LAGUNA BEACH, CA – On Thursday, February 10, 2022, the California Coastal Commission approved revisions to the City of Laguna Beach Historic Preservation Ordinance, a program intended to balance property rights with the preservation of historic resources. The updated Historic Preservation Ordinance was adopted by the Laguna Beach City Council in August of 2020 but needed Coastal Commission certification before it can be implemented.
“We are pleased the Coastal Commission approved the revisions to our Historic Preservation Program, which allows the City to retain its historic character and evolve thoughtfully over time. This revised program will bring the City of Laguna Beach into better standing with state law and clarifies the preservation process,” said Laguna Beach Mayor Sue Kempf.
There are four key components of the approved Historic Preservation Ordinance: (1) inclusion of the definition of the term "Historic Resource” has been provided to ensure compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); (2) the addition of "owner consent" as a criterion for listing on the local register; (3) the elimination of references to the outdated 1981 Historic Resources Inventory; and (4) expanded historic preservation incentives.
Over the past several months, City staff has worked closely with the Coastal Commission staff to prepare for the hearing. Coastal Commission staff gave the document a positive recommendation going into Thursday’s meeting.
The City's updated Historic Preservation Program still affords strong protection of historic resources as required by CEQA and other applicable laws, including properties that are listed on the City’s Local Historic Register, the California Register of Historical Resources, the National Register of Historic Places, or properties that have been determined to be eligible for the State or National Historic Register. Most importantly, a protected historic resource shall also encompass a property or structure for which the City is mandated by law to treat as a historic resource based on substantial evidence considering the whole record.
The updated ordinance also provides incentives to restore old properties that may be considered historic. For example, the Mills Act is available, which can significantly reduce property taxes in exchange for maintenance and rehabilitation of a historic structure. Other incentives include
reduced parking requirements, density bonuses for new dwelling units, and relaxed setback standards offered to historic properties.
“As a City Council, we spent a lot of time and care reviewing our obligations and felt strongly we wanted to go above and beyond what state law requires to offer enhanced incentives for historic preservation to our community,” Kempf said. “Through the Mills Act and other enhanced preservation programs, we empower Laguna Beach property owners to explore the benefits of historic preservation.”
For questions on the Historic Preservation Ordinance, please contact Marc Wiener, Community Development Director at (949) 497-0361. For more information on Historic Preservation incentives in the City contact Martina Caron, Principal Planner at mcaron@lagunabeachcity.net.
