Laguna Woods City Council has opened public discussion on the city’s two-year Budget and Work Plan and the 11-year Capital Improvement Program, spanning 2019 through 2030.
In 2014, the council adopted six priority focus areas when considering future budgets: health and safety, high quality of life, environmentally conscious, economic prosperity, fiscal responsibility and professional and efficient staffing.
The council generally agreed that these focus areas would continue to be the direction staff will take in preparing the budgets, City Manager Chris Macon said during the March 20 council meeting, though no decisions have been finalized.
For fiscal year 2019-2020, projects to be tackled include pavement work on westbound El Toro Road between Avenida Sevilla and the Willow Tree Center, completing the Pedestrian Accessibility Improvement Project through phase three and modifying several medians along Moulton Parkway to be water efficient.
Construction was picked up again for A Place for Paws Dog Park, scheduled to be completed later this year. Staff is asking for an additional $100,000 to finish phase one and begin phase two — which includes a separate 1,700-square-foot, small-dog area.
Looking forward to 2020-2021, the Pedestrian Accessibility Improvement Project will enter phase four and the Woods End Wilderness Preserve Trail Drainage and Improvement Project may commence, contingent upon an award of Proposition 68 monies.
Four more meetings will be held before the June 26 vote to adopt the budget. Meetings are scheduled regularly the third Wednesday of each month at 2 p.m. at City Hall.
Golf carts
Council approved an ordinance that aims to simplify golf cart usage for residents while furthering compliance of existing golf cart and low-speed vehicle codes to state standards.
Clarity and compliance necessitated the proposed amendments, which include the addition of several definitions, disclaimers to reinforce existing requirements as well as provisions regarding golf cart crossings, consistent with California Vehicle Code.
The ordinance would also authorize staff to erect marking and lighting to explain regulations.
“Part of what this does will (allow us to) make some uniform signage for all of our golf cart and multimodal trails,” Mayor Cynthia Conners said. “Hopefully that will make it easier for people to know what to do.”
The ordinance does not create any new law, Macon explained.
“Our council generally has promoted the use of golf carts for two related reasons. The first is that we want people that ought not to be driving, not to be driving,” Conners said. “But at the same time, we want to make it convenient for them to get to the places they need to get to.”
If unlawful golf-cart usage needs to be reported, residents may use the number for sheriff non-emergency dispatch at 714-647-7000.
Council unanimously passed the ordinance 5-0 upon first reading. The ordinance will return to the council for a second reading next month.
