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Council moves forward on community land trust planning, hires consultant for outreach and feasibility
Summary
Laguna Beach agreed to contract with a consulting team to begin community engagement, feasibility and formation work for a Community Land Trust (CLT); council members and public speakers urged clarity about consultant experience and next steps for forming a board and funding.
The Laguna Beach City Council on March 11 authorized a consulting engagement to advance formation work for a community land trust (CLT), including a condensed public engagement plan and a preliminary feasibility analysis.
The recommended consultant is Harris and Associates with a team that includes individuals who previously worked on the Irvine Community Land Trust. Council discussion during the meeting emphasized the consultant’s experience but also included cautions about Irvine’s atypical model and reminders that CLTs vary widely in structure. Public commenters urged careful scrutiny of consultant qualifications and suggested that national CLT resources (CLT Network, Grounded Solutions) also be considered as technical resources.
Staff clarified community outreach dates: in‑person meetings on March 27 and a virtual meeting on March 28, and staff will post an online survey and a landing page for the CLT on the city website. The council voted to proceed with the consultant engagement and to begin community outreach; the official vote recorded in the meeting was 5-0 in favor.
What happens next: Staff will finalize the consultant agreement, publish the community engagement calendar and materials, and return to council with progress reports and a recommended pathway for establishing a legal CLT entity and a governing board. Several council members and commenters urged that eventual CLT formation emphasize community leadership and fundraising by private donors as well as city support.
Ending: Council authorized an initial, city‑supported step to research and begin public outreach for a CLT while members of the public and council asked for clear disclosure of consultant experience and a rapid transition toward forming a community board.
