CITY OF LAGUNA WOODS CALIFORNIA
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
March 19, 2025
2:00P.M.
Laguna Woods City Hall
24264 El Toro Road
Laguna Woods, California 92637
I. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Home called the Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Laguna Woods to order at 2:02 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
COUNCILMEMBER: PRESENT: Conners, Lee, Moore, McCary, Horne ABSENT:
All councilmembers participated in-person at the meeting location.
STAFF PRESENT: City Attorney Patterson, Administrative Services Director/City Treasurer Torres, City Clerk Trippy
All staff participated in-person at the meeting location.
III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Rosemarie led the pledge of allegiance.
IV. PRESENTATIONS AND CEREMONIAL MATTERS
4.1 American Red Cross Month - March 2025
City Clerk Trippy read the proclamation.
Becky Firey, Executive Director, American Red Cross of Orange County, made comments.
David Engwall, Board Chair, American Red Cross of Orange County, made comments.
Rebeca Gilad, resident, made public comments.
Councilmembers made comments.
March 19, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
Moved by Councilmember Conners, seconded by Mayor Pro Tern McCary, and carried unanimously on a 5-0 vote, to approve and present the proclamation.
V. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
City Manager Macon joined the meeting.
Rebeca Gilad, resident, thanked the City Council for their service to the City.
Sunita Saxena, resident, thanked the City Council for their service to the City.
Wendy thanked Mayor Horne for her service to the City.
Noa Tuliau, Policy Fellow, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, shared updates from Supervisor Foley's Office.
Councilmember Moore briefly responded to Mr. Tuliau's comments.
Liz Spencer, resident of Aliso Viejo, commented on the meeting and thanked the City Council for their service to the City.
VI. CITY TREASURER'S REPORT
6.1 City Treasurer's Report
Administrative Services Director/City Treasurer Torres made a presentation.
City Manager Macon responded to a question from Councilmember Moore.
Moved by Councilmember Moore, seconded by Councilmember Conners, and carried unanimously on a 5-0 vote, to receive and file the City Treasurer's Report for the month of February 2025.
VII. CONSENT CALENDAR
Moved by Mayor Pro Tern McCary, seconded by Councilmember Conners, and carried unanimously on a 5-0 vote, to approve Consent Calendar items 7.1-7. 6. 7 .1 City Council Minutes
Approved the City Council meeting minutes for the regular meeting on February 19, 2025.
7.2 Payment Register
Approved the payment register dated March 19, 2025, in the amount of $949,313.54.
March 19, 2025 2 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
7.3 Fiscal Years 2023-25 Budget Adjustments
Adopted a resolution titled:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA
WOODS, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING AND ADOPTING THE FISCAL
YEARS 2023-25 BUDGET AND WORK PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR
2023-24 COMMENCING JULY 1, 2023 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2024 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2025, INCREASING GENERAL FUND AND
SENIOR MOBILITY FUND APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE SENIOR
MOBILITY PROGRAM
7.4 Tree Pruning and Removal Servies
Approved an agreement with West Coast Arborists, Inc. for tree pruning and removal services and authorized the City Manager to execute the agreement, subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney.
7 .5 General Plan Annual Report
1. Received and filed the General Plan Annual Report prepared to satisfy the requirements of California Government Code Section 65400(a)(2) for the 2024 calendar year.
AND
2. Directed the City Manager to file the General Plan Annual Report for the 2024 calendar year with the Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (formerly the Governor's Office of Planning and Research) and California Department of Housing and Community Development no later than April 1, 2025.
7.6 Ridge Route Drive Drainage Repair Project
1. Approved the final record plans and specifications reflecting completion of the "Ridge Route Drive Drainage Repair Project" as prepared by the project engineer.
AND
2. Accepted project completion of the contract agreement with Palp, Inc. DBA Excel Paving Company for the construction of the "Ridge Route Drive Drainage Repair Project" and authorized the City Manager to execute and record, or cause to be executed and recorded, a notice completion with the County of Orange.
AND
3. Authorized the City Manager to release the contract retention payment withheld per March 19, 2025 3 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
state law, and exonerate project posted bonds, for the "Ridge Route Drive Drainage Repair Project," 35 days following recordation of the notice of completion with the County of Orange, to the extent allowed by state law.
VIII. PUBLIC HEARINGS
City Manager Macon requested that Item 8.1 be heard after Item 9.2. There were no objections. 8 .2 Animal Registration
City Manager Macon made a presentation.
Mayor Horne opened the public hearing.
With no requests to speak, the public hearing was closed.
Councilmembers made comments. Staff and Jim Beres, Civilian Services Administrator, City of Laguna Beach, answered related questions.
Moved by Councilmember Conners, seconded by Councilmember Moore, and carried on unanimously a 5-0 vote, to approve the introduction and first reading of an ordinance - read by title with further reading waived - titled:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LAGUNA WOODS, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTION 5.02.010
AND CHAPTER 5.04 OF THE LAGUNA WOODS MUNICIPAL CODE
PERTAINING TO ANIMAL REGISTRATION, AND DETERMINING
AND CERTIFYING THAT THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM THE
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
IX. CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS
9 .1 Zoning Title of Laguna Woods Municipal Code
City Manager Macon made a presentation. Councilmembers made comments and staff answered related questions.
Moved by Councilmember Conners, seconded by Councilmember Moore, and carried on unanimously a 5-0 vote, to approve the second reading of an ordinance - read by title with further reading waived - titled:
March 19, 2025
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LAGUNA WOODS, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTIONS
13.060.010, 13.10.020, 13.10.303, 13.12.020, 13.12.030, 13.13.020,
13.15.050, 13.18.070, AND 13.26.160 AND REPEALING SECTIONS 4 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
13.26.050 AND 13.26.100 OF TITLE 13 (ZONING) OF THE LAGUNA
WOODS MUNICIPAL CODE PERTAINING TO DEFINITIONS,
PERMITTED AND PROHIBITED USES, DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS, OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS,
CANNABIS STOREFRONT RETAILERS, ANIMAL HOSPITALS AND CLINICS, GUESTHOSUES AND SECOND RESIDENTIAL UNITS,
RESIDENTIAL MULTIPLE FAMILY STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS, AND OTHER ZONING-RELATED MATTERS,
AND DETERMINING AND CERTIFYING THAT THE ORDINANCE IS
EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ACT
9.2 Fiscal Years 2025-27 Budget and Work Plan & Fiscal Years 2025-36 Capital Improvement Program
City Manager Macon made a presentation.
Kathryn Freshley, resident, expressed her support for in-sourcing building services.
Kate Van Camp, resident, commented on the proposed staffing plans.
Councilmembers made comments. Staff and Terry Madsen, President, ClearSource Financial Consulting, answered related questions.
The City Council expressed consensus support for the authorized employee positions and staffing plans described in Chapter 2.0, including the "in-sourcing" of building and code enforcement functions.
VIII. PUBLIC HEARINGS
8.1 Building, Planning, Encroachment, and Grading Permit Fees City Manager Macon and Terry Madsen, President, ClearSource Financial Consulting, made a presentation.
Mayor Horne opened the public hearing.
Liz Spencer, resident of Aliso Viejo, inquired about the proposed staffing plans and offered her services to look at creative solutions.
City Manager Macon briefly responded to Ms. Spencer's testimony.
With no other requests to speak, the public hearing was closed.
Councilmembers made comments and staff answered related questions.
March 19, 2025 5 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
Councilmember Lee left the meeting at 3 :44 p.m.
Moved by Councilmember Conners, seconded by Councilmember Moore, and carried on unanimously a 4-0 vote with Councilmember Lee absent, to adopt a resolution titled:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA
WOODS, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING NEW AND INCREASED OR
MODIFIED BUILDING AND PLANNING SERVICES FEES, AND
ENCROACHMENT AND GRADING PERMIT FEES; AND
DETERMINING AND CERTIFYING THAT THIS ACTION IS NOT
SUBJECT TO THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
PURSUANT TO TITLE 14 OF THE CALIFORNIA CODE OF
REGULATIONS
X. CITY COUNCIL REPORTS AND COMMENTS
10.1 Coastal Greenbelt Authority
Mayor Pro Tern McCary deferred her report to next month.
10.2 Orange County Fire Authority
Mayor Horne provided a report and shared photos of the Orange County Fire Authority's recent open house.
10.3 Orange County Library Advisory Board
Councilmember Moore deferred her report to the next meeting.
10.4 Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District Mayor Horne provided a report on behalf of Councilmember Lee.
10.5 San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency
Councilmember Conners provided a report.
10.6 South Orange County Watershed Management Area
Councilmember Moore deferred her report to the next meeting.
10.7 Liaisons to Community Bridge Builders
Mayor Horne and Mayor Pro Tern McCary provided a report.
10.8 Other Comments and Reports
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j
• League of California Cities (Cal Cities) Quarterly Orange County Division Meeting- March 13, 2025
Mayor Pro Tern McCary provided a report.
Councilmember Moore made comments.
• Other Comments and Reports
Mayor Horne discussed the recent grand opening of Memorial Care's 55+ facility XI. CLOSED SESSION - None XII. CLOSED SESSION REPORT - None XII. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 4:05 p.m. The next regular meeting will be at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at Laguna Woods City Hall, 24264 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92637.
Approved: April 16, 2025
' ~~e-J SHARI L. HORNE, Mayor
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