McKay, Ann Marie CC
Subject: Consent 14 - City Council Agenda October 28 2025 - Please reconsider the proposed solution
From: johnthomast
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2025 1:23 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Cc: Laguna Beach City Clerk <[email protected]>; Kiff, Dave CM <[email protected]>; Frimond, Jeremy CM <[email protected]>; Thomas, John < [email protected]> Subject: Consent 14 - City Council Agenda October 28 2025 - Please reconsider the proposed solution This comment is not a reflection on the owner of the property at 224 and 226 Ocean, it is a comment on the possible unanticipated negative implications of taking the proposed action.
While Rivian has undoubtedly made positive contributions to the community, there must be a better way to assist with the problem described in the staff report.
Waiving fees for in-lieu parking certificates for the reasons stated in the staff report "based on the public benefit of increasing business development, employment opportunities, and the City's tax base" could set an unfortunate precedent.
What will stop other businesses that are intensifying use and adding employees from asking for the same concession?
And there is no stipulation that added employees be Laguna residents. If the added employees are not Laguna residents, those additional employees may very likely require more actual parking, and yet the proposed solution is to waive parking requirements tied to the intensification of use.
The idea of waiving parking in-lieu fees for a business that increases business opportunities by intensifying use without adequately mitigating the negative impacts associated with that intensification of use is ill-advised.
I urge the city to come up with a different solution.