Editor,
After attending the council meeting last night and watching the presentation regarding the results of the community survey, I’m convinced these surveys and committees are a waste of time and our tax dollars.
This survey was directed entirely toward placing the blame of a catastrophe from fire, flood or earthquake on the utility poles. It blames the poles as the cause of our lack safety when evacuating and congestion when there is an emergency. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t remember the poles being a problem during the evacuation in the 1993 fires.
The property owners for the last 20 years have been undergrounding their neighborhoods on their own at their own expense to improve their views. The thought of creating a better “evacuation route” was not even considered. There were neighborhoods currently going through the process when they heard about this bond issue and learned their street was designated an “evacuation route”. Of course they stopped the process with the expectation that the rest of us will now be paying for their properties. Several property owners last night urged the council to extend the evacuation route to include their neighborhood so they can also benefit on free undergrounding.
This survey should have had a fourth option. The property owners should be required to pay their own undergrounding regardless of any arbitrary “evacuation routes”. Every street is an evacuation route in an emergencym depending on which direction the threat is coming from. Those of us that have already paid for our neighborhood shouldn’t be required to pay for those that haven’t.
All the time and money going out for this survey could have been better spent to possibly help offset the costs for the neighborhoods and canyon where there are larger poles.
FYI, this survey would have been free if they utilized Google Form or for a minimal charge with Survey Monkey. The council wasn’t happy with how the survey was conducted or the results and wants the panel to do another survey and report back in several months. Of course at an additional expense from our tax dollars.
Jill Cooper, Laguna Beach
Jill thank you for the intelligent and great thoughts on council meeting and survey…I have never seen a pole be the cause of not being able to leave your home, or causing any calamity , certainly not to any extent of making people pay forever millions and millions of dollars..the whole argument really makes no sense…anyway, hope your point is well taken.
I am in favor of city wide initiative to fund undergrounding poles and lines. To quote the facts as outlined by resident Tom Gibbs,
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Ask our fire chief, who spoke strongly in favor of the undergrounding initiative at the Feb. 6 City Council meeting. He knows that our city, surrounded by brush and canyon land, is one of the most vulnerable cities in California for a quick spreading wildfire, and that above ground utilities cause fires. If you need an example, take the Tubbs fire, which destroyed most homes in north Santa Rosa, caused by fallen power lines. Or take the Thomas fire, the largest wildfire in modern California history, which ravaged 440 square miles (281,893 acres) from Ventura to Santa Barbara. It also was caused by overhead utilities. These fires killed dozens and destroyed thousands of homes. Just ask!
Ask our police chief, who also spoke out at the Feb. 6 meeting. She knows the very real risks posed by the power lines. Our police protect us, and they do an awesome job. They are never more important than in crisis like fires, earthquakes, storms. But to save us in time of need, police must get to us. Downed power lines block access. I am sure you have seen the photos. Police know the importance of access for our protection, and that’s why they support undergrounding, particularly the major evacuation routes. Just ask!
Ask anyone who lost their home to a fire caused by downed power lines. I have. My sister-in-law lost her home in the Tubbs fire, lost everything. The loss is more than material; it’s memories, it’s momentous, it’s the emotional attachment that is home. Gone in an instant. Imagine that happening to you or your neighbor, suddenly having no home. Saying it won’t happen here, the chances are low, over-hyped, is some consolation if it does. Just ask!
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Every citizen in Laguna Beach should encourage a ballot initiative to allow safety to be the top community priority. A small sales tax increase, mainly subsidized by visitors, and a small property tax increase (most homes will be assessed less than $500 a year) will help us fund the main evacuation routes. Neighbors would fund their own district undergrounding, if they so choose. Much of the fire and evacuation devastation of the Sonoma and Ventura County fires was caused by lines. Many people were trapped, especially seniors, and suffered loss of life.
If we don’t make this small investment, we could be the next community devastated by the ravages of fire (just one of many disasters that could negatively affect LB.) Unfortunately, climate change is here; we now have Santa Ana winds many months of the year and drought conditions have caused dry brush and canyons surrounding Laguna Beach. We must work as a community to impact actions to keep our town residents safe and open for business.
I’m not sure how I missed this one. Rebecca Visconti you are very mistaken. First off Tom Gibbs has proven time and time again that he lost his ethics somewhere down road. He spouts off false fact after false fact over and over and over again. Read the ballot measure. I mean really read it. There are so many open ends. Get the real facts from people that have committed to researching this measure. It’s a money grab from our city pure and simple. Go to [email protected] and learn REAL FACTS. This is not good for Laguna Beach and again our city has pitted neighbor against neighbor. Sad!