Laguna Beach election 2026 · Official ballot position 9 of 9 · Nonpartisan candidate profile
Karen Martin: Laguna Beach City Council Candidate 2026
Non-incumbentDoes not currently hold a Laguna Beach City Council seat.
Ballot position 9. Candidate for one of three at-large seats (every Laguna Beach voter may vote for these seats; they are not assigned to geographic districts) in the November 3, 2026 election.
Urban planner and Laguna Beach business owner whose official statement emphasizes rule-based development, neighborhood protection, fiscal scrutiny and infrastructure.
Last reviewed October 19, 2026. Official ballot position follows the City Clerk’s August 13, 2026 candidate list, published after the Secretary of State randomized alphabet drawing.
Candidate dashboard
Karen Martin at a glance
Career background
A detailed professional résumé has not yet been published in a source So Laguna can verify.
Review experienceTop issues
Public safety and hospital access, Housing and land use, Traffic, parking and transit, Budget and capital projects, Environment,…
See sourced positionsPublic appearances
2026 candidate forums and debates
The City currently lists nine forums hosted by independent community organizations. The hosts have affirmed that candidates were offered equal time and opportunity to appear. A listing does not establish that every candidate has confirmed attendance.
All currently listed forums have concluded. Past forum records remain available below.
Past forums9 completed
Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce
6:00–9:00 p.m. · Council Chambers
505 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Forum recordView official flyerWatch video, answers and transcriptSearch transcriptCandidate timestampsOfficial Chamber forum details
South Laguna Civic Association
6:00 p.m. (doors open 5:30 p.m.) · Laguna Beach Community Recreation Center (former St. Catherine’s School)
30516 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Forum recordWatch recording and compare answersSearch transcriptCandidate timestampsOfficial SLCA event details
Laguna Canyon Conservancy
5:30–8:30 p.m. (panel 6:30–8:30 p.m.) · Bridge Hall at Neighborhood Congregational Church
340 St Ann’s Drive, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Forum recordWatch videos, answers and transcriptsSearch transcriptCandidate timestampsOfficial event details
Laguna Beach Arts Alliance
9:00 a.m.–noon (reception 8:30 a.m.) · Forum Theater at Festival of Arts
650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Forum recordOpen forum replaySearch transcriptCandidate timestampsArts Alliance information
Greater Laguna Beach GOP
6:00–9:00 p.m. · Council Chambers
505 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Forum recordOpen forum replaySearch transcriptCandidate timestampsGLBGOP event and viewing information
Advocates for Laguna Residents
6:00–8:00 p.m. · Council Chambers
505 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Forum recordWatch video, answers and transcriptSearch transcriptCandidate timestampsAdvocates for Laguna Residents website (currently Launching Soon)
Canyon Alliance of Neighborhoods Defense Organization (CANDO)
6:30 p.m. · Online via Zoom
Completed September 10. Watch the full recording, compare all seven answers from each candidate and search the complete transcript.Forum recordFull forum videoSearch transcriptCandidate timestampsCANDO forum page
KXFM
5:30 p.m. potluck; 6:30 p.m. forum · Neighborhood Congregational Church, Bridge Hall
340 St Ann’s Drive, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Compare KXFM candidate answersKXFM forum page
KXFM has published a 10-question candidate-results summary and an official Facebook reel from the September 8 forum. So Laguna has not verified a complete audio or video replay of the full program.
Village Laguna
6:00 p.m.; recording 1:57:49 · Council Chambers
505 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Forum recordOpen forum replaySearch transcriptCandidate timestampsVillage Laguna forum information
Open the So Laguna events calendarVerify the City’s current schedule
Village Laguna forum · August 31, 2026
What Karen Martin said at the candidate forum
Five concise, neutral summaries link to the exact moments in the full recording. They are not ratings, endorsements or a substitute for watching each answer in context.
- Downtown plan and historic preservationCalled for a reset with realistic alternatives, updated General Plan elements and clearer analysis of housing, fire, flood and evacuation constraints.
- Design review and resident rightsSaid efficiency reforms had created new problems and argued that zoning and design-review decisions should rest on an updated, internally consistent General Plan.
- Wildfire and evacuationProposed fire-ready pool pumps, earlier Fire Department review of projects and a visitor-capacity study that accounts for evacuation routes.
- Church affordable-housing proposalSupported the housing project but opposed the City contribution, suggesting mixed-income development could subsidize affordable units.
- Tourism managementCalled for beach and city capacity studies, directing visitor revenue to visitor impacts and combining enforcement with public communication.
CANDO forum · September 10, 2026
What Karen Martin said about Laguna Canyon
Seven concise, neutral summaries link to the candidate’s complete answers. They are not ratings, endorsements or a substitute for watching each response in context.
- Use of a $10 million grantWould fund a capacity study of beaches, roads, parking and evacuation, then reconcile the General Plan, zoning, Local Coastal Program and specific plans, with earthquake risk included.
- Affordable housing locationsPointed to work by housing committees identifying sites across town, including downtown parking lots and portions of church properties, and favored dispersed opportunities.
- Creek and wildlife corridorsCalled hillsides and waterways safety infrastructure and supported mapping access, grading, drainage, habitat and emergency-response conditions together before approving development.
- Small-scale and rural developmentFavored detailed standards distinguishing new construction from additions and using measurable scale, setbacks, grading and neighborhood context rather than undefined subjective language.
- Helping Community DevelopmentCalled for accessible historical approval records, long-range planning staff and clearer, internally consistent rules so employees can give applicants reliable guidance.
- Residents and long-term stewardshipArgued that the General Plan vision should precede and govern zoning changes, providing consistent rules that Council members can use to explain decisions to applicants and neighbors.
- Open-space fundingConnected open-space planning with the safety element, emphasizing seismic and landslide hazards affecting canyon neighborhoods and the need to evaluate preservation alongside public safety.
Advocates forum · September 15, 2026
What Karen Martin said at the Advocates forum
Six concise, neutral topic summaries link to the exact moments in the complete recording. They are not ratings, endorsements or a substitute for watching each answer in context.
- Measure E and term limitsSupported term limits, saying written intergovernmental agreements can preserve useful institutional relationships while allowing leadership turnover.
- Hospital and emergency careTreated the hospital as a regional issue and called for bringing neighboring cities, visitors and other stakeholders into a public-outreach effort to pressure Providence and preserve continuous care.
- St. Catherine’s propertyFavored a mixed use responsive to limited access and parking, including possible senior housing and a public-serving component.
- Capital projects and financial oversightSaid major capital and safety decisions should be tested against an up-to-date, comprehensive General Plan linking land use, transportation, safety and infrastructure capacity.
- Candidate priorityAsked incumbents to keep sharing their knowledge and to provide meaningful opportunities for residents and other candidates to contribute, whether or not they won reelection.
- Closing prioritiesPrioritized a comprehensive capacity study and coordinated updates to the General Plan, zoning and coastal policies so the City anticipates change instead of addressing one crisis at a time.
Arts Alliance · September 26, 2026
What Karen Martin said at the Arts Alliance forum
Nine arts discussion rounds, plus opening and closing statements. These are attributed paraphrases with video timestamps; the recording remains authoritative.
Read nine answers and both statements
Opening statement
Describes art in her family and her purchases of student work. Calls for artist involvement in policy and practical opportunities to earn a living, find housing and create.
Watch opening · 20:50 ↗- 1. About the Arts AllianceDescribes the membership she researched, including visual and performing arts, education, tourism and media. Proposes more coordinated promotion; her answer is cut off by the time limit.
- 2. Arts involvement and recent eventsSays she is not a direct member of an arts organization but supports artists through purchases and practical help with festival booths. Describes attending the fashion show, Pageant and Playhouse.
- 3. Parking in the arts districtWould begin with existing and shared lots, artist loading and art pickup. Wants demand, cost, traffic and accessibility analysis before selecting a structure.
- 4. Why the arts matterDescribes art as Laguna’s soul, a source of connection and a way to experience life beyond daily politics and parking debates.
- 5. Residents and visitorsCalls for an updated capacity study and integrating existing information into the General Plan so visitor management reflects what the city can comfortably accommodate.
- 6. Artist housing and workspacesSupports preservation and reuse, distinguishes studios from legal housing and wants accurate counts. Favors financially feasible partnerships and outside assistance without new city funds.
- 7. More use of the Festival groundsCalls for forward planning and attention to the General Plan noise element. Suggests educational or local-government gatherings as well as appropriate concerts.
- 8. New arts ideasSuggests different art media and student work on the Promenade, venues at the former St. Catherine’s School, and culinary classes with hotels and restaurants.
- 9. Arts on the PromenadeSuggests demonstrations, direct sales, residencies and culinary programming. Wants businesses beyond the Promenade to have equal opportunities to participate.
Closing statement
Wants artists to earn a living and remain here, with paid programming and stronger connections. Favors lasting affordability and partnerships without additional city funds.
Watch closing · 1:51:06 ↗Compare all nine candidates and search the forum transcript →
Chamber forum · October 15, 2026
What Karen Martin said at the Chamber forum
Debate coverage updated October 16. Source-linked paraphrases; candidates answered different questions. Silence is not recorded as a policy position.
Read 10 indexed responses and statements
Opening statement
Cites municipal-planning experience and calls for defining problems, full costs and alternatives before approving projects.
Watch statement · 5:54 ↗- 1. Economic developmentCalls for predictable permitting and says application requirements can discourage property owners and tenants. Questions the efficiency ordinance’s owner-verification and indemnification provisions.
- 4. Financial accountabilitySays residents often struggle to be heard and connects financial-accountability concerns with her longstanding requests for a consistent, updated General Plan before zoning changes.
- 5. Tourism and local spendingSays concert approvals should address the General Plan noise element and effects on neighboring residents, rather than relying only on zoning-code discussion.
- 8. Homelessness and outreachSupports personal outreach that identifies people’s needs and helps reconnect them with home or services. Questions the community impact of visibly armed park-ranger patrols and says she would budget for human-centered outreach.
- 9. Council term limitsSupports term limits, arguing that Council appointments can repeatedly place the same people in City commissions and related roles.
- 10. Planning and building processWants a clear roadmap for resolving conflicting codes, better plan intake and accessible records. Says objective standards must be consistent with state law and criticizes the new efficiency-ordinance application.
- 12. Construction, flooding and infrastructureQuestions spending and deliverables on the zoning-code update and says a compliant General Plan should come first. Urges Council to hold staff and legal advisers accountable and correct mistakes.
- 13. Vacant storefrontsArgues that property appreciation can reduce landlords’ incentive to rent or sell. Proposes lobbying for tax-policy changes that could encourage transactions, acknowledging those decisions sit at state or federal level.
- 14. City management and legal spendingQuestions the COO position and favors moving HR oversight out of Finance. Challenges claims of legal-cost savings and wants department heads empowered to resolve issues directly.
- 15. Mayor selectionSuggests a directly elected mayor could handle public-facing concerns while allowing the city manager to focus on operations and department heads.
Closing statement
Argues that changing Council leadership can improve the community’s culture and how residents and workers experience City government.
Watch statement · 2:04:11 ↗South Laguna Civic Association · October 6, 2026
What Karen Martin said at the forum
Source-linked paraphrases from the published recording. Candidate claims are attributed; automatic captions may contain errors.
Read 12 forum answers and closing statement
- 1. Emergency care and a possible taxOpposes a local tax for a hospital serving residents, neighboring cities and visitors. Wants to stop relying on Providence and organize regional pressure and cooperation.
- 2. Hospital land useSupports medical care with doctors available beyond an ER-only model. Would consider long-term or convalescent care and senior assisted living as complementary uses.
- 3. Catalina lots and park spaceSupports acquisition after reviewing title and opportunity costs. Would also investigate other sites that could meet South Laguna’s needs.
- 4. South Coast Water District voting rightsSupports moving forward and proposes a public report within 60 days on agreements and the path she says LAFCO has identified.
- 5. South Laguna’s share of City spendingWould put neighborhood priorities into the General Plan and budget, with a public capital schedule listing costs, funding and delivery dates. Prioritizes crossings, sidewalks, sanitation, fire safety and evacuation.
- 6. Beach infrastructure and fundingWould seek mitigation funds when neighboring development agreements are reopened and ensure City staff negotiate for Laguna’s visitor impacts.
- 7. Commercial parking requirementsWants a carrying-capacity study linked to the General Plan so parking and other studies have practical force before requirements are loosened.
- 8. Public restroomsSuggests business incentives for bathrooms near Coast Highway and emphasizes that many users are workers and delivery drivers as well as beachgoers.
- 9. Community Recreation CenterWould publish room-by-room use, waiting-list, accessibility and cost information; test senior, arts, youth and meeting programs; and compare partnership models before declaring space surplus.
- 10. Community Garden acquisitionSuggests starting a land-use and zoning change toward garden/open space to bring the owner into negotiations, while saying she supports property rights.
- 11. Beach patrol and park rangersWould use a capacity study to establish and publish peak-demand patrol schedules, compare redeployment with a new unit, and keep lifeguarding distinct from ordinance enforcement.
- 12. Gelson’s and neighborhood grocery accessWould prepare a concrete plan and strategies for Gelson’s, with a credible City commitment rather than only asking it to lease to someone else.
Closing statement
Emphasizes government experience, questioning staff and using a capacity study to secure regional mitigation funds and protect Laguna’s natural resources and character.
Watch statement · 1:54:09 ↗Compare candidates, review the questions and search the transcript →
Laguna Canyon Conservancy · September 28, 2026
What Karen Martin said at the Laguna Canyon Conservancy forum
Paraphrased answer summaries with direct video timestamps, plus the candidate’s closing statement. Candidate claims are attributed statements; the recordings remain authoritative.
Read 9 indexed answers and the closing statement
- 1. Impressions of Laguna CanyonDescribes the hillsides, dark sky and native trees as integral to the village, including landscape outside city boundaries; wants future generations to retain that experience.
- 2. Regional conservation and NCCPSupports joining the NCCP, with clear responsibilities, interagency coordination, monitoring and attention to undergrounding’s habitat effects.
- 3. Acquiring additional open spaceCalls for coordinated land and funding strategies prioritizing habitat links and watersheds, transparent dedicated funds, donations, grants and neighboring development agreements.
- 4. Tree preservation and Ocean AvenueWants tree and root assessments before fixing Ocean Avenue’s design, preservation alternatives before removal, reuse of removed wood by artists, and transparent donation options.
- 5. Irvine–Laguna Wildlife CorridorWants work with Irvine, the county, Caltrans and wildlife agencies on remaining barriers, with clear funding responsibilities and long-term monitoring.
- 6. Invasive plants and agency partnershipsWants removal tied to native restoration, regrowth control and monitoring; opposes glyphosate and calls for candid assessment of alternative methods, costs and habitat impacts.
- 7. Fuel modification and native habitatWants fire specialists and biologists to assess treatment effectiveness, erosion and invasive regrowth alongside building resilience, access and evacuation; prioritizes life safety when goals conflict.
- 8. Enrolling city open space in the Nature ReserveSupports participation but wants the city to understand development/conservation trade-offs and whether Laguna has a voice in them.
- 9. Partnerships and dependable fundingWants early updates to the General Plan’s open-space element, public participation and clear local policy commitments alongside cross-agency and nonprofit partnerships.
Closing statement
Calls for proactive, coherent updates to the General Plan, zoning and coastal policies so residents can hold decision-makers accountable for open-space protection.
Watch statement · 17:25 in the statements video ↗ · Full panel · 1:45:04 ↗Compare all candidates, watch both videos and search the transcripts →
GLBGOP forum · September 23, 2026
What Karen Martin said at the GLBGOP forum
Selected question and answer highlights from the two-part recording. The links open the original video at the answer; these summaries do not cover every exchange.
- Opening: What experience and priorities would you bring?Said she would apply her planning experience to clear rules and fair city decisions.
- Are residents included early enough in major city projects?Called for clearer construction rules and public schedules for major projects.
- Should the city review public access to City Hall services?Said Community Development should restore public access from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- How should Laguna Beach address visitor impacts?Proposed a capacity study for visitors, vehicles and beaches.
- How should Council scrutinize Promenade construction bids?Said she compared other cities’ practices and would question staff and counsel about contract details.
- What would you do about vacant commercial storefronts?Said some owners are disconnected from their property managers, which she saw as part of the problem.
- What would you review or reduce before raising taxes?Emphasized lifecycle costs, basic infrastructure and consistent rules in closing.
See 37 rapid-round answers
- Do you support Measure E term limits?Yes
- Would you post Council agendas at least seven days before meetings?Yes
- Should completed city projects credit taxpayers instead of the mayor and Council on plaques?Yes
- Does the city pay too much for outside consultants?Yes
- Do you approve of the 10-year Visit Laguna agreement?No
- Would you turn the library site into a parking structure?No
- Would you build a new parking structure behind the police station or at the City Hall entrance?No
- Would you spend $141 million or more to underground Laguna Canyon Road?No
- Would you still underground Laguna Canyon Road if Edison hardened the poles at no cost?No
- Should the city purchase Laguna Canyon Road?No
- Should the city purchase Coast Highway within city limits?No
- Do you support a downtown plan replacing historic buildings with denser housing and reduced parking?No
- Do you support the proposed development of Ocean Avenue?No
- Do you support adding 675 homes downtown and in the canyon?No
- Would you meet regularly with the school board on shared issues?Yes
- Would you present an alternate Promenade plan in response to the petition by 873 residents?Yes
- Was the $2.7 million purchase of the Ti Amo former fire-station site a mistake?Yes
- Do you support the NCC/St. Anne’s housing project funding?No
- Would you use city tax dollars to help build housing developments in Laguna?No
- Would you charge a nominal trolley fare to offset operating costs?Yes
- Should voters directly elect the mayor?Said she did not know.
- Would you tax second homes or vacation homes?No
- Do you support rent control in Laguna Beach?No
- Would you impose a city transfer tax on property sales over $5 million?No
- Do you support increasing the sales tax?No
- Do you support another increase in the hotel occupancy tax?No
- Would you raise the business-license tax based on gross sales or profits?No
- Would you allow open-container alcohol on the Promenade?No
- Would you rent out the public Promenade for private events?No
- Would you increase building heights downtown?No
- Would you require a public vote on civic projects costing over $5 million?No
- Would you give commercial landlords $10,000 or more for exterior improvements?No
- Would you increase administrative staffing?Yes · Supported additional record-keeping staff.
- Would you raise fines for illegal parking, littering, vehicle noise and beach drinking to at least $100?Yes
- Would you support more alcohol licenses in Laguna Beach?Said it is state regulated.
- Have you had a joint venture or business relationship with a housing developer in the past two years?No
- Have you invested in or profited from a housing project in the past two years?No
Most admired person in politics: Benjamin Franklin. Part 2 · 21:20 ↗
Experience
Career background and qualifications
So Laguna has not yet located a sufficiently detailed professional résumé in an official or candidate-controlled source. The candidate may provide education, employment, management, public-service and relevant project experience for verification.
Read the fuller biographical summary
Martin is an urban-planning and land-entitlement consultant with more than 30 years of experience. Pacific Planning Group identifies her as its founder, and a published executive biography identifies her as the owner of NotificationMaps.com. Her public-service background includes Laguna Beach’s Open Space Committee, Affordable Housing Task Force, and Housing and Human Services Committee.
In Laguna Beach and beyond
Local business and community roles
Martin founded Pacific Planning Group and NotificationMaps.com and reports serving as president of Genuine Living Co. Her public background combines urban planning, land-entitlement consulting, public-notice services, development and property management.
Pacific Planning Group
Founder and principal
Martin founded the urban-planning firm in 1996. Its website describes land-entitlement and preconstruction work for commercial, residential and mixed-use projects.
NotificationMaps.com
Founder and owner
A published executive biography says Martin launched NotificationMaps.com in 2005 to provide mapping and public-notification services for development and regulatory projects nationwide.
Genuine Living Co.
President; real estate and property management
Martin’s Form 700 identifies her as president of Genuine Living Co.; the company website presents Laguna Beach residential projects.
Housing and Human Services Committee
Former committee member
Martin’s official candidate statement identifies service on Laguna Beach’s Housing and Human Services Committee.
Only current or clearly labeled former roles supported by public sources are included. A Form 700 income source is not treated as a candidate-owned business without additional evidence. Submit a correction or verification.
Candidate-provided material
From Karen Martin’s official candidate statement
The following is So Laguna’s concise summary of the candidate’s own ballot statement. It describes the candidate’s claims and priorities; it is not an endorsement or independent verification.
Martin emphasizes rule-based development, neighborhood and environmental protection, fiscal scrutiny, public safety, infrastructure and support for local businesses. She says planning decisions should weigh neighborhood, environmental and economic effects before approval.
View the statement background and priority list
Background described in the statement
Martin says she has graduate education in urban and regional planning and more than 30 years of California planning and policy experience, including coastal development. She cites Laguna Beach service involving open space, affordable housing, and housing and human services.
Priorities emphasized
- Development that follows existing rules
- Protection of neighborhoods and quality of life
- Environmental and coastal stewardship
- Fiscal scrutiny and a rainy-day fund
- Public safety and infrastructure
- Support for local businesses
Issues and positions
Where Karen Martin stands
A quick, source-linked summary of the candidate’s questionnaire responses, public statements and forum answers. Use the source chips to read the questionnaire or watch the answer at its exact timestamp. Tap an issue to open the summary.
Public safety and hospital access
Martin identifies public safety and infrastructure as priorities. Her official statement does not address hospital access.
Housing and land use
She says development can proceed while protecting neighborhoods, the environment and property rights if rules are followed and impacts are considered before decisions.
Traffic, parking and transit
At the Village Laguna forum, Martin called for beach and city capacity studies, directing visitor revenue to visitor impacts and combining enforcement with public communication.
Budget and capital projects
Martin calls for a rainy-day fund and scrutiny of the present and future cost of every major project, including what other priorities might go unfunded.
Environment, beaches and wildfire
She emphasizes protection of hillsides, trees, the ocean, beaches and environmental quality.
Arts, business and village character
Martin calls for supporting local businesses and protecting the character that makes Laguna Beach home; no separate arts policy is stated.
Transparency and participation
She says she would listen to residents before deciding and weigh neighborhood, environmental and economic impacts to reduce disputes and delays.
Arts Alliance: arts-district parking
Would begin with existing and shared lots, artist loading and art pickup. Wants demand, cost, traffic and accessibility analysis before selecting a structure.
Arts Alliance: artist housing and studios
Supports preservation and reuse, distinguishes studios from legal housing and wants accurate counts. Favors financially feasible partnerships and outside assistance without new city funds.
Arts Alliance: arts on the Promenade
Suggests demonstrations, direct sales, residencies and culinary programming. Wants businesses beyond the Promenade to have equal opportunities to participate.
Official election records
Karen Martin candidate filings
These records are published by the Laguna Beach City Clerk. Campaign-finance totals below are summarized separately so amendments and reporting periods are not double counted.
Public financial disclosure
Form 700 summary
The filing reports interests in Laguna Beach planning and property-management businesses and real property.
So Laguna summarizes these public filings to identify relevant business, employment and property interests. Reported ranges are not estimates of net worth or proof of a conflict, and residential addresses and private third-party names are omitted.
View reported business, property and investment details
Businesses and income
- Pacific Planning Group, Inc. — president; Laguna Beach urban-planning consulting firm; business interest valued at $100,001 to $1 million; gross income reported over $100,000.
- Genuine Living Co. — president; Laguna Beach real-estate and property-management company; business interest valued over $1 million; gross income reported over $100,000. Private client names are omitted here.
Real-property interests
- Genuine Living Co. reports a Laguna Beach real-property interest valued over $1 million.
- A separate Laguna Beach ownership/deed-of-trust interest is reported over $1 million, with gross rental income over $100,000. Residential address and tenant information are omitted here.
Filing reviewed: August 7, 2026 candidate Form 700 · View the official City eFile record
Public questions
Ask Karen Martin a question
Submit a policy or public-service question. So Laguna moderates submissions for relevance and civility, and clearly labels candidate replies after verification.
How this works: Questions are reviewed before publication for relevance, civility, privacy and duplication. So Laguna may edit for length or clarity and will mark substantive edits. Published answers identify whether they came from the candidate, campaign or So Laguna editor.
No approved public questions yet. Submit the first question below.
Campaign finance
Karen Martin campaign finance
This live module displays only figures reviewed against official Laguna Beach campaign filings.
Latest reviewed reporting period: through September 19, 2026. View the official Form 460 filing.
Form 460 lines 5, 11, 16 and 19. Calendar-year totals through Sept. 19; the filing covers Jan. 1–Sept. 19. No loans or outstanding debt reported.
Campaign-finance figures are compiled from public filings submitted to the City of Laguna Beach. Filings can be amended and recent transactions may not yet appear in periodic reports. So Laguna omits residential street addresses and links summaries to the original record.
Public voting record
Karen Martin voting record
Karen Martin is not currently a member of the body they are seeking to join, so they have no incumbent voting record for this race. This is not a judgment about other public or appointed roles.
Record and accountability
Public record and verification
This candidate does not have a Laguna Beach City Council voting record. So Laguna will add verified public-service records and questionnaire answers when relevant.
Search official campaign filings · City Clerk election information
Primary sources
Sources used for this profile
- Pacific Planning Group
- Published executive biography
- Daily Pilot affordable-housing coverage
- Advocates for Laguna Residents candidate forum video and local transcript — September 15, 2026
- Arts Alliance forum video, candidate answers and captions — September 26, 2026
- Official candidate statement filed with the City Clerk
- Candidate Form 700 in the City’s official eFile system
- Pacific Planning Group — company website
- NotificationMaps.com — published executive biography
- Genuine Living Co. — Form 700 and company site
- Housing and Human Services Committee — official candidate statement
- City of Laguna Beach 2026 General Municipal Election
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
Is Karen Martin running for Laguna Beach City Council in 2026?
Yes. Karen Martin qualified for the November 3, 2026 ballot and appears in position 9 of nine candidates for three at-large City Council seats.
Is Karen Martin an incumbent?
No. Karen Martin is running as a non-incumbent candidate.
What businesses and community organizations is Karen Martin connected to?
Martin founded Pacific Planning Group and NotificationMaps.com and reports serving as president of Genuine Living Co. Her public background combines urban planning, land-entitlement consulting, public-notice services, development and property management. Each listed role includes its supporting public source.
What economic interests did Karen Martin disclose?
The filing reports interests in Laguna Beach planning and property-management businesses and real property. The complete filing is available through the City’s public eFile system.
How does So Laguna verify this profile?
So Laguna prioritizes official City records, campaign-controlled pages, public filings and dated primary-source statements. Unknown positions are labeled rather than inferred.
Where can I compare every candidate?
Use the Laguna Beach election voter guide for the live candidate comparison and campaign-finance table in official ballot order.
Ask Karen Martin a public question