Laguna Beach City Council Regular Meeting - March 18, 2014

March 18, 2014

Executive Summary

- The Laguna Beach City Council met on March 18, 2014, addressing numerous public concerns about a new Chase Bank branch at 310 Broadway, including excessive LED lighting, internally illuminated signage, and parking lot illumination that violates dark sky policies and city sign codes. - The Council approved traffic calming measures on Laguna Canyon Frontage Road, including speed humps at the Sawdust Festival and Boys and Girls Club, but rejected a third speed hump and crosswalk near the pedestrian bridge. - Council Member Toni Iseman reported positive outcomes from her Washington D.C. lobbying trip, with FAA officials showing optimism about addressing aircraft noise concerns over Laguna Canyon and residential areas. - The Council continued construction staging procedures to allow more input from the building industry, recognizing the need to balance neighborhood protection with construction feasibility. - The Environmental Sustainability Committee presented progress on developing a sustainability element for the general plan, targeting a draft to the Planning Commission by the end of 2014. - Public comments addressed utility undergrounding costs for senior residents, historic house

Key Decisions

- Approved parking restriction modification on Coastview Drive in front of 1133 and 1141 Coastview Drive, moving the restriction and shortening it from approximately 25 feet to about 7 feet (unanimous). - Rejected proposal to add two metered parking spaces on the 200 block of St. Anne's Drive due to safety and property access concerns (unanimous). - Approved traffic calming measures on Laguna Canyon Frontage Road, including speed humps at the Sawdust Festival and Boys and Girls Club, plus signage advising Woodland Drive is a dead-end street (passed 3-1 with Council Member Bob Whalen opposed).