Editor,
When you reduce the proposed village entrance project down to its essence, what you have is a parking garage camouflaged by trees that will be used some 10 weeks out of the year and a park of questionable usage being along side noisy, Laguna Canyon Road. And, it only adds 200 net parking spaces in town. At the cost of $50 million plus interest and a 25 year bond, one would think that something more creative could be done with that much money.
Other suggestions have been to build a series of artist studios that would look very appropriate given our art colony reputation; build attractive condominiums against the hill in partnership with a contractor who would share the cost; or have a contest for the local creative community to see how they might make the entrance more attractive. I can’t believe we haven’t approached that community before. At a minimum, we could underground the wires on Canyon Road, take down the poles and add a second outbound lane, which would benefit every person in town while improving the entry into town.
So far the Council majority won’t allow a vote by we citizens on proceeding with their project, a tradition in Laguna on all previous major expenditures like the Canyon Greenbelt and converting the trailer park into what is now Montage.
Council, let us citizens vote. Why are you so reluctant?
John Selecky, Laguna Beach
