Date: Feb 24, 2026
Key Priority for 2026 Description Level of Priority Next Steps Hurdles Wildfire Preparedness Fire and Police Lead
1 -- FMZ Expansion Appropriately grow the acreage of Fuel Mod Zones citywide to protect against wildfire. High Further design and permitting. Identifying further funding. 2 -- FMZ Maintenance Appropriately fund and maintain new and older FMZs High Ensure that annual budgets have enough resources to appropriately accomplish maintenance
Identifying further funding. Heavy rain years like this make it more expensive.
3 -- Community Education Provide great community eduction and drills to accomplish best in class community response to wildfires. High Presentations begin March 2026. N/A - Underway 4 -- Improving Cell Phone
Coverage
Working with CDD and carries to place more macro-sites (with 8 hours of power) across the community.
Will continue to meet with carriers to guage interest in expanding sites.
Need to consider code changes to add more certainty to the carriers' placement concepts.
5 -- EOC Construction Construction of a new Emergency Operations Center High Council award on 2-24 Ordering long-lead items.
Stewardship City Manager's Office Lead
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
8 Attachment 1
Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
6 -- Rightsizing
Services/Surge
City's role is to upsize and downsize services to meet demands, enforce laws, reduce impacts. High Considered within Mid-Year budget and FY 26-27 Budget. Funding constraints 7 -- Messaging with VLB Improving messaging such that visitors to LB help protect what's special to us all. High VLB taking the lead on most messaging City's communication effort has been adjusted.
Fiscal Sustainability Finance and CM's Office Lead
8 -- Cost Reductions Work to reduce expenditures via a prioritization consistent with community and Council wishes. High FY 26-27 Budget Workshops and presentation of Mid-Year Budget Takeaways are tough. 9 -- Revenue Measure
Discussion Inform the community as to a possible revenue measure in Fall 2026 High Town halls and community meetings across 2026 Community will naturally have a reluctance to approve new revenues unless they are confident that we're doing all we can to reduce costs.
10 -- Economic Development Improve the City's business climate by assisting private sector entities with City processes.
High Ongoing
City's processes remain cumbersome - DR Efficiency
Ordinance will help, as will updates to Special Events
permitting.
9 Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
Advanced Planning Efforts CDD and CAO Lead
11 -- CZCU Update the Zoning Code to reflect modern practices - focus on parking standards outside of downtown and ODS first High Reports will come in and be considered in public meetings and hearings, including at PC
ODS will remain controversial in some quarters, given how different it is from Design Review.
12 -- Objective Design
Standards ("ODS") required by the State for many housing efforts - a parallel pathway to Design Review High ODS will remain controversial in some quarters, given how different it is from Design Review. 13 -- General Plan Update Would include an update of Housing Element and Open Space Element, among others (possibly Safety update) High Will be fairly extensive -- we'll bring a workplan back before May 2026.
The Housing Element's next iteration will be very challenging to accomplish (likely to include our current RHNA gap and an entirely new RHNA assignment)
14 -- Local Coastal Program
Update Would be in concert with the GP update. High Will be fairly extensive -- we'll bring a workplan back before May 2026. Goal is a stand-alone LCP. Must be approved by the Coastal Commission, too. 16 -- DR Efficiency Ordinance Reducing the amount of projects that need to go through DR. High Set for PC on March 18, 2026 Because this would mean less projects go through detailed DR, community members will have varying levels of support and concern.
17 -- Historic Resources Mgmt Ensuring that historic properties are managed correctly and appropraitely preserved Medium Aspects of this will be on the 2-24 agenda 10 Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
18 -- DSP, Phase II Implementing 2nd and 3rd story housing in the downtown, per Housing Element. High Completion of the EIR (we're in the public comment period now for the NOP)
Already an issue with significant community discussion - EIR will drive further dialogue.
19 -- Outdoor Dining
Ordinance Program to replace the interim outdoor dining program started in 2020 Medium Draft policy and ordinance language Project is on hold pending staff availability 20 -- Mills Act Program Review of best practices to determine if updates to City’s program are needed Medium Research best practices from other jurisdications. Right now, we've paused accepting new applications Project is on hold pending staff availability 21 -- View Preservation and
Restoration Update
Updates to reflect lessons learned and best practices identified since the program’s inception
Medium
Conduct a comprehensive review of recommendations from
the View Preservation Committee and staff to identify potential ordinance updates
Project is on hold pending staff availability
22 -- Eviction Noticing
Updates Updates to noticing and reporting requirments for tenant evictions Medium Staff-led project with input and coordination from the Housing and Human Services Committee Project is on hold pending staff availability 23 Community & Recreation
Center - Zoning Overlay Project is on hold pending staff availability 24 -- Fee Study Hire Third party consultant to complete a comprehensive fee study for all CD fees, last study conducted in 2021
Medium Draft an RFP Project is on hold pending staff availability Other Time-Intensive
Efforts Description Level of Priority Next Steps Hurdles 11 Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
Public Works
25 Aliso Beach Parking Lot Re-doing the parking lot with either minor or major changes High Bid out and complete the work. Determination generally made to re-stripe ocean lot "as is," try to ID more spaces in the inland lot.
26 Laguna Canyon Road
Relinquishment Deciding if accepting LCR from Caltrans is the right decision for the City. High Bring a detailed staff report to Council by April 2026. Dealine to respond to the $14.4M is 6-30-26.
Caltrans' limitations and regulations, proper fact gathering and transmittal, understanding all options.
27 Playground MP - Village
Green Modifying or replacing the VG playground High Seek input from the entity that did the current improvements. Ensuring appropriate safety and ADA compliance, respecting long-time community wishes and ideas.
28 Fire Station #4 Constructing S Laguna's Fire Station High Demolition is pending, but slightly delayed due to a bird nest.
Bid wall construction in March. Return to PC on March 18 for consultation of colors, surface materials.
Bid pricing and identification of any additional funds needed. 29 Promenade Construction Completing the Project. High Underway if it stops raining. Getting it done with minimal disruption to businesses and the downtown.
30 Undergrounding
12 Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
31 -- Citywide District
Undergrounding
Dividing up and costing out the remainder of the city's neighborhoods with above-ground utilities.
Medium Study underway Gaining support from property owners to approve the districts. 32 -- Woods Cove A project nearing completion. High Individual residents' connnections Several properties to coordinate in a timely mannner. 33 -- West Street Construction of underground infrastructure to start March 9. High Construction of underground infrastructure. Narrow roadways and neighborhood impacts. 34 -- Fairview/La Brea Bond sale to be presented to City Council in April. High Complete bond sale. 35 -- Old TOW A project just recently activated for preliminary design and assessment report. Medium Initiate utility agreements and designs. Acquisition of public utility easements over private street. 36 Downtown Improvements -
Ocean and Beach Streetscape improvements on Ocean and part of Beach St. Medium Design underway. Planning Commission hearing scheduled for March 2026. Funding identification within CIP. 37 Tree Approach Deciding whether we crown-reduce or lightly trim trees (or something in between), replacement plantings, tree removal noticing, ways to reduce liability, more.
Medium Plan to bring back an update to Council in March 2026 Community disagreement, community planning documents are prescriptive.
13 Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
38 Library Renovation A County - City project to renovate the OCPL branch in Laguna Medium Project is with architect now - request for expanded scope to be presented to City Council on March 10 for consideration. Some desire to see a larger project with an additional level. 39 Wastewater Gov Study
(w/CMO) How should our wastewater function be staffed, benchmarked, governed, placed? HIgh About to bring on consultant after RFP - March 2026 Could involve contracting out or realigning WW service model, could recommend different staffing.
Community Development
40 Current Planning Pacing Keeping the Zoning Plan Check (ZPC) backlog a thing of the past. HIgh CDD staff will regularly update the Council and community Very dependent upon staff capability and #s of applications in. 41 Building Dept Staffing Speeding up our review and inspection timing. HIgh Hiring new inspectors now, working with contractors for more inspection time. Tight labor market for these roles - even in the consultant field. 42 Code Enforcement - Villa
Rockledge Protecting this resource on the National Historic Register HIgh Possible receivership Expensive property, extensive costs to remedy problems, accessibilty/interest of owner. 14 Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
43 View Preservation /
Restoration Orders Deciding whether this system should continue versus be sunsetted soon. Medium TBD - Council conversation soon. System is challeging to implement, equally challenging and costly to secure compliance.
Human Resources
44 Class and Comp Study Evaluating where we are and should be in the marketplace for City employees. HIgh Finalizing by April 2026 Expensive to fully implement, extensive negotiations ahead.
Finance
45 Tyler Implementation Finishing the activation of our Enterprise Resource Planning software HIgh Close to full implementation now Bug-removing. 46 Catching our Audit
Schedule Up Getting annual audits done by December 31 of each year HIgh Current auditors making progress on their first year Keeping appropriate staffing in Finance. 15 Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
47 CD Fee Catch-up Bringing CD fees up to inflation and closer to full cost recovery. HIgh Simple to do if we inflate 2021 study. Goal is to do that for the FY 26-27 budget adoption. Community education and reaction. 48 Impact Fee Study (w/CD,
CM, CAO)
Ensuring we are charging new development / significant redevelopment a fee that can be used for parks, housing, and more when a new project impacts City services and programs.
Medium
Project halted with consultant. Planning to contract with another consultant; possible funding issue to address with MidYear Budget.Community education and reaction. 49 Sewer Rate Study (w/PW) Combining our Wasterwater Master Plan goals with our operational costs to ensure we are collecting appropriate fees to run the WW system.
Medium Planned for work in Fall 2026 once Benchmarking is done, Prop 218 hearings in early 2027. Community education and reaction.
Transit & Community
Services
50 Trolley Rightsizing If Trolley schedules are reduced, what's the most efficient reduction? HIgh Study underway now. Could be a takeaway from existing service levels 51 Trolley RFP Competitively bid Trolley operations HIgh Preparing RFP now - expect to go out to bid early March Could be a challenge to get multiple vendors 16 Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
52 Laguna Local Rightsizing If Laguna Local schedules are reduced, what's the most efficient reduction? What about a fare? HIgh Study underway now. Could be a takeaway from existing service levels 53 Laguna Local RFP Competitively bid Local operations HIgh Preparing RFP now as part of the Trolley RFP Could be a challenge to get multiple vendors 54 Pool and Related JUA With new pool nearing, update overall Joint Use Agreement Medium Should be done by end of 2026 No significant hurdles right now, besides fitting into workloads. 55 Holiday Lighting Decision Decide w/Chamber next iteration of holiday lights, issue RFP. Medium Should decide by April 2026 Community is used to certain type and level of decorations 56 Parking Rate CDP Update parking rates for next 5 years High Passed by Planning Commission on February 18, 2026 57 South Laguna Parking
Expansion New pay stations along PCH in South Laguna High Staff to meet with CCC to explore a pilot project S of Aliso Beach, coast side of PCH Obtaining CDP and getting new parking approved that was not perviously designated as paid parking.
17 Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
58 Updating Special Events
Code and Policies Improving and reducing bureacraticness of Special Event process Medium Coming back to Council on March 24, 2026 59 Centennial Preparation Coordinating the City's 100th birthday celebration, with VLB and Chamber High Identify funding source and candidate(s) for lead consultant or Limited Term staff
Identfying best funding source - maybe City's share of TMD funds for one year.
60 Bike Pump Track Decide whether and where to have one. Low Site determination is next - possibly something temporary. "low" because of funding and workload capacity. No identified resources to fund construction or to go through site process.
Marine Safety
61 Tower Replacement
Program Ongoing replacement of temp towers with enclosed and mounted towers Medium Ongoing as budget allows A workplace safety measure to reduce LG exposure to sun's rays / skin cancer
62 Title 18 Updates (with Rec) Improving beach safety regulations Medium Planned to be brought back to Council in March or April 2026 May involve phasing in some changes to ensure better public compliance.
63 Coastal Observation
Cameras Improving beach safety Medium Ongoing as budget allows Adding cameras to properties that the city doesn't own. Requires an agreement with the property owner. 18 Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
64 Lifeguard Tower
Communication Improving beach safety and lifeguard infastructure Medium Ongoing as budget allows Provide improved communication for lifeguard towers in South Laguna. The towers in South Laguna didn't have a hard-wired connection to Marine Safety Dispatch when the city assumed operations in 2023.
CMs Office
65 Aliso Creeek Estuary Doing environmental work for this project. Medium EIR is underway, anticipated to be done in Fall 2026 Funding for construction of the project. 66 Hospital Response / Action
Plan
Devise the community and City's response to a pending change at Mission Hospital, Laguna Beach High Ad Hoc Committee formed, will outline possible steps in March 2026
67 Dog Park - PMMC - Pantry
Master Plan
Improve circulation and placement of these three (and more) competing interests along Laguna Canyon Road
Medium CM has met with folks individually, will attempt to meet as a larger group first part of March 2026 Various levels of agreement/disagreement as to next steps. 68 Fiscal Sustainability
Discussions
Inform the Council and community of next steps to make City gov't more fiscally sustainable. High Ongoing with Town Halls and Community Forums 19 Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
69 Revamp of
Communications
Better communicate with residents and businesses. Medium ACM working on a plan that would improve comms and save $$ from last full-staffing scenario
70 Property sales/acquisition Consider where to sell property, acquite open space, appraise, more. Medium Ongoing. 71 City Charter (with CAO) Prepare for November 2026 ballot measure Medium Further refinement of draft Charter for public and Council review. As a reminder, this can only be approved by the voters. 72 LCAD - Housing and Parking
(w/CAO)
Respond to inquiries from LCAD as to housing and parking needs as the Campus changes.
Medium Action item on parking for 2024, housing application going through process.
73 CRC Options Analysis What are the best options / future for the Community and Recreation Center? High Need to issue an RFP for a real estate partner, conduct Surplus Land Act analysis
Council action will likely be dependent on outcome of real estate partner's study.
74 Faciilities Master Plan
(FMP) Approach Now that it's about done, pick a pathway and cost and phase it out. High Will come to Council on Feb 24th, 2026 Key issue will be what can be funded and when. 20 Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
75 NCC Church Housing Follow-up on actions relating to this 29-unit affordable housing project at the Neighborhood Congregational Church. High
Staff is working with NCC and the developer to complete the submittal. The project is expected to be presented to the Planning Commission for review in April or May. A funding request will also be brought forward to the City Council for consideration during that timeframe.
The timing is contingent upon the applicant providing a complete submittal to the City for review and preparation for the Planning Commission.
76 New CAD system (w/IT, PD,
Fire, MS) A major IT item to migrate to a new Computer Aided Dispatch model. High Next steps include a series of trainings, software
configurations, and hardware buildouts through project
completion, which is anticipated in October 2026.
77 Receivership Issues -
MOM/Investco, Hotel
Laguna
Address needs that arise in this private-sector BK case. Medium No news yet on a possible owner for these properties. City's role has been to brief potential buyers on Coastal and code issues.
78 Pacific Edge Hotel Planning Assist the Pacific Edge redevelopment team to scerute entitlements, permits, and to rapidly remodel this hotel. High Ongoing. Next step is Coastal call-up in April 2026 79 Envisio Implementation Tracks City Council goals and priorities, and provides transparent reporting to Council and the public High Finalize the framework and KPIs, set up and integrate data, provide training to departments Other
21 Date: Feb 24, 2026
2026 Key and Other Priorities Summary
80 Irvine Bowl Use Plan
(w/CAO) Deciding how to increase concert and event use at the Irvine Bowl. High Neighborhood impacts, getting to a consensus on sound levels, sound systems, amounts of events. 22