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Laguna Royale owners can use applied decals for bird safety; commission approves modification of prior condition
Summary
The Planning Commission approved modification of a prior condition so new glass railings at Laguna Royale can use applied 'kaleidoscope' dots or equivalent treatments rather than only ultraviolet-impregnated glass, and required biannual inspections and completion deadlines tied to the prior permit term.
The Laguna Beach Planning Commission on June 18 adopted a resolution (Design Review 25-0707 and CDP 25-0708) modifying condition number 8 of Planning Commission Resolution 23-0701 so that new balcony and common-area glass guardrails at the Laguna Royale condominium complex may be treated with applied materials or coatings (including a kaleidoscope clear-dot product) designed to reduce bird strikes rather than requiring ultraviolet-impregnated glass integrated into the glass pane.
Senior planner Heather Stevens summarized the chronology: the applicant sought repair and replacement of about 15,600 square feet of elevated deck area and replacement of noncompliant metal railings with code-compliant glass railings. After earlier hearings and a Coastal Commission review, staff and the Coastal Commission clarified that condition 8 requires new visually permeable railings be OrnoLux or equivalent bird-safe material. The applicant requested a modification to allow an aftermarket application — dots or decals — that their biologist, Hamilton Biological, concluded would be more effective than the OrnoLux UV glass in the Laguna Royale setting and would cost substantially less.
Applicant representatives including Laguna Royale HOA board members and Rob Hamilton of Hamilton Biological presented technical materials arguing the kaleidoscope dot product has higher effectiveness in the local conditions (dawn/dusk and overcast) and offered a 10-year manufacturer warranty for the applied treatment. Commissioners pressed on implementation details: staff confirmed the previous approval requires treatment of existing glass as well as new railings, that the deadline to complete required treatments under the earlier approval is October 4, 2025 (two-year term from the October 4, 2023 approval), and that the revised condition requires biannual inspections and reporting to the director to ensure decals remain in place and in good repair.
Several unit owners and residents told commissioners they had observed no bird strikes at the property and urged swift completion of the repairs so unsafe decks could be fixed. The applicant said phase 1 (common-area panels) had been installed previously and that they had not yet applied decals to existing panels because of uncertainty about which approach would be accepted. The applicant asked the commission to approve the change to avoid further multi-year delay and the significant additional cost of UV glass.
Planning staff recommended approval based on the Hamilton Biological report and the evidence presented; the commission found the modified condition acceptable and passed the motion unanimously. Commissioners noted the decision could be appealed to City Council within 14 days; the Coastal Commission may also review an appeal. The approval carries the same initial two-year performance term as the prior decision, subject to appeals. The revised condition requires implementation of applied treatments or equivalent bird-safe measures for new and existing glass, a biannual inspection and report to the director, and ongoing maintenance to replace any missing or deteriorated applications.
