Letter: Laguna is a Diamond in the Rough

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Ideological fights are nothing new. Slogans such as “Save the Trestles”, “Save the Canyon” and “Save the Salt Creek” cave congealed into one of “Save yourself.” I recall one of my firsts. In 1965, Dana Point was going through a project billed as a small harbor. Lagunians Herbie Elke and Beach Roads Ron Drummond were the vanguard. Elke and Drummond were right: Harbor Rocks went from indicator rock to Boneyard.

Dana Point’s 21st century battle against overdevelopment was also lost.

The early 70’s brought the concept of a Green Belt. County jurisprudence quickly fell upon South Laguna. Starting with the abscess of Blue Lagoon to Table Rock to the enormous building shutting off T-Bay. How long did this take? Not long.

At the top of Nyes Street, Orange County lines were prevalent. Sitting on top of North Laguna was the Irvine Co.’s land. Soil issues left it undeveloped

Can you imagine driving up Poplar Street over the hill and into Irvine?

Despite all the wonderful people and healthy attributes of Irvine, driving up such a road would be hateful to Lagunians.

Nice guy Howard Dawson would tell me the canyon needed a golf course and several hotels. The city floating bonds to buy Main Beach was also an insane deal.

Recall those TV car commercials of driving on empty, rolling, scenic roads? El Toro Road and Moulton used to look like that.

We need houses to live in and offices to work but without hard-nosed building ordinances and beauty gone unrecognized it is an obvious mess. Laguna is losing her beaches. Suggestion, with your business acumen, build an artificial surf break on El Toro Marine Base and a skimboard beach.

Addressing Mr. Blake’s vitriol. He’s a tough guy. I have an old friend, a Vietnam vet. He offered up an old surfboard for Mr. Blake to paddle into the channel.

In a county with over three million people, to the south of us, we have Three Arch and north Emerald Bay, whose fortress homes are just feet apart.

Laguna is truly a diamond in the rough. Think what the county would look like with Lagunas building ordinances. Her fate is left to the many folks who set down roots here, started families and love the place. Her future is not to be left to dilettantes.

Greg Taylor, Laguna Beach

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