RECEIVED
SEP 21 2026
City Clerk's Office
City of Laguna Beach, CA
Laguna Beach Sand & Shoreline - Visual Record
Before & after photos for City Council • ~2.5 minutes
Photos ordered by beach, then by date in filenames
Approximate timing: ~8 seconds per photo slide
1/21
Aliso Beach - 1923 Howard Wilson collection
Aliso Beach
1923
2121
Aliso Beach
1933
3/21
Aliso Beach
Early 1970s
4/21
Aliso Beach
Approximately 1992
5/21
iso Beach Pier CA: 1997
Video by: Huntington Henry
Aliso Beach
1997 • Wave breaking far offshore on sandbar - doesn't happen anymore due to loss of sand beneath the water offshore 6/21
Aliso Beach
May 19, 2025
7/21
Aliso Beach
September 10, 2026 • 11:57 a.m.
8/21
5 West Street Beach
July 4, 2014
9/21
West Street Beach
September 2026
10/21
The Coast Inn
Pearl Street
1927 • From Coast Inn
11/21
Pearl Street
May 23, 1996
12/21
Pearl Street
June 25, 2025 • 2.5 ft tide
13/21
Pearl Street
September 2026
14/21
Thalia
April 1984 • Photo: Douglas Miller
15/21
Thalia
October 19, 2025 • 9:55 a.m.
16/21
Thalia
September 18, 2026 • 11:23 a.m.
17/21
ARCH BEACH, CAL
Victoria Beach & Lagunita
Very early • Sand extends all the way out to Goff Island 18/21
Victoria Beach
September 9, 2026 • 10:26 a.m.
19/21
Recommended action set for Council consideration
This action set is only to study the issue — so the community has scientifically accurate information to consider whether physical actions are appropriate in the future.
1. Commission a Laguna Beach littoral-cell sediment study that at least addresses:
• Historical vs. current sand flows to the beaches
• Historical vs. current sand volumes (onshore and offshore) • How much longer major beaches are expected to retain sand consistently • How much sand it would take to return toward historical levels and restore natural beach widths, including offshore sandbars, natural sand dynamics, and ecosystem function
• How much sand would be needed, and at what intervals, to maintain natural sand dynamics over time • Where suitable sand could come from, and competition for borrow sites • Possible funding pathways and how Laguna can access them 20/21
Recommended action set - continued
1. (continued) Sediment study scope
• Environmental impacts of sand placement, and recommendations on how and where to place sand to restore natural dynamics • Changes in watershed / inland sand supply (development, debris basins, reduced creek delivery) • Effects of shoreline armoring and hardscape on sand retention • How Laguna's littoral cell relates to South County / regional plans, and a path into future regional sand projects • Permit pathway constraints (including MPA rules) that affect whether and where sand can be placed
2. SCOUP status
Confirm whether Laguna Beach beaches are excluded from the Orange County Sand Compatibility and Opportunistic Use Program (SCOUP), and if so, what it would take to become eligible again (or create an equivalent city pathway).
3. MPA / permitting
Clarify whether Marine Protected Area rules need clarification or amendment to allow sediment management where appropriate, and map the Coastal Commission /CEQA path.
4. Regional programs
Seek inclusion in future regional sand and coastal-resilience programs and funding pipelines beyond SCOUP alone.
Reminder: these steps are study and pathway questions only - not a decision to place sand. The goal is scientifically accurate information so the community can later decide whether physical actions are appropriate.
Ask: Will Council support advancing this study-focused action set for expert and staff review? 21/21