Can someone please explain to me why Mo Honarkar’s multitude of high-intensity, character-changing hotel, retail, and restaurant projects are eligible for “fast track” status, while other Laguna Beach property owners must wait in the queue for their plans to be reviewed and ultimately approved? After almost a year in the planning pipeline, on May 9 my wife and I received approval from Design Review to undertake a 157 square foot addition to our home. Our project involves no variances, no height issues, and no neighbor concerns. We are now informed that it will likely be late November before city staff will issue a building permit due to the time required to review final drawings and structural engineer calculations.
What is the rationale for allowing Mr. Honarkar to advance to the front of the line? I urged the City Council on Tuesday to reject any special treatment, two-tiered process for separately evaluating and approving big money projects. As proposed, our residential remodel will affect no one but ourselves; Mr. Honarkar’s oversize projects will forever change the character of our town.
Randy Lewis, Laguna Beach
So you finally got approval on May 9th . So now you have to wait 6 months for something that can be done in a few hours! The bureaucracy in this town is out of control. 157 s.f. is 12ft.x 13ft. ! in the early 30’s the Hotel Laguna was built in 6 months . Residents are afraid to question the bureaucrats. Just obey like sheep. Speak up ,these people work us! Homeowners wants should be the priority ! The fees for everything building related just keep going up! Wake up!
Respect the Past, Embrace the Future!