I wonder if Laguna Beach voters are aware of the unwanted intrusions by state, regional and county agencies and regulations in their lives.
Examples: the Coastal Commission has effective control over parking. This means the city is unable to greatly increase parking fees or to institute parking regulations to provide for area resident permit parking. The Coastal Commission also has control over many other aspects of Laguna land use including public buildings and parks. Dealing with the Coastal Commission is an ongoing series of issues, negotiations, and hassles.
Southern California Association of Governments is responsible for setting quotas and making policy for RHNA [Regional Housing Needs Allocation]. Under RHNA, Laguna will be forced to provide additional units [apartments, duplexes, fourplexes]. Laguna does not have the land to meet our allocation of units. Challenging and negotiating these will be critical to quality of life in Laguna.
If enacted into law, Senate Bill 50 would have eliminated single family zoning in California. This means that Laguna would have no local land and building control.
There won’t be a Design Review Board or Planning commission. Anyone will be able to build multifamily housing anywhere, including next to you. SB 50 almost was enacted into law this last legislative session. The City will have to negotiate and interpret the law to minimize its effects on the City.
Cal Trans owns and is responsible for highways to and through Laguna Beach. There are constant hassles and issues with Cal Trans. Remember the monster road warning sign installed on Laguna Canyon road without input of the city? Do we want another?
All of the above agencies and laws are bad actors as far as their outsized impacts on quality of life in Laguna.
Larry Nokes is a land use attorney and has dealt with all of the above issues and agencies, as well as Laguna land use issues and policy.
Larry should be one of the voters’ choices for city council.
George Orff, Laguna Beach
