Sunglasses are a signature accessory in Southern California and shops that sell them have proliferated in Laguna, according to a city survey.
The City Council will be asked to decide at the Aug. 7 meeting if another one is warranted.
An appeal has been filed of the Planning Commission's approval of a new optic shop at 263 Forest Ave., previously Emporio Optic, that will almost triple the percentage of sunglasses that may be displayed. Requests by Emporio to increase the percentage of sunglasses had been denied and city staff opposed the current request made by applicant Borislav Alexandrov.
"Surveys have been done in the downtown area and in the recently updated survey we found that there are a large number of stores that carry sunglasses — some of them on the less expensive end, some on the very high end, but for the most part there are a lot in the middle range, sold in sporting goods and clothing stores as accessories," said Community Development Department Manager Ann Larson in the staff presentation.