# Ocean Avenue & Beach Street Improvements | Town Hall (October 20, 2026)


**Body:** City of Laguna Beach
**Date:** October 19, 2026
**Jurisdiction:** SLED

**Tags:** Construction & Infrastructure, Physical Infrastructure


The City of Laguna Beach Public Works Department held a town hall workshop on October 20, 2026, on the Ocean Avenue and Beach Street Improvements project. Staff reviewed proposed sidewalk and ADA upgrades, curb extensions at Ocean/Forest and Ocean/Beach, Beach Street sidewalk widening, and measures intended to preserve existing trees. The project has $1.5 million appropriated in FY 2025–26 for Downtown Action Plan improvements, but staff said construction costs have not yet been estimated; a more detailed estimate is expected before the project returns to the Planning Commission. The concept design was prepared by SWA, hired through the city’s on-call consultant list, and Lochner is advancing the engineering design. Staff said the project had not yet gone out to bid and no procurement award or vote occurred at this workshop. The anticipated schedule is Planning Commission design review in January 2027, followed by final design and bidding/award targeted for April–June 2027, with construction planned in phases. Staff also referenced a separate $200,000 citywide sidewalk-grinding contract issued in a prior meeting.

Attendees raised concerns about project cost and priorities, traffic and emergency access, tree impacts, the proposed materials and appearance, and whether the improvements are necessary. Staff said the project was included in the adopted Capital Improvement Program and that City Council had directed staff to continue design work, while noting that authorization to award a construction contract would come later. Staff committed to developing a more detailed cost estimate for the Planning Commission and posting a written response matrix addressing questions from the workshop. No spending or procurement decisions were made at this meeting.

**Source:** City of Laguna Beach