To preserve and enhance the unique village character of Laguna Beach June 7, 2026
City Council
RE: Item #8 On-call consultant services
There have been problems with the on-call consultant services authorizaEons when applied to projects like Main Beach, various downtown projects and the item on tonight’s agenda, South Laguna Village Green. With the proposed prequalificaEon authorizaEon system there is no council-reviewed Request for Proposal. This gives no opportunity to review a proposed scope of work or to alert the public to a project in process. Recently these projects have not typically included a public parEcipaEon process at the beginning of the work. Projects have had to be extensively revised when the project finally appears on a public agenda, increasing costs and public frustraEon. And would the projects have been more inspired if the designers had that input to begin with?
In the past projects of high usage, visibility and community importance began with public review processes that included scope of work and compeEEve proposals from interested consultants. These proposals would explain their approach to the project and suggested public input process. This approach gives the opportunity for consultants who are parEcularly qualified for a specific project to propose on it, even though they are not included in an approved Master List. This opens possibiliEes for local, smaller firms, familiar with our city to contribute their knowledge to our city projects.
Finally, Council choice of consultant would be made at a public meeEng.
This no longer occurs, and staff just announces that they have selected one of the consultants from the approved list. This system is not serving the Council and the public well. Please reconsider this approach and defer approval of the proposed master list.
Merrill Anderson
President, Village Laguna