Letter: Please Stop Harassing the Kirby Family

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The Kirby Family has been under attack for wanting to restore their beloved historic home at 369 Hawthorne Road. The litigators, whether directly or indirectly, are the Laguna Beach Historic Preservation Coalition, the Historic Architecture Alliance, and the leadership of Village Laguna. Because these litigious groups have refused to reach a compromise with the Kirbys, they are headed to court in the Fall. So after four years, and after being approved on every single requirement by various city bodies, including unanimous approval by City Council, construction is (best case) another year away.

To add insult to injury, the Kirbys have now received, anonymously, a hate letter. The letter is mean spirited, slanderous, pejorative and downright vile. It has disgusting language, false accusations and negative parenting advice. I ask you—what kind of a person would write something so hurtful to a neighbor over an old house that they are trying to preserve? I never thought I would see the day that Laguna Beach citizens would choose to attack their neighbors like this and in so cowardly a manner.

But wait, there’s more. About a year ago, the Kirbys put up a playhouse for their two little girls. It is in the far corner of their front yard and matches the look of their main house. Recently, amidst the negative publicity that the aforementioned groups received about their suit against the Kirbys, an “anonymous” person made a complaint that the playhouse is not in spec. To be clear, the playhouse is actually well within the guidelines set forth in the City Code. But because an “anonymous” person lodged a complaint about it, the Kirbys have been required to have plans drawn up by an architect and must go through an administrative review process. 

These actions against the Kirbys amount to unequivocal harassment and are most likely perpetrated by the same anonymous person. Is this person part of the Laguna Beach Historic Preservation Coalition? Are they a member of the Historic Architecture Alliance or Village Laguna? We can’t know for sure, but what we do know is that they have chosen to remain in the shadows of anonymity and cowardice. 

This behavior is 100% unacceptable. It’s the exact opposite of that which Laguna Beach idealizes itself as: a community-minded town.

We need to do better. I ask in earnestness, please stop harassing the Kirbys.

Mary Williams

Co-Founder, Laguna Neighbors

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