My name is Blake. I am a proud Laguna Beach resident. I purchased the Laguna Beach Inn at 2020 South Coast HWY in September 2020. Measure Q is a major setback to all business owners – not just developers. Measures R & S will hurt the hoteliers specifically. Business owners and developers, like myself, are not the enemy. Our efforts contribute to the charm of this quaint city.
When I purchased the Laguna Beach Inn, it was in poor condition. Faulty electrical wiring, a leaking roof, rodents, and plumbing issues were just a few of the many problems. When we tried operating the hotel, we could rarely charge more than $125/night because the condition was so bad. We could not command more rate without a full renovation that included a nice guest room and lobby. Compare this to the $600/night for Surf and Sand and $900/night for Montage. At such low rates, we were attracting prostitutes and drug dealers. The hotel and its operation were not contributing positively to the surrounding neighborhood or the city.
We closed the hotel in January 2021 as we were expecting an over-the-counter permit to be granted. Construction was to commence that winter. Unfortunately, we did not receive the permit until April 2022. We waited several months for the fire department to approve plans on top of that. It has been a slow, frustrating, and expensive process getting simple renovation plans through the city.
If you want great business owners to invest in Laguna Beach, the city needs to make the process easier for businesses to compete. Most “mom & pop” businesses can’t afford to spend $100,000 to get their improvement plan on the ballot. Winning 51 percent of the votes of all Laguna Beach residents is even harder considering maybe 50 percent (give or take) of the vote. The deck is stacked against us with Measure Q. A new “special approval process” on top just sends me over the edge. Not everyone needs to vote on every single construction project. Rather, people need to vote for the council members that approve these projects.
My wish is for the city to be appropriately staffed, and organized, and get staff back to work. It’s silly for anyone to have to wait years for a permit while city workers are off every other Friday.
Blake Marriott, Laguna Beach
