When this letter publishes, the Planning Commission will have held a Nov. 4 meeting on the Las Brisas parking lot tent to discuss extending their “temporary permit” until September 2021.
Cliff Drive homeowners who have to look at the tent for the past six months are struggling with how to support our community while losing our view being stuck at home during the pandemic.
It would be easy to focus on how it devalues our property, how inequitable it is that they put it up initially without permission, and how it seems residents have no recourse given how they’re using COVID-19 as a shield to get whatever they want.
But what is most disheartening is how Las Brisas has handled the situation. When Urth Cafe came into our neighborhood, they made an effort to consider the community. The owners seemed to actually care. They at least tried and listened.
How Las Brisas put this tent up without a temporary permit, somehow got one in the dead of night and is now asking to extend it for a year while acting like they don’t know (or don’t care) how a two-story tent is impacting their neighbors is a disgraceful business practice quite frankly. It shows they care more about the tourists who eat there and not the community that actually supports them. They shouldn’t be rewarded for it.
This town continually talks about how they don’t want big corporations “ruining” it. Well guess what? Las Brisas Corporation Inc. is doing just that to Cliff Drive when they could better utilize and get creative with the patio on the other side of their building. Somehow they’re exempt because they’re considered an “institution” and they seem to know they’re untouchable. At least on the surface that’s how it seems. They haven’t exactly been cordial when talking to them directly.
Local papers feature outraged residents on this issue constantly. It usually turns out to be a no-win situation given how some people become so entitled based on what they pay to live here. This is a very difficult situation for the City. But it’s infuriating to think there’s an ordinance for umbrella heights because the City wants all tourists to enjoy the beach equally, but there’s nothing in place protecting residents from businesses being shady and using loopholes without it turning into a big old fat mess. Las Brisas’ approach of act now and beg for forgiveness later is unacceptable. The City somehow should at least acknowledge that part of it.
Lisa Murray, Laguna Beach
