By Paul Freeman
Editor’s Note: Freeman released a somewhat lengthier version of what runs below this past Monday. On Wednesday, the city announced it was shutting down all work at Hotel Laguna.
I am not an alarmist. I am sounding the alarm. Laguna Beach has allowed Mohammad Honarkar to keep working on multiple properties, including obviously to intensify use. Maybe he has good ideas; I doubt it. That is not the point. His ongoing work has continued with no proper plans, permits, comprehensive program, or public input.
It gets worse. One example — some ground floor interior walls at Hotel Laguna are gone. Actually knowledgeable people are concerned. The city manager assures us, staff is working with the applicant to obtain after-the-fact permits. Commendations!
The City by actions and inaction has enabled Honarkar to jeopardize prospects for the National Register, which has commercial value and ensures a righteous restoration. We can only hope Honarkar has not jeopardized the hotel’s structural integrity.
The first order of business is to shut Honarkar down. There is a California Coastal Commission hearing May 12. The staff recommendation is to do what the City should have done, not merely along the Coast but everywhere: shut Honarkar down.
The second order of business is for the City to retain outside forensic resources to inspect every one of his properties. The public has the right to know the full extent of the damage he has done. There is no reason to trust that city managers and leaders have the capacity to do this. City officials were provided with evidence to support all the claims made above. After weeks of waiting, after the obligatory Zoom meeting and a series of redundant discussions, they have done next to nothing.
Small fries in Laguna can be put through the ringer while big dogs sometimes get to run wild. This is what frosts me the most. But even more generally, like cases are not treated alike, which is the single best measure of an equitable process. I know of a homeowner with a project devoid of variances who was asked to do an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). I know of an expanded commercial use in sensitive habitat that somehow needed no EIR. I know of one old hotel proposing more food and beverage uses that needed many public hearings. I know of another hotel with non-permitted expansion of food and beverage uses that has circumvented any public process, namely Hotel Laguna.
Evidence supporting my claims, because it was presented to city officials, is now obtainable public information. Digital files allow for 360 degree views from discrete points inside structures. Viewed alongside photographs that also provided, these files show that Honarkar may have fraudulently misrepresented non-permitted changes made recently to be “as-builts” in seeking permits for more new work. Evidence shows that work done subsequent to the issuance of recent permits goes beyond what is allowed by those permits. Evidence shows that he has illegally moved certain structures oceanward of the hotel.
Hotel Laguna is in the Downtown Specific Plan Area where all projects must go to planning. Yet consider the additional following particulars describing recent work at the hotel. The ground floor bar room was made larger by removing an interior wall and this area reconstructed to expand service to the outdoor patio. A room once used for community meetings was converted to a sushi bar. The room in the basement used for small gatherings was converted into a beach bar for a private beach club and also the beach-going public. The main level offices and retail spaces were demolished. For what? Who knows.
Early on, for roughly three months, I was on what Honarkar called his “dream team” that became a nightmare when he refused anyone’s advice, on anything. But this is not sour grapes — it is an understatement. In retrospect, perhaps I was unduly romantic about the prospects when, with Honarkar’s blessing, I pledged projects free of variances; pledged Hotel Laguna would be on the National Register; pledged extending Main Beach Park up to Legion; pledged that projects would be LEED-certified, a measure of sustainability. Shame on him for the misdirection play. Shame on me for buying into it, for a while. Shame on the public for focusing mostly on what they do not want and, per usual, precious little on what they do want. Shame on the City for getting played by Honarkar and in the process effectively betraying the public trust.
I no longer reside in Laguna. I still care about it. In any case I no longer in good conscience could sit idly by and watch this clown show continue. Now I can only hope, with the benefit of more public awareness, that Honarkar gets shut down for good, city managers and leaders are held to account, and bad does not get any worse.
Paul Freeman served two terms on City Council, twice serving as mayor.
As I’m reading this article I’m thinking, so what! So what that room was turned into a sushi bar. So what the bar was expanded to indoor outdoor or whatever. So what! before you brought up that you worked for him I thought to myself this dude sounds like a disgruntled former employee. Please get a life of your own and stop the fear mongering
Typical city and local wanna be preservations/communists. If you are sooo concerned about preservation etc, why allow a private person to purchase, take out loans, which by the way you must start paying immediately, only to hamstring him along until the city can milk him for fees, EI reports etc. Laguna Beach and any other lib city should buy these properties and maintain their alleged “historic” beauty. Then place homeless in there.
Typical
Thanks for stepping forward on this important issue, Paul. Time for the real dream team of MacGillvray, Hanauer, and Ray (Walkie) to restore what should have rightfully been their project to begin with. We’d have no better stewards than seasoned local developers and visionaries who share one goal – to get this crown jewel opened, and create more public space for all of us to enjoy for generations. I hope they still have a taste for it!
Excellent article by Paul Freeman! He presented a balanced and fair criticism of the take over of The historic Hotel Laguna and the gaps in the city of Laguna’s over site .. Hopefully , going forward the design review and other regulations will be adhered to. The Hotel Laguna’s historical authenticity is crucial to the character of downtown Laguna!
Many thanks to Mr. Freeman for stepping up to bring attention to an issue of great concern in our City. City government corruption. What he outlines about Mo Honarker and City management staff on this hotel renovation project is alarming. What happened to the City campaign promotion of “see something, say something? It appears that when locals actually practice this, they get discounted and blasted. Why does it take LB residents to get involved in major city projects to ensure they are done in accordance with our building codes and requirements? Our city management staff get paid extremely well. Why can’t they do their jobs?
Hello everyone,
My name is Mohammad I am monitoring the situation and will say what I know about the Mohammad Honarkar whenever the time is right.
Believe me is going to be very interesting stuff.
Hi, It’s MBM.
(MBM is short for Mohammad B Mardeban)
As much as I hate to use this sentence in my life, specially to use it as a title for one of my writing, but the justice & truth doesn’t leave me any other choice but to use it.
( THE MASTER OF DECEPTION )
I like to assure Honorable Mr, Paul freeman that I am very soon going to wake this sleepy JACKAL up after thirty five long years.
I am going to reveal to the residents of Laguna Beach, and or for that matter to reveal to the people of entire the world the ARSENE LUPIN of twenty-first century (the French fictional newspaper thieve in the early 1900) by the end of this coming Winter and or mid Spring by writing, a book of my life story.
as much as I know and as well as I know this character, I like to extend my admiration to Mr, Blake Alsbrook and Honorable Mr, Paul Freeman who’s got to know this character as well as they did in such a short time!
This character reminds me of An old Persian Poem which says,
ترحم بر شغال تيز دندان
ستم كارى بود بر گوسفندان
Pity to the sharp-toothed jackal.
Will be cruelty to the whole herd of sheep.
Pitying the shameless person like this coward who is willing to disobey his closest friend is disobedient to a handful of honorable people and the family and their wealth who they have worked so honestly and very hard for all their lives.
Just for public information, so far, I am not accusing anyone yet.
Sincerely yours.
MBM…
Gee Mohammed – you wouldn’t be Hasty Hanaker using an alias would you?? I can’t find any indication you are a real person. So. .. . you wouldn’t have an interest in this would you???? Frankly, unless you have any proof to the contrary, I think you are spreading false information.
Hi Michele, I meant, Please leave Pouran Moeini, Hasty and Nikki Honarker out of this. they have nothing to do with this.
MBM
Hi Michele, respectfully I don’t think I know you, but for your information I exactly know what I am doing.
And please leave Pouran Moeini And Hasty & Nikki Honarkar out of it, they had & have nothing to do with it.
Yours Sincerely
MBM
Michele, I get why you are confused by the posting. I’m also confused, baffled and intrigued by the MBM messages. It’s no secret that many locals use alias’s when posting comments here which I don’t agree with but it appears we have a city government and general public transparency issue. These folks know who they are and frankly so do we.
Can’t wait to hear why Laguna Beach residents would be interested in the “big reveal and interesting stuff” MBM is touting about Mr. Mohammad Honarker. Why the suspense?
Hello dear’s Michele & MJ Abraham.
Want to tell you that I really am Mohammad B Mardeban, MBM & a very real person and not using any alias’s name, so I wish you guys please stop questioning me and or posting any further comments in this regards.
Ever since all the Honarkar’s are here, I don’t see any reason to explain myself any further to anyone else.
I hope you guy’s got your answer, so please let go any confusion that my MBM caused you.
Your Friend
MBM
Hi Mrs, Mr, MJ Abraham.
The wait to reveal the “stuff” about Mr, Mohammad Honarkar is for me to finish the book I am writing…..
I hope you also got your answer now…..
Yours Sincerely
MBM
Hi, it’s MBM again.
MBM is short for,
Mohammad B. Mardeban.
It’s nearing mid-spring and I had promised you guys that I will have a book written about my *life story* by now.
The fact is that, because of a personal reason, I am not able to complete it, yet! But I will.
However, for me to put together a comprehensive, but short story about our friendship, it takes three months to complete.
I will say this briefly for now, which is only a drop of an ocean about him, it may open someone else’s eyes to the way he operates.
Remember? I said our friendship goes back to early 1988, when he and his brother-in-law (his wife’s brother) came to my office looking for a job, almost thirty-five years ago.
Their first daughter was just born shortly after we met, and now she is grown into a very beautiful young lady.
However, back in October 1987,
because of my excellent performance with * EXXON OIL COMPANY * in Houston TEXAS,
Among lots of Managers, I was the only one who was chosen to be transferred by EXXON Oil Company from Houston, Texas to Southern California to open and operate, the then-only Company Operated Retail Store on the west coast in the US, named Mission Viejo EXXON on the intersection of Santa Margarita PKWY and Los Alisos BLVD across from the Mission Viejo High School.
He was penniless, now he is talking Billions.
but I believe that his speaking of BILLIONS is to mislead some innocent people to trust him with their life savings to invest in his idea.
And that exactly is why I decided to step forward to stop someone else from losing big.
And that is all I can tell you about his personality for now.
Best Regards:
MBM