Laguna Beach staff to issue RFPs for landscape, day-porter and sidewalk cleaning as council weighs expanded service

City staff told the Laguna Beach City Council at a study session that existing contracts for landscape maintenance, day-porter services and sidewalk cleaning expire in October and staff will release requests for proposals (RFPs) in the coming weeks.

"The first study session item ... is an overview and review of our landscape maintenance, day porter and sidewalk cleaning services," said Mark Trescu, staff presenter, explaining the purpose of bringing the item to study session so council could give input on scope before contracts are recompeted. "We currently have contracts for these services that do expire at the October. So we're getting ready to release RFPs."

Why it matters: The services cover high‑visibility public spaces used by residents and visitors year‑round, and council direction could increase contract scope and annual costs. Expanded service areas discussed included portions of Coast Highway, Central and North Laguna, additional weekend/holiday coverage, and more frequent pressure washing in downtown areas.

Staff overview and budgets City landscape maintenance is delivered by a hybrid model: an in‑house division of 12 full‑time and five part‑time employees plus two contractors, Parkwood Landscape Maintenance and MyBotanica, according to staff. The division covers about 108 public sites, and staff said about 78% of sites are maintained by city crews, 14% are hybrid and 8% by contractors alone. Staff reported an annual investment for landscape maintenance of roughly $2,000,000 (about $1,780,000 for city staff and about $300,000 for contract services).

Day‑porter and sidewalk contracts are provided through Spectrum Facility Maintenance under the current agreement. Staff said the day‑porter contract costs about $940,000 annually and supplies approximately 33,000 porter hours per year for restroom cleaning, trash and recycling collection and litter removal downtown and at major beaches. Sidewalk cleaning is roughly $200,000 a year and includes pressure washing downtown, two parking structures and the library. In the peak season (June–September) downtown sidewalk pressure washing occurs four times per week; off‑peak frequency is twice per week.

Public and council concerns Council member Kemp said picnic areas and some park pavement see persistent trash and grease stains. "I feel sorry for you guys actually because people are so sloppy there that there's always trash there," Kemp said.

Public commenters raised multiple concerns about coverage and standards. Ruben Flores told the council, "There’s no sidewalk cleaning in North Laguna," and urged more service in that area. Landscape designers and residents urged higher pruning standards and more targeted maintenance for specific mini‑parks and shoreline approaches. A public commenter suggested a yearlong pilot or contest to test higher standards by hiring local landscape contractors to maintain sample parks to a residential standard and compare outcomes.

Staff response and possible changes Staff said one major objective of issuing RFPs is to obtain pricing for expanded scope so council can weigh possible service increases against budget constraints. Mark Trescu said the current operating budget does not account for increased services and that adding items to the bid scope would raise costs: "It would probably increase cost." He recommended getting contractor pricing for any proposed additions, including pressure washing gaps on Coast Highway and expanded porter coverage at selected parks and parking structures.

Staff also noted operational constraints and options: city crews typically operate in one‑ or two‑person teams for routine coverage and contractors deploy larger crews for rapid work; weekend coverage is currently limited to essential functions and events. Staff said they would consider adding weekend and holiday coverage in high‑traffic zones if council directs it.

Quality control and oversight Several council members and public speakers urged clearer performance expectations and documentation for contractors. One council member recommended photo documentation of sample areas and defined quality standards in the RFP so vendors understand expected cleaning quality and frequency.

Staff said oversight could be increased either by assigning additional in‑house supervisors or by adding oversight duties to the contractor scope, but both approaches would add cost. Deputy Director Reza Jafari and Senior Analyst Ashley Moran were present for implementation questions.

Next steps Staff said they will publish RFPs in the coming weeks and include options for expanded scope where council has expressed interest. The city will return contract awards to council for approval. Staff said they would also follow up on specific operational items raised in public comment, including alternatives for trash receptacles and the types of herbicides and fertilizers used in city landscaping.

Community input and timing Council directed staff to collect public feedback and to include pricing options for expanded coverage in the RFPs so council can make budget decisions later. No formal council vote or contract award occurred at the study session; the item was presented for study, public comment and direction ahead of the formal procurement process.

Ending Staff said the current plan is to release the RFPs maintaining the status quo unless council directs additions; any changes that increase service will require additional funding decisions in future budget discussions.