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Attach 2 - 1.13.2026 Study Session DRAFT MINUTES

Laguna Beach City Council
January 27, 2026

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Attach 2 - 1.13.2026 Study Session DRAFT MINUTES
Meeting
January 27, 2026
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Laguna Beach City Council
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Text extracted from the city's file for reading and search. Open the original on lagunabeachcity.primegov.com. That file is the official record.

MINUTES

LAGUNA BEACH CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
January 13, 2026
A Study Session of the City Council of the City of Laguna Beach was called to order on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., in the City Hall, 505 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach, California, Mayor Orgill presiding.

ROLL CALL
PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Kempf, Rounaghi, Whalen, Jones, Orgill PARTICIPATING REMOTELY: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None

STUDY SESSION
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1. CITYWIDE CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION STUDY
Presentation and Discussion: Staff and the consultant gave a presentation on the completed Citywide Classification and Compensation Study, prepared by Baker Tilly US, LLP, and responded to Councilmember questions.

Public Testimony: None.

The City Council directed that staff and the consultants include information related to a hybrid compensation option with the presentation of the final report.

2. PACIFIC MARINE MAMMAL CENTER (PMMC) FIELD HOSPITAL REQUEST FOR PERMANENCY Presentation and Discussion: Staff and PMMC gave a presentation on PMMC’s request, and responded to Councilmembers’ questions.

Public Testimony: David Finch, Catherine Contrell, Sean Schlooner, John Laferty, and Sue Osborne, Friends of the Laguna Beach Dog Park, spoke against approval of the request, noting that the land was granted to be used as a dog park.

Chris Quilter, Anne Belyea, George Heed, Laguna Food Pantry, spoke against approval of the request, noting that the Food Pantry is in need of the space, if an agreement can be made with the dog park.

City Council Direction: Directed staff to further evaluate the PMMC request to make the field hospital a permanent facility at the current location by reviewing legal constraints for Attachment 2
6 Laguna Beach City Council Study Session Minutes January 13, 2026 -2-
the property, consider a master plan for the parcel, and investigate the potential of using the property at Raquel Road to offset some of the needs of the competing uses.

The City Council also directed the formation of an ad hoc committee, consisting of Mayor Pro Tem Hallie Jones and Mayor Mark Orgill, to further develop a concept for City Council consideration at a later date.

ADJOURNMENT
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There being no further business, Mayor Orgill at 4:25 p.m., Tuesday, January 13, 2026, adjourned to the Regular City Council Meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at City Hall, 505 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach California.
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Approved: January 27, 2026
______________________________
Mark Orgill, Mayor
______________________________
Ann Marie McKay, City Clerk
Note: All components of minutes shall be for the primary purpose of memorializing decisions made by the legislative body. Any minute component that does not serve this primary purpose will be minimized or eliminated; this includes comments made by individual body members and members of the public. Discussions that occurred during the meeting can be viewed in archived video recordings on the city’s website. Public submittals on items received prior to adjournment of the meeting are retained in the administrative record and can be viewed in the city clerk’s repository. 7

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