Laguna beach city news City of Laguna Beach, California

This Week's City Council Action:

City Council To Continue Looking Into Revenue Enhancements

City Council to Explore Paid Parking Feasibility and Citation Increases

City Council Introduces First Reading of Ordinance Establishing a Commercial District Beautification/Property Maintenance Program

The Next Regular Meeting of the City Council is Tuesday, August 13 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.

Q: What more can be done about parking and parking enforcement in the City?

A: There are a couple of conversations going on at the City regarding parking that you should know more about.

First, we’re studying whether our parking citation fees are too low, at $43 per cite. Turns out that they may be a tad low – in Newport Beach, they charge $100 for parking in a red zone and $75 for an expired meter. In Dana Point, they charge $75 for parking in a no stopping zone (there aren’t meters in Dana Point).

Second, we talked about adding paid parking stations (likely with Pay Stations and Pay by Phone – not individual meters) along Coast Highway in South Laguna, and also further up into residential areas citywide.

Third, we’ve heard from many that they think our more recent parking enforcement approach might be too light (i.e. “you need to issue more parking tickets.”). So we’re looking at that. Less known fact: The City issued over 28,000 parking-related citations in 2023!

Fourth, please know that if you walk by a meter that seems to have expired time, it may not mean that the vehicle parked there is in violation. Sometimes that person has paid using a different method, and the meter doesn’t recognize that (but our parking control officers do). In fact, in the month of June 2024 alone, there were nearly 46,000 parking payments made using the City’s mobile parking app.

Please know, too, that our parking rates can’t be set at whatever the market will bear. As a coastal city, our rates are subject to review and a permit from the California Coastal Commission via the Coastal Act, which attempts to preserve the coastline as a place for low-cost visitor-serving amenities – like a nice day at the beach. Our current permit has one more year of increases in it, and then further increases would have to be approved by the City Council and then the Coastal Commission.

So stay tuned on all of this – most of the actions require a formal discussion and action by the City Council. And please don’t park where you shouldn’t, and don’t let your meter expire – you may face a fine of $43 (or more soon!).

Thanks as always for reading – if you’ve got questions or comments on the above, don’t hesitate to offer them. You can send your Ask the City questions for the City to socialmedia@lagunabeachcity.net.

Report: Laguna Beach Receives Top Marks for Ocean Water Quality in 2024!

Laguna Beach continues to receive high marks year-round from bacteria testing in the ocean along the coastline. This week, the 2024 Heal the Bay Report Card was released and recognizes Emerald Bay on the Honor Roll!

The Heal the Bay Report Card is an assessment of water quality at over 500 locations in California. This year it sheds light on the impact of extreme rain events on water quality. Heal the Bay’s grading system is based on weekly ocean water testing.

The City of Laguna Beach remains committed to protecting the ocean, our most important natural resource.

Laguna Beach Announces Changes to the Laguna Beach Marine Safety Team

On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, Laguna Beach City Manager Dave Kiff announced two major transitions for the Laguna Beach Marine Safety leadership team, both involving consequential and important leaders in the Department. First, the City accepted with respect and appreciation the retirement announcement of Marine Safety Chief Kevin Snow. Chief Snow announced that he will retire in August 2024 after serving 44-years with the Laguna Beach Marine Safety Department.

"Kevin Snow has been an exemplary leader and a cornerstone of our Marine Safety team. His dedication and professionalism have not only safeguarded our beaches but also inspired his team to uphold the highest standards of lifeguarding,” said Laguna Beach Mayor Sue Kempf. “We are immensely grateful for his many years of service and the positive impact he has had on our community. Kevin's legacy will continue to influence Marine Safety long after his retirement."

City Manager Dave Kiff said, “Kevin exemplifies the professionalism of lifeguarding and instilled that in his team, just as his predecessors instilled it in Kevin. I wish Chief Snow the best and look forward to seeing him in retirement. Thank you, Kevin, for your fine service. I will miss you, and I know Laguna Beach Marine Safety will, too.”

Chief Snow said, "I am immensely proud of my career with the Marine Safety Department and grateful for the opportunity to serve the Laguna Beach community. It's been a privilege to work alongside such dedicated and professional Captains, Marine Safety Officers, and lifeguards. As I retire, I have full confidence in Kai Bond's ability to lead the department. His extensive experience and unwavering commitment to safety make him the perfect successor. I look forward to seeing the continued excellence of our Marine Safety team under his leadership. I will forever treasure the time spent working with residents on our beaches, and the community connections and friendships that I’ve made over these past 44 years. I am deeply grateful to Ken Frank for hiring me many years ago and entrusting me with the responsibility of safeguarding our beaches.”

Snow will officially retire on August 18, 2024.

Secondly, Kiff announced the appointment of Laguna Beach Marine Safety Acting Chief and Marine Safety Captain Kai Bond, a 29-year veteran of the Marine Safety Department, effective August 5, 2024.

“Kai Bond has demonstrated exceptional dedication and leadership over nearly three decades with the Marine Safety Department,” said Laguna Beach City Manager Dave Kiff. “His extensive experience and deep-rooted commitment to the safety of our community and beachgoers make him the ideal choice for Marine Safety Chief. I am confident that under his leadership, our Marine Safety team will continue to provide the highest level of service and protection to our community. I’m proud of Chief Bond as he reaches this step in his service.”

Bond has been involved with the Laguna Beach Lifeguard program since he joined Junior Lifeguards at the age of 8. He has held many positions in the Department, including Rookie Ocean Lifeguard, Seasonal Ocean Lifeguard I, II, and III/Lifeguard Supervisor, Marine Safety Officer, Marine Safety Lieutenant, Marine Safety Captain, and Acting Marine Safety Chief. Bond holds a bachelor’s degree from California State University Long Beach. He grew up in Laguna Beach and lives in Laguna Hills with his wife Tanya and two daughters.