Planning Commission puts Ocean Avenue streetscape project on hold, forms working group
By SARA HALL
The Planning Commission this week unanimously agreed to table a proposed Downtown streetscape improvement project and formed a working group to review the proposal.
Commissioners voted 5-0 on Wednesday (Sept. 2) to hold off on a decision on the proposed plans for Ocean Avenue (between Forest Avenue and South Coast Highway) and Beach Street (between Ocean Avenue and Broadway Street). Ken Sadler and Susan McLintock Whitin will sit on the ad hoc group tasked with gathering stakeholder feedback, working with city staff and consultants, considering various project options and then reporting back to the full commission at a later date.
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Photo by Mary Hurlbut
The city is studying potential streetscape improvements along Ocean Avenue
Staff initially suggested approval of the project but revised their recommendation to instead table the item. They received additional comments after the agenda report was published that warrant further evaluation, Planning Manager Samantha Beier explained. The extra time will allow staff to address the questions raised before the project returns to the commission for review.
Assistant City Attorney Patrick Donegan added that, due to the importance of the project, staff also asked the commission to consider appointing two members to a working group. They won’t design the project or make the ultimate decision, he clarified.
“We were simply floating this as an idea due to the potential complexity, various options and the importance of this project,” Donegan said.
Donegan emphasized that the commission was not required to form the working group.
Earlier in the meeting, Chair Steve Goldman noted that what returns to the commission will “most likely” be different from what was proposed this week.
The project is intended to improve accessibility, comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, enhance the pedestrian environment and improve safety through traffic-calming measures.
In June 2025, City Council directed staff to conduct a study that included curb extension opportunities in Downtown.
The city held a town hall in early November to present the conceptual exhibits. Key concerns raised included the impacts of the proposed bulb-outs, the proposed tree replacement species and construction timing.
At a regular meeting later in November, council concurred with staff’s recommendation to incorporate curb bulb-outs where required to comply with AB 413, California’s “daylighting” law, and to include ADA-compliant sidewalk widening as part of the design. Council also directed staff to explore potential tree replacements.
Earlier this year, at a Planning Commission concept review in March, commissioners supported elements such as traffic-calming bulb-outs, concrete sidewalk replacements and enhanced crosswalks. However, concerns were raised regarding parking and traffic congestion, the proposed landscaping palette and the preservation of existing mature trees.
As a result, the scope was reduced, midblock improvements and new landscaping were removed and the plans were revised so no tree removals are proposed and the existing mature canopy is retained, Beier explained.
The plan proposed this week included replacement of sidewalks with a standard grey two-foot by two-foot concrete grid pattern with brick banding, installation of bump-outs at four corners, new curb ramps with truncated domes and brick pavers at pedestrian crossings. The project also included the widening and replacement of the sidewalk on the north side of Beach Street for ADA compliance, widening existing tree wells and minor drainage improvements.
During public comment, a handful of residents raised concerns about the project.
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Longtime local Bruce Dwyer thought the voters should decide on the proposal, especially considering the difficulty surrounding the Promenade project.
“There has been enough confusion and enough chaos that we get to say,” he commented.
He also questioned the project’s budget and the number of parking spaces that will be removed. It’s for the best that the design and engineering are not completed yet, he added.
“That’s good because that means the door has not been shut,” Dwyer said.
Others noted that the project is getting pushed through too quickly.
“Part of the problem is that this has appeared rushed,” Nick Aronoff said.
That creates uncertainty and confusion among residents, he commented.
A few other speakers asked what was driving the project and what its goals are, raised concerns about traffic, opined that the funds should go to other efforts and worried about losing trees.
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Sara Hall covers City Hall and is a regular contributor to Stu News Laguna.
