Laguna Hills City Council / Planning Agency Meeting - September 8, 2026

The City Council and Planning Agency of Laguna Hills met on September 8, 2026, at 6:00 PM, following a Closed Session at 5:00 PM. Significant actions included the adoption of a residential permit parking program for the Beckenham Park neighborhood, a vote to expand unrestricted parking on Laguna Hills Drive, and a public safety report. The council also received public testimony on e-bike issues and Flock surveillance cameras.

Consent Calendar

• The Council approved the bulk of the consent calendar (Items 4.1-4.3, 4.5) in one motion, including routine minutes and the warrant register.
• Item 4.4 (CDBG Curb Ramp Project): Councilmember Wheeler removed this item for discussion. City Engineer Joe Ames clarified that the project upgrades ramps to current design standards, not safety deficiencies. The project was scaled from 80 to 63 ramps due to a 20% reduction in federal grant funding (from $250,000 to $195,000). The motion to authorize advertising for bids passed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jenna Minickbull (Executive Director, South Coast Conservatory): Reported on the organization's 35 years of service, awarding over $350,000 in scholarships to make arts accessible. She framed the performing arts as a device-free workforce development pipeline. She invited the council to their upcoming Dance-a-thon and Nutcracker performance.
• Shelley Rowe (Resident): Expressed urgent concern over an e-bike nuisance in her neighborhood near Alicia Village and Alicia Plaza apartments. She stated that neighbors are moving away due to children on e-bikes who have no respect for rules. She asked the city to develop a plan and requested higher police visibility for enforcement. Councilmember Sweeney offered to meet with her to discuss a game plan.
• Jeff McPherson (Resident of 26 years): Expressed strong opposition to the city's contract with Flock Safety cameras, describing the system as invasive surveillance and requesting the council cancel the contract. Captain Burke clarified that the city's cameras only capture still images of vehicles and plates in the public right-of-way, are used reactively, and all searches are logged. Mayor Kaskey confirmed the item will be formally agendized for a future meeting.

Discussion Items

• Residential Permit Parking Program (Beckenham Park) – Item 5.2.1: Assistant City Manager Joe Ames presented the recommended resolution for establishing a permit parking area on streets around Beckenham Park. He noted the 67% threshold was met. Councilmember Sweeney requested corrections for inconsistent neighborhood and street names in the draft resolution. Councilmember Wheeler expressed concern about parking displacement and committee recommendations. Councilmember Pazold opposed the proposed $32,000 cost for alternating street sweeping, suggesting the use of text alert notifications instead. A motion to adopt the staff recommendation, which included a six-month review, passed.
• Parking on Laguna Hills Drive – Item 5.2.2: Mr. Ames presented an evaluation to provide additional unrestricted parking on the north side of Laguna Hills Drive to mitigate displacement from the Beckenham Park program. He recommended reducing the existing medical office building permit zone from 1,000 to 600 feet to create space for up to 46 unrestricted stalls. Councilmember Pazold dissented, citing safety concerns due to the proximity of Laguna Hills High School and potential for predators. Councilmember Sweeney and Mayor Kaskey argued that concentrating parking on a main thoroughfare is safer than in residential cul-de-sacs. Councilmember Wheeler abstained. The motion passed.
• Public Safety Update (Q2 2026) – Item 5.3.1: Captain Burke reported second-quarter statistics compared to Q2 2025. Total calls for service were 4,635. Priority one response time averaged 3 minutes 59 seconds. Crimes against persons decreased 41.9% (36 to 21 incidents). Property crimes decreased 1%. Proactive arrests (crimes against society) increased from 127 to 166. Traffic collisions dropped 31% with zero fatalities. Captain Burke also provided a strong defense of the Flock ALPR system, calling it an invaluable tool that accelerates case closures while being subject to strict accountability policies. Councilmember Pazold expressed strong support for the cameras, citing their role in stopping past gun violence in the city. The report was received and filed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Adopted 5-0: Residential Permit Parking for Beckenham Park (Item 5.2.1). Resolution adopted with corrections. Staff directed to send educational letters, conduct a warning period, and return in six months for a performance review.
• Approved 3-1-1: Unrestricted Parking on Laguna Hills Drive (Item 5.2.2). Councilmember Pazold dissented; Councilmember Wheeler abstained. Staff directed to return with a resolution to implement the changes.
• Approved Unanimously: CDBG Curb Ramp Project (Item 4.4).
• Received and Filed: Public Safety Update (Item 5.3.1).