Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Lawsuit City topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mayor: City cannot discuss specifics of Chris Dornan lawsuit but stresses process and state law
Summary
Mayor Alex Runagi said the city cannot comment on ongoing litigation filed by Chris Dornan but emphasized that land-use decisions follow an application and review process and that state housing law has shaped past council approvals.
Mayor Alex Runagi said an unspecified lawsuit filed by Chris Dornan against the City of Laguna Beach is pending and the city will not discuss the case’s specifics while litigation is ongoing.
Runagi told interviewer Tom Johnson that “I can't discuss the specifics of ongoing litigation,” and said the city’s handling of land-use matters is governed by its application and review process, which is intended to give both applicants and neighbors due process. He described the process as one in which applicants submit materials, the city provides comments, and applicants respond until the application is deemed complete.
Runagi cautioned against drawing conclusions when an application is incomplete. “When we don't have an application that includes all the requirements, it's very speculative ... to say what the harm would be,” he said. He added that when projects meet the legal requirements — even if those requirements differ from neighbors’ preferences — the council has a history of approving them under changes in state housing law.
The mayor said the stated $148,000,000 “price tag” he had heard is only a claimed amount and “doesn't mean that that's where it's gonna be.” He reiterated the city's interest in following the law, ensuring due process and mitigating legal risk for the city.
No procedural steps, hearing dates, court filings or specific legal allegations were disclosed in the interview.
Runagi declined to comment further on the specifics of the complaint because it is active litigation.
