Laguna Beach adopts Fairview–La Brea assessment district after weighted balloting; council to appropriate funds

The Laguna Beach City Council adopted resolutions to form the Fairview–La Brea Underground Utility Assessment District after staff reported a weighted majority in favor of the district.

Pierre Sawaya, capital program manager, reported that 77 ballots were cast and three were declared null, leaving 74 valid ballots; 59 voted yes and 15 voted no, representing an 82% yes weighted result. “So as shown, there is a weighted majority in support of the district,” Sawaya said.

Under the staff recommendation (previously introduced Oct. 28), the city will contribute $475,000 for general benefit costs and a separate $475,000 city contribution toward the project; staff also recommended authorizing construction contracts and permitting the city manager to approve change orders within prescribed limits. Council moved to adopt the resolutions and appropriate the funds as amended in the staff report; the motion passed unanimously.

If the weighted ballot had failed, staff had proposed declaring the district abandoned; the ballot results allowed the council to proceed with awarding the construction contract and appropriate the identified CIP transfers.