Downtown Vacancies: Laguna Beach Call For Diverse Businesses

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Downtown Laguna Beach should see a much-anticipated change concerning new business launchings in the coming months. A council meeting last week decided to stop conditional use permits for new businesses, the Orange County Register reports.

While the Laguna Beach Planning Commission has focused on keeping a consistent look and feel in downtown Laguna Beach, the council decided it needed a quick-change in the face of a lagging economy and global pandemic.

Consultant Greg Stoffel, of Stoffel and Associates, reported a Retail Market Evaluation which boils down to "the city should let potential businesses do what they do best, to try and serve their customers," the Register reports. The city has also agreed to "reduce parking requirements for businesses," as well.

In Laguna Beach, bars and restaurants do "quite well" while shopping "underperforms, according to Marc Weiner, Director of Community Development for the City of Laguna Beach. "We want the look and feel of Laguna Beach, but we don't want to regulate the merchandise."

Stoffel agreed that "you want some additional chain stores," he says. "If they are successful, they help legitimize downtown as a meaningful retail or dining district."

Councilmember Steve Dicterow agreed with the suggestions.

"We've always been concerned about change, but largely from a design issue," councilmember Steve Dicterow said.

Parking is frequently a new issue for businesses attempting to gain a storefront in Laguna Beach. Currently, business owners must provide three spaces per 1,000 square feet of space.

Parking in Laguna is a constant problem for the city.
"I do think it's important that the city continues to monitor parking," Wiener said.

Toni Iseman was the lone dissenting voice on the council, which approved the stoppage of conditional use permits 4 to 1 at the June 16 meeting.

Will this mean more bars and restaurants? Or shopping, as can be seen in Newport Beach? That remains to be seen.

Mayor Bob Whalen, who did a stint on the planning commission, said, "we need to move forward and get this going."

A follow-up vote with the council and the Coastal Commission will take place in July.