[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6486471,"mediaKeyId","5576753-4c2ff56ae3be6c0674182532968382e9","parentId",5576753,"title","Council approves reduced parking at 1040 South Coast Highway after developer agrees to transportation demand measures","audioSeconds",806,"startMs",15373285,"endMs",16179660,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5576753-4c2ff56ae3be6c0674182532968382e9&start=15373&end=16179","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5576753-4c2ff56ae3be6c0674182532968382e9/thumbnail_15373285.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6486471/Laguna-Beach/Orange-County/California/Council-approves-reduced-parking-at-1040-South-Coast-Highway-after-developer-agrees-to-transportation-demand-measures","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486471-46b28922c01a1dcc6dde8c5a7e50d871/orig.mp4?Expires=1775176780&Signature=b4j~rIg8KjjowxG-oMfVL4-GDEzyNWs1ChnZPnpbRgF4sr4d-Mgh3-wqwlFAGfp-jYW4YnXFfRTk1YnSeEAiupRW3KUQDfK6mOnmREcQiw7PqsUfYW3RHfiWPb~QN7tvNRU0SuvDAVYGlpvFf-KCP7467tQGJ4GIHPw~vSD1-a4RTxPleG2K1HBPwP1n1LFzNFHeJp17SY0cCVNx2qpgxF54wtKRbyISTdwK3vUWudUSQrCaJvWdZpHISRxfuHTg4Xe2ZIwlW8AoFZIGIDcGVqlgXVlqzhdFIsfhXaTfj7mkp8brFT0tRM7tFK7GJ~gFxOESW8dxy1gIVitTnfYbeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","CityofLagunaBeachCA","date","2025-08-13T07:19:11Z","article","Laguna Beach — The City Council on Tuesday approved a conditional use permit and coastal development permit that allows a one‑space reduction in required off‑street parking for an infill project at 1040 South Coast Highway, provided the commercial tenant implements a transportation demand management plan (TDM).

Planning staff told the council the project — a 1949 building being updated with a new upper‑floor residential addition and retained ground‑floor retail — requires seven parking spaces under city code but provides six. The developer proposed mitigation in the form of secured bicycle lockers (four on site and four off site), transit vouchers for employees, and tenant education on transit and bike commuting. Planning staff recommended approval of the CUP and CDP, concluding the measures would offset the requested one‑space reduction.

The applicant’s architect, Anders Lassiter, confirmed the commercial tenant would be required to implement the TDM measures. Council member Whelan asked staff to make that obligation explicit; planners added a condition of approval requiring that any commercial tenant “shall comply with and implement the transportation demand management strategies” set out in the permit. The council adopted the resolution with that added condition.

Ending — Staff said the project will improve a long‑underutilized downtown property and provide four new residential units while maintaining retail activity, and the TDM conditions aim to reduce local vehicle demand rather than add parking pressure downtown.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting - August 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Laguna Beach — The City Council on Tuesday approved a conditional use permit and coastal development permit that allows a one‑space reduction in required off‑street parking for an infill project at 1040 South Coast Highway, provided the commercial tenant implements a transportation demand management plan (TDM).","taxTitle","Laguna Beach, Orange County, California","taxId",56774,"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},6486476,"Council remands Bluebird Canyon revocable‑encroachment appeal to design review board with direction on public‑safety and coastal findings",4959,12996865,17955996,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5576753-4c2ff56ae3be6c0674182532968382e9&start=12996&end=17955","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5576753-4c2ff56ae3be6c0674182532968382e9/thumbnail_12996865.jpg","/articles/6486476/Laguna-Beach/Orange-County/California/Council-remands-Bluebird-Canyon-revocableencroachment-appeal-to-design-review-board-with-direction-on-publicsafety-and-coastal-findings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486476-0fb284f258a765993acc885dc0e97a95/orig.mp4?Expires=1775176780&Signature=VNVwYknzviA7yVUA81QtkfJ64UuGulNHNSsJEb1uAg6ruZKiMmQFCIiufK3s3ZnmSWRaaJYswDLK1cV6ZJThCK2nw8yUG0aBAiZKVQUdXZHmnd~Irz-JTv~MtAO2EftwDe8Mq0k0YIpGUxYZ7Wc1YnzrekC2esrCgolqu4mI8KKhFsFFE~cv4Pe1HqU2nXNXZLbRvghlQnhL7mWoAGl8V1IDCXljfwlDVJ1-hnvwksxXZekvs32CZhZbdQqTIhE9asBOi1VyLYRf8xGRYaH1U4K3kbIn3tYlAU4~xXLXlIbxTly1jBHx48jMO-1N4oZnx6CiJGHK1mi9ZhyjTri94w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Laguna Beach — The City Council on Tuesday remanded an appeal of the Design Review Board’s denial of a revocable encroachment permit (REP) for a proposed single‑family home at 1560 Bluebird Canyon Drive, directing the board to hold one hearing on a revised submittal that solves the REP concern while giving guidance on coastal‑resource findings.

The project — a new home with an attached accessory dwelling unit and an uphill garage — would place retaining walls and a short driveway into the Bluebird Canyon public right‑of‑way. At a May hearing the Design Review Board denied the REP, finding the walls and driveway were not “minor” encroachments and could create nonconforming conditions if the city later widened the street.

The applicant and neighborhood advocates presented sharply different legal and planning views to the council. Appellants’ counsel argued state housing laws (including the Housing Accountability Act and SB 450) limit local discretion on housing projects and that the city’s denial flouts those laws. Neighbors and Design Review Board members countered the REP would remove public right‑of‑way that the city might need for wildfire egress and that the scale of the encroachment was precedent‑setting.

City Attorney staff said the code’s key test for an REP — Municipal Code §11.50.030 — prohibits issuance of permits that would produce a code violation if the city later revoked the encroachment. Staff and the board concluded the project as designed could create such nonconforming conditions because revocation would leave the development without the required on‑site vehicle access.

After deliberation the council remanded the case to the Design Review Board with explicit direction: the board should consider a revised REP (or a redesign that avoids REP encroachment) that locates improvements as close as possible to the applicant’s property line to preserve as much roadway width as possible; evaluate coastal development findings with attention to concrete coastal resources (natural landforms, public coastal views and fire hazard/egress risks); and recognize that if a project fully complies with state SB 450 objective design standards it need not proceed under local design‑review standards.

Mayor and councilors also instructed staff to ensure faster, coordinated feedback for any applicant resubmittal so the applicant can get an early, comprehensive read on code compliance. The council’s remand leaves open the possibility the project will be redesigned and returned to the board; if the board cannot resolve the REP the case may return to council.

Ending — The decision attempts to balance state housing laws, coastal protections and the city’s interest in preserving public right‑of‑way for safety. Council members and staff emphasized the remand was intended to produce a clearer, defensible path for a revised application rather than immediate litigation.","Laguna Beach — The City Council on Tuesday remanded an appeal of the Design Review Board’s denial of a revocable encroachment permit (REP) for a proposed single‑family home at 1560 Bluebird Canyon Drive, directing the board to hold one hearing on a revised submittal that solves the REP concern while giving guidance on coastal‑resource findings.",{"_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},6486486,"Laguna Beach council approves mechanical-only fuel-mod program; keeps limited herbicide option for invasive plants under strict process",5603,2977410,8580945,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5576753-4c2ff56ae3be6c0674182532968382e9&start=2977&end=8580","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5576753-4c2ff56ae3be6c0674182532968382e9/thumbnail_2977410.jpg","/articles/6486486/Laguna-Beach/Orange-County/California/Laguna-Beach-council-approves-mechanical-only-fuel-mod-program-keeps-limited-herbicide-option-for-invasive-plants-under-strict-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486486-2d4cd5546624ded2bd5d477008cc2598/orig.mp4?Expires=1775176780&Signature=lyGAuin2CXhiDCJs~J0eyEolzjqyWRWKmLlnlN5Xclhmw-KRzzjeGZFHU4SUvJgNwHjfn99Vaze8bcVvXhOVNuTATEV-brFfmp0QRZuNl9lgsi0Orhff8rbPILNHl-p4V6noAa3N8yF6CkcydIp0SzkelBazJvjbYBJLH2Ls9Lah3GU~utDHHXFrkSwPxgcvf~d8rAODsH4cPPb-Kvudyi-55j5nO2p0YIhaYCOUJFCm9nykq4xshqGWJAxvhLZ~ciOp8GeXk6csRJKkPN8MLuuPVg8q5vJe27gGrGfFORI~sxkfejciVLbJ1Mv6lnmcVPC2k8vj~V08O4rbi6gc4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Laguna Beach — The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to award a fuel‑modification services contract that relies on manual and mechanical removal in the city’s defensible‑space zones and to adopt a new treatment‑protocol addendum that limits herbicide use to rare, targeted cases of emergent invasive plants.

Council action follows a year of pilot work and public outreach that tested non‑chemical approaches in hand‑crew maintained fuel modification zones. Assistant City Manager Jeremy Fremont, who led the staff presentation, said the program met the city’s fire‑safety objectives in 2024 and 2025 and that staff is recommending a mechanical program for routine fuel modification. “What we’re recommending tonight will be a mechanical treatment program,” Fremont told the council, and staff recommended awarding the contract to Nature’s Image for the mechanical option.

The nut of the council’s decision was the treatment‑protocol addendum. It keeps mechanical work as the default for fuel‑mod zones through June 2028, and allows herbicide only under narrow circumstances: when an emergent invasive species (a group of non‑native plants tracked by the California Native Plant Society) is detected and a certified botanist determines mechanical removal would worsen the infestation. If such a species is found inside an agreed “exclusionary zone” — 100 feet from schools and childcare facilities and 50 feet from parks, streets and trails — staff must return to the City Council with a publicly noticed report before any herbicide is applied.

City staff and the Laguna Canyon Foundation said most invasive occurrences so far are small, and that early detection and hand removal have been effective. Chief Nico King, speaking for the Fire Department, and Fremont both acknowledged a risk the city will monitor if a very wet winter leads to larger regrowth. Fremont told the council the city has a list of emergent invasive plants and that the total acreage of those species in city open land is low today; “if we find an emergent invasive species within one of these fuel modification zones, we’d first attempt mechanical removal,” he said.

Multiple residents and community members urged the council to adopt a permanent ban on glyphosate and other synthetic herbicides in city open spaces. Tiffany, a Laguna resident and parent, told the council, “There’s no safe herbicide, and there’s no safe amount either. In my opinion, 0% is the only acceptable option.” Others, including representatives of Laguna Canyon Foundation, said they support the mechanical approach while preserving a narrowly scoped option for rapid response to certain invasive plants that threaten native ecosystems.

Council members praised staff for an extensive public process and said they were reassured by the city’s commitment to monitor outcomes and bring the matter back to council if early signs show the mechanical program no longer meets fire safety objectives. The council approved awarding the contract to Nature’s Image for the mechanical‑only option and adopted the protocol addendum as presented.

The council directed staff to evaluate program performance through 2028 and report earlier if trends indicate a loss of fire‑safety effectiveness, and to keep the public informed about any proposed herbicide use inside the exclusion zones.

Ending — The decision makes Laguna Beach among a growing number of coastal California cities that have narrowed public‑land herbicide use while preserving a process to remove high‑risk invasive plants in limited circumstances. Staff said the mechanical option increases annual program cost by roughly 10% compared with the herbicide‑permitted bid; the council accepted the added cost in order to reduce chemical use.","Laguna Beach — The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to award a fuel‑modification services contract that relies on manual and mechanical removal in the city’s defensible‑space zones and to adopt a new treatment‑protocol addendum that limits herbicide use to rare, targeted cases of emergent invasive plants.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6486481,"Laguna Beach council seeks more analysis before accepting Caltrans' $14.4M conditional offer to transfer Laguna Canyon Road",3485,9572495,13057875,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5576753-4c2ff56ae3be6c0674182532968382e9&start=9572&end=13057","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5576753-4c2ff56ae3be6c0674182532968382e9/thumbnail_9572495.jpg","/articles/6486481/Laguna-Beach/Orange-County/California/Laguna-Beach-council-seeks-more-analysis-before-accepting-Caltrans-144M-conditional-offer-to-transfer-Laguna-Canyon-Road","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486481-078b72658ae4ff13b3d8a0db17a99177/orig.mp4?Expires=1775176780&Signature=FeLNxXkGdrFLQbaeiJw7z4yDAmi1BZM8ABh6bqyDGhB7vh2WACS53DSe2DYaf4Hsj-M5qKs1qjGtaER2ILztRhV3NEIYoAXJ2HPtRaPyeiOkSR9ixeAKpGk2ICkP2-uJ73pKDUKGMebl99rMq8a8jtOi4u-ExtdvaTSgu-RpmYzhtihtUeolnGSpgno402pfkFRQe6LXlz1f8Nb7sgJlOtX9AhEVOP2aM9X5bwbK-XaWzbO15kjwCQ2tqHGhQKw7wQs5DUhB5FIP36XstzayNw8OvzNrUxX2JvCgne-0-hNMWWf3v~q8WF8TACqU~efTMmK4GX2oaIs6cAwevyo2EA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Laguna Beach — City staff asked the City Council on Tuesday to accept a conditional monetary offer from Caltrans that would transfer ownership of Laguna Canyon Road (SR‑133) to the city, but councilors instead directed staff to gather more analysis and return this fall.

City Engineer Tom Perez and Public Works Director Mark McEvoy told the council that Caltrans had made a conditional offer of $14.4 million to transfer maintenance, control and liability for the corridor (from Coast Highway to El Toro Road). Staff said Caltrans made the payment idea to reflect the state of repair costs and that, under Caltrans rules, utility undergrounding inside the roadway is infeasible while the highway remains in state ownership — a central reason the city has sought relinquishment.

Perez framed the choice for council: keep the road under Caltrans ownership and accept the limits that carry on, or take ownership — which, staff said, would enable city control over design standards, the potential for targeted undergrounding of utilities, and improved eligibility for state and federal grants once environmental approvals are in place. Perez showed a preliminary project estimate of about $130 million to underground utilities and build the off‑street multiuse improvements, and cautioned that the city would face ongoing maintenance and emergency‑response costs if it accepted the roadway.

Council members pressed staff for more detail on liability estimates, the feasibility and timing of doing CEQA as the city rather than Caltrans, and whether state or federal funding sources could realistically pay for construction. Several councilors asked staff to explore whether legislation or an agreement could let the city start environmental review work before the formal transfer — an approach that would shorten the gap between taking ownership and being shovel‑ready for grant applications.

The council did not accept Caltrans' conditional payment at Tuesday’s meeting. Instead the council instructed staff to return with: (1) more detailed analysis of long‑term liability and how Caltrans computes its $11 million‑per‑year exposure estimate; (2) whether the city can be the lead agency for CEQA on a project that depends on relinquishment or whether legislative relief is required; and (3) refined grant and funding assumptions including SCE targeted undergrounding timing. The council asked staff to come back at the first November meeting with the follow‑up.

Ending — The city kept the relinquishment process moving but asked staff for additional legal, budgetary and scheduling analysis before committing to accept the state’s conditional offer.

","City staff briefed the council on Caltrans' conditional monetary offer to relinquish State Route 133 (Laguna Canyon Road). Councilors asked staff to gather additional analysis about liability, sequencing for CEQA and grant‑readiness, and whether the city can begin CEQA work early; staff will return with follow‑up at the first November meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves reduced parking at 1040 South Coast Highway after developer agrees to transportation demand measures

Council remands Bluebird Canyon revocable‑encroachment appeal to design review board with direction on public‑safety and coastal findings

Laguna Beach council approves mechanical-only fuel-mod program; keeps limited herbicide option for invasive plants under strict process

Laguna Beach council seeks more analysis before accepting Caltrans' $14.4M conditional offer to transfer Laguna Canyon Road