Mayor Alex Renaghi said Laguna Beach finalized approval steps related to Visit Laguna Beach and that the city will gain an additional council seat on the organization's board.

Renaghi said the change gives Laguna Beach greater oversight to ensure Visit Laguna Beach focuses on stewardship, investments in cultural arts, and marketing that prioritizes overnight visitors who stay in hotels and contribute TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax) revenue used for local infrastructure.

"The day trippers are the issue, and the goal should be to ensure there's no marketing directed towards them," Renaghi said, adding that Visit Laguna Beach has limited incentive to market in ways that would overcrowd beaches because such outcomes would harm the visitor economy.

Renaghi said he expects stewardship protocols and board oversight will guide future marketing and that the arrangement will help the city capture benefits from hotel stays while managing day'trip impacts. He did not provide details of the stewardship protocols or the board seat terms in the conversation.