On October 13, 2026, the Laguna Beach City Council ratified the local emergency for Main Beach, Aliso Beach and adjacent properties, and the city has posted direct instructions for oceanfront owners. Your immediate priority as an oceanfront owner should be stabilizing the property and putting appropriate emergency protection measures in place, according to the city’s El Niño Preparation page.
The proclamation does not restrict where you can go or what you can do, the city says. Property-specific inspection findings and tag restrictions are separate matters.
This is general information and not legal advice.
What has the City Council approved?
The City Council ratified the local emergency proclamation on October 13, 2026, according to the city’s preparation page.
The proclamation was issued October 9. Council agenda Item 12 recommended ratifying it, terminating the prior emergency related to Hurricane Marie, and directing the City Manager to return at least once every 60 days to review whether the emergency should continue.
The staff report explains that an emergency proclaimed by a designated official cannot remain in effect beyond seven days without governing-body ratification.
The Daily Pilot covered the ratification as local news. For property questions, start with the city’s instructions and Community Development contacts below.
Which areas and damage does the city identify?
The proclamation covers Main Beach, Aliso Beach, immediately adjacent properties, and other city areas affected by coastal erosion or sand movement from Tropical Storm Rachel or anticipated El Niño storm conditions.
The city reports that Hurricane Marie swell, beginning September 2, moved sand off beaches and caused erosion that remains ongoing. Its preparation page says six oceanfront homes have been yellow-tagged because of compromised sea walls. Part of the Aliso Beach parking lot failed, and storm damage closed the Agate Street stairs.
Tropical Storm Rachel swell, beginning October 8, continued moving sand off the beaches.
For a particular home, ask Community Development whether there is an inspection assessment, a tag or a restriction affecting its use.
What should an oceanfront owner do first?
An oceanfront owner’s immediate priority should be stabilizing the property and putting appropriate emergency protection measures in place, the city says.
The preparation page identifies a structural engineer who specializes in sea walls as the right expert. It also says City and Coastal Commission staff are aligned on protecting homes and occupants, with city staff available to help facilitate necessary emergency work quickly.
Contact Community Development at (949) 497-0713 about that work. The city describes emergency protection as giving owners and their engineers time to develop and permit a long-term solution.
Say an owner is preparing an oceanfront home for sale and needs guidance about its sea wall. The owner would contact Community Development before completing work and consult a structural engineer who specializes in sea walls. If the property is storm-damaged, the owner would also request the city’s inspection assessment. If a yellow tag restricts the ocean-facing deck, the owner would ask about that restriction and any required follow-up inspection before treating the deck as available for use.
How do inspections and tags affect property use?
A city inspection assesses structural habitability, safety and conditions that could lead to further damage; a tag states restrictions on occupancy or use.
For storm damage, contact Community Development during business hours at (949) 497-0715. The city sends a Building Inspector for a safety assessment. After hours, contact Public Safety Dispatch at (949) 497-0701. For an immediate threat to life or safety, call 911.
A red tag means the structure is unsafe to occupy. Occupants may not remain or return until hazardous conditions have been addressed and the city determines it is safe. Utilities may be shut off.
A yellow tag means access or use is restricted. The city’s example is an ocean-facing deck that is off-limits while the home itself remains safe. Restrictions stay until the city completes any required follow-up inspection.
For a sale, use the California seller disclosure guide to frame questions about the property’s inspection assessment, tag and repair documents.
Does emergency protection still involve permits?
Emergency protection can involve an Emergency Coastal Development Permit, and owners should contact the city before completing any work.
The adopted Local Coastal Program allows certain repair and maintenance work without a Coastal Development Permit, depending on its nature and scope. For more substantial or immediate protective measures, the city has an emergency permit process.
That process is intended to allow quick action to protect life and property, with follow-up permitting and documentation afterward when required. Ask Community Development at (949) 497-0713 which process applies to the proposed work and what follow-up it requires.
The Carlsbad coastal permit article discusses another city’s coastal permit setting.
Say an owner needs immediate protective work for an oceanfront home with a compromised sea wall. The owner would contact Community Development before completing any work to learn which permit process applies to its nature and scope. If an Emergency Coastal Development Permit applies, the process would allow quick protective action, with follow-up permitting and documentation afterward when required. The owner and a structural engineer specializing in sea walls would use the time that emergency protection provides to develop and permit a long-term solution.
Does the proclamation promise sand or repair funding?
The proclamation allows the City to join with other cities and the County of Orange in seeking funding and regulatory flexibility for shoreline protection, sand placement and repairs, but the city does not have plans to undertake a sand replenishment project on its own.
Its preparation page says one reason for the proclamation is to join other cities and the County of Orange in pursuing a larger regional project. Additional technical analysis is needed to identify the best solutions.
The resolution also directs the Director to evaluate damage and, if appropriate, seek financial assistance from the county or state. The staff report cautions that certain city expenses may be ineligible and reimbursement is not assured.
That financial discussion concerns city costs. It does not establish assistance for an owner’s sea wall or private repairs.
What preparation information can you check?
You can check the city’s preparation page for maintenance advice, sandbag distribution, workshops and alerts.
The city advises cleaning gutters, inspecting roofs, windows and doors, and regularly inspecting and maintaining drainage and protective features. For oceanfront properties, that includes sea walls and other shoreline protection. It also advises considering flood insurance.
A sandbag event is listed for October 30, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Aliso Beach East Parking Lot. Distribution is limited to 10 sandbags per Laguna Beach address, while supplies last.
The next city workshops are Monday, November 9, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, livestreamed and recorded, and Tuesday, December 1, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Susi Q, in person only; the city’s page has a registration link for each.
The city recommends registering for both Nixle and AlertOC. A seller’s natural hazard disclosure report is a separate document from the city’s inspection records.
The short version
Laguna Beach’s emergency is ratified, and oceanfront owners should contact the city about stabilization, inspections and proposed work.
For a buyer or seller, the useful questions concern the particular property: its inspection assessment, any tag restrictions, and the permitting and documentation required for protection work. The proclamation alone does not answer them.
For a separate starting point on your sale planning, use the home value tool.
Common questions
Has Laguna Beach ratified the local storm emergency?
Yes. The city's El Niño Preparation page says the City Council ratified the proclamation on October 13, 2026.
Does the proclamation restrict where you can go?
The city says the proclamation does not restrict where you can go or what you can do. A property's red or yellow tag carries separate restrictions.
Who should oceanfront owners contact about emergency protection work?
The city directs owners to Community Development at (949) 497-0713 and identifies a structural engineer specializing in sea walls as the right expert.
Does an emergency coastal permit remove follow-up requirements?
The city says its Emergency Coastal Development Permit process allows quick protective action, with follow-up permitting and documentation afterward when required.
