What Laguna Beach's Planning Commission considered July 15
The commission met Wednesday, July 15, 6:00 PM, City Council Chambers, 505 Forest Avenue. The city has since posted minutes; the outcomes are summarized in the box below, and the sections beneath it describe each item as it appeared on the posted agenda. Every claim links to the official record.
Source: official agenda (PDF) · minutes (PDF) · Full documents: lagunabeachcity.granicus.com
✅ What actually passed (per the city's posted minutes): Only three of five commissioners attended — Chair Steven Kellenberg, Jorg Dubin and Ken Sadler; Chair Pro Tem Steven Goldman and Commissioner Susan McLintock Whitin were absent. Because of the two absences, the election of officers was deferred: with no objection from the commission, it was continued to the next regular meeting on August 5, 2026, and no vote was recorded. The commission approved the SHACC signage, adopting Resolution No. 2026-1342 approving Sign Permit 2026-1342 and finding the action exempt from CEQA, on a motion by Sadler, seconded by Dubin, that carried 3-0 (Kellenberg, Dubin and Sadler yes; Goldman and Whitin absent). No one from the public testified, and the minutes say commissioners “expressed unanimous support for the proposed signage.” On the lifeguard towers (Concept Review 2026-1002), no vote was taken: the commission “provided staff with feedback for consideration in revised project designs, which will return to the Commission at a future noticed public hearing.” Seven members of the public spoke, some backing permanent towers and others raising concerns about cost, erosion, sand loss and beach character; commissioners “expressed strong overall support for the proposed lifeguard tower program,” with several favoring a standardized tower design, and supported relocating towers away from unstable areas rather than relying on hazard mitigation measures. The June 17, 2026 draft minutes were approved 3-0 (Dubin/Sadler, same absences). The meeting adjourned at 7:49 p.m.
The headline: A light agenda. The agenda called for the commission to open its new term by electing a chair and chair pro tem (deferred — see above), then hold two public hearings: a signage update for a downtown museum project, and a first, non-binding look at a citywide plan to rebuild all of Laguna Beach's lifeguard towers, starting with five locations.
🪧 Downtown signage
- New signage for the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center (SHACC): a public hearing on Sign Permit 2026-1342, a Master Sign Program Amendment for 239 Broadway Street (APN 641-255-14 and 641-255-05), in the CBD-2 Downtown Commercial District of the Downtown Specific Plan. Applicant is Keith Lee of Studio 941, LLC. Staff found the project categorically exempt from CEQA (Sections 15301 and 15311) and recommended the commission adopt Resolution No. 2026-1342 approving the sign permit. Item 6.1
🏖️ Lifeguard towers — first look
- A citywide plan to rebuild the city's lifeguard towers: the city's own Public Works and Utilities Department brought Concept Review 2026-1002 — a proposed improvement program for 39 new permanent, enclosed lifeguard towers along the Laguna Beach waterfront — for the commission's initial, non-binding feedback. Only the first five locations were up for evaluation at this stage: Aliso Beach (31151 Coast Hwy), Picnic Beach (499 Cliff Drive), Shaw's Cove, Table Rock South Beach, and Victoria Beach (2700 Victoria Drive). The agenda is explicit that this is conceptual only — no Coastal Development Permit application has been submitted, and "any feedback or direction provided at this stage is non-binding and will not commit the City to future actions." Item 6
🗳️ Commission organization
- The commission was set to elect a new Chairperson and Chair Pro Tem for the coming term. Items 3.1–3.2
- Consent calendar: draft minutes from the June 17, 2026 Planning Commission meeting, up for approval. Item 5.1
Council Brief summaries are produced from official public records by our automated newsroom and reviewed before publication. Items are described as posted; outcomes are reported only once the city publishes minutes or an action agenda. Spot an error? hello@councilbrief.com — we publish corrections.
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