Laguna Beach : Building Inspector Cited for Illegal Duplex Quits

A city building inspector recently cited for having an illegal apartment in his home has quit after 10 years as a city employee.

Building inspector John Hingula turned in a brief letter of resignation, said Ed Wilczak, the city’s building official.

The city last week received a complaint that Hingula lived in a house that had illegally been converted into a duplex. City inspectors later determined that he was in violation of the zoning code, which limits residential building in some parts of town to only one dwelling unit per parcel of land.

Hingula was cleared of the violation by removing a stove and opening up the wall between the two parts of the house, Wilczak said.

However, the city had begun an investigation to determine whether it should take disciplinary action against Hingula, who was unavailable Tuesday for comment.

“I’m sure (the investigation) is a contributing factor to his resignation,” Wilczak said Tuesday. “(But) the city was not at a point where it was ready to recommend any disciplinary action.”