Editor, I strongly support the City’s recent attempt to strengthen the View ordinance, as announced in your paper (“Council Sets Sights on View Ordinance,” Jan. 18). At the same time, I think the city administration needs to get behind it and begin to support its intent. It often does not. Last fall my neighbor lost a third of his white-water [...]
Editor, This is an open letter, or more of a note, to the Design Review Board, and the city in general. As many of my friends and acquaintances know, my legal practice is restricted to Laguna Beach and I make my living mostly in connection with Design Review projects. As a result I receive seasons’ greeting [...]
By Robin Zur Schmiede Recently, Laguna Beach locals have been reminiscing in print about infamous Design Review Board experiences. Residents and visitors alike might wonder if these stories are the norm for a Design Review decision today. They are not. In the past few years, the Design Review process has greatly improved as a result [...]
A Night at Design Review “When I am dead, I hope it is said, “His sins were scarlet, but his columns were read.” –with apologies to Hillaire Belloc One of the pleasures of living in Laguna is greeting friends and acquaintances whilst walking, shopping, or gossiping during happy hour(s) at myriad venues. Conversations invariably move [...]
Amazing Stories “Only Make Believe,” the Pageant of the Masters presentation this year, included a series of art covers from the 1930s science fiction magazine “Amazing Stories.” That set off a whole link of community history tidbits floating through my mind. It turns out that one of the Laguna Beach and South Laguna community leaders, [...]
Design Review Heroes Do you remember the “white house” controversy? The city debate on off-white vs. white paint for a design-reviewed house became fodder for talk radio. Or when the county newspapers published photos of Design Review Board members’ homes and compared them to the houses they were critiquing. How about when a board [...]
Let’em Play with the Big Kids By Ann Christoph Is there a little kids playground at City Hall? Are some of the players puttering around in the sandbox while the rest are in the big leagues, getting respect and being on television? I think yes, the city committees may be in the sandbox category, if [...]
Three seated Design Review Board members were re-appointed to the board and one incumbent let go in paper balloting by the City Council on Tuesday. Retired realtor Ilse Lenschow, residential design engineer Ken Sadler and former Newport Beach city attorney Robin Zur Schmiede will continue as members of the panel, which reviews building plans [...]
Police Use Taser to Subdue Assault Suspect
An assault involving three men escalated into a struggle with Laguna Beach police, who ultimately deployed a taser twice to subdue the younger combative suspect in the 300 block of Cozumel around 1:15 a.m. Friday, May 10, police said. Police ultimately arrested Laguna Beach resident Sergio Gabriel Borgognone, 51, for allegedly resisting arrest and his [...]
