Editor,
A letter writer, who wrote about the plan to create way finding signs, incorrectly stated, “In mid-2016, a subcommittee member said the signage program would have a budget of $250,000 to $750,000.” I spent a good deal of time trying to find out who said this, and what actually was said, and every person I spoke to (on the steering committee, on the City Council, and on the Chamber of Commerce) disagreed that this was an accurate statement of the cost. In fact, I even contacted the alleged source of this number, and he too said that it was ridiculous and false. I would like to see people in Laguna Beach be more careful when they make statements like this as it doesn’t help when having a logical debate.
I am for the way finding signs, because I believe they will help residents. I watched the Planning Commission meeting and noted what the benefits were: improving pedestrian circulation, reducing congestion of vehicular traffic, offering directional signs, getting people out of their cars and converting them into pedestrians, replacing beach access signs, informing people about smaller economic districts, improving transit stop signs, creating pedestrian signs to keep people walking, and encouraging use of public transportation.
I think all of these things would be good for residents. For me, getting tourists to stop clumping at Forest and Coast Highway, and possibly helping out the dead retail zones south of Legion Street would also be a benefit.
The letter writer suggested that a mobile app is all we need, but every single one of those people who are clumping at Forest has a smart phone and its obviously not helping. Furthermore, it was reported in the meeting that the number one mode of transportation for Laguna Beach tourists is walking. I think we should try the signs in a pilot program as suggested and see if it works to get people moving to other spots.
Susan Elliott, Laguna Beach
