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Planning commission approves retaining wall, lighting and landscaping changes at The Ranch Resort
Summary
The commission approved design review and a coastal development permit for a new retaining wall, landscaping and low-level lighting at The Ranch Resort; staff said the wall will use manufactured stone and will require a building permit for a separate rear wall replacement.
The Laguna Beach Planning Commission on Aug. 29 approved design review 25-0387 and coastal development permit 25-0388 for site improvements at The Ranch Resort, including a new 134-foot retaining wall, geofoam backfill, landscaped buffers and low-level lighting intended to improve separation and safety between the golf course and the wedding lawn.
Staff described the project as replacing an existing low wood retaining wall with a new exposed stone-clad wall with heights ranging from 5 to 10 feet. The project design calls for approximately 126 cubic yards of geofoam backfill and would expand the wetting lawn width by about 6 to 33 feet. "The new proposed retaining wall has heights ranging from 5 to 10 feet of exposed height...it will support a 126 cubic yards of geofoam backfill material," staff said.
The plans show 15 light fixtures illuminating the retaining wall; commissioners asked whether the number of fixtures or hours of illumination could be reduced. The applicant responded that the fixtures are low-lumen and consistent with lighting elsewhere on the resort, and that most site lighting operates on a dusk-to-dawn control or time schedule. "It's artificial stone, but it's really good artificial stone," the applicant said when asked whether the facing was manufactured or natural stone.
Staff advised that the proposed retaining wall triggers design review because portions exceed 5 feet exposed height. A separate new wall replacing an existing rear freestanding fence is below the design-review threshold but will require a building permit from the building division.
Commissioners also asked about an existing condition limiting total assembly area to roughly 7,300 square feet imposed by the 2014 conditional-use approval when the resort was redeveloped. The applicant said the expanded area created by the new wall would not exceed that maximum and that staff would verify interpretation of the prior CUP if questions arise.
Commissioners expressed support for the design and the project's public-gathering benefits while noting concerns about fixture counts and safety at the edge of the golf course. The commission found the project consistent with applicable design and coastal criteria and adopted the staff recommendation that the action is exempt from CEQA. The motion passed on a roll call vote (4-0).
Votes at a glance - Design Review 25-0387 / Coastal Development Permit 25-0388 (The Ranch Resort retaining wall and site improvements): approved (4-0).
