The rhetoric involving Village Laguna in the local press these past few weeks may have left some people wondering what the organization is up to. Village Laguna is not involved in the CEQA lawsuit with regard to the Kirbys’ home at 369 Hawthorne. We spoke against the approval of the project when it was appealed by a neighbor to the City Council. We objected to its inconsistency with the City’s commitments with regard to modifications of buildings on the Historic Register.
The City Council is responsible for the attachment to that approval of a condition holding the homeowners responsible for the litigation costs of defending the City Council’s approval. The City has recently waived that condition.
The only lawsuit Village Laguna is associated with is the CEQA lawsuit challenging the approval of the City’s revised historic preservation ordinance, and a favorable outcome of that suit would result in a revised ordinance that better protects the community’s historic resources and makes it easier and less costly for property owners to maintain and improve their historic properties.
Working together, we can both preserve our historic resources and meet the needs of today’s young families.
Verna Rollinger
Former City Clerk and City Councilmember
Board Member of Village Laguna
Member of the Historic Preservation Coalition
