Agenda packet, study session — Laguna Beach City Council, September 22, 2026

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CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
SEPTEMBER 22, 2026
COUNCIL CHAMBERS – 505 FOREST AVENUE, LAGUNA BEACH, CA 92651

STUDY SESSION
MARK ORGILL, Mayor
HALLIE JONES, Mayor Pro Tem
SUE KEMPF, Councilmember
BOB WHALEN, Councilmember
ALEX ROUNAGHI, Councilmember
DAVE KIFF, City Manager
MEGAN GARIBALDI, City Attorney
LAURA PARISI, City Treasurer
ANN MARIE McKAY, City Clerk

STUDY SESSION - COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
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A. ROLL CALL - 3:00 p.m.
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B. STUDY SESSION.

1. CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION TO CONSIDER THE SCOPE OF SERVICES

AND REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL

PLAN UPDATE AND FORMATION OF A GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY

COMMITTEE
Recommendations:

Receive a presentation by City staff on the draft Request for Proposal (Attachment 1) and draft Scope of Services (Attachment 2) for the Comprehensive General Plan Update, and staff’s recommended selection process for the formation of a resident General Plan Advisory Committee and its composition; Direct staff to finalize the Scope of Services consistent with City Council direction and to issue the Request for Proposals for the Comprehensive General Plan Update;
Confirm that the Mission Statement and Guiding Principles adopted on February 7, 2012 (Attachment 4) remain aligned with the City's priorities and will serve as the framework for the Comprehensive General Plan Update, including whether to add stewardship to Mission Statement and Guiding Principles; Provide feedback and direction to City staff regarding the General Plan Advisory Committee, and direct staff to return to the City Council with a resolution establishing the Committee’s composition and selection rules.

C. ADJOURNMENT. The Laguna Beach City Council will adjourn to its Closed Session.

Accessibility and Accommodation Requests: Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons with a disability who require a disability-related modification or accommodation in order to participate in a meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, may request such modification or accommodation from the City Clerk at (949) 497-0705 (telephone) or [email protected] (email). Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to assure accessibility to the meeting.

Levine Act Disclosure: Pursuant to the Levine Act (Govt Code Section 84308), any party to a permit, license, contract, or other entitlement before the City Council is required to disclose on the record any campaign contribution, including aggregated contributions, of more than $500 commencing on January 1, 2025, made within the preceding 12 months.

Courtesy Virtual Broadcast: The City plans to broadcast the meeting as a courtesy only:

Online: www.lagunabeachcity.net/meetings
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Cox Cable Channel 852
YouTube: City of Laguna Beach YouTube Channel

ADDRESSING THE CITY COUNCIL
In-Person Public Comment:

Members of the public may address the City Council on any agenda item or during the “Public Comments – Non-Agendized Items (In-Person Participation)” portion of the meeting. Providing a name, city of residence, mailing address, or other identifying information is voluntary. If you would like a follow-up from the City, please provide contact information.

Written Comment:

To submit written comments on an agenda item or Non-Agendized Items, please email [email protected]. Include "Public Comment" in the subject line and reference the agenda item number, if applicable. Written comments will be forwarded to the City Clerk and made publicly available.

TWO-WAY TELEPHONIC SERVICE
Beginning July 1, 2026, pursuant to Senate Bill 707 and California Government Code sections 54953.4 and 54954.3, members of the public may also provide public comment in real time either in person or remotely through the two-way telephonic service identified below. Remote public commenters will receive the same time allotment as members of the public commenting in person; however, remote participation comments concerning items not on the agenda will be heard at the end of the meeting.

Join by Telephone: +1 669 900 9128
Webinar ID (changes each meeting): 882 6986 9122
Courtesy Zoom Participation: The City plans to enable participation via internet/zoom link as a courtesy only (link changes each meeting): https://lagunabeachcity.zoom.us/j/88269869122 Please be advised that the City does not guarantee that this link will work or that there will not be technical difficulties in accessing it. The only way to guarantee real-time participation is via in-person comment or via telephone call-in, subject to provisions of Government Code section 54953.4.

Remote Public Comment:

To provide public comment remotely, press *9 if participating by telephone, or use the "Raise Hand" feature on Zoom if participating via internet. When called upon, the speaker will be unmuted and given the allotted time to speak. Telephone participants may press *6 to mute or unmute themselves when called to speak. Remote speakers must be present in the telephone queue or Zoom when 3 of 72

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called. Remote participants are responsible for ensuring that they are connected and able to hear the meeting.

Remote Access Disruption:

The City Council adopted the Policy for Disruption of Telephonic or Internet Service During Public Meetings (SB 707) on March 10, 2026. If a disruption of telephonic service prevents members of the public utilizing two-way telephonic services from being able to attend or observe the meeting remotely, the City Council will follow the adopted policy. The policy may require the open session to be recessed while the City makes good-faith efforts to restore service. If service is not restored, the City Council may continue only after making the required roll-call findings, as applicable.

Technical Assistance:

Meeting staff will monitor remote access during the meeting. If you experience remote access issues during the meeting, please notify the Zoom host as soon as possible.

Compliance with Government Code Section 54957.5: Materials related to an item on this Agenda submitted to the City Council after distribution of the agenda packets are available for public inspection in the City Clerk's Office at 505 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach, California, during normal business hours.

Testimony given before the City Council is recorded.

The timer light at the podium will turn yellow and beep once when the speaker has 30 seconds remaining. The timer light will turn red and buzz when the speaker’s time has expired.

PLEASE TURN CELL PHONES OFF OR SET TO SILENT MODE.

CERTIFICATION OF MEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA POSTING
This notice and agenda were posted on the City's website and the City Hall bulletin board at least 72 hours prior to the meeting date, in compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act. /s/ Ann Marie McKay, CPMC, CMC
City Clerk, City of Laguna Beach
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STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date:

September 22, 2026

STUDY SESSION
1 SUBJECT: CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION TO CONSIDER THE SCOPE OF SERVICES

AND REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN

UPDATE AND FORMATION OF A GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council:

1. Receive a presentation by City staff on the draft Request for Proposal (Attachment 1) and draft Scope of Services (Attachment 2) for the Comprehensive General Plan Update, and staff’s recommended selection process for the formation of a resident General Plan Advisory Committee and its composition;

2. Direct staff to finalize the Scope of Services consistent with City Council direction and to issue the Request for Proposals for the Comprehensive General Plan Update;

3. Confirm that the Mission Statement and Guiding Principles adopted on February 7, 2012 (Attachment 4) remain aligned with the City's priorities and will serve as the framework for the Comprehensive General Plan Update, including whether to add stewardship to Mission Statement and Guiding Principles;

4. Provide feedback and direction to City staff regarding the General Plan Advisory Committee, and direct staff to return to the City Council with a resolution establishing the Committee’s composition and selection rules.

SUMMARY OF THE MATTER
On February 24, 2026, the City Council confirmed its strategic priorities for the calendar year. As part of the City Council’s review of the Planning Division’s long-range planning workplan, the City Council directed staff to initiate the process for a comprehensive update to the City’s General Plan. The purpose of the study session is to seek direction from the City Council on the Scope of Services for consultant services supporting the Comprehensive General Plan Update (“CGPU”) (Attachment 2), and to gather community input and Council priorities before the Scope of Services is issued as part of a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) (Attachment 1). Staff is requesting that the City Council review the proposed Scope of Services, provide direction on any adjustments, and authorize the release of the RFP with the final scope. Staff also recommends that the City Council establish a Ad Hoc committee consisting of two city councilmembers and a General Plan Advisory Committee (“GPAC”) consisting of the Ad Hoc committee and various members of the community to support the update and recommends the City Council direct City staff to return on December 8, 2026, for appointment of the Ad Hoc Committee and adoption of the GPAC composition and selection rules. Based on staff’s tentative RFP schedule, staff anticipates returning to the City Council in January 2027 with a recommendation for a contract award. City staff anticipates completing the CGPU by Winter 2029.
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DISCUSSION
A. Background
The General Plan is the City's primary long-range policy document, providing the framework for physical development, environmental protection, mobility, public safety, housing, infrastructure, historic and cultural resources, and the preservation of community character.

Laguna Beach's existing General Plan has evolved incrementally over several decades. Its elements, listed chronologically below, were prepared and amended at different times and vary in age, format, organization, level of detail, and usability. The first attempt at comprehensive planning by the City of Laguna Beach occurred in 1955, when it adopted a Master Plan that addressed growth and development within the City and the surrounding area. In 1959, a more formal and comprehensive General Plan was adopted, consisting of three separate elements: Land Use, Circulation, and Recreation. This General Plan guided growth in the City until 1972. Since 1972, the purview of the City's General Plan has increased dramatically. The advances in the City's comprehensive planning efforts are due to a combination of factors, including growing public interest in community planning, the emergence of new State planning requirements, and changes in the financial profile of the City, which require a closer examination of service costs versus community benefits. In 1983, the City adopted a comprehensive Land Use Element (“LUE”). Since then, the City's planning area has expanded considerably with the annexation of South Laguna, Old Top of the World, and Allview Terrace in 1987 and the Laguna Canyon area in 1989. The LUE update was superseded by the current Land Use Element adopted in 2012. Many of the General Plan’s underlying values remain relevant, but portions require modernization to reflect current conditions, evolving priorities, contemporary practice, and changes in State law. Table 1 outlines the City’s most recent element adoption and amendment dates.

Table 1. General Plan Elements and Adoption Dates
Element Name Adoption Date Amendment(s)
Human Needs January 7, 1976
Historic Resources July 1981 January 10, 2006
August 11, 2020
Open Space and Conservation May 1, 1984 July 20, 2004
Transportation, Circulation and
Growth Management
April 23, 1992 June 1, 1999
Noise March 15, 2005
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Land Use February 7, 2012 April 12, 2022
Landscape and Scenic Highways November 13, 2018
6 th Cycle Housing January 24, 2023 June 11, 2024
Safety May 6, 2025
On October 28, 2025, the City Council authorized staff to begin planning for a possible General Plan update beginning in 2026. Staff included the CGPU in a proposed advanced planning workplan presented at the City Council’s 2026 strategic planning session on January 30, 2026. The City Council then affirmed the advanced planning workplan for the upcoming year at its February 24, 2026 meeting. As explained by staff at these prior meetings, the need for this comprehensive update is driven in part by the rapidly evolving landscape of State housing laws, which continue to impose new mandates, requirements, and timelines on local jurisdictions. City staff’s goal is to be proactive and stay ahead of the next housing element update cycle rather than waiting until additional statutory changes further compress local flexibility and timing. By preparing now, Laguna Beach can better anticipate and incorporate State expectations while ensuring that local character and values remain central to the planning process.

With the recent completion of several advanced planning efforts, staff resources are now available to initiate this project.1 On July 1, 2026, the Community Development Department held its first internal kick-off meeting to discuss team roles, project management, cross-departmental coordination, and RFP initiation.

Since that time, staff has developed and coordinated a draft Scope of Services (Attachment 1) which outlines the project background, community setting, vision, and guiding principles, City staff and consultant roles and responsibilities, anticipated timeline, required technical expertise, and deliverables. As part of this process, staff also formed an internal CGPU Technical Advisory Committee (“TAC”) made up of representatives from the following City departments: Public Works & Utilities, Fire, Transit and Community Services, Police, Marine Safety, and the City Attorney’s Office. The draft Scope of Services attached to this report was reviewed by the TAC.

B. Overview of the Scope of Services
The comprehensive Scope of Services is broken down by sixteen (16) specific tasks and focus areas (Table 2).
1 During the summer of 2026, the City Council adopted the Design Review Efficiency Ordinance, the Efficiency Ordinance, and objective design standards for single- and two-family development. The Council also directed staff to refocus its efforts on Phase II of the Downtown Specific Plan Update with a reduced overall scope of work. Other pending advanced planning initiatives also reached important milestones, including receiving Council direction on best-practice updates to the Mills Act Program, development of a proposed outdoor dining transition plan, and preparation of initial recommendations for updating the City’s nonresidential parking regulations based on parking utilization surveys and other data. 3 of 68

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Table 2. Preliminary Scope of Work Focus Areas
Task Focus Area Consultant Role
1 Project Initiation & Management Set up schedule, protocols, quality control, and reporting; identify a strong project manager.
2 Existing GP & Regulatory Review Audit the current General Plan, Local Coastal Plan, zoning, and technical studies; flag gaps and
conflicts.
3 Vision & Guiding Principles
Refinement
Synthesize and organize — City leads
reaffirmation, Consultant leads integration.
4 Community Stewardship Framework Shape a cross-cutting theme of shared responsibility for place, resources, and resilience.
5 Historic Context Statement Create the narrative framework for Laguna Beach's historic and cultural resources.
6 General Plan Elements Draft the full set of legally required and locally prioritized elements.
7 Open Space & Conservation
Integration
Fold in mapping and policy work already
underway.
8 Circulation, Mobility, Access &
Evacuation
Support Public Works and public safety staff on
multimodal mobility, parking, and emergency
access policy.
9 Safety, Hazards & Resilience Support Police/Fire on wildfire, seismic, flood, sea-level-rise, and resilience policy.
10 Housing Element & Regional Housing
Needs Allocation (“RHNA”)
Coordination
Advance Housing Element work in parallel with
the Seventh Cycle RHNA process.
11 General Plan / Local Coastal Program
(“LCP”) / Coastal Commission
Coordination
Distinguish and align coastal policies within the
broader General Plan. Engage Coastal
Commission staff early to reduce post-adoption
revision risk.
12 Technical Studies & Mapping Deliver the technical analysis and GIS mapping the plan and CEQA document require.
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13 Environmental Review Prepare the CEQA documentation, likely a program EIR.
14 Zoning Code & Implementation
Coordination
Identify consistency amendments and
sequencing — not a full code rewrite.
15 Implementation Plan & Monitoring Build a living accountability tool with responsible departments, timeframes, and
metrics.
16 Draft and Final General Plan Produce administrative, public-review, hearing, and adopted versions.

General Plan Audit: The Scope of Services requires the consultant to audit the existing General Plan against the Local Coastal Program, Zoning Code, specific plans, and relevant technical studies, to identify inconsistencies, opportunities for consolidation, policies that are difficult to read or unnecessarily complex, and gaps in conformance with State law. The consultant will also recommend how each issue should be resolved.

Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles: The City is largely built out, and the community has consistently expressed strong support for preserving its existing character, natural surroundings, and overall quality of life for future generations. These core values are well established and have been reaffirmed through numerous planning efforts over time. Accordingly, staff recommends that this General Plan Update not include a new, ground-up visioning process.

Staff recommends reaffirming the existing Mission Statement and Guiding Principles adopted by the City Council on February 7, 2012 (Attachment 2). These principles continue to represent the community’s values and provide a stable basis for updating General Plan policies in response to current conditions, evolving State requirements, and contemporary best practices.

Document Architecture: A major advantage of a comprehensive update is the ability to establish a consistent organizational framework across all General Plan elements. The selected consultant will recommend and implement a standardized architecture that makes the plan easier to understand, administer, monitor, and update.

General Plan Elements: All General Plan elements will be updated, with the most substantial work anticipated in the Housing, Open Space and Conservation, Land Use, and Circulation elements. The update is focused on compliance with State law, modernization, and incorporation of current practice rather than a change in the City's policy direction. The Housing Element must be certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (“HCD”) by no later than October 2029.

Community Stewardship Framework: The update will examine community stewardship as an organizing policy theme centered around three pillars: environment, culture, and heritage. This framework includes 5 of 68

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shared responsibility of residents, property owners, businesses, institutions, visitors, community organizations, and local government to preserve and enhance Laguna Beach's coast, environmental resources, neighborhoods, cultural identity, infrastructure, public spaces, and quality of life. Topics may include environmental and coastal stewardship; neighborhood and property stewardship; civic participation and volunteerism; care of public spaces, beaches, trails, streets, and infrastructure; arts, culture, and historic preservation; visitor education and responsible tourism; emergency preparedness; and partnerships with nonprofits, schools, businesses, and community groups.

Local Coastal Program Coordination: The Scope of Services outlines a two-step approach to Coastal Act implementation: first, incorporate required coastal policies into the updated General Plan while clearly distinguishing them through formatting, annotation, or coding; and second, following Coastal Commission certification, undertake a separate process to reorganize and recertify coastal policies as a stand-alone Land Use Plan. This approach would have the effect of decoupling portions of the General Plan from the Local Coastal Program (“LCP”). One of the primary benefits of decoupling is local flexibility. Once separated, future updates to non-coastal elements of the General Plan may proceed without requiring Coastal Commission certification, allowing the City to more readily address local priorities, housing requirements, infrastructure planning, and sustainability goals. At the same time, coastal policies remain fully protected and enforceable through a standalone LCP Land Use Plan, preserving the integrity of coastal resource management.

Environmental Review: Staff anticipates that a program-level or focused Environmental Impact Report will be required for the General Plan Update. The consultant will prepare all environmental documentation required under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”).

Other Tasks: In addition to the topics described above, the Scope of Services also requires the consultant to prepare technical studies and mapping, including watercourse mapping; identify zoning code amendments needed for consistency with the updated General Plan; develop an implementation plan and performance monitoring program; and prepare a Historic Context Statement.

C. Request for City Council Direction on the Scope of Services Staff recommends the City Council:

1. Review the full Scope of Services and provide direction on the content, emphasis areas, and priority topics to be included in the RFP for the Comprehensive General Plan Update.

2. Review and confirm that the existing Mission Statement and Guiding Principles (Attachment 4) remain aligned with the City’s priorities and will serve as the framework for the General Plan Update and whether community stewardship should be added to the Mission Statement and Guiding Principles.

D. Formation of a Council Ad Hoc Committee and a General Plan Advisory Committee Staff recommends the formation of two groups to support the General Plan Update: a City Council Ad Hoc Committee and a General Plan Advisory Committee (“GPAC”). 6 of 68

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1. The City Council Ad Hoc Committee would consist of two members of the City Council appointed by the Council. The initial role of the Ad Hoc Committee would be to participate with staff as raters on the RFP review panel. Given the scope of the project, staff believes it would be beneficial for Council members to participate in the consultant interview process. It is important to note that while the Ad Hoc Committee would make a recommendation on consultant selection, the final decision rests with the full City Council, and a quorum of the City Council will be necessary to award and authorize the City Manager to execute a consultant contract. These two Council members would also serve as City Council representatives on the broader GPAC.

2. The GPAC would be comprised of representatives from community stakeholder groups selected by the City Council. The GPAC will be responsible for reviewing, vetting, and providing recommendations to City staff, the consultant team, and the City Council on key components such as General Plan policies and implementation actions. All GPAC meetings would be conducted in compliance with the Brown Act and would be open to the public.

E. Request for City Council Direction on the General Plan Advisory Committee Staff is seeking City Council direction and feedback on the proposed composition and selection criteria for the GPAC. Staff recommends the following:

GPAC Seat Matrix
The GPAC will consist of a maximum of thirteen (13) members who represent a diversity of interests. The recommended GPAC composition is outlined below:
• City Council Ad Hoc Committee Members (2)
• Arts and Recreation Representative (1)
• Historic Resources Representative (1)
• Natural Resource and Open Space Representative (1)
• Mobility, Circulation, and Accessibility Representative (1) • Public Safety, Wildfire, Evacuation, and Resilience Representative (1) • Housing Representative (1)
• Economic Vitality Representative (1)
• South Laguna Neighborhood Representative (1)
• Canyon Neighborhood Representative (1)
• At-large Representatives (2)
Staff recommends reserving two seats for representatives from the South Laguna and Canyon neighborhoods. Ensuring direct representation from these areas is essential to capturing the distinct perspectives and needs of communities that differ significantly from the broader City. The South Laguna area, shaped by its more recent annexation and its diverse mix of residential, commercial, institutional, and coastal access uses, contributes unique insights that are important to City decision-making. Likewise, the Canyon neighborhoods, characterized by a blend of industrial, institutional, open space, and residential land 7 of 68

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uses, require dedicated representation to ensure their complex conditions and priorities and the uniqueness of their setting are effectively reflected in policy discussions.

General Selection Considerations
To support a balanced and inclusive selection process, staff proposes the following guidelines. • Residents serving on an appointed body may apply; service on an appointed body is not required for eligibility.
• No more than one member from any single City board, commission, or committee may serve on the GPAC.
• Applicants who wish to serve specific neighborhoods must live within the area for which they are applying.
• All interested parties will be required to submit an application of interest. • Staff and the City Council Ad Hoc Committee will review applications and forward three recommended candidates for each seat to the City Council, based on a review of the applications.

The City Council will make all the appointments to the GPAC.

Greater specificity will be provided on December 8, 2026, when the City Council is expected to adopt the rules for GPAC selection. The selection rules may include, but is not limited to, residency requirements, selection rubric and appointing process, term and sunset date, attendance and vacancy rules, voting and consensus procedures, and relationships to staff, the consultant, and the City Council.

Next Steps
At the December 8, 2026 City Council meeting, staff will be recommending that the City Council: (1) appoint two members to the City Council Ad Hoc Committee tasked with collaborating with staff and consultants on the Comprehensive General Plan Update; and (2) adopt a resolution establishing the GPAC structure and selection criteria.

F. Anticipated Timeline
The Comprehensive General Plan Update is anticipated to take approximately 32-34 months to complete and is targeted for City Council adoption in Winter 2029. The selected consultant will be responsible for preparing a detailed project schedule for the General Plan Update.

Major project milestones for the next 4-5 months include:
• Circulate Request for Proposal: October to December 2026 • Conduct Consultant Interviews: December 2026
• City Council Ad Hoc Committee Appointment: December 2026 • RFP Consultant Selection and Contract Award: January 2027 • GPAC Selection and Appointment: January to February 2027 8 of 68

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FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
There is no fiscal impact to issue a Request for Proposal. The General Plan Update will involve community engagement, coordinated planning across City Departments, environmental review, and legal review. Costs are to be determined based on the Scope of Services. Staff will return to the City Council in January 2027 post-consultant selection for a mid-year budget allocation.

ALIGNMENT WITH CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND PRIORITIES
For Fiscal Year 2026-2027, the City Council set citywide priorities at its annual Strategic Planning Session on January 30, 2026, following a review of community needs, prior-year performance, and emerging fiscal and operational challenges. Initiative No. 4, Advanced Planning, focuses on comprehensive, forwardlooking planning initiatives that guide the City’s regulatory framework, environmental stewardship, fiscal sustainability, and the City’s capital investment strategy. The City Council identified the CGPU as a core component of this initiative. As such, initiating the RFP and reviewing the proposed Scope of Services directly aligns with Initiative No. 4.

ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The recommended action is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act under CEQA Guidelines Section 15306 because it consists of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. The City Council’s action is limited to receiving a status update, providing direction regarding the scope of services for the Comprehensive General Plan Update (“CGPU”), and providing direction regarding the composition and selection criteria for the General Plan Advisory Committee (“GPAC”). recommended action is strictly for information gathering purposes, or as part of a study leading to an action which a public agency has not yet approved, adopted, or funded. The City Council will not approve or adopt any of these items at this meeting. Adoption of the rules for GPAC selection and approval of a contract award for the preparation of the CGPU will return for consideration and any required CEQA review as part of a subsequent public process. Furthermore, the City Council’s action here does not commit the City to taking any specific actions on the updated General Plan elements or amendments to the Zoning Code.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Request for Proposal for the Comprehensive General Plan Update

2. Request for Proposal Attachment A – Scope of Services for the Comprehensive General Plan Update

3. Request for Proposal Attachment B – Consultant Agreement

4. Mission Statement and Guiding Principles (Land Use Element excerpt) Submitted By: Matthew Schneider Approved: .David A Kiff Matthew Schneider, Director of
Community Development
Dave Kiff, City Manager
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Report Prepared By: Coordinated With:

Alyssa Suárez, Senior Planner Jane Abzug, Assistant City Attorney Belinda Deines, Principal Planner
Shehriyar Khan, Associate Planner
Anthony Viera, Deputy Director of Community
Development
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
City of Laguna Beach
Comprehensive General Plan Update
September 2026
RFP Issue Date: October 5, 2026, 5:00 PM PDT
RFP Submission Due
Date:

December 4, 2026, 5:00 PM PDT
Project Director Anthony Viera
Deputy Director - Planning
Community Development
Department
Project Manager(s): Alyssa Suárez
Senior Planner
Community Development
Department
Shehriyar Khan
Associate Planner
Community Development
Department
Housing Element and
Outreach Coordinator
Belinda Deines
Principal Planner
Community Development
Department
Attachment 1111 11110000
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Notice is hereby given that the City of Laguna Beach is requesting proposals (RFP) from qualified consulting firms and their subconsultants to assist in the preparation of a General Plan Update and required Environmental Impact Report (EIR). All correspondence regarding this RFP shall be directed to the RFP Administrator.

I. OBJECTIVE
The City of Laguna Beach (“City”) is seeking proposals from qualified proposers (hereinafter “Consultant” or “Consultants”) interested in providing consulting services for a Comprehensive General Plan Update and associated Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”). The objective of this Request for Proposal (“RFP”) solicitation is to identify the highest-qualified Consultant whose proposal best complies with the requirements of this RFP and any attachments, including the Scope of Services specified in Attachment A (“Scope of Services” or “Services”), and provides the most comprehensive solution for the City’s needs. This RFP and the attached Scope of Services collectively make up the “Project”. The successful Consultant will be required to enter into a Consultant Services Agreement (“Agreement”) with the City for the duration of the Project. An example of the Agreement is attached to this RFP as Attachment B (“Template Consultant Services Agreement”). Final contract terms, including compensation and length of the agreement are subject to final City and/or City Council approval.

II. BACKGROUND
The City of Laguna Beach is undergoing efforts for a comprehensive update of its General Plan. The General Plan is the City’s primary policy document and serves as the longrange blueprint for physical development, environmental protection, public safety, mobility, housing, infrastructure, and the preservation of community character. All discretionary land use decisions, zoning regulations, and many capital investments must be consistent with the General Plan, making it one of the most consequential policy frameworks adopted by the City.

While the fundamental vision and values embedded in Laguna Beach’s current General Plan remain strong, the document is comprised of nine elements adopted at different times over several decades. As a result, portions of the Plan are no longer fully aligned with current State law, contemporary planning practices, or present-day environmental and hazard conditions. In particular, State mandates related to housing production, climate adaptation, wildfire resilience, and hazard mitigation have evolved significantly in recent years.

A comprehensive General Plan Update is needed to proactively address these changes in a coordinated manner. Rather than responding piecemeal to new State requirements through isolated amendments, the update provides an opportunity to reaffirm Laguna Beach’s core values—environmental stewardship, coastal protection, public safety, and Attachment 1111 11111111
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preservation of community character—while ensuring legal compliance and internal consistency across all elements.

The City is largely built out, and the community has consistently expressed strong support for preserving its existing character, natural surroundings, and overall quality of life for future generations. These core values are already well established and have been reaffirmed through numerous planning efforts over time. Accordingly, the General Plan Update does not include a new, ground-up visioning process. Instead, the update would begin by reaffirming the existing Mission Statement and Guiding Principles adopted by the City Council on February 7, 2012. While modernization of these principles is foreseeable as part of this update, they continue to reflect the community’s values and provide a clear and stable foundation for updating General Plan policies to address current conditions, evolving State requirements, and modern best practices.

Recent planning efforts include the completion of the Safety Element adopted on May 6, 2025, Housing Element Update last amended on June 11, 2024, updates to the Land Use Element on May 28, 2024, the Downtown Specific Plan Update, and an Efficiency Ordinance for projects subject to Design Review. The General Plan Update will: (1) Reaffirm the City’s Mission Statement and Guiding Principles; (2) Evaluate and revise existing General Plan elements to improve consistency, establish a uniform document structure, align policies with the Guiding Principles, eliminate obsolete, duplicative, or conflicting policies, and adhere to State law; and (3) Produce documents that are accessible to residents, decision-makers, applicants, and staff. A complete Scope of Services is included in Attachment A.

III. SUBMITTAL INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS
A. TENTATIVE RFP SCHEDULE AND TIMELINES
Description Date
60-Day RFP Published Date: October 5, 2026
RFP Questions Due Date: October 19, 2026, 5:00PM PDT
RFP City Responses Date: November 2, 2026
RFP Submission Due Date: December 4, 2026 5:00PM PDT
Interviews (as applicable): Week of December 14, 2026
Anticipated Contract Award: January 2027
B. QUESTIONS, ANSWERS, AND ADDENDUM TO THE RFP
Prior to the RFP Proposals Due Date, questions may arise regarding any aspect of this RFP. Questions are due no later than 5:00 PM PDT on October 19, 2026 (RFP Questions Attachment 1111 11112222
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Due Date), and all questions pertaining to this RFP shall be submitted using the City of Laguna Beach PlanetBids portal, using the “Q&A” tab within this solicitation. Any technical matters related to the use and function of PlanetBids shall be directed to PlanetBids, and Consultants shall not contact any other City staff with questions. The RFP Administrator will draft, in consultation with other City staff, responses to all questions submitted by prospective Consultants. The responses will be posted on PlanetBids on or before the RFP City Responses Due Date. Changes to the RFP itself shall only be made by the City via a formal written addendum published and distributed through the City’s PlanetBids portal and shall become a part of the RFP document.

C. SUBMITTAL DEADLINE AND FORMAT
Proposals are due by 5:00PM PDT on December 4, 2026 (RFP Submission Due Date).

Proposals and any required attachments will only be accepted in Portable Document Format (PDF) via the City’s PlanetBids portal no later than the RFP Proposal Due Date.

Consultant’s cost file shall be submitted separate and independent of the Proposal document. It is the responsibility of the Consultant to ensure its proposal and all attachments are loaded on PlanetBids before the stated deadline and in the required format stated herein. Proposals submitted by any other method such as hard copy or email, or proposals that fail to completely upload, shall result in disqualification.

D. PROPOSAL CONTENT
All proposals shall include the following:

1. Cover Letter and Statement of Interest. A cover letter summarizing key elements of Consultant’s proposal, and a brief statement describing why Consultant has an interest in this RFP and why it would be the City’s best choice.

2. Consultant Business information. Provide Consultant’s business information including primary contact information.

3. Scope of Work Methodology. Consultant shall provide a detailed explanation on its approach and methodology to perform the Scope Services, including a proposed schedule, and demonstrate specific techniques that may be implemented to successfully achieve the provisions of the Project.

4. Qualifications. An outline of your firm’s background, qualifications, and ability to perform the services required. Provide relevant information about the firm’s capabilities, size, range of services, and length of time in existence. This also applies to the sub-consultants (subcontractors) you propose to use (i.e. company size, location of office(s), size of staff, etc.).
a. Brief resume of your firm’s background and expertise in the area of General Plan updates or similar work for public agencies; Attachment 1111 11113333
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b. Briefly outline your firm’s methodology that was used to successfully complete similar projects, especially for General Plan updates in coastal jurisdictions; and
c.Include the name, address, and phone number of the agency and individual responsible for the contract management of the project and a list of references who may be contacted.

5. Key Personnel. This section should include a list of all key personnel and anticipated supporting personnel, including those of the sub-consultant, who will be assigned to perform services or be employed on the project. Brief resumes of the project manager, key personnel, and sub-consultants should be included as related to this project, their roles in the project, and a synopsis of their experience relevant to these roles. This section should also include a description of their responsibilities and identify a designated project manager with full authority to administer the contract and bind your firm to a contract with the City. a. List firm experience separate from individual experience; b. Individual experience to be listed for persons with key roles in the project only identifying the person who completed the work; and c. Senior personnel identified in your proposal may not be removed from the project without prior written consent of the City. Subcontractors must also meet all requirements requested of the selected Consultant and be approved by the City.

6. References/Project History. Provide a minimum of five (5) references for similar projects Consultant has completed within the last five (5) years, comparable to the scope of services required. Include a brief description of the services, the agency or firm names, and contact information for each reference. Preference will be placed on references that are local government entities. The City reserves the right to contact any reference provided.

7. Cost Proposal and Budget. Please submit a budget showing estimated costs for each milestone and task of the project, and hourly billing rates for all members of the team. Prices shall represent the cost of finished products and cost estimates shall identify expenditures for graphics, maps, public meetings and hearings, printing, legal notices, postage, mailing, advertising, and other incidental and administrative costs. This budget shall include a 10% contingency billing amount of the overall cost for each milestone to accommodate any unanticipated activities or time necessary to achieve the milestone.
a. Include proposed method of compensation for providing professional consulting services under a cost reimbursement type contract.

The project budget shall be depicted in a table or other format that clearly shows a breakdown by task and product. Reimbursement shall be given upon the City’s receipt and acceptance of deliverables.

Attachment 1111 111144444
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b. Amount of time and staff to be expended for each phase of the project;
c.Indicate hourly rates of individuals involved, number of hours for each component, task or product, billing and expense reimbursement rates, and other optional items;
d. Include budget information written so that it may be incorporated as an attachment to the Agreement for Consulting Services; e. All costs shall be stated as “not to exceed” amounts. All costs must be detailed specifically in the cost summary section of the proposal; f. No additional charges (e.g., for sales tax, transportation, out-of-pocket expenses, etc.) will be allowed unless specified in the proposal; and g. A separate budget and table should be provided for preparation of the environmental review.

8. Exceptions. Provide any proposed exceptions, additions, and/or deletions with any requirements or specifications of this RFP and/or Scope of Services. All exceptions shall be clearly identified, and written explanations shall include the scope of the exceptions, the ramifications of the exceptions for the City, and a description of the advantage to be gained or disadvantages to be incurred by the City as a result of these exceptions. The City will not accept any substantive proposed changes to the Agreement, including the stipulated insurance requirements or other contractual terms therein. Proposals should only be submitted if there is a clear understanding that the Consultant can execute the City’s Agreement without any substantial changes.

9. Other Information. Include any other information you consider relevant to the proposal.

Proposals that do not include the above-listed Proposal Content may be considered incomplete and will be evaluated accordingly.

E. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
All Consultants interested in conducting business with the City must disclose any potential conflicts of interest in the Consultant’s proposal in order to be eligible to be awarded a contract. Failure to disclose potential conflicts of interest shall result in disqualification.

Consultant must address the following in its proposal:

1. Identify all previous and current contracts with the City of Laguna Beach. Include contact name(s), description of services, and dates of services performed.

2. List any current or retired City official or employee, or City official’s or employee’s immediate family member(s) that has/have ownership interest in Consultant’s company or is deriving personal financial gain from this contract.

Attachment 1111 11115
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3. List any City official or employee that is contemporaneously employed or prospectively will be employed by the Consultant or Consultant’s subconsultants at any time during the Project period known to Consultant at the time the proposal is submitted.

IV. EVALUATION, SELECTION, AND AWARD PROCEDURES
A. PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA
Proposals shall provide point-by-point response to all sections of this RFP in a clear and concise manner. The City intends to evaluate Consultants based upon the data presented in the proposals submitted in response to this specific RFP. The City may use some or all the following criteria in its evaluation and comparison of proposals submitted. The criteria listed below are not necessarily all-inclusive, and the order in which they appear is not intended to indicate their relative importance. The City reserves the right to modify the evaluation criteria as deemed appropriate prior to the commencement of evaluation.

1. Qualifications and Experience: Demonstrated relevant experience and expertise of Consultant and Consultant’s team and/or subconsultants conducting similar projects of comparable complexity and magnitude, particularly for government agencies.

2. Conformance/Responsiveness to the RFP: Demonstrated thorough understanding of the Project and the ability to deploy the Scope of Services on schedule.

3. Project Scope/Methodology: A clear and concise description of Consultant’s approach, methodology and techniques to successfully execute the requested Scope of Services.
a. References: Recent references from local clients with detailed descriptions of similar projects successfully completed by Consultant, with particular emphasis on local government.
b. Cost File: Fair, reasonable, and competitive cost for all Services to complete the Project.

B. SELECTION PROCESS
Proposals received as specified will initially be evaluated by City staff, or staff designee(s).

During the initial evaluation period, the City may generate a “most qualified” list of Attachment 1111 11116
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Consultant(s) determined in accordance with the above Proposal Evaluation Criteria. The “most qualified” Consultant(s) may be invited for interviews for further evaluation. The City reserves the right to determine whether a proposal meets the specifications and requirements of this RFP and reject any proposal that, in the City’s sole and absolute discretion, fails to meet the detail or intent of the requirements. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.

C. INTERVIEWS
The City reserves the right to conduct interviews with any Consultant. Should the City pursue scheduling interviews, they are targeted to be scheduled for the week of December 14, 2026.

D. NOTICE OF AWARD; AGREEMENT
The contract award will be made to the Consultant selected from all proposals with implementation of services to follow the award (“Notice of Intent to Award”). However, this RFP does not indicate any obligation by the City to award a contract to any successful Consultant. The City, in the selection process and in general, reserves the right to make an award to the Consultant that meets the Scope of Services stated in this RFP, or to award multiple contracts for Services if is deemed most advantageous to the City.

Upon Notice of Intent to Award, the successful Consultant will be required to execute and deliver a signed Agreement to the City, including proof of all required insurance as set forth in the Agreement, within thirty (30) calendar days following the Notice of Intent to Award. If the successful Consultant is unwilling or unable to execute the Agreement as required by this RFP, the City has the right to request a subsequent Consultant to enter into the Agreement with the City.

V. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
A. Acceptance of Terms and Conditions. Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the Consultant submitting the proposal of the terms, conditions and specifications contained in this RFP and Agreement.

B. Precedence of Terms and Conditions. All terms and conditions of the Agreement are hereby incorporated into the terms and conditions of this RFP. In the event of a conflict of terms and conditions between the RFP document and the Agreement, the terms and conditions expressed in the Agreement shall take precedence.

C. Public Record. Upon submission of a proposal and other materials for consideration by the City, such proposals and materials shall become the property of the City of Laguna Beach. Proposals may be subject to public inspection and disclosure pursuant to state and federal law after the award of a contract for this RFP. Prior to the RFP deadline, Attachment 1111 11117
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proposals may be modified or withdrawn by an authorized representative of Consultant by written notice to the RFP Administrator.

D. Late Proposals. Any proposal which is not received by the City prior to the deadline date and time set forth in this RFP shall not be considered. The City assumes no responsibility or liability for the transmission, delay, or delivery of a proposal.

E. Specificity of Information. No verbal or written information which is obtained other than through this RFP or its addendum shall be binding on the City. No employee of the City is authorized to interpret any portion of this RFP or give information as to the requirements of the RFP in addition to that contained in or amended to this written RFP document.

F. Non-Discrimination. Consultant agrees that in carrying out its responsibilities under this RFP or any Agreement, in particular with regard to the employment of persons and subconsultants working on the Services, it will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, or handicap. In the event any of the Services performed by Consultant hereunder is subcontracted to subconsultant (with approval of the City as required herein), subconsultant shall contain a similar provision.

G. Errors and Omissions. This RFP cannot identify each specific, individual task required to successfully and completely to implement this Project. The City relies on the professionalism and competence of the Consultant to be knowledgeable of the general areas identified in the Scope of Services and to include in their proposals all materials, equipment, required tasks and subtasks, personnel commitments, man-hours, labor, direct and indirect costs, etc. Consultant shall not take advantage of any errors and/or omissions in this RFP document or in the Consultant’s specifications submitted with their proposals. Where such errors or omissions are discovered by the City, full instructions will be given by the City in the form of an addendum.

H. Proposal Validity. Unless otherwise noted by the Consultant, all proposals shall be held valid for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days.

I. Right of Rejection. The City reserves the right to:
• Accept or reject any and all proposals or any part of any proposal, and to waive any informality, minor defects, or technicalities in any proposal. • Award all or any portion of the Scope of Services described in this RFP to one or more Consultants.
• Request clarification of any information contained in a proposal. • Solicit new proposals on the same Scope of Services, or on a modified Scope of Services, which may include portions of the original RFP, as the City may deem necessary.

Attachment 1111 11118
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• Disregard all non-conforming, non-responsive, or conditional proposals. • Reject the response of any Consultant who does not pass the evaluation to the City’s satisfaction.
• Allow for the correction of errors and/or omissions.
• Negotiate the Scope of Services and/or terms of the Agreement with the successful Consultant(s).

The City further reserves the right to negotiate final pricing with the most qualified Consultant(s). All submitted cost proposals will be reviewed and considered for the purpose of assisting the City in determining fair and reasonable compensation with the most qualified Consultant(s). The City will attempt to negotiate an Agreement with the most qualified Consultant(s) at a compensation which the City determines is fair and reasonable. Should the City be unable to negotiate a satisfactory Agreement with the most qualified Consultant(s), negotiations may be terminated, and the City will undertake negotiations with the second qualified Consultant(s) and so on, until a Consultant or Consultants are selected, or the City rejects all proposals.

J. City Not Obligated to Complete Scope; No Obligation to Award. This RFP does not obligate the City to complete the Scope of Services or Project, or award or enter into a contract or Agreement on the basis of any proposal submitted in response to this RFP.

The City reserves the right to cancel the solicitation or parts of the solicitation if it is in its best interest. City reserves the right to award multiple contracts for this RFP if is deemed most advantageous to the City.

K. Non-Compliance. Consultants and/or proposals that do not meet the stated requirements for this RFP may be considered noncompliant and may be disqualified, unless such noncompliance is waived by the City. During the evaluation process, the City reserves the right to request additional information or clarification from those submitting proposals, and to allow corrections of errors and/or omissions.

L. Determination of Responsiveness and Responsibility. The City shall have sole authority in determining the responsiveness and responsibility of any and all Proposals.

For Proposals containing exceptions to specifications and/or requirements, the City shall have sole authority in determining the extent to which exceptions affect the responsiveness and responsibility of any and all Proposals.

M. Work Product. All data, documents and other work product generated or developed during the term of the Agreement will become the property of the City.

N. No Bidder Reimbursement. The City recognizes that significant effort is expended in the preparation of a thorough and responsible proposal. However, a proposal is a voluntary response on the part of the Consultant, and this RFP does not commit the City to pay any Attachment 1111 11119
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costs incurred in its preparation. The City will not be liable for any costs incurred by any Consultants prior to an award of a contract. The City may require the final Consultant(s) to provide on-site presentations and demonstrations of the product(s)/service(s) proposed by the Consultant(s). All costs associated with the demonstrations or follow-up interviews are the sole obligation of the Consultant(s).

O. Gratuity Prohibition. Consultant(s) shall not offer any gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value to any official, employee, or agent of the City for any purpose as it may be perceived as an attempt to influence consideration of the proposal. Submission of a Proposal indicates Consultant certifies that they have not paid nor agreed to pay any person, other than a bona fide employee of the Consultant, a fee or a brokerage resulting from the award of the contract.

P. Contact with City Personnel or Entities. During the RFP procurement process, proposal evaluation process and proposal selection process, the RFP Administrator is to serve as the primary point of contact for all matters pertaining to this RFP. Consultant shall not contact any City Councilmembers, personnel or entities other than the RFP Administrator for matters regarding this Project until conclusion of the entire procurement process.

Unauthorized contact may result in disqualification of proposals.

Q. Contract Administrator. The Community Development Department will be the administrator of the Agreement.

R. Insurance Requirements. The selected Consultant(s) for this Project shall be required, prior to the execution of an Agreement, to furnish proof of insurance. The specific insurance types and limits depend on the Project and can be found in the Template Consultant Services Agreement attached to this RFP (Attachment B). Consultant(s) shall be considered ineligible for the contract award if they are unable to provide the required insurance.

S. Compliance with All Applicable Laws. Consultant declares that it shall comply with all licenses, statutes, ordinances, regulations, and requirements of all governmental entities, including federal, state, county or municipal, whether now in force or hereinafter enacted, including, but not limited to, appropriate contractor licensing and business licensing, as may be required.

T. Inclusive Cost Proposal. Consultant’s Cost Proposal shall include any and all applicable licenses, insurance coverage, endorsements, bonding and if necessary, any wage compliance deemed necessary to perform the Scope of Services as part of the Project described in this RFP. City will not be responsible for reimbursing Consultant for any charges not included in the cost proposal that are incurred in securing these requirements.

U. Subconsultant(s). The selected Consultant shall be the primary consultant performing the primary functions of the Agreement. If any portion of the Agreement is to be performed Attachment 1111 22220000
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by a subconsultant, this must be clearly set forth in the Proposal submittal as to what part(s) is/are to be delegated. City reserves the right to reject any proposal wherein use of subconsultants significantly affects the ability of the Consultant to function as the primary consultant on the awarded Agreement. The Consultant will be at all times responsible for the acts and errors or omissions of its subconsultants or joint participants and persons directly or indirectly employed by them. Acceptance or rejection of a Consultant’s request to use subconsultants is at the sole discretion of City.

VI. Attachment(s):

Attachment A: Scope of Services
Attachment B: Template Consultant Services Agreement
Attachment 1111 22221111
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City of Laguna Beach · General Plan Update RFP — Attachment A

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS · ATTACHMENT A
City of Laguna Beach
Comprehensive General Plan Update
Scope of Services
A Model Planning Effort for a Distinctive Coastal Community ▸ A focused, 30–36 month engagement — not an open-ended, ground-up visioning process. ▸ City staff leads public engagement and stakeholder management; your team leads the technical and policy craft.
▸ 16 clearly scoped tasks spanning policy, technical studies, CEQA, coastal coordination, and implementation. ▸ An opportunity to help shape a concise, usable, legally sound General Plan for one of California's most storied coastal villages.

City of Laguna Beach · Community Development Department Attachment 2222 22222222
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City of Laguna Beach · General Plan Update RFP — Attachment A

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1. Introduction
The City of Laguna Beach is seeking a qualified multidisciplinary planning Consultant to lead a comprehensive update of the City's General Plan — modernizing its elements, bringing them into internal alignment, meeting current statutory requirements, and producing a concise, accessible, and genuinely usable policy document that reflects Laguna Beach's distinctive character and long-standing community values.

Laguna Beach offers a compelling and unusual planning environment. The community is largely built out and defined by its coastal setting, its artistic and cultural heritage, an intimate village character, environmentally sensitive resources, steep terrain, a constrained roadway network, wildfire exposure, high visitor demand, and a strong tradition of civic participation. This update is a chance to weave those threads into one coordinated, forward-looking framework — without losing what makes the City distinctive.

This is a focused, well-organized, and efficient project — not a ground-up community visioning process.

The City has an established mission, community vision, and set of guiding principles that remain a strong foundation for long-range planning. City staff and the City Council will lead the review, reaffirmation, and refinement of those principles; the Consultant's role is to help synthesize, clarify, and connect them to the policies that follow.

City staff also intends to lead the ongoing public outreach, stakeholder coordination, and communication associated with the project. The Consultant supports those efforts — preparing materials, attending key meetings, presenting technical information, documenting input, and translating direction into plan language — but will not be expected to have a leading role in communications with the City's boards, commissions, or community organizations.

2. Project Background
The General Plan is the City's primary long-range policy document, providing the framework for physical development, environmental protection, mobility, public safety, housing, infrastructure, historic and cultural resources, and the preservation of community character.

Element Name Adoption Date Amendment(s)
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City of Laguna Beach · General Plan Update RFP — Attachment A

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Human Needs January 7, 1976
Historic Resources July 1981 January 10, 2006
August 11, 2020
Open Space and Conservation May 1, 1984 July 20, 2004
Transportation, Circulation and Growth
Management
April 23, 1992 June 1, 1999
Noise March 15, 2005
Land Use February 7, 2012 April 12, 2022
Landscape and Scenic Highways November 13, 2018
6 th Cycle Housing January 24, 2023 June 11, 2024
Safety May 6, 2025
Rather than a series of isolated element amendments, the City is seeking a comprehensive update — an opportunity to:
· Improve consistency among General Plan elements.
· Eliminate obsolete, duplicative, or conflicting policies. · Clarify policy language and reduce the potential for competing interpretations. · Address new statutory requirements.
· Establish a uniform document structure.
· Integrate related planning initiatives.
· Clearly distinguish policies applicable within the coastal zone. · Create a practical implementation and accountability framework. · Produce a document that is genuinely accessible to residents, decision-makers, applicants, and staff.

The City is seeking a Consultant team that sees the opportunity here: an innovative General Plan that is technically sound without becoming unnecessarily long or complex — one that communicates clear direction, is intuitive to navigate, and functions as an active decision-making tool rather than a document that sits on a shelf.

3. Community Setting, Vision, and Guiding Principles
Laguna Beach is a compact coastal community framed by the Pacific Ocean, coastal hillsides, canyons, and extensive open space. Its physical setting and development pattern create opportunities and constraints substantially different from those of many other California communities.

The City of Laguna Beach was founded on June 29, 1927, and is a small town of picturesque beaches, hiking trails, a walkable downtown, and summer art festivals. Located in southwest Orange County, Laguna Beach Attachment 2222 222244444
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City of Laguna Beach · General Plan Update RFP — Attachment A

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occupies 8.84 square miles, has a population of 23,000, and welcomes over six million visitors each year. The City provides a full range of services, including recreational activities, cultural arts events, public works maintenance of streets, beaches, and parks, transit operations, community development, administrative services, police, fire, and marine safety, and wastewater services. Laguna Beach operates under a councilmanager form of government. Policy-making and legislative authority are vested in a five-person City Council.

The City Manager carries out the policies and ordinances of the City Council, oversees the day-to-day operations of the City, and appoints department heads.

The City is a highly desirable visitor destination, particularly in summer months, with approximately six million visitors each year, and manages a progressive free shuttle system to transport both visitors and residents. The City is obligated to ensure adequate coastal access and public and on- street parking for visitors in accordance with California Coastal Act policies.

Defining Characteristics
· Pedestrian-oriented village environment.
· Distinct residential neighborhoods and commercial districts. · A nationally recognized arts and cultural identity.
· Significant coastal, biological, scenic, and open-space resources. · A largely built-out development pattern.
· Steep topography and constrained infill sites.
· Significant wildfire, geologic, flooding, coastal, and evacuation considerations. · A limited roadway network serving residents, visitors, emergency responders, pedestrians, cyclists, transit, utilities, and local businesses.
· Strong community interest in land use, design, environmental protection, public access, and neighborhood character.
· A substantial visitor population placing seasonal and year-round demands on transportation, parking, beaches, infrastructure, and municipal services.

Laguna Beach is not planning for outward growth — it is planning for stewardship, adaptation, resilience, and thoughtfully managed change within an established community.

The City's existing Mission Statement and Guiding Principles1 emphasize preservation of natural beauty, village character, environmental stewardship, public safety, mobility, cultural identity, infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life. These principles have been reaffirmed through prior planning and engagement efforts and are expected to remain the foundation of the update.

The Consultant will help the City evaluate whether the existing principles can be consolidated, clarified, reorganized, or updated without losing their meaning or reopening a broad community visioning process — establishing a manageable set of durable principles clearly connected to the plan's policies, programs, and implementation measures. To do so, City staff will facilitate a variety of engagement efforts to gather the 1 The Laguna Beach City Council adopted the Mission Statement and Guiding Principles on February 7, 2012, as part of the Land Use Element.

Attachment 2222 22225
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City of Laguna Beach · General Plan Update RFP — Attachment A

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community’s feedback on existing principles to determine whether these should be modified to reflect a forward-thinking approach that meets the community's priorities and needs.

The Updated General Plan Will:
· Preserve the City's established character and values while addressing future needs and localized constraints.
· Provide clear, internally consistent, and legally defensible policy direction that uses concise, understandable language, and organizes information in a consistent and intuitive format. · Clearly connect policies and actions to the City's guiding principles. · Distinguish long-range policy, implementation programs, and regulatory standards. · Include measurable implementation responsibilities and timeframes. · Support efficient administration and consistent decision-making. · Be adaptable to future legislative, environmental, and community change.

5. General Plan Document Architecture
A principal objective of the project is a consistent document architecture across all General Plan elements. The current General Plan was assembled and amended over an extended period, resulting in variation in organization, terminology, formatting, and policy structure. The selected Consultant will recommend and implement a standardized architecture that makes the plan easier to understand, administer, monitor, and update.

The City anticipates that each element will include, at a minimum:
· A concise introduction explaining the purpose of the element. · A summary of key issues and existing conditions.
· Clearly numbered goals, policies, and actions.
· Cross-references to applicable guiding principles.
· Identification of policies applicable to the coastal zone. · Maps, diagrams, and graphics that communicate information effectively. · An implementation section identifying responsible departments, priorities, timeframes, and follow-up actions.
· A concise compliance or consistency checklist for staff and decision-makers, where practical, that can be used to screen projects and programs for consistency with the General Plan.

The final format should minimize unnecessary repetition among elements, with background and technical information placed in appendices or supporting documents where doing so improves the readability of the adopted General Plan.

Attachment 2222 22226
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City of Laguna Beach · General Plan Update RFP — Attachment A

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6. Preliminary Scope of Work
The following scope describes the City's anticipated project components. Proposers are encouraged to recommend refinements, efficiencies, optional tasks, or alternative approaches that would improve the project outcome.

Scope at a Glance
Task Focus Area Consultant Role
1 Project Initiation & Management Set up schedule, protocols, QC, and reporting; identify a strong project manager.
2 Existing GP & Regulatory Review Audit the current General Plan, LCP, zoning, and technical studies; flag gaps and conflicts.
3 Vision & Guiding Principles Refinement Synthesize and organize — City leads reaffirmation, Consultant leads integration.
4 Community Stewardship Framework Shape a cross-cutting theme of shared responsibility for place, resources, and resilience.
5 Historic Context Statement Create the narrative framework for Laguna Beach's historic and cultural resources.
6 General Plan Elements Draft the full set of legally required and locally prioritized elements.
7 Open Space & Conservation Integration Fold in mapping and policy work already underway. 8 Circulation, Mobility, Access & Evacuation Support Public Works and public safety staff on multimodal mobility, parking, and emergency access
policy.
9 Safety, Hazards & Resilience Support Police/Fire on wildfire, seismic, flood, sea-levelrise, and resilience policy. 10 Housing Element & RHNA Coordination Advance Housing Element work in parallel with the Seventh Cycle RHNA process.
11 General Plan / LCP / Coastal Commission
Coordination
Distinguish and align coastal policies within the broader General Plan. Engage Commission staff early to reduce
post-adoption revision risk.
12 Technical Studies & Mapping Deliver the technical analysis and GIS mapping the plan and CEQA document require.
13 Environmental Review Prepare the CEQA documentation, likely a program EIR. 14 Zoning Code & Implementation Coordination Identify consistency amendments and sequencing — not a full code rewrite.
15 Implementation Plan & Monitoring Build a living accountability tool with responsible departments, timeframes, and metrics.
16 Draft and Final General Plan Produce administrative, public-review, hearing, and adopted versions.

Attachment 2222 22227
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City of Laguna Beach · General Plan Update RFP — Attachment A

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Task 1 — Project Initiation, Management, and Public Engagement Support Scope of Work: The Consultant will work with the City to establish the project work program, schedule, decision-making structure, communication protocols, and quality-control procedures, and will designate a project manager with authority to manage the team, maintain the schedule, coordinate subconsultants, and resolve issues promptly.

City staff leads the public engagement program, stakeholder communication, and management of external participants. The Consultant advises on engagement methods and sequencing, prepares meeting and informational materials, presents technical findings and draft policies, facilitates selected discussions when requested, and documents public input and how it was addressed. The Consultant is not expected to recruit, coordinate, or manage community organizations, boards, commissions, or neighborhood groups.

Meeting assumptions for proposal purposes: One project kick-off meeting; and bi-weekly staff check-ins.

ID Deliverable Type

1.1 Project management plan, including coordination protocols and engagement sequencing
Memorandum

1.2 Project schedule and milestone calendar, baselined once and updated monthly Schedule File

1.3 Monthly progress report and invoice, with budget and schedule status by task Report, monthly

1.4 Meeting materials: agenda, presentation, graphics, and written summary Meeting Package, per meeting

1.5 Technical studies and data needs memorandum, identifying which studies are required, which data the City will provide, and which must be collected. Sets the basis for Task 12.

Memorandum

1.6 Risk, decision, and parked-issues log Tracker, running

1.7 Public comment and response matrix Matrix running
Task 2 — Existing General Plan and Regulatory Audit
Scope of Work: The Consultant will review the existing General Plan, Local Coastal Program, zoning regulations, specific plans, adopted policy documents, relevant technical studies, and ongoing planning initiatives, and prepare an audit establishing the foundation for the update. The audit shall justify recommended amendments to each element and identify what completing them will require, including agency coordination, technical studies, and CEQA compliance.

ID Deliverable Type

2.1 General Plan audit and diagnostic memorandum Memorandum

2.2 Statutory compliance gap matrix for each element against state law enacted and in effect since its latest adoption
Matrix

2.3 Policy disposition table (every existing policy classified retain, revise, consolidate, or delete, with rationale)
Table

2.4 General Plan and zoning misalignments table (feeds task 14) Table Attachment 2222 22228
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City of Laguna Beach · General Plan Update RFP — Attachment A

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Task 3 — Vision and Guiding Principles Refinement
Scope of Work: The existing Vision, Mission Statement, and Guiding Principles serve as the starting point. City staff and the City Council will lead review and reaffirmation and will provide substantial policy direction. The Consultant’s role is synthesis, organization, facilitation at selected decision points, and integration into the plan.

This task includes evaluating the existing principles for overlap, redundancy, and gaps; recommending opportunities for consolidation; and confirming principles that adequately address current and anticipated planning issues.

ID Deliverable Type

3.1 Guiding principles assessment memorandum Memorandum

3.2 Recommended revisions to Guiding Principles Redline and clean text

3.3 Policy-to-principle framework matrix, establishing the notation convention used throughout the plan
Matrix

3.4 Final principles text, graphics and formatting for the General Plan Graphics Package Task 4 — Community Stewardship Framework
Scope of Work: The update will examine community stewardship as an organizing policy theme centered around three pillars: environment, culture, and heritage. This framework includes shared responsibility of residents, property owners, businesses, institutions, visitors, community organizations, and local government to preserve and enhance Laguna Beach's coast, environmental resources, neighborhoods, cultural identity, infrastructure, public spaces, and quality of life.

Topics may include environmental and coastal stewardship; neighborhood and property stewardship; civic participation and volunteerism; care of public spaces, beaches, trails, streets, and infrastructure; arts, culture, and historic preservation; visitor education and responsible tourism; emergency preparedness; and partnerships with nonprofits, schools, businesses, and community groups.

The Consultant will recommend whether stewardship is best addressed as a stand-alone element, a section within another element, a cross-cutting framework, a guiding principle, or a combination. Following City direction, the Consultant will prepare policies and implementation measures that give the concept meaning without unnecessary regulatory complexity.

ID Deliverable Type

4.1 Stewardship framework options memorandum: organizational options with trade-offs, supporting a single City direction-setting decision
Memorandum

4.2 Draft stewardship goals, policies, and implementation actions, in the structure selected under 4.1
Policy text
Task 5 — Historic Context Statement and Historic Resources Policy Scope of Work: The Consultant will prepare a comprehensive Historic Context Statement (HCS) — a clear framework for understanding the historical forces, themes, people, development patterns, architectural traditions, cultural movements, and events that have shaped Laguna Beach. Importantly, the HCS will provide a framework for determining why resources may be historically significant and how they relate to the broader Attachment 2222 22229
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patterns of history. The context will provide the criteria and background information necessary to evaluate whether a property may be eligible for local, state, or national historic designation. It also will ensure that future growth and development will consider the City’s historic resources.

The HCS shall include:

1. Defined geographic area and period of significance.

2. A historical narrative explaining the major themes and patterns of development.

3. Identification of associated property types.

4. Guidance for evaluating significance and integrity.

5. References to applicable designation criteria such as the NPS and NRHP in addition to local landmark criteria.

The HCS shall be prepared by individuals meeting the Secretary of the Interior Professional Qualification Standards. Preparation shall include review of existing surveys, inventories, ordinances, and prior studies; identification of gaps or outdated information; and community engagement with local history and preservation groups, arts and culture organizations, religious and spiritual groups, civic and social leaders, and underrepresented communities. Proposers should identify the qualifications of the personnel performing this work and price policy-level context work separately from any optional property-specific survey.

ID Deliverable Type

5.1 Historic Context Statement, including gaps identified in existing surveys and a summary of community engagement
Report

5.2 Draft Historic Resources Element policies and implementation actions related to the Historic Context Statement
Draft policy text

5.3 Optional property-specific survey, separately priced Report and inventory records Task 6 — General Plan Elements
Scope of Work: The Consultant will prepare updated elements sufficient to meet State law, reflect local priorities, and establish internal consistency. The City is open to recommendations on the number, title, consolidation, or organization of elements, provided all legally required topics are addressed.

Required topics: land use and community design; housing; circulation and mobility; safety, hazards, emergency access, and resilience; open space, conservation, biological resources, and watercourses; coastal resources and public access; historic and cultural resources; arts and community identity; noise; public facilities, infrastructure, and municipal services; sustainability and climate adaptation; economic vitality; community stewardship; and implementation and administration.

In preparing the updates, the Consultant shall improve consistency across elements, establish a uniform document structure, align policies with the Guiding Principles, eliminate obsolete, duplicative, or conflicting policies, integrate related planning initiatives, clearly distinguish policies applicable within the coastal zone, and create a practical implementation and accountability framework. Considering they have undergone more recent updates, the Land Use, Safety, and Housing Elements are not expected to require substantial revision to their substantive content. All elements shall nonetheless be re-formatted and re-organized for consistency and ease of reference. The Land Use Element shall be coordinated with the Open Space and Conservation Element to address rewilding opportunities in accordance with SB 1425.

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ID Deliverable Type

6.1 Document architecture and style guide: element template, policy numbering, and guiding-principle and coastal notation. Approved before element drafting begins.

Style Guide

6.2 Annotated General Plan outline: recommended element structure and contents
Outline

6.3 Administrative draft elements, one per element Draft element text

6.4 Element compliance checklists Checklist
Task 7 — Open Space and Conservation Integration
Scope of Work: The City has already initiated work related to the Open Space and Conservation Element. This work has included community and City Council engagement, biological resource mapping prepared under separate contract, and the efforts of a group of highly knowledgeable and technically experienced community stakeholders who developed a set of recommended policies for consideration as part of the General Plan Update.

The stakeholder policy recommendations are intended to serve as a starting point for the Consultant’s work and the broader public planning process, rather than as predetermined policies or commitments. The Consultant shall review and evaluate these recommendations and integrate them, as appropriate, into the updated Open Space and Conservation Element. In doing so, the Consultant shall recognize that the recommendations have not yet been fully vetted through the General Plan public review and decision-making process, nor have their potential fiscal, staffing, operational, regulatory, or other resource implications been comprehensively evaluated.

As part of this task, the Consultant shall assist the City in evaluating the recommendations, identifying implementation considerations and potential resource commitments, and refining and integrating appropriate policies through community engagement, environmental review, and Planning Commission and City Council consideration. The intent is to build upon the significant technical and community work already completed while ensuring that final policies are feasible, appropriately scoped, and reflective of the City’s broader priorities and available resources.

The Consultant shall also review and update the City’s watercourse mapping to reflect current natural and manmade conditions and shall coordinate policies addressing open space, biological resources and habitat connectivity, coastal resources, sustainability, and resilience. This work shall incorporate applicable State requirements, including SB 272 (Laird, 2023), SB 1425 (Stern, 2022), and AB 1889 (Friedman, 2024), and shall be coordinated with other relevant General Plan elements to provide a cohesive and internally consistent policy framework.

ID Deliverable Type

7.1 Prior work integration memorandum: recommended disposition of policies and actions developed through prior processes
Memorandum

7.2 Updated watercourse mapping, with a memorandum on
methodology and changes from prior mapping (Cross-referenced in Task 12)
GIS Package and Memorandum

7.3 Statutory policy coordination matrix: SB 272, SB 1425, and AB 1889 Matrix Attachment 2222 33331111
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7.4 Draft Open Space and Conservation Element Draft element text Task 8 — Circulation, Mobility, Access, and Evacuation
Scope of Work: This element will be developed with an interdepartmental City review team including Public Works, Community Development, Fire, Police, and Marine Safety, with the Consultant providing technical, policy, analytical, and document-preparation support.

Topic areas include multimodal mobility, pedestrian safety, connectivity, and accessibility consistent with AB 1358 (Leno, 2008); bicycle access, transit, and seasonal transportation services; visitor transportation and parking; emergency access and evacuation; functional roadway and right-of-way capacity; revocable encroachments and potential right-of-way vacations; complete streets requirements and transportation performance standards consistent with SB 743 (Steinberg, 2013); and coordination with land use, safety, climate, and coastal-access policies.

The Consultant shall build on the City's existing evacuation, wildfire, hazard mitigation, and mobility studies rather than re-collecting that information, and shall address coordination with Caltrans regarding state highway segments within the City. Proposers should describe the anticipated level of transportation analysis, modeling, data collection, and technical support included in the proposal. In addition, the Consultant shall review current VMT methodologies under SB 743 and establish localized VMT metrics, screening criteria, and mitigation framework tailored to a built-out coastal community with a high visitor turnover environment. The Consultant shall perform targeted multi-modal traffic counts (pedestrian, bicycle, vehicle, trolley) during peak summer and non-summer periods to baseline network operations and validate Caltrans’ SR-1 (Pacific Coast Highway) and SR133 (Broadway and Laguna Canyon Road) intersection performance.

City-provided inputs: Roadway inventory and GIS, Wildfire Egress Study (2021), Wildfire Mitigation and Fire Safety Report (2025), Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (2023), Capital Improvement Program (2022), collision data, and the Enhanced Mobility and Complete Streets Transition Plan (2015).

ID Deliverable Type

8.1 Circulation and mobility existing conditions memorandum, drawing on the City-provided studies listed above
Memorandum

8.2 Multimodal network maps: roadway classification, bicycle and pedestrian network, and transit
GIS Package and exhibit set

8.3 Multimodal network maps: roadway classification, bicycle and pedestrian network, and transit
Technical appendix

8.4 Caltrans coordination memorandum addressing the state highway segments within the City
Memorandum

8.5 Right-of-way, Emergency Access, and Encroachment Policy Memorandum: Encroachment vacation/revocable permit criteria, roadway clearance and turn-radii standards in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, clearance time assumptions, and functional pavement width along critical evacuation corridors
Memorandum

8.6 Draft Circulation and Mobility Element Draft element text

8.7 Circulation policy correlation matrix against Land Use, Housing, and Safety (supports Task 16)
Matrix
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Task 9 — Safety, Hazards, and Community Resilience
Scope of Work: Police and Fire are anticipated to lead this element, with overall coordination by Community Development and technical support from the Consultant. Because the Safety Element was updated in 2025, a complete update is not necessary. The focused update should incorporate sea-level rise, coastal hazards, and climate adaptation in accordance with SB 272 (Laird, 2023); climate resilience and other co-benefits of open space in accordance with SB 1425 (Stern, 2022); and re-formatting for consistency across elements. Evacuation and emergency access analysis is prepared under Task 8 and shared with this element.

ID Deliverable Type

9.1 Safety Element focused update memorandum, confirming what the amendment reopens and any agency review required
Memorandum

9.2 Updated Safety Element, drawing evacuation content from 8.3 Draft element text Task 10—HCD Certification
Scope of Work: The City intends to prepare its 2029-2037 Housing Element concurrently with the General Plan Update to the extent feasible, pursuant to Government Code sections 65580-65589.9, and consistent with the 7th Cycle RHNA process, State housing legislation, and HCD guidance. City staff will be responsible for monitoring the RHNA allocation process, and the Consultant may provide technical assistance as needed.

General project management is covered under Task 1.

ID Deliverable Type

10.1 Community outreach program Memorandum

10.2 Outreach documentation: per-event memoranda, attendance, comments, and notification list
Tracker and memoranda

10.3 Evaluation of the 6th Cycle Housing Element Draft chapter

10.4 Housing data and special housing needs Draft chapter

10.5 Site inventory and analysis, with the HCD electronic form Draft chapter and HCD form

10.6 Constraints analysis Draft Chapter

10.7 Fair housing chapter: Assessment of Fair Housing and AFFH program (AB 686)
Draft Chapter

10.8 Goals, policies, programs, and quantified objectives, including General Plan revisions needed elsewhere for consistency Draft chapter

10.9 Housing typology and density visualizations for public workshops Graphics package

10.10 Zoning Code and map consistency package: redlines and a table of modified sections
Redline and table

10.11 Housing Element drafts: administrative, public review, HCD review, and final
Draft element text

10.12 HCD comment and response log Tracker
Housing issues and programs will need to be considered and addressed through the update process, as well as meeting the City’s RHNA. The Consultant will be expected to prepare a draft and final Housing Element update, prepared pursuant to California Government Code Sections 65580-65589.9.

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7th Cycle RHNA — Key Milestones
▸ RHNA methodology development through 2027.
▸ Draft allocations released April 2028.
▸ Appeals in spring and summer 2028.
▸ Final allocation plan adopted October 2028.
▸ Housing Element HCD Certification by no later than October 2029. ▸ Dates remain subject to change — the project schedule should build in contingency.

In support of the deliverables outline above for Task 10, the Consultant shall be responsible for the following ensuring each deliverable is supported by the following information:
· Coordination with HCD
The Consultant shall identify strategies for ensuring coordination with HCD over the course of the project, as needed.
· Community Outreach and Engagement
Assist City staff in developing a program that effectively reaches, educates, and engages the community throughout the Housing Element update. This should include strategies to ensure broad inclusion, particularly of hard-to-reach groups and special needs populations, with special attention given to communicating information so it is accessible and easy to understand. Outreach is expected to begin early in the process and continue throughout for feedback on important topics such as draft ideas, site options, the draft Housing Element, and environmental review. The Consultant will develop a Technical Memo after each workshop or event to record all public engagement activities and feedback. City staff will lead and Consultant will support the engagement.
· Evaluation of 2021-2029 Housing Element
Review the current 6th Cycle Housing Element and identify the City’s success in accomplishing and implementing the identified goals, policies, and programs, and provide explanations and updates where goals, policies, and programs are in progress, have been abandoned or have not proven effective. Review the prior 6th Cycle Annual Progress Reports.
· Housing Data and Special Housing Needs
Utilizing public input, data from the City of Laguna Beach, County of Orange, Southern California Council of Governments, California Department of Finance, US Census and American Community Survey, and any other relevant data sources to understand:

1. Population and employment trends

2. Household characteristics, including cost burden and housing overcrowding

3. Existing housing needs

4. Housing needs, including special needs housing, missing middle housing, workforce housing, and lower income housing

5. Subsidized housing developments at-risk of conversion

6. Projected housing needs for all income levels to address the 7th Cycle RHNA including historic and projected housing production
· Site Inventory and Analysis
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Prepare the sites inventory section of the Housing Element, demonstrating how the City will satisfy its RHNA in each income category. This includes identifying defensible assumptions, evaluating sites, and analyzing potential policy strategies to justify site capacity, demonstrating development viability (per State law) and inputting the information into HCD’s electronic form for submittal with the updated element. We anticipate that this will be the most significant area of work for the update process and will need to start early in order to ensure adequate time for consideration of potential areas for rezoning or other changes to development standards needed to achieve the RHNA.
· Constraints Analysis
The Consultant will identify and analyze potential and actual governmental constraints to the maintenance, improvement, or development of housing for all income levels, including housing for people with disabilities. The analysis should identify the specific standards and processes of these constraints and evaluate their impact on the supply and affordability of housing. The analysis should determine whether local, regional, or state regulatory standards pose an actual constraint and must also demonstrate efforts to remove constraints that hinder a jurisdiction from meeting its housing needs. Analyze development standards – including setbacks, lot coverage, minimum lot size and width, height limits, and parking requirements – to assess whether they constrain housing affordability, infill development, or the City’s ability to accommodate a range of housing types, and identify opportunities to modify these standards, to support infill housing, affordability, and walkable neighborhoods. Identify potential amendments to the General Plan and zoning code that could support context-sensitive infill housing, missing middle housing types, and redevelopment in appropriate locations.
· Fair Housing (AB 686) Analysis
The Consultant must include a program to affirmatively further fair housing and must include an Assessment of Fair Housing, consistent with AB 686.
· Zoning Code and Map Consistency Recommendations
The Consultant shall identify any recommendations of the City’s Zoning Code and Map that may need to be amended to be in compliance with State housing law and General Plan/Housing Element updates.

Provide the City with draft redlined Zoning Code sections as well as a separate table showing the modified sections and reasons for the changes.
· Goals, Policies, Programs, and Quantified Objectives
Identify goals, policies, programs and quantified objectives to include in the Housing Element to ensure compliance with State law and effective response to the housing needs, constraints, and key priorities identified through the update process. Evaluate whether existing General Plan and Zoning Code standards constrain the City’s ability to accommodate RHNA and facilitate infill housing consistent with state housing law. This task includes ensuring responsiveness to priorities articulated through the community engagement process as well as ensuring internal consistency with other elements of the General Plan. This task will include identification of other General Plan policy updates or revisions needed to ensure consistency.

Visual Infill and Housing Typology Illustrations – Prepare visual materials to support community understanding of potential infill housing forms that are compatible with Laguna Beach’s scale and historic character. Visual materials should illustrate how a range of housing types could be accommodated within the City’s development standards and neighborhood context.

Visual materials should be suitable for use in public workshops and community engagement materials.

These visuals should include, at a minimum:
- Infill housing typology diagrams
- Example site layout concepts
- Density comparisons illustrating different development scenarios Attachment 2222 33335
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- Illustrations demonstrating housing types appropriate in Laguna Beach such as: cottage courts, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, small-scale apartment buildings, mixed-use infill development · Draft Housing Element and Public Hearings
Prepare and submit an administrative draft Housing Element for jurisdictional staff review. Staff will provide a comprehensive set of desired changes. Once edits are complete, prepare a draft Housing Element that is made available to the public and presented to both the Planning Commission and City Council at public hearings. Based on Commission and Council input, prepare an HCD review draft and submit to HCD for the mandated review.
· Final Draft Hearings, Final Adoption, HCD Coordination, and Certification The Consultant will work closely with HCD and jurisdiction staff to respond to any comments and produce a final draft Housing Element for adoption. Present to the Planning Commission and City Council at public hearings. Prepare the final Housing Element, including any changes from the public hearings, and submit to HCD for final certification.

The completed 7
th Cycle Housing Element must meet all statutory requirements, be consistent with the City’s General Plan, certified Local Coastal Program, and achieve certification from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) by no later than October 2029.

Task 11 — Coastal Act and Local Coastal Program Coordination with the California Coastal Commission
Scope of Work: The General Plan serves, in part, as the Land Use Plan component of the City's certified Local Coastal Program (LCP). The components currently within the LCP are the Land Use Element and the Open Space and Conservation Element. The City is pursuing a two-step approach: first, incorporate required coastal policies into the updated General Plan while clearly distinguishing them through formatting, annotation, or coding; and second, following Coastal Commission certification, undertake a separate process to reorganize and recertify coastal policies as a stand-alone Land Use Plan.

The Consultant will support early and ongoing coordination with Coastal Commission staff, identify Coastal Act consistency issues early, prepare comparison tables and supporting materials, respond to Commission comments including any suggested modifications, coordinate coastal policy review with the environmental analysis, and assist with post-adoption certification materials. The City anticipates providing the draft General Plan, draft environmental document, and technical materials to Commission staff during the public review period.

ID Deliverable Type

11.1 Coastal policy identification matrix: policies subject to Coastal Commission certification
Matrix

11.2 Coastal policy notation method memorandum, coordinated with the Task 6 style guide
Memorandum

11.3 Coastal Act consistency memorandum, identifying issues early enough to resolve before submittal
Memorandum

11.4 LCP submittal package Submittal package

11.5 Coastal Commission comment and response matrix, including any suggested modifications
Matrix

11.6 Post-certification bifurcation roadmap: steps and timing to separate coastal policies as a stand-alone Land Use Plan Memorandum
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Task 12 — Technical Studies and Mapping
Scope of Work: The Consultant will identify and prepare the technical studies necessary to support the General Plan and environmental review. Watercourse mapping is required under Task 7. Additional studies may address land use and development capacity; transportation and mobility; evacuation and emergency access; hydrology; coastal hazards and sea-level rise; wildfire; infrastructure and public services; noise; air quality and greenhousegas emissions; historic and cultural resources; fiscal or economic conditions; and climate adaptation and resilience. High-level evaluation of water, sewer, stormwater drainage, and roadway network capacity to support RHNA housing site allocations and infill assumptions.

Proposers should assume that current biological mapping will be available for incorporation, should distinguish and separately price base-scope studies from optional studies, and should scope each study to support the environmental analysis under Task 13, so that overlapping analysis is not performed. Maps should be prepared in editable GIS formats designed for both technical accuracy and public readability.

ID Deliverable Type

12.1 Technical studies scoping memorandum Memorandum

12.2 Technical studies Report, per study

12.3 General Plan GIS map library GIS package and exhibit set

12.4 Infrastructure Capacity and Utility Nexus Study Report, per study Task 13 — Environmental Review
Scope of Work: The Consultant will prepare all environmental documentation required under CEQA. The City anticipates a program-level or focused Environmental Impact Report, though proposers may recommend an alternative approach if supported by applicable law; costs for both should be included. The scope includes existing conditions analysis, project description, CEQA notices, one scoping meeting with all associated materials, review of alternatives, mitigation measures and monitoring program, responses to comments, findings and any statement of overriding considerations, coordination with the policy-development process and Coastal Commission review, and support at public hearings.

The City is interested in early integration of CEQA analysis with policy development, so that environmental considerations inform the General Plan rather than being addressed only after it is drafted.

ID Deliverable Type

13.1 Scoping meeting materials and summary, with NOP comment matrix
Meeting package and matrix

13.2 CEQA notices Notices

13.3 Environmental Impact Report: administrative, public review, and final
Draft document

13.4 Responses to comments Document

13.5 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix

13.6 Findings and statement of overriding considerations, if applicable Document Task 14 — Zoning Code and Implementation Coordination
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Scope of Work: The Consultant will evaluate the relationship between the updated General Plan and the City's zoning regulations, specific plans, Local Coastal Program implementation provisions, capital planning, and other regulatory documents. This project does not include a comprehensive zoning code rewrite. A broader zoning code update may follow General Plan adoption as an implementation action. Zoning recommendations arising from the Housing Element are delivered under Task 10.

The City's Efficiency Ordinance, commercial parking regulations, and objective design standards for single-family residential development are proceeding on parallel tracks.

ID Deliverable Type

14.1 Zoning consistency technical memorandum Memorandum

14.2 Priority amendment table: immediate post-adoption versus long-term Table Task 15 — Implementation Plan and Performance Monitoring Scope of Work: The General Plan will include a comprehensive implementation plan identifying specific actions, responsible and supporting departments, priority, timeframe, funding, related zoning, LCP, capital improvement, or programmatic actions, dependencies and sequencing, and performance indicators. It should function as a living management tool supporting annual work planning, budgeting, accountability, and reporting to the City Council and community. The Consultant should recommend a practical process for periodic monitoring and General Plan maintenance, including a format for annual or biennial progress reporting.

ID Deliverable Type

15.1 Implementation plan, delivered as a working spreadsheet and as the adopted General Plan chapter
Matrix and Chapter

15.2 Monitoring and General Plan maintenance process recommendation Memorandum

15.3 Annual or biennial progress report template Template Task 16 — Draft and Final General Plan
Scope of Work: The Consultant will prepare administrative, screening check, public review, and final versions of the General Plan. The final document should be visually engaging and professionally designed while remaining practical to reproduce, update, and use electronically.

ID Deliverable Type

16.1 Existing Conditions Report, with preliminary General Plan outline and recommendations
Graphics package

16.2 Maps and graphics for community and public hearing meetings Draft document

16.3 General Plan drafts: administrative, screening check, public review, and final
Matrix

16.4 General Plan internal consistency matrix, incorporating the Task 8 and Task 11 matrices
Redline and table

16.5 Associated Zoning Code and map updates Redline and table

16.6 Accessible web version of the adopted General Plan Web document

16.7 Administrative record Record set
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7. City and Consultant Responsibilities
City Responsibilities
▸ Provide available plans, studies, GIS data, and
background documents.
▸ Establish overall policy direction.
▸ Lead review and reaffirmation of the community
vision and guiding principles.
▸ Lead stakeholder outreach and external relationship
management.
▸ Coordinate boards, commissions, committees, and
community organizations.
▸ Schedule meetings and hearings.
▸ Provide departmental subject-matter expertise.
▸ Consolidate City comments on Consultant
deliverables.
▸ Coordinate internal review by the City Attorney and
other departments.
▸ Maintain the project webpage and City
communications, unless otherwise negotiated.
▸ Make policy and procedural decisions in a timely
manner.

Consultant Responsibilities
▸ Manage the professional work program and
Consultant team.
▸ Maintain the project schedule and budget.
▸ Prepare high-quality technical and policy work
products.
▸ Identify issues and decision points early.
▸ Provide clear recommendations and alternatives.
▸ Prepare meeting and public-information materials.
▸ Attend and support key meetings.
▸ Document and incorporate direction.
▸ Coordinate environmental review and technical
studies.
▸ Deliver a complete, internally consistent, legally
compliant, and implementation-oriented General Plan.

8. Anticipated Schedule
The City anticipates that the comprehensive update, environmental review, public review, and adoption process will require approximately 30 to 36 months following notice to proceed, subject to Consultant recommendations and external dependencies.

Phase Target Timing Duration Description
Project Initiation and
Direction Sept 2026 Month 0 Council Direction and
Initiation of Process
Consultant Procurement
(RFP) Oct – Jan 2027 Months 1 -4 RFP release, interviews, and selection
Vision & Guiding Principles
Confirmation Oct – Feb 2027 Months 1-5 Concurrent refinement of Guiding Principles General Plan Steering
Committee Formation Mar – May 2027
Months 5-7 Formation of Brown Act
GP Steering Committee
Element Drafting Jun – Oct 2027
Months 8-12 Draft of plan elements
and staff coordination
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Preliminary Draft
Preparation Nov 2027 – Feb 2028
Months 13-16 Refinements of drafts and
CEQA scoping
CEQA Review and Circulation Mar 2028 – Sept 2029 Months 17-31 12-14 month CEQA EIR process and review
Planning Commission
Hearings Sept – Oct 2029 Months 31-32 Commission review and recommendation City Council Adoption Nov – Dec 2029 Months 33-34 Council workshop, hearing and adoption
Illustrative phasing — final schedule to be refined collaboratively with the selected Consultant.

The schedule will need to account for:
· Consultant procurement and project initiation.
· Guiding-principles refinement.
· Existing conditions and policy audit.
· Technical studies and element preparation.
· Advisory and public review, and environmental analysis. · Coastal Commission coordination.
· Planning Commission review and City Council adoption. · Housing Element Certification by no later than October 2029.

The City intends to maintain project momentum and avoid unnecessary procedural delays. Complex, controversial, or tangential matters that cannot reasonably be resolved within the project schedule may be documented and identified for separate future study, rather than allowed to delay the entire update — recognizing legitimate community concerns while keeping the core planning effort on track.

Proposers are encouraged to submit a realistic schedule that identifies critical-path items, opportunities for concurrent work, decision points, external dependencies, and recommended schedule contingencies.

9. Desired Consultant Team
The City is interested in receiving proposals from qualified firms of varying sizes and team structures. Prime Consultants may assemble specialized subconsultants as needed. The selected Consultant shall demonstrate expertise in:
· Reviewing, writing, and preparing documents pursuant to Government Code section 65302. · Comprehensive planning experience within the California coastal zone pursuant to the California Coastal Act.
· CEQA procedures and, environmental review pursuant to California Public Resources Code, sections 21000 et seq.
· Transportation and mobility background with State highway and Caltrans coordination and ADA accessibility planning experience.

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· Housing policy expertise and experience in the preparation of Housing Elements that are clear, concise, and legally defensible with State requirements and the varied housing needs of the community. · Wildfire, safety, evacuation, and resilience.
· Biological resources and watercourse mapping.
· Historic and cultural resources, specifically individuals who meet the Secretary of the Interior Professional Qualification Standards.
· Public infrastructure and services.
· Sustainability and climate adaptation in response to sea-level rise and other coastal hazards. · Public engagement and visual communication before the general public, decision-making bodies, and City staff.
· GIS, mapping, document design, and accessibility.
· Traffic Engineering, VTM Modeling under SB 743, traffic signal operations, and evacuation/egress modeling.
· Stormwater management, MS4 Compliance, and coastal municipal infrastructure planning.

What the City Values Most
▸ Demonstrated subject-matter expertise — but equally, a thoughtful project approach. ▸ A responsive team structure and clear, confident writing. ▸ Strong project management and a genuine ability to collaborate with City staff. ▸ A team and work program proportionate to Laguna Beach's size and circumstances — not an unnecessarily elaborate process.

10. Opportunity for Consultant Innovation
The preliminary scope reflects the City's current understanding of the project. Proposers are encouraged to identify:
· Tasks that can be combined or streamlined.
· Work that City staff can reasonably perform.
· Opportunities to use existing studies and prior community input. · Innovative document-development methods.
· Effective digital review and collaboration tools.
· Approaches to reducing document length and duplication. · Methods for integrating Coastal Commission review with CEQA. · Strategies for managing RHNA uncertainty.
· Options for organizing community stewardship and historic context content. · Alternative project schedules or phasing.
· Optional services that would add meaningful value.

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The City seeks a Consultant that will not simply replicate a standard General Plan process, but will tailor its approach to Laguna Beach's established vision, engaged staff, distinctive setting, and desire for a concise, enduring policy framework.

11. City Documents and Resources
· Mission Statement and Guiding Principles (2012) (Refer to Land Use Element, pp.i-iii) · Vision Laguna 2030 Final Report and Strategic Plan (2001) · All General Plan Elements
· Enhanced Mobility and Complete Streets Transition Plan (2015) · Cultural Arts Plan (2016) and Appendix (2016)
· Wildfire Egress Study (2021)
· Wildfire Mitigation and Fire Safety Report (2025)
· Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (2023)
· Capital Improvement Program (2022)
· Arch Beach Heights Specific Plan (1974)
· Design Guidelines (2010)
· Diamond - Crestview Specific Plan (1992)
· Downtown Specific Plan (2022)
· Landscape and Scenic Highways Resource Document (2018) · Laguna Canyon Annexation Area Specific Plan (2008)
· Objective Design Standards - Single- and Two-Family Residential (2026) · Sarah Thurston Park Specific Plan (1983)
· Treasure Island Specific Plan (2002)
· Treasure Island Land Use Plan, Policies, & Implementing Actions Program (1998) · Parking and Transportation Demand Management Report (2023) · Climate Action Plan (2025)
· Safer Streets Laguna Beach, Citywide Safety Action Plan (2025) · Facilities Master Plan (2026)
· Community Wildfire Protection Plan (2026)
· Laguna Beach Fire Department 2025-2030 Strategic Plan (2025) Attachment 2222 444443333
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· Evacuation Zones Map (2026)
· Fire Department’s Community Risk Reduction / Standards of Cover Study (2024) · Phase I Historical Analysis of Preservations Agreements in the City of Laguna Beach, California (2025) and Associated Phase I Maps (2025)

12. Attachments
Attachment 1. Deliverables Standards
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City of Laguna Beach · General Plan Update RFP — Attachment A

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Attachment 1. Deliverable Standards
The following standards apply to all deliverables identified in this Scope of Services. Individual tasks identify the deliverable and its type; the format requirements for each type are set out below.

A. General Requirements
• All deliverables shall be provided in native, fully editable format together with a PDF, except where noted below.
• PDFs shall include a searchable text layer. Documents exceeding 25 pages shall be bookmarked to the section level.
• Native files shall not be locked, flattened, password protected, or otherwise restricted from editing by the City.
• Word documents shall use built-in paragraph styles for headings, captions, and lists rather than manual formatting, so that the City can reformat and reflow content without rebuilding the document. • Excel files shall retain live formulas, use a single filterable header row, and place one record per row. • The Consultant shall use current, commercially available software and shall identify the applications and versions proposed for document production, mapping, and graphics in its proposal. • The Consultant shall provide or identify any non-standard fonts used, and warrants that it holds the rights to all photographs, illustrations, and graphics incorporated into deliverables and that those rights transfer to the City.

B. Format by Deliverable Type
Type Native format Also provide Requirements
Memorandum Word (.docx) Searchable PDF Styles-based headings Report or technical
appendix
Word (.docx) Searchable PDF,
bookmarked
Figures also delivered as
separate image files
Draft element, chapter, or
policy text
Word (.docx) Searchable PDF Numbered per the
document style guide; clean
and redline after the first
version
Draft document (General
Plan, EIR)
Word (.docx); native design
files for final
Searchable PDF,
bookmarked
Clean and redline versions
Matrix or table Excel (.xlsx) PDF Live formulas; filterable header row
Tracker or log Excel (.xlsx) None required Updated and retransmitted monthly
Template Word or Excel None required Unlocked, with brief instructions for use
Checklist Word or Excel Fillable PDF Suitable for staff use in project review
Attachment 2222 444445
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City of Laguna Beach · General Plan Update RFP — Attachment A

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Style guide or outline Word (.docx) PDF Includes any graphic and typographic standards
Redline package Word with tracked changes Clean PDF and redline PDF Tracked changes rather than manual highlighting
Graphics package InDesign or Illustrator with
linked assets, or equivalent
Print-ready PDF Raster images at 300 dpi
minimum at final size
Map or GIS package Esri file geodatabase or
shapefile, with layer files
Exhibit PDFs at 8.5 by 11
and 11 by 17 inches
See Section E
Meeting package PowerPoint and Word PDF Summary transmitted within [5] business days of
the meeting
Schedule file [Microsoft Project (.mpp) or
equivalent]
PDF Gantt Updated monthly
Notices Word (.docx) PDF formatted for filing Prepared for City signature and filing
Web document HTML or contentmanagement-ready filesNone required See Section F Record set Native formats as produced Indexed digital set and hard copy
Organized by task and date
Agency form Agency template as
prescribed
PDF As required by the receiving
agency
Where a task identifies a deliverable type not listed above, the Consultant shall propose a format consistent with these standards and confirm it with the City before preparation.

C. Draft Versions and City Review
Major documents shall follow a standard progression: administrative draft, screencheck draft, public review draft, and final. The administrative draft is for internal City review; the screencheck draft incorporates City comments and is verified before public release; the public review draft is the version circulated for public and agency comment; and the final incorporates comments received. • The City will provide one consolidated set of comments per version. The Consultant shall assume two rounds of revision per document unless a task states otherwise. • Each revised version shall be accompanied by a response matrix identifying each City comment and how it was addressed.
• All versions after the first shall be provided in both clean and redline form. • The City will review and either accept a deliverable or return comments within [15] business days of receipt.

D. File Naming and Transmittal
• Files shall be named using the convention LBGPU_Task##_DeliverableName_Version_YYYYMMDD. • Deliverables shall be transmitted electronically through the Consultants preferred fileshare. Individual files exceeding 100 MB shall be divided or transmitted by an alternative method agreed with the City.

Attachment 2222 444446
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City of Laguna Beach · General Plan Update RFP — Attachment A

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• Each transmittal shall identify the task and deliverable number, the version, and whether the submittal is a new deliverable or a revision.

E. Mapping and Geospatial Data
• Geospatial data shall be delivered as an Esri file geodatabase or shapefiles, with layer files preserving symbology.
• All data shall use [NAD83 California State Plane Zone VI, US survey feet] unless the City directs otherwise. • Each layer shall include metadata identifying source, vintage, accuracy, processing steps, and any assumptions.
• Map exhibits shall be legible at both 8.5 by 11 and 11 by 17 inches and shall be prepared for technical accuracy and public readability.
• Data obtained from third parties shall be identified, with any licensing or redistribution limitations stated at the time of delivery.
• All geospatial data developed for the project shall be delivered to the City within 45 days of project completion.

F. Accessibility
Final public-facing documents, including the adopted General Plan and its web version, shall meet [WCAG 2.1 Level AA]. At a minimum this requires:
• Tagged PDFs with a logical reading order and a defined document title and language. • Alternative text for all images, maps, charts, and diagrams that convey information. • Tables structured with identified header rows rather than formatted as images. • Sufficient color contrast, and no reliance on color alone to convey meaning. • Navigable headings and bookmarks.

Proposers should state their approach to accessibility remediation and identify whether it is performed in house or by a subconsultant.

G. Ownership and Final File Transfer
• All data, documents, graphics, geospatial data, and other work product generated under the Agreement become the property of the City.
• At project completion the Consultant shall deliver a complete set of native source files, including word processing, design, graphics, spreadsheet, and geospatial files, together with linked assets and fonts or font identification.

Deliverables shall be free of proprietary formats or licensing conditions that would prevent the City from editing, reproducing, or republishing them after the Agreement ends. Any such limitation shall be disclosed in the proposal.

Attachment 2222 444447
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Professional Services Agreement – Agreement No. _________

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN

THE CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH
AND ________________________________
THIS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is made and entered into this ____day of _____________, 2024 (“Effective Date”) , by and between the City of Laguna Beach, a Municipal Corporation, hereinafter referred to as the “CITY,” and ______________________________ a __________________________, hereinafter referred to as “CONSULTANT.” CITY and CONSULTANT are collectively referred to as “PARTIES” herein.

RECITALS
WHEREAS, the CITY desires to engage CONSULTANT to ______________________; and
WHEREAS, CONSULTANT’s scope of services are more fully identified in Appendix A, “Scope of Services,” attached hereto and incorporated by reference into this Agreement; and WHEREAS, CONSULTANT is qualified and agreeable to render the professional services desired by the CITY pursuant to this Agreement; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual promises hereinafter expressed and intending to be bound hereby, the Parties hereto do mutually agree as follows:

PART I

FUNDAMENTAL TERMS
Article 1. Engagement of CONSULTANT
The CITY hereby agrees to engage CONSULTANT to perform the professional services set forth in Appendix A “Scope of Services” of this Agreement, and CONSULTANT agrees to perform those services in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

Article 2. Scope of Services
In compliance with all terms and conditions of this Agreement, CONSULTANT shall perform all work necessary to complete, in a manner satisfactory to the CITY, the services described and set forth in Appendix A, “Scope of Services”, attached hereto and by reference into this Agreement.

Article 3. Time of Performance
The services of CONSULTANT are to commence upon the Effective Date first set forth above, and shall terminate on _________________, unless terminated earlier as set forth herein.

This Agreement may be extended by mutual, written consent between the Parties for two (2) additional successive terms of six (6) months.

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Professional Services Agreement Page 2 of 17
Article 4. Payment and Limitation of Cost
The CITY shall compensate CONSULTANT for services performed under Article 2, as further defined in Appendix A, in accordance with the following schedule:

In order to receive payments, CONSULTANT shall submit to the CITY periodic invoices.

The invoice shall describe the services performed with specificity, the amount invoiced to date, and shall include such other documentation as may be necessary or requested by the CITY to demonstrate that appropriate progress has been made toward completion of the services.

Adjustments of total cost of services by up to 10% of the original contract amount will be permitted when CONSULTANT establishes, and the CITY agrees in writing, that there has been, or is to be, a significant change in:
a. The scope, complexity or character of the services to be performed; b. The conditions under which the work is required to be performed; or c. The duration of work if the change from the time period specified in this Agreement for completion of the work warrants such adjustment in accordance with Part II, Section 4, Paragraph 4.14, Extension of Time for Delay.

Article 5. Attachments
The provision set forth in Part II, General Provisions, and Appendix A, “Scope of Services,” are hereby incorporated by reference and made a part hereof.

Article 6. Integration
This Agreement represents the entire understanding of the CITY and CONSULTANT as to those matters contained herein. No prior oral or written understanding shall be of any force or effect with regard to those matters covered by this Agreement. This Agreement supersedes and cancels any and all previous negotiations, arrangements, agreements, and understandings, if any, between the parties, and none shall be used to interpret this Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, persons executing this Agreement warrant and represent that they are authorized to do the same on behalf of the Parties hereto and are authorized to bind those Parties to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

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Professional Services Agreement Page 3 of 17

CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH
By
Dave Kiff, City Manager
ATTEST:

Ann Marie McKay, City Clerk

CONSULTANT
By
Title
Address_______________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
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Professional Services Agreement Page 4 of 17

PART II

GENERAL PROVISIONS
SECTION ONE: SERVICES OF CONSULTANT

1.1 Scope of Services. In compliance with all terms and conditions of this Agreement, CONSULTANT shall perform all work necessary covered by this Agreement in a manner satisfactory to the CITY. This Agreement includes the services described and set forth in Appendix A, “Scope of Services” of the Agreement, attached hereto and by reference incorporated herein and made a part hereof, which may be referred to as “services.”

1.2 Changes and Additions to Scope of Services. The CITY shall have the right at any time during the performance of the Services, without invalidating this Agreement, to order extra services beyond that specified in Appendix A of this Agreement, or make changes by altering, adding to, or deducting from said services. No payment for extra services caused by a change in scope or complexity of work shall be made, unless and until such extra services and a price therefore have been authorized in writing and approved by the CITY. Such written approval shall set forth the changes of work, extension of time for preparation, and adjustment of the fee to be paid by the CITY to CONSULTANT. No claim for said additional work shall be made unless such additional work has been specifically authorized in writing by the CITY.

1.3 Specifications. All specifications, manuals, or standards, either attached to this Agreement or incorporated herein by reference, are deemed to be the version in effect as of the date of this Agreement and are binding as to the performance of the work in this Agreement unless they are changed by written amendment and this Agreement is modified in writing to incorporate such changes. Any changes are subject to CITY’s written approval.

1.4 Standard of Performance. CONSULTANT hereby represents and warrants that it has the experience necessary to undertake the services to be provided herein. In light of such status and experience, CONSULTANT hereby covenants that it shall follow customary good professional standards in performing all services required hereunder and shall perform all work in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the CITY. CONSULTANT shall be responsible to ensure that all work performed, including by its employees if any, is performed to the standards set forth in this Agreement and that such work complies with customary commercial standards that would reasonably and ordinarily be expected from a qualified, skilled and experienced person engaged in a similar type of undertaking under the same or similar circumstances, and conforms to any requirements of appropriate governmental agencies and applicable laws ordinances, codes and regulations of the federal, state and local governments in effect at the time such services are performed.

Notwithstanding any other provision herein, CONSULTANT agrees to perform all work to the satisfaction of the CITY within the time specified. If the CITY reasonably determines that the work is not satisfactory, the CITY shall have the right to take appropriate action, including but not limited to: (i) meeting with CONSULTANT to review the quality of the work and resolve matters of concern; (ii) requiring CONSULTANT to repeat unsatisfactory work at no additional charge until it is satisfactory; (iii) suspending the delivery of work to CONSULTANT for an indefinite time; (iv) withholding payment; and (v) terminating this Agreement as hereinafter set forth.

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Professional Services Agreement Page 5 of 17

1.5 Licenses, Permits, Fees and Assessments. CONSULTANTshall obtain at its sole cost and expense all licenses, permits, and approvals that may be required by law for the performance of the Services required by this Agreement. CONSULTANT shall have the sole obligation to pay any fees, assessments, and taxes, plus applicable penalties and interest, which may be imposed by law and arise from or are necessary for CONSULTANT's performance of the Services required by this Agreement, and shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the CITY against any such fees, assessments, taxes, penalties, or interest levied, assessed, or imposed against the CITY thereunder.

1.6 Personnel. CONSULTANT represents that it employs, or will employ, at its own expense, personnel required in performing the services required under this Agreement. All of the services required hereunder will be performed by CONSULTANT and all personnel engaged in the work shall be fully qualified and be authorized or permitted under state and local law to perform such services. This Agreement contemplates the personal services of CONSULTANT and CONSULTANT's employees, and it is recognized by the Parties hereto that a substantial inducement to the CITY for entering into this Agreement was, and is, the professional reputation and competence of CONSULTANT and CONSULTANT's employees. Neither this Agreement nor any interest therein may be assigned by CONSULTANT, except upon written consent of the CITY.

1.7 Prohibition Against Subcontracting or Assignment. CONSULTANT shall not contract with any other entity to perform in whole or in part the Services required hereunder without the express written approval of the CITY, and excepting any services identified in Appendix A, “Scope of Services”, and excepting minor incidental services including, but not limited to couriers and reprographics services. In addition, neither the Agreement nor any interest herein may be transferred, assigned, conveyed, hypothecated, or encumbered voluntarily or by operation of law, whether for the benefit of creditors or otherwise, without the prior written approval of the CITY.

In the event of any unapproved transfer, the CITY may void the Agreement at the CITY’s option in its sole and absolute discretion.

SECTION TWO: INSURANCE

2.1 Insurance. Without limiting CONSULTANT's indemnification obligations, CONSULTANT shall procure and maintain, at its sole cost and for the duration of this Agreement, insurance coverage as provided below, against all claims for injuries against persons or damages to property which may arise from or in connection with the performance of the work hereunder by CONSULTANT, its agents, representatives, employees, and/or subconsultants. In the event that CONSULTANT subcontracts any portion of the work in compliance with this Agreement, the contract between CONSULTANT and such subconsultant shall require the subconsultant to maintain the same policies of insurance that CONSULTANT is required to maintain pursuant to this Section 2.1. If the existing policies do not meet the Insurance Requirements set forth herein, CONSULTANT agrees to amend, supplement or endorse the policies to do so.

2.1.1 Insurance Coverage Required. The policies and amounts of insurance required hereunder shall be as follows:

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Professional Services Agreement Page 6 of 17
(1) General Liability Insurance. Commercial General Liability Insurance which affords coverage at least as broad as Insurance Services Office "occurrence" form CG 00 01 including completed operations, with limits of liability of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate for liability arising out of CONSULTANT's performance of this Agreement. The limits shall be provided by either a single primary policy or combination of policies. If limits are provided with excess and/or umbrella coverage, then the limits combined with the primary will equal the minimum limits set forth above. If written with an aggregate, then the aggregate shall be double the each occurrence limit. (2) Automobile Liability Insurance. Automobile Liability Insurance with a limit of liability of not less than $1,000,000 each occurrence and $1,000,000 annual aggregate. The limits shall be provided by either a single primary policy or combination of policies. If limits are provided with excess and/or umbrella coverage, then the limits combined with the primary will equal the minimum limits set above. Such insurance shall include coverage for all "owned," "hired" and "non-owned" vehicles, or coverage for "any auto." (3) Workers' Compensation Insurance. Workers’ Compensation Insurance, as required by the State of California and Employer’s Liability Insurance with a limit of not less than $1,000,000 each accident for bodily injury and $1,000,000 each employee for bodily injury by disease. Said insurance shall cover all employees of CONSULTANT providing any service in the performance of this agreement. A statement on an insurance certificate will not be accepted in lieu of the actual endorsement unless CONSULTANT’s insurance carrier is the State of California Insurance Fund (SCIF) and the endorsement numbers 2570 and 2065 are referenced on the certificate of insurance.

Workers’ Compensation is not required for sole proprietors or a partnership with no employees.

However, for sole proprietors or a partnership, CONSULTANT must complete a “Workers’ Compensation Declaration.” This form may be obtained from the CITY staff. (4) Professional Liability Insurance. Professional Liability Insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 each claim. Covered professional services shall include all work performed under this Agreement and delete any exclusion that may potentially affect the work to be performed.

2.1.2 Evidence of Insurance. CONSULTANT, concurrently with the execution of the Agreement, and as a condition precedent to the effectiveness thereof, shall deliver either certified copies of the required policies, or original certificates and endorsements on forms approved by the CITY. The certificates and endorsements for each insurance policy shall be signed by a person authorized by that insurer to bind coverage on its behalf. At least fifteen (15) days prior to the expiration of any such policy, evidence of insurance showing that such insurance coverage has been renewed or extended shall be filed with the CITY. If such coverage is cancelled or reduced, CONSULTANT shall, within ten (10) days after receipt of written notice of such cancellation or reduction of coverage, file with the CITY evidence of insurance showing that the required insurance has been reinstated or has been provided through another insurance company or companies.

Original, signed insurance certificates and endorsements must be sent via email from CONSULTANT's insurance broker/agent to the CITY.

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Professional Services Agreement Page 7 of 17
The CITY project title or description MUST be included in the "Description of Operations" box on the certificate.

Certificate Holder:

City of Laguna Beach, California

2.2 Endorsements.

Insurance policies shall not be in compliance if they include any limiting provision or endorsement that has not been approved by the City in writing.

2.2.1 The insurance coverage required by Section 2.1.1 Commercial General Liability shall contain the following provisions or be endorsed to provide the following:

Additional Insured: The CITY, its employees, officers, elected or appointed officials or both, officers, employees, volunteers, boards, agents and representatives shall be additional insureds with regard to liability and defense of suits or claims arising out of the performance of the Agreement.

Additional Insured Endorsements shall not:

1. Exclude “Contractual Liability;”

2. Restrict coverage to the “Sole” liability of CONSULTANT;

3. Exclude “Third-Party-Over-Actions;” and

4. Contain any other exclusions contrary to the Agreement.

Primary Insurance: This insurance shall be primary and any other insurance whether primary, excess, umbrella or contingent insurance, including deductible, or self-insurance available to the insureds added by endorsement shall be in excess of and shall not contribute with this insurance.

A statement on an insurance certificate will not be accepted in lieu of the actual endorsement.

2.2.2 The policy or policies of insurance required by Section 2.1.3 Workers’ Compensation shall be endorsed as follows:

Waiver of Subrogation: A waiver of subrogation stating that the insurer waives all rights of subrogation against the indemnified parties.

2.2.3 Any deductible in excess of $50,000 and/or Self-Insured Retentions must be approved in writing by the CITY.

2.2.4 Acceptable Insurance. Each policy shall be from a company with current A.M.

Best's rating of A VII or higher and authorized to do business in the State of California, or otherwise allowed to place insurance through surplus lines brokers under applicable provisions of Attachment 3333 544444
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Professional Services Agreement Page 8 of 17
the California Insurance Code or any federal law. Any other rating must be approved in writing by the CITY.

2.2.5 Insurance of Subconsultants. CONSULTANT shall be responsible for causing subconsultants to maintain the same types and limits of coverage in compliance with this Agreement, including naming the CITY as an additional insured to the subconsultants’ policies.

2.3 Notice of Cancellation. Required insurance policies shall not be cancelled or the coverage reduced until a thirty (30) day written notice of cancellation has been served upon the CITY; except ten (10) days written notice of cancellation shall be provided for non-payment of premium.

2.4 Other Insurance. Such other policies of insurance as may be required in the Special Provisions attached hereto.

2.5 Contractual Liability. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, the coverage provided shall also apply to the obligations assumed by CONSULTANT under the indemnity provisions of this Agreement.

2.6 Claims Made Policies “aka: Tail Coverage.” If coverage is written on a claims-made basis, the retroactive date on such insurance and all subsequent insurance shall coincide or precede the effective date of the initial Agreement with the CITY and continuous coverage shall be maintained or an extended reporting period shall be exercised for a period of at least three (3) years from termination or expiration of this Agreement. Upon expiration or termination of coverage of required insurance, CONSULTANT shall procure and submit to the CITY evidence of “tail” coverage or an extended reporting coverage period endorsement for the period of at least three (3) years from the time that all work under this Agreement is completed.

2.7 Waiver of Subrogation. Required insurance coverages shall not prohibit CONSULTANT from waiving the right of subrogation prior to a loss. CONSULTANT shall waive all rights of subrogation against the indemnified parties and policies required under this Agreement shall contain or be endorsed to contain such a provision.

2.8 Failure to Maintain Coverage. CONSULTANT agrees to suspend and cease all operations hereunder during such period of time as the required insurance coverage is not in effect and evidence of insurance has not been furnished to the CITY and provide the CITY written notice of the same within 24 hours of suspending and ceasing all operations. The CITY shall have the right to withhold any payment due CONSULTANT until CONSULTANT has fully complied with the insurance provisions of this Agreement.

In the event that CONSULTANT’s operations are suspended for failure to maintain required insurance coverage, CONSULTANT shall not be entitled to an extension of time for completion of the work because of production lost during suspension. Failure to maintain the required insurance coverage shall constitute good cause for termination.

SECTION THREE: INDEMNIFICATION
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Professional Services Agreement Page 9 of 17

3.1 Indemnification. To the full extent allowed by law, CONSULTANT shall indemnify, defend with counsel acceptable to the CITY and hold harmless the CITY and its officers, officials, employees, agents and volunteers (“Indemnitees”) from and against any and all liability, loss, damage, claims, suits, actions, arbitrations proceedings, administrative proceedings, regulatory proceedings, civil penalties and fines, expenses and costs (including, without limitation, attorney's fees and costs and fees of litigation) (collectively, "Liability") of every nature, whether actual, alleged or threatened, arising out of or in connection with CONSULTANT's performance of the services provided under this Agreement or its failure to comply with any of its obligations contained in this Agreement, except such Liability caused by the sole negligence or willful misconduct of the CITY.

3.1.1 CONSULTANT's obligation to defend and indemnify shall not be excused because of CONSULTANT's inability to evaluate Liability or because CONSULTANT evaluates Liability and determines that CONSULTANT is not liable to the claimant. CONSULTANT must respond within 30 days to the tender of any claim for defense and indemnity by the CITY, unless this time has been extended by the CITY. If CONSULTANT fails to accept or reject a tender of defense and indemnity within 30 days, in addition to any other remedy authorized by law, so much of the money due CONSULTANT under and by virtue of this Agreement as shall reasonably be considered necessary by the CITY, may be retained by the CITY until disposition has been made of the claim or suit for damages, or until CONSULTANT accepts or rejects the tender of defense, whichever occurs first.

3.1.2 With respect to third party claims against CONSULTANT, CONSULTANT waives any and all rights of any type to express or implied indemnity against the Indemnitees.

3.1.3 Notwithstanding the forgoing, to the extent this Agreement is a "construction contract" as defined by California Civil Code Section 2783, as may be amended from time to time, such duties of CONSULTANT to indemnify shall not apply when to do so would be prohibited by California Civil Code Section 2782.

3.1.4 Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that this Agreement includes design professional services under Civil Code Section 2782.8, as may be amended from time to time, such duties of CONSULTANT to indemnify shall only be to the full extent permitted by Civil Code Section 2782.8.

3.1.5 If any term of portion of this Section 3.1 is held to be invalid, illegal, or otherwise unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, said section shall be interpreted to allow the broadest indemnity permitted by law.

SECTION FOUR: LEGAL RELATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

4.1 Independent Consultant. It is expressly understood that in the performance of the services under the Agreement, CONSULTANT shall be, and is, an independent CONSULTANT, and is not an agent or employee of the CITY. The CITY shall not in any way or for any purpose become or be deemed to be a partner of CONSULTANT in its business or otherwise, or a joint venturer, or a member of any joint enterprise with CONSULTANT. CONSULTANT shall not at any time or in any manner represent that it or any of its agents or employees are agents or employees of the CITY. CONSULTANT has and shall retain the right to exercise full control and supervision of the Attachment 3333 56
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Professional Services Agreement Page 10 of 17
services, and full control over the employment, direction, compensation and discharge of all persons assisting CONSULTANT in the performance of required services. CONSULTANT shall be solely responsible and hold the CITY harmless for all matters relating to the payment of CONSULTANT’s employees, including compliance with Social Security withholdings and all other regulations governing such matters. Neither CONSULTANT nor any of CONSULTANT’s employees shall, at any time, or in any way, be entitled to any sick leave, vacation, retirement or other fringe benefits from the CITY; and neither the CITY nor any of its employees shall be paid by the CITY time and one-half for working in excess of forty (40) hours in any one week. Neither CONSULTANT nor any of CONSULTANT’s employees shall be included in the competitive service, have any property right to any position, or any of the rights an employee may have in the event of termination of this Agreement.

4.2 Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity. During its performance under this Agreement, CONSULTANT agrees as follows:

4.2.1 Equal Employment Opportunity. In connection with its performance under this Agreement, CONSULTANT shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, AIDS or AIDS-related symptoms (including HIV positive findings), physical disability, mental disability, mental condition, family care leave, sexual orientation, ancestry or national origin. Actions encompassed by this prohibition shall include, but not be limited to, the following: employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer; recruitment, or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination; rate of pay, or other forms of compensation; and selection for training, including apprenticeship.

4.2.2 Sanctions for Noncompliance. In the event of CONSULTANT’s noncompliance with the non-discrimination provisions of this Agreement, CONSULTANT agrees that the CITY shall be authorized to impose such sanctions or penalties as the CITY may determine to be appropriate, including, but not limited to 1) withholding of payments to CONSULTANT hereunder until CONSULTANT complies with all applicable requirements and obligations, and/or 2) cancellation, termination or suspension of the Agreement, in whole or in part.

4.3 Proprietary Information. No reports, maps or other documents produced in whole or in part under this Agreement shall be the subject of an application for copyright by or on behalf of CONSULTANT. All proprietary information developed specifically for the CITY by CONSULTANT in connection with, or resulting from, this Agreement, including but not limited to inventions, discoveries, improvements, copyrights, patents, maps, reports, textual material or software programs, but not including CONSULTANT’s underlying materials, software, or knowhow, shall be the sole and exclusive property of the CITY, and are confidential and shall not be made available to any person or entity without the prior written approval of the CITY.

CONSULTANT agrees that the compensation to be paid pursuant to this Agreement includes adequate and sufficient compensation for any proprietary information developed in connection with or resulting from the performance of CONSULTANT’s services under this Agreement.

CONSULTANT further understands and agrees that full disclosure of all proprietary information developed in connection with, or resulting from, the performances of services by CONSULTANT under this Agreement shall be made to the CITY, and that CONSULTANT shall do all things necessary and proper to perfect and maintain ownership of such proprietary information by the CITY.

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Professional Services Agreement Page 11 of 17

4.4 Use of Patented Materials. CONSULTANT represents that the services provided hereunder do not infringe upon any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other intellectual property rights of a third party. CONSULTANT shall assume all costs arising from the use of patented or copyrighted materials, including but not limited to equipment, devices, processes, and software programs, used or incorporated in the services or work performed by CONSULTANT under this Agreement. CONSULTANT shall indemnify, defend, and save the CITY harmless from any and all suits, actions, or proceedings of every nature for or on account of the use of any patented or copyrighted materials.

4.5 Retention of Funds. CONSULTANT hereby authorizes the CITY to deduct from any amount payable to CONSULTANT (where arising out of the Agreement or otherwise) any amounts the payment of which may be in dispute hereunder or which are necessary to compensate the CITY for any losses, costs, liabilities or damages suffered by the CITY, and all amounts for which the CITY may be liable to third parties, by reason of CONSULTANT’s negligent acts, errors, or omissions, or willful misconduct in performing or failing to perform CONSULTANT’s obligations under this Agreement. The CITY in its sole and absolute discretion, may withhold from any payment due to CONSULTANT, without liability for interest, an amount sufficient to cover such claim or any lien. The failure of the CITY to exercise such right to deduct or withhold shall not act as a waiver of CONSULTANT’s obligation to pay the CITY any sums CONSULTANT owes the CITY.

4.6 Termination for Convenience of the CITY. The CITY may terminate this Agreement at any time by giving written notice of CONSULTANT of such termination. In that event, all finished or unfinished documents and other materials shall, at the option of the CITY, become the CITY’s property. If this Agreement is terminated by the CITY as provided herein, then CONSULTANT will be paid an amount which bears the same ratio to the total compensation as the services actually performed bear to the total services of CONSULTANT covered by this Agreement, less payments of compensation previously made.

4.7 Termination of Agreement for Cause. In addition to the CITY’s rights under Section 4.6, the CITY may, subject to the provisions of Paragraph 4.7.2, by written notice to CONSULTANT, terminate the whole or any part of this Agreement in any of the following circumstances: (1) if CONSULTANT fails to perform the services called for by this Agreement within the time(s) specified herein or any extension thereof; or (2) if CONSULTANT fails to perform the services called for by this Agreement or so fails to make progress as to endanger performance of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, and in either of these two circumstances does not correct such failure within a period of ten (10) days (or such longer period as the CITY may authorize in writing) after receipt of notice from the CITY specifying such failure.

4.7.1 In the event the CITY terminates this Agreement in whole or in part as provided in this section, the CITY may procure, upon such terms and such manner as it may determine appropriate, services similar to those described in this Agreement.

4.7.2 Except with respect to defaults of subconsultants, CONSULTANT shall not be liable for any excess costs if the failure to perform this Agreement arises out of causes beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of CONSULTANT. Such causes may include, but are not restricted to, acts of God or of the public enemy, acts of the Government in either its sovereign or contractual capacity, fires, floods, epidemics, quarantine restrictions, strikes and unusually severe Attachment 3333 58
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weather; but in every case, the failure to perform must be beyond the control of, and without the fault or negligence of CONSULTANT.

4.7.3 Upon receipt of notice of termination from the CITY, CONSULTANT shall immediately stop its services, unless otherwise directed, and deliver to the CITY all data, drawing, reports, estimates, summaries and such other information and materials as may have been accumulated by CONSULTANT in the performance of this Agreement, whether completed or in process. Upon termination, CONSULTANT shall be paid the value of the work performed, less payments of compensation previously made.

4.8 Waiver. No delay or omission in the exercise of any right or remedy by a non-defaulting party on any default shall impair such right or remedy or be construed as a waiver. A party’s consent to or approval of any act by the other party requiring the party’s consent or approval shall not be deemed to waive or render unnecessary the other party’s consent to or approval of any subsequent act. Any waiver by either party of any default must be in writing.

4.9 Legal Actions. Legal actions concerning any dispute, claim or matter arising out of or in relation to this Agreement shall be instituted or maintained in the Municipal and Superior Courts of the State of California in the County of Orange, or in any other appropriate court with jurisdiction in such County, and CONSULTANT agrees to submit to the personal jurisdiction of the court. If any claims related to the performance hereunder be asserted against either party hereto, then the party claimed against shall receive reasonable assistance from the other.

4.10 Rights and Remedies are Cumulative. The rights and remedies of the Parties are cumulative and the exercise by either party of one or more of such rights or remedies shall not preclude the exercise by it, at the same or different times, of any rights or remedies for the same default or any other default by the other party.

4.11 Attorneys’ Fees. In any action between the Parties hereto seeking enforcement of any of the terms of provisions of this Agreement or in connection with the performance of the work hereunder, the party prevailing in the final judgment in such action or proceeding, in addition to any other relief which may be granted, shall be entitled to have and recover from the other party its reasonable costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, expert witness fees and courts costs. If either party to this Agreement is required to initiate or defend litigation with a third party because of the violation of any term or provision of this Agreement by the other party, then the party so litigating shall be entitled to its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs from the other party to this Agreement.

4.12 Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with the statutes and laws of the State of California, the City of Laguna Beach and any other government agency applicable to the subject of this Agreement and the performance hereunder.

4.13 Non-liability of City Officers and Employees. No officer, official, employee, agent, representative, or volunteer of the CITY shall be personally liable to CONSULTANT, or any successor in interest, in the event of any default or breach by the CITY, or for any amount which may become due to the CITY or its successor, or for breach of any obligation of terms of this Agreement.

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4.14 Extension of Time for Delay.

4.14.1 If the work is delayed at any time by reason of a suspension ordered by the CITY or because of any other act of the CITY, or because of neglect by the CITY without contributory fault or neglect on the part of CONSULTANT, or if the work should be delayed at any time by reason of strikes, acts of God, the public enemy, acts of the CITY, fire, floods, epidemics, quarantine restrictions, freight embargoes, abnormal force, violence of the elements, or for any other unforeseen cause beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of CONSULTANT, or for any other reason which in the opinion of CONSULTANT is proper justification for such delay, then CONSULTANT shall be entitled to an extension of time equivalent to the time actually lost by such delay.

4.14.2 CONSULTANT shall file a written request with the CITY for extension of time within ten (10) days following the beginning of such delay, and failure to do so shall constitute a waiver thereof, provided that in case of a continuing cause of delay, only one claim will be necessary. The CITY shall ascertain the facts and the extent of delay, and extend the time for performing the services for the period of the enforced delay when and if in the judgment of the CITY such delay is justified. The CITY’s determination shall be in writing and be final and conclusive upon the Parties to this Agreement.

4.14.3 A request for an extension of time or the granting of an extension of time shall not constitute a basis for any claim against the CITY for additional compensation. CONSULTANT shall be deemed to have waived any claims for additional compensation and does hereby so waive any such claims unless he shall, at the time of filing a request for an extension of time, likewise file a claim for additional compensation on account of such delay.

4.15 Interests of Members of the CITY and Others. To the extent prohibited by applicable law, no officer, member or employee of the CITY and no member of its governing body nor other public official of the governing body of the locality or localities in which the work pursuant to this Agreement is being carried out, who exercises any functions or responsibilities in the review or approval of the undertaking or carrying out of the aforesaid work, shall (1) participate in any decision relating to this Agreement which affects his or her personal interest or the interest of any corporation, partnership, or association in which he or she has, directly or indirectly, any interest; or (2) have any interest, direct or indirect, in this Agreement or the proceeds thereof during his or her tenure or for one year thereafter.

4.16 Interest of CONSULTANT. CONSULTANT hereby covenants that it has, at the time of the execution of this Agreement, no interest, and that it shall not acquire any interest in the future, direct or indirect which would conflict in any manner or degree or be inconsistent with the performance of services required to be performed pursuant to this Agreement. CONSULTANT further covenants that in the performance of this work no person having any such interest shall be employed.

4.17 Covenant Against Contingent Fees. CONSULTANT warrants that it has not employed or retained any company or person to solicit or secure this Agreement, and that it has not paid or agreed to pay any company or person any fee, commission, percentage, brokerage fee, gifts or any other consideration contingent upon or resulting from the making of this Agreement. In the event of a breach or violation of this warranty, the CITY shall have the right to annul this Agreement Attachment 3333 60000
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without liability or, in its discretion, to deduct from the compensation or consideration due CONSULTANT, or otherwise recover, the full amount of such fee, commission, percentage, brokerage fee, gifts or contingent fee.

4.18 Compliance with California Unemployment Insurance Code Section 1088.8. If CONSULTANT is a Sole Proprietor, then prior to signing the Agreement, CONSULTANT shall provide to the CITY a completed and signed form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification. CONSULTANT understands that pursuant to California Unemployment Insurance Code Section 1088.8, the CITY will report the information from Form W-9 to the State of California Unemployment Development Department, and that the information may be used for the purposes of establishing, modifying, or enforcing child support obligations, including collections, or reported to the Franchise Tax Board for tax enforcement purposes.

SECTION FIVE: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

5.1 Records and Audits. CONSULTANT shall maintain complete and accurate records with respect to services performed (including, but not limited to, the identity of the person doing the work, a description by date and person of the work performed, and the amount of time expended on such work) and costs incurred under this Agreement. CONSULTANT shall also maintain its records supporting its cost proposals used and relied on to enter into this Agreement.

CONSULTANT shall maintain records to show actual time and allowable costs with respect to each task set forth in Appendix A of this Agreement.” All such records shall be maintained on a generally accepted accounting basis and shall be clearly identifiable. CONSULTANT shall submit to the CITY such progress reports and final reports in the manner and time set forth in Appendix B attached hereto and by reference incorporated herein. The final report and CONSULTANT’s work product shall become the property of the CITY. All records required to be maintained hereunder shall be maintained by CONSULTANT for a period of five (5) years.

5.2 Access to Records. The CITY shall have access, upon reasonable notice, to the books and records of CONSULTANT related to CONSULTANT’s performance of this Agreement in the event any audit is required. CONSULTANT shall allow inspection of all work data, documents, proceedings and activities related to the Agreement, and CONSULTANT’s performance hereunder, for a period of one (1) year from the date of final payment under this Agreement.

5.3 Ownership of Records. All drawings, original documents, methodological explanations, computer programs, designs and reports and other materials prepared by CONSULTANT in this performance of this Agreement (i) shall be the property of the CITY and shall be delivered at no cost to the CITY upon request of the CITY or upon the termination of this Agreement in accordance with accepted standards relating to public contracts, and (ii) are confidential and shall not be made available to any individual or entity without prior written approval of the CITY. Any additional copies will be the responsibility of the CITY.

5.4 Notices. Unless otherwise provided herein, any notices required to be given under the Agreement shall be in writing with copies as directed herein and shall be personally delivered, or delivered by United States mail, prepaid, certified, return receipt requested, or by reputable document delivery service that provides a receipt showing date and time of delivery. Notices personally delivered or delivered by a mail document delivery service shall be effective upon Attachment 3333 61111
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receipt. Any notice given by mail shall be deemed to have been given when deposited in the United States mails certified and postage prepaid, addressed to the party to be served as follows:

To CITY: City of Laguna Beach
Attn:
505 Forest Avenue
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Notices to CONSULTANT shall be delivered to the address set forth below CONSULTANT’s signature on Part I of this Agreement. Changes in the address to be used for receipt of notices shall be effected in accordance with this Section 4.4.

5.5 Severability. Each provision of this Agreement shall be severable from the whole. If any provision of this Agreement shall be found contrary to law, then the remainder of this Agreement shall continue in full force.

5.6 Authority. The person(s) executing this Agreement on behalf of the Parties hereto warrant that (i) such party is duly organized and existing, (ii) they are duly authorized to execute and deliver this Agreement on behalf of said party, (iii) by so executing this Agreement, such party is formally bound to the provisions of this Agreement, and (iv) the entering into this Agreement does not violate any provision of any other Agreement to which said party is bound.

5.7 Construction and Amendment. The terms of this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the meaning of the language used and shall not be construed for or against either party by reason of the authorship of this Agreement or any other rule of construction which might otherwise apply. The headings of sections and paragraphs of this Agreement are for convenience or reference only, and shall not be construed to limit or extend the meaning of the terms, covenants and conditions of this Agreement. This Agreement may only be amended by the mutual consent of the Parties by an instrument in writing.

5.8 Extent of Agreement. This Agreement represents the entire integrated agreement between the CITY and CONSULTANT and supersedes all prior negotiations, representations of agreements, either written or oral. This Agreement may not be modified or amended except by a writing signed by both the CITY and CONSULTANT.

5.9 Special Provisions. Any additional or supplementary provisions or modifications or alterations of these General Provisions shall be set forth in Part III of this Agreement (“Special Provisions”).

5.10 Precedence. In the event of any discrepancy between Part I (“Fundamental Terms”) and Part II (“General Provisions”), Part II shall take precedence and prevail over Part I. Part III shall take precedence and prevail over Part I and Part II.

5.11 Compliance with Laws. CONSULTANT warrants and represents to CITY that it shall comply with all applicable statutes, standards, rules, and regulation required by Federal, State, and local agencies, including compliance with CAL/OSHA requirements as may be applicable.

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APPENDIX A
“SCOPE OF SERVICES”
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MISSION STATEMENT
To ensure that the City of Laguna Beach will endure for future generations as a thriving, sustainable community that respects and nurtures our scenic natural surroundings, village character, and quality oflife.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The following guiding principles provide the basis for detailed policies included in the General Plan elements.

1. Strengthen our sense of community. The General Plan envisions Laguna Beach as a place of abundant scenic natural beauty, small-town village charm, and cultural diversity. Laguna residents take great pride in their community, which has a tradition of promoting the arts, historic preservation, and participation in civic and community organizations. The community is made up of quiet, close-knit neighborhoods of beachside and hillside homes. The residential neighborhoods are complemented by amenities such as the beaches, trails, shops, and restaurants, and these amenities are easily accessible to residents and visitors. Ongoing public education, civic participation, and monitoring regional growth are keys to maintaining and enhancing the positive characteristics of the community.

2. Preserve and enhance the community's natural environment and distinctive setting in the region-a picturesque seaside community surrounded by hillside open space.

The City's built environment is shaped and influenced by its natural setting. Scenic views of the Pacific coastline, hillsides, and canyons are distinctive elements of this setting and greatly enhance the community's image and sense of place. Ensuring that the City's environmentally sensitive surroundings are maintained as open space is vital to maintaining its character. As stewards of the environment, community members understand the importance of preserving environmentally sensitive open spaces, marine resources, water quality, and air quality for future generations. The City is committed to sustainable development patterns by ensuring that all future development complies with General Plan policies and development standards and that land zoned for open space is maintained in its natural condition.

3. Enhance recreational opportunities for residents and visitors, while protecting environmentally sensitive natural resources. Laguna Beach is situated in one of the most scenic settings in the State. Picturesque views of the Pacific coastline, hillsides, and canyons attract many visitors to the community year-round. Laguna Beach also has numerous environmentally sensitive areas and habitat that must be protected and preserved. The General Plan responds to this challenge directly and proactively, through a comprehensive, integrated strategy to facilitate and manage the influx of visitors in ways that deliberately avoid adverse effects on local resources. The General Plan 2-7-12
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provides multiple policies designed to integrate resource protection with active planning to accommodate visitors.

4. Minimize the impact of the automobile on the character of Laguna Beach and emphasize a more pedestrian-oriented environment, safer sidewalks/pathways, landscaped buffer zones, and alternative means of transportation. Transportation alternatives are a high priority for Laguna Beach, particularly during the summer festival season. During the summer months and on holidays and weekends Laguna Beach is frequently impacted by traffic. Through its General Plan policies, the City continually strives to facilitate the movement of traffic in a safe and uncongested manner consistent with a pedestrian-oriented community. The proximity of some commercial and residential land uses in the City and mixed-use development are ideal for pedestrian and bicycle use. General Plan policies promote and encourage a pedestrian-oriented community by developing a system of bicycle rights-of-way and pedestrian paths, increasing alternative transit opportunities, and discouraging high-speed traffic along City streets.

5. Enhance the downtown by preserving its village character and ensuring a variety of unique businesses and activities. The City strives to preserve the village atmosphere of the downtown, which is characterized by its pedestrian orientation, lowscale buildings, a variety of commercial, restaurant, office, residential and public facilities uses, Main Beach, historic landmarks, and diverse architectural styles. The Downtown Specific Plan (DSP) is the primary means of implementing the General Plan policies to preserve the downtown. The DSP preserves the unique qualities of the downtown by establishing design guidelines and criteria for maintaining a balanced mix of land uses and addressing potential safety hazards.

6. Foster and promote a balance of retail opportunities for residents and visitors.

Laguna Beach is a highly desirable beach community and prime tourist destination. In order to preserve and provide a balanced mix of uses for both residents and tourists, the City has established districts for the location of visitor commercial and resident-serving uses.

7. Ensure development is responsive to individual site constraints. The General Plan recognizes that most development and/or redevelopment will inevitably involve infill projects or building on difficult sites, sites that are characterized by multiple constraints.

General Plan policies set forth our philosophy that development, including remodels and the creation of new building sites, should begin with an awareness of constraints inherent in the particular site being developed. Planning, access, siting, and design choices should reflect a response to the particular characteristics and challenges associated with the site; examples include constraints related to the presence of significant natural resources and safety hazards as well as those related to the need for infill projects to be compatible in design, scale, and character with the surrounding neighborhood. Design guidelines, in conjunction with the applicable zoning standards, guide the Design Review Board toward approval of well-designed buildings, landscaping, and open spaces all of which reflect the quality and values of the lJ 2-7-12
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community, enhance the visual character of neighborhoods, and preserve views and privacy to the greatest extent feasible. The General Plan sets forth the philosophy avoidance of negative impacts is preferred to mitigation of those impacts.

8. Ensure that infrastructure is strengthened and maintained. The City's public infrastructure supports the type, distribution, and intensity of land uses designated in the General Plan. Standards for capital facilities and public services such as streets, parks, storm drainage, water, sewers, and fire safety are established to ensure that growth does not exceed capacity. Although the community is essentially built-out, the General Plan reinforces the City's commitment to maintain and upgrade its aging infrastructure.

9. Encourage cultural, ethnic, and social diversity. Culture and the arts have been the cornerstones of the community for many years. Laguna Beach is widely known as the home of the summer art festivals and numerous local artists. Local playhouses, an art museum, an art college and numerous galleries are indicative of the art influence in the community. To reinforce its commitment to the arts, the City has established the Arts Commission to review and recommend public art and to promote art-related uses throughout the community. The City has also adopted a Historic Resources Element and a related ordinance to encourage the long-term preservation of historically significant buildings. The General Plan policies promote social diversity by planning for a range of housing types from single-family dwellings to multiple units and mixed-use developments, artists' live/work units, and low-income disabled, senior citizen, and studio housing.

10. Ensure that safety and disaster preparedness are considered in all City decisions.

Hazard and risk evaluation is important in determining the appropriateness of land use changes, especially in the steep hillsides, rugged canyons, flood plains, and varied terrains of Laguna Beach. These topographic' features accentuate geologic, hydrologic, and fire hazards and require thorough evaluation and analysis as a part of the land use and design planning processes. The Land Use Element contains numerous policies that address hazard and safety planning. The City's Safety Element addresses emergency planning/response, hazardous materials, geologic hazards, fire hazards, flood hazards, and shoreline protection.

11. Ensure that sustainability guides City policy. The City recognizes the magnitude of the challenge that climate change poses. The City can move toward sustainability and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the way it manages land development and building construction, conserves habitats and natural resources, provides efficient transportation and mobility systems, and develops its infrastructure and public services.

Sites should be planned, buildings designed, and infrastructure developed to reduce the consumption of energy, water, and raw materials, generation of waste, and use of toxic and hazardous substances. The General Plan establishes a framework to ensure that the City is sustainable, resilient, and regenerative for residents, visitors, and future generations.
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Laguna Beach City CouncilSeptember 22, 2026

Laguna Beach City Council
September 22, 2026