A Laguna Beach housing committee collaborating with city staffers has crafted a plan that could add as many as 176 affordable rental units on three sites in Laguna Canyon.
In addition to other Orange County cities, state housing officials are requiring Laguna Beach to plan for 394 additional residential units, including at least 198 units set aside for low- or very-low-income residents over the next eight years. Given the high cost of real estate, the Housing & Human Services Committee has zeroed in on land owned by the city and Laguna Beach Unified School District to help lower the construction cost for nonprofit builders.
“We understand for affordable housing to happen in Laguna Beach, it needs to happen on land that’s owned by the City or School District,” said Alex Rounaghi, chair of the Laguna Beach Housing & Human Services Committee. “The key thing for the residents of Laguna to understand is we’re not saying one site is better than the other.”
The Planning Commission is scheduled to weigh in on the housing committee’s findings during a special meeting at 6 p.m. on Aug. 25. Ultimately, the City Council will decide what proposed sites should be added to the Housing Element update that’s due to the California Dept. of Housing and Community Development by February 2022. The public will have opportunities to weigh in on the housing plans at several public meetings.
“It’s highly unlikely that the council would move forward with more than one site in the Canyon, if any,” Rounaghi wrote in a text message Tuesday. “And to be clear, there is no chance 176 units will be built in the Canyon, nor would the committee suggest it.”
It’s noteworthy that the presentation attached to the Aug. 25 agenda outlines possibilities for the Laguna Canyon properties including site plan sketches, numbers of onsite parking spaces, and the potential square footage of apartments and shared amenities.
The school district’s bus yard at 2003 Laguna Canyon Road could host as many as 68 one- , two-, and three-bedroom units on the 1.4-acre site, according to the committee’s report. Under this scenario, school bus parking and maintenance would likely be relocated to the Act V parking lot. The City Council and school board discussed the idea during a joint session in July.
In a move that is already drawing public opposition, housing committee members and city staffers have designed plans that would develop up to 1.35 acres with 50 very-low and low-income units at the Laguna Beach Dog Park, 20672 Laguna Canyon Road. The project would include a building that steps up to three stories and create a new vehicle queueing lane for the Laguna Food Pantry.
Additionally, the city has created a plan to develop up to 58 one- , two-, and three-bedroom units on the Act V parking lot next to the Public Works Yard. In an alternative concept, the city could build 45 residential units next to a four-story public parking structure containing 332 parking spaces and serviced by a trolley loading plaza.
Elsewhere in town, the housing committee has looked at redeveloping the Vista Aliso senior housing community, which sits on school district-owned land. By building up to three stories within the current footprint, officials say they could add at least 46 senior units to the site. National Church Residences, a nonprofit national entity has a land lease through 2041 and expressed support in adding units to accommodate more elderly residents, according to a staff report.
City officials have also studied adding smaller senior housing projects on city-owned parking lots in Downtown Laguna.
The designs for the Dog Park have shaken a passionate and organized Laguna Beach constituency: dog owners. The local nonprofit, Friends of the Laguna Beach Dog Park, has reported a growing membership during the pandemic.
“This year has already seen a 100% increase, and next year, in 2022 we look forward to celebrating the dog park’s 30th anniversary,” Marc Buchan, president of Friends of the Laguna Beach Dog Park, wrote in an email. “There is a significant populace who consider this an imperative and enduring community resource.”
Penny Milne, president of Laguna Beach Canyon Alliance of Neighborhoods Defense Organization, said all three proposed sites in Laguna Canyon would endure similar challenges of very high fire risk, flood control, and encroaching on state-recognized environmentally sensitive habitat.
“We’ve talked about how responsible development is integrated and incremental,” Milne said. “I understand that provides a challenge in providing the extremely low-income end because that won’t occur organically. That does not mean land on the banks of an environmentally-sensitive creek is where these problems should be solved.”
Some city leaders and supporters of planning for affordable housing have warned that Laguna Beach could eventually risk having state officials unilaterally approve projects if the City Council fails to implement its mandated Regional Housing Needs Allocation. Milne said this argument is overblown and pointed out Laguna Beach has never missed a deadline to update its Housing Element.
“The idea that we’re teetering on the edge of losing local control to the state is ridiculous,” Milne said.
They should check traffic impact in the canyon with the addition of these proposed units. Taking into account the daily use of the industrial parks/warehouses starting from Ghanal lumber (frequent material trucks coming in and out) and Larry’s building supply, along with many other local construction and art type deliveries brought into the canyon.
Not to mention the almost by-monthly occurence of canyon shutdown.
If the canyon can support a parade of school buses every morning and afternoon at least twice a day for five days a week….it can support vehicles used by low and middle income individuals and families.
Next ‘roadblock’…?????
Oh…and IF the planned bike/walk lane along side the Canyon is ever built then even BETTER access in/out of the much needed housing.