Project Description

LANDSCAPE & SCENIC HIGHWAYS RESOURCE DOCUMENT

Location:  Laguna Beach, CA
Client:  City of Laguna Beach
Project Type:  Public Research and Policy Document

The Landscape and Scenic Highways Resource Document was approved in 1995 after over 2 years of study and community participation workshops.  The work included evaluation and design concepts for the entire town of Laguna Beach, comprised of some thirty different neighborhoods and the historic downtown village.  The project involved the research and study of historical structures and landscapes, and a program for restoring and strengthening the community’s landscape fabric through street tree plantings and related landscape improvements.  Also included was a horticultural evaluation of the existing “urban forest”, 1,100 existing city-maintained street trees.  Robert Borthwick was the prime consultant and principal-in-charge.  The 1995 project has received awards from the American Planning Association and the American Society of Landscape Architects for planning and design excellence.   In 2019, the update of the LSHRD along with the companion document “Landscape Element of the General Plan” was completed by BGB Design Group, in collaboration with Ann Christoph, FASLA, and Selva Partners.  This update received the 2019 “Award of Excellence” by the Orange County Section APA.