“The Ranch” Laguna Beach

Located in the coastal foothills of Laguna Beach, this Project includes an expansion of a 64-room hotel, restaurant, and golf course to include an additional 33 hotel rooms; reconfiguration of restaurant; additions to existing structures (new spa, fitness center, employee lounge, and accessory structures;) new valet parking program; and establishment of outdoor event center.

There are four very concerning elements of this permit approval. First, the Commission’s failure to preserve lower-cost accommodations is concerning especially when considering the Commission recently held a workshop discussing how to “protect low-cost facilities.” Second, the Commission allowed an “after the fact” approval and an unpermitted “Outdoor Events Center” that included a 7,000 square foot concrete dance floor proximate to an Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area (ESHA) that was a former Girl Scout Camp intended for use as public low cost camping. Third, while the Commission rightfully required the applicant to pay $250,000 toward the “Trail to the Seal”, the Commission did not give specific target and timeframes to complete the long-awaited trail. Finally, the Commission overlooked future flooding of the area. Given the fact that climate change is increasing storm frequency and intensity, it is unsound to expand a property that has been flooded many times in the past.