Historic Preservation Law Gets Fixer-Upper Redo In Laguna Beach

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Laguna Beach's aging historic preservation law got approval for revision this week. The Historic Inventory in the city "no longer meets the requirements of the state public resources law," as that law is five-years out of date, they said during Tuesday's city council meeting.

Owners of historic homes, or houses built pre-194o, get certain "perks" in the city including parking exemptions. Still, those who own such properties and can't make specific improvements due to the law requirements are "stuck" on the current list, unable to remodel or make improvements that go against the existing stipulations.

At the meeting, preservationists shared the town's character, neighborhoods as the draw of Laguna Beach. Opponents suggest that the vast historic property inventory is a "thorn in the side" of home sellers, buyers and real estate agents.

The city council voted 4-1 on Tuesday to revise the ordinance.

Tony Iseman was the lone voice of dissent, saying that Laguna Beach did not explain all benefits for historic homeowners. She compared the permitting process to "getting an old car fixed before it dies."

She also mentioned that for every "horror story" of a historic property, there are also "success stories."

According to Mayor Bob Whalen, there are 300 properties currently listed on the historic register and have been for the past 30 years. The move was encouraged by the Laguna Board of Realtors, who shared a letter signed by group President Jim Ardery.

"We believe the revised ordinance establishes a balance between private property rights and the encouragement of preservation," Ardery wrote. "Specifically, we support a voluntary program, the elimination of references to the existing inventories [and] establishing/maintaining valuable incentives that encourage property owners to voluntarily pressed and restore."

According to a report from the Laguna Beach Independent, opponents attempted to delay a vote on the matter.

"I don't think this is going to result in a fundamental change to the physical nature of our community," he said during the city council meeting. Whalen says he did not see a rewrite of the ordinance as an "opening of the floodgates to a redesign of the city."

Laguna Beach remains obligated to follow the California Environmental Quality Act and "other state rules" to have a building qualify as a historic property.