LAGUNA NIGUEL : Council OKs Payment for City Hall Addition

The City Council approved a $48,233 payment for City Hall expansion on Tuesday, an expenditure that was challenged by one council member.

Councilman Eddie Rose abstained on a 4-0 vote to approve the disbursement, saying the city’s landlord should be responsible for making improvements.

“It’s a beautiful facility, but I think Birtcher Niguel (the city’s landlord) should bear the brunt” of the cost of expansion, Rose said. “The public has a right to know this.”

Rose said he abstained because he wasn’t on the council when the new lease was originally negotiated. Laguna Niguel has rented office space for its city hall in a commercial complex on La Paz Road near Aliso Creek Road since the city’s 1989 incorporation.

However, City Manager Tim Casey told the council that Laguna Niguel will have its $24,515 monthly rent frozen through 2000 under the new Birtcher agreement.

“Basically, we got a great deal,” Mayor Mark Goodman said.

The council approved the expansion plans in January. The larger City Hall has nearly 7,000 more square feet and nearly triples the seating in council chambers from 35 to 102.

By occupying the space next door formerly used by the Laguna Niguel Performing Arts Center, the city also gets access to additional parking lots next to City Hall.

The city had rented 17,675 square feet of space at 27781, 27791, 27801 and 27821 La Paz Road. The council approved a six-year lease with each of two property owners, Birtcher Niguel and Travis/Acklam, that will increase City Hall’s square footage to 24,606.