Council member Kelly Jennings told residents at the State of the City that Laguna Niguel welcomed more than 47,000 participants to signature community events over the past year and credited volunteers for much of that participation. "This past year, we've welcomed more than 47,000 participants to our signature community events," Jennings said, citing events such as the Bunny Bonanza and the Sea Country Festival.

Jennings also announced the city launched Beacon, a virtual assistant designed to help residents access information and services more quickly, and said the city expanded its social media reach by more than 5,000 followers across platforms. She said these tools and digital outreach were intended to keep residents informed about city initiatives, events and opportunities.

As examples of expanded services, Jennings said the city secured additional locations for the Senior Wheel Transportation Program to improve access for older adults and launched a new north line on the free Laguna Niguel summer trolley to provide transit between Crown Valley Park and the Laguna Niguel‑Mission Viejo Metrolink station. The trolley expansion, Jennings said, connects more residents "from the hills to the sea."

Jennings also described the city's extensive outreach related to a proposed battery energy storage system project in San Juan Capistrano. She said the city used its website, mass emails and social media to keep Laguna Niguel residents informed during the California Energy Commission review process and noted that local groups, including a community advocacy group identified in the address as BLESSEN, have been active in urging opposition to the project.

Discussion: officials presented these actions as ongoing engagement and outreach activities rather than items requiring immediate council action. Direction: maintain digital outreach tools and continue to support volunteers and transit expansions. Decision: none recorded in the address.

Why this matters: the combination of in‑person events, digital tools and targeted outreach affect how residents receive information and access services, and the battery storage outreach relates to an external regulatory review that has mobilized citizen groups.

The council encouraged continued resident participation in events, volunteer programs and public comment on external projects under regulatory review.