Aliso Road Trail: Public Access, Maintenance & Evacuation Questions
Aliso Road Trail: City Confirms Ownership and Maintenance Responsibility
Updated August 31, 2026:
Evacuation status: The City’s revised LAB07 map no longer designates the Aliso Road Trail as an evacuation route. So Laguna has requested an official written clarification from LBPD and will update this page when received.
Public access and maintenance: Removal from the evacuation map does not affect the trail’s status as a public beach-access corridor. The City has confirmed that it acquired the trail in the 2023 County transfer and that Public Works is responsible for its maintenance.
Updated August 28, 2026: City staff have been responsive to So Laguna’s questions about the Aliso Road Trail and are helping clarify its ownership, maintenance schedule and possible emergency role.
The City has confirmed that the trail was included in the 2023 property transfer from Orange County and that Laguna Beach Public Works is responsible for maintaining it. Public Works says the trail is formally inspected at least once every three months, observed more frequently when crews are nearby and generally checked after significant rain.
City staff are also helping So Laguna determine whether the trail remains part of Laguna Beach’s pedestrian evacuation planning.
What the City Confirmed
In written responses to So Laguna, Acting Director of Public Works & Utilities Thomas Perez confirmed:
- The Aliso Road Trail property was included in the transfer from Orange County.
- Laguna Beach Public Works is responsible for maintaining it.
- The City does not currently have immediate improvement plans.
- Public Works remains committed to ongoing maintenance.
- Residents should report specific trail conditions through Ask Laguna under Public Works / General.
These responses resolve longstanding questions about which public agency owns and maintains the trail.
Public Works’ Maintenance Program
Deputy Director of Public Works Reza Jafari provided additional information about how the trail is monitored:
- The trail is formally inspected at least once every quarter.
- Public Works employees often observe it more frequently while working nearby.
- Staff attempts to inspect its condition after significant rain events.
- Ask Laguna requests can include photographs, documents and follow-up notes.
- Each request receives a case number that residents can use to monitor its status.
Jafari has also connected So Laguna with Street Maintenance Supervisor Ray Nieto, who is expected to provide the trail’s most recent maintenance date and identify whether any additional work is pending.
So Laguna appreciates Public Works’ detailed response and its willingness to continue working with residents on specific conditions.
Is the Trail an Evacuation Route?
That question is now being directed to the City department responsible for evacuations.
Earlier emergency-planning materials identified the trail between Monterey Street and Aliso Beach as a possible alternate pedestrian escape for portions of the Coast Royal neighborhood, which has only one vehicle exit through West Street.
The trail does not appear on the City’s revised LAB07 Ceanothus evacuation map. Emergency Management Administrator Sarah Limones has connected So Laguna with Captain Dereszynski of the Laguna Beach Police Department, which manages evacuations, for clarification.
Until that review is complete, the trail should not be described as a currently designated evacuation route.
Current Trail Conditions
A nearby So Laguna member contacted the association about vegetation, erosion and accessibility near the upper Monterey Street trailhead.
The lower portion of the trail received substantial improvements while under Orange County’s control. The upper section remains steeper and more difficult to navigate, particularly for older residents, families with children and people attempting to use it in poor visibility.
These concerns can now be documented directly through the City’s service-request system so Public Works can inspect the location, respond and maintain a record of any resulting work.
How to Report a Trail Concern
Residents can report vegetation, erosion, drainage, accessibility or other maintenance concerns through the City’s Ask Laguna portal.
Choose Public Works as the topic and General as the subtopic. Residents may attach photographs or documents and will receive a case number for tracking the request from New to Pending to Resolved.
Creating an account allows residents to receive email updates and use the Add Additional Notes feature to communicate with the City employee handling the request.
What the City Council Decided
At its February 10, 2026 regular meeting, the Laguna Beach City Council considered a property owner’s request to amend the public easement at 31131 Monterey Street to permit private parking alongside the trail access.
The Council unanimously denied the amendment, preserving the existing public corridor. It also directed Public Works to return with maintenance and improvement options addressing drainage, vegetation and trail conditions.
The Council’s action protected public access and initiated further staff review. It did not approve or fund a specific trail-construction project.
Watch the official February 10 City Council meeting
View the So Laguna meeting record
Following Up on the Council’s Direction
As of August 28, nearly seven months have passed since the Council directed Public Works to return with trail maintenance and improvement options.
Public Works has now given So Laguna useful information about its inspection practices and is checking the most recent maintenance history. The next step is to determine whether additional work is pending and whether broader improvement options will return to the Council for public consideration.
The public-access issue has a longer history. On April 25, 2019, the Design Review Board required a construction fence at 31131 Monterey Street to be moved inward to maintain a minimum eight-foot walkway.
Read the official April 25, 2019 Design Review record
The 2023 Property Transfer
Orange County transferred Aliso Beach Park, the Aliso Road Trail and other coastal-property responsibilities to Laguna Beach in 2023. The broader agreement included a $22 million payment to support services, maintenance and capital improvements associated with the transferred properties.
The City has confirmed that the trail itself was included in the transfer. It has not identified a specific portion of the $22 million as dedicated exclusively to the trail.
Next Steps
So Laguna is continuing to coordinate with City staff on:
- Clarification from the Police Department about the trail’s role, if any, in current evacuation planning.
- The most recent date on which the trail was maintained.
- Whether Public Works has any pending maintenance work.
- Whether trail improvement options will return to the City Council.
- How residents can help document specific conditions through Ask Laguna.
We appreciate the responsiveness of Public Works, Emergency Management and the other City employees helping answer these questions. This page will be updated as additional information is received.
August 25, 2026 update: The City’s revised LAB07 Ceanothus evacuation map no longer depicts the Aliso Road Trail as an evacuation route. The City says its maps were revised following the 2026 community workshop series, but it has not published a route-specific explanation for this change. So Laguna has asked Emergency Management and Public Works whether the trail was intentionally removed from the evacuation plan and what effect, if any, that has on its public-access and maintenance status.
Securing Our Only Alternate Escape Route
In South Laguna, emergency preparedness is a matter of life and death. During a wildland fire, the Coast Royal neighborhood relies on a single vehicular exit: West Street. If West Street is compromised, the historic Aliso Road Trail—which connects the north end of Monterey Street down to Aliso Beach—was officially designated by the City as our alternate pedestrian evacuation route.
Currently, this critical “lifeline” is in unacceptable condition, rendering it inaccessible for many members of our community when they need it most.
Evacuation Zones
The Hazard: A Treacherous Evacuation Grade
The lower portion of the Aliso Road Trail is in excellent condition, thanks to a high-quality upgrade previously completed by OC Parks and professional trail builders. However, the upper section of the trail at Monterey Street tells a different story.
Due to past development and necessary realignments near the trailhead, the top of the trail was relocated closer to the street. This relocation drastically altered the terrain, creating a much steeper, washed-out, and treacherous grade.
In the event of a fast-moving emergency, residents—including the elderly, those with mobility challenges, and families carrying children—must be able to safely navigate this path in the dark or through smoke. The current steep grade makes this official pedestrian evacuation route too dangerous to use.
The $22 Million Transfer & Unkept Promises
The completion of the trail’s upgrade was originally halted by OC Parks to accommodate adjacent property development. Before the work could resume, jurisdiction of the trail changed hands:
- The March 2023 Transfer: The County of Orange officially transferred ownership and operational control of Aliso Beach Park and the Aliso Road Trail to the City of Laguna Beach.
- The Funding: As part of this transfer, the County provided the City with a one-time payment of $22 million specifically earmarked for maintenance and capital improvements.
The Accountability Gap: Despite receiving this massive financial infusion, the City has done little to maintain the quality of the trail.
What the Council Actually Decided
The Council unanimously denied the amendment, preserving the existing public corridor. It also directed Public Works to return with trail maintenance and improvement options addressing drainage, vegetation and trail conditions.
That action protected the trail from the proposed private parking use, but it was direction to City staff—not approval or funding for a trail-construction project.
Watch the official February 10 Council meeting
View the So Laguna meeting record
199 Days Since the Council’s Direction
Public Works has now told So Laguna that the City has no immediate improvement plans. The department says it inspects the trail at least once every three months, observes it more frequently while working nearby and attempts to check it after significant rain.
Street Maintenance Supervisor Ray Nieto is expected to provide the most recent maintenance date and identify whether any work is pending.
The public-access issue has an even longer history. On April 25, 2019, the Design Review Board required a construction fence at 31131 Monterey Street to be moved inward to maintain a minimum eight-foot walkway. More than seven years later, questions about drainage, erosion, accessibility and long-term improvements remain unresolved.
Read the official April 25, 2019 Design Review record