Commission conditions approval of Forest Avenue Mall design review: painted brick must be stripped

Laguna Beach's Planning Commission approved a modified design review for the Forest Avenue Mall (332'334 Forest Avenue) but required the applicant to remove paint from brick at two ground-floor corners after staff confirmed prior conditions of approval had not been followed.

Staff summary and history: Planning technician Sarah Olsen described the site and the prior June 5, 2024 planning commission approval that allowed a monochromatic charcoal color scheme on the three-story mixed-use building but included conditions that the brick adjacent to the parking garage remain unpainted (condition 13) and that the trim color be darker than the primary body color (condition 14). Olsen told the commission a code-enforcement case was opened on Dec. 4, 2024 based on a complaint that those conditions were not followed and that the paint applied to the building has a green undertone and a glossy finish that accentuates material variation.

Applicant presentatio…