Seal Beach public works outlines $46.7 million program, reiterates lifeguard headquarters priority

Seal Beach public works staff told the City Council at the May 8 budget workshop that the department’s proposed operations and capital budget totals $46.7 million and emphasizes coastal infrastructure, deferred maintenance and grant-seeking to stretch limited local dollars.

The presentation flagged three near-term priorities: (1) continuing storm drain CCTV and cleaning efforts, (2) starting alley repaving with seed money, and (3) advancing planning for a new lifeguard headquarters that the department says is beyond its useful life. Director Lee said the capital and outlay portion of the department’s budget accounts for about $27.8 million, or roughly 59% of the public works total, while operation and maintenance is proposed at $13.1 million.

The budget matters because Seal Beach owns and maintains beach, pier, water and sewer systems in addition to typical street and parks infrastructure, making the city’s needs larger and more specialized than many noncoastal municipalities. Staff repeatedly stressed that much of the work depends on external funding and multi‑year efforts and that city dollars cannot cover all deferred projects at once.

Public Works highlighted recent and ongoing work: about 2,600 trees trimmed year‑to‑date; roughly…