The City, incorporated in 1927, is located in southwest Orange County, approximately 55 miles southeast of Los Angeles.  The City currently occupies a land area of 8.84 square miles and serves a population of approximately 25,000.  The City is home of the Pageant of the Masters and the Festival of the Arts.  The City attracts approximately 3.0 million visitors annually due to its eight miles of coastline, the Mediterranean climate and the summer art festivals and pageants.

The City has operated under the council-manager form of government since 1944.  Policy-making and legislative authority are vested in a City Council consisting of the mayor and four other council members.  The City is responsible, among other things, for passing ordinances, adopting the budget, appointing committees, and hiring both the City Manager and City Attorney.  The City Manager is responsible for carrying out the polices and ordinances of the City Council, for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the City, and for appointing the heads of the various departments.  The Council is elected on a non-partisan basis.  Council Members serve four-year staggered Terms, with new council members elected every two years.  The mayor is elected by the council members on an annual basis.

The City of Laguna Beach is well known as a unique beach community and artist's colony with seven miles of City beaches running along its nine square miles. The resident population enjoys the ambiance provided by the sandy beaches, canyons and coastal hills. During the summer, several million visitors are drawn to the resort environment for its picturesque beaches, art festivals and the Pageant of the Masters. Laguna's village scale shopping district, blufftop walkways and tram system create a pedestrian environment and scale which is unique in Southern California

The City provides a full range of services, including police, fire and marine safety protection; maintenance of streets; parks, the sewer system and parking facilities; solid waste; transit operations; community development; recreational activities and cultural events; and administrative services.

Incorporation	June 29, 1927	City Tree	Eucalyptus Citradora
Population	25,354	City Flower	Pelargonium
Square Miles	9.1	Registered Voters	17,609
Dwelling Units	12,956	School Enrollment	2,616
Miles of Streets	83 miles	Miles of Coastline	7
Visitors each year	3 million	Demographics:	See the Census page