LAGUNA BEACH, CA – To begin a shift in the way that some visitors have chosen to treat the community, beach, and ocean environment in Laguna Beach, the Laguna Beach City Council moved on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, to create a Laguna Beach Stewardship and Visitor Impact Committee.  The group, proposed by Councilmember Mark Orgill (who will co-helm with Mayor Sue Kempf), will collaborate with key stakeholders and the greater Laguna Beach community to develop a detailed Local Stewardship Action Plan.  The Action Plan, to be developed over the coming several months, has a goal of preserving and protecting Laguna Beach’s unique environment, cultural, and heritage resources.

In the meantime, top of mind for many residents and visitors are quality of life impacts such as traffic, beach trash, protection of the tide pool environment and marine protected areas and adherence to local ordinances which protect these resources.  “We recognize the need to address some of these immediate issues - today, now - before we have a full stewardship plan in place,” said Councilmember Mark Orgill. 

Measures outside of the Action Plan but currently underway include:

• Increasing the City’s trash removal frequency and volume on beaches and in beach-adjacent neighborhoods;
• Appropriately staffing our traffic enforcement activities, including citing loud vehicles, speeding, unsafe turns, DUIs, and more;
• Expanded parking enforcement, with less patience for illegal parking and higher fines for illegal parking;
• Enforcing against illegal short term lodgings in residential areas;
• Targeted social media & Google ads reminding everyone about rules for respectful beachgoing, including:
• Penalties against littering;
• Penalties against smoking (neither vaping or smoking are allowed in Laguna Beach public spaces); 
• Prohibition against loud vehicle exhaust; and
• Prohibitions against alcohol on the beach.

“But it’s not all about telling people ‘no’,” said Laguna Beach Mayor Sue Kempf.  “It’s also about building an understanding that Laguna Beach is a special place worthy of their care and protection - so that the same quality beaches, ocean, culture, and heritage is here for their next visit, or visits by their kids and grandkids in the long-term.  As residents, we know we live in a unique place - we want visitors to be able to appreciate it and take care of it like we do.”  

The longer-term objectives of the Committee include:

• Promoting and protecting a visitor culture that respects the beach and ocean environment, including weaving care for the Laguna Beach environment, culture and heritage into any and all visitor-oriented messages, including from our non-profit and marketing partners;
• Collaborating with key residential, destination, cultural and commercial stakeholders to help develop the stewardship initiatives; and
• Regularly updating and touching base with committed residents so that Laguna Beach residents maintain a bought-in, welcoming and prideful spirit of visitor interaction to collectively preserve the heart and soul of Laguna Beach.

The Committee is expected to take several months to prepare and present its Action Plan, including periodic updates to Council and community to help prepare for Summer 2025 and subsequent high-use seasons. 

For more information, please contact Assistant City Manager Jeremy Frimond at (949) 497-0704 or Jfrimond@lagunabeachcity.net