Laguna Niguel council introduces municipal code recodification, schedules adoption for Aug. 4

The Laguna Niguel City Council voted July 21 to introduce an ordinance that would comprehensively recodify the city's municipal code and directed staff to place the ordinance on the Aug. 4 meeting agenda for final adoption.

Assistant City Manager Mark told the council the project, led by American Legal Publishing with city staff and the city attorney's office, updates chapters that have not been fully revised since the code's original 1989 adoption. "This evening, I'll be providing you with the presentation on the city's comprehensive municipal code update and full recodification project," Mark said, explaining the work included both technical editorial edits and substantive, topic-specific updates.

Mark highlighted several examples of substantive changes: updates in Title 3 that incorporate recently approved purchasing-policy revisions and memorialize the public works bidding process, a framework in Title 5 creating a commercial vending vehicle permit (with exemptions for private events and city-sponsored events), and Chapter 7 adjustments that explicitly provide exemptions for franchisees such as utility and telecommunications companies performing work in the public right-of-way. He also said the recodification is exempt from CEQA.

Councilmember Stephanie Otto praised staff for the detail-oriented project and said the recodification makes the code more consistent with state law and current city practices. "We've cleaned up the code," Otto said. Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Jennings thanked staff for their hard work and said the project was long on the council's strategic plan.

The chair then called for a motion. Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Jennings moved and Councilmember Otto seconded approval of the staff recommendation to open public hearings, introduce ordinance 2026-240 and adopt related resolution 2026-1535. The chair called the vote and stated, "Motion carries," and directed that ordinance 2026-240 be placed on the Aug. 4, 2026 city council agenda with adoption scheduled at that meeting.

The recodification project, staff said, reflects more than two years of work involving public meetings and close coordination across city departments. The council did not take final adoption action July 21; the ordinance will return for adoption on Aug. 4.

The council also approved the consent calendar earlier in the evening before the public hearing on the recodification.