Alarmed by a Potential Precedent

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Editor:

Who is in favor of a Walmart-like structure, 36 feet tall, 250 feet long, with over 30,000 square feet of live/work space, set back 45 square feet from Laguna Canyon Road, which blocks the views of hillsides and ridge lines, obscuring our rural scenic highway?

Who supports this proposed “flood gate,” which has fostered the discussion of proposals for a parking lot structure, and a 36-foot-high, 100,000 square foot storage facility at Big Bend, and permanent 40-bed housing for the homeless, near the Dog Park?

Who supports a structure which offers low-income housing to a segment of the population, solely because of their chosen profession, and career path.

Is this truly a Democratic principle to which we aspire? Isn’t this a form of discrimination? Why not offer low-income housing to those in other professions as well, whose “cache” compliments our image of Laguna Beach and its residents?….say, surfers?

I sympathize with all of the above, and their need for affordable housing in our beautiful village. But are huge structures, totally out of context with a rural canyon setting, the answer? Or is this merely the first question, the first plan, the first step in the invasion by developers, with lots in the canyon up for grabs to the highest bidders?

Who can say with any degree of certainty this first mega-structure won’t set the stage for 40-foot-tall, and 50-foot tall buildings, condominiums, retail spaces? And what about issues of traffic and congestion? Do we really want to widen our rural canyon? Do we really want to open it up for development? All that is needed is for our elected City Council to vote yes for this to become a reality.

I live in town. I travel the Canyon. I do not want the beautiful ridgeline to be obstructed by those who wish to provide affordable housing only for eight fortunate artists.

Thirty live/work spaces are proposed. Only eight artists will benefit. Why not create a live/work space for only eight artists? Or is the live/work space intended for other uses, once established? Like a dormitory for LCAD?

I am alarmed at the thought.

Jahn Levitt, Laguna Beach

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