RESOLUTION NO. 25.XXX
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE
WITHDRAWAL OF THE APPEAL OF THE DESIGN REVIEW
BOARD’S DECISION TO CONDITIONALLY APPROVE DESIGN
REVIEW 24-2550 FOR LANDSCAPING AT 276 CAJON STREET,
AND FINDING THE ACTION CATEGORICALLY EXEMPT
FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
PURSUANT TO STATE CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15301
WHEREAS, the property owner, Susan Shore (“Applicant”), of 276 Cajon Street (the “Property”) applied for Design Review (“DR”) 24-2550 for landscaping pursuant to Laguna Beach Municipal Code (“LBMC”) Section 25.05.040 and Section 12.16.080(e) (the “Project”) in the R2 (Residential Medium-Density) zone; and WHEREAS, on March 13, 2025, the Design Review Board (“Board”) held a duly-noticed public hearing on the Project, received public testimony, and voted 5-0 to adopt Resolution No. 24-2550, conditionally approving the Project, including the approval of a categorical exemption pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guidelines Section 15301; and WHEREAS, on March 25, 2025, Garth Jorgensen of 280 Cajon Street (“Appellant”), filed an appeal of the Board’s approval of the Project (the “Appeal”); and WHEREAS, on May 20, 2025, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing and continued the public hearing to August 12, 2025; and
WHEREAS, on July 29, 2025, the Appellant communicated their intent to withdraw the Appeal and asked if the appeal fee in the amount of $2,000 could be refunded; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Laguna Beach Municipal Code Section 25.05.070(D)(1), an appeal may be withdrawn only upon majority vote of the City Council; and WHEREAS, on August 12, 2025, the City Council carefully considered the oral and documentary evidence and arguments presented at the duly noticed public hearing on the Appeal.
Attachment 1
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NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH DOES RESOLVE:
SECTION 1. The recitals set forth above are true and correct and are incorporated into this Resolution by this reference.
SECTION 2. The City Council hereby authorizes the withdrawal of the Appeal. By virtue of this action, the Appellant has effectively not filed an appeal of the March 13, 2025 Design Review Board decision on DR 24-2550, as reflected in Resolution No. 24-2550, which is incorporated herein by reference.
SECTION 3. The City Council hereby denies the Appellant’s request for a refund of the appeal fee in the amount of $2,000.
SECTION 4. Based on its review of the entire record before it, the City Council hereby finds and determines that the Project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to Section 15301 - Existing Facilities, in that the project consists of the repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing structures or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. Here, the project involves landscaping improvements to a developed property. There is no evidence of any unusual or special conditions that would result in a significant effect on the environment in that the project involves proposing maximum heights and widths for existing landscaping. Further, none of the exceptions outlined in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 apply. The project site does not contain any environmentally sensitive areas according to the City’s GIS. There will be no cumulative impact resulting from successive projects of the same type in the same place, over time. There are no unusual circumstances resulting in a significant impact on the environment. There will be no damage to scenic resources, including trees, historic buildings, rock outcroppings or similar 4 -3- Reso. #
resources, within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway. The project is not located on a hazardous waste site or any other site included on a list compiled pursuant to Government Code section 65962.5 according to Cortese List. The project will not result in significant adverse impacts to historical resources as defined by CEQA. Consequently, additional environmental analysis is not necessary to meet the requirements of the CEQA.
ADOPTED this 12th day of August, 2025.
Alex Rounaghi, Mayor
ATTEST:
Ann Marie McKay, City Clerk
I, Ann Marie McKay, City Clerk of the City of Laguna Beach, certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 25.XXX was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of said City held on August 12, 2025, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
City Clerk, City of Laguna Beach, California
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