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.
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION TO CONSIDER A SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR A
COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
September 22, 2026
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
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION TO CONSIDER A SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR A
COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
September 22, 2026
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.
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION TO CONSIDER A SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR A
COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
September 22, 2026
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.
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION TO CONSIDER A SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR A
COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
September 22, 2026
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
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION TO CONSIDER A SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR A
COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
September 22, 2026
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”).
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION TO CONSIDER A SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR A
COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
September 22, 2026
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
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION TO CONSIDER A SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR A
COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
September 22, 2026
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
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION TO CONSIDER A SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR A
COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
September 22, 2026
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
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION TO CONSIDER A SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR A
COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
September 22, 2026
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