Laguna Beach Local News
A spill response crew works to stop a sewage geyser near Aliso Creek in November 2019. Courtesy of city of Laguna Beach
The Laguna Beach City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the first steps to mitigate damage and assuage a $1.5 million state fine resulting from a 1.7 million gallon sewage spill in November 2019.
During the virtual workshop, City Manager John Pietig pointed out a warning prominently posted in bold print at the bottom of a presentation slide discussing the details of revamping the city’s faulty 4.5-mile sewer pipeline that runs mainly along Coast Highway. The message read: “most disruptive construction in city history.”
Laguna Beach Expands Search for New City Manager
Laguna Beach has hired a recruiting firm to help find a replacement for its outgoing city manager.
The hunt for a new top bureaucrat began after John Pietig announced plans to retire in June after working with the city for 20 years.
City council hired recruiting firm Bob Murray & Associates to help fill the role. The company has completed more than 60 successful recruitments of city managers across California in the past five years, according to a memo released by the city.
“This is one of the most important positions in the city, and hiring the recruiting firm will allow us to thoroughly evaluate both internal and external candidates for the city manager position,” Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen said in a statement. “We had an excellent experience with this recruiting firm on our recent search for the new general manager at the Water District and council is confident that this will be a well-run and comprehensive
Laguna Beach Local News
By Justine Amodeo | Special to the Laguna Beach Independent
Alleging that the City of Laguna Beach violated the California Environmental Quality Act, a citizen-enforced statute, when it amended its Historic Preservation Program last summer, The Laguna Beach Historic Preservation Coalition, Preserve Orange County and Village Laguna filed a public interest lawsuit In Orange County Superior Court on Jan. 11.
Claiming that the City Council’s actions “were both short-sighted and unlawful,” the suit claims the CEQA protects the historic “built” environment to the same extent as the state’s natural resources such as air, water, and forests and that “as a matter of law, CEQA projects that substantially impact historic resources will have significant environmental impacts.”
Print
In a year when most decisions have been shaped in one form or another by the coronavirus pandemic, Laguna Beach felt the impact in multiple ways.
Beach and school closures, cancellations and modifications of arts programs and annual festivals and changes to restaurant dining are just some of the issues the city grappled with.
Here are some of the top stories in Laguna Beach for 2020:
The Promenade on Forest
A long list of restrictions were put in place to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in 2020. When outdoor dining was permitted, Laguna Beach introduced the Promenade on Forest, allowing for the businesses downtown to continue to operate with modifications.
Laguna Beach Local News
Signs outside Laguna Beach City Hall direct visitors to check-in at the Council Chambers amid a COVID-19 case surge. Photo by Daniel Langhorne
The Laguna Beach City Council approved a $1.1 million relief package on Tuesday for small businesses and nonprofits to help alleviate the financial hardship created by the regional stay-at-home order.
Starting Dec. 23, Laguna Beach restaurant and bar operators can apply for a single $5,000 grant per establishment. Similarly, personal care businesses like hair salons and gyms, which have endured a hard shutdown, could each apply for a $3,000 grant. Retailers that have seen the occupancy limited to 20% of maximum capacity can apply for $2,000 grants.