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Neighbors press board to curb trees, rooftop AC and patio at 2550 Park Avenue; design review approved with conditions
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Summary
After months of revisions, the Laguna Beach Design Review Board approved a proposal for 2550 Park Avenue that allows a substantial addition but requires removal of several front trees, limits on new tree heights, conditions on rooftop air‑conditioning permits and added drainage and lighting requirements following sustained neighbor objections about fire risk, drainage and view impacts.
The Laguna Beach Design Review Board on May 14 approved design review 2025‑0337 for 2550 Park Avenue after an extended hearing focused on tree removal, fire safety and unpermitted rooftop air‑conditioning units.
Heather (staff) told the board the project proposes 1,081 square feet of additions, 603 square feet of elevated decks and a new 312‑square‑foot metal patio cover. The site sits in a “very high” fire hazard severity and fuel modification zone; staff reported the applicant’s revised plan identified 18 trees for removal, retention of several existing specimen trees and six proposed new trees. Staff recommended conditioning permits and screening for roof‑mounted air conditioners and noted seven letters of opposition were received.
Neighbors urged the board to require more tree removal, stricter maintenance and additional fire‑safety measures. “The sycamores and queen palms are known fire risks,” uphill neighbor Marco said, urging denial. Multiple commenters said falling leaves and clogged drains from a mature sycamore on the property have caused interior flooding and damage to downstairs floors.
The applicant’s landscape representative, Arshy, said the team reduced overall landscape density, removed a majority of mature trees, revised the fuel‑modification plan to match city standards and added controlled maintenance perimeters. “We reduced existing tree coverage substantially, introduced smaller canopy trees and proposed a pergola approach for privacy instead of relying on large trees,” Arshy said.
Board members pressed the applicant on screening and noise attenuation for the rooftop condensers and on drainage along the downhill property line. The board added conditions requiring plan‑check verification that the air‑conditioning units will be fully screened and meet residential noise limits, a staff review of drainage measures adjacent to 2530 Park Avenue to ensure irrigation and runoff do not flow downhill onto neighboring properties, and biannual maintenance obligations for trees and shrubs.
The board also limited the species and height of replacement trees — placing an upper limit tied to the house ridge line — and authorized up to six replacement trees to restore planting after removals.
Chair Tom Gibbs said the proposal, with those conditions, met design‑review findings but stressed the board’s concern over planting choices in a high‑fire zone. “Palms and certain species are not appropriate for new planting in this fuel‑modification context,” he said.
The motion to adopt the resolution carried unanimously (5–0). The board recorded that the public will have a 14‑day appeal window after the decision. The next step for the applicant is plan check and final building permits, where staff will verify the screening, drainage and maintenance conditions.
The decision closes a multi‑session review. The board’s conditions emphasize fire safety, neighbor drainage protection and enforceable maintenance measures; they do not grant relief from standard appeal rights for nearby property owners.
