STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date:
May 26, 2026
CONSENT
6 SUBJECT: RECEIVE AND FILE CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH FACILITIES MASTER PLAN
FINAL REPORT
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Receive and file the Facilities Master Plan Final Report; and
2. Find that the recommended action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, as it does not constitute a project.
SUMMARY OF THE MATTER
.This report presents the City of Laguna Beach Facilities Master Plan (FMP), prepared by Griffin Structures, and recommends that the City Council receive and file the final report. The FMP provides a comprehensive evaluation of 26 City-owned and leased facilities totaling over 318,000 square feet and establishes a longrange strategy for facility modernization, consolidation, and capital investment (Attachment 1). The Plan also identifies significant long-term facility needs, including an estimated $314 million in anticipated maintenance expenditures as well as a number of capital improvements depending on scope and scenarios over a 20-year horizon, and outlines a phased implementation strategy to address public safety, operational efficiency, and community-serving facility priorities.
The FMP is a planning-level document that does not authorize any specific capital project, funding commitment, or construction activity at this time. Instead, it is intended to guide future Capital Improvement Program (CIP) planning, budget development, and policy decisions. Implementation of the Plan is structured in phases (or tranches) to align with fiscal capacity, beginning with near-term public safety and resiliency investments estimated at approximately $25 million, followed by additional phases addressing administrative consolidation and long-term recreational and facility redevelopment needs.
DISCUSSION
Background
The City initiated the Facilities Master Plan as a strategic effort to evaluate the condition, functionality, and long-term needs of its municipal facilities. The Plan was developed through a comprehensive and collaborative process that included technical assessments, stakeholder engagement, and community outreach over approximately 12 months.
The FMP evaluates 26 City-owned and leased facilities and incorporates facility condition assessments, space needs analysis, conceptual planning, and cost modeling to develop a long-term strategy for capital investment.
The Facilities Master Plan identifies several critical findings:
• Significant Deferred Maintenance Needs: Approximately $314 million in long-term facility maintenance and upgrades are projected over a 20-year period.
RECEIVE AND FILE CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH FACILITIES MASTER PLAN FINAL REPORT
May 26, 2026
• Space Deficiencies: The City has a projected shortfall of 62,000 square feet City operations due to outdated and undersized facilities.
• Public Safety Priorities: Immediate needs include upgrades to fire stations, police facilities, and marine safety infrastructure.
• Operational Inefficiencies: Administrative services are distributed across multiple locations, limiting coordination and efficiency.
• Community Demand: Public input emphasized priorities such as library improvements, recreation facilities, cultural arts space, and parking solutions.
Projects identified within the Facilities Master Plan were prioritized using a strategic framework that considered facility condition, deferred maintenance, life safety needs, operational deficiencies, implementation feasibility, and community priorities identified throughout the planning and outreach process.
Implementation Strategy
The FMP establishes a phased, long-term implementation strategy to align facility improvements with City Council priorities. The Council, through multiple workshops, agreed to and approved on February 28, 2026 (Attachment 2), a strategy to move forward with implementing recommendations outlined in the Addendum of the FMP final report:
• Tranche 1 (Years 0–5):
Focuses on immediate public safety and resiliency needs, including fire station improvements, library upgrades, ADA improvements, and evaluation of parking and City Hall expansion. . • Tranche 2 (Years 5–10):
Includes administrative consolidation, City Hall expansion, and potential Police Department expansion.
• Tranche 3 (Years 10–20):
Addresses long-term recreational and facility redevelopment needs, including improvements to Lang Park and the reconstruction of the fire station.
This phased approach allows the City Council to prioritize critical investments while maintaining flexibility to adapt to future funding opportunities and community needs.
The conceptual planning effort also highlighted the significant physical and regulatory constraints associated with many City facilities and sites. Limited parking availability, coastal development requirements, constrained parcel sizes, steep topography, and operational continuity needs introduce substantial complexity to future redevelopment efforts. In several cases, the conceptual studies explored vertical or subterranean development strategies to accommodate projected facility needs within the City’s
RECEIVE AND FILE CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH FACILITIES MASTER PLAN FINAL REPORT
May 26, 2026
limited real estate footprint. These constraints reinforce the importance of phased implementation, careful long-term planning, and continued evaluation as projects advance toward future feasibility and design efforts.
Action for the City Council
The current action is limited to receiving and filing the Facilities Master Plan. No specific projects, funding allocations, or implementation actions are being approved at this time.
Future actions related to the FMP will return to the City Council for: project-specific approvals through the budget process and approval of the capital improvement program.
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with receiving and filing the Facilities Master Plan. While no funding commitments are being requested at this time, implementation of future Facilities Master Plan recommendations will require significant long-term capital planning and evaluation of potential funding strategies. The Facilities Master Plan identifies a range of potential funding mechanisms that may be explored over time, including Capital Improvement Program allocations, grants, bonds, public-private partnerships, and other financing tools, subject to future City Council direction and approval.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND PRIORITIES
The Facilities Master Plan supports the City Council’s strategic priorities by advancing public safety and resiliency through the modernization of fire, police, and emergency response facilities; promoting fiscal sustainability through long-term capital planning and a phased investment strategy; enhancing infrastructure and service delivery by improving operational efficiency and facility functionality; and improving overall community quality of life through planned enhancements to libraries, parks, recreation, and cultural facilities.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
This action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378 because it does not qualify as a “project.” The Facilities Master Plan is a planninglevel document that evaluates existing facilities and identifies potential future improvements but does not authorize or commit the City to any specific physical development. Any future projects identified in the Plan will be subject to separate CEQA review, as required
ATTACHMENTS
1. Facilities Master Plan Executive Summary (Pgs. 5-19) Facilities Master Plan – Entire Report (Please be patient, large document to download)
2. February 28, 2026 Council meeting, approval of Facilities Master Plan Approach https://lagunabeachcity.primegov.com/viewer/preview?id=0&type=8&uid=b00f8f36-5aac-4c22- 8fb1-07517e6f5c4d
3. October 28, 2025 Study Session
RECEIVE AND FILE CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH FACILITIES MASTER PLAN FINAL REPORT
May 26, 2026
Staff Report
https://lagunabeachcity.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=2814&meta_id=2408 01 YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCtRgbZG7Ec
4. June 24, 2025 Study Session Staff Report and minutes Staff Report:
https://lagunabeachcity.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=2703&meta_id=2277 96 Minutes:
https://lagunabeachcity.granicus.com/DocumentViewer.php?file=lagunabeachcity_34c031a7294df b3f8fd48da64e1cda99.pdf&view=1
5. April 24, 2025, Town Hall Presentation and YouTube Video • Facilities Master Plan Town Hall Agenda and Facilities Concepts https://www.lagunabeachcity.net/home/showpublisheddocument/21912/638803029528670000
6. November 12, 2024, City Council Study Session
https://www.lagunabeachcity.net/home/showpublisheddocument/20848/638699589466870000
7. November 24, 2024, Town Hall Presentation and YouTube video
8. October 22, 2024 Facilities Master Plan Update
https://www.lagunabeachcity.net/home/showpublisheddocument/20846/638699587447770000 • Facilities Master Plan Town Hall Meeting YouTube Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FrVRVTbU_Q
Submitted By:
. Approved:
.Click or tap here to enter text.David A
Kiff
Gavin Curran, Assistant City
Manager
Dave Kiff, City Manager
Report Prepared By: Coordinated With:
Gavin Curran, Assistant City Manager