Laguna Beach City Council Regular Meeting - September 17, 2013

September 17, 2013

Executive Summary

- Mayor Pro Tem Elizabeth Pearson chaired the meeting in the absence of Mayor Kelly Boyd, who was in Europe meeting with officials in Edinburgh, Scotland and Dublin, Ireland. - The Council heard public comments on various issues including property cleanup concerns at 31351 Coast Highway, upcoming community events, a proposed city flag, and a revoked land surveyor license. - The Council received updates on sewage spill reduction efforts caused by roots from private sewer laterals, with staff requesting $60,000 for a video inspection system and proposing an enforceable program requiring plumbers to notify the city before cleaning laterals. - The Council heard an appeal of Design Review Board approval for a 1,438 square foot home at 2700 Queda Way, involving five variances and a revocable encroachment permit for a parking space. - The appeal centered on concerns about project mass and scale, parking impacts, view blockage, and the precedent-setting use of a revocable encroachment permit to provide a second parking space in the public right-of-way. - After extensive debate about the revocable encroachment permit's legality and precedential implications, the Council voted 2-2 on denying

Key Decisions

- Approved consent calendar items 1 through 11 (unanimous) - Directed City Manager to analyze properties needing backflow devices, propose enforceable program for plumber notification when cleaning private sewer laterals, appropriate $60,000 for video inspection system, prepare policy revisions, and hold public workshops (unanimous) - Denied appeal and sustained Design Review Board approval of Variance 12-2316, Design Review 12-2318, Coastal Development Permit 12-2314, and Revocable Encroachment Permit 12-1317 at 2700 Queda Way (2-2 tie vote, which upheld the Design Review Board decision) - Co