Laguna beach city news City of Laguna Beach, California

City of Laguna Beach and Rivian Partner to Drive Sustainability with Electric Vehicle Donation

The City of Laguna Beach marked a milestone in sustainability Monday at Main Beach Park by initiating conversion of its vehicle fleet from gas powered to electric. Rivian, a California-based electric vehicle manufacturer, supported this effort by donating two R1S electric SUVs to the City. The vehicles, designed to operate on rugged terrains, will be deployed for a three-year trial within the Marine Safety Department to assess their effectiveness in beach patrols and emergency response operations.

The Marine Safety Department plans to deploy the Rivian R1S vehicles in various roles critical to beach safety. These include routine beach patrols, rapid response to water-related emergencies, and first aid assistance along the coastline. The electric SUVs are particularly suited to off-road and sandy environments, allowing lifeguards to reach emergency sites quickly and efficiently while minimizing their environmental impact. Over the three-year trial, the department will track the vehicles’ performance, assessing aspects such as durability, battery efficiency, and effectiveness in diverse conditions.

Nicola Freeman, Manager of Rivian’s flagship Laguna Space, also shared excitement about the partnership. “We’re proud to support Laguna Beach’s commitment to sustainability and public safety by providing vehicles that align with the City’s environmental values,” said Freeman. “Our R1S is designed for both versatility and durability, making it ideal for the demanding work of the Marine Safety Department. We’re thrilled to see our vehicles play a role in keeping Laguna Beach’s coastline safe.”

Following the presentation, Rivian representatives outlined the customization process, which includes outfitting the vehicles with emergency response gear and City decals. Rivian will provide upfitting and maintenance at no cost to the City, ensuring the R1S vehicles are fully equipped to meet the operational demands of Laguna’s dynamic beach environment.

The City Council approved a $40,000 allocation from the Vehicle Replacement Fund to support the installation of necessary charging infrastructure and additional emergency response equipment. The trial period, extending until July 2027, will allow the City to evaluate the viability of electric vehicles for ongoing use in its Marine Safety operations.

Following the ceremony, attendees joined a reception at Rivian’s Laguna Beach location on South Coast Highway, where city officials, residents, and Rivian team members celebrated the beginning of this sustainable venture.

The Next Regular Meeting of the City Council is Tuesday, November 12 at 5:00 P.M.

The "Tentative Agenda" is strictly tentative and there is no guarantee that items listed will be agendized as scheduled due to changing priorities, new information, staff workloads, and other unforeseeable events.

Agenda In Brief - What You Need to Know

Dear Laguna Beach Neighbors -

Here’s my City Council meeting agenda summary (the “Agenda in Brief”) for the upcoming City Council meeting set for Tuesday, November 12, 2024. It is our lone November meeting, so there are a lot of items there. This is a “sorta-brief, sorta-not” way to highlight items that may be missed, so that folks in the community are more aware of what’s coming up.

I don’t highlight every item – it’s always important to check out the full agenda at this link, and to use that as the primary resource for the Council agenda.

On the consent calendar (meaning a place for generally non-controversial items that we want to conduct via one vote to help the meeting move along), is the following:

• Contract award for new shade structures near the play area at Moulton Meadows Park.
• A contract award for improvements to Main Beach Park. This project, which has gone through extensive design review, would start soon and hopefully be done before Summer 2025. It involves only modest changes to this terrific park - mostly it’s about replacing and upgrading lights, trash receptacles, and some of the circulation infrastructure.
• The near-completion of a long process to remove Moulton Niguel Water District from the South Orange County Wastewater Authority (SOCWA).
• Updating the training that is recommended or required for persons who volunteer to be on our Commissions, Boards, and Committees.
• A summary of activities at the Community Development Department, especially as it relates to the improvements we’ve been trying to make to have a more effective and efficient Zoning Plan Check process.

On the regular calendar (meaning a place where each item is heard separately, as they may be controversial or might require additional focus and discussion) are these items:

• The current one-year trial period for a “Speed Table” at Bluebird Canyon Drive is up. We’ve gotten a lot of emails from folks (100-ish!) offering their thoughts and asking that the speed table be removed, or kept in place, or or changed in some manner. We really appreciate the feedback. Council will hear a presentation about the speed table, ask questions of staff, and then open public comment. At the end of public comment and during deliberations, Council can decide to keep the table in place, remove it, or modify it. Staff’s thinking is that the data shows that the table has reduced speeds in this area, so we are not recommending any changes. However, we understand if the Council decides to take another path.
• A discussion about Mayor pro Tem Rounaghi and Council Member Orgill’s request to have a Council ad hoc committee on “government efficiency” - the proposed scope of work includes some significant things - such as consideration of changing the model for our City Attorney services, as well as to have a community dialogue about the pros and cons of becoming aCharter City. If this was to be proposed and a charter drawn up, it would have to go on a citywide ballot (like November 2026).
• A discussion about Mayor pro Tem Rounaghi and Council Member Orgill’s request to have a Council ad hoc committee on “government efficiency” - the proposed scope of work includes some significant things - such as consideration of changing the model for our City Attorney services, as well as to have a community dialogue about the pros and cons of becoming aCharter City. If this was to be proposed and a charter drawn up, it would have to go on a citywide ballot (like November 2026).
• A discussion about Mayor pro Tem Rounaghi and Council Member Orgill’s request to have a Council ad hoc committee on “government efficiency” - the proposed scope of work includes some significant things - such as consideration of changing the model for our City Attorney services, as well as to have a community dialogue about the pros and cons of becoming aCharter City. If this was to be proposed and a charter drawn up, it would have to go on a citywide ballot (like November 2026).

3. There are two public hearing items - one is a “call-up” from Council member Orgill relating to the proposed Better Buzz Coffee use at the old BJ’s Pizza (off of Coast Highway between Forest and Ocean). A call-up is like an appeal, but involves an action whereby one or more City Council members decide that they would like to review an approval or denial of a particular project up at the Council level. The other item involves 8 Rockledge Road, and may be withdrawn after issues between the applicant and others were resolved.

Please consider attending the Council meetings with us - they’re held at 505 Forest Avenue, this time starting at 5:00 p.m. for the regular session. For more detail about these and other items, please review the actual agenda and staff reports at this link.

There still is more time to offer thoughts about how to make our design review process more efficient. As I noted last time, we’ve written up the formal proposal from that workshop in the form of a staff report and a “redline” version of what the Code might look like. We’re seeking your feedback from now through November 14, 2024. Please consider taking a look at the proposed modifications and weighing in. There is a form on the webpage to make it easy to submit comments.

Thanks for reading and for being interested in our community.

Sincerely,

Dave Kiff, City Manager

Stay Fire-Safe: Regulations for Outdoor Fire Devices

To ensure a fire-safe community, it’s crucial to understand the regulations surrounding outdoor fire devices.

• According to the California Fire Code, all outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, and barbecues must be fueled by natural gas or LP gas only.
• Permanent structures must maintain a 10-foot distance from combustible materials, while fire pits should be at least 20 feet away.
• Remember, these devices cannot be used for disposing of trash or combustible items and should be maintained in proper condition for their intended use.
• Importantly, outdoor fireplaces must have an approved spark arrestor, and decorative open flames like tiki torches are prohibited.
• Only city-designated portable propane fire pits are allowed at Aliso Beach.

Together, we can enhance fire safety in our community.

Art + Nature Celebration Continues with Art Sculptures, Live Performances, and Workshops!

Ocean Ions is on view November 7-11 in Laguna Beach as part of the Laguna Art Museum's 12th Annual Art + Nature. You will find Ocean Ions at 5 sites along Heisler Park and along the sand, from Diver’s Cove to Main Beach! On November 9 at 4:00 p.m. Enjoy a free performance on Laguna’s Main Beach, blending movement and sculpture featuring Volta Collective. The performance is free to sign up! Christian Sampson is Laguna Art Museum’s 2024 Art + Nature Commissioned Artist.

Art + Nature is the museum’s premier annual event that brings together artists, community partners and scholars specializing in nature and the environment - all for the purpose of serving the public with engaging and free programming.

You are Invited: Sixth Annual Coast Film & Music Festival Presents Films on Forest Avenue 🎬

Event Schedule:

• 6:00 PM: Seating opens with live music by Eli Crane
• 6:45 PM: Welcome and Q&A session featuing host Patt Parnell, professional Laguna pro surfer Nate Zoller, film director Harrison Roach, and Roark founder Ryan Hitzel
• 7:00 PM: Short films "Jackson Goldstone Solo," "You and That Thing You Love," and the feature film "NoWay," a cold water surf adventure film premiere
• 8:30 PM: Event concludes

Seating is first-come, first-serve. The event is outdoors, please dress warmly. For more information about the films, festival, and schedule, visit www.coastfilmfestival.com.

There's Still Time to Share Your Input on Design Review! 🗣️

At an October 1, 2024 community workshop, city staff and community members discussed the Community Development process, including city staff’s proposals to attempt to make the Design Review process more efficient - while still preserving Laguna Beach’s design review heritage. We also discussed ways to better protect historic structures.

We’ve prepared a cover memo that explains our proposed changes to Design Review, as well as a “redline” version of the proposed changes. We welcome your review and comments on the proposed changes by Thursday, November 14, 2024.

This is not your only time to offer your comments, though – the proposed changes will likely next go through a more detailed public process, including at the Design Review Board, the Planning Commission, and ultimately the City Council.

Thank you for your interest in helping improve our processes. Please provide comments or feedback by clicking the button below.

Q: People are parking illegally on my street, and it is frustrating. Can my neighbors and I just paint the curbs red to discourage this?

A: Residents are discouraged from painting curbs red in response to parking issues on their streets. Instead, they should submit an application to the Parking, Traffic, and Circulation (PTC) Committee, where the matter can be formally reviewed during one of the committee's regular monthly meetings.

The PTC Committee, made up of seven knowledgeable resident members, provides a platform for residents to express concerns and have their requests evaluated. The PTC Committee strives to provide a fair outcome for each applicant while considering other factors relating to each request to satisfy the needs of both residents and visitors. If the PTC Committee approves a request for new parking restrictions, such as a red curb, the recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for approval via resolution, after which City staff will implement any new parking regulations.