Editor,
The Ranch at Laguna Beach, formerly Aliso Creek Inn, is in the midst of an environmentally sensitive restoration project that was appealed to the California Coastal Commission.
Resolution of this type of appeal can take months or years. It could force unwarranted long-term delays or literally stop the sale, renovation or construction of any property near the ocean and any mapped watercourse or open space. As such, The Laguna Board of Realtors officially lends its support to The Ranch at Laguna Beach restoration project.
In our opinion The Ranch Restoration restores a decades- neglected property, while incorporating modern functionality required by both the building/safety code and guests of any similar facility. When touring the property we observed, discussed and learned the following: This restoration project is not building a new resort, but rather is restoring the original hotel buildings in original building footprints. The appealed portion of work was unanimously approved by the Planning Commission and entails an 11,000 plus-feet reduction in the structures. This restoration project voluntarily converts the hotel landscape irrigation to recycled water, using drought tolerant and native plants. It accomplishes a variety of long-overdue landscape and grounds maintenance projects under the supervision of ecologists.
We believe this project deserves the Laguna Beach community’s help and support. It has been enthusiastically supported by several Laguna Beach organizations including Schoolpower, Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Ocean Foundation, One World/One Ocean, Pacific Marine Mammal Center, The Ocean Institute, Laguna Plein Air Painters Association and others.
The Directors of the Laguna Board of Realtors Affiliates and our members support the restoration project at The Ranch at Laguna Beach.
On behalf of the 2014 Board of Directors,
Suzanne Taylor, President
Research provided by: Gary Boisen, Director
