ABOUT SUE
Sue Kempf is a businesswoman, community leader, and currently the Mayor of Laguna Beach. Since her election to the Laguna Beach City Council in 2018, Sue has tackled complex problems and delivered results for Laguna Beach. Backed by years of hands-on experience in the business sector, Sue took her vast knowledge of the city and applied it to the position.
​
Born and raised in Indiana, Sue moved to Laguna Beach in 1999 for a job in Irvine. Enthralled by the charming nature of the city, she engaged herself in local affairs, serving on the View Preservation Task Force and as a co-chair for the Disaster Preparedness Committee. She served three terms on the City’s Planning Commission before deciding to run for City Council.
​
​Sue was unanimously selected by her colleagues to serve as Mayor in 2022. Her thoughtful decision-making to preserve and improve upon a place she is grateful to call home is apparent.
​
Her accomplishments include the 2019 Wildfire Mitigation and Fire Safety Plan to decrease the looming threat of natural disasters and the Neighborhood and Environmental Protection Plan which helps mitigate the effects of visitors on the local living experience. These are just a few of the many initiatives Sue has implemented. She looks forward to serving the community for another term to continue the progress already made.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT
For the past four years. I have done my best to be a thoughtful, open-minded leader on
your City Council. Public health and safety always come first, so I am proud to have
championed our comprehensive Fire Mitigation Plan — already tested by two “near
miss” wildfires. Creating the Forest Avenue promenade and permitting outdoor dining
throughout the City — steps I proposed during the height of the pandemic— helped to
keep us safer and give a much-needed boost to local businesses. To protect our
exceptional environment, I spearheaded the new Neighborhood and Environmental
Protection Plan to address the impacts of visitors on our beaches, neighborhoods, and
open space. To further protect our small town charm from developments no one wants,
I championed stronger rules on building height, mass, and scale. These are all “our”
accomplishments because I have spent four wonderful years out in the community,
meeting people, listening to their concerns, and sharing ideas. The biggest lesson I
have learned is that we all want to protect what is unique about our hometown and
make it better. With your support, that’s the work I pledge to keep doing during my
second term on your City Council.