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Laguna Beach council funds engineering study for lifeguard towers after wide public debate
Summary
After hours of public comment and council discussion about coastal erosion and aesthetics, Laguna Beach approved a consultant task order to study site-specific designs and sea-level projections for up to 39 enclosed lifeguard towers. Residents asked for fewer permanent structures and more design flexibility.
The Laguna Beach City Council voted unanimously to award a consultant task order to design and engineer enclosed lifeguard towers and supporting site studies for multiple coves and beaches. Pierre Sawaya, the city's capital program manager, told the council, "Tonight, we're simply awarding a task order to the consultant for design engineering," and said the study will include coastal-hazards assessments, geotechnical work and sea-level-rise scenarios.
The council and staff framed the action as a planning step, not an immediate construction decision. Staff said the study will examine structural foundation options — including concrete caissons embedded in bedrock and alternatives for skids and barged delivery — and prioritize sites where permanent towers make sense. "We're looking at design wave locations, prior wave run-up studies and sand shifting" to identify suitable locations, Sawaya said.
Nut graf: The vote follows extended public input that split the city: many residents applauded the goal of protecting lifeguards from heat and prolonged sun exposure, while others urged caution, saying Laguna—each's coves and beaches have shifting sand levels that can render permanent structures impractical or visually intrusive.
Residents raised technical and aesthetic objections in public comment. Wendy Dvorak showed council photos of winter scour and argued the city's existing geotechnical work did not capture year-to-year sand loss: "A piece of rock fell off the Pirate Tower bluff onto a visitor," she said, urging the council to pause and require additional site-specific studies. Nick Aronoff, representing local riders and surf communities, said he "100% support[s] protecting our lifeguards," but urged more adaptive, custom designs for seasonal coves.
Council members said the core objective is public safety and workplace protections for lifeguards. "From a work safety standpoint, you should not continue to have lifeguards on towers with umbrellas," one council member said, pointing to data on lifetime sun exposure and skin cancer risk for lifeguards. Council directed staff to prioritize sites where permanent enclosures are feasible, explore alternatives for smaller coves (skids, barges, wraps or custom covers), consider artful or locally fabricated designs and present a ranked list of early-installation candidates.
The study will also assess sea-level rise and wave run-up over multi-decade time horizons. Sawaya confirmed prior geotechnical work considered 30- to 75-year scenarios and that the new task order will refine that forecasting for each candidate site. Marine safety Captain Dane Doerr added the evaluation will account for access constraints and seasonal staffing patterns.
The council's unanimous vote authorizes shifting the next phase — design engineering and site-specific studies — forward; any permanent installation will require subsequent approvals, outreach and coastal permits. The council asked staff to return with a prioritization of "low-hanging fruit" locations and a communications plan for residents. The decision closes with the city taking a methodical planning step, not immediate construction. The matter will return to the planning commission and council as specific site designs and CEQA/coastal-permit needs are determined.
