Laguna Beach mayor says ADU appeal will come before council at Tuesday public hearing

Mayor Alex Runagi said the Laguna Beach City Council will consider an appeal of an administrative approval for an accessory dwelling unit at a public hearing Tuesday.

The hearing stems from a local decision to grant a coastal development permit as part of the city’s certified Local Coastal Program (LCP). "ADUs are allowed by right in the state of California recently," Runagi said, adding that the local coastal-review requirements still apply. He said the community development director made an administrative decision on the coastal development permit and that decision was appealed.

Runagi said he will listen to public input, staff analysis and legal ramifications before deciding. "I'm not gonna, of course, talk about the details or how I'm going to vote because I don't know how I'm gonna vote because ... my job is to weigh all the evidence, and that's the whole purpose of a public hearing," he said.

Tom Johnson, host of Stu News’ Fair Game Laguna, asked about the item and its place on the council agenda. Runagi noted the ADU appeal will be considered alongside the regular agenda that will be published before the meeting.

No formal action or vote was recorded in the podcast excerpt. The city council will hear public testimony and staff reports during the Tuesday public hearing; Runagi said he expects to weigh evidence and legal issues before announcing a vote.

Details not specified in the podcast: the applicant's name, the address of the ADU, the date the administrative decision was issued and any conditions attached to the permit. Those items were not provided in the recorded remarks and were described only as part of the appeal process.