City Council Special Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 7 June 9, 2026
LAGUNA NIGUEL CITY COUNCIL
Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting
June 9, 2026
5:30 p.m. – Special Meeting
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL – Mayor Johns called the Special City Council Meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
Mayor Gene Johns – Present
Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Jennings – Present
Council Member Ray Gennawey– Present
Council Member Stephanie Oddo – Present
Council Member Stephanie Winstead – Present
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Mayor Pro Tem Jennings
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Cathleen Pryor, a representative of the Laguna Heights HOA, discussed the association’s wildfire mitigation efforts and offered to collaborate with the City on potential fire prevention measures near George White Elementary School.
Thomas Dunn, a Laguna Heights HOA representative, discussed concerns regarding fire risk and urged greater coordination between jurisdictions to address conditions in the area.
Martha McNicholas urged further consideration of wildfire mitigation efforts near George White Elementary School.
Tom McNicholas urged the City to expand wildfire mitigation measures consider creating a task force and dedicating a portion of the projected budget surplus to additional wildfire hazard reduction initiatives.
Mary Jane Foley thanked the City for completing the vegetation management study and praised staff for their responsiveness regarding weed abatement efforts in the Beacon Hill area.
STUDY SESSION
1. Defensible Space & Vegetation Management Study
Assistant City Manager Martin introduced the item and Assistant to the City Manager Kevin O’Connor and City Consultant Jeremy Cawn provided a report on the defensible space and vegetation management study.
COUNCIL QUESTIONS
Council Member Winstead asked for clarification regarding the report’s repeated use of the term “sufficient,” specifically questioning whether a 100- foot defensible space
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standard represents the optimal level of wildfire protection or simply meets minimum requirements. She also inquired whether expanding clearance beyond 100 feet could provide additional safety benefits. City Consultant Cawn explained that the 100- foot defensible space standard is considered effective for the types of vegetation found in most City-managed areas, which primarily consist of grasses and weeds. He noted that wildfire modeling showed flame lengths in these fuel ty pes generally do not exceed 15 feet, and that a 100 -foot treated area is sufficient to prevent flames from spreading to structures, with no modeled scenarios demonstrating additional safety benefits from extending treatment beyond the 100 feet. Council Member Winstead asked for additional details regarding the consultant’s field assessments, seeking confirmation that the evaluation included on-site inspections rather than relying solely on maps, reports, and modeling software. She requested an ex planation of what the field visits involved and how conditions in the study areas were evaluated firsthand. City Consultant Cawn explained that the field assessments included on- site visits with City staff to directly observe and verify fuel conditions, vegetation types, and terrain features, rather than relying solely on maps or modeling. He stated that these visits were used to ensure that fire behavior models aligned with real -world conditions and to evaluate practical factors such as access for firefighting equipment and vegetation removal operations.
Council Member Gennawey asked whether the report was limited to City-owned property and did not include HOA-managed areas. City Consultant Cawn confirmed that the report is limited to City -owned property and does not include HOA -managed areas. Council Member Gennawey asked for an update on what the City is currently doing through HOA roundtable meetings to educate HOAs about Firewise practices and defensible space requirements, and whether those outreach and education efforts are actively being conducted. Assistant City Manager Martin responded that the City primarily shares wildfire preparedness and Firewise information through a quarterly HOA e- newsletter distributed to all 128 HOAs as well as through a dedicated HOA webpage, and at twice per year HOA group meetings . Council Member Gennawey asked for clarification on whether the City’s HOA roundtable meetings are held at City Hall. Assistant City Manager Martin responded that the HOA roundtable meetings are generally held at City facilities, including both City Hall and the C ommunity Center. Council Member Gennawey asked whether the wildfire management report being presented to the City Council would be distributed to all HOA presidents in the City. Assistant City Manager Martin responded that the report is a public document and will be made accessible on the City’s HOA - focused webpage so HOA presidents and residents can review it. City Manager Letourneau added that the report will also be included in the City’s next ‘The Beacon’ quarterly newsletter. Council Member Gennawey asked for further explanation of the 100- foot defensible space standard referenced in the report, specifically how it balances wildfire protection needs with considerations such as soil stability and slope conditions.
City Consultant Cawn explained that in open-space and city-managed areas, vegetation management is focused on reducing surface fuels (grasses, weeds, and light brush) while avoiding ground disturbance that could destabilize soils or increase erosion risk. He noted that removing vegetation below the surface is not necessary for fire safety and can worsen slope stability and runoff concerns. He added that the 100-foot defensible space standard is based on modeled fire behavior for the local fuel types, and extending beyond that distance could unnecessarily increase exposure to erosion without providing additional measurable wildfire protection benefit. Council Member Gennawey asked for clarification
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on whether the risk associated with extending vegetation removal beyond the recommended area referred specifically to increased soil erosion. City Consultant Cawn responded that yes, he was referring to soil erosion risk, explaining that vegetation helps buffer the impact of rainfall, and that leaving root systems and below -ground structure intact helps maintain slope stability. He added that the recommended 100-foot treatment area is considered sufficient for wildfire protection, and that extending vegetation removal beyond that area would increase the amount of exposed soil without providing additional meaningful fire protection benefit, while increasing the potential erosion impacts. Council Member Gennawey asked whether the Orange County Fire Authority had a position on the 100 -foot defensible space standard and noted that the report appears to indicate OCFA also supports the 100- foot guideline. The Assistant Fire Marshal from O range County Fire Authority (OCFA), Kim Brown, confirmed that OCFA is in agreement with the report and supports the 100- foot defensible space standard. She added that the city is doing a strong job managing defensible space on city -owned property, and that OCFA expects the same 100- foot st andard for homeowners and HOAs unless a specific, approved fuel modification or vegetation management plan is on file with the agency.
Council Member Gennawey asked whether staff would review the photographs submitted by the McNicholas residents near George White to determine if the conditions shown were in compliance. City Manager Letourneau responded that OCFA and C ity staff had already re-inspected the area that day, noting that portions of the property are owned by the School District and that coordination is underway with the District. She added that the weed abatement deadline of July 1st has not yet passed, and that remaining C ity- maintained areas will be addressed by the end of the week. Council Member Gennawey asked whether notices are being sent to HOAs that are currently out of compliance to ensure they come into compliance over the next few weeks. City Manager Letourneau confirmed that notifications had been made within the current enforcement timeline.
Council Member Oddo asked if “Crown Valley open space” in the report refers to the soccer fields at Crown Valley Park. Assistant to the City Manager O’Connor clarified that the Crown Valley open space is the area behind Crown Valley Park, on the back side of the Kite Hill HOA, before reaching the County R egional Park. Council Member Oddo asked whether the report’s “Opportunity Area A” refers to limited city-owned open space within 100 feet of structures that is not included in the current treatment area. Assistant to the City Manager O’Connor confirmed that “Opportunity Area A” refers to those limited city-owned open space areas within 100 feet of structures that are not currently included in the treatment scope. Council Member Oddo asked why some jurisdictions like San Diego and Los Angeles County use larger defensible space requirements, and whether extending beyond 100 feet in Laguna Niguel would be harmful or provide any additional fire safety benefit. She also asked whether maintaining about 4 inches of vegetation above ground is sufficient to prevent erosion, or whether erosion risk still remains even with that level of vegetation management. City Consultant Cawn responded that there is still some erosion risk even when vegetation is cut to about 4 inches above ground. He explained that industry best practices recommend leaving vegetation and root systems intact whenever possible to reduce erosion. Based on those standards, the recommendation is to avoid going beyond 100 feet of treatment where it is not necessary, and to limit disturbance to only what is needed for fire safety. Council Member Oddo asked for confirmation that the vegetation is low enough that fire flame lengths would not be able to reach across the treated area. City Consultant Cawn confirmed that, based on the
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modeling and field conditions described, the flame lengths would not be expected to reach across the treated area. Council Member Oddo asked whether the flame length figures shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8 at the back of the report are based on FlamMap modeling.
The consultant confirmed that the flame length figures shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8 are based on FlamMap modeling. Council Member Oddo asked where the data used for Figures 8 and 9 came from and how the burn probability shown on those maps was determined. City Consultant Cawn explained that the burn probability data is generated using publicly available datasets and the FlamMap model. It incorporates terrain, vegetation, weather conditions, and historical fire data. He clarified that burn probability reflects the likelihood of an area experiencing fire, based in part on past fire history and modeled environmental factors. Council Member Oddo asked whether wind modeling was also included in the analysis, noting that many fires in Laguna Niguel are driven by cool coastal winds. City Consultant Cawn explained that wind modeling was included in the analysis. He also noted that the simulation uses about 10 years of local weather station data, which includes wind patterns as part of the overall wildfire modeling. Council Member Oddo asked for confirmation that the modeling used historical wind and weather data. City Consultant Cawn confirmed that the analysis used historical wind and weather data, starting from the month the modeling began (around February of this year) and extending back approximately 10 years. Council Member Oddo asked whether the report’s findings along with tools like AI fire cameras, heat-sensing technology, and wind- based modeling used in places like Newport Beach could help the C ity identify priority locations for placing wildfire detection cameras or similar monitoring systems. City Consultant Cawn responded that the report did not specifically analyze camera placement or AI fire detection systems, since the focus was on weed abatement effectiveness.
However, he noted that similar work is sometimes done with utilities, where real -time weather data, fire cameras, and localized observations are used to divide areas into zones based on terrain and conditions. He explained that while the report itself does n’t provide camera placement guidance, that kind of technology could be incorporated into a broader risk management or monitoring program that uses localized data and mapping tools. Council Member Oddo asked for clarification on whether the report provides enough information to prioritize locations for heat -sensing or fire detection cameras in the city.
City Consultant Cawn responded that prioritization for camera placement was not part of the analysis. He explained that the study treated the C ity’s vegetation as generally uniform and found that the C ity’s weed abatement program already addresses all areas appropriately before the July 1 deadline. As a result, the report did not identify any specific need to prioritize certain locations. Council Member Oddo asked whether it would be beneficial to move the weed abatement deadline earlier than July 1, given that the rainy season typically ends in April. Assistant to the City Manager O’Connor explained that the July 1 deadline is used because weed abatement timing is flexible and based on actual field conditions each year. The C ity adjusts work depending on rainfall and vegetation growth, waiting longer in wet years when plants are still green, or starting earlier and potentially doing additional treatments in dry years when vegetation cures sooner. OCFA Division Chief Reid Gibson explained that the City already has access to a network of AI- enabled fire detection cameras through the Alert California system in the emergency command center. These cameras can be actively controlled, provide real-time monitoring, and use AI to detect smoke or anomalies, sometimes even before 911 calls are received.
He added that while the cameras are not all located within the C ity itself, surrounding locations provide full coverage and a bird’s -eye view of Laguna Niguel, offering strong
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regional fire monitoring and situational awareness. Council Member Oddo asked for clarification on whether the wildfire behavior modeling shown on page 22 of the report included all open space areas in the C ity, not just city -owned property. City Consultant Cawn explained that the wildfire modeling included a broader area beyond just C ity- owned land. He said this was intentional because analyzing only a small segment would distort the results. Instead, the study used a wider buffer , at least several miles around the area, to capture more complete terrain, fuel, and environmental conditions, which produces more consistent and accurate wildfire risk results. Council Member Oddo asked why Reef View Node Park was selected for goat grazing and whether residents wanting goats there had been considered. She also asked if the selection of a goat vendor and future grazing locations would come back to City Council for further discussion and approval. Assistant to the City Manager O’Connor explained that Reef View Node Park was selected for goat grazing because it is located in a high fire severity zone and has terrain that is well-suited for safely setting up and managing goat grazing operations. He also stated that the C ity already has an existing vendor, so the selection process would not need to return to City Council for additional approval. The plan is to use this vendor to carry out weed abatement work in Spring 2027. Council Member Oddo asked whether, given that the state typically only tracks fires of 10 acres or larger, it would be worthwhile for the city to maintain its own local register or listing of smaller fire incidents. OCFA Division Chief Reid Gibson responded that OCFA does track all fires, including those under 10 acres, not just larger incidents tracked by the state. He explained that they maintain detailed fire history data and mapping layers used in the field to show fire perimeters, locations, and dates, typically retained for at least five years and also reported to the state. He emphasized that tracking smaller fires is important because fire behavior often repeats in the same historical corridors, and the data helps inform lessons learned and future response planning.
COUNCIL DISCUSSION
Mayor Pro Tem Jennings stated that the defensible space and vegetation management report shows Laguna Niguel’s program meets state and OCFA standards and is effectively reducing wildfire risk on C ity-owned open space. She emphasized that while wildfire risk can be reduced, it can never be fully eliminated due to local conditions like wind, terrain, and vegetation. The report supports the 100-foot defensible space standard as effective for reducing flame lengths and structure ignition. She also noted that expanding clearance beyond 100 feet was evaluated but found to have tradeoffs, including the potential for increased erosion and slope instability, and is not recommended or required by OCFA. She stressed that wildfire mitigation is a shared responsibility across the C ity, OCFA, HOAs, homeowners, and other agencies, since wildfire risk crosses property boundaries.
Council Member Winstead stated that while she had questions about whether “sufficient” effort reflects maximum effort and about the qualifications and fieldwork behind the report, her questions had been addressed. She noted that the report is grounded in established wildfire science, r egulatory standards, and OCFA guidelines. She emphasized a distinction between “facts and feelings,” acknowledging community concerns but stating the report provided reassurance because it is science-based. She concluded that Laguna Niguel is a leader in wildfire preparedness, with defensible space efforts meeting or
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exceeding OCFA standards, and praised City staff for their work while noting that HOAs remain a key area for continued attention and improvement.
Council Member Oddo thanked residents, HOAs, and Firewise participants for engaging in wildfire preparedness efforts and emphasized the importance of coordination between HOAs and OCFA. She noted that the report includes recommendations for improvement, including addressing “anchoring spots,” and expressed support for continuing to implement those recommendations. She then raised concerns about utility poles, referencing prior mapping work and asking whether the C ity is prioritizing removal or undergrounding especially in areas like the Salt Creek corridor. City Manager Letourneau responded that the City does coordinate with utilities and has identified limited areas due to terrain constraints and high costs of undergrounding, though utility companies are becoming more proactive in addressing risks themselves. Council Member Oddo encouraged continued pressure on utilities to remove or underground poles in high- risk areas and concluded by reiterating her openness to resident input and announcing an upcoming annual Wildfire related workshop focused on insurance impacts, preparedness, and state “Zone Zero” regulations.
Council Member Gennawey spoke about the City’s ongoing commitment to fire safety and referenced updated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, noting areas such as Laguna Niguel Regional Park and Chapp arosa Park were included in higher -risk designations. He explained that the City C ouncil previously decided to cancel traditional fireworks due to the lack of a safe location outside of high fire-risk zones, emphasizing the seriousness of their approach to wildfire prevention. He then described how the vegetation management study originated, receiving unanimously approved by the City Council. He said the report confirms that while the C ity is doing strong work, and there are opportunities to improve communication and coordination, particularly with HOAs. He stated that both the consultant and OCFA support the 100- foot defensible space standard, and cautioned that expanding beyond that could increase risks such as soil erosion. He concluded by expressing support for the report’s recommendations and continued proactive wildfire planning.
Mayor Johns closed the discussion by emphasizing that he lives along the Salt Creek Corridor and is personally aware of the wildfire risk in the area. He said he reviewed the report in detail and supports the C ity’s proactive approach to fire safety. He added that he also consulted with retired and current fire and law enforcement professionals, who agreed with the study’s conclusions that a 100-foot defensible space is sufficient for both public and firefighter safety. He noted that if experts recommended a greater distance, the City should consider it, but said they supported the 100- foot standard as an appropriate balance between fire protection and hillside stability.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Johns adjourned the Special City Council Meeting at 6:43 p.m.
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Respectfully submitted,
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Marissa J. Asistin, CMC, City Clerk