Laguna Beach — The city council on Thursday voted to initiate the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review process and contract with Rincon to prepare an environmental impact report for a proposed restoration of the Aliso Estuary.

Assistant City Manager Jeremy Fremont summarized the staff report, emphasizing that the action would make the city lead agency for CEQA because the city now owns land in the estuary. Fremont told the council the proposed environmental review is “strictly analytical and an informational information gathering only item” and does not authorize construction or funding for project implementation (Jeremy Fremont, SEG 1376–1380).

Public comment was split: environmental groups and local advocates urged moving forward to answer technical questions and preserve funding eligibility, while several residents and speakers asked the council to rely on earlier county studies and raised concerns about cost and additional studies (comments by Debbie Neeve, Nick Aronoff and others, SEG 1447–1555).

Council members pressed staff about baseline assumptions, whether the EIR would examine flow-reduction scenarios and how CEQA would affect future grant eligibility. Staff and project proponents said the EIR will analyze multiple alternatives and peer-review existing technical work; they also noted that state and private funds have already been invested and that the city’s fiscal exposure for the CEQA step is modest.

Council Member Hallie Jones moved the recommended action; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The council’s action authorizes the city manager to execute the consultant agreement and begin the CEQA process; it does not obligate the city to design, permit, or fund construction.

Next steps: staff will begin consultant work and public outreach under the EIR process and expects additional public hearings as studies mature and funding pathways are clarified.