Laguna Beach mayor says council will consider downtown promenade appeal in June

Mayor Alex Runagi said the Laguna Beach City Council will consider an appeal of a planning commission decision concerning a proposed downtown promenade at one of the council's June meetings.

Runagi said the appeal was filed after the planning commission decision and that the city manager waived the appeal fee because the promenade is a matter of public interest. "The promenade will be considered at one of our June meetings, basically, all the aspects of it, and I am very much looking forward to it," Runagi said.

Runagi said the promenade has been the subject of multiple public hearings during his time on the council—he estimated at least seven—and that public correspondence has tended to favor the project. He also described a "small group" opposed to the promenade but said his conversations with a broad range of residents indicate overall support.

What the council will decide: Runagi said the council will weigh testimony and evidence when it considers the appeal; he did not describe a specific decision or vote or provide the date of the June meeting.

What was not in the interview: No formal motion, vote tally or ordinance number was discussed in the interview. Runagi did not provide details of the planning commission's findings or the exact content of the appeal.

Outlook: Runagi said he is "looking forward to hearing all the evidence and weighing the testimony" when the council takes up the appeal.