1 Heritage Committee
Minutes: August 18, 2025
CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH HERITAGE COMMITTEE MINUTES
Regular Meeting of August 18, 2025
1. CALL TO ORDER
6:00 p.m.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:
Jon Stordahl, Linda Morgenlander, Cathy Jurca, James Henry II (Chair) MEMBERS ABSENT: Justin Drucker (Vice Chair)
STAFF PRESENT:
Samantha Beier, Acting Planning Manager, Shaveta Sharma, Acting Principal Planner, Heather Steven, Senior Planner, Jessica Mendoza, Assistant Planner
2. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
2.1 None.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
3.1 July 21, 2025, Draft Minutes
HC Member Jurca made a motion to approve the HC minutes from the meeting on July 21, 2025, with request that the verbiage “The proposed improvements do not require review or compliance with SOIS for properties on the City's Historic Register” from item
4.2 be removed due to inaccuracy with regards to the project.
Second: LM
Vote: Stordahl Y, Morgenlander Y, Jurca Y, Henry Y
Motion carried: 4-0
4. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION OR ACTION
4.1 721 Manzanita Drive
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Action:
By Motion, the Heritage Committee shall review and recommend to the Design Review Board (DRB) proposed alterations to a property on the City's Historic Register. No significant alterations are proposed to the existing single-family dwelling.
Modifications include the addition of a two-car garage, modifications to the front yard hardscape, and a new spa and patio above the new garage. The applicant's project plans and SOIS Impacts Analysis Report are attached.
Motion:
HC Chair Henry made a motion to continue Item 4.1 to the September 15th meeting of the Heritage Committee and that staff provide any/all available documents to the committee prior to the next meeting.
Second: JS
Vote: Stordahl Y, Jurca Y, Morgenlander Y, Henry Y
Motion carried: 4-0
4.2 1779-1793 South Coast Highway
Action:
By Motion, the Heritage Committee shall use the criteria depicted in Section
25.45.006(C) of the Laguna Beach Municipal Code in their consideration of the application and shall adopt findings that the property does or does not meet criteria (1), as well as one or more of the criteria (2) through (11) of subsection (C). The application’s submittal is attached. A historic assessment by an architectural historian was completed with this application.
Motion:
HC Member Stordahl made a motion to recommend the approval for 1779-1793 South Coast Highway’s designation on the City’s Historic Register based on it meeting the eligibility threshold for such placement by satisfying criteria 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9.
Second: LM
Vote: Stordahl Y, Morgenlander Y, Jurca Y, Henry Y
Motion carried: 4-0
4.3 Mills Act Contract Application – 426 Holly Street
Action:
By Motion, provide a recommendation to the City Council for a Mills Act Contract.
Motion:
HC Chair Henry made a motion to recommend that City Council approve the Mills Act Contract for 426 Holly Street with the following modifications:
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Minutes: August 18, 2025
1. Move the foundation inspection to year one.
2. Modify the front door per existing documentary evidence (year one).
3. Modify the columns in the breezeway to the original slender posts per documentary evidence (year 2).
4. Modify the fence to have design and material appropriate to the style of the house (metal or wood picket) (year 5).
5. Reduce landscaping budget amount in workplan to $5,000.
Second: CJ
Vote: Stordahl Y, Morgenlander Y, Jurca Y, Henry Y
Motion carried: 4-0
4.4 Mills Act Contract Application – 501 Lombardy Lane
Action:
By Motion, provide a recommendation to the City Council for a Mills Act Contract.
Motion:
No motion taken. Item has been continued to September 15th meeting.
4.5 Mills Act Contract Application – 503 Brooks Street
HC Chair Henry recuses himself due to potential conflict of interest.
Action:
By Motion, provide a recommendation to the City Council for a Mills Act Contract.
Motion:
HC Member Jurca made a motion to recommend to City Council that the city enter into a Mills Act contract with the property owners of 503 Brooks Street with the following modifications:
1. Amend the workplan to include the inspection and installation gutters to the property as necessary by 2026.
2. Trim the hedges at the front of the property to match the height of the fence
3. Add plaque to the property indicating its inclusion in the City’s historic register.
Second: JS
Vote: Stordahl Y, Morgenlander Y, Jurca Y
Motion carried: 3-0
4.6 Mills Act Contract Application – 2646 Victoria Dr
HC Member Stordahl recuses himself due to potential conflict of interest.
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Action:
By Motion, provide a recommendation to the City Council for a Mills Act Contract.
Motion:
HC Chair Henry made a motion to approve the recommendation to City Council for a Mills Act Contract for 2646 Victoria Dr with the following conditions:
1. The window in the dining room on the primary façade (upper left) be replaced within the same opening with a picture window with flanking casements that are narrower than the current windows with mullions in the casement windows leaving the picture window open (year 2 in the workplan)
2. Replace non-compatible lights in year 1 (Item 16 in workplan)
3. Review/inspect/repair as necessary clay tiles and bricks, stone, and chimney bricks year 1 (Item 13, 14, and 15 in workplan)
4. Move up Item 11 in workplan to year 1 to address current issue Second: LM
Vote: Morgenlander Y, Jurca Y, Henry Y
Motion carried: 3-0
5. COMMITTEE AND STAFF REPORTS
5.1 Historic Preservation Promotion Subcommittee and Budget Subcommittee Updates – Have discussed doing a CEQA training/having an assessor come out and talk about the Mills Act to help keep subcommittee active every six months. Proposed using data available from approved Mills Act properties to provide estimated savings. Discussed adding additional trolley tours or self-guided tour option. Open to other ideas on how to promote interest in city history/heritage. Discussed idea of holding Historic Register info session for interested property owners (outside of heritage month).
5.2 Site Visit Discussion – Discussed importance of being able to access the property to understand condition, especially when up for Mills Act or Historic Register. Discussed providing a time window or notice to homeowners before visit takes place. Make visits best practice without formalizing action. Potential to have on Mills Act and Historic Register applications a request for site visits to be permitted for HC members. HC member Jurca offered to draft verbiage for said request on applications.
6. ADJOURNMENT
6.1 Meeting adjourned at 8:14 P.M. on Monday, August 18, 2025.
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