The Coastal Commission subsequently determined that the City’s LCP amendment submittal was incomplete because the City did not transmit the LCP amendment through a resolution but rather through an ordinance and resolution and the City did explicitly find that it would implement its certified LCP in 2222 of 888000888
DR EFFICIENCY ORDINANCE AND AMENDED DR GUIDELINES: COASTAL ACT
CONFORMITY
September 22, 2026
conformity with the Coastal Act. The proposed resolution attached as Attachment 1 attaches the ordinance and resolution as exhibits to a resolution so that a resolution can be submitted to the California Coastal Commission for review and provides the required certification—all without modifying the previously adopted DR Efficiency Ordinance and Resolution amending the Design Guidelines – A Guide to Residential Development.
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
The recommended action has no financial impact to the budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
On July 21, 2026, the City Council found that the project consisting of adoption of Ordinance No. 1730, which amended Titles 21, 22, and 25 of the Laguna Beach Municipal Code, and Resolution No. 26.059, which amended the Design Guidelines, and adoption of Urgency Ordinance No. 1732 (the “Project”) was categorically exempt from CEQA under State CEQA Guidelines section 15301. That exemption applies to the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. As a separate and independent basis, the City Council also found that the Project was statutorily exempt from CEQA under State CEQA Guidelines section 15265, which states that CEQA does not apply to activities and approvals pursuant to the Coastal Act necessary for the preparation and adoption of a local coastal program because the Coastal Commission’s local coastal program review and approval procedures have been found to be functionally equivalent to the environmental review process. The City Council determines that, in accordance with CEQA, the recommended actions are implementing actions of the Project and are exempt from CEQA under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 and, alternatively, Section 15265 for the same reasons set forth in the CEQA Notice of Exemption (NOE) that was filed with the Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation and the Orange County Clerk-Recorder on July 23, 2026. There have been no changes to the Project, no changed circumstances, and no new information that could not previously have been known, that would trigger the need for subsequent CEQA review. Upon taking the recommended actions, City staff will cause a Notice of Exemption in connection with this action to be filed with the County Recorder’s Office and State Clearinghouse within five days.
ATTACHMENTS
1. City Council Resolution
2. Ordinance No. 1730
3. City Council Resolution No. 26.059
Submitted By: Matthew Schneider Approved: .David A Kiff Matthew Schneider, Director of
Community Development
Dave Kiff, City Manager
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DR EFFICIENCY ORDINANCE AND AMENDED DR GUIDELINES: COASTAL ACT
CONFORMITY
September 22, 2026
Report Prepared By: Coordinated With:
Anthony Viera, Deputy Director of Community
Development, Community Development
Jane Abzug, Assistant City Attorney
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RESOLUTION NO. 26.XXX
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, FINDING THAT ORDINANCE
NO. 1730, WHICH STREAMLINES THE DESIGN REVIEW AND
OTHER PERMIT PROCESSES, AND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. 26.059, WHICH AMENDS THE DESIGN
GUIDELINES – A GUIDE TO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT,
ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE CERTIFIED LAGUNA BEACH
COASTAL LAND USE PLAN AND CHAPTER 6 OF THE
CALIFORNIA COASTAL ACT, AFFIRMING THE CITY’S INTENT
TO IMPLEMENT ITS CERTIFIED LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM
IN A MANNER FULLY IN CONFORMITY WITH THE
CALIFORNIA COASTAL ACT, AND FINDING THE ACTION
EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY ACT UNDER CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15301 OR
ALTERNATIVELY 15265
WHEREAS, the City of Laguna Beach, California (“City”) is a municipal corporation, duly organized under the constitution and laws of the State of California; and WHEREAS, the City is located within the California State Coastal Zone; and WHEREAS, the California Coastal Act (“Coastal Act”) is a comprehensive scheme governing land use planning for the state’s entire coastal zone; and WHEREAS, as part of its enactment, the Legislature made several findings related to the Coastal Act’s purpose: (1) the coastal zone “is a distinct and valuable natural resource of vital and enduring interest to all the people”; (2) that “permanent protection of the state’s natural and scenic resources is of paramount concern”; (3) that “it is necessary to protect the ecological balance of the coastal zone”; and (4) that “existing developed uses, and future developments that are carefully planned and developed consistent with the policies of [the Coastal Act], are essential to the economic and social well-being of the people of this state. . . .” (Pub. Res. Code §§ 30001(a), (d)); and 555 of 888000888
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WHEREAS, the Coastal Act is “interpreted liberally to accomplish its objectives” and relies heavily on local governments “[t]o achieve maximum responsiveness to local conditions, accountability, and public accessibility. . . .” (Pub. Res. Code § 30004(a); Pub. Res. Code § 30009).
The Coastal Act requires local governments to develop local coastal programs (“LCPs”), comprised of a land use plan and implementing ordinances, to promote the Coastal Act’s objectives. (Id.; see also Pub. Res. Code §§ 30001.5; 30500–30526.) Once the California Coastal Commission certifies a local government’s program, the Coastal Commission delegates authority over coastal development permits to the local government. (Pub. Res. Code §§ 30519(a); 30600.5(a)-(c)); and WHEREAS, the City has authority over coastal development permits by virtue of the California Coastal Commission’s January 13, 1993 certification of the City’s LCP. The Coastal Act allows the Coastal Commission to specify, by regulation, those classes of development which involve a risk of adverse environmental effect and require coastal development permits. (Pub. Res. Code § 30610.) Through its certified LCP, the City has the authority to specify those classes of development which involve a risk of adverse environmental effect and require coastal development permit; and WHEREAS, as recognized by the Coastal Commission, the City’s LCP is comprised of a Land Use Plan and an Implementation Plan. The Land Use Plan consists of several planning documents, including, but not limited to, the Coastal Land Use Plan Technical Appendix (“Coastal Technical Appendix”) and the General Plan’s Land Use and Open Space/Conservation Elements. The LCP’s Implementation Plan is comprised of numerous resources, including, among other things, Laguna Beach Municipal Code Title 25 (Zoning Code), Title 22 (Excavation and Grading), Title 16 666 of 888000888
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(Water Quality), and the Design Guidelines.1, 2 The documents that collectively comprise the City’s certified LCP are publicly accessible on the City’s website (linked in footnote 2, below); and WHEREAS, periodically the City identifies sections of its LCP and Municipal Code that are outdated, unclear, conflict with other Municipal Code sections, or warrant modifications to improve or enhance the functions and operations of the City; and WHEREAS, in early 2024, City staff began considering measures to address backlog and improve processing within the Community Development Department and began drafting an ordinance; and
WHEREAS, on October 1, 2024, the City held a Community workshop, where it sought feedback on potential solutions to Community Development Department backlog and process, including a Design Review Efficiency Ordinance (“DR Efficiency Ordinance”); and WHEREAS, on October 17, 2024, the City released copy of the DR Efficiency Ordinance to the public and a coversheet summarizing changes and asked for feedback from the public by certain deadline; and
WHEREAS, City staff revised the DR Efficiency Ordinance to address public comments; and
WHEREAS, on March 12, 2025, the City Council, Planning Commission, and Design Review Board met in a joint study session on the DR Efficiency Ordinance; and WHEREAS, City staff revised the DR Efficiency Ordinance to address comments from public, City Council, Planning Commission, and Design Review Board; and 1 See e.g., p. 9 of April 12, 2023 Coastal Commission staff report, which can be accessed at:
https://documents.coastal.ca.gov/reports/2023/4/W12b/W12b-4-2023-report.pdf 2 The materials that collectively comprise the City’s certified LCP can be accessed here:
https://www.lagunabeachcity.net/government/departments/community-development/planningzoning/land-use-plans/local-coastal-program. 777 of 888000888
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WHEREAS, on April 8, 2025, the City Council considered revised version of the DR Efficiency Ordinance based on feedback from public, Planning Commission, and Design Review Board and provided direction to staff to implement modifications and proceed to Planning Commission; and
WHEREAS, City staff revised the DR Efficiency Ordinance to address City Council direction; and
WHEREAS, on July 22, 2025, in recognition of mandated state housing laws, the City Council held a meeting and discussed (1) development of objective design standards for multifamily residential (to implement existing obligation under City's adopted Housing Element) and (2) development of objective design standards for primary dwelling units; and WHEREAS, City staff revised the DR Efficiency Ordinance to address City Council direction; and
WHEREAS, on November 18, 2025, the City Council considered a revised version of the DR Efficiency Ordinance and provided direction to staff to (a) implement modifications; (b) present to Coastal Commission staff; and (c) proceed to Planning Commission; and WHEREAS, City staff revised the DR Efficiency Ordinance to implement City Council direction and submitted it to Coastal Commission staff; and WHEREAS, City staff reviewed two sets of Coastal Commission staff comments and revised the DR Efficiency Ordinance; and
WHEREAS, on March 18, 2026, after notice duly given pursuant to Government Code Section 65090 and Public Resources Code Sections 30503 and 30510, the Planning Commission of the City of Laguna Beach considered the DR Efficiency Ordinance. As part of the DR Efficiency Ordinance, the City proposes to consolidate the 16 design review criteria in Laguna Beach 888 of 888000888
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Municipal Code Section 25.05.040(H) into 11 criteria by removing the following criteria: Design Integrity; Public Art; Sign Quality; Sustainability; and Swimming Pools, Spas, and Water Features; in conjunction with corresponding changes to the Design Guidelines - A Guide to Residential Development (the “Design Guidelines”) to remove the same set of criteria. After conducting a public hearing, the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council adopt the DR Efficiency Ordinance (MC Amendment 2026-0381) and an amendment to the City’s certified Local Coastal Program (LCPA 2026-0382); and
WHEREAS, the DR Efficiency Ordinance and the DR Guidelines are both components of the City’s certified Local Coastal Program; and
WHEREAS, City staff revised the DR Efficiency Ordinance to implement Planning Commissions’ direction; and
WHEREAS, City staff reviewed a third set of Coastal Commission staff comments and revised the DR Efficiency Ordinance; and
WHEREAS, on May 11, 2026, the City Council held a public hearing and considered the first reading of the DR Efficiency Ordinance and provided direction to City staff; and WHEREAS, City staff revised the DR Efficiency Ordinance to address City Council direction; and
WHEREAS, on June 23, 2026, the City Council conducted a legally noticed public hearing and reviewed and considered all documents, testimony, and other evidence presented as a first reading of the DR Efficiency Ordinance and voted to introduce the DR Efficiency Ordinance with modifications; and
WHEREAS, on July 21, 2026, the City Council considered the amendment to the City's certified LCP (LCPA 2026-0382), consisting of the DR Efficiency Ordinance and corresponding 999 of 888000888
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amendments to the Design Guidelines. The City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1730, amending Titles 21, 22, and 25 of the Laguna Beach Municipal Code, and Resolution No. 26.059, amending the Design Guidelines, and requested that the Coastal Commission approve and certify the LCP amendment; and
WHEREAS, on July 30, 2026, the City submitted the proposed LCP amendment to the Coastal Commission, together with materials sufficient for a thorough and complete review under Public Resources Code section 30510, subdivision (b); and WHEREAS, on August 13, 2026, the Coastal Commission notified the City that its submittal for Request No. LCP-5-LGB-26-0038-2 was incomplete because Ordinance No. 1730 and Resolution No. 26.059 did not state that the LCP amendment was intended to be carried out in a manner fully in conformity with the Coastal Act. The Coastal Commission requested a revised resolution satisfying Public Resources Code section 30510, subdivision (a); and WHEREAS, based on all of evidence received at the public hearings on the Ordinance No. 1730 and Resolution No. 26.059, the City Council desires to find and certify that this Resolution and LCP-5-LGB-26-0038-2 is intended to be carried out in a manner fully in conformity with the California Coastal Act. Additionally, the City Council desires to find and certify that this Resolution and LCP-5-LGB-26-0038-2 will be consistent with the Certified Laguna Beach Coastal Land Use Plan and Chapter 6 of the California Coastal Act; and WHEREAS, all other legal perquisites to the adoption of this Resolution have been satisfied.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH DOES RESOLVE:
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SECTION 1. The recitals set forth above are true and correct and are incorporated into this Resolution by this reference.
SECTION 2. The City Council finds that Ordinance No. 1730 and the amendments to the Design Guidelines adopted by Resolution No. 26.059, which are attached as Exhibits "A" and "B" to this Resolution, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference, will be consistent with the certified Laguna Beach Coastal Land Use Plan and Chapter 6 of the Coastal Act. The City Council further affirms its intent to implement the Local Coastal Program in a manner fully in conformity with the Coastal Act.
SECTION 3. The City Council hereby requests that the California Coastal Commission consider, approve, and certify the Local Coastal Program amendment to as set forth in Exhibit “A” and Exhibit “B” attached to this Resolution and incorporated herein by this reference, in accordance with the Coastal Act and its regulations. The City Council hereby acknowledges that, if the California Coastal Commission certifies the amendment without any suggested modifications, the amendment is effective immediately pursuant to 14 CCR Section 13544(b). If the California Coastal Commission conditionally certifies the amendment with suggested modifications, however, the amendment is effective upon the City’s acknowledgement of receipt of the California Coastal Commission’s action, the City’s acceptance and agreement to any such terms and modifications, and the City’s final action to satisfy the terms and modifications pursuant to 14 CCR Section 13544(c).
SECTION 4. The Director of Community Development is hereby authorized and directed to submit this resolution, together with any appropriate supporting materials, to the California Coastal Commission.
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SECTION 5. On July 21, 2026, the City Council found that the project consisting of adoption of Ordinance No. 1730, which amended Titles 21, 22, and 25 of the Laguna Beach Municipal Code, and Resolution No. 26.059, which amended the Design Guidelines, (the “Project”) was categorically exempt from CEQA under State CEQA Guidelines section 15301.
That exemption applies to the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. As a separate and independent basis, the City Council also found that the Project was statutorily exempt from CEQA under State CEQA Guidelines section 15265, which states that CEQA does not apply to activities and approvals pursuant to the Coastal Act necessary for the preparation and adoption of a local coastal program because the Coastal Commission’s local coastal program review and approval procedures have been found to be functionally equivalent to the environmental review process. The City Council determines that, in accordance with CEQA, the adoption of this resolution is an implementing action of the Project and is exempt from CEQA under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 and, alternatively, Section 15265 for the same reasons set forth in the CEQA Notice of Exemption (NOE) that was filed with the Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation and the Orange County Clerk-Recorder on July 23, 2026. There have been no changes to the Project, no changed circumstances, and no new information that could not previously have been known, that would trigger the need for subsequent CEQA review. City staff is directed to cause a Notice of Exemption in connection with this action to be filed with the County Recorder’s Office and State Clearinghouse within five days of adoption of this Resolution. 11112222 of 888000888
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SECTION 6. The documents and materials that constitute the record of proceedings on which this Resolution has been based are located at City Hall, 505 Forest Avenue Laguna Beach, CA 92651. The custodian of the record of proceedings is the Director of Community Development.
ADOPTED this 22nd day of September, 2026.
Mark Orgill, Mayor
ATTEST:
Ann Marie McKay, City Clerk
I, Ann Marie McKay, City Clerk of the City of Laguna Beach, certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 26.XXX was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of said City held on September 22, 2026, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
City Clerk, City of Laguna Beach, California
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EXHIBIT “A”
Ordinance No. 1730 Amending Title 25 (Zoning), Title 21 (Subdivisions), and Title 22 (Excavating, Grading, and Filling) (the “DR Efficiency Ordinance”), Adopted July 21, 2026 [Attached]
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EXHIBIT “B”
Amended The Design Guidelines - A Guide to Residential Development (the “DR Guidelines”), Adopted July 21, 2026
[Attached]
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Design Guidelines --
A Guide to Residential
Development
City of Laguna Beach
December 7, 2010, amended July 21, 2026
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Welcome to Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach: “a paradise,
an inexhaustible source of
inspiration.”
-artist Marco Sassone, 1979
Laguna Beach is widely known for its
picturesque setting, distinct neighborhoods
and quaint downtown. The characteristics
which make Laguna a desirable place to live
have been cultivated and protected by a unique
review process and wide-ranging development
standards that reflect community values and
design traditions.
Whether you are new to the community and
hoping to build your dream home or a longtime resident desiring to remodel or add onto an existing home, this guide will explain the
process and provide you with an
understanding of the important design criteria
to consider. It will help you to design a project
that meets your needs, while protecting the
very characteristics that provided inspiration
and drew you here initially.
Welcome!
II
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City of Laguna Beach
Residential Design Guidelines
City Council:
Elizabeth Pearson
Mayor Toni Iseman
Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Boyd
Jane Egly Verna Rollinger
Planning Commission:
Linda Dietrich
Norm Grossman
Anne Johnson
Robert Zur Schmiede
Robert J. Whalen
Design Review Board:
Ilse Lenschow
Leslie LeBon
Caren Liuzzi
Ken Sadler
Robin Zur Schmiede
Michael Wilkes
Focus Group:
Bob Chapman
Norm Grossman
Arnold Hano
Bonnie Hano
Leslie LeBon
Lance Polster
Kirk Saunders
Morris Skenderian
Larry Steinle
Geoff Sumich
Robert Zur Schmiede
Department of Community Development, Participating staff:
John Montgomery, Director
Liane Schuller, Zoning Administrator
Susan Kefer, Associate Planner
Martina Speare, Assistant Planner
Margaret Brown, Administrative Assistant
Editor:
Barbara Metzger
Consultant:
Winter & Company
Adopted by City Council:
December 7, 2010
Resolution No. 10.117
City of Laguna Beach:
(949) 497-3311
www.lagunabeachcity.net
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IV
Table of Contents
Section A: Introduction
Chapter 1: Design Review ____________________________________________ 3 Chapter 2: Village Atmosphere ____________________________________ 5 Section B: Design Review Criteria Introduction __________________________________________________________ 7 Chapter 3: Access _____________________________________________________ 9 Chapter 4: Design Articulation ____________________________________ 11 Site Design
Courtyards and Open Space
Building Composition, Architectural Features and Details Garage Design
Chapter 5: Environmental Context ______________________________ 23 Preservation of the Natural Setting Grading
Chapter 6: General Plan Compliance ____________________________ 25 General Plan Elements
Specific Plans
Local Coastal Program
Chapter 7: Historic Preservation __________________________________ 33 Design Considerations for Modifications to a Historic Residence Character-Defining Features
Building Relocation
Chapter 8: Landscaping _____________________________________________ 39 Existing Significant Vegetation
New Plant Materials Hardscape
and Accessories
Water Management in the Landscape
Mechanical Equipment and Service Areas
Landscape Lighting
Chapter 9: Lighting and Glare __________________________________________ 45 Chapter 10: Neighborhood Compatibility ______________________________ 47 Site Analysis
Architectural Compatibility Without Conformity Historical Presence
Lot Coverage
Building Mass, Height and Setbacks
Landscape and Hardscape Design Garage
Design, Placement and Scale
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V
Chapter 11: Privacy ________________________________________________________ 51 Chapter 12: View Equity __________________________________________________ 63 Types of Views
View Equity
Design Considerations
Section C: The Entitlement Process Chapter 13: Governing Documents and Resources ____________________ 69 Laguna Beach Municipal Code
Laguna Beach GIS Database
Landscape and Scenic Highways Resource Document
California Building Standards Code
State Historical Building Code California
Environmental Quality Act
Chapter 14: Administration _______________________________________________ 71 The Design Review Process Coastal
Development Permits Design Review
Process Flowchart Variances
Appendix: glossary a -1
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VI
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A Guide to Residential Development Page 1
Section A
Introduction
The intent of these guidelines is to clarify the criteria that members of the community, the Design Review Board, the Heritage Committee, the Planning Commission, the City Council and design professionals use in the design review process. A series of public workshops and focus-group meetings contributed significantly to their content and structure. This document complements the zoning regulations and General Plan policies.
For ease of reference, the guidelines are divided into three sections and an appendix.
This section (Chapters 1 and 2) summarizes the City’s design review process and outlines typical steps in planning a project.
Section B, “Design Review Criteria” (Chapters 3–12), explains the criteria and offers suggestions for meeting them. Section C, “The Entitlement Process” (Chapters 13 and 14), provides a comprehensive discussion of the City’s entitlement process, including design review and the roles of its approval authorities.
The Appendix contains a glossary of terms commonly used in the design review process.
Interactive exercises at the community workshops included public participation and produced information on
community values.
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Section A: Introduction and Background
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Section A: Introduction and Background
Chapter 1
A Guide to Residential Development Page 3
Design Review
The City of Laguna Beach is committed to protecting its unique character—a combination of spectacular natural features and a unique village atmosphere. Design review plays a large role in protecting the City’s character. Members of the Design Review Board review residential projects on a case-by-case basis using the criteria for sensitive urban design specified in Municipal Code §25.05.040(H), which emphasize respect for context, design creativity, compatibility of scale and the pedestrian experience.
The property development standards contained in the Municipal Code represent the potential maximum development for a given property. The actual development allowed will often be less than the maximum allowed by the code because of localized conditions identified during the design review process. A proposed development that has no variances from the development standards does not have any presumptive development right or “entitlement” to be built to the maximums specified.
In planning a project the applicant’s needs must be balanced with the goals and standards of the design review process. It is often helpful to hire a design professional who is familiar with the process and the criteria used to evaluate projects. Because the City has a wide range of neighborhood contexts (detailed in Chapter 10), thoughtful evaluation of site and neighborhood characteristics, site opportunities and constraints and their relation to project goals is crucial in the initial design stages. The steps outlined on the next page represent a generalized approach to the project planning process.
Hillside development is just one type of development that these design guidelines aim to address.
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Section A: Introduction and Background
Design Guidelines and Design Review
Step 1: Consider the regulatory framework and understand the design review process. ∙ Consult with City staff to determine the relevant development standards. ∙ Become familiar with the Design Review Board proceedings by observing a hearing.
∙ Understand the required approval process for the desired development (see Section C).
Step 2: Analyze the project context.
View the project from a variety of perspectives (from the street and adjacent residences, from streets below, from above) and consider:
∙ Overall character
∙ Natural features
∙ Built environment
∙ Village atmosphere
∙ Neighborhood character/streetscape
∙ Patterns of development (setbacks, building orientation, etc.) ∙ Lot orientation and configuration
∙ Public and private views
∙ Street-edge treatment (public/private space)
∙ Privacy
∙ Building mass, scale and form
∙ Landscaping
Step 3: Evaluate opportunities and constraints.
∙ Environmental context (watercourses, high-value habitat, fuel modification requirements, etc.)
∙ Geological conditions (topography, fault lines, soil conditions, etc.) ∙ Architectural considerations (historic designation, existing architectural style/features, building envelope, etc.)
∙ Lot orientation and configuration
∙ Public and private views
∙ Landscaping
∙ Easements
∙ Access
∙ Relationship to adjacent properties
∙ Other site-specific opportunities and constraints
Step 4: Consider the project’s priorities and requirements. ∙ Define the scope of work and prioritize the goals and requirements of the project. ∙ Balance the project priorities and requirements with the City’s regulatory standards and design review criteria.
∙ Consult with neighbors in a meeting on the site to gather information on and respond to concerns related to the desired project.
Step 5: Prepare a project submittal based on the above considerations. 106
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Section A: Introduction
Chapter 2
A Guide to Residential Development Page 5
Village Atmosphere
Steep cliffs, water-etched coves, rolling hills and deep canyons surrounding a small, flat basin provide the City with much of its natural beauty and have kept it relatively isolated from the explosive growth in the South Orange County area. Citizens’ efforts have created a surrounding greenbelt and limited high-rise development. The preservation of local landmarks, historical development patterns, diversity of design and pedestrian scale have contributed to Laguna’s village atmosphere.
The Laguna Beach area was home to the Native American Ute-Azteca tribe and later the Shoshone-speaking people who inhabited the rich coastal strip. Excavations have revealed a Native American burial ground near Goff Island and a reed house near Crescent Bay.
The North Laguna area was originally part of the San Joaquin Ranch, a Spanish land grant.
Downtown Laguna and South Laguna were never part of a Spanish or Mexican land grant and were available for government-sponsored homesteading. The Timber Cultures Act of 1872 was designed to encourage migration to the “Golden West” by granting 160 acres of land to anyone who planted 10 acres of trees. Families began to arrive in the area to stake out their claims and plant the requisite trees—here the Australian eucalyptus.
Pacific Coast Highway, looking north, before 1939.
Source: Laguna Beach Historical Society.
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Section A: Introduction
Village Atmosphere
By 1888, there were about 15 permanent families in Laguna Beach, and the area had gained a reputation as a lovely seaside resort ideal for summer camping and vacationing. During the summers, seasonal vacationers pitched rows of canvas tents up and down the coastline.
The first noted artist to arrive was Norman St. Clair, who reached Laguna Beach in 1903 by train from Los Angeles and stagecoach from El Toro. He made numerous sketches of the surf, hillsides and lagoons. His fellow plein-air artists were so impressed with his work and his praise of the weather that they began to move to the area and a tradition was born.
Today, signs at the entrances to the City identify
Laguna Beach as an artist colony.
The opening of Pacific Coast Highway on October 9, 1926, was a major catalyst for growth in both Laguna Beach and South Laguna. It attracted not only tourists and film celebrities but also more permanent residents. On June 29, 1927, with a population of 1,900 persons, Laguna Beach became the first incorporated city within south Orange County.
Almost every house built in Laguna Beach prior to 1927 represented vernacular cottage construction. The influence of artists and film people in the 1920s led to individualized architecture often based on styles popular on other continents. The result was an intimate, very low and human-scaled development contributing to a unique village atmosphere.
Infill development occurred in the post–World War II years. The scale and character of housing styles and overall density of the neighborhoods followed the precedent set in the 1920s. That early development established a tradition of custom-designed, human-scale homes constructed of natural materials—houses built in harmony with the natural topography and generously landscaped.
The City’s village atmosphere has been established over generations. Consideration of the village atmosphere is essential to a successful project. Municipal Code §25.05.040(H) defines “village atmosphere” as including
∙ Appropriately scaled development
∙ Diverse and unique architectural designs
∙ Pedestrian orientation
∙ Sensitivity to the natural conditions of the site
*Historic information provided by Karen Turnbull and the Laguna Beach Historical Society 108
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Section B: Design Review Criteria
A Guide to Residential Development Page 7
Section B
Design Review Criteria
The Design Review Board reviews projects on the basis of the applicable property development standards and design review criteria.
The design review criteria that relate to residential development are listed in Municipal Code §25.05.040(H) as follows:
Access
Conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians and other modes of transportation should be minimized by specifically providing for each applicable mode of transportation. Handicapped access shall be provided as required by applicable statutes.
Design Articulation
Within the allowable building envelope, the appearance of building and retaining wall mass should be minimized. Articulation techniques including, but not limited to, separation, offsets, terracing and reducing the size of any one element in the structure may be used to reduce the appearance of mass.
Environmental Context
Development should preserve and, where possible, enhance the City’s scenic natural setting.
Natural features, such as existing heritage trees, rock outcropping, ridgelines and significant watercourses should be protected. Existing terrain should be utilized in the design and grading should be minimized.
General Plan Compliance
The development shall comply with all applicable policies of the General Plan, including all of its elements, applicable specific plans and certified local coastal program.
Historic Preservation
Destruction or alteration to properties with historic significance, as identified by the City’s Historic Resources Inventory or Historic Register, should be avoided whenever possible. Special preservation consideration should be given to any structures over forty-five years old.
Landscaping
Landscaping shall be incorporated as an integrated part of the structure’s design and relate harmoniously to neighborhood and community landscaping themes. View equity shall be an important consideration in the landscape design. The relevant landscaping guidelines contained in the City’s “Landscape and Scenic Highways Resource Document” should be incorporated, as appropriate, in the design and planned maintenance of proposed landscaping. 109
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Lighting and Glare
Adequate lighting for individual and public safety shall be provided in a manner which does not significantly impact neighboring properties. Reflective materials and appurtenances that cause glare or a negative visual impact (e.g., skylights, white rock roofs, high-gloss ceramic tile roofs, reflective glass, etc.) should be avoided or mitigated to a level of insignificance in those locations where those surfaces are visible from neighboring properties.
Neighborhood Compatibility
Development shall be compatible with the existing development in the neighborhood and respect neighborhood character. Neighborhood character is the sum of the qualities that distinguish areas within the city, including historical patterns of development (e.g., structural heights, mass, scale or size), village atmosphere, landscaping themes and architectural styles.
Privacy
The placement of activity areas, (e.g. decks, picture windows and ceremonial or entertainment rooms) in locations that would result in a substantial invasion of privacy of neighboring properties should be minimized.
View Equity
The development, including its landscaping, shall be designed to protect existing views from neighboring properties without denying the subject property the reasonable opportunity to develop as described and illustrated in the city’s “design guidelines.” The “design guidelines” are intended to balance preservation of views with the right to develop property.
Each of these criteria is covered in a chapter in this section. 110
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Chapter 3
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Access
“Conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians and other modes of transportation should be minimized by specifically providing for each applicable mode of transportation.
Handicapped access shall be provided as required by applicable statutes.” -LBMC §25.05.040(H)
In residential areas, access issues involve the movement of cars and people between public and private areas. Public circulation routes, including sidewalks and pathways, must remain accessible with any development. In addition, the orientation of a driveway and its width and surface materials must be designed to accommodate access requirements. Municipal Code §25.53, “Access and Improvement Requirements,” provides information on vehicular access, street improvements, drainage, underground utilities, trash and storage areas, landscaping, relocation or repair of existing improvements, coastal access and public access dedications.
Residential on-site parking generally requires curb cuts to allow for driveway access. Consideration of safe and adequate access should be part of the initial design of a project.
Design Objective: Vehicular access points and on-site parking spaces should be located to facilitate access by all users and to avoid impeding emergency access.
3.1 Design safe and adequate site access.
∙ Provide required Fire Department access around the site. ∙ Maintain a smooth surface transition where a sidewalk crosses the driveway. ∙ Provide the required backup distance and turnaround area. ∙ Locate the driveway entrance so as to minimize the loss of on-street parking.
Locating the required parking for this three-unit
condominium in a below-grade auto court is an
effective solution to minimizing the required curb cuts and providing on-site parking.
Locating a garage at the rear of a residence,
where possible, minimizes traffic and enhances the
streetscape.
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Access
3.2 Minimize paved parking areas.
∙ Avoid excessive driveway width.
∙ Use materials that reduce the amount of
pavement.
3.3 Locate access points to minimize disruption
of pedestrian circulation in neighborhoods
with sidewalks.
3.4 Ensure adequate site visibility over vehicular
traffic and pedestrian safety.
∙ Follow the City’s corner-cutback
design standards (see Municipal Code
§25.50.006).
∙ Consider design solutions such as auto
courts or shared driveways to minimize
curb cuts and vehicular access points.
3.5 Follow the City’s engineering standards
(see Municipal Code Title 21).
3.6 Improve pedestrian circulation by providing
sidewalks and public trails where appropriate.
An on-site turnaround area is required along
primary arterials and highways.
Using a variety of materials on the driveway can
reduce the amount of pavement.
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Chapter 4
Design Articulation
“Within the allowable building envelope, the appearance of building and retaining wall mass should be minimized. Articulation techniques including, but not limited to, separation, offsets, terracing and reducing the size of any one element in the structure may be used to reduce the appearance of mass.” -LBMC §25.05.040(H) A variety of design techniques can be used to reduce a structure’s perceived mass. These design techniques may apply to the primary building, accessory structures, retaining walls, landscaping and other site features. The appropriate combination of articulation techniques depends upon the neighborhood context and the design concept.
Site Design
Residential site design is equal in importance to the design of the building. In a hillside situation, articulation techniques are likely to include terracing and variation of both the building and the site.
Design Objective: The design of terracing and retaining walls should consider views from the neighboring properties and the public way.
4.1 Step a retaining wall to follow the natural topography. ∙ Consider using a series of terraced walls instead of one very tall wall. ∙ Design terracing and retaining walls to fit the neighborhood context and to preserve privacy.
∙ Avoid large retaining walls in a uniform plane.
∙ Break retaining walls into multiple elements and terraces.
4.2 Minimize visible retaining-wall height.
∙ Minimize exposed retaining walls along
the perimeter of the building.
∙ Avoid large areas of fill that may require
extensive retaining wall structures.
4.3 Use materials that complement the natural
setting and help walls blend into
their surroundings.
4.4 Plant trees, shrubs or vines to soften the
appearance of a retaining wall.
These retaining walls were designed to follow the
site topography in effort to minimize their visual
impact.
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Design Articulation
The Design Review Board typically approves
homes substantially smaller than the
allowable building envelope.
Dividing a building into sections or modules can help
reduce its perceived mass.
Courtyards and Open Space
Courtyards, decks, terraces and other site features
can be used to break up the perceived mass of a
building and create spaces that provide privacy
and interest.
Design Objective: Site and building design
should be integrated to create areas of open space
that reduce perceived building mass.
4.5 Give as much design consideration to
outdoor areas as to indoor areas,
considering existing development and
neighboring properties.
Building Mass, Scale and Form
Residences should be designed at an appropriate
scale with respect to the existing natural and built
environments. The mass and scale of proposed
residences must be compatible with existing
development in the surrounding neighborhood
(Chapter 10).
A building envelope is the three-dimensional area
that defines the maximum limits to which a
structure may be built on a lot without the need of
a variance. Building envelopes are defined in the
Municipal Code. The actual development allowed
will typically be less than the maximum
designated by the general standards for the zone
because of site-specific conditions identified during
the design review process. Additional zoning
regulations, such as building site (lot) coverage, floor area ratios, and landscaped-open-space
requirements, will also impact the maximum
building potential
This small outdoor space has been designed to
function as an exterior living area.
Design Objective: Existing residential development in the vicinity of a project site should serve as a guide for appropriate building mass and scale. Excessive building mass must be avoided.
4.6 Divide a larger building mass into smaller
modules.
∙ Provide variation in wall setbacks along
all sides of the property.
∙ Avoid excessive numbers of roof planes.
4.7 Use building volumes efficiently.
∙ Consider locating some floor area below
grade to reduce massing while avoiding
excessive grading.
∙ Avoid creating large, unused under-floor
∙ area or attic space.
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∙ Avoid significant roof overhangs and
cantilevers on the downhill side of a
building, which markedly increase
perceived mass.
∙ Limit the use of high ceilings or steep
pitches across wide spans that may
increase building mass.
Design Objective: Building and roof form should
be designed in a manner that is consistent with
the architectural style of the residence, minimizes
its perceived mass, creates visual interest,
reflects the site topography or other significant
site features and contributes to the character of
the streetscape.
4.8 Step a building with the site slope.
∙ Emphasize horizontal building form to
integrate the building with the site’s
natural terrain.
∙ Use periodic vertical elements such as
wall offsets, architectural projections,
and variation in building materials or
colors.
∙ Avoid excessive numbers of roof planes
and structural cantilevers on the
downhill faces of buildings.
4.9 Use articulation techniques that are
consistent with the architectural style of the
residence
4.10 Choose appropriate roof forms.
∙ Design subordinate roof elements, such
as dormers, cupolas and clerestories, to
complement the architecture.
∙ Determine an appropriate roof form on
the basis of the architectural style of the
residence and the site and neighborhood
context.
∙ Use roof forms that are consistent with
the scale of the building.
4.11 Vary wall plane lengths and wall heights.
∙ Use combinations of one- and two-story
elements, vary wall heights and offset
wall planes to reduce building mass and
a tunnel effect between buildings as seen
from the street and to minimize adverse
light and air impacts on adjacent
properties
Mansard
Gambrel
Gable
Cross
Gable
Flat
(with parapet)
Hip
Clipped Gable
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Design Articulation
Dormer
Simplified examples of various roof forms.
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A Guide to Residential Development Page 15
∙ Avoid projecting a single wall or glass
plane across the entire length of the
building.
∙ Incorporate projections and recesses to
create shadow and depth.
∙ Use low plate heights to reduce the
perceived height of exposed walls.
∙ Avoid building forms that are overly
complex, monumental or otherwise out of
scale with the neighborhood context.
4.12 Design a roof to follow site contours.
∙ Avoid angular roof forms that slope in a
direction opposite to that of the hill, which
may increase mass and scale.
∙ Avoid large gable ends on downhill
elevations.
Building Composition,
Architectural Features and
Details
Architectural details, such as porches, balconies,
architectural projections, entryways, materials,
texture and color, create visual interest and can
reduce the perceived mass of a structure. Windows
and doors can be recessed or projected to create
depth through movement, light and shadow.
Design Objective: Individual architectural
elements and details should be designed to provide
visual interest and reduce perceived building
mass.
4.13 Use architectural elements and details to
provide variation in building form and help
achieve an appropriate scale.
∙ Incorporate details or architectural
projections consistent with the
architectural style that provide a variety
along a wall surface.
∙ Articulate a building form with a
porch, balcony or other appropriate
architectural feature.
∙ Consider using a wrap-around porch
to break up a vertical wall plane at the
corner of a building.
The combination of materials on this façade
provides architectural detail that reduces the
perceived mass.
The simple building form of this residence is
enhanced with the trellis, covered porch, variation
in building materials, balcony, extended eaves
and window trim.
One- and two-story building elements, varied roof
forms and building materials and authentic details
enhance this structure in a manner that is consistent
with its architectural style.
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∙ Incorporate appropriate architectural
enhancements on all building elevations,
not just the front façade. “Four-sided
architecture” is especially important
where multiple building elevations
are visible, such as on a corner lot or a
hillside.
∙ Incorporate outdoor living space into the
architectural composition.
4.14 Design windows and doors in a manner that
enhances building articulation.
∙ Position or group windows to break a
solid wall plane. Where privacy is a
concern, consider alternative designs,
such as clerestory or obscure windows.
∙ Avoid excessive banks of windows.
∙ Frame or project windows to create
visual interest.
∙ Recess window openings to vary a wall
plane and enhance the contrast of light
and shadow.
∙ Consider articulation when placing and
framing entranceways.
4.15 Articulate building form through variation in
materials, color and/or texture.
∙ Avoid large expanses of a single material
on walls, roofs, or paving areas.
∙ Enhance a change in wall plane through
color or material variation.
∙ Use changes in color value or shade to
create harmonious variation.
∙ Use native and natural materials that
blend with the natural context.
∙ Use materials that vary in texture.
∙ Carry each material to a logical point of
termination—a change in wall plane, the
point where the structure meets natural
grade, or the intersection of significant
architectural features—or, if there is no
logical point of termination, apply it to
the entire wall plane or architectural
element.
The windows in the garage door break apart
the façade, and the blend of materials helps
articulate the building.
The variation in materials on this residence adds
character and helps to articulate the building.
The stonework matches the hardscape and
terminates at a logical point (away from the
immediate public view).
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Garage Design
The volume of a garage space contributes to the scale of a structure. Covered parking exceeding the minimum requirement is subject to discretionary approval and can be approved only if justification is provided that it will not increase the appearance of mass. The placement of garage doors is an important consideration in minimizing mass.
Design Objective: Garages should be designed as an integral element of the residence, and their effect on building mass should be minimized.
4.16 Locate the garage to minimize its impact on the perceived mass of the building. ∙ Design garage doors that reduce perceived mass.
∙ Avoid solid-plane double garage doors where possible. ∙ Use a carport or an uncovered parking space if the mass of a three-car garage negatively impacts the neighborhood.
4.17 Consider alternative garage configurations to reduce the perceived mass of the building:
∙ Recessed: Pulling the architecture of the living space forward allows for a greater setback to the front of the garage.
∙ Offset: Garage doors may be separated and have varying setbacks from the property line.
∙ Turn-in: Rotating a garage to allow access by turning in reduces the visual impact of garage doors on the streetscape.
∙ Corner condition: A garage entered from a side street eliminates the garage and driveway from the front elevation.
∙ Detached: A garage may be detached from the primary structure and located toward the rear of the property.
∙ Rear-loaded: Where there is an alley, the garage can be located behind the residence. ∙ Tandem: Parking one car in front of another can minimize garage frontage on the residence. Tandem parking is subject to Design Review Board approval and is appropriate only in certain situations (generally when no other option is available). 120
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Recessed garage. Single-car garage with adjacent carport. The enclosed garage could be designed as a tandem
configuration to allow parking for two cars.
Offset garage. Turn-in garage.
Detached garage. Rear-loaded garage
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Environmental Context
“Development should preserve and, where possible, enhance the City’s scenic natural setting. Natural features, such as existing heritage trees, rock outcropping, ridgelines and significant watercourses should be protected. Existing terrain should be utilized in the design and grading should be minimized.” -LBMC §25.05.040(H) Designing with nature in mind is a local design tradition. Consideration of climatic and topographical characteristics and preservation of the natural environment are important factors in the design process. Ocean and atmospheric health, public safety, and natural habitat protection are concerns at both the local and the regional level.
Preservation of the Natural Setting
The existing terrain and its ridgelines, natural slopes, rock outcrops, and mature trees establish a natural context for neighborhoods. These natural elements need to be preserved and integrated into building and landscaping projects. Site conditions vary widely and must be addressed on a case-by-case basis. A preliminary site assessment should guide the basic building form.
Design Objective: Designs should respect the natural contours of the land and protect trees and natural landscapes.
5.1 Minimize alteration to the site’s significant environmental features. ∙ Assess and preserve unique environmental features such as prominent rock outcrops, mature trees, significant watercourses, ridgelines, and other distinctive features of the site.
5.2 Maintain natural slopes to the extent feasible.
∙ Avoid excessive exposed cuts or fills.
∙ Design building to conform to the site’s natural contours.
5.3 Avoid building on the crest of knolls, ridgelines, and prominent locations.
5.4 Consider the location of trees and their root systems on and near the site when determining the building footprint.
∙ Provide adequate buffers between
natural features and structures, site
development and utilities.
∙ Avoid grading near significant natural
features.
∙ Protect existing significant trees, with
particular attention to their root zones
and the root zones of trees on adjacent
sites.
Buildings have been set back to preserve the
ridgeline.
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Environmental Context
Grading
Working with the natural landscape is a fundamental consideration in site design. Alteration of the natural contours should be minimized. Steeply sloping lots will impose limitations on the size and placement of a proposed home. A balance must be achieved between perching a structure on top of a site and grading the site excessively. Geological issues and the protection of natural features need to be considered at the concept design stage.
Design Objective: Grading should be the minimum necessary to achieve an appropriate building mass while retaining natural features and significant vegetation. Site design should minimize modification of the natural landscape and slope.
5.5 Minimize grading.
∙ Design in a manner that follows the natural contours of the site. ∙ Step the foundation to follow the property’s natural contours. ∙ Minimize grading outside the building footprint.
∙ Conduct a site-specific geotechnical investigation as an initial step in the design process.
5.6 Create smooth transitions in grade between buildings and between adjacent properties and natural grades.
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Chapter 6
General Plan Compliance
“The development shall comply with all applicable policies of the General Plan, including all of its elements, applicable specific plans and certified local coastal program.” -LBMC §25.05.040(H)
The General Plan contains a vision for the future of a community and describes the desired future of development in general terms and through a series of policy statements. It consists of seven state-mandated elements: Land Use, Housing, Open Space and Conservation, Safety, Noise, and Transportation and Growth Management. The City has also adopted two optional elements:
Historic Resources and Human Needs.
Other resource documents that regulate development in the City are the City’s various Specific Plans, the Landscape and Scenic Highways Resource Document and the certified Local Coastal Program.
General Plan Elements
Land Use
The Land Use Element (adopted by City Council
December 15, 2009) establishes land use policies
addressing specific concerns identified by the
community and the City Council. Land use
districts are also defined in this element.
The Land Use policies specifically related to
design review are as follows:
∙ Support design strategies and
construction standards that maximize
use of alternative energy sources and
passive solar architecture (Policy 1.2).
∙ Support planning and design solutions
that reduce water consumption and
implement water conservation practices
(Policy 1.3).
Building design should be compatible with
and preserve the character and quality of the
neighborhood.
∙ Maintain the diversity and uniqueness of individual neighborhoods. Development standards and design review guidelines shall minimize the scale and bulk of new construction and/or renovation and require development to be compatible with the surrounding residences (Policy 2.1).
∙ Encourage the preservation of historically significant residential structures and protect the character-defining components of Laguna Beach’s traditional neighborhoods (Policy
2.2).
∙ Preserve and enhance the qualities that contribute to the character of the residential community, including quiet neighborhoods, pedestrian use of streets, and appropriate levels of illumination and nighttime activity and seek to mitigate the effects of highvolume thru-traffic (Policy 2.3). 125
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∙ Encourage the use of variable setbacks and building
heights and innovative construction techniques, such as green building technology (Policy 2.5).
∙ Require the preservation of significant trees in
conjunction with development proposals. The Design
Review Board may grant exceptions to this provision
when its strict enforcement would deny a property
owner reasonable use of his/her property (Policy 2.6).
∙ Evaluate the impact of proposed development on
hillsides and along ridgelines and require building
design, location and arrangement to avoid continuous
and intrusive impacts on hillside view areas and skyline profiles (Policy 2.7).
∙ Require building design and siting to be compatible and integrated with natural topographic features, minimize
significant alteration of natural topography and/or other significant on-site resources, and protect public views as specified in the Design Guidelines and the Landscape
and Scenic Highways Resource Document (Policy 2.8).
∙ Require the use of appropriate landscaping, special
architectural treatments, and/or siting considerations to protect public views for projects visible from major
highways and arterial streets (Policy 2.9).
This California pepper tree has
been placed on the Heritage
Tree list and requires City Council
approval to be removed.
∙ Maximize the preservation of coastal and canyon views (consistent with the principle of view equity) from existing properties and minimize blockage of existing public and private views. Best efforts should be made to site new development in locations that minimize adverse impacts on views from public locations (e.g., roads, bluff top trails, visitor-serving facilities, etc.) (Policy 2.10 ).
∙ Protect dedicated and accepted open space (Policy 7.1). ∙ Design and site new development to protect natural and environmentally sensitive resources, such as areas of unique scenic quality, public views and visual compatibility with surrounding uses and to minimize landform alterations (Policies 7.3 and 10.2). ∙ Ensure that development, including subdivisions, new building sites and remodels with building additions, is evaluated to ascertain potential negative impacts on natural resources. Any required mitigation shall emphasize impact avoidance over impact mitigation. Any mitigation should be located on-site. Any off-site mitigation should be located within the City’s boundaries close to the project (Policies 7.4 and similar to 10.3). ∙ Require payment of an environmental impact fee for development whenever mitigation is not feasible and nexus exists (Policies 7.5 and 10.5). ∙ Implement individualized fuel modification programs whenever environmentally sensitive resources are present (Policy 7.6).
∙ Protect marine resources by implementing methods to minimize runoff from building sites and streets to the City’s storm drain system (Policies 7.7 and 10.7). ∙ Require new construction and grading to be located in close proximity to preexisting development to minimize environmental impacts and growth-inducing potential (Policy
7.10).
∙ Require the construction of sidewalks and pathways and/or sidewalk widening on streets that carry significant pedestrian traffic (Policy 8.5). 126
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Alice Court provides low-income studio apartments
Housing
The Housing Element provides residents and public officials with an understanding of the housing needs of their community, sets forth the City’s strategy for preserving and enhancing the community’s residential character and expanding and maintaining housing opportunities.
The City is essentially built-out, offering limited new development opportunities. Most residential building sites are zoned for low-density residential development. Many of the existing multifamily residences are aged and in need of upgrading, remodeling or redevelopment. In most cases, existing density exceeds current standards and properties cannot be redeveloped with the same number of units. Where development standards allow and whenever possible, housing opportunities should be maximized. Potential housing opportunities include residential units, multifamily residential units, second residential units and artists’ work-live units.
The Housing policies specifically related to design
review are as follows:
∙ Encourage the preservation, rehabilitation
and maintenance of historically significant
residences (Policy 1.5).
∙ Encourage the preservation and expansion
of rental housing opportunities in the City
(Policy 1.6).
∙ Recognize and preserve the special
character and quality of individual
residential neighborhoods (Policy 1.10).
∙ Ensure that new housing is aesthetically
compatible with the surrounding
environment and consistent with the size,
scale and character of development in the
neighborhood in which it is located (Policy
1.12).
Open Space and Conservation
and was designed to be compatible with the
neighborhood.
The Open Space and Conservation Element identifies open space as an important asset to the community and discusses building sites in
relationship with hillside and coastal settings,
adjacent wildland areas and attendant natural
features, and natural hazards associated with the
City’s environment.
The Open Space policies specifically related to
design review are as follows:
∙ Require the use of drought-resistant
planting and natural vegetation to reduce
irrigation practices (Policy 1B).
∙ On blufftop projects, require that water
runoff be conveyed to the street whenever
possible (Policy 1C).
∙ As best possible, preserve the quality of
public views from the hillsides and along
the City’s shoreline (Policy 7A).
This trailhead abuts residential parcels on Alta
Laguna Boulevard and provides access to open
space surrounding the residential neighborhood.
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The combination of landscaping includes drought-
∙ Discourage ridgeline development (Policy
13C) and preserve public views from
ridgelines (Policy 13H).
∙ Require grading projects to minimize
earth-moving operations and encourage
preservation of the natural topographic
land features (Policy 14F).
∙ Unless overriding environmental, public
viewshed or safety concerns suggest
otherwise, new construction and grading
should be located in close proximity to
preexisting development in an effort to
minimize impact and growth inducing
potential. Street and driveway length and
width should be evaluated for potential
creation of new building sites. (Policy
14L).
tolerant plants.
∙ Require the dedication and improvement of public trail easements as a condition of development approval (Policy 6D).
∙ Ensure that new development does not encroach on access to trails nor preclude future provision of trails (Policy 6F).
∙ On building sites zoned RHP (Residential Hillside Protection), the design review process is to consider the treatment of the urban edge between development and open space (Policy 7G).
∙ Prohibit the intrusion of fuel modification programs into environmentally sensitive areas, including chaparral and coastal sage scrub (Policy 8N).
Noise
The Noise Element includes policies aimed at protecting residents from excessive noise intrusions.
The Noise policy specifically related to design review is as follows:
∙ Encourage acoustical mitigation design in new construction (Policy 2.3).
Safety
The Safety Element aims to reduce the loss of life,
injury, damage to property, and economic or social
dislocation resulting from natural and man-made
hazards.
The Safety policies specifically related to design
review are as follows:
∙ Restrict projects that will cause hazardous
geologic conditions or that will expose
existing development to an unacceptable
level of risk until the causative factors are
mitigated. (Policy 3E).
∙ Require that new development adjacent to
wildland areas incorporate adequate fuel
modification measures, consistent with
adopted City standards (Policy 4H).
This home is built in a fuel-modification zone with
fire-resistant materials like stone, stucco and tile.
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∙ Encourage property owners to consider “firewise” planting, especially in landscapes adjacent to wildland areas (Policy 4P).
∙ Contain and utilize runoff from impervious surfaces to the greatest extent possible.
Transmit excess runoff to the nearest street or drainage facility (Policy 5D). ∙ Enforce building setback standards on local beaches to prevent exposure of structures to large sea waves of seismic or storm origin (Policy 6D). ∙ Prevent shoreline development which would place structures in danger of wave attack or degrade natural means of shoreline protection (Policy 6E).
Historic Resources
The Historic Resources Element, together with the
Historic Preservation ordinance (Municipal Code
LBMC §25.45), incorporates preservation
measures into the design review process and
establishes a program of incentives for property
owners to maintain and preserve historic
structures.
The Historic Resources policies specifically related
to design review are as follows:
∙ Protect historic buildings through the
implementation of incentive measures
designed to encourage rehabilitation and
preservation (Policy 1.3).
∙ Continue the current city policy to
discourage the demolition of historic
resources by providing incentives for
relocation (Policy 1.7).
This historic house, built in 1927, was the second home built in Three Arch Bay and was preserved and
relocated to North Laguna in 1989.
Transportation and Growth Management
A primary goal of the Transportation and Growth Management Element is to ensure that the planning, management and implementation of street and access-related improvements are adequate to meet the current and projected future needs of residents and visitors. It includes discussion of various related topics including parking, safety and pedestrian circulation.
The Transportation policies specifically related to design review are as follows:
∙ Discourage driveway access on Coast Highway and Laguna Canyon Road (Policy 2A). ∙ Require a traffic impact study in conjunction with new commercial development and major commercial renovations (Policy 2E).
∙ Continue to require on-site turnaround capability on residential collector streets (Policy 2J).
∙ Balance the need for sidewalks with preservation of neighborhood character (Policy 3D). ∙ Ensure adequate pedestrian/driver visibility at corners (Policy 9G). ∙ Require the use of landscaping, special architectural treatments and siting considerations for projects visible from major highways and arterial streets (Policy 11E). 129
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General Plan Compliance
The Arch Beach Heights Specific Plan area
Specific Plans
Specific plans contain development standards for
specific areas that require special regulation to
maintain their neighborhood character and
development patterns.
Arch Beach Heights Specific Plan
Arch Beach Heights is a neighborhood of single-family
homes characterized by narrow lots, steep topography,
and a constrained street system. The neighborhood has
specific development constraints related to the
visibility of the area from below, its interface with
adjacent open-space areas, its historic development
pattern and the potential for fire. The Arch Beach
Heights Specific Plan includes design standards to
address the density, privacy, parking and safety issues specific to this neighborhood.
In Arch Beach Heights the homes are narrow
and step down with the hillside topography.
The City’s specific plan areas are indicated on this
aerial photo.
Diamond/Crestview Specific Plan
The Diamond/Crestview area, located in a hillside
area, faces many development constraints
including steep and varied topography, ridgelines
and rock outcroppings, sensitive geological areas
and biological habitats, lot configuration and a
constrained street system. The Diamond/
Crestview Specific Plan was created to protect and
promote the rustic character of the neighborhood
and views and to allow for the safe and orderly
development of this unique area.
was subdivided on a grid system. Most lots are
25’X100’. SAN JOSE ST BAJA ST KATELLA ST LA MIRADA ST AVENUE W MIRAMAR ST NORIA ST ORO ST PALO ALTO ST QUIVERA ST ACAPULCO ST SANTA ANA ST TIA JUANA ST BALBOA AV ALTA LAGUNA BLVD Preserving views is very important in designing
in the Diamond/Crestview area.
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Laguna Canyon Annexation Area Specific Plan
The Laguna Canyon Annexation Area Specific Plan was
developed to protect this unique 890-acre area from
development and economic pressures. Existing
development is a unique mix of residential uses, light
industrial development and home occupations. The
neighborhood has specific development constraints related to localized environmental hazards, including flood, mud and fire.
The Laguna Canyon Annexation Area
Specific Plan contains a variety of land
uses.
The Castle Rock neighborhood in the Laguna
Canyon Annexation Area enjoys canyon and
ridgeline views. Fire prevention is part of residential design.
Treasure Island Specific Plan
The Treasure Island Specific Plan includes
design standards for this mixed-use hotel, park,
condominium, and single-family residential
development. Ocean views and public access are
of paramount concern for this area.
Homes in the Treasure Island Specific Plan area
are designed to have a low profile and preserve
ocean views.
Sarah Thurston Park Specific Plan
The Sarah Thurston Park Specific Plan addresses capital improvements for the area, preservation of neighborhood character, lower-income housing opportunities and economic revitalization.
Signs in Sarah Thurston Park
identify the pedestrian
walkways that contribute to
the unique character of this
neighborhood.
Specific Plan City Boundary
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Local Coastal Program
The City’s certified Local Coastal Program is made up of the following documents:
∙ General Plan Land Use Map, excluding Blue Lagoon and Three Arch Bay ∙ Land Use and Open Space/Conservation General Plan Elements ∙ Zoning Map
∙ Downtown Specific Plan
∙ Laguna Canyon Annexation Specific Plan
∙ Municipal Code Title 25, ”Zoning”
∙ Municipal Code Chapter 12.08, Preservation of Heritage Trees Ordinance ∙ Municipal Code Chapter 14.78, Geology Reports – Preparation and Requirements Ordinance
∙ Municipal Code Title 21, Plats and Subdivision
∙ Municipal Code Title 22, Excavation and Grading
∙ Shoreline Protection Guidelines (as adopted by Resolution 88.43) ∙ Residential Design Guidelines
∙ South Laguna Community Design and Landscape Guidelines (as adopted by Resolution
89.104)
∙ Fuel Modification Guidelines (of the Laguna Beach General Plan Safety Element) ∙ Summer Festival Parking Agreements
∙ Municipal Code Title 16, Water Quality Control (as approved in the LCP amendment approved in 2004).
Design Objective: Designs must comply with the General Plan, any applicable specific plan and the Local Coastal Program.
6.1.Create a design that satisfies the letter and the intent of the General Plan, any applicable Specific Plan and the certified Local Coastal Program.
∙ Research the relevant documents before designing the project. ∙ Where the scope of the project calls for it, arrange a pre-application site meeting with city staff for clarification of policy issues.
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Chapter 7
Historic Preservation
“Destruction or alteration to properties with historic significance, as identified in the City’s Historic Resources Inventory or Historic Register, should be avoided whenever possible. Special preservation consideration should be given to any structures over forty-five years old.” -LBMC §25.05.040(H) Historic structures mark the stages of evolution of Laguna Beach and contribute to the City’s character. It is important to preserve them. The Laguna Beach Historic Resources Inventory and Register constitute an active record of historic structures within the city. Structures identified on the Historic Resources Inventory are eligible for placement on the City’s Historic Register (see Municipal Code §25.45). Owners of historic structures who are contemplating modifications to them are encouraged to engage licensed architects, historical resource consultants and design professionals with experience working within the constraints of a historic project to assist in concept development.
Before demolishing a historic structure or altering it in any way, it is important to contact the Zoning or Planning Division to determine the correct procedures. Most projects will require environmental review, a historical report and Heritage Committee review.
This home at 820 Catalina Street was built in the eclectic Tudor style around 1929.
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Historic Preservation
Design Considerations for Modifications to a Historic Residence Chapter 1 outlines general methods and approaches to the project planning process. The following additional steps should be considered when designing modifications to a historic residence:
Step 1: Consider professional design assistance.
Property owners are encouraged to engage licensed architects, historical resource consultants and design professionals with experience working within the constraints of a historic project to assist in concept development.
The National Park Service has drafted an excellent supplemental resource for the treatment of historic properties. Both the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and the Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Structures should be considered in conjunction with the City’s regulations.
Step 2: Research City regulations.
Zoning and Planning Division staff can provide information about specific regulations that may affect the project’s design. Structures listed on the City’s Historic Register are eligible to apply for preservation benefits.
Please reference Chapter 1 and Chapter 13 for more project planning and Design Review information.
Character-Defining Features
Design Objective: Character-defining features should be retained and, if necessary, repaired to preserve the integrity of the structure.
7.1 Preserve historic architectural features and details. ∙ Avoid adding elements or details that were not part of the original building and are not authentic elements of the building’s historic architectural style. ∙ Protect architectural details from environmental damage, such as moisture accumulation, that may cause damage.
∙ Avoid deviation from original colors and materials. Vinyl is not typically appropriate.
7.2 Repair rather than replace architectural
details whenever possible.
∙ Repair only features that have deteriorated or need to be repaired in effort to avoid deterioration.
∙ Use methods that minimize damage to the original materials when disassembling a historic element during restoration.
∙ Use appropriate procedures for cleaning, refinishing, and repairing architectural details that will maintain the original finish.
∙ Avoid harsh cleaning methods such as sandblasting, which can damage historic materials and change their appearance.
7.3 When restoration is not an option, replace
historic features in-kind.
∙ When reconstruction of an element is impossible, develop a new design as an authentic representation of the historic element.
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7.4 Preserve primary historic building
materials to the extent feasible.
∙ Retain and preserve original wall and siding
materials.
∙ Do not cover or obscure original façade materials.
∙ Consider removing stucco if it covers the original
siding,
∙ Restore mortar joints only where there is
evidence of moisture problems or when much of
the mortar is missing.
∙ Maintain protective coatings to retard drying
and ultraviolet damage.
∙ Plan repainting carefully.
7.5 Repair rather than replace original materials
that have deteriorated over time whenever
possible.
7.6 When repair is not an option, replace
original building materials in-kind.
Design Objective: Porches on historic residences should be retained and repaired in-kind rather than removed or replaced.
7.7 Preserve a porch in its original form.
∙ Maintain an original porch.
Buildings on the Historic Register feature
a plaque that identifies their
approximate date of construction and
architectural style.
∙ Avoid enclosing a porch with materials that destroy its openness and transparency. ∙ Repair a deteriorated porch or elements thereof instead of removing or replacing it. ∙ Consider restoring an altered porch to its original design and configuration.
7.8 Replace a missing porch with one similar to that seen historically. ∙ Consider the character, design, scale, materials and details of the building in designing an authentic porch replacement
∙ Design adequate porch supports.
Design Objective: The pattern of windows and
doors—their proportions, spacing, and detailing—
should be preserved.
7.9 Preserve the historic window size, shape,
style/ operation (bay, bow, single-hung, doublehung, casement, fixed, picture, transom, clerestory, etc.), design (divided lights,
mullions, stained glass, etc.), and, on a
primary façade, arrangement.
The additions and modifications to this 1935 historic
residence were designed to preserve its historically
significant features, including windows, doors, chimney, and materials
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7.10 Carefully repair a deteriorated window or door rather than replacing it or completely closing the opening.
∙ Repair windows and doors in a manner that reflects high-quality craftsmanship.
7.11 Replace a window or door that is damaged
beyond repair with one that reflects the
historic character of the residence.
∙ Match the replacement to the original design as closely as possible. ∙ Make new openings architecturally similar in location, size, and type. ∙ Finish new windows and doors with elements like those used traditionally.
7.12 In adding new window or door openings on a character-defining façade, keep them consistent with the historic structure’s architectural style.
Design Objective: Original and early garages should be retained or repaired as necessary to maintain the historic integrity of the property.
7.13 Preserve historic garages.
∙ Respect the character-defining features of a historic garage, such as the primary materials, roof form, location, windows, second door openings and architectural details. ∙ Avoid moving a historic garage from its original location.
Design Objective: Where original or early landscaping contributes to the historic setting of a property, it should be respected and maintained. Reinstatement of an original planting design is encouraged in circumstances where it has historical significance.
7.14 Preserve historic landscape and streetscape
features.
∙ Preserve existing fences, sidewalks,
trees, lights, and hitching posts and
protect them during construction.
∙ Preserve existing native planting,
including historically significant trees,
shrubs, and garden designs, in place.
Design Objective: Maintaining the historic roof
form, profile, and materials and repairing as
necessary is important in preserving a property’s
historic significance.
7.15 Preserve the original roof form and scale.
∙ Preserve the original eave depth.
∙ Minimize the visual impacts of skylights
or other rooftop devices as seen from the
street.
The front porch of this 1915 Revival cottage is a distinctive architectural feature that contributes to the historic
significance of the residence.
7.16 Use roof materials in a manner similar to that
seen historically.
∙ Preserve original roof materials.
∙ Replace roof materials, where necessary, with roof materials similar in scale and texture to those used traditionally.
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The original garage door has been maintained
Building Relocation
Design Objective: Relocating historic structures
should be regarded as a measure of last resort.
When building relocation is required, siting, height,
orientation and new foundation design and materials should respect the original as much as possible.
7.17 Relocate a historic structure only when this is
the only viable option for preservation.
∙ Site the structure in a position similar to
its historic orientation.
∙ Design the new foundation to appear
similar to the historic foundation and
attempt to locate the structure at its
approximate historic elevation above
grade.
on this 1935 cottage.
Common Historic Terms
Preservation - Maintenance and repair of existing historic materials and retention of the property as it has evolved over time. New exterior additions are not within the scope of this treatment; however, the limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and other code-required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a preservation project.
Rehabilitation - Alteration or addition to a historic property to meet continuing or changing uses while retaining the historic character.
Restoration - Depicting a property at a particular period of time in its history while removing evidence of other periods. Form, features and character can be modified to reflect a specific time period. The limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and other code-required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a restoration project.
Reconstruction - Re-creation of non-surviving portions of a property to replicate the appearance at a specific period of time in its historic location. “In-Kind” Replacement - Repairs which use the same materials in the same location which comply with the currently adopted code. Replacement of features must be identical to the existing features including same type, materials, operation and configuration. 137
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Chapter 8
Landscaping
“Landscaping shall be incorporated as an integrated part of the structure’s design and relate harmoniously to neighborhood and community landscaping themes.
View equity shall be an important consideration in the landscape design. The relevant landscaping guidelines contained in the City’s ‘Landscape and Scenic Highways Resource Document’ should be incorporated, as appropriate, in the design and planned maintenance of proposed landscaping.” -LBMC §25.05.040(H) The City’s reputation as one of Southern California’s most picturesque communities depends in large part upon the distinctiveness and diversity of its physical setting, both natural and manmade. Hilltop neighborhoods have a semiarid climate and shallow soil and areas where views and erosion control are important. Coastal and oceanfront neighborhoods are more temperate, and the marine environment influences landscape choices. Canyon neighborhoods have landscaping that tends to be less formal, and the interface with adjacent wildland areas and fire safety is of particular importance.
Neighborhood character and established landscape patterns are important considerations in landscape design Other issues associated with landscape include Heritage Trees, water conservation, view preservation, fuel modification, hardscaping, erosion control and maintenance. The City’s Landscape and Scenic Highways Resource Document addresses many of these issues and contains landscape recommendations for specific neighborhoods.
Existing Significant Vegetation
Design Objective: Existing significant trees
and other vegetation should be preserved
where feasible.
8.1 Preserve significant trees and other
mature vegetation.
∙ Identify significant vegetation assets
early in the design process.
∙ Begin site design with the idea of
protecting significant vegetation
resources; design and locate
structures and landscape projects
with this principle in mind.
∙ Identify the location of any Heritage
Tree, candidate Heritage Tree or
other mature vegetation required to
be preserved on all site plans, grading
plans and landscape plans. (A list
Landscaping can enhance the architectural theme
of a house as well as the streetscape.
of Heritage Trees, and Candidate Heritage trees can be found in the Landscape and Scenic Highways Document or at City Hall. Note that not all significant vegetation has been placed on the lists of Heritage and Candidate Heritage trees.) 139
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∙ Consult with an arborist or landscape architect to determine appropriate setbacks and methods and strategies for protection of significant trees during construction (protected root zones, watering, monitoring, protective fencing, etc.) and include these requirements in the project construction documents.
∙ Identify any vegetation to be preserved because of its status as high-value habitat*, very-high-value habitat* or sensitive biological resources. ∙ Place vegetation locations on all site plans, grading plans and landscape plans. ∙ Propose methods of protection for vegetation to be preserved for the construction phase. ∙ Identify significant vegetation on adjacent property and take measures to mitigate impacts of construction activities.
∙ Avoid planting the entire parcel and leave large areas for native and natural landscaping.
New Plant Materials
Design Objective: When new plant materials are introduced, they should be chosen for their appropriateness for the location.
8.2 Use plant materials that thrive in the natural setting. ∙ Use drought-tolerant plants whenever feasible.
∙ Use California natives that are indigenous to the area, especially for neighborhoods having a wildland interface.
∙ Avoid plants that require significant applications of pesticides or fertilizer. ∙ Avoid plants that require extensive or frequent pruning. ∙ Choose plants that are appropriate for given soil types. ∙ In windy bluff areas, choose plants that are known to withstand wind and salt air. ∙ Consider plants that attract and benefit local birds (habitat, food sources, etc.).
8.3 Design with view equity in mind.
∙ Plant landscaping so it does not grow into view corridors of neighboring properties. ∙ Consider a variety of view types including ocean, horizon, hillsides, streetscapes and/or city lights.
8.4 Consider visual contributions to street and neighborhood. ∙ Allow visual access to private property to contribute to neighborhood character and to a sense of continuous visual open spaces.
∙ Avoid tall hedges enclosing the property.
∙ Consult the Landscape and Scenic Highways Resource Document for suggestions specific to the neighborhood, including street trees.
∙ Use planting or hardscape elements to screen service areas. ∙ Choose and locate plants to contribute positively and interestingly to an overall eclectic character while remaining harmonious and compatible with the neighborhood. ∙ Avoid jarring, distracting designs that may appear out of place and not neighbor-friendly.
8.5 Use planting to soften, integrate or otherwise enhance the building in its setting. ∙ Soften bare walls with plant materials of appropriate size and character. ∙ Use plant materials in association with architectural elements to identify entrances, frame focal elements, create outdoor rooms and balance mass. ∙ Use planting to connect the site to the neighborhood and/or to significant adjacent natural areas.
* Certain building sites have been flagged as potentially containing environmentally sensitive habitats. A detailed environmental assessment may be required on a site-specific basis for these properties. 140
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8.6 Choose and locate plants for fire safety.
∙ Avoid extensive use of highly flammable plant materials close to the building. ∙ Avoid using tall plants under eaves and decks.
∙ Avoid using plants that generate excessive litter and debris. ∙ Avoid placement of trees that would overhang property lines onto neighboring properties. ∙ In areas with a Fuel Modification designation, use the Laguna Beach Fuel Modification Guidelines for plant selection, spacing and maintenance.
8.7 Be aware of site geotechnical and erosion issues.
∙ Choose and locate plants to minimize surface erosion during irrigation or rain events. ∙ On slopes, choose plants having a variety of root depths, with preference for plants known for their erosion control qualities and plants that are native to the area. ∙ Use drought-tolerant plants to the extent feasible.
Hardscape and Accessories
Design Objective: Hardscape elements and materials should make a positive contribution to the neighborhood.
8.8 Consider hardscape elements that complement the site design. ∙ Make walls, hardscape elements and accessories appear as extensions of building character or of the natural context.
∙ Balance hardscape with significant planting elements so that the overall impression is predominantly soft and vegetated, especially as seen from the street.
8.9 Locate outdoor use areas to avoid unreasonable impacts to neighbors. ∙ Locate patios and high-use areas away from quiet areas of neighboring properties. ∙ Screen or control active spaces and possible noise pollution areas. ∙ Locate pools and spas to minimize noise impacts on neighbors. ∙ Design outdoor fireplaces and barbecues with consideration of smoke and site wind patterns and setbacks.
Water Management in the Landscape
Design Objective: Landscapes should be designed to conserve water and minimize runoff.
8.10 Design with consideration for proper management of stormwater and irrigation. ∙ Minimize irrigation.
∙ Eliminate irrigation runoff by providing on-site infiltration.
8.11 Design planting and irrigation systems to conserve water. ∙ Use drought-tolerant plants to the extent feasible.
∙ Consider planting California natives that are indigenous to the area, especially in neighborhoods with a wildland interface.
∙ Consider using weather-based or “smart” controllers that can irrigate various planting areas according to their particular needs.
∙ Incorporate low-volume irrigation heads and elements that minimize runoff and overspray onto hardscape or into drain inlets.
8.12 Design planting and irrigation systems to preserve water quality. ∙ Avoid plants that require significant applications of pesticides or fertilizer. ∙ Incorporate low-volume irrigation heads and elements that eliminate runoff and overspray onto hardscape or into drain inlets.
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8.13 Engineer site drainage to retain water on-site.
∙ Avoid directing runoff onto adjacent properties.
∙ Design drainage systems to avoid hillside erosion.
∙ Consider allowing stormwater to run onto permeable planting areas before collecting it in drain inlets and discharging it from the site.
∙ Maximize permeable surfaces (planting areas, permeable hardscape) where soil conditions allow.
∙ Consider using stormwater catchment systems to collect water for irrigation use. ∙ Use permeable paving in large paved areas such as driveways, parking areas and patios.
This new dwelling screens active areas from the
existing dwelling with the house and landscaping.
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Mechanical Equipment and Service Areas
Design Objective: Screen mechanical equipment and service areas and minimize their noise impacts.
8.14 Locate utility elements or mechanical equipment to minimize visual and noise impacts. ∙ Locate mechanical equipment inside of the structure or at the rear or sides of a property, observing required setbacks and maximizing distance to neighboring properties. ∙ Direct venting away from nearby neighbors.
∙ Design enclosures for mechanical equipment or service yards to be consistent or complementary to the structure’s architectural style.
∙ Screen trash and service areas from view, using a fence, hedge or other appropriate enclosure, and make them large enough to enclose all necessary trash and recycling containers.
∙ Screen enclosure walls with landscaping.
∙ Minimize noise from mechanical equipment or service yards and ensure that it does not exceed City maximums (see Municipal Code §7.25) by locating equipment away from neighbors, using noise-dampening enclosures, vaulting the equipment or using state-ofthe-art quiet equipment.
Landscape Lighting
Design Objective: Landscape lighting should enhance select features, landscape and/or building elements. Lighting shall provide minimum illumination for functional aspects of the projects such as safety and pedestrian access while minimizing impacts on neighboring properties and the neighborhood.
8.15 Minimize glare and light trespass onto other properties. ∙ Direct lights away from other properties and the public right-of-way. ∙ Use low-lumen fixtures.
∙ Use full-cutoff baffles and hood accessories to direct light. ∙ Avoid fixtures for which the design does not shield or hide the actual lamp. ∙ Avoid excessive lighting of the project. Light for functional purposes as needed and highlight only the elements deemed most important.
∙ Turn landscape lighting off during late-night and early-morning periods or install timers to do so.
∙ Avoid uplighting.
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Excessive lighting of a property can have
Lighting and Glare
“Adequate lighting for individual and public safety shall be provided in a manner which does not significantly impact neighboring properties. Reflective materials and appurtenances that cause glare or a negative visual impact (e.g., skylights, white rock roofs, high-gloss ceramic tile roofs, reflective glass, etc.) should be avoided or mitigated to a level of insignificance in those locations where those surfaces are visible from neighboring properties.” -LBMC §25.05.040(H) Lighting is important for the safe and efficient use of a residence, but light spillage and glare can have adverse impacts on adjacent properties. Reflective building materials may reflect the sun throughout the day, creating safety issues and discomfort for neighbors. Excessive illumination is wasteful of energy in addition to detracting from the enjoyment of viewing the night sky and stars. Building and lighting design should be appropriate and subtle to eliminate adverse effects on neighbors and light pollution of the night sky. Careful design can reduce lighting impacts and at the same time increase energy efficiency.
Design Objective: Lighting should be designed as a visual asset to the property and the City’s character, giving attention to intensity, spread and direction.
9.1 Minimize glare.
∙ Select exterior building materials with matte,
nonreflective finishes.
∙ Avoid highly reflective materials such as glass
or polished metal as primary building materials.
∙ Position reflective surfaces (including windows
and skylights) to minimize glare.
∙ Recess windows.
∙ Avoid large expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass
and picture windows.
∙ Select roof materials that minimize glare.
9.2 Minimize visual impacts of exterior lighting.
∙ Minimize lighting impacts of lighting on
neighboring properties and public views.
∙ Confine building or landscape lighting to specific
adverse effects on neighboring properties.
features rather than washing an entire building façade in light. ∙ Use low-lumen lighting for accenting structures or vegetation. ∙ Design light sources to be low-level, shielded and directed downward. ∙ Use low-lumen exterior lights where needed for safety and efficient operation in outdoor activity areas, such as entries, gates, terraces, walkways, stairs and patios. ∙ Where safety and security are concerns, use motion-activated shielded lighting. ∙ Turn landscape lighting off during late-night and early-morning periods or install timers to do so.
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9.3 Prevent light trespass.
∙ Avoid excessive illumination (750 lumens or less).
∙ Design exterior lighting to be fully shielded and directed downward. ∙ Minimize or avoid bulbs that emit white light in favor of low-power bulbs. ∙ Conceal skylights to the greatest extent possible.
∙ Use nightshades or exterior louvers on skylights.
Examples of Acceptable / Unacceptable Lighting Fixtures Unacceptable / Discouraged
Fixtures that produce glare and light trespass shield too small ineffective
Unshielded Floodlights
or Poorly-shielded Floodlights
Unshielded Wallpacks &
Unshielded or Poorly-shielded exposed
Wall Mount Fixtures shield polished
ineffective reflector
Drop-Lens & Sag-Lens Fixtures
w/ exposed bulb / refractor lens
Unshielded Streetlight
Unshielded
‘Period’ Style
Fixtures
Unshielded
Security Light
Unshielded PAR Drop-Lens Canopy
Floodlights Fixtures
Acceptable
Fixtures that shield the light source to minimize glare and light trespass and to facilitate better vision at night
flat lens Full Cutoff Fixtures
Fully Shielded
Wallpack & Wall
Mount Fixtures
front shield
Fully Shielded Fixtures
Full Cutoff Streetlight
Fully Shielded
‘Period’ Style
Fixtures
bulb shielded
in opaque top
Fully Shielded
Security Light
Shielded / Properly-aimed Flush Mounted Canopy
PAR Floodlights Fixtures
BC 10/02
Source: Branford Planning and Zoning Department, Branford, Connecticut. 146
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Chapter 10
Neighborhood Compatibility
“Development shall be compatible with the existing development in the neighborhood and respect neighborhood character. Neighborhood character is the sum of the qualities that distinguish areas within the City, including historical patterns of development (e.g., structural heights, mass, scale or size), village atmosphere, landscaping themes and architectural styles.” -LBMC §25.05.040(H) Laguna Beach is a collection of loosely defined but distinct neighborhoods. Recognizing the unique “personality” of the particular neighborhood and maintaining and/or enhancing it are crucial in the design of a project.
Site Analysis
Careful analysis of a site is necessary to establish the nature of the neighborhood in which it sits.
A “neighborhood” can be a street, a block or a whole section of town. Topography, street layout, landscape patterns, the presence of older homes and the boundaries of a subdivision may define the limits of a neighborhood. The designer needs to look for common qualities that distinguish the properties surrounding the site from other neighborhoods.
Neighborhood compatibility can also include the impact that the development will have on the City as a whole, especially when a site is visible from a distance Design Objective: An initial assessment of the characteristics that help to define the neighborhood context should take place early in the design process.
10.1 Prior to beginning design, make a thorough reconnaissance of the area surrounding the site noting the particular characteristics that make the neighborhood special.
10.2 Check to see if the site is important to public views or visible from areas outside of the immediate neighborhood.
10.3 Contact affected neighbors early to receive input about neighborhood values and issues.
These homes are neighborhood compatible in that they maintain similar heights, setbacks and access points.
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Neighborhood Compatibility
Architectural Compatibility Without Conformity
The mix of old and new, large and small, traditional and contemporary, in differing ratios throughout Laguna’s various neighborhoods reflects a tolerance for architectural diversity that contributes to the village atmosphere.
Maintaining architectural compatibility within a neighborhood does not mean replicating what already exists. Rather, each project should be designed to contribute distinctively to the character of the neighborhood and to avoid negative impacts on the surrounding properties. The result should be a rich variety of unique architecture and landscaping sharing the qualities common to the neighborhood.
Design Objective: Residential design should pursue compatibility through relationships of scale, siting, detail and materials.
10.4 Design a unique building that reflects the best qualities of the surrounding neighborhood. ∙ Use materials and colors that complement the prevailing architectural theme of the neighborhood.
∙ Choose an architectural style that respects the predominant massing, scale and level of articulation in the neighborhood.
Historical Presence
The presence of a significant number of older homes in some neighborhoods is an important part of Laguna’s charm. Maintaining the sense of history and diversity that this presence imparts is crucial to preserving the village atmosphere.
Design Objective: Historic structures should be maintained and respected to protect the character of their neighborhoods.
10.5 Design additions to and around historic structures to complement the character of the structure.
∙ Maintain the current relationship to the neighborhood when adding or altering a historic structure.
∙ Where the project is located next to a historic structure, choose an architectural style that allows respect for the massing, scale and level of articulation of the historic neighbor.
Lot Coverage
The balance of building area to open space can be a key feature of neighborhood character.
Maintaining a sense of open space that is appropriate to the neighborhood requires balancing the size of the building’s footprint with the mass of the structure and the size of the lot. When the typical lot coverage in a neighborhood is less than the maximum allowed by code, the footprint approved will often be below the code maximum.
Design Objective: When a pattern of lot coverage exists in a neighborhood, the footprint and placement of a building should maintain the balance of building area to open space that is typical of the neighborhood.
10.6 Design a structure with a footprint that maintains the pattern of open space existing in the neighborhood.
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Building Mass, Height and Setbacks
Neighborhood Compatibility
Building mass, height and setbacks often contribute to the definition of the character of a neighborhood.
Design Objective: When building mass is a component of the character of the neighborhood, new development should complement the typical building mass in the neighborhood.
10.8 Design new development in such a way that visible mass conforms to the scale of the neighborhood.
Design Objective: Building height should be appropriate to the neighborhood; structures that exceed the typical height can interfere with views from homes above, increase the appearance of mass, and block sun, light, and air to surrounding houses.
10.9 Maintain building heights that are appropriate to the neighborhood. ∙ Locate and orient the structure in such a way that it does not exceed the appropriate height for the neighborhood.
∙ Design the structure of a size that does not require it to exceed the appropriate height for the neighborhood.
∙ Avoid architectural styles that require roofs that will exceed the appropriate height for the neighborhood.
∙ Design a building with a perceived number of stories that is consistent with the neighborhood pattern.
Design Objective: When the existing pattern of building setbacks has created a desirable effect in a neighborhood, that pattern should be respected in order to maintain that benefit and minimize or eliminate impacts to views, light, air and privacy.
10.10 Consider the existing setback pattern in the neighborhood. ∙ Maintain consistent setback patterns in the neighborhood. ∙ Stagger front yard setbacks if variation is characteristic of the neighborhood.
10.11 Maintain the predominant spacing pattern of side yards. ∙ Make side yard setbacks similar to others on the block as seen from the street.
10.12 Avoid long, uninterrupted wall planes and provide open space. ∙ Stagger setbacks with respect to adjacent properties to avoid an undesirable tunnel effect.
∙ Articulate side wall planes to create variety and reduce perceived scale.
10.13 Incorporate landscaping into required setback areas. ∙ Locate the building to provide opportunities for maintaining landscape themes in a neighborhood.
∙ Coordinate the side yard space in relation to that of adjoining properties to maximize the perception of open space and the potential for shared open-space area. 149
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Neighborhood Compatibility
Landscape and Hardscape Design
Landscape and hardscape are substantial components in the character of a neighborhood.
The diversity of these elements between neighborhoods is one of Laguna’s most distinctive characteristics
Design Objective: Landscape and hardscape design should be appropriate to the neighborhood.
10.14 Choose planting that complements the scale and height of the landscaping in the neighborhood and avoid sharp variations in vegetation types between properties.
10.15 Design hardscape to complement the neighborhood’s character and scale. ∙ Choose hardscape materials that are
consistent with the neighborhood.
∙ Maintain retaining walls and terracing
on a property at a scale consistent with
the neighborhood.
∙ Maintain or enhance the neighborhood’s
typical street-edge treatment.
Garage Design, Placement
and Scale
The location of garages and the appearance
of the garage doors affect the pedestrian
experience and contribute to the character of a
neighborhood. Consistent garage access and
The garden adds to the streetscape in this
neighborhood and contributes to the village
atmosphere.
design may help a dwelling blend with the neighborhood.
Design Objective: Garage design, placement and scale should complement and enhance the character of a neighborhood.
10.16 Locate garages and driveways in a manner compatible with the established neighborhood pattern.
∙ Where there is an alley, locate the garage to take access from it. ∙ On a through lot, provide access from the same side of the street as is typically used by other properties in the vicinity.
∙ Where site and access constraints require placement of the garage facing the street, articulate the garage and garage doors carefully to complement the neighborhood character.
10.17 Design garages to preserve the existing scale of the neighborhood. ∙ Consider recessing the garage to the rear of the property when this configuration is typical in a neighborhood.
∙ Consider a side-access garage in areas where garages are typically not facing the street. ∙ Consider separate single-car garages or split single doors where the scale of a typical two-car garage door does not fit the neighborhood.
∙ Use a carport, tandem parking or an uncovered parking space for a third parking space if the mass of a three-car garage would negatively impact the scale of a neighborhood (see Chapter 3).
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Chapter 11
A Guide to Residential Development Page 51
Privacy
“The placement of activity areas, (e.g. decks, picture windows and ceremonial or entertainment rooms) in locations that would result in a substantial invasion of privacy of neighboring properties should be minimized.” -LBMC §25.05.040(H) Maximizing the sense of visual and acoustic privacy between neighboring structures is an important objective in the design review process. A sense of privacy benefits the property owner considering development as well as the surrounding neighbors. With careful design a level of privacy consistent with the existing pattern of development in the immediate neighborhood can be maintained.
The site and building design, location of indoor and outdoor activity areas and landscape design directly impact privacy. Outdoor living spaces and circulation within a structure need to be carefully planned to maintain privacy between neighboring properties.
A realistic analysis of the project site configuration, surrounding context and pattern of development must be done early to understand and design to the general level of privacy in the area.
Design Objective: When lot size permits, new structures should be articulated within the allowable building setbacks to enhance privacy between neighboring properties.
11.1 Site a building with maximum consideration for privacy issues. ∙ Maintain adequate setbacks from neighboring properties. ∙ Avoid placing building mass and upper levels close to property lines where window openings would compromise privacy.
Landscaping can help separate outdoor areas and create privacy for neighbors.
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Privacy
Design Objective: The location of indoor activity areas should be carefully considered for potential privacy impacts.
11.2 Consider the floor plans of the subject property and adjacent residences. ∙ Organize the internal floor plan to place activity areas (living area, kitchen, etc.) away from the more private areas of a neighboring residence, especially the bedrooms. ∙ Avoid designing large windows that compromise neighbors’ privacy. ∙ Locate windows and glass doors where they are not immediately adjacent to the windows and doors of adjacent residences.
∙ Consider fixed shutters, translucent glass and other design techniques to help obscure and mitigate privacy issues.
∙ Use recessed or clerestory windows, dormers and skylights to allow light and ventilation while reducing or eliminating views into neighboring properties.
Design Objective: Outdoor living spaces should be placed so as not to reduce the visual and acoustic privacy of nearby homes.
11.3 Give thoughtful consideration to the siting and design of outdoor spaces. ∙ Locate outdoor activity areas away from noise- or view-sensitive portions of adjacent properties.
∙ Enclose courtyards to create secluded outdoor space.
∙ Screen adjacent properties with walls or solid railings. ∙ Focus activity away from neighbors or mitigate impacts through landscape or structure design.
∙ Use solid walls, which block sound transmission more readily than fences. ∙ Consider surrounding topography and lot configuration when designing outdoor living areas. (A roof or trellis over a deck or patio may limit sound transmission but may also impact neighbors’ views.)
∙ Articulate wall and roof shapes to reduce reflection of sound from activity areas toward neighbors.
Design Objective: Landscape design should be used to effect visual screening, reduce noise reflection, and create a sense of separation, giving attention to the impacts of these measures on views.
11.4 Design landscape to mitigate noise and privacy impacts. ∙ Use trees, shrubs and hedges to create effective visual screens between activity areas and neighboring properties without affecting views.
∙ Screen views into neighboring houses and yards with planters along upper-level decks. ∙ Articulate landscape and hardscape to minimize sound reflection onto adjacent properties. ∙ Use soft ground covers or paving materials on activity areas to minimize noise generation and transmission.
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Chapter 12
View Equity
“The development, including its landscaping, shall be designed to protect existing views from neighboring properties without denying the subject property the reasonable opportunity to develop as described and illustrated in the city’s ‘design guidelines.’ The ‘design guidelines’ are intended to balance preservation of views with the right to develop property.” -LBMC §25.05.040(H).
Enjoying views is a well-established tradition in Laguna Beach. It also is a topic of considerable discussion and debate and is a key consideration in the design review process. Many homes enjoy coastal views. Many homes also enjoy the serene views of the surrounding hillsides and canyons.
Residents cherish their views and want to protect them from encroaching development.
The concept of view equity is an approach to dealing fairly and equally with all concerned. The intent of design review with regard to views is to “balance preservation of views with the right to develop property.” It is recognized that each property is a part of the view dynamic. A property may enjoy a specific view today, but that experience may change as surrounding properties are developed. A balance of interests should be achieved in which all those who enjoy the view (new or existing) retain some access to it.
Each property owner may seek to maximize view opportunities, but these opportunities must be balanced with the rights of others already in the neighborhood and of those yet to come.
Development should be designed to anticipate the potential for development on nearby properties.
Development may have visual impacts well beyond the property boundaries, and these will be fully assessed during design review. During the initial design process, applicants should consider the proposed project from a variety of off-site perspectives that honor the public and private views.
This home was built to step down with the topography of the hillside and preserves ocean and Catalina Island views. 153
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Types of Views
There are many types of valued views, and some are considered more important than others in terms of the places from which they are experienced. The quality of a view is more important than its “quantity.” A sole view of coastal white water from a room’s small window can be just as important as a panoramic view from a large living room window or outdoor deck.
Private views are the most guarded. These views from within a residence and/or an outdoor space may range from a panoramic vista of the coastline to a small canyon view. Private views are very specific and personal in nature and can be evaluated only on a case-by-case basis.
Public views are enjoyed by visitors and residents alike from public places throughout the City—a City park, a public street or a trail. At upper elevations, view corridors between structures may visually connect the street with the ocean below or the other side of a canyon.
View Equity
View equity means achievement of a fair, reasonable and balanced accommodation of views and competing obstructions such as structures, trees and/or vegetation, privacy and the use and enjoyment of property. Development, including its landscaping, shall be designed to maximize views from and sunlight to neighboring properties without denying the subject property the reasonable opportunity to develop as described and illustrated in the City’s design guidelines.
In evaluating view equity, the following unranked criteria shall be considered:
(1) The vantage point(s) from which the view is obtained or received; (2) The extent of the view obstruction;
(3) The quality of the view, including the existence of landmarks or other unique view features, and/or the extent to which these views are blocked by the proposed design;
(4)The extent to which the view and/or sunlight access is diminished by factors other then the proposed design;
(5) The extent to which the proposed design provides:
(a) Screening or privacy,
(b) Energy conservation and/or climate control,
(c) Aesthetics,
(d) Community/neighborhood quality, value or significance, and (e) Blending, buffering or reduction in the scale and mass of architecture.
Design Considerations
The position of a building, the location of parking and service areas, and the design of outdoor patios and balconies can have substantial effects on views. Landscape design components, including plant materials, gazebos and other outdoor structures, can likewise have impacts.
Front Yards
Generally, multilevel buildings not only create mass but have the potential to create view issues.
When a building is two or more levels at the street, it will more than likely block views. Therefore, it is ideal to create a low profile at the street front when potential views are in play.
Side Yards
Maintaining a view corridor through the side yards between structures may provide an amenity from the public way.
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View Equity
Rear Yards
Patios, decks and balconies can provide prime view opportunities. Locating these areas so that they have minimal impact on adjacent properties is important. Designing them to be integrated into the building form helps reduce their perceived mass and potential view obstruction. Materials selection can also impact views. Using railings that are transparent can permit views through the structure. However, highly reflective materials can contribute to glare that may diminish a view experience.
From Inside the Building
Window design and placement are important to consider. Although having a large window looking onto an important vista is often desirable, a window oriented toward a neighboring property can potentially impact privacy. Orienting windows away from active areas of neighboring properties and making them smaller may be appropriate.
Design Objective: The design of a building should contribute to view equity in the neighborhood.
12.1 Locate and design new buildings or site development to facilitate view equity, anticipating future views from neighboring potential development and to vacant or undeveloped land.
12.2 Avoid blocking neighbors’ primary views.
∙ Locate major building masses and outdoor space to maintain primary views through and across the site from other properties.
12.3 Organize buildings to maximize views.
∙ Follow hillside topography or step a building down on a site with less topography to allow for view opportunities.
∙ Avoid cutting into the horizon line of a neighbor’s view whenever possible.
12.4 Minimize mass to maintain neighborhood views.
∙ Create low-profile structures.
∙ Use transparent materials when feasible.
∙ Use a compact building footprint to maintain views above and along the sides of a structure.
12.5 Design landscaping to maintain views.
∙ Avoid tall trees that block views.
∙ Use landscaping to “frame” a view.
12.6 Maintain view corridors when feasible.
∙ Consider opportunities for public views.
∙ Locate a building to retain view opportunities through side yards.
12.7 Design balconies and decks to balance view interests. ∙ Position decks or balconies to minimize view impacts on neighbors while maximizing privacy.
∙ Use materials that will enhance views.
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Section C
The Entitlement Process
These design guidelines are intended to bridge the gap between the development standards in the Municipal Code and the discretionary process of design review. Different types of development call for different types of review. This section details the various development paths and their governing documents.
The Community Development Department is located
at City Hall, at 505 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach,
California 92651.
Phone: 949-497-0713, Lagunabeachcity.net
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Section C: Administration
Governing Documents and Resources
The City’s regulations are found in multiple documents and resources. In addition to the General Plan, the Specific Plans, and the Local Coastal Program the following documents contain information that is essential for designing a residential project.
Laguna Beach Municipal Code
The Laguna Beach Municipal Code is the governing document of the City. The Zoning Ordinance (Title 25) implements goals and policies of the General Plan. It defines terms, identifies specific development standards for the City’s various zoning districts, details procedural requirements and identifies special development standards.
Laguna Beach GIS Database
The City’s GIS (geographic information system) Database is a valuable resource that can be accessed on the City’s web site. The vast array of information available in the database includes:
∙ Capital Improvement
Program
∙ City Maintained Trees
∙ City-Owned Property
Inventory
∙ Environmental Constraints
∙ FEMA 100-Year Flood
Plain
∙ General Plan and Local
Coastal Plan
∙ Geotechnical Reports
∙ Noise Contours
∙ Parcels
∙ Safety Districts
∙ Storm Drain Systems
∙ Trail Network
∙ Wastewater System
∙ Zoning
Landscape and Scenic Highways Resource Document
This detailed resource extends and updates the earlier General Plan Scenic Highways Element.
It describes the City’s landscape and scenic profile, discusses issues and policies related to landscape and provides an implementation program. The report also includes extensive appendices which cover Pruning and Maintenance Guidelines, Recommended Plants for Specific Needs, Heritage Tree and Candidate Heritage Tree Lists, Scenic Highway Landscapes, Urban Design Details (street furniture) and Specific Neighborhood Landscapes. It is important to reference this document when planning a landscape design.
California Building Standards Code*
The California Buildings Standards Code is a compilation of three types of building standards:
∙ Building standards that have been adopted by state agencies without change from building standards contained in national model codes;
∙ Building standards that have been adopted and adapted from the national model code standards to meet California conditions; and
∙ Building standards, authorized by the California legislature, that constitute extensive additions not covered by the model codes that have been adopted to address particular California concerns.
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State Historical Building Code
The California Office of Historic Preservation* oversees building regulations for the rehabilitation, preservation, restoration or relocation of buildings or structures designated as historic buildings.
The code provides flexibility so historic structures can be updated for modern needs and requirements, including disability access and safety issues pertaining to fire, seismic activity or other hazards.
* Reference the California Office of Historic Preservation website at:
http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=21410
The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties* The National Park Service has established guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring and Reconstructing Historic Buildings. These four historic treatment approaches are intended to guide preservation practices in order to protect national historic resources. The standards and guidelines are organized in a manner that promotes a consistent approach in the selected preservation technique.
*Reference the National Park Service website at:
http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/standguide/index.htm California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)*
The California Environmental Quality act is the foundation of environmental protection in California. CEQA seeks to identify and protect physical, biological and cultural resources associated with development. Every project is subject to CEQA unless identified as exempt. If a project is not exempt, typically additional studies will be required to help identify and minimize the projects impacts.
* Reference the California Natural Resource Agency website at:
http://ceres.ca.gov/ceqa/
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Chapter 14
Administration
The approval authorities for the City’s entitlement process include the City Council, the Planning Commission, the Design Review Board and the Heritage Committee.
The City Council is an elected body consisting of five local representatives. Each member serves a term of four years and may be reelected without limitation. The City Council appoints the members of the Planning Commission, the Design Review Board and the Heritage Committee.
Members of the City Council, Planning Commission and Design Review Board typically represent a cross section of community interests. Heritage Committee members share a specific interest in the preservation of historic structures.
All of these groups meet regularly every month. City Council, Planning Commission, and Design Review Board meetings are televised on the local Laguna Beach channel for the benefit of the public and accessible for viewing simultaneously or later on the City’s web site.
The Design Review Board consists of five members. Each Board member serves a two-year term.
The Design Review Board also functions as the Board of Adjustment for the purpose of considering variance requests. It is the responsibility of the Board of Adjustment/Design Review Board to consider development applications, requests for coastal development permits, and variance applications.
The Heritage Committee is composed of nine members serving two-year terms. This Committee serves as an advisory body to the City Council and the design review authority on matters pertaining to historic preservation in the City. Its scope of review includes evaluation of alterations to historic structures, requests to place structures on the Historic Register and recommendations of properties for Mills Act contracts.
The Planning Commission is made up of five members who serve two-year terms. A commissioner’s responsibility is to review ordinance revisions, subdivisions, lot line adjustments, conditional use permits, coastal development permits and temporary use permits. The commission also oversees design review for projects within the boundaries of the Downtown Specific Plan area and for commercial projects that require a Conditional Use Permit.
The Design Review Process
The Design Review Board takes a discretionary approach in the framework of the applicable policies, regulations and guidelines. In each case, board members familiarize themselves with the application and the subject property prior to the meeting through site visits and review the plans submitted. Neighbors, applicants and their agents (architects or contractors) with concerns about a proposed project may contact the board to request a site visit to their property to consider their individual concerns. Applicants, their agents, interested neighbors and all concerned citizens are given an opportunity to address the board on the proposed project during the scheduled public hearing.
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The Laguna Beach Municipal Code identifies development standards that represent the maximum allowable building potential for land within specific zones; however, these standards may not represent what is acceptable or approvable on a particular project site, depending on local conditions. It is the responsibility of the Design Review Board to assess specific issues related to a project, including but not limited to neighborhood conditions, view and privacy impacts, in terms of the established design review criteria. The board may, at its discretion, impose additional development restrictions as necessary and appropriate.
Attending one or more Design Review Board meetings to familiarize oneself with the board and its procedures may be beneficial when preparing a project for submittal.
The first step in the design review process is the development of the framework for a project. The unique character and diverse geography of the city requires an applicant to investigate all applicable policies, ordinances and guidelines that will affect a project prior to putting pencil to paper.
The Laguna Beach City Council Chambers are located
at 505 Forest Avenue, adjacent to City Hall.
Many areas of the City have specific design
issues, opportunities and constraints that
are unique to particular neighborhoods.
Some areas of the City have organized
neighborhood associations. A list of
neighborhood associations is available
through the City Clerk’s office.
It may also be beneficial to seek professional
guidance in the early stages of project
development.
Pre-Application Site Development Meeting
Depending upon the proposed scope of work (Design Review Process Flowchart), development projects may be subject to either a standard or a staff-assisted review. Projects requiring a staffassisted review must submit an application and the applicable fee for a preapplication site development meeting. The applicant will then be contacted to schedule the required meeting. Staff will meet with the designer and property owner at the site to provide them with a preliminary evaluation of the project’s development potential in relation to the City’s regulations, guidelines and community and neighborhood standards as generally applied by the Design Review Board.
The intent of this meeting is to assist applicants in formulating projects that are more likely to meet with the Design Review Board’s approval before substantial time and resources have been expended.
Zoning Plan Check
Following the meeting, the applicable filing fees, required drawings and additional information can be submitted, as in standard review, for zoning plan check. The project is then reviewed by staff for compliance with City ordinances, policies and guidelines. If additional clarification or information is required to complete the review, staff will prepare comments and corrections for the applicant. Staff will also indicate what discretionary approvals are required. Upon resubmittal, staff will review the revised information and determine if the project is ready to be scheduled for design review.
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The Design Review Hearing
Projects that are exempt from design review may be cleared to the Building Division for structural plan check. Following clearance from zoning and structural plan checks and submittal of all required fees and plans, studies and reports, the applicant may obtain the necessary building permits through the Building Division.
Projects that require design review may be subject to either administrative design review or design review. Minor projects may be reviewed through the administrative design review process, which is conducted weekly by staff. Other projects are subject to a public hearing before the Design Review Board, which is conducted Thursday evenings in the Council Chambers.
During the Design Review Board hearing, an application may be continued, tabled, approved or denied.
Projects may be continued at the request of the applicant or at the direction of the Design Review Board. An applicant may request a limited number of continuances without the project being heard, and these requests must be approved by the board. Furthermore, projects heard by the board may be continued in order for the applicant to address specific board-member comments or neighbor concerns. In most cases, continued projects are not required to be renoticed. Some projects may be required to be restaked.
The applicant is strongly encouraged to follow the direction of the Board. Projects are regularly held to a maximum of two hearings. If the applicant has followed the direction of the board and an additional hearing is in the best interest of the community, one additional hearing may be granted.
A project requiring significant changes may be tabled for a maximum of six months in order to allow the applicant time to address the board’s comments prior to the next hearing. A tabled project is required to be renoticed.
Any decision of the Design Review Board may be appealed to the City Council within 14 days.
Following the required appeal period, a project that has been approved by the Design Review Board may be submitted to the Building Division for structural plan check. If the project was approved with specific design review conditions, those conditions must be incorporated into the construction plans.
All Design Review Board approvals have an expiration date. A copy of the City’s Construction Work Commencement Policy may be obtained from the Community Development Division.
Information regarding effective and expiration dates may be found in Municipal Code §25.05.
Appealing a Decision
Decisions of the Board of Adjustment/Design Review Board may be appealed, subject to the provisions of Municipal Code §25.05.070.
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Coastal Development Permits
With the exception of certain gated communities within the City, the California Coastal Commission has granted the City the authority to review and approve a coastal development permit (CDP). When a coastal development permit is required for a project located in a noncertified area, the applicant must apply directly to the California Coastal Commission for permit approval, following Design Review Board approval and the associated appeal period. A building permit will not be issued until Coastal Commission approval has been secured.
A CDP is required for all new development and for certain additions, depending on the scope of work and project site location. The design review authority is required to make findings to grant a CDP. These findings include:
1. The project is in conformity with all the applicable provisions of the general plan, including the certified local coastal program and any applicable specific plans.
2. Any development located between the sea and the first public road paralleling the sea is in conformity with the certified local coastal program and with the public access and public recreation policies of Chapter 3 of the Coastal Act.
3. The proposed development will not have any significant adverse impacts on the environment within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act Appeal procedures for projects subject to a Coastal Development Permit are set forth in the Laguna Beach Municipal Code §25.07.016.
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Design Review Process Flowchart
Applicant submits Development Review Application along with required fee and required items (Zoning Review Submittal Checklist).
Staff Assisted Review / Pre-Application Site Review
and Zoning Plan Check:
Projects requiring variance approval (except non-conforming site conditions)
New Residential projects exceeding 3,000 square feet in size; Upper-level additions
Standard Review and Zoning Plan Check:
Projects not requiring a variance
New development under 3,000 sq. ft.
Ground/lower-level additions (resulting in a total living area less than 3,000 sq. ft.)
Improvements normally associated with residential properties Corrections required.
Applicant is notified and picks up
plans and Zoning Staff
comments at front counter.
Applicant addresses Zoning Staff
comments and submits revised
plans to front counter.
Zoning Division Staff
Review/Corrections process
repeats until no additional
corrections are required.
No corrections. Application cleared to
Administrative Design Review or
Design Review.
Zoning Division Staff prepares staff report, if required. Applicant submits required fees and exhibits. Public Hearing notices are mailed/posted as required and a hearing date (Administrative or Regular hearing) is scheduled. Applicant prepares for scheduled hearing date and submits required fees and items, as necessary. (Refer to LBMC 25.05.040).
Refer to the Design Review Board and Administrative
Design Review flowcharts on the following pages.
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Prior to the scheduled Design Review hearing the following steps may be required LBMC [25.05.040 (C)]:
Early Neighbor Communication.
Project Staking - If the project is required to be staked, LBMC [25.05.040 (C)(2)(a) and (C)(2)(b)] apply. Note that the construction and certification of staking are to be completed 28 calendar days prior to the scheduled hearing for Design Review hearings.
a. The applicant shall submit a deposit to the City for the removal of the staking poles. Staking poles are to be removed within 20 calendar days after the project decision or the deposit is forfeited and the City shall remove the staking poles from the project site. b. If a project is modified during the design review process because of a view consideration, the project shall be re-staked and recertified at least 14 calendar days prior to any subsequent hearing, unless required to provide a longer period as determined by the Design Review Board.
Public Notice required to be mailed to property owners within 300’ of subject property at least 28 calendar days prior to the scheduled hearing. (Refer to LBMC [25.05.065 (B) & (C)]. Note that newspaper advertising is not required for Administrative Design Review hearings and public notice for Coastal Development Permits shall be in accordance with LBMC [25.07.014].
Biological Report is required for any proposal to clear native vegetation on undeveloped parcels located within or adjacent to areas designated high or very high value on the City’s biological values maps. Fire Department Review and Approval is required for any proposal for new construction or major remodel. Fire Department review will include Fuel Modification Plans for parcels within the fuel modification designation. (Design Review Board flowchart continued on following page.) Design Review Board
(Refer to LBMC [25.05.040(B)] for projects subject to Design Review) Deliberation and Action.
All testimony and evidence is presented at scheduled Design Review hearing.
The decision of the Design Review Board shall be based on the criteria as identified in LBMC [25.05.040(H)]. Additional criteria are established for:
Coastal Development Permits (LBMC [25.07.012(F)]) and specific plans/zoning overlays (identified within relevant City document).
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(Design Review Board flowchart continued from previous page) Project Approved or
Conditionally Approved.
Decision shall be accompanied by
findings correlated with the design
review criteria as specified above.
Design Review Board Hearing Limits.
Design Review (3 dwelling units or less): 2 hearings, unless increased by DRB
Concept Review: not allowed for 3 dwellings or less, unless where required by City Ordinance (limited to 1 of the required hearings as noted above) Continuances: DRB may allow up to 2 continuances.
Expiration Date LBMC [25.05.040(J)]
Project approval is valid for a period of
two years after initial design review
decision (refer also to the
Construction Work Commencement
Policy for details).
Appeals LBMC [25.05.070]
An appeal to the decision of the
Design Review Board may be made to
the City Council by the applicant, any
property owner within 300’ of the
subject property or a City Council
member. Appeals must be filed with
the City Clerk within 14 calendar days
of the determination. The project will
then be forwarded to the City Council
after payment by the applicant of the
appropriate fee and re-noticing.
Effective Date LBMC [25.05.040 (J)]
If no appeal is made to the City
Council within the appeal period of
14 calendar days, the decision of the
Design Review Board is upheld
(subject to imposed conditions, if
applicable) and the applicant may file
for any required building permits.
Project Denied.
Decision shall be accompanied by
findings correlated with the design
review criteria as specified above.
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Staking LBMC [25.05.040(C)(2)(a)
and 25.05.040(C)(2)(b)]
Conditionally Approved.
Deliberation and Action.
Administrative Design Review
Appeals LBMC [25.05.070]
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Variances
The Design Review Board also acts as the Board of Adjustment and as such is responsible for the review and approval of certain requests for a variance from the zoning regulations. (Municipal Code §25.05.020). A variance may be granted if the board can make the required legal findings.
Authority for Variances
Variances are discretionary entitlements that permit a property to depart from ordinarily applicable development standards. California Government Code §65906 establishes the statutory authority for the granting of variances:
“Variances from the terms of the zoning ordinances shall be granted only when, because of special circumstances, applicable to the property, including size, shape, topography, location of surroundings, the strict application of the zoning ordinance deprives such property of privileges enjoyed by other property in the vicinity and under identical zoning classification.
Any variance granted shall be subject to such conditions as will assure that the adjustment thereby authorized shall not constitute a grant of special privileges inconsistent with the limitations upon other properties in the vicinity and zone in which such property is situated.
A variance shall not be granted for a parcel of property which authorizes a use or activity which is not otherwise expressly authorized by the zone regulation governing the parcel of property.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to conditional use permits.” The courts acknowledge the need or desirability for variances because within a given zone there will be individual tracts or lots having a peculiar shape, unusual topography or other similar unique features that prevent the property from being put to productive use if all development standards are strictly applied. The general purpose of a variance is to put the owner of the atypical property on a par with other property owners whose lots conform to the overall pattern envisioned by the zoning ordinance. A variance is not intended to place the applicant in a better position than that enjoyed by his or her neighbors.
Standards for Variances
The standards for granting a variance contained in California Government Code §65906 are restated in substance in Municipal Code §25.05.025(F). Before a variance may be granted, all of the following findings must be made:
1. There are special circumstances applicable to the property involved, including size, shape, topography, location of surroundings which cause the strict application of the zoning ordinance to deprive such property of privileges enjoyed by other property in the vicinity and under identical zoning classification.
2. Such variance is necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of a substantial property right of the applicant, which right is possessed by other property owners under like conditions in the same vicinity and zone.
3. The granting of the variance will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, convenience and welfare or injurious to property or improvements in the vicinity in which the property is located.
4. The granting of such a variance will not be contrary to the objectives of the zoning ordinance or the general plan.
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Section C: The Entitlement Process
Administration
The fact that another property has been granted a variance does not set a precedent for the granting of a future variance for a different property. Each application must be considered on a case-by-case basis in light of its individual circumstances and merit.
Certain criteria or standards applied by local agencies in justifying a variance have been held improper by the courts. For example, findings that the proposed development has attractive features, would be a benefit to the community, would serve community needs, is highly desirable, would be unprofitable or less profitable absent a variance, would incorporate superior building standards, or would otherwise have practical difficulties are not legally relevant.
Findings for Variances
Decisions on a variance application must be supported by findings of fact in support of the action whether a variance is granted or denied. Findings must be clearly articulated and based on evidence in the administrative record of the proceedings, such as staff reports, testimony, photographs, and documents. Findings are not sufficient if they merely recite the very language of the standards set forth in the local ordinance or state statute. 170
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Appendix
Glossary of Terms
Residential Design Guidelines Page Appendix A-1
Appendix
Glossary
Abbreviations
ABH Arch Beach Heights Specific Plan
BMP’s Best Management Practices
BSC Building Site Coverage
CEQA California Environmental Quality Act
DCSP Diamond/Crestview
DSP Downtown Specific Plan
EIR Environmental Impact Report (California)
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Act
LBMC Laguna Beach Municipal Code
TAB Three Arch Bay
UBC Uniform Building Code
WQMP Water Quality Management Plan
A
Access: The place or way by which vehicles shall have safe, adequate and usable ingress and egress to a property and or use.
Accessory building: A separate building the use of which is subordinate and incidental to that of the main building, structure or use on the same lot. (An accessory building may not include a bathroom or kitchen.)
Acre: A unit of land area equal to 43,560 square feet. There are 640 acres to a square mile.
Adverse impact: A negative consequence for the physical, social or economic environment resulting from an action or project.
Affordable housing: Housing for sale or rent that is made available at below-market prices.
Alley: A public or private vehicular way that affords a secondary means of access to abutting property and that is not more than twenty feet nor less than ten feet in width.
Alteration: A change made to a structure, including the construction of additions.
Normal maintenance and repairs are not considered alterations.
Ambiance: The atmosphere or tone of a setting, as determined largely by style of architecture, amount of activity, density of use and related factors. Frequently, ambiance is the quality of a space, and a principal concern is preservation of those factors responsible for this unique quality.
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Ambient: Completely enveloping or encompassing (used to describe measurements of existing conditions with respect to traffic, noise, air and other environments.) Annex: To incorporate a land area into an existing district or municipality, with a resulting change in the boundaries of the annexing jurisdiction.
Arcade: An arched roof or covered passageway.
Arch: A curved opening constructed without the use of a supporting horizontal beam.
Architectural features: Projections or appurtenances on buildings which provide visual variation and/or relief but do not serve as living or working space.
Articulation: Clear and distinct separation between design elements, achieved through various techniques that break up plain, monotonous areas and create patterns of movement, light and shadow.
Artists’ working and living unit: A physically connected dwelling unit and working space, occupied and utilized by a single housekeeping unit that has been structurally modified or designed to accommodate joint working activity and residential occupancy and which includes the following: (a) working space reserved for and regularly used by one or more occupants of the unit; (b) complete kitchen space and sanitary facilities.
Atrium: A courtyard completely surrounded by a building that is either open to the sky or covered with a roof, often made of glass
B
Backfill: (1) Material such as earth and broken stone used to fill the part of an excavation between the outside foundation wall of a structure and a desired grade level or to cover a trench in order to restore the grade over it. (2) The process of refilling an excavation to restore it to a desired level.
Balcony or deck: A platform extending out from the wall of a building, usually guarded on the free sides by a protective and ornamental balustrade or railing. Balconies can be supported by columns, brackets or cantilevered.
Basement: The lowest story of a building located completely below the natural or finished grade, whichever is more restrictive. If any portion of the lowest level daylights, the structure is not considered a basement (see “Daylight Basement”).
Bay window: A multipane window with at least three panels set at different angles to create a projection from the face of a building.
Beam: A horizontal, transverse timber in the roof of a building or between the floor of a building. Beams function as main horizontal supporting timbers for the floor joists.
Bearing wall: A wall that supports vertical loads as well as its own weight. 172
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Residential Design Guidelines Page Appendix A-3
Bedrock: The solid rock that underlies the soil or other unconsolidated materials such as loose rock or sand.
Below-market rate: (1) A housing unit specifically priced to be sold or rented to low- or moderate-income households for an amount less than the fair-market value of the unit; (2) The financing of housing at less than prevailing interest rates.
Belt course: A horizontal layer of stone, brick, pre-cast concrete or other decorative material flush with or projecting from a wall used to mark a floor line or to visually reduce the perceived height of a building.
Bench mark: A permanent marker that serves as a reference point for an elevation, usually elevation above sea level. A bench mark may be carved into stone or metal and is sometimes designated on a survey with the initials TBM, PBM or BM.
Berm: (1) A shelf, ledge or bench that is approximately horizontal and is cut into an embankment partway up a slope to help to stabilize it, collect any material or debris that may fall from a higher point up the slope and control drainage. (2) An earth mound designed to divert and control surface runoff or to serve as a visual buffer.
Best Management Practices (BMP’s): Practices used to reduce water pollution derived from site runoff. BMPs may include structural controls, nonstructural controls and procedures for the operation and maintenance of land uses.
Biotic community: A group of living organisms characterized by a distinctive combination of animal and plant species in a particular habitat.
Blueline stream: A watercourse shown as a blue line on a U.S. Geological Service topographic quadrangle map.
Board-and-batten: A type of exterior siding or interior paneling that has alternating wide boards and narrow wooden strips, called battens.
Bollard: A vertical, freestanding short post used as a barrier to vehicles.
Bosque: A space defined by a geometric grouping of trees.
Bowstring: A roof structural system composed of parallel trusses that resembles a bow with the string parallel to and nearest to the ground.
Bracket: A support element designed to bear a projected weight, often used more decoratively than functionaly.
Breezeway: A roofed passageway, open on at least two sides, containing a roof that is structurally integrated with the structure to which it is attached. A breezeway is considered as part of the building to which it is attached. 173
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Page Appendix A-4 City of Laguna Beach, California
Buffer zone: An area of land separating two distinct land uses that acts to soften or mitigate the effects of one land use on another.
Buildable area: The area of any given lot that is not part of a required front, side or rear yard, as set forth in the property development standards of the applicable zone for said lot.
Building envelope: The three-dimensional area that defines the maximum limits within which a structure may be built on the lot.
Building site coverage (also BSC or Lot Coverage): The proportion of the surface of a lot that is covered by buildings or permitted to be covered by buildings. Coverage requirements are intended to preserve open space, limit the intensity of development and limit the amount of impermeable surface that may be created.
Built environment: All elements of the man-made environment that, by definition, involve some application of human effort and technology toward their design, construction or manufacture.
C
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): A state law requiring state and local agencies to regulate activities with consideration for environmental protection.
Candidate heritage tree: Trees identified that could qualify to be designated as heritage trees but do not enjoy the same protection as those designated as heritage trees under the city ordinance.
Canopy: A projection over a door, window, niche, or other architectural feature.
Cantilever: A horizontal projection from a structure, such as a step, balcony, beam or other architectural element that projects beyond a supporting element without support from directly below.
Capital improvements program: A program established by a City and approved by the City Council that schedules public improvements to fit the projected fiscal capability of the local jurisdiction. The program generally is reviewed annually for conformance to and consistency with the General Plan.
Carport: A permanent roofed structure with not more than two enclosed sides, used for automobile shelter.
Carrying capacity: (1) The level of land use, human activity or development for a specific area that can be accommodated permanently without an irreversible change in the quality of air, water, land or plant and animal habitats. (2) The upper limits of development beyond which the quality of human life, health, welfare, safety or community character within an area will be impaired. (3) The maximum level of development allowable under current zoning.
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Residential Design Guidelines Page Appendix A-5
Casement window: A window hung vertically, hinged one side, so that it swings inward or outward.
Clapboard: Overlapping horizontal boards that cover the timber-framed wall of a structure.
Clerestory: An upward extension of a single-story space used to provide windows for lighting and ventilation.
Clerestory window: A window within a high wall along the very top. The clerestory wall usually rises above adjoining roofs.
Colonnade: A row of columns supporting a roof structure.
Concept review: Review by the decision-making authority for the purpose of providing the applicant with the authority’s preliminary reaction to the general design concept of a proposed project. Such review does not include a formal decision or guarantee of future approval of the application by the decision-making authority.
Conditional use: A land use that is not permitted by right but which may be appropriate within a given zoning district under certain circumstances. The use may occur only upon approval of a Conditional Use Permit, pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Laguna Beach Municipal Code.
Condominium: A structure of two or more units where the interior spaces of which are individually owned while the balance of the property (both land and building) is owned in common by the owners of the individual units.
Conforming structure: A structure designed and built for a use permitted in the zone and complying with the property development standards of the zone in which such structure is located.
Contemporary interpretation: An architectural and urban design approach that reflects the historic scale building mass, building form and architectural features of an earlier stage but updates its style through the use of modern building materials.
Contour lines: Lines that appear on topographic maps linking points of an equal elevation above sea level and providing a clear picture of the slope configuration.
Cool roof: A roof designed to reduce building cooling loads and the urban heat-island effect.
Corbel: A projecting bracket of stone or brick that supports a cornice or arch.
Corner cutback: The provisions for and maintenance of adequate space for safe visibility to protect vehicular and pedestrian traffic at all intersections of streets, alleys and/or private driveways, as provided in the zones. Such space will be kept free of buildings, structures and landscaping which would constitute a visual obstruction. 175
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Page Appendix A-6 City of Laguna Beach, California
Corner lot: See “Lot, corner”
Cornice: A decorative projection at the top of a wall, arch or building.
Courtyard: An outdoor space enclosed on two or more sides by a building.
Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs): Limitations placed on a property and its use, usually as conditions of holding title or lease.
Cross section: Usually referred to as a “section.” A representation of a vertical slice through a structure taken at a point that illustrates as many elements of interior construction, engineering or architectural treatment as possible and clarifies design, construction details and slope profile.
Culvert: A drain constructed from stone or brick in the form of a tunnel that provides a channel for carrying water. (See “Swale” for an alternative environmentally-sensitive design solution.)
Cumulative impact: The total environmental impact resulting from the accumulated impacts of individual projects or programs over time. (Typically assessed during a CEQA environmental review.)
Cupola: A small decorative structure, sometimes rectangular but usually round in plan, projecting from the ridge of a roof and opened by windows or columns.
D
Datum: A fixed element on or immediately adjacent to a project site undisturbed by development used as a reference, as in surveying, mapping, or geology. (Generally a manhole cover, an existing wall or utility meter, or a surveyors spike.) An assumed elevational height is assigned to the datum point (i.e., elevation 100.0) and the heights of buildings, walls, roofs, etc. are calculated relative to this point.
Daylight basement: A full or partial basement that is partially above ground, allowing larger windows exposed to daylight, or a walk-out basement that has a walkway or lower patio.
Deciduous tree: A tee that drops its leaves each year at a particular time.
Dedication: The transfer of an interest in property by an owner or developer of private land for public use and the acceptance of land for such use by the governmental agency having jurisdiction over the public function for which it will be used. Dedications for roads, parks, open space, school sites, or other public uses are often made conditions for approval of a development by a City or County.
Defensible space: A minimum area of noncombustible surfaces that separates urban and wildland areas.
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Residential Design Guidelines Page Appendix A-7
Density, residential: The number of permanent residential dwelling units per acre of land.
Density bonus: The allocation of development rights that allows a parcel to accommodate additional square footage or additional residential units beyond the maximum for which the parcel is zoned in return for the long-term restriction of certain percentages of units for very-low or low-income households or senior-citizen households. (See the Housing Element and the California Density Bonus law for additional information).
Design articulation: Accentuation of the visible aspects of the different parts of a building to minimize the perceived mass of a building.
Design integrity: Consistency with the chosen architectural style.
Design review criteria: Standards upon which the approval or denial of a design review application is based.
Design review: The comprehensive evaluation of proposed projects and their impact on neighboring properties and the community as a whole.
Development: The physical extension and/or construction of land uses, including but not limited to structures, landscape, hardscape and grading.
Divided light window: A window glazed with small panes of glass separated by glazing bars arranged in a decorative pattern often dictated by the architectural style.
Dome: A hemispherical roof or ceiling that adds light, color and drama to the structure.
Dormer: A vertically framed window that protrudes from a sloping roof and has a roof of its own, creating usable space in the roof of a building by adding headroom and enabling addition of windows.
Double-hung window: A window with an upper and a lower sash arranged so that each slides vertically past the other.
E
Easement: An interest in land created by grant, agreement, or other lawful means that confers a right upon owners, including a public agency, to some profit, benefit, dominion or lawful use of or over the estate of another; it is distinct from ownership of the soil.
Easements are generally granted for ingress/egress (access) or utility purposes.
Eave: The structure under a sloping roof that overhangs a wall.
Egress window: A window compliant with Building Code standards allowing occupants to escape it in an emergency.
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Page Appendix A-8 City of Laguna Beach, California
Elevation: (1) A scale drawing of the view of one side of a structure that indicates location and dimensions of doors and windows, floor to floor heights, natural grade and the final grade level of the ground adjacent to the building in relation to the floor level. Elevations also show the types of wall finishes and architectural details. The outside of the building below the grade line may also be shown. A set of working drawings will include a separate elevation for each side of the structure. An elevation may also be used to show the relationship among buildings, as along a street, or the relationship of one site to another along the same plane, as when showing the distance between two separated sites on the same block. (2) The height of a structure relative to a specified datum.
Encroachment: An illegal or unauthorized intrusion upon an adjoining public street, highway or adjoining private property, reducing the size of the invaded property. The encroachment may take the form of a fixture, such as a wall or fence, or a part of the real estate, such as an overhanging roof that extends beyond the property line.
Energy Star: Energy Star is a joint government program created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that certifies products that use less energy, save money and are contribute to protecting the environment.
Environmental context: The natural environmental setting where a property is located.
Environment features can include existing heritage trees, rock out-cropping, ridgelines and significant watercourse should be protected.
Evergreen: A plant in which the leaves remain green throughout the year.
Excavation: (1) The process of removing materials, such as soil or rock, from the ground to create a depression. (2) The depression left in the ground after materials have been removed from it.
F
Façade: (1) An exterior front or principal face of a building. (2) Any side of a building that faces a street or other open space or has been given special architectural or design treatment to make it more attractive.
Fascia: A horizontal band covering the joint between the top of a wall and the projecting eaves.
Fenestration: The arrangement, proportions and design of windows and doors in a building.
Fill: (1) In grading, the amount of material that must be added to depressions or lowlying areas to achieve the contours specified in a grading plan. (2) Material that has accumulated or is disposed of at a site and has the effect of raising the ground elevation, or that is deliberately added to a site to improve its suitability for construction.
Findings: The substantial evidence or facts upon which a decision is based. 178
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Residential Design Guidelines Page Appendix A-9
Finial: A vertical ornament at the top of a gable or tower.
Floodplain: The low and generally flat land areas adjoining a body of water that often floods or has the potential of flooding.
Floor area ratio (FAR): The ratio between the amount of floor area permitted to be constructed on a building lot and the size of the lot.
Floor plan: A horizontal cross section of a building, as seen from above, taken at a height above the floor that enables maximum detail to be illustrated. It will show the location of outside and inside walls and their thicknesses, lengths and construction materials; all door and window openings in the walls; locations of stairs and elevators; the directions in which doors swing; and other data pertaining to built-in features and fixtures. A separate floor plan is drawn for each building level.
Footing: The part of a building foundation (typically underground) that distributes the loads of bearing walls, piers or columns to the soil, rock or piles on which the structure rests and is usually constructed of concrete.
Footprint, building: The outline of a building at all points where it meets the ground.
Foundation: The part of a building, usually below the ground, that transfers and distributes the weight of the building onto the earth.
Frontage: The width of a lot extending along a street.
Fuel modification plan: A plan that identifies zones or strips of land where combustible native or ornamental vegetation is proposed to be partially or totally replaced with drought-tolerant, low-fuel-volume plants to create a defensible space for fire protection and fire fighter access.
Fully shielded: A barrier which does not allow any light dispersion to shine above the horizontal plane form the lowest light emitting point of the light fixture.
Full cut-off: A luminare that allows no direct light emission above a horizontal plane through the luminare’s lowest light-emmiting part.
G
Gable: The triangular part of an exterior wall created by the angle of a pitched roof. The base of the triangle is not completed by any horizontal member as with a pediment.
Gambrel roof: A symmetrical, two-sided roof with a broken slope creating two pitches between eaves and ridges.
General Plan: A compilation of city goals and policies adopted by the City Council and approved by the Office of Planning Research regarding long-term development. 179
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General Plan compliance: Conformity to the polices and regulations set forth in the General Plan.
Glare: Stray or unshielded light that strikes that is reflected off of a surface or emitted from a light source.
Grade: The gradient or rate of incline of the land expressed as a percentage of vertical to horizontal distances.
Grade, finish: The natural or artificial slope of the land as it is to be maintained upon completion of the structure.
Grade, natural: The established slope of the land prior to grading by artificial means.
Grades resulting from previous approved grading activities shall be considered to be natural grades.
Grading: The movement and reshaping of earth to create new contours.
Greenhouse: A one-story accessory building devoted to horticulture.
Green roof: A roof surface that is planted with vegetation over a waterproof membrane.
Ground cover: Plant material grown in order to minimize soil erosion from both wind and water and for landscaping purposes.
Groundwater: Water that occupies the spaces in underground geological structures.
H
Habitat, high value: An environmentally sensitive area dominated by indigenous plant communities, which posses good species diversity. A detailed environmental assessment may be required on a site-specific basis for properties, which contain or are adjacent to these habitats.
Habitat, very high value: An environmentally sensitive areas containing habitats of endangered, rare or locally unique native plant species. A detailed environmental assessment may be required on a site-specific basis for properties, which contain or are adjacent to these habitats.
Hedge: Generally dense vegetation so aligned as to form a physical barrier, fence or enclosure.
Heritage tree: A tree or stand of trees that has been placed on the Heritage Tree List by the City Council.
Hip roof: A roof that slopes downwards to the walls on all sides. 180
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Residential Design Guidelines Page Appendix A-11
Historic structure: A historic building or site that is noteworthy for its significance in local, state or national history or culture, its architecture or design, or its works of art, memorabilia or artifacts.
Historic Inventory: A historic survey done to identify homes with historical significance built prior to 1935 which retained their original architectural integrity. This survey was adopted as the Historic Inventory in 1982. The Inventory was updated to included homes within South Laguna during the adoption of the South Laguna Specific Plan (1983). The inventory classifies structures into three categories of historical significance, “E” Exceptional, “K” Key and “C” Contributive. For a complete description of these categories see the city’s historic resources element.
Historic preservation: Maintenance and repair of existing historic materials and retention of the property as it has evolved over time. The limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and other code-required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a preservation project.
Historic Register: Historic structures are identified as historically significant. These properties were voluntarily placed on the register and are eligible to receive incentives for development. The register classifies structures into three categories of historical significance, “E” Exceptional, “K” Key and “C” Contributive. For a complete description of these categories see the city’s historic resources element.
Historic rehabilitation: The act or process of making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations and additions while preserving those portions or features that convey its historical, cultural or architectural value.
Historic restoration: The act or process of accurately depicting the form, features and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal of features from other periods in its history and reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period.
Historic reconstruction: The act or process of depicting, by means of new construction, the form, features and detailing of a non surviving site, landscape, building, structure or object for the purpose of replicating its appearance at a specific period of time and in its historic location.
Human scale: The appropriate relationship or scale between human beings and the size of the surrounding buildings. Buildings scaled to human physical capabilities have steps, doorways, railings, work surfaces, seating, shelves, fixtures, walking distances, and other features that fit well to the average person.
I
Impervious surface: A surface through which water cannot penetrate.
Improvements: Permanent additions to real property that are designed to make the property more useful or to increase its value.
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Page Appendix A-12 City of Laguna Beach, California
Infill development: New construction within an existing developed area.
Infiltration: The process by which soil absorbs water percolating through it. This phenomenon allows soil to function as a reservoir that gradually releases water to aquifers and surface streams.
Infrastructure: Facilities and services needed to sustain industrial, residential and commercial activities such as water/sewer lines, streets and fire stations, etc.
In-lieu fee: A cash payment made instead of complying entirely with the code requirements.
Fees are attributed to funds for parking, park land, affordable housing or art in public places.
Irrigation: Water applied to landscaping, additional to the water provided by rainfall.
J
Jalousie window: A louvered window made up of parallel slats that open and close like a Venetian blind, using a crank or lever.
Joist: One of a series of parallel beams oriented horizontally that support the floorboards of a floor or roof above.
K
Kalvin: A unit increment of temperature.
L
Landmark: (1) A building, site, object, structure or significant landscape feature having historical, architectural, social or cultural significance. (2) A visually prominent or outstanding structure or natural feature that functions as a point of orientation of identification.
Landscape architecture: The art and science of reshaping land for practical or aesthetic purposes, including the redesign of a site to accommodate specific land uses, buildings and structures and the selection and placement of landscape features such as trees, other plantings and ponds.
Landscaping: Plants, trees and shrubs planted on a property.
Landslide: Downslope movement of soil and/or rock, which typically occurring during an earthquake or after heavy rainfall.
Lighting and glare: The amount of light that is emitted or reflected from a property.
Light trespass: Light that shines beyond the property of where it is installed. 182
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Residential Design Guidelines Page Appendix A-13
Liquefaction: The transformation of loose, wet soil from a solid to a liquid state, often as a result of ground shaking during an earthquake.
Lintel: The horizontal member above a door or window that supports the wall above the opening.
Loggia: An entertainment or recreation room that is open on one or more sides, sometimes pillared.
Lot: An area of land under one ownership that has been lawfully created by means of a subdivision map, parcel map, record of survey or metes-and-bounds description. Such a lot may or may not be a building site.
Lot coverage: See Building Site Coverage.
Low embodied energy: The total energy consumed by a product during its life or complete life cycle. It includes all the energy used during mining or milling the raw materials, manufacturing the raw materials into a product, transporting the product, and installing the product, as well as finally removing or recycling the product.
Lumen: A measurement of light energy generated by a light source.
Luminare: The entire light fixture including the lamp, bulb and power supply connections.
M
Mansard roof: A roof with two slopes on each of the four sides. The lower slope is steeper than the upper slope. The upper slope is usually not visible from the ground.
Mansionization: Conversion of older small homes on small lots to new, larger homes.
Map scale: A description of the relationship between the size of objects or physical features on a map and their size in life.
Mass: The visual appearance of size.
Mills Act: A state law allowing cities to enter into contracts with owners of historic structures. A reduction in property taxes is granted in exchange for a binding preservation and maintenance schedule of the historic property.
Mitigate: To improve, alleviate or avoid to the extent reasonably feasible.
Monochromatic: Having a single color scheme.
Mullion: A vertical divider in a multipane window.
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N
Niche: A recess in a wall usually made to contain a sculpture.
Nonconforming lot: A parcel of land that does not conform to the lot area and the lot dimension standards for the zone in which it is located Nonconforming structure: A building or portion thereof that does not comply with one or more of the property development standards of the zone in which it is located.
Nonconforming use: A use of a building or land that does not conform to the uses permitted in the zone in which it is located.
O
Objective: A specific statement of desired future condition toward which effort should be expended as an intermediate step in striving to achieve a broader goal. An objective should be achievable and, where possible, measurable and time-specific.
Ordinance: A law or regulation set forth and adopted by the City.
Oriel window: A window with many panels that projects from the wall supported by brackets or corbels, and does not extend to the ground.
P
Palladian window: A three-part window with central, top-arched portion and long, narrow rectangular windows on either side.
Paper street: A street that appears on the official map of a community but has never been built or improved.
Parapet: A low wall that rises above the edge of a roof, generally used as a decorative architectural feature or to screen mechanical equipment.
Parcel: An area of land under single ownership. A parcel may or may not be a legal building site.
Passive Solar: Design that collects, stores and distributes solar energy without involving the use of mechanical and electrical devices such as pumps, fans, or electrical controls to move the solar heat.
Pedestrian scale (also ‘human scale’): The appropriate relationship or scale between human beings and the size of the surrounding buildings. Buildings scaled to human physical capabilities have steps, doorways, railings, work surfaces, seating, shelves, fixtures, walking distances, and other features that fit well to the average person.
Pediment: A low-pitched gable over a portico taking the shape of a triangle and formed by the sloping roof and a horizontal cornice at the base of the triangle. 184
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Residential Design Guidelines Page Appendix A-15
Percolation: Downward movement of water through rock or soil interstices.
Pergola: A covered walk in a garden; usually formed by a double row of posts or pillars with joists above and covered by climbing plants.
Permeable surface: A surface that allows water to be absorbed rather than repelled.
Pilaster: A column slightly projecting from a wall, primarily decorative.
Pitch: The slope of a roof expressed in terms of a ratio of height to span.
Plate or top plate: An upper wall plate that is nailed along the top of the wall studs before the wall is lifted into position and to which the platform of the next story or the ceiling and roof assembly is attached.
Porch: A covered entrance to a building that is open or partially enclosed.
Porte-cochere: A covered structure extending from the side or front entrance of a home over an adjacent driveway to shelter those entering or exiting a vehicle.
Portico: A covered porch or walk consisting of a roof supported with columns.
Preserve: To keep safe from destruction or decay or to maintain or keep intact.
Primary arterial: Primary regional accessways to the city that conduct traffic volumes in the order of 20,000 to 65,000 trips per day.
Priority Development Project: Substantial development as classified by the Water Quality Department that are required to include Treatment Control BMPs in project design. Please see the Water Quality department for the priority project thresholds.
Public notice: A legal document announcing the opportunity for the public to present their views to an official representative or board of a public agency concerning an official action pending before the agency.
Q
Quoin: Dressed stones or bricks at the corner of a building laid so that their faces are alternately large and small; originally used to add strength to the masonry wall, later used decoratively.
R
Rafter: A structural member of the roof that extends from the ridge to the eaves and is used to support the roof deck, shingles or other roof coverings.
Remodeling: Any change or alteration to a building, interior or exterior that alters its original state.
Retaining wall: A wall constructed to hold back a solid material, usually earth. 185
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Glossary of Terms
Page Appendix A-16 City of Laguna Beach, California
Retrofit: Addition of materials and/or devices to an existing building or system to improve its operation, safety or efficiency.
Ridge(s): The point where the highest sloping roof line(s) on a building intersect.
Ridgeline: A line connecting the highest points along a ridge.
Right-of-way: The right of use or to cross over the property of another.
Rock outcrop: Bedrock that is visible above the earth’s surface.
Runoff: Surplus water that does not seep into the earth but flows overland and ultimately into significant bodies of water.
S
Sense of place: The quality of a location that makes it readily recognizable and different from other locations.
Setback: The minimum required distance between the property line and the building line.
Scale: Scale refers to the structure as it relates of compares to surrounding properties in the neighborhood.
Screening: The use of landscape planting, fences or other structures to obscure unsightly or undesirable land use, lighting from neighboring properties or to create privacy.
Screening can also be used to reduce the effects of high winds or to block strong sunlight.
Shed roof: A sloping, single-planed roof.
Shiplap siding: A horizontal siding, usually wood, with a beveled edge to provide a weather-tight joint.
Shielding: A method of controlling or diverting light rays to avoid light trespass or glare.
Shore protective device or (seawall): Any bulkhead, retaining wall, seawall, revetment, fence, berm or other structure separating land and water areas primarily designed to prevent erosion or other damage due to wave action, including any structure or partition to retain or prevent sliding of the land, or any device for the purpose of protecting the upland against damage from wave action.
Significant natural watercourse: A watercourse in its natural condition and which serves a distinct functional, scenic or ecological purpose.
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Appendix
Glossary of Terms
Residential Design Guidelines Page Appendix A-17
Significant modified watercourse: A watercourse that has been altered from its natural condition but continues to serve a distinct functional, scenic or ecological purpose as defined under “significant natural watercourses.” Significant modified watercourses include those that have been channelized, piped, culverted or otherwise improved or diverted.
Site design: The arrangement of buildings, structures, lot lines, roads, utilities and plantings on a particular site.
Site plan: An accurately scaled development plan that illustrates the existing conditions on a land parcel as well as the details of proposed development.
Siting: Situating on a property.
Slope: The natural or artificial incline of a property. “Smart” controller: A device that considers local weather and landscape conditions to customize irrigation schedules for actual site conditions.
Soffit: The finished underside of an eave.
Solar access: Availability of direct sunlight so that it is possible to use solar collectors and solar energy systems for a given project.
Solar energy: The electromagnetic radiation that the sun emits.
Solar reflectance (albedo): The degree of absorption of solar radiation by a subject surface expressed as a decimal or percentage between zero and one.
Solid waste: Any unwanted or discarded material that is not a liquid or gas, including organic wastes, paper products, metals, glass, plastics, cloth, brick, rock, soil, leather, rubber, yard wastes and wood but does not include sewage and hazardous materials.
Specific plan: Land use and development standards written for a specific neighborhood or location to address unique local conditions and characteristics.
Story: The portion of a building included between the upper surface of any floor and the upper surface of the next floor above, except that the topmost story shall be that portion of a building included between the upper surface of the topmost floor and the ceiling or roof above. If the finished floor level directly above a usable or unused under-floor space is more than six feet above the adjacent ground elevation for more than 50% of the total perimeter or is more than twelve feet above the adjacent ground elevation at any point, such usable or unused under-floor space shall be considered as a story.
Street: A public or private thoroughfare that affords a primary means of access to abutting property. Street includes, in addition to the paved travel way, all land within the street right-of-way.
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Appendix
Glossary of Terms
Page Appendix A-18 City of Laguna Beach, California
Street plan line: A line delineating the proposed right-of-way for a planned street and appearing in a precise street plan adopted by the city.
Streetscape: All the elements that normally contribute to the physical makeup of a street and that, as a group, delineate its character.
Structure: Anything constructed or built, any edifice or building of any kind or any piece of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together in some defined manner, which requires location on the ground or is attached to something having a location on the ground, except outdoor areas such as patios, paved areas, walks, tennis courts and other similar recreation areas.
Subsidence: The sudden sinking or gradual downward settling and compaction of soil and other surface material with little or no horizontal motion.
Swale: A graded and engineered landscape feature vegetated with flood-tolerant, erosionresistant plants to promote the conveyance of stormwater at a slower, controlled rate, filter pollutants and allow stormwater infiltration.
T
Tandem parking space: A parking space so located that it is necessary to move one or more other automobiles in order that the automobile occupying the tandem space may gain access to or from the space.
Thermal mass: Large quantities of heavy or dense material with a high heat capacity, used in solar buildings to absorb heat that can be stored and re-radiated as needed for heating and cooling.
Toe of slope: The point or line of initial break where the terrain changes to an upward direction.
Top of slope: The point or line of initial break where the terrain changes to a downward direction.
Topography: Configuration of a surface, including its relief and the position of natural and man-made features.
Transom: The horizontal member across the top or middle of a window or door.
Transom window: A window located above a door within its vertical frame.
Truss: A number of timbers joined together to form a frame to carry other timbers, as in a timber truss roof.
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Appendix
Glossary of Terms
Residential Design Guidelines Page Appendix A-19
U
Urban design: A process that treats the development of the built environment in a comprehensive manner as a means of achieving a unified, functionally efficient and aesthetically appealing physical setting.
Urban heat island (UHI): A metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas, especially at night and in winter because of modification of the land surface by urban development and secondary waste generated by energy usage.
V
Variance: Approval to depart from the zoning requirements for a specific parcel without changing the zoning ordinance or the underlying zoning of the parcel.
Very high-value-habitat: See “habitat, very high value.” Veneer: A very thin layer used as a facing.
View corridor: The line of sight identified as to height, width and distance of an observer looking toward an object of significance to the community (e.g., ocean, coastal whitewater, Catalina Island, canyon, ridgeline, historic building, downtown).
Viewshed: The area within view from a defined observation point.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. VOCs can be found in paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings.
W
Wall: Any structure or device forming a physical barrier which is so constructed that 50% or more of the vertical surface is closed and prevent the passage of light, air and vision through the surface in a horizontal plane.
Wastewater irrigation: The process by which wastewater that has undergone appropriate treatment is used to irrigate land.
Watercourse: Natural or once naturally flowing (perennially or intermittently) water, including natural waterways that have been channelized but does not include manmade channels, ditches and underground drainage and sewage systems.
Water feature: Any permanent structure that contains three hundred gallons or more of water and contains water over eighteen inches deep, and has non-submersible circulatory mechanical pumps or equipment.
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Appendix
Glossary of Terms
Page Appendix A-20 City of Laguna Beach, California
Water Quality Management Plan: A plan containing practicable and enforceable policies to minimize the effects of urbanization on site hydrology, urban runoff flow rates or velocities and pollutant loads.
Watt: A unit of electric power flowing into a bulb or lamp.
Weatherboard: Overlapping horizontal boards that cover the timber-framed wall of a structure.
Y
Yard: Any open space other than a court on the same lot with a building or a dwelling group, which space is generally open from ground to sky, except for the projections and/ or accessory buildings permitted by this title.
Yard, front: A space extending the full width of the lot, between the front lot line or the street plan line and a line parallel thereto at a distance equal to the depth of the required front yard for the zone in which the lot is located.
Yard, year: A space extending the full width of the lot between the rear lot line and a line parallel thereto at a distance equal to the depth of the required rear yard for the zone in which the lot is located.
Yard, side: A space extending from the front yard to the rear yard, between the side lot line or the street plan line and a line parallel thereto at a distance equal to the depth of the required side yard for the zone in which the lot is located.
Z
Zone: A land area shown on the official districting (zoning) map of the city of Laguna Beach to which uniform regulations apply.
Zoning map: A map delineating the zoning areas or districts within the City. 190
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STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date:
September 22, 2026
CONSENT
CALENDAR
21 SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL
POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL TO ADD NEW POLICIES RELATING TO (1) CAPITAL ASSETS; (2) FINANCIAL AND ETHICS TRAINING FOR OFFICIALS AND STAFF; (3) CITY TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT; AND (4) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; AND FURTHER RESCINDING PREVIOUS CITY
COUNCIL APPROVALS INCONSISTENT WITH SUCH POLICIES
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Adopt the Resolution titled, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL POLICY AND
PROCEDURES MANUAL BY ADOPTING AND ADDING THERETO CITY COUNCIL POLICY NO. 4.3, CAPITAL ASSET POLICY AND PROCEDURES; POLICY NO. 5.2, AB 1234 AND SB 827 TRAINING POLICY; POLICY NO. 2.5, CITY TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT POLICY; AND POLICY NO. 5.3, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE POLICY; AND FINDING
SUCH ACTION EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT UNDER STATE CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15378”, amending the City Council Policy and Procedures Manual, as follows:
a. Adding City Council Policy No. 4.3, Capital Asset Policy and Procedures, and rescinding the previously adopted Administrative Policy No. 1-10, Capital Asset Policy and Procedures; and
b. Adding City Council Policy No. 5.2, AB 1234 and SB 827 Training Policy; and c. Adding City Council Policy No. 2.5, City Travel Reimbursement Policy, and rescinding the previously adopted Administrative Policy No. 3-3, Travel Authorizations and Expense Reporting; and
d. Adding City Council Policy No. 5.3, Artificial Intelligence.
2. Find that the recommended actions are not projects under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
SUMMARY OF THE MATTER
For much of calendar year 2026, the City has been engaged in an ongoing effort to develop a clear, transparent, and comprehensive City Council Policy and Procedures Manual (“Policy Manual”). The purpose of the Policy Manual is to consolidate in one publicly accessible document the rules and practices that govern how the City Council conducts its business and how the City administers its affairs. Adopting and maintaining such a manual is a recognized best practice in local government: it promotes transparency and public trust, ensures that similar matters are handled consistently rather than on an ad hoc basis, 1111 of 888777555
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL TO ADD NEW POLICIES RELATING TO (1) CAPITAL ASSETS; (2) FINANCIAL AND ETHICS TRAINING FOR OFFICIALS AND STAFF; (3) CITY TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT; AND (4) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; AND FURTHER RESCINDING
PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL APPROVALS INCONSISTENT WITH SUCH POLICIES September 22, 2026
preserves institutional knowledge, strengthens internal controls and fiscal accountability, and allows the City Council to address emerging issues deliberately and in advance rather than reactively.1 Earlier this year, the City Council adopted an amended and restated Policy Manual, and has subsequently adopted additional policies into the Policy Manual. To date, those policies are separated into chapters, as follows:
1. City Council Meetings and Conduct
2. City Council Administration
3. City Recognition and Ceremonial Policies
4. Finance
5. City Manager/Administration of the City
(See Attachment 1, Existing Policy Manual Table of Contents.) As part of this ongoing project, this report requests that the City Council add four new policies (including by amending and replacing two existing administrative policies) to its Policy Manual, relating to:
1. Capital Assets (Policy 4.3);
2. Financial and Ethics Training for Officials and Staff (Policy 5.2);
3. City Travel and Expense Reimbursement (Policy 2.5); and
4. Artificial Intelligence (Policy 5.3).
These policies are proposed to be adopted and incorporated into the Policy Manual through the approval of the attached Resolution. (See Attachment 2.)
1 The Institute for Local Government (“ILG”) identifies as a "better practice" that a local agency "adopts a Governance Handbook or Manual and regularly reviews and updates the included policies.” (ILG, Good Governance Checklist: Good and Better Practices, available at https://www.ca-ilg.org/sites/main/files/fileattachments/ilg_good_gov_checklist_final.pdf?1654062809.) The Government Finance Officers Association (“GFOA”) similarly recommends that agencies "formally adopt financial policies," and that those policies be written, monitored, and periodically updated. (GFOA, Adopting Financial Policies, available at https://www.gfoa.org/best-practices/financial-policy-best-practices.) In some instances, written policies are a statutory requirement: AB 1234 (Gov. Code § 53232.2(b)), for example, requires a local agency that reimburses members of its legislative body for expenses to "adopt a written policy, in a public meeting, specifying the types of occurrences that qualify a member of the legislative body to receive reimbursement of expenses relating to travel, meals, lodging, and other actual and necessary expenses." 2222 of 888777555
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL TO ADD NEW POLICIES RELATING TO (1) CAPITAL ASSETS; (2) FINANCIAL AND ETHICS TRAINING FOR OFFICIALS AND STAFF; (3) CITY TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT; AND (4) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; AND FURTHER RESCINDING
PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL APPROVALS INCONSISTENT WITH SUCH POLICIES September 22, 2026
DISCUSSION
The draft policies proposed to be adopted into the Policy Manual are intended to be included the following chapters and are added for the following reasons:
1. Finance: Capital Assets (Proposed Policy No. 4.3)
The City’s Capital Asset Policy establishes the processes for budgeting, purchasing, using, transferring, disposing of, depreciating, and financially reporting on the City’s capital assets. The Capital Assets Policy was most recently updated adopted by the City Council as Administrative Policy No. 1-10, on October 28, 2025, to align the equipment capitalization threshold with the Office of Management and Budget’s (“OMB”) Uniform Guidance. Since adoption of Administrative Policy No. 1-10, staff undertook a more comprehensive review of the Policy and identified the additional revisions described below, including opportunities to improve clarity and ensure consistency with Governmental Accounting Standards Board (“GASB”) terminology.
In addition to so updating the policy, staff recommend moving the existing Capital Asset Policy and Procedures from the Administrative Policy Manual to the City Council Policy and Procedure Manual. This recommendation is consistent with the City's ongoing effort to establish a clear and comprehensive City Council Policy and Procedures Manual, including by distinguishing between policies that establish legislative direction that require City Council approval (and are therefore included in the City Council Policy and Procedures Manual), and administrative policies that govern the day-to-day management and operation of City functions that are appropriately adopted by the City Manager (and therefore included in the City’s Administrative Policy Manual).3 Adoption of the proposed City Council Policy No. 4.3 will supersede and replace Administrative Policy No. 1-10 and establish the policy in the City Council Policies and Procedures Manual.
Useful-Life Criterion for Capitalization
The Policy previously required capitalization for assets with a cost of $10,000 or more and a useful life of “three or more” years. That standard did not fully align with the federal Uniform Guidance definition of “equipment” under 2 CFR §200.1, which defines equipment as tangible personal property with a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit cost of $10,000 or more. The revised Policy corrects this inconsistency by requiring capitalization for assets with a cost of $10,000 or more and a useful life of more than one year. 3 Historically, certain policies contained within the Administrative Policy Manual have been adopted by the City Council, while others have been adopted administratively through the City Manager's Office. This has created uncertainty regarding the authority required to amend particular policies and has made it difficult to determine from the face of a policy whether City Council approval is required. Reclassifying policies as either City Council Policies or Administrative Policies promotes consistency, clarifies administrative authority, and improves the City's ability to efficiently maintain and update procedures. 3333 of 888777555
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL TO ADD NEW POLICIES RELATING TO (1) CAPITAL ASSETS; (2) FINANCIAL AND ETHICS TRAINING FOR OFFICIALS AND STAFF; (3) CITY TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT; AND (4) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; AND FURTHER RESCINDING
PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL APPROVALS INCONSISTENT WITH SUCH POLICIES September 22, 2026
New Capitalization Threshold for Infrastructure and Sewer Plant Assets The revised Policy establishes a separate capitalization threshold of $100,000 for infrastructure and sewer plant and line assets, applied at the individual project or asset level, rather than the general $10,000 threshold that otherwise applies. A higher threshold for infrastructure assets is consistent with common practice among municipalities, reduces the administrative burden of tracking and depreciating a large volume of relatively low-cost infrastructure components individually, and better reflects the scale of the City’s infrastructure capital program.
Removal of the Computer Equipment Inventory Exception
The current Policy provides that all computer and computer-related equipment be recorded and controlled as inventory, rather than capitalized and depreciated, due to the rapid pace of technological change. The revised Policy removes this exception. Going forward, computer equipment that meets the general capitalization threshold will be capitalized and depreciated in the same manner as other office equipment, improving consistency in the City’s financial reporting.
Streamlined Disposal and Surplus Property Procedures
The revised Policy substantially reorganizes and streamlines the Disposal/Surplus Property section, which previously contained several overlapping and, in places, redundant provisions. Key changes include:
● A new standardized “Surplus Property/Capital Asset Disposition” form that the operating department must complete and submit to the Finance Department prior to disposal, documenting a description of the property, the reason for disposal, the proposed method of disposition, and the estimated value or expected proceeds.
● Updated approval authority: routine disposal of surplus property is approved by the Department Head or an authorized designee, rather than requiring Finance Director approval as under the current Policy. City Manager approval is retained specifically for scrapping surplus items with an estimated value greater than $1,000.
● A clarified disposal hierarchy: scrapping (recycling, salvage, or other disposal of an item with little or no remaining useful value) is to be used only after determining that other methods – sale, auction, trade-in, or donation – are not feasible.
● Retention of the existing requirement that surplus property with an estimated fair market value or expected proceeds of $10,000 or more be disposed of through advertisement to the general public or auction companies.
Terminology and Other Technical Corrections
The revised Policy also makes a number of non-substantive corrections to improve clarity and internal consistency, including replacing the term “fixed asset” with “capital asset” throughout, consistent with GASB terminology used elsewhere in the Policy, and various minor wording and grammatical corrections.
Proposed City Council Policy No. 4.3 is attached hereto as Attachment 2.A. A redline of the proposed policy to the existing policy (Administrative Policy No. 1-10) is attached hereto as Attachment 3. 4444 of 888777555
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL TO ADD NEW POLICIES RELATING TO (1) CAPITAL ASSETS; (2) FINANCIAL AND ETHICS TRAINING FOR OFFICIALS AND STAFF; (3) CITY TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT; AND (4) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; AND FURTHER RESCINDING
PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL APPROVALS INCONSISTENT WITH SUCH POLICIES September 22, 2026
2. City Manager/Administration: AB 1234 Ethics Training and SB 827 Financial Training (Proposed Policy No. 5.2)
Assembly Bill (“AB”) 1234, originally adopted in 2005 and codified at Government Code section 53243 et seq., among other things, establishes certain training requirements for local officials and employees on general ethics principles and ethics laws applicable to public service (this is generally referred to as “AB 1234 training”). Individuals subject to this AB 1234 training must complete at least two hours of ethics training on a biennial basis.
State law specifies which officials must receive such training and provides that cities may further designate additional officials and employees that are also required to receive AB 1234 training. Historically, the City has relied on its Appendix of Designated Employees in its Conflict-Of-Interest Code as a list of those required to complete AB 1234 training. The proposed Policy No. 5.2 is merely intended to formally codify this list into a policy that explicitly identifies AB 1234 ethics training as required training.5 Similarly, Senate Bill (“SB”) 827, effective January 1, 2026 and codified at Government Code section 53234 et seq., establishes new fiscal and financial training requirements for certain local government officials and staff whose roles involve fiscal oversight or financial decision-making. The required training addresses core areas of local government fiscal administration, which may include budgeting and financial reporting, public funds management, debt and capital financing, pensions and other post-employment benefits, procurement and contracting, and the stewardship of public resources. The law requires covered officials to complete a minimum of two hours of fiscal and financial training on a biennial basis.
SB 827 applies to members of a local agency’s legislative body and to certain appointed officials and staff whose positions involve fiscal oversight or responsibility for the administration, review, or recommendation of financial matters. The statute allows the City some discretion on identifying which officials and staff are subject to the training requirement based on the nature of their duties. While department heads are specifically referenced as requiring SB 827 training, Government Code section 53238(d) also includes “any employee designated by a local agency governing body to receive the training. . .” Proposed Policy 5.2 thus identifies such individuals; it lists both the statutorily mandated individuals as well as the employees City staff believes should be required to take the fiscal and financial training.
Finally, the proposed Policy 5.2, for both AB 1234 and SB 827 trainings, allows the City Manager to identify additional City employees required to take one or both of these trainings, at his or her discretion.
Proposed City Council Policy No. 5.2 is attached hereto as Attachment 2.B. 5 Consistent with AB 1234, the City has had an existing process for many years to ensure the requisite persons are provided the opportunity for such training. 555 of 888777555
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL TO ADD NEW POLICIES RELATING TO (1) CAPITAL ASSETS; (2) FINANCIAL AND ETHICS TRAINING FOR OFFICIALS AND STAFF; (3) CITY TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT; AND (4) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; AND FURTHER RESCINDING
PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL APPROVALS INCONSISTENT WITH SUCH POLICIES September 22, 2026
3. City Council Administration: City Travel and Expense Reimbursement (AB 1234) (Proposed Policy No. 2.5)
In addition to mandating local government ethics training, as described above, AB 1234 requires cities to adopt a written policy for reimbursement of "actual and necessary" expenses incurred by City Council members, as well as other elected officials and members of legislative bodies created by the City Council, such as Planning Commission or Design Review Board, when traveling for official City business—for example, when attending a conference relevant to the subject matter jurisdiction of that body. (Gov. Code § 53232.2.) This policy is often referred to as an “AB 1234 Travel Policy.” The policy is required to address reimbursement of expenses relating to travel and official duties, meals and lodging, and the filing of expense reports.
The City’s existing AB 1234 Travel Policy was last updated in 2012 and is currently part of the City’s Administrative Policy Manual as Policy 3-3. Given the time since the policy was last reviewed, the policy has not kept pace with the statute, reimbursement rates or practices, or how officials actually travel. Thus, staff proposes as Policy No. 2.5 an updated travel reimbursement policy for City Councilmembers, other elected City officials, and members of legislative bodies, that will supersede and replace Administrative Policy No. 3-3 and establish this policy in the City Council Policies and Procedures Manual.
The principal proposed changes in the policy are as follows:
• Extended to all elected officials and legislative bodies. Policy 3-3 currently covers City Council members only. AB 1234 reaches any legislative body whose members the City reimburses, so the policy is extended to members of the City’s boards, commissions, and committees. If the City reimburses a commissioner, board member, or committee member for travel expenses, such as a conference or for mileage, an adopted policy is required to cover them. The updated policy is also drafted to include the elected City Clerk and City Treasurer. • AB 1234 updates. Expenses that fall outside the policy, or exceed its rates, must be approved by the City Council in a public meeting before they are incurred, per AB 1234 (Gov. Code § 53232.2(f)).
The current policy is silent on this, as well as AB 1234’s recognition that an official may pay the difference personally. These are added to the proposed policy so it is more comprehensive and reflective of AB 1234.
• Self-updating reimbursement rates. The existing policy sets a flat $65 per day for meals, a figure fixed in 2012 that requires City Council action to change it. In the proposed policy, meals and lodging now follow the General Services Administration (“GSA”) per diem rate for the destination and mileage follows the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) standard rate, so the policy keeps pace with external changes without requiring further Council action. • Updated types of travel expenses. The existing policy primarily addresses meals, lodging and mileage. The proposed policy now addresses air travel and class of service, rental cars and insurance, 666 of 888777555
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL TO ADD NEW POLICIES RELATING TO (1) CAPITAL ASSETS; (2) FINANCIAL AND ETHICS TRAINING FOR OFFICIALS AND STAFF; (3) CITY TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT; AND (4) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; AND FURTHER RESCINDING
PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL APPROVALS INCONSISTENT WITH SUCH POLICIES September 22, 2026
rideshare and shuttles, electric vehicle charging, parking and tolls, baggage fees, and virtual registration.
• More detailed documentation and approvals. The existing policy’s two-month expense report deadline has been re-written in the proposed policy as a thirty-day target and sixty-day limit, tied to the statutory “reasonable time” standard and the IRS accountable plan rule. The proposed policy also adds an itemized receipt requirement and a note that travel paid by others may be reportable on FPPC Form 700.
• Clarifications. The proposed policy now includes numbered sections, a definitions section, and a stated order of precedence for lodging rates, so the policy can be cited and applied without guesswork. Further minor clarifications were added throughout.
As with the existing policy, the proposed policy is contingent upon budget appropriations and availability.
The proposed policy does not authorize or recommend an increase in budget appropriations from past fiscal years, which has historically been a relatively minor amount.
Proposed City Council Policy No. 2.5 is attached hereto as Attachment 2.C. The existing travel and expense reporting policy (Administrative Policy 3-3) is attached hereto as Attachment 4.
4. City Manager/Administration: Artificial Intelligence (Proposed Policy No. 5.3) Given the rapid pace of AI advancement, however, the Efficiency and Fiscal Sustainability Ad Hoc Committee, comprised of Councilmembers Kempf and Rounaghi, recommended through the July 7, 2026 Budget Recommendations Memo, the development of a robust, comprehensive AI City Council policy based on the AI policy developed through GovAI Coalition, a coalition of public agencies led by the City of San Jose. The attached policy is based on the GovAI Coalition AI Policy model, tailored to Laguna Beach’s organization, operations, and obligations under California law.
AI features are already appearing in software the City licenses, and staff have access to publicly available generative AI tools. California has also enacted requirements that apply directly to cities, including Penal Code section 13663 (disclosure, draft retention, and audit trails for AI-assisted law enforcement reports) and the Civil Rights Council’s regulations on automated-decision systems in employment. Adopting a policy now sets expectations before AI use becomes more widespread and difficult to govern.
The proposed policy is organized into multiple sections and principally does four things:
• Assigns responsibilities. The City Council adopts the policy and receives an annual public report.
The City Manager is responsible for AI use and designates an AI Program Administrator, supported by a cross-departmental AI Review Committee. Duties are also assigned to Information Technology, the City Attorney, the City Clerk, Human Resources & Risk, Finance, and the Police Chief.
Implementation details — the approved tools list, the AI FactSheet, the review process, and training 777 of 888777555
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL TO ADD NEW POLICIES RELATING TO (1) CAPITAL ASSETS; (2) FINANCIAL AND ETHICS TRAINING FOR OFFICIALS AND STAFF; (3) CITY TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT; AND (4) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; AND FURTHER RESCINDING
PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL APPROVALS INCONSISTENT WITH SUCH POLICIES September 22, 2026
— are delegated to administrative procedures issued by the City Manager, so the policy remains stable as technology and law change.
• Sets rules for everyday staff use. Staff may use only City-approved AI tools through City accounts; confidential, privileged, and personnel information may not be entered into unapproved tools; AI output is always a draft that a City employee must verify and remains responsible for; and AI may not be the sole basis for decisions affecting permits, enforcement, employment, benefits, or claims. • Addresses public safety. The policy implements Penal Code section 13663 for AI-assisted police reports, limits facial recognition to corroborated investigative leads, prohibits predictive policing, governs automated license plate reader data under Civil Code section 1798.90.5, and requires human verification before any AI wildfire detection results in a public alert or evacuation order. • Provides transparency and oversight. The City will publish an inventory of the AI systems it uses, disclose when the public is interacting with an automated system, and report to the Council annually.
The policy also establishes prohibited uses, incident reporting, sunset procedures, and an emergency exception process.
Because the attached policy applies to employees, and requires the development of further internal-facing procedures, staff recommends this policy does not become effective with respect to represented staff until the City satisfies its obligations under existing memoranda of understanding and the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act to meet-and-confer with the relevant labor groups.
Proposed City Council Policy No. 5.3 is attached hereto as Attachment 2.D.
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
The recommended City Council Policy 4.3 (Capital Asset Policy and Procedures) will not have any financial impact on the budget. This policy will update and modernize the way the City financially reports on its capital assets. The recommended City Council Policy No. 5.2 (AB 1234 and SB 827 Training) will not have any financial impact on the budget as ethics and fiscal training required under AB 1234 and SB 827 can be completed using existing training resources. The recommended City Council Policy No. 2.5 (Travel Reimbursement) will have no direct fiscal impact as amounts allowed for reimbursement under the policy are established by the annual budget. The recommended City Council Policy No 4.4 (Income Producing Property) will have no financial impact as it is memorializing existing practices for which staff time and resources are already budgeted. The recommended City Council Policy No. 5.3 (AI) has no direct fiscal impact; administration will be absorbed within existing staff resources. Any future purchase of an AI system would come forward through the normal budget and purchasing process.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The recommended actions are not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, as it involves the approval of an internal administrative policies. The proposed policies are “general policy and procedure making” and “organizational and administrative 888 of 888777555
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL TO ADD NEW POLICIES RELATING TO (1) CAPITAL ASSETS; (2) FINANCIAL AND ETHICS TRAINING FOR OFFICIALS AND STAFF; (3) CITY TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT; AND (4) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; AND FURTHER RESCINDING
PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL APPROVALS INCONSISTENT WITH SUCH POLICIES September 22, 2026
activities” that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment. (CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(2) & (5).)
ATTACHMENTS
1. Policy Manual Table of Contents
2. Resolution Updating Policy Manual
Exhibit A. Capital Asset Policy and Procedures (Council Policy No. 4.3), with Surplus Property/Capital Asset Disposition Form
Exhibit B. AB 1234 and SB 827 Training Policy (City Council Policy No. 5.2) Exhibit C. Travel Reimbursement Policy (City Council Policy No. 2.5) Exhibit D. Artificial Intelligence Policy
3. Capital Asset Policy and Procedures (Administrative Policy No. 1-10) – redlined version
4. Existing Travel Authorization and Expense Reporting (Administrative Policy No. 3-3) Submitted By: Megan Garibaldi Approved: .David A Kiff
Megan Garibaldi, City Attorney Dave Kiff, City Manager
Report Prepared By: Coordinated With:
Patrick Donegan, Assistant City Attorney
Megan Garibaldi, City Attorney
Tiffany Fung, Accounting Manager
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__________________________________________________________________
1. City Council Meetings and Conduct
1.1 City Council Meeting Order of Business
1.2 Procedures for Councilmembers Placing Items on City Council Agenda
1.3 Establishing Time and Location for Regular City Council Meetings; Remote Participation
1.4 Rules of Decorum and Civility
1.5 Consideration of Nonmunicipal Matters
1.6 Improper Conduct at Meeting
1.7 Disruption of Telephonic or Internet Service at City Council Meetings (Government Code Section 54953.4(e)(2) [SB 707])
1.8 Appeals to the City Council
2. City Council Administration
2.1 Mayor Designated City Council’s Voting Delegate and Authorized City Council Spokesperson
2.2 Use of City Seal and Emblem
2.3 City Council Compensation
2.4 Use of E-Signatures
3. City Recognition and Ceremonial Policies
3.1 Naming Policy
3.2 Donation Policy
3.3 Flag Policy
4 Finance
4.1 Budget Change Request Process
City Council Policy/Procedure
Table of Contents
Attachment 1
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4.2 Purchasing Policy and Procedures
5 City Manager/Administration of the City
5.1 Unpaid Leaves of Absence
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RESOLUTION NO. 26.XXX
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE
CITY COUNCIL POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL
BY ADOPTING AND ADDING THERETO CITY COUNCIL
POLICY NO. 4.3, CAPITAL ASSET POLICY AND
PROCEDURES; POLICY NO. 5.2, AB 1234 AND SB827
TRAINING POLICY; POLICY NO. 2.5, CITY TRAVEL
REIMBURSEMENT POLICY; AND POLICY NO. 5.3,
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE POLICY; AND FINDING
SUCH ACTION EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT UNDER STATE CEQA
GUIDELINES SECTION 15378
WHEREAS, the City Council has previously adopted a City Council Policy and Procedures Manual (“Policy Manual”) to provide guidance regarding the conduct of City Council meetings, the organization of City Council business, and other administrative practices of the City Council and the City;
WHEREAS, from time-to-time, the City may adopt such additional policies and procedures regarding the organization of the City Council, its business, and other administrative matters;
WHEREAS, review and periodic updating of city policies is a best practice among cities to provide clear guidance to elected officials, city staff, and members of the public regarding city council procedures and expectations, and where necessary, to reflect changes in law; WHEREAS, Policy No. 4.3 Capital Asset Policy and Procedures establishes guidelines for the proper use, management, and reporting of the City’s capital assets; and WHEREAS, Policy No. 5.2 AB 1234 and SB 827 Training Policy establishes guidelines for local government financial and ethics training requirements; and WHEREAS, Policy No. 2.5 City Travel and Expense Reimbursement Policy establishes guidelines for the authorized reimbursement of expenses incurred in conducting City business and Attachment 2
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requires compliance with the City’s approved budget; and WHEREAS, Policy No. 5.3 Artificial Intelligence Policy establishes guidelines for responsible use of AI systems by or on behalf of the City, while promoting community benefits and mitigating potential harms; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to incorporate these new policies into the Policy Manual, thereby clarifying existing procedures and ensuring consistency with the City’s past practice and applicable laws.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH DOES HEREBY RESOLVE:
SECTION 1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct, and incorporated herein by this reference.
SECTION 2. The City Council Policy No. 4.3 addressing capital assets, fixed and attached as Exhibit A hereto, entitled “Capital Asset Policy and Procedures,” is hereby adopted and incorporated into the Policy Manual. Policy No. 4.3 is hereby directed to be affixed to the Policy Manual.
SECTION 3. The City Council Policy No. 5.2, addressing local government financial and ethics training requirements, fixed and attached as Exhibit B hereto, entitled “AB 1234 and SB 827 Training Policy,” is hereby adopted and incorporated into the Policy Manual. Policy No. 5.2 is hereby directed to be affixed to the Policy Manual.
SECTION 4. The City Council Policy No. 2.5, addressing reimbursement of travel and expenses for City Councilmembers, other elected officials, and appointed officials serving on City Legislative bodies, fixed and attached as Exhibit C hereto, entitled “City Travel and Expense Reimbursement Policy,” is hereby adopted and incorporated into the Policy Manual. Policy No. 11113333 of 888777555
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2.5 is hereby directed to be affixed to the Policy Manual.
SECTION 5. The City Council Policy No. 5.3, addressing the City’s usage of Artificial Intelligence, fixed and attached as Exhibit D hereto, entitled “Artificial Intelligence Policy,” is hereby adopted and incorporated into the Policy Manual. Policy No. 5.3 is hereby directed to be affixed to the Policy Manual.
SECTION 6. Certain Administrative Policies were previously adopted on the topics of the aforementioned policies, including without limitation the City Council’s prior adoption of Administrative Policies No. 1-10 and 3.3 (“Prior Policies”). The Prior Policies, as well as any other City policies or procedures addressing the aforementioned topics that may need to be rescinded to not conflict with the City Council policies as adopted herein, are hereby rescinded.
SECTION 7. The proposed action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to the State CEQA Guidelines, as the action not a “project” and has no potential to result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change to the environment. (14 Cal. Code Regs. § 15378(a).) A “project” specifically does not include continuing administrative or maintenance activities, such as general policy and procedure making. (14 Cal.
Code Regs. § 15378(b)(2).) Alternatively, the proposed actions are exempt from CEQA, as there is no possibility that such action would have a significant negative effect on the environment. (14 Cal. Code Regs. § 15061(b)(3).) Rather, the proposed actions are administrative in nature and merely set forth policies and procedures for the conduct of the City Council’s meetings, proceedings, business, and administration.
SECTION 8. If any action, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Resolution, including Policy Nos. 2.5, 4.3, 5.2, or 5.5, attached as Exhibit A through Exhibit D, respectively, or the application thereof, to any person or circumstance shall be held invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Resolution that can be given effect without the invalid provisions. 11114444 of 888777555
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SECTION 9. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption; provided, however, that Policy 5.3 shall not apply to represented City employees until the City satisfies its obligations under existing memoranda of understanding and/or the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act to meet-and-confer with the relevant labor groups.
ADOPTED this 22nd day of September, 2026.
Mark Orgill, Mayor
ATTEST:
Ann Marie McKay, City Clerk
I, Ann Marie McKay, City Clerk of the City of Laguna Beach, certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 26.XXX was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of said City held on September 22, 2026, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
City Clerk, City of Laguna Beach, CA
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EXHIBIT A
City Council Policy and Procedures Manual
Policy No. 4.3
Capital Asset Policy and Procedures
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EXHIBIT B
City Council Policy and Procedures Manual
Policy No. 5.2
AB 1234 and SB 827 Training Policy
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EXHIBIT C
City Council Policy and Procedures Manual
Policy No. 2.5
City Council Travel Reimbursement Policy
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EXHIBIT D
City Council Policy and Procedures Manual
Policy No. 5.3
Artificial Intelligence Policy
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Policy 4.3
Reference: Resolution No. 26.XX
Section 1. Purpose
The intended purpose of the City of Laguna Beach Capital asset Policy is to ensure adequate control, appropriate use of and proper reporting of the City’s infrastructure assets and capital assets. The policy and the related procedures are intended to establish guidelines for budgeting, purchasing, using, transferring, disposing, depreciation and financial reporting for all assets.
Section 2. Policy
It is the policy of the City of Laguna Beach that City assets be properly accounted for and used for appropriate City uses. The Finance Department, with assistance from the Departments will be responsible to ensure capital assets are tagged, whenever feasible, inventoried, and properly accounted for by fund and asset category. It is the responsibility of City Department Heads to ensure that proper budgeting purchasing guidelines are followed, and to ensure that capital assets are adequately controlled and used for appropriate City purposes.
The City of Laguna Beach’s Capital Asset Policy has two (2) objectives:
1. Accounting and Financial Reporting: To accurately account for City assets in financial reports issued to the City Council and external reporting agencies.
2. Safeguarding: The City has fiduciary responsibility
Section 3. Procedures
3.1 Accounting and Financial Reporting
Except as indicated below, assets with an original cost of $10,000 or more and a useful life of more than one year will be subject to capitalization (classified as capital assets for financial reporting purposes). The capitalization threshPold for infrastructure and sewer plants and lines, is $100,000 applied at the individual project/asset level. See Leases and Subscription-based Information Technology Arrangements sections in this policy for the capitalization threshold related to those assets.
City Council Policy/Procedure
CAPITAL ASSET POLICY AND
PROCEDURES
Exhibit A
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Policy 4.3
Specific capitalization requirements are identified below:
a. All costs associated with the purchase or construction shall be considered, including ancillary costs such as freight and transportation charges, site preparation expenditures, installation charges, professional fees, and legal costs directly attributable to asset acquisition.
b. The capitalization threshold is applied to individual units of fixed assets. For example, eleven chairs purchased through a single purchase order each costing $1,000 will not qualify for capitalization even though the total cost of $ $11,000 exceeds the threshold of $10,000.
c. Repair costs for infrastructure will generally not be subject to capitalization unless the repair extends the useful life of the asset.
d. Capital projects will be capitalized as “construction in progress” until the project is completed. Costs to be capitalized include direct costs, such as labor, materials, and transportation and indirect costs such as engineering and construction management.
For construction in progress assets, no depreciation is recorded until the asset is placed in service. When the asset is completed and placed in service, it should be reclassified to the proper asset category, such as infrastructure, buildings, sewer plant and lines, etc., and depreciated.
3.2 Inventory Control Level – Safeguarding
Department Heads are responsible for safeguarding assets under their control from theft or loss.
However, the Finance Department is responsible for establishing and maintaining systems and procedures that enable Department to properly safeguard assets.
The objectives of a physical inventory are to ensure that the capital assets recorded in the system physically exist; to detect whether unrecorded or improperly recorded transactions have occurred, and to identify any excess, defective or obsolete assets on hand.
Departments shall notify the Finance Department of all related transactions such as trade-ins, returns, and items disposed of as junk.
The Finance Department will send the capital asset listing to each department at least once every two years. This list shall be compared to items physically on hand. Each department in cooperation with Finance shall reconcile any differences and make corrections as necessary. 22221111 of 888777555
Policy 4.3
3.3 Donated Assets
Capital assets acquired by gift, donation, or payment of a nominal sum shall be recorded. This also holds true for assets purchased with grant monies. The operating department that becomes the beneficiary of any such assets shall notify the Finance Department. Donated assets shall be reported at their estimated fair market value at the time of receipt.
3.4 Depreciation
Capital assets used in operations are depreciated over their estimated useful lives. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method. Depreciation is charged as an expense against operations and accumulated depreciation is reported on the respective statement of net position.
The ranges of lives used for deprecation for each capital asset class are as follows:
Description Useful Life in Years
Storm Drains 40
Beach Stairways 30
Streets 50
Sidewalks 50
Sewer Line Relining 40
Sewer Lines 50
Nuisance Water Diversion Units 30
Buildings and Improvements 30
Office Equipment and Machines 5
Furniture and Fixtures 3 to 8
Equipment, Machinery and Tools 3 to 8
Automotive Equipment 2 to 20
Leases Shorter of the lease term or the useful life of
the underlying lease asset
Subscription Based Information Technology
Arrangements
Shorter of the subscription term or the useful
life of the underlying IT asset
3.5 Disposal/Surplus Property
All assets that have reached the end of their useful life and have a zero ($0) book value for reporting purposes will be accounted for under the “Surplus” category. Surplus property for the purposes of this policy includes furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment and obsolete computer equipment.
The operating department shall complete the “Surplus Property/Capital Asset Disposition” form prior to disposition and submit the completed form to the Finance Department. The form shall include a description of the property, reason for disposal, method of disposition, and estimated value or expected proceeds from disposal. The Department Head or authorized designee shall approve the request prior to the disposal of the property. 22222222 of 888777555
Policy 4.3
Departments are responsible for initiating the disposal process for surplus property and estimating the value of surplus property. Property should not be disposed without prior approval of the Department Head or authorized designee. If the estimated fair market value or expected proceeds from the sale of surplus property, whether sold as a unit or as a single item, is $10,000 or more, the property must be disposed of through advertisement to the general public or auction companies.
Property with an estimated value less than $10,000 may be disposed of through a method approved by the Department Head or authorized designee.
Scrapping, as one method of surplus property disposal, means disposing of an item through recycling, salvage, or other means when the item has little or no remaining useful value. Scrap is recommended only after determining that other methods of disposal – selling, auction, trade-in, donation - is not feasible. City Manager approval is required for scrapping of surplus items with an estimated value greater than $1,000.
3.6 Leases
In accordance with Governmental Accounting Standard Board (GASB) Statement No. 87, Leases, a lease is defined as a contract that conveys control of the right to use another entity’s nonfinancial asset (the underlying asset) as specified in the contract for a period of time in an exchange or exchange-like transactions (i.e., buildings, land, vehicles, and equipment). Any contract that meets this definition should be accounted for under the lease guidance as identified in GASB Statement No. 87. Subject to certain provisions and exceptions noted in the guidance, leases are generally reported as follows in a government’s external financial statements:
Lessee: A lessee should recognize a lease liability and a lease asset at the commencement of the lease term. A lessee should reduce the lease liability as payments are made and recognize an outflow of resources (i.e., expense) for interest on the liability. The lessee should amortize the lease asset in a systematic and rational manner over the shorter of the lease term or the useful life of the underlying asset.
Lessor: A lessor should recognize a lease receivable and a deferred inflow of resources at the commencement of the lease term. A lessor should recognize interest revenue on the lease receivable and an inflow of resource (i.e., revenue) from the deferred inflows of resources in a systematic and rational manner over the term of the lease.
Effective July 1, 2024, the City has established a materiality dollar threshold for determining the inclusion or exclusion of leases in the external financial statements as a lessee. At the commencement of the lease term, City will analyze the terms and provisions of the lease agreement (contract) in order to calculate the value of the underlying asset.
An individual lease agreement (contract) that generates a right-to-use underlying asset value calculated at greater than or equal to $25,000 will be included in the external financial statements.
A lease agreement (contract) with an underlying asset value less than $25,000 may be included in the external financial statements at the discretion of City Finance Department should it be 22223333 of 888777555
Policy 4.3
determined that its exclusion might otherwise cause the financial statements to be incomplete or misleading in some manner.
3.7 Subscription-based Information Technology Arrangements (SBITA) In accordance with Governmental Accounting Standard Board (GASB) Statement No. 96, Subscription-Based Information Technology Arrangements, a SBITA is defined as a contract that conveys control of the right to use another party’s (a SBITA vendor’s) information technology (IT) software, alone or in combination with tangible capital assets (the underlying IT assets), as specified in the contract for a period of time in an exchange or exchange-like transactions. Any contract that meets this definition should be accounted for under the SBITA guidance as identified in GASB Statement No. 96.
Subject to certain provisions and exceptions noted in the GASB guidance, SBITAs are generally reported as a right-to-use subscription asset – an intangible asset – and a corresponding subscription liability in a government’s external financial statements:
Effective July 1, 2024, the City has established a materiality dollar threshold for determining the inclusion or exclusion of SBITAs in the external financial statements. At the commencement of the SBITA term, the City will analyze the terms and provisions of the agreement (contract) in order to calculate the fixed and fixed in-substance future payments to the end of the subscription term.
An individual agreement (contract) that generates future payments over the subscription term calculated at greater than or equal to $25,000 will be included in the external financial statements.
An agreement (contract) that generates future payments over the subscription term calculated at less than $25,000 may be included in the external financial statements at the discretion of the City’s Finance Department should it be determined that its exclusion might otherwise cause the financial statements to be incomplete or misleading in some manner. The subscription asset shall be amortized over the shorter of the subscription term or the useful life of the underlying IT asset.
Adopted: [update with CC adoption date]
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Surplus Property / Capital Asset Disposition
City of Laguna Beach · Finance Division
REQUEST INFORMATION
Department
Requestor Name
Date Submitted
PROPERTY INFORMATION
Complete one row per item. Attach additional pages if needed.
Asset # Description Make / Model Serial Number Location Qty
DISPOSAL INFORMATION
Reason for Disposal (check one)
No longer needed Obsolete
Damaged/beyond repair Replacement/upgraded equip.
Trade-in Other:
Condition of Property
Good working condition Fair condition
Poor condition Non-functional
Estimated Value / Expected Proceeds: $
Requested Method of Disposition
Transfer to another City department Trade-in
Public auction Donation
Advertisement to general public Recycling/scrap
Other:
CERTIFICATIONS & APPROVALS
I certify that the property listed above is no longer required for City operations and that the information provided is accurate. The department has determined the estimated value of the property and will ensure disposition complies with the City's surplus property policy.
Department Head or Authorized Designee
Signature
Printed Name / Title
Date
City Manager Approval (Required if scrapping over $1,000) Signature
Date
City of Laguna Beach · Finance Division
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Policy 5.2
Reference:
Section 1. Purpose and Background
To establish designated City Officials and City employees that are required to take AB 1234 ethics training and SB 827 fiscal and financial training. California Government Code section 53243 et seq., among other things, establishes certain training requirements for local officials and employees on general ethics principles and ethics laws applicable to public service. Senate Bill (“SB”) 827 effective January 1, 2026, amended the Government Code training requirements by expanding the definition of "local agency official" subject to ethics training requirements to include department heads or similar administrative officers of local agencies and employees designated by the local agency. SB 827 further added Government Code Sections 53238 through 53238.6 establishing fiscal and financial training requirements for specified elected officials; appointed officials who make decisions or recommendations regarding financial administration, budgeting, or the use of public resources; local agency executives; and employees designated by the City. Government Code Sections 53235 and 53238.2 authorize the City Council to designate what officials and employees who shall be required to receive ethics training and fiscal and financial training.
Section 2. AB 1234 Training:
The following positions are designated as City officials and employees that required to complete AB 1234 ethics training:
Accounting Manager
Animal Shelter Manager
Arts Commission Members
Assistant City Attorney
Assistant City Engineer
Assistant City Manager
Assistant Director of Community Development
Assistant Director of Public Works
Assistant to the City Manager
Associate Civil Engineer
City Council Policy/Procedure
AB 1234 & SB 827 Training
Exhibit B
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Policy 5.2
Investment Committee Members
Battalion Chief
Board of Adjustment/Design Review Board Members
Building Inspector
Building Official
Chief Building Inspector
Chief of Marine Safety
Chief of Police
City Attorney
City Clerk
City Council Members
City Engineer
City Manager
City Treasurer
Civilian Enforcement Officer
Civilian Fire Marshal
Civilian Services Administrator
Code Enforcement Officer
Code Enforcement Supervisor
Cultural Arts Manager
Deputy Building Official
Deputy City Treasurer
Deputy Director of Community Development
Deputy Director of Public Works
Deputy Fire Chief
Director of Community Development
Director of Finance
Director of Human Resources/Risk Management
Director of Public Works & Utilities
Director of Transit & Community Services
Emergency Management Administrator
Executive Assistant to the City Manager
Finance Manager
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Fire Battalion Chief
Fire Captain
Fire Chief
Housing Program Manager
Human Resources & Risk Manager
Information Technology Manager
Marine Safety Captain
Network Administrator
Planning Commission Members
Planning Manager
Police Captain
Police Lieutenant
Principal Human Resources Analyst
Procurement Officer
Project Director
Project Manager
Recreation Manager
Senior Building Inspector
Senior Building Inspector/Plan Checker
Senior Fleet Maintenance Supervisor
Senior Management Analyst
Senior Operations Supervisor
Senior Principal Planner
Supervisor of Support Services
Transit and Parking Director
Section 3. SB 827 Training
The following positions are designated as employees required to complete SB 827 fiscal and financial training:
Accounting Manager
Animal Shelter Manager
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Policy 5.2
Arts Commission Members
Assistant City Attorney
Assistant City Engineer
Assistant City Manager
Assistant Director of Community Development
Assistant Director of Public Works
Assistant to the City Manager
Investment Committee Members
Board of Adjustment/Design Review Board Members
Building Official
Chief of Marine Safety
Chief of Police
City Attorney
City Clerk
City Council Members
City Engineer
City Manager
City Treasurer
Deputy City Treasurer
Deputy Director of Community Development
Deputy Director of Public Works
Deputy Fire Chief
Director of Community Development
Director of Finance
Director of Human Resources/Risk Management
Director of Public Works & Utilities
Director of Transit & Community Services
Emergency Management Administrator
Finance Manager
Fire Chief
Heritage Committee Members
Human Resources & Risk Manager
Information Technology Manager
Planning Commission Members
Procurement Officer
Transit and Parking Director
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Policy 5.2
View Restoration Committee Members
Section 4. Additional Trainees
The City Manager is authorized to identify additional positions that perform substantially similar duties to those listed herein and to require training consistent with state law, subject to reporting such designations to the City Council.
Adopted: [INSERT DATE]
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Policy 2.5
Reference: Government Code §§ 53232–53232.4 (AB 1234);
Resolution No. 26-XX
Section 1. Purpose and Findings
1.1 Purpose.
This Travel and Expense Reimbursement Policy ("Policy") establishes the types of occurrences that qualify identified City Officials (as defined below) to receive reimbursement of expenses relating to travel, meals, lodging, and other actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties, and the rates, approvals, and documentation that apply to those expenses. Nothing in this Policy authorizes an expenditure prohibited by law, and no provision of this Policy supersedes Government Code sections 53232 through 53232.4 or any other law establishing reimbursement rates or limits applicable to the City.
1.2 Findings.
The City Council of the City of Laguna Beach ("City") finds that the City holds its limited public resources in trust for the community, and that public funds may be expended only where the expenditure serves a direct and identifiable public purpose of the City. The City Council further finds that the participation of City Officials in conferences, training, professional organizations, and intergovernmental and community activities improves the quality of governance and service delivery in Laguna Beach, and that reimbursement of the reasonable costs of that participation is an appropriate use of public funds when it is authorized, documented, and disclosed in accordance with this Policy.
Section 2. Definitions
For purposes of this Policy, the following definitions shall apply:
2.1 "City Official": A member of the City Council, the elected City Clerk, the elected City Treasurer, and a member of any City board, commission, or committee of the City that is a "legislative body" within the meaning of Government Code section 54952, including without limitation the Planning Commission, the Arts Commission, the Design Review Board, and the City's advisory and ad hoc committees. For the avoidance of doubt, the term does not include City employees, who are subject to separate administrative policies, rules, and documents governing travel and expense reimbursement.
City Council Policy/Procedure
Travel and Expense Reimbursement Policy
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2 2.2 "Finance Director": The Director of Finance, or such other City employee as the City Manager designates as responsible for the City's finance function.
2.3 "GSA rates": The per diem rates for lodging and for meals and incidental expenses published by the United States General Services Administration for the continental United States, and the corresponding rates published by the Department of Defense and the Department of State for non-foreign and foreign locations outside the continental United States.
2.4 "Local travel": Travel to a destination within fifty (50) miles of Laguna Beach City Hall.
All other travel is "non-local travel."
2.5 "Mileage rate": The standard mileage rate for business use of an automobile published by the Internal Revenue Service and in effect on the date the travel occurs.
2.6 "Overnight travel": Travel that reasonably requires lodging away from the traveler's residence.
Section 3. General Principles
3.1 Public purpose required.
The City reimburses only actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties. An expense that primarily serves a personal, political, or private interest is not reimbursable, regardless of the setting in which it was incurred.
3.2 Budget authority required.
No expense is reimbursable unless funds for the expense have been appropriated and remain available in the applicable departmental or City Council budget. A person seeking reimbursement should confirm that the proposed expense is both reimbursable and budgeted before incurring it.
If a budget includes an education, training, travel, or similar line item, that budgeted amount shall be available proportionately to each member of the legislative body; provided, however, that the Mayor shall be able to use all available education, training, travel or similarly budgeted funds in the City Council budget, when necessary to perform the duties of Mayor.
3.3 Most economically reasonable option.
A traveler must select the most economical mode, class, and provider of travel, lodging, and related services that is reasonably consistent with the purpose and schedule of the trip and with the traveler's documented accessibility needs. Government, group, and conference rates offered by a provider of transportation or lodging services must be used when they are available, as required by Government Code section 53232.2(e). Consistent with Government Code section 53232.2(g), a City Official who chooses to incur costs above the rates established by this Policy, and who has not obtained advance approval for those costs under Section 4.2, may do so at his or her own expense. The City will reimburse only the amount authorized by this Policy, and the City Official bears the difference.
3.4 Advance resolution for reimbursements.
Any question about whether a particular expense is reimbursable must be resolved before the expense is incurred. Members of a board, commission, or committee shall direct such questions to 33332222 of 888777555
Policy 2.5
3 the staff liaison for the board, commission, or committee, who shall thereafter consult with the Finance Director. Members of the City Council, the City Clerk, and the City Treasurer direct such questions to the City Manager and/or the City Attorney. If the question cannot be resolved under this Policy, the expense must be presented to the City Council for approval in advance in a public meeting under Section 4.2. For the avoidance of doubt, an expense that is paid directly by the City, paid by a City payment card, covered by a registration fee, or reimbursed or provided by another agency, organization, or person is not separately reimbursable to the traveler.
Section 4. Authorized Activities
4.1 Occurrences qualifying for reimbursement.
Consistent with Government Code section 53232.2(b), the following occurrences constitute the performance of official duties for which a City Official may be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses, when authorized in advance and when funds are budgeted and available:
4.1.1 Attendance at and participation in:
a. conferences, meetings, and activities of regional, state, and national organizations whose activities affect the City's interests, including the League of California Cities, the National League of Cities, the Association of California Cities - Orange County, and similar organizations;
b. conferences, workshops, seminars, and training and educational programs designed to improve the skill, competence, or information level of the attendee in the performance of official duties or to otherwise satisfy legally required trainings; or c. conferences, meetings, or events at the direction or request of the City Council;
4.1.2 Attendance at meetings, activities, or events of:
a. another public agency, a joint powers authority, or a multi-jurisdictional body on which the attendee serves as the City's representative or alternate; or b. community organizations whose activities involve or affect the City's interests, when the City Official is (i) a scheduled speaker or presenter on behalf of the City, or (ii) attending at the direction of the City Council; provided, however, that the Mayor does not need such direction and may designate alternative City Councilmembers to attend in his or her place;
4.1.3 Attendance in an official capacity at events that (i) recognize service to or by the City, its employees, or the community; and (ii) are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Official’s duties;
4.1.4 Attendance in an official capacity with representatives of regional, state, federal, international, or tribal government, or representatives of business or community interests at the local, regional, state, or national level, concerning policy positions adopted by the City Council; for a City Official who is not a member of the City Council, such attendance must be authorized by the City Council; and
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4 4.1.5 Meetings for which a stipend or compensation is expressly authorized by this Policy, by City Council resolution or ordinance, or by State law.
4.2 Expenses outside this Policy.
Consistent with Government Code section 53232.2(f), any expense of a City Official that does not fall within this Policy, or that exceeds the rates established by this Policy or by the applicable federal schedules, must be approved by the City Council in a public meeting before the expense is incurred.
Section 5. Non-reimbursable Expenses
5.1 Expenses that will not be reimbursed.
The following expenses are not reimbursable, are not payable by a City payment card, and may not be paid directly by the City. This list is illustrative and not exhaustive:
5.1.1 Any expense not incurred in the performance of official duties;
5.1.2 A personal portion of any trip, including additional travel days, side trips, and any incremental cost attributable to a personal extension of a business trip;
5.1.3 Expenses of a spouse, domestic partner, family member, guest, or other companion accompanying the traveler, including their transportation, lodging differential, meals, and registration;
5.1.4 Childcare, elder care, pet care, and kenneling costs;
5.1.5 Political contributions and expenses related to attendance at or participation in political or campaign events, and charitable contributions;
5.1.6 Alcoholic beverages;
5.1.7 Entertainment and recreation, including theater, concerts, sporting events, in-room or theater movies, tours, golf, gym and spa charges, and similar activities, whether or not other attendees are present;
5.1.8 Personal services and sundries;
5.1.9 Non-mileage costs of operating a personal vehicle, including fuel, repairs, maintenance, insurance, and roadside assistance, which are compensated by the mileage rate;
5.1.10 Traffic, parking, and other citations and fines, and any late fee or interest charge;
5.1.11 Airline seat upgrades, premium or extra-legroom seating, priority boarding, lounge access, memberships, and trip or baggage insurance;
5.1.12 Personal losses, including lost, stolen, or damaged personal property;
5.1.13 Cancellation, change, and no-show charges resulting from the traveler's failure to cancel or change a reservation in a timely manner, except where the change or cancellation is caused by City business, illness, or another circumstance beyond the traveler's control; 33334444 of 888777555
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5 5.1.14 Expenses incurred by any person other than the traveler, except as expressly authorized under this Policy;
5.1.15 Personal telephone, data, and streaming charges; and
5.1.16 Any expense for which the traveler cannot produce the documentation required by this Policy.
Section 6. Authorization and Approval
6.1 Verification and approval authority.
Travel requests and reimbursement requests or inquiries are reviewed and approved as follows:
6.1.1 City Councilmember, City Clerk, or City Treasurer:
a. local, non-local, and overnight travel and expenses within this Policy must be reviewed by the City Manager to confirm budget availability and Policy compliance, in consultation with the City Attorney; and
b. out-of-state or international travel, or any expense outside this Policy must be approved by the City Council in a public meeting before the expense is incurred; except that the Mayor, or Mayor’s designee, may seek reimbursement for out-of-state travel for Mayor-related duties without such prior approval and otherwise consistent with this Policy.
6.1.2 Member of a board, commission, or committee: approved by the City Manager upon the recommendation of the City staff member who serves as liaison to the body; out-of-state or international travel is not permitted.
6.1.3 No person may approve his or her own travel request or inquiry or expense report.
All requests or inquiries pursuant to this Section must be submitted in writing and verified or approved before any expense for non-local travel, overnight travel, or air travel is incurred. The travel request or inquiry must state the purpose of the travel and its relationship to City business, the destination and dates, the estimated cost by category, and the budget account to be charged.
6.2 Coordination of arrangements.
The City Manager’s Office, or such other department as the City Manager designates, shall coordinate travel arrangements for members of the City Council and for members of boards, commissions, and committees. Wherever practicable, registration fees and lodging are paid directly by the City rather than reimbursed, and expenses paid directly by the City are not included in any daily reimbursement limitation applicable to the traveler.
Section 7. Reimbursement Rates
7.1 General rule.
Except where this Policy establishes a different rate or limit, reimbursement rates under this Policy are the rates established by the following federal schedules, as they exist on the date the expense is incurred: lodging and meals and incidental expenses are reimbursed at the GSA rates for the travel destination, and use of a personal vehicle is reimbursed at the mileage rate. This provision 3333555 of 888777555
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6 is adopted under Government Code section 53232.2(c), which permits the City to specify reasonable reimbursement rates and otherwise applies Internal Revenue Service rates.
7.2 Automatic adjustment.
Because this Policy ties reimbursement rates to published federal schedules rather than to fixed dollar amounts, the rates adjust automatically when those schedules are revised. No further City Council action is required to give effect to a rate as referenced herein. The Finance Director will make the current applicable rates available to City Officials, if requested.
7.3 Group rates.
7.3.1 Conference Group Rates. Consistent with Government Code section 53232.2(d), when lodging is in connection with a conference or organized educational activity, the reimbursable lodging cost may not exceed the maximum group rate published by the conference or activity sponsor, provided that lodging at the group rate is available to the traveler at the time of booking. If the conference group rate is not available at the time of booking, the traveler must obtain comparable lodging at a similar rate, or the lowest rate available, and must document on the expense report that the conference group rate was unavailable.
7.3.2 Government and Group Rates. Consistent with Government Code section 53232.2(e), travelers must request and use government and group rates offered by providers of transportation and lodging services whenever those rates are available. A traveler who is unable to obtain such a rate must note that fact on the expense report.
Section 8. Transportation
8.1 General.
Travelers must use the most economical mode and class of transportation that is reasonably consistent with scheduling needs, accessibility needs, cargo requirements, and the purpose of the trip, and must travel by the most direct and time-efficient route consistent with those needs.
8.2 Air travel.
Air travel is reimbursed at coach or economy class only, and only on commercial airlines.
Exceptions require advance approval, and will be granted only for a documented medical or accessibility need, as determined by the City Manager or designee. Tickets should be purchased as far in advance as practicable, and ordinarily not less than fourteen (14) days before departure, to obtain the lowest reasonable fare. Government and group fares must be used when available.
Reasonable checked-baggage fees for the number of bags necessary for the trip are reimbursable.
If City business causes a traveler to reschedule a flight, any resulting fare difference and associated airline fees are reimbursable.
8.3 Vehicles.
8.3.1 Use of a personal vehicle. Use of a personal vehicle for City business is reimbursed at the mileage rate, which compensates the traveler for fuel, insurance, maintenance, depreciation, and all other costs of operating the vehicle. Bridge and road tolls and parking fees are reimbursed separately, supported by receipts. Mileage is computed from the traveler's regular work location or residence, whichever produces the lesser distance, to the destination and return. A traveler who 3333666 of 888777555
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7 uses a personal vehicle must hold a valid driver's license and the minimum automobile liability insurance required by law.
8.3.2 Use of a rental vehicle. A rental vehicle is reimbursable only where the travel circumstances require it and where its cost, including rental, fuel, and parking, is reasonable in comparison to airfare (where applicable), taxis, rideshare, shuttles, and public transportation.
Standard, compact, or intermediate class vehicles must be used where available and adequate; luxury vehicles and chauffeured services (not inclusive of rideshare) are not reimbursable.
Advance reservations should be made to secure the most economical class of vehicle, and government and group rates must be used when available. The vehicle must be refueled before return where practicable, and prepaid fuel options are not reimbursable. Fuel, charging, parking, and tolls related to an authorized rental vehicle are reimbursable with receipts.
8.3.3 Taxis, rideshares, shuttles, and public transportation. Expenses for taxis, rideshare services, shuttles, and public transportation required for City business are reimbursed with receipts, including a reasonable gratuity, in accordance with this Policy. Required travel includes travel to and from airports and to and from other locations required for City business. Travelers are encouraged to use complimentary hotel or conference shuttles and other economical options when available.
8.3.4 Airport parking. Parking a vehicle at an airport is reimbursable with receipts. Where the trip requires parking for more than twenty-four (24) hours, reimbursement is limited to the long-term or economy parking rate at that airport. Where ground transportation to and from the airport would cost less than parking for the duration of the trip, travelers are encouraged to use ground transportation.
Section 9. Lodging
Lodging is reimbursable at actual cost, including taxes and mandatory fees, for single occupancy, when overnight travel is reasonably necessary to conduct City business, and is limited to the minimum number of nights required. Lodging the night before an event is reimbursable where the event begins before 9:00 a.m. and the travel time from Laguna Beach would require departure before 6:00 a.m. Lodging for local travel is not reimbursable. Lodging rates are governed by Section 7. Lodging expenses must be documented by an itemized hotel folio showing the nightly rate, taxes, and any additional charges.
Section 10. Meals and Incidental Expenses
10.1 Non-local overnight travel: per diem.
10.1.1 For non-local overnight travel, meals and incidental expenses are reimbursed on a per diem basis at the GSA meals and incidental expenses rate for the destination. Receipts are not required for per diem reimbursement. On the first and last day of travel, the per diem is seventyfive percent (75%) of the full daily rate, consistent with federal practice. Per diem is payable only 3333777 of 888777555
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8 for days actually spent on City business, for programmed days of a conference or meeting, and for days spent in travel.
10.1.2 Where a meal is included in a conference or event registration fee, or is otherwise provided at no cost to the traveler, the corresponding meal allowance is deducted from the per diem. The deduction does not apply where the traveler was unable to attend the portion of the event at which the meal was provided because of City business or a documented dietary or medical need that the event could not accommodate.
10.2 Non-overnight and local travel: actual cost.
For travel that does not include an overnight stay, meals are reimbursed at the actual, reasonable cost with an itemized receipt, and may not exceed the applicable GSA meal rate for the location.
Per diem is not paid for non-overnight travel.
10.3 Gratuities.
Meal gratuities of up to twenty percent (20%) of the amount paid, as otherwise consistent with this Policy, are reimbursable. Gratuities for ground transportation are limited to fifteen percent (15%).
Gratuities for baggage handling and housekeeping are covered by the incidental expenses component of the per diem and are not separately reimbursable during per diem travel.
Section 11. Registration, Training, and Other Expenses
11.1 Registration fees.
Registration fees for authorized conferences, workshops, seminars, and training, including virtual and online programs, are reimbursable, and should be paid directly by the City whenever practicable. Early registration discounts should be used when available. Optional social, recreational, and guest activities offered in connection with a conference are not reimbursable unless the City Official documents that attendance served a City business purpose and the activity was approved in advance.
11.2 Other business expenses.
Other expenses directly related to City business are reimbursable when approved in advance, including the cost of rental of audio-visual or meeting equipment, printing and duplication of City materials, and shipping of City materials to and from an event, when necessary for the purpose of the travel.
Section 12. Direct Payment by the City; Expense Reports and Documentation
12.1 Direct payment by the City.
Where the City pays a registration fee, lodging deposit, or airfare directly, the traveler must still submit a travel request or inquiry under Section 6.1 and must submit the supporting documentation with the post-travel expense report.
12.2 Expense Report.
12.2.1 Required Form. As required by Government Code section 53232.3(a), the City provides expense report forms to be used for all reimbursement requests. A request for 3333888 of 888777555
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9 reimbursement of an out-of-pocket expense must be submitted on the City's expense report form, and must be signed or electronically certified by the person requesting reimbursement.
12.2.2 Required Content. Each expense report must include: the business purpose of each expense and its relationship to City business; the dates, destination, and activity; the budget account to be charged; original itemized receipts for each expense for which reimbursement is sought; for meals reimbursed at actual cost, a list of all persons present with their organizations and titles; for conference travel, a copy of the conference agenda or program; and any comparison or documentation as required by this Policy.
12.2.3 Receipts. An itemized receipt showing the goods or services purchased is required.
Where a receipt includes both reimbursable and non-reimbursable items, the reimbursable items must be clearly identified by highlighting, circling, or a written itemization attached to the receipt.
Where a receipt has been lost, the traveler must submit a signed statement describing the expense and explaining why the receipt is unavailable; repeated use of such statements is not permitted.
12.2.4 Submission deadline. Expense reports must be submitted within thirty (30) calendar days after the expense is incurred or, for travel, after the return date, and in no event later than sixty (60) calendar days. Sixty (60) calendar days is established as the "reasonable time" for submission required by Government Code section 53232.3(c). A reimbursement request submitted more than sixty (60) calendar days after the expense is incurred may be denied, and any amount nonetheless reimbursed may be reported by the City as taxable income to the recipient consistent with Internal Revenue Service accountable plan rules.
12.2.5 Review. Every expense report is reviewed for compliance with this Policy by the Finance Director, or designee, before payment. An expense that is unreasonable in amount, is not supported by the required documentation, or is not authorized by this Policy may be reduced or denied, and any amount already paid must be repaid to the City.
Section 13. Reports to the City Council and Appointing Body; Public Records; Political Reform Act Reporting
13.1 Report requirement.
13.1.1 Required reporting. As required by Government Code section 53232.3(d), a member of the City Council who attends a meeting at City expense must provide a brief report on the meeting at the next regular meeting of the City Council. A member of a board, commission, or committee who attends a meeting at City expense must provide a brief report at the next regular meeting of that body, and the report is transmitted to the City Council with that body's minutes.
13.1.2 Form of report. The report may be given orally at the meeting or submitted in writing. A written report is filed with the City Clerk and included in the agenda packet or the record of the meeting. Where more than one member attended the same meeting, a single joint report may be given.
13.2 Public records.
As provided in Government Code section 53232.3(e), all travel requests, expense reports, receipts, and other documents related to reimbursable City expenditures are public records subject to 3333999 of 888777555
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10 disclosure under the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code).
13.3 Political Reform Act and related reporting.
City Officials remain responsible for any reporting required by the Political Reform Act, including the reporting of travel payments and gifts from sources other than the City on Statements of Economic Interests (FPPC Form 700), and for compliance with the gift and honoraria limits of Government Code sections 89503 and 89502. Payments made by the City under this Policy are not gifts to the recipient, but payments made by third parties are not covered by this Policy and may be reportable. Questions should be directed to the City Clerk or the City Attorney.
Section 14. Miscellaneous
14.1 Severability.
If any provision of this Policy is held invalid, the remaining provisions remain in full force and effect.
14.2 Effect on prior policy.
This Policy supersedes all prior City travel and expense reimbursement policies applicable to the persons covered by Section 2.1, to the extent of any conflict.
Adopted: [CC adoption date]
Amended: [date of amendment(s)]
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Reference: Resolution No. 26.XX
Section 1. Purpose
This policy establishes a comprehensive, yet flexible, governance structure for Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) systems used by, or on behalf of, the City. This policy enables the City to use AI systems for the benefit of the community while safeguarding against potential harms, protecting the privacy of residents, businesses, and visitors, and preserving public trust in City government.
Section 2. Objectives
The key objectives of the AI Policy are to:
2.1 Provide guidance that is clear, easy to follow, and supports decision-making for the staff (full-time, part-time), interns, consultants, contractors, partners, and volunteers who may be purchasing, configuring, developing, operating, or maintaining the City’s AI systems or leveraging AI systems to provide services to the City;
2.2 Ensure that when using AI systems, the City or those operating on its behalf, adhere to the Guiding Principles that represent values with regards to how AI systems are purchased, configured, developed, operated, or maintained;
2.3 Define roles and responsibilities related to the City’s usage of AI systems, scaled to the size and structure of the City organization;
2.4 Establish and maintain processes to assess and manage risks and values presented by AI systems used by the City;
2.5 Align the governance of AI systems with the City’s existing data governance, security, privacy, records, procurement, and personnel practices, including the City’s Cybersecurity Policy;
2.6 Define prohibited uses of AI systems;
2.7 Establish “sunset” procedures to safely retire AI systems that no longer meet the needs of the City;
City Council Policy/Procedure
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy
Exhibit D
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2.8 Define how AI systems may be used for legitimate City purposes in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws and existing City policies, including the California Public Records Act, the Ralph M. Brown Act, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act and the automated-decision system regulations adopted under it, and Penal Code section 13663 governing artificial intelligence-assisted law enforcement reports;
2.9 Establish heightened requirements for AI systems used in law enforcement, emergency management, and other public safety functions; and
2.10 Establish clear, practical rules for the everyday use of generative AI tools by City staff.
Section 3. Definitions
For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:
3.1 “AI Administrative Procedures” shall refer to additional procedures promulgated by the City Manager, consistent with and to further implement this Policy.
3.2 “AI Fact Sheet” shall refer to the City’s standard disclosure form, completed by a vendor or by City staff, describing an AI system’s purpose, data, training, testing, limitations, and known risks.
3.3 “AI incident” shall refer to an event in which an AI system causes or contributes to harm, produces a materially inaccurate or discriminatory output that affects a City decision, or results in the unauthorized disclosure, loss, or misuse of City data.
3.4 “AI system” shall refer to any data system, software, hardware, sensor, application, tool, utility, algorithm, or process that operates in whole or in part using artificial intelligence to automatically generate outputs, including, but not limited to, predictions, recommendations, or decisions that augment or replace human decision-making. This includes systems used to automate processes, analyze large datasets, or otherwise generate outputs through the use of AI.
3.5 “Algorithm” shall refer to series of logical steps through which an agent (typically a computer or software program) turns particular inputs into particular outputs.
3.6 “Approved AI Tools List” shall refer to the list of generative AI and other AI tools that the City has evaluated and approved for use, maintained by the AI Program Administrator and published to City staff.
3.7 “Artificial Intelligence” or “AI” to be a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments1 AI systems use machine- and human-based inputs to perceive real and 1 Definition from 15 U.S.C. 9401(3).
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virtual environments; abstract such perceptions into models through analysis in an automated manner; and use model inference to formulate options for information or action.
3.8 “Automated-decision system” shall refer to a computational process that makes a decision, or facilitates human decision making, regarding a benefit, an entitlement, or an aspect of employment, as further defined in California Code of Regulations, title 2, section 11008.
3.9 “Autonomous Weapons Systems” refer to weapon systems that, once activated, can select, engage, and apply force to targets without human intervention, to use lethal or sub-lethal force.
3.10 “Biometric Identification” to refer to the live identification of an individual using technologies including, but not limited to, facial recognition and iris scanning, without that individual's knowledge or meaningful consent.
3.11 "Cognitive behavioral manipulation" refers to AI-driven tools or algorithms designed to influence or alter an individual's decision-making process or belief system. These systems use psychological, behavioral, or emotional data to create targeted strategies that can manipulate thoughts, feelings, or actions, particularly focusing on vulnerable groups or individuals.
3.12 “Generative AI” shall refer to an AI system that creates new content, including text, images, audio, video, or computer code, in response to a prompt.
3.13 “High-risk AI system” shall refer to an AI system used in connection with public safety, employment, enforcement, permitting, benefits, or the processing of personal information, or that may otherwise materially affect an individual’s rights, opportunities, or access to City services.
3.14 “Output” shall refer to the content an AI system returns in response to a prompt.
3.15 “Prompt” shall refer to the text, file, image, or other input a user provides to an AI system in order to obtain an output.
3.16 "Social Scoring System" refers to artificial intelligence or algorithmic systems that aggregate and interprets an individual's personal data to assign a quantifiable score or rating that ranks them against other individuals and impacts their access to services, opportunities, or societal privileges. These systems are characterized by their use of data related to behavior, preferences, interactions, financial transactions, and other personal attributes which are not directly linked to the application of the score. They can be part of a comprehensive profile that is used to make significant decisions about an individual's rights, opportunities, or social standing.
Additional terms and definitions are provided in the AI Administrative Procedures issued by the City Manager under this Policy.
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Section 4. Scope
This Policy applies to:
4.1 All AI systems deployed by the City or on the City’s behalf, including AI capabilities that a vendor enables within software the City already licenses;
4.2 Staff (full-time, part-time), interns, consultants, contractors, partners, and volunteers who may be purchasing, configuring, developing, operating, or maintaining the City’s AI systems or who may be leveraging AI systems to provide services to the City;
4.3 Members of the City Council and members of City boards, commissions, and committees, when using AI systems to conduct City business; and
4.4 Use of AI systems for City business through personal accounts or on personal devices.
Section 5. Guiding Principles for Responsible AI Systems These principles describe the City’s values with regards to how AI systems are purchased, configured, developed, operated, or maintained:
5.1 Human-Centered Design: AI systems are developed and deployed with a humancentered approach that evaluates AI powered services for their impact on residents, businesses, and visitors, and that preserves a person’s ability to reach a City employee.
5.2 Security & Safety: AI systems maintain confidentiality, integrity, and availability through safeguards that prevent unauthorized access and use. Implementation of AI systems is reliable and safe, and minimizes risks to individuals, society, and the environment.
5.3 Privacy: Privacy is preserved in all AI systems by safeguarding personally identifiable information (PII) and sensitive data from unauthorized access, disclosure, and manipulation.
5.4 Transparency: The purpose and use of AI systems is proactively communicated and disclosed to the public. An AI system, its data sources, operational model, and policies that govern its use are understandable and documented, and the City maintains a public inventory of the AI systems it uses.
5.5 Equity: AI systems support equitable outcomes for everyone. Bias in AI systems is effectively managed with the intention of reducing harm for anyone impacted by its use.
5.6 Accountability: Roles and responsibilities govern the deployment and maintenance of AI systems, and human oversight ensures adherence to relevant laws and regulations. A City employee remains responsible for every decision and public communication that an AI system informs.
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5.7 Effectiveness: AI systems are reliable, meet their objectives, and deliver precise and dependable outcomes for the utility and contexts in which they are deployed.
5.8 Workforce Empowerment: Staff are empowered to use AI in their roles through education, training, and collaborations that promote participation and opportunity.
5.9 Fiscal Responsibility: AI systems are adopted only where they deliver value that justifies their full cost, including licensing, staff time, training, integration, and long-term support, consistent with the City’s size and resources.
5.10 Public Trust: The City’s use of AI systems strengthens, and never substitutes for, the accessibility and responsiveness of City government to the people it serves.
Section 6. Roles & Responsibilities
The following roles are responsible for administering and enforcing this Policy. Where a position named below does not exist, is eliminated, or is vacant in the City organization, the City Manager shall designate the City employee who performs the corresponding function.
6.1 The City Council adopts this Policy and any future amendments to it, receives the annual AI report described in Section 12, approves appropriations for AI systems through the budget process, and shall be notified before the City deploys any AI system that collects or analyzes biometric, facial, or location data about members of the public.
6.2 The City Manager is responsible for the City’s overall use of AI systems and for ensuring that the City’s use of AI systems is consistent with this Policy and the Cybersecurity Policy. The City Manager shall designate the AI Program Administrator and the members of the AI Review Committee, issue and update the AI Administrative Procedures, notify City departments when this Policy or those procedures are updated, may approve exceptions under Section 15, and may at any time inspect the use of AI systems and require a department to alter or cease its use of an AI system or a partner’s use of an AI system on the department’s behalf.
6.3 The AI Program Administrator, as designated by the City Manager, shall coordinate the AI Review required by Section 7, maintains the City’s AI inventory and the Approved AI Tools List, chairs the AI Review Committee, oversees AI training, and prepares the annual AI report to the City Council.
6.4 The Information Technology function is responsible for the security, privacy, access control, logging, and monitoring of AI systems; for evaluating AI tools before they are added to the Approved AI Tools List; for restricting or removing access following a security or privacy incident; and for the enterprise digital privacy and data processing practices required by the City’s Privacy Program found in the Cybersecurity Policy.
6.5 City departments are responsible for following this Policy, the AI Administrative Procedures, and the Cybersecurity Policy, for maintaining a current inventory of the AI systems 4444555 of 888777555
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they use, and for confirming their compliance to the AI Program Administrator at least annually.
6.6 Department Directors are responsible for authorizing their staff’s access to approved AI tools, confirming that staff have completed required training, and designating a departmental point of contact for AI matters.
6.7 The City Attorney’s Office is responsible for advising of any legal issues or risks associated with AI systems usage by or on behalf of City departments, for reviewing AI-related contract terms, and for advising on the application of the California Public Records Act, the Ralph M. Brown Act, records retention law, and conflict-of-interest law to AI systems and AIgenerated records.
6.8 The Finance Department is responsible for overseeing the procurement of AI systems in alignment with existing IT procurement and governance processes, for obtaining a completed AI FactSheet from vendors, and for requiring vendors to comply with City policy standards through contractual agreements.
6.9 Human Resources & Risk is responsible for the City’s compliance with employment laws relevant to AI and the Civil Rights Council regulations governing automated-decision systems in employment, for AI-related training and employee acknowledgments, for insurance considerations, and for administering discipline arising from violations of this Policy.
6.10 The Police Chief is responsible for the Police Department’s use of AI systems, including compliance with Penal Code section 13663 and Section 9 of this Policy, and for coordinating with the AI Program Administrator and the City Attorney’s Office before deploying any new law enforcement AI system.
6.11 The AI Review Committee, chaired by the AI Program Administrator and including representatives of the City Attorney’s Office, Human Resources & Risk, Finance, the Police Department, and affected operating departments, reviews proposed AI systems, recommends approval or denial to the City Manager, and reviews this Policy annually.
Section 7. Policy
When purchasing, configuring, developing, operating, or maintaining AI systems, the City will:
7.2 Uphold the Guiding Principles for Responsible AI Systems;
7.2 Conduct an AI Review to assess the potential risk of an AI system before that system is acquired, enabled, or materially changed. The AI Program Administrator is responsible for coordinating the review of AI systems used by the City, with the AI Review Committee, as detailed in the AI Administrative Procedures. The depth of review shall be proportionate to risk: AI systems that may affect individual rights, benefits, enforcement, employment, or public 4444666 of 888777555
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safety receive heightened review, while low-risk productivity tools may be approved administratively;
7.3 Obtain technical documentation about AI systems using the AI FactSheet or create equivalent documentation if internally developing the AI system. The Finance Department is responsible for requiring vendors to complete the AI FactSheet;
7.4 Require contractors to comply with the City’s standard AI contract requirements, overseen by the Finance Department, which shall address at a minimum City ownership of City data, a prohibition on the vendor using City data to train models or on selling or sharing City data, security and breach notification, subprocessor disclosure, accessibility, audit rights, and return or secure destruction of City data at the end of the agreement;
7.5 In the event of an incident involving the use of an AI system — including a security or privacy breach, a materially inaccurate or discriminatory output that affected a City decision, or the disclosure of confidential City information to an unapproved AI tool — the City will follow the incident response procedures detailed in the AI Administrative Procedures and the Cybersecurity Policy. Staff must report a suspected AI incident to their supervisor and the AI Program Administrator within one business day. The Information Technology function is responsible for overseeing the security practices of AI systems used by or on behalf of City departments;
7.6 Maintain a written inventory of the AI systems used by or on behalf of the City, publish a plain-language summary of that inventory on the City’s website, and update it at least annually;
7.7 Require every City employee and official granted access to an approved AI tool to complete AI training and acknowledge this policy before access is granted, and annually thereafter; and
7.8 Report to the City Council at least annually, at a public meeting, on the City’s use of AI systems, including systems added or retired, AI incidents, costs, and recommended amendments to this policy.
Section 8. Approved Use of Generative AI by City Staff
Generative AI tools can help City staff draft, summarize, translate, analyze, and write software more efficiently. The following requirements apply whenever City staff, officials, contractors, or volunteers use generative AI in the course of City business:
8.1 Approved tools only. Staff may use only generative AI tools that appear on the City’s Approved AI Tools List, accessed through City-provided accounts. Using a personal account, a personal subscription, or a personal device to process City information through an AI tool is prohibited.
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8.2 Information that must not be entered. Staff shall not enter into a generative AI tool any information that is confidential, privileged, exempt from disclosure, or otherwise protected, unless the tool has been approved in writing for that category of information. This includes personally identifiable information about residents, employees, or applicants; personnel, medical, and disciplinary records; information subject to the attorney-client privilege or the attorney work product doctrine; closed session materials; law enforcement investigative records and criminal justice information; water, wastewater, and other critical infrastructure security information; credentials, keys, and network configuration data; and draft records that have not been released to the public.
8.3 Human responsibility for output. AI output is a draft, never a finished work product.
The City employee who uses an AI tool is fully responsible for the accuracy, completeness, legality, and tone of the work produced with it, and must independently verify all facts, figures, citations, legal authorities, and quotations before use. Generative AI tools can produce fabricated citations and false statements that appear authoritative.
8.4 No automated final decisions. An AI system shall not be the sole or determinative basis for any decision that materially affects a person’s rights, benefits, property, employment, or liberty, including the issuance or denial of permits and licenses, code enforcement and citation decisions, planning, zoning, and design review determinations, hiring, promotion, discipline, and termination, claims determinations, and enforcement or detention decisions. A qualified City employee must independently review the underlying facts and exercise judgment before such a decision is made.
8.5 Quasi-judicial and legislative proceedings. Staff reports, findings, conditions of approval, and recommendations presented to the City Council, Planning Commission, Design Review Board, or a hearing officer may be prepared with AI assistance, but must be reviewed, verified, and adopted as their own by the responsible City employee, who remains the author of record.
8.6 Public-facing content. AI-generated or AI-assisted content published by the City must be reviewed by a City employee before release. The City shall not publish AI-generated images, audio, or video that a reasonable person could mistake for an authentic depiction of a real person, place, or event, and shall not generate the likeness or voice of any City official, employee, or member of the public without that person’s written consent. Where the City deploys a chatbot or automated assistant for public use, it shall clearly disclose that the user is interacting with an automated system and shall provide a means to reach a City employee.
8.7 Employment uses. Any AI system used to recruit, screen, test, schedule, evaluate, or discipline employees or applicants must be approved in advance by Human Resources & Risk and the City Attorney’s Office, must be subject to bias testing and meaningful human review, and must comply with the Civil Rights Council’s automated-decision system regulations (California Code of Regulations, title 2, section 11008 et seq.), including the requirement to preserve related records for four years.
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8.8 Language access and accessibility. AI translation and interpretation may be used to improve access to City services, but machine translation of legal notices, public hearing notices, emergency instructions, and other critical communications must be reviewed by a qualified human translator before release. AI-driven public-facing services must remain accessible to people with disabilities.
8.9 Software and operational technology. AI-generated code, scripts, and configurations must be reviewed by qualified staff and tested before deployment to any City production system, and shall not be used in supervisory control and data acquisition or other operational technology systems controlling water, wastewater, or other critical infrastructure without the written approval of the AI Program Administrator and the responsible Department Director.
8.10 Purchasing. Staff shall not purchase, subscribe to, expense, or accept a free trial of an AI tool outside the City’s purchasing policy, including through a procurement card or reimbursement.
8.11 Training and acknowledgment. Before being granted access to an approved AI tool, staff must complete City-provided AI training and sign an acknowledgment of this Policy, and must renew that acknowledgment annually.
Section 9. Public Safety and Emergency Services
AI systems used in law enforcement and emergency response carry heightened risk to individual rights and to life safety. The following requirements apply in addition to the balance of this Policy:
9.1 AI-assisted law enforcement reports. Consistent with Penal Code section 13663, if the Police Department uses AI to draft any portion of a report, the report shall disclose on each page that it was written in whole or in part using artificial intelligence; the officer shall review, correct, and certify the report; the Department shall retain the first AI-generated draft for as long as the final report is retained; and the Department shall maintain an audit trail identifying each use of the AI system and any audio or video record it processed. AI shall not be used to draft reports of officer-involved shootings, in-custody deaths, or use-of-force incidents requiring investigation, except with the written approval of the Police Chief.
9.2 Vendor limits on law enforcement data. A vendor of an AI system used by the Police Department shall not sell, share, or use Department data for any purpose other than providing the service to the Department, except as required by court order, and shall access Department data only as necessary for troubleshooting, bias mitigation, accuracy improvement, or system refinement.
9.3 Facial recognition. Facial recognition shall not be used for real-time or covert identification of members of the public and shall not be applied to footage from officer bodyworn cameras. Where facial recognition is used in a lawful investigation, a possible match is 4444999 of 888777555
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an investigative lead only, must be independently corroborated, and shall never be the sole basis for an arrest, detention, search, or identification of a suspect.
9.4 Predictive policing. The City shall not use AI systems to predict the likelihood that a specific individual will commit or be the victim of a crime, or to direct enforcement toward an individual on that basis.
9.5 Automated license plate readers. Automated license plate reader systems, including AI analytics applied to their data, shall be operated in accordance with Civil Code section 1798.90.5 et seq. and a written usage and privacy policy. Data shall be retained no longer than necessary, access shall be logged and audited, and the data shall not be sold or shared with outof-state or federal agencies except as expressly permitted by California law. An alert shall be visually confirmed by an officer before any enforcement action is taken.
9.6 Aerial and video systems. AI analytics applied to unmanned aircraft, fixed cameras, or video management systems shall be reviewed by the AI Review Committee and the City Attorney’s Office, and the City Council shall be notified before deployment. Nothing in this section alters the City’s obligations for a military equipment use policy under Government Code section 7070 et seq.
9.7 Wildfire and hazard detection. The City supports the use of AI-assisted wildfire, smoke, and hazard detection to protect Laguna Beach’s canyon and hillside neighborhoods. A qualified City employee or responsible mutual aid agency must verify an AI detection before an evacuation order, public alert, or emergency notification is issued. AI systems shall not autonomously issue public emergency alerts or evacuation orders.
9.8 Dispatch, fire, and marine safety. AI tools may assist dispatchers, fire personnel, and marine safety officers with call triage, translation, drowning and rip current detection, and situational awareness, but shall not replace the professional judgment of the responder or dispatcher, who retains authority over the response.
9.9 Recorded media. AI analysis of body-worn camera, in-car camera, or interview recordings shall be limited to purposes authorized by the Police Chief in written Department policy, shall be logged, and shall not be used for generalized monitoring of officer conduct in a manner inconsistent with any applicable memorandum of understanding or with the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act (Government Code section 3300 et seq.).
Section 10. Prohibited Uses
The use of certain AI systems is prohibited due to the sensitive nature of the information processed and severe potential risk. The City, and those acting on its behalf, shall not use AI systems for the following purposes:
10.1 Real-time and covert biometric identification.
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10.2 Classification of human facial or body movements into certain emotions or sentiment with the use of computer vision techniques or emotion analysis. (e.g., positive, negative, neutral, happy, angry, nervous).
10.3 Fully automated decisions that do not require any meaningful human oversight but substantially impact individuals.
10.4 Social scoring, or the use of AI systems to track and classify individuals based on their behaviors, socioeconomic status, or personal characteristics.
10.5 Cognitive behavioral manipulation of people or specific vulnerable groups.
10.6 Autonomous weapons systems.
10.7 Predictive policing that targets, scores, or profiles specific individuals.
10.8 Surveillance, profiling, or evaluation of individuals based on their exercise of rights protected by the First Amendment, or based on race, religion, national origin, immigration status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic.
10.9 Monitoring of employees’ lawful union activity or other protected concerted activity.
10.10 Creation of synthetic images, audio, or video depicting a real person or event that is presented as authentic, or that could deceive the public about the actions or statements of a City official or employee.
10.11 Entry of confidential, privileged, personally identifiable, or otherwise protected City information into an AI tool that has not been approved for that category of information.
10.12 Determination of a person’s immigration status, or assistance with federal immigration enforcement, except as required by law and consistent with Government Code section 7284 et seq.
10.13 Any use of an AI system intended to circumvent the Ralph M. Brown Act, the California Public Records Act, or the City’s records retention obligations.
Section 11. Transparency and Public Notice
11.1 The City will maintain, and publish on its website, a plain-language inventory of the AI systems it uses, describing each system’s purpose, the responsible department, the categories of data it uses, and whether it informs decisions about individuals. The inventory will be updated at least annually.
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11.2 Where the City uses an AI system to interact with the public, including chatbots, automated telephone assistants, and automated correspondence, the City will clearly disclose that the interaction is automated and will provide a means to reach a City employee.
11.3 The AI Program Administrator will provide the City Council with an annual report on the City’s use of AI systems, presented at a public meeting, covering systems added or retired, the results of annual department compliance confirmations, AI incidents, costs, and recommended amendments to this policy.
11.4 A member of the public who believes they have been adversely affected by the City’s use of an AI system may submit a concern to the City Manager’s Office, which will acknowledge the concern and respond within a reasonable time.
Section 12. Policy Enforcement
12.1 All employees and agents of the City, whether permanent or temporary, and all elected and appointed officials, interns, volunteers, contractors, consultants, vendors, and other third parties operating AI systems on behalf of the City are required to abide by this Policy and the AI Administrative Procedures.
12.2 Nothing in this policy is intended to conflict with or supersede any applicable memorandum of understanding between the City and a recognized employee organization, or any right afforded by the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (Government Code section 3500 et seq.) or the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act (Government Code section 3300 et seq.). The City will satisfy its meet-and-confer obligations before implementing an AI system that has a material effect on matters within the scope of representation.
12.3 This policy is an internal administrative policy of the City. It is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the City or its officials, officers, employees, or agents.
12.4 If any provision of this policy conflicts with federal or state law or with the terms of an existing contract, the law or contract controls and the remainder of this policy remains in effect.
Section 13. Violations of the AI Policy
Violations of any section of the AI Policy, including failure to comply with the AI Administrative Procedures, may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination, consistent with the City’s personnel rules and any applicable memorandum of understanding. Violations made by a third party while operating an AI system on behalf of the City may result in a breach of contract and/or pursuit of damages. Infractions that violate local, state, federal or international law may be remanded to the proper authorities.
Section 14. Exceptions
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Staff, as described in the scope of this Policy, must adhere to all controls outlined in this Policy unless a specific documented exception is explicitly granted by the City Manager or designee.
Policy violations that have not been formally documented as an exception will be treated as a security incident in accordance with City policy. City staff or Departments may encounter emergency situations, including a proclaimed local emergency, that necessitate the immediate use of AI tools or technologies. In these circumstances, each incident use case must obtain documented approval from the City Manager, or designee, during an activated emergency, prior to use. In such situations, the Department must submit the approved use case to the AI Program Administrator for review within 30 days of the incident, and any such emergency use shall be included in the next annual AI report to the City Council.
Section 15. Restricted Platform Alternatives
15.1 In the event that the City restricts access to certain AI platforms, whenever practicable the City will provide a URL redirect to a City intranet page that will provide the employee with alternative AI platforms which have been vetted and approved by the City for use. The purpose of this provision is to help prevent the exfiltration of City data to personal accounts or personal devices, which would violate the City’s acceptable use, privacy, and information security practices. This approach allows employees to choose among various platforms which meet applicable privacy and security standards established by the City to facilitate productivity.
15.2 The Information Technology function will perform regular assessments of AI platforms and will regularly monitor such platforms so that the City can restrict and remove access in the event of a security or privacy incident.
Section 16. Policy Review and Amendment
The AI Program Administrator, in consultation with the AI Review Committee and the City Attorney’s Office, will review this policy at least annually and whenever a change in federal or state law materially affects it, and will present recommended amendments to the City Council for adoption. The City Manager may issue and update the AI Administrative Procedures consistent with this policy, including the Approved AI Tools List, the AI FactSheet, the AI Review process, the incident response procedure, and required training, without further City Council action.
Adopted: [update with CC adoption date]
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ADMINISTRATIVE CITY COUNCIL POLICY MANUAL
CHAPTER ONE
FINANCE
POLICY 4.31-10