading after a prior introduction and public hearing.

City staff presented a table of modifications and redlines in the agenda packet showing changes to multiple sections, and Mayor Horn opened the previously noticed public hearing; no members of the public offered testimony. The ordinance adopted by council amends numerous code sections including definitions, permitted and prohibited uses, development standards, off‑street parking regulations, inclusionary housing language, cannabis storefront retailer rules, animal hospital and clinic provisions, pet and animal rules, and multifamily residential standards.

City Manager Chris Macon told the council the changes were the result of an earlier public hearing and first-reading action on Feb. 19 and that the packet included both the rationale for each modification and the redlined code. After brief council remarks expressing relief at completing a lengthy set of amendments, a council member moved to adopt the ordinance at second reading; the motion was seconded and passed on a voice vote.

The ordinance was adopted with findings that the changes are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, as stated in the staff recommendation. The revisions will be codified and posted per the usual municipal code update procedures.","Council adopted an ordinance updating multiple sections of Title 13 (zoning), revising definitions, permitted uses, development standards, parking rules, inclusionary housing language, cannabis storefront regulation, animal-hospital standards and other zoning provisions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6116315,"Laguna Woods council moves to allow flexible dog-license terms to match rabies shots",502,2065000,2567000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2733390-9544a70b1ccfc62a4975c7de3c3397c1&start=2065&end=2567","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2733390-9544a70b1ccfc62a4975c7de3c3397c1/thumbnail_2065000.jpg","/articles/6116315/Laguna-Woods-City/Orange-County/California/Laguna-Woods-council-moves-to-allow-flexible-dog-license-terms-to-match-rabies-shots","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6116315-4d340ce111896bf7d439240c43d91098/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201151&Signature=Ir8MWTdvBrl~pAeYpqXej-8iuZnSweKnzYL9pPpLjCPTmLMZ7nvPeGqevWU1GwfvEKnDf6d26zjKyqZdK7DRFpYgjnL49rwOo52vhjhMXoAKpgp9vRKQFTo32Byma43qQ2twDW36sh1z-WvVVQzfc7OBfZiN5J52oN25V9PSN-mOtRAp2qUn9cDEar-HBnX75cPqwECLsfbrLzI9tO8dpSTDdRtqSCRhHLx0CeS2tAc91cBf-MOvq8PaHYd6Mq7iP5ZoKI4-xi3aJ8GKdzrCp5qskZBOPGUm22SU6z5Icd7recscSCSrZDaieQ5CitdWJHbQ4rryOpksNv3WTNnIkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Laguna Woods City Council on a unanimous voice vote moved to introduce an ordinance that would change the city’s dog licensing from a rigid calendar-year term to a flexible month-to-month system tied to each animal’s rabies vaccination term.

City Manager Chris Macon told the council the change would amend section 5.02.0.01 and chapter 5.04 of the Laguna Woods Municipal Code to allow license terms that align with rabies vaccine expiration. \"My understanding is that that is somewhat unusual that, cities typically provide a more flexible month to month registration term, that allows for, registrations to align specifically with the current rabies vaccine for dogs,\" Macon said.

Jim Barras, civilian services administrator for the Laguna Beach Police Department, who also serves as animal services manager for Laguna Woods, explained the current problem: \"All dog licenses must be from January 1 to December 31, regardless of when the dog comes into the community or when it's rabies certificate expires.\" Under state law, Barras said, a registration cannot be issued unless the registration term matches the rabies vaccination term, which has required some residents either to get an unnecessary extra rabies shot or delay licensing.

The proposed ordinance would let applicants choose a license term of 12 to 36 months (so long as it does not extend beyond the rabies certificate expiration) and would include reorganizing and rephrasing chapter 5.04 to remove an unnecessary \"registration year\" definition. Barras said cities such as Laguna Beach already use the more flexible system and that the change would be more \"resident friendly and customer friendly,\" reducing unnecessary vaccinations and allowing pro rata fees based on the chosen term.

No public speakers addressed the change during the public hearing. After the hearing was closed, a council member moved to \"approve the introduction and first reading of an ordinance read by title with further reading waived\" amending the cited code sections; the motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote.

The ordinance is at the introduction/first-reading stage; the council will return for further readings and final adoption at a later meeting, per the municipal ordinance process.","The council introduced an ordinance to replace the current calendar-year dog-license system with flexible license terms aligned to each animal’s rabies vaccination, aiming to reduce unnecessary vaccinations and simplify registration.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Laguna Woods proposes insourcing building inspections and adopts modest fee increases tied to the change

Laguna Woods adopts broad zoning-code updates to Title 13

Laguna Woods council moves to allow flexible dog-license terms to match rabies shots