Ep 4: Downtown Improvement Project and Upcoming Planning Commission Meeting

Episode 4 is a special edition focused on the Downtown Improvement Project and the upcoming Planning Commission meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at 6:00 PM.

In this episode, Mayor Mark Orgill is joined by City Engineer Tom Perez to walk through the project in detail, including its purpose, design objectives, and how it is intended to enhance the downtown area. The discussion outlines key elements of the project, what has been studied to date, and how community input has informed the proposal.

The conversation also explains the scope of the Planning Commission’s role at the March 18 meeting, including what will be reviewed, what decisions may be considered, and how the public can participate in the process.

Residents are encouraged to listen in advance of the meeting to better understand the project and the issues under consideration.

The full episode is available on the City’s website, where residents can also access links to listen on major streaming platforms or watch on YouTube.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the Laguna Beach Podcast. I'm with Tom Prez uh this afternoon. We're going to be discussing uh the uh downtown improvement plan starting with Ocean Avenue. I believe it goes to uh design uh or planning commission here in the next couple of days. So I just wanted to answer a couple of questions that are kind of floating around out there. So so let's just get started, Tom. So it's uh it's a public works project, um, Capital Improvement Project. Is that is that correct?

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Correct. So this is the uh downtown improvement projects, and this first phase is focused on Ocean Avenue from Forest Avenue down to Coast Highway.

SPEAKER_00 0:39

Okay. Now, some of the comments are folks are you know talking about it being a special a special project, something like the promenade. And I guess when it was originally talked about it, I looked at it as strictly a capital improvement project. And by that what I mean is, you know, sometimes we just need to replace things and you know the sidewalks I know and I hear constantly from a lot of, not constantly, but quite often from a lot of community members, you know, the the condition of a lot of the side sidewalks downtown and the the buckling sidewalks and the route intrusion from the trees. And I I looked at it as this is an opportunity to remedy some of that. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_01 1:18

So the the project is gonna focus mainly on improvements to the walkways, walking paths. So uh re removing and replacing sidewalk, providing a uh consistent finish on all of the walkways. We'll do improvements at drive approaches with a focus on ADA improvements, eliminating trip hazards. And while we're at it, we we're looking at any alternatives where uh we're able to increase landscape, uh provide some additional greenery in town. Um so we've identified locations where we've been able to bulb out the curb uh with the focus on uh minimizing the loss of parking but increasing landscape. So that that's really the focus of the project, primarily on improvements to the existing infrastructure, keeping very much of the same look and feel, but uh making improvements wherever possible.

SPEAKER_00 2:11

Yeah. You and Mark uh McAvoy invited me for a walk around and were just pointing out some of the improvements that you all were um planning to include in this project. And you know, once you really you know are paying attention to it and walking it and you know having a conversation about it, it's quite obvious, you know, uh the improvements that are that are needed. And you know, around the corner over there by um uh the restaurant over here, uh Rasta Taco. Rasta Taco, right, you know, you could really see that uh to get everything ADA compliant and just to you know where it's working and in a safe condition. So again, that's a that's a public works project. It's um being touted uh surprise, surprise online a bit that it's a uh uh you know being done to accommodate tourism. And uh, you know, we've heard that a lot uh over the years, right? That uh everything that we do is about accommodating tourism. And you know, unfortunately the conversation gets a bit sidetracked, but I just wanted to clarify what this is about. It's a main it's a maintenance project, it's something that needs to be done. And I look at it as you know um a strictly a community project. It's uh, you know, I think that we deserve our streetscapes to look uh look uh like they're taken care of and maintained. So you talked about the bulb outs um and uh there's an assembly bill 413 that talks about the distance that um cars parked cars need to be from an intersection, and I guess that's where you plan on putting these potential bulb outs. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_01 3:48

Yeah, correct. So we we refer to that uh as the daylight law, and so that in itself has eliminated some of the parking spaces in in downtown, and so that is where we've looked at hey, we can take an advantage to uh increase some landscape. Also, uh one of the major advantages for pedestrians and walkability is it it shortens the distance for pedestrians to cross the streets at the intersections. So we we've taken a hard look at that, and you'll see some improvements near the intersection with uh Forest Avenue and and also with beach. Thanks.

SPEAKER_00 4:26

And so the designer was with us when we did that walk around, and he talked about the bullbouts, and he talked about some of the opportunities you mentioned at you know, landscape that you could put artwork. He wasn't specific. I I understand that some of those specifics will get worked out as they make their way through the planning commission. Um there's recommendations, right? But the planning commissions could uh you know make adjustments to some of those things. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_01 4:54

Correct. So on Wednesday night, uh we we are bringing this forward to the planning commission for a concept review. Uh so this is the the first uh public meeting, uh a public hearing for for this project where community members can come in and speak on you know planting that's being proposed, hardscape that's being proposed, and also it's the the first opportunity for the planning commission to weigh in. Uh so then we would take all that feedback back with our designers, work through, and then bring something forward for uh design review and coastal permitting.

SPEAKER_00 5:30

One of the comments that was brought to my attention was the you know, are these improvements going to have a negative impact on traffic uh, for instance, on Broadway or or other uh around the periphery of the downtown? And what while we were walking the project, the designer did say that the ball bouts are often used for tra traffic calming um opportunities. And it also puts the pedestrian further out into the um, I'll say the into the uh where traffic would normally go. It allows uh for better visibility for the pedestrian. So I don't really think it's fair to say that it's going to have such a negative effect on the surrounding neighborhoods or the surrounding streets, I should say. It's really meant um for pedestrian safety.

SPEAKER_01 6:21

Correct. And and when we held a town hall meeting for for this project, there was a lot of feedback and concerns expressed where uh if those bull bouts were too large, it would make it difficult for large vehicles, delivery vehicles to be able to make the turns. Uh, there was concern that uh it would result in cut-through traffic through parking lots. So we've we've made a a very uh conscious effort and had our engineer work on minimizing the size of the bullbout, so getting the effect we we need from them, but not making them too large to where it would cause those unintended consequences.

SPEAKER_00 6:57

Great. Thank you for that. Now, obviously, we recently went through the sidewalk replacement um in the uh coast highway, and I know that that was led by Caltrans. Correct. And um what was the primary reason Caltrans undertook that that um renovation?

SPEAKER_01 7:13

So their their project was focused first and foremost on ADA improvements. So they went through um the redid uh sidewalks that didn't meet ADA requirements, curb ramps, driveways. Uh they did not focus on uplifted sidewalk or areas where uh there were potential trip hazards. Their main focus was truly on ADA improvements. Right.

SPEAKER_00 7:37

And that's obviously what you guys are going to be able to address in this as well. So trip hazards, ADA, all compliance. Now, what I thought was interesting about this project and I fully support is instead of running out and doing just a little section of a sidewalk here and there and and uh doing it in a piecemeal fashion, you guys are working on a on a plan to where you can do it in sections as you guys work it into your capital improvement budget. Do you think that's a fair assessment?

SPEAKER_01 8:07

Yes, it is. And as I mentioned, this is the first phase of the overall downtown improvements. So uh following this project, we would then be looking at uh the remainder of forest, portions of Glen Erie, Second Street, all the other areas within downtown.

SPEAKER_00 8:22

Right. And so once you get all the design standards in place and approved, when you guys are ready, you can just go out and get the work done. You don't have to keep on going through a series of approvals and all of the Right.

SPEAKER_01 8:34

So each each project would have uh the requirements for design review and uh coastal development permitting, but the overall goal would be that we maintain consistency throughout. So once we have gone through uh that large process here of figuring out what we want the pavement to be, what we want uh tree wells, no tree wells, uh that should set the tone for the rest of downtown.

SPEAKER_00 8:58

Right. So you don't have to reinvent the wheel every time. Exactly. Great. Well, I really appreciate Tom you bringing some clarity to this uh uh project, and I look forward to it, and I look forward to seeing the the downtown um you know beautified, and I I think that the town deserves it, and uh I look forward to it. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

Thank you.