Laguna Beach reviews concept for 39 permanent lifeguard towers as residents raise erosion and aesthetics concerns

City of Laguna Beach staff presented a concept review on July 15 for a citywide program to replace temporary lifeguard chairs and skidded towers with permanent enclosed towers supported on reinforced concrete caisson foundations. The program as presented would identify 39 proposed tower locations citywide, with 10 permanent enclosed towers already installed or under construction, and would use two standard tower types depending on site needs.

Lee, a Public Works project manager, described the program and said the city retained a geotechnical consultant (referred to in the presentation as "NGO") to evaluate bluff stability, wave run-up, sea-level rise and foundation options; staff reported the consultant concluded the program is feasible if recommendations are incorporated into the design. Marine Safety Chief Kai Bon told commissioners the permanent, caisson-mounted towers improve operational reliability, protect stored equipment and reduce the frequent maintenance and relocation required by skidded or movable towers. "When an employee works on an enclosed tower with a caisson on, they simply work better," Kai Bon said.

Public comment reflected a split. Several long-term lifeguards and residents supported permanent towers for safety and livability reasons. Dale Geer, a former lifeguard, cited sun exposure and injuries associated with moving temporary towers and said permanent towers help protect lifeguards’ health: "The tower is essential to protect the lifeguard. An umbrella doesn't do it." Other residents raised practical concerns about siting permanent structures on a coastline with variable sand levels and stronger storm seasons, asking how the city will account for erosion, maintenance costs and the upcoming El Niño. "How much are we saving? How much more expensive? What's the maintenance cost?" asked Nick Aronoff during public comment, noting that program-level budget figures were not provided at the concept review.

Commissioners and staff discussed trade-offs between standardization and neighborhood character. Several commissioners said public safety should be the top priority while urging staff to pursue design approaches that reduce visual impact — for example, using color, artist wraps, or scaled tower sizes for smaller coves. Staff replied that the proposed surveyor junior/senior designs come from an established manufacturer and offer a 20‑year manufacturer guarantee for enclosures; engineers will finalize caisson diameter and embedment depths during the site-specific engineering phase.

Staff emphasized that concept review does not authorize construction: "Every single tower location will require its own independent design review and coastal development permit," a staff attorney said, and staff committed to additional neighborhood outreach, town halls and site-specific environmental and geotechnical analyses before any entitlement hearings.

The commission provided early feedback and asked staff to pursue neighborhood engagement, hazard-avoidance siting where feasible, and options to soften visual impacts while preserving uniformity and recognizability for public-safety needs. No motion or vote was taken; staff will return with engineering, environmental review and design proposals for individual towers or grouped batches, each subject to public hearing and appeal rights under the entitlement process.