Editor,
The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) hosted the Active Transportation Forum last Friday, Oct. 14. OC agencies share a common mission: to prepare our county planning documents to qualify for state and federal funding for mobility infrastructure. That means if their planning documents are not in order, they cannot compete for funding. In 2016 there was $79 million available in federal CMAQ grant money up for grabs yet our Laguna Beach Circulation Element was updated once in the last 42 years.
Westminster Councilwoman Diana Carey showed the audience six essential preparations her city used to qualify for funding, Laguna hasn’t prepared any of them.
Other OC communities are struggling to meet ever-increasing vehicular traffic, so the Metropolitan Planning Organization and SCAG are cooperating to redesign urban settings from cars back to livable environments for people using active transportation.
Speaker Hasan Ikhrata, executive director of SCAG, had advice for city institutions. When hiring planning consultants, Hasan said “provide choices, don’t direct options,” which means ask consultants for best design choices, don’t specify the requirements to win the job.
For example, to update the Laguna Beach Downtown Specific Plan the hired consultant will read these instructions: Balance the need to preserve the existing village character and pedestrian orientation with the objective to accommodate the traffic and parking demands generated by tourists.
Wha? That’s like asking to preserve our pedestrian orientation but hide the parking garage.
Our city sells the illusion that if we get the parking just right our traffic congestion problems go away; if we hire the right expert they can work this out. Instead Laguna should hire consultants for demonstrated best practices not for options the city manager prescribes. If our city council cannot exercise oversight on behalf of residents then it’s time for new leadership from a councilperson who gets it.
Judie Mancuso listens to consultants. She knows the difference between compensating for expert advice and paying for a jobs program.
Our keynote speaker was founder Daniel Iacofano of MIG Consulting. Yes, that MIG. Daniel explained a benefit of active transportation is real estate value capture: to revitalize any business district and raise property value, simply reduce automobile and increase walk-in traffic. Parklets done right are a means of creating community space that people are drawn to, hence walk-in traffic.
Caltrans, OCTA and SoCal cities shared good company at the event. Our city wasn’t represented.
Les Miklosy, Laguna Beach
Mr Milosky,
I was under the impression the city already has their fair amount of federal government funding and the transit system here is a model example that is used for other cities to follow.
I believe the city would be first in line if there were additional funding for parking garages. Mr Milosky do you actually use the transit system here? If you do , then I suggest you ask the drivers.