MINUTES
LAGUNA BEACH CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
April 28, 2026
A Study Session of the City Council of the City of Laguna Beach was called to order on Tuesday, April 28, 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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POLICY CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE VERY HIGH FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONER
Presentation and Discussion: Staff provided a presentation and responded to Councilmember questions. In response to Councilmember Bob Whalen's question, Assistant City Attorney clarified that the policy questions do not relate to ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units).
Public Testimony: Matt Lawson, James Dockstader, Tom Gibbs, David Horne, and Ann Christoph commented on the topic.
City Council Direction:
Question 1: Should the City continue allowing broad use of AM&Ms for core access issues, or narrow that practice? The City Council expressed support for limiting AM&M practice, treating it as a last resort when code compliance is otherwise infeasible. The City Council acknowledged that past AM&M approvals were not necessarily unsafe on an individual basis, but that a cumulative, site-by-site approach may leave broader community safety needs unmet. Examples of appropriate AM&M exceptions include on-site water reservoirs to offset a hose-lay distance deficiency, where equivalent safety is demonstrably achieved. The City Council directed staff to return with more clearly defined parameters.
In response to the question of whether residential fire code review should be returned to the Fire Marshal, noting that commercial properties are reviewed by the Fire Marshal rather than the Building Official, staff clarified the current bifurcated system (single-family/duplex via Building Official; commercial via Fire Marshal) and noted the change was made pursuant to previous City Council direction. Staff indicated either approach is achievable but that keeping review within the Building Division maintains permit system efficiency. The City Council expressed interest in exploring whether the Fire Marshal should have direct Laguna Beach City Council Study Session Minutes April 28, 2026 approval authority over AM&M determinations, recognizing a preference for preserving staff processing efficiency. Staff noted that pending Zone Zero regulations from the State may necessitate additional Fire review capacity within the Building Division process.
Question 2: Which fire access requirements should be treated as non-negotiable baseline standards? The City Council expressed general support for treating street width and evacuation-related standards as the highest priority for non-negotiable compliance. The City Council directed staff to return with more specific and prescriptive parameters, including grade thresholds, with concrete examples. Staff indicated they would bring back tiered examples for further discussion, including scenarios illustrating when AM&M approval would and would not be appropriate.
Question 3: How should projects currently in the pipeline or under review be treated? The City Council expressed general support for a pipeline provision; however, revocable encroachment permits (REPs) are discretionary and should not be grandfathered in the same manner.
Question 4: At what level of development should compliance be triggered? The City Council directed staff to return with a tiered compliance framework with options for thresholds below the major remodel level. Windows, siding, garage door replacement, and similar maintenance-category work should be excluded from triggering compliance requirements. Simple bathroom and kitchen remodels should also generally be excluded.
Whereas additions of square footage, additional rooms, or increases in intensity of use should be treated as triggers. The City Council also directed staff to bring back options in requiring removal of right-of-way encroachments even for projects below the major remodel threshold.
Question 5: What frontage or right-of-way improvements should be required when triggers are met? The City Council expressed support for staff's centerline approach and directed that all recommendations be analyzed for nexus and proportionality consistent with applicable constitutional requirements. The City Council also directed staff to develop specific turnaround scenarios for new construction, road extensions, and subdivisions versus infill redevelopment, acknowledging that conditions cannot be imposed requiring third-party compliance. The City Council also directed staff to develop an inventory of known encroachments and existing REPs to inform future policy.
Question 6: Any additional areas for staff to address in returning policy documents? The City Council also provided the following additional direction:
• Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for Priority Streets: The City Council expressed strong interest in staff evaluating a CIP approach targeting the most critically constrained streets identified in the City's evacuation study, rather than relying solely on incremental improvement through project conditions.
• Intermediate Access Improvements: The City Council directed staff to identify near- term options short of full CIP projects, including elimination of on-street parking on -2-
Laguna Beach City Council Study Session Minutes April 28, 2026 constrained streets. Staff noted the City has already expanded its red flag parking program on certain streets and banned parking on one side of at least one constrained street. • General Plan Update: Community Development Director Matt Schneider noted that a comprehensive look at the City's Circulation Element, evacuation planning, and interrelated fire safety policies is contemplated as part of a General Plan update, and that this topic will be included in the forthcoming request for proposals.
• ADUs in High Fire Risk Areas: The City Council directed staff to explore whether the City can join other similarly situated cities in lobbying the State for an exemption from ADU mandates in high fire risk areas, or whether other legitimate fire-access-based restrictions are available.
• Encroachment / Right-of-Way Inventory: The City Council directed staff to compile an inventory of recorded encroachments and unexercised easements to support future access improvement planning, with particular attention to neighborhoods with the most constrained roadways.
ADJOURNMENT
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There being no further business, Mayor Orgill at 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 28, 2026, adjourned to Closed Session, then to the Regular City Council Meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at City Hall, 505 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach California. ****************
Approved: May 12, 2026
Quit
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. -3-