“I’m pleasantly surprised we will be moving forward with the initiative,” said local resident Paul Merritt, describing the outcome of a discussion this week with the city attorney. Once City Attorney Phil Kohn settles on the language, the intended ballot measure over the downtown parking garage and park must be published and signatures collected from […]
An attempt to clarify the murky status of a list of mature South Laguna trees culminated with the City Council deciding Tuesday against extending to them the city’s special heritage designation, which confers certain preservation protections. The 3-1 vote, with Council member Toni Iseman dissenting and Mayor Pro Tem Elizabeth Pearson absent, dashed the hopes […]
Editor, Downtown congestion! A constant theme of recent letters to local newspapers. And it’s true! It can take more than 20 minutes to drive from the top of the Third Street hill to Broadway Street. It should be clear to all (and that means you, too, City Council) that we need fewer cars in town. […]
We’re not even in the top 14 happiest places nationwide, according to a University of Vermont study that correlated cities across the country with the numbers of positive and negative words in millions of tweets. San Clemente is among California’s seven happiest cities, but not Laguna Beach. What does San Clemente have that we […]
By Justin Swanson | LB Indy Laguna Beach’s police department intends to continue its foot patrols of downtown streets and study the effect of the increased police presence since April, the police chief informed the City Council on Tuesday. The re-deployment of patrol officers to downtown, however, drew the rebuke of the police union president, […]
A proposed referendum to allow Laguna Beach residents to vote on the controversial $43 million downtown village entrance project has missed the election code deadline, according to the city attorney. Local resident Paul Merritt disclosed his intention to circulate petitions in support of a proposed ballot initiative entitled “Let Laguna Vote” at Tuesday’s City Council […]
Editor: At this point it’s apparent that many Lagunans are opposed to and or have serious reservations regarding our City Council’s village entrance plan. Their concerns relate not only to money (shouldn’t $65 million buy more than 200 parking places and a small park? Will the project solve our downtown parking problem?) but also to […]
Editor, I’ve been reading the letters-to-the-editor some for and many against the village entrance project. I’m wondering who the project will really benefit most? Surely not the residents. By choosing to finance the majority of the cost of the $55 million plus interest with a revenue bond, the City Council is able to bypass the […]
Editor, Although the economic downturn hurt our city as it did all government agencies, Laguna’s current financial situation has stabilized. Per the latest budget, we have about $22 million in the bank (albeit mostly earmarked for contingencies, maintenance, and specific capital projects), no long-term debt, and a positive cash flow projected for the next two […]
After months of hearings, a draft of proposed new rules to resolve view disputes – a process raising fractious questions over community aesthetics as well as high-price home values – was submitted for review to staff last month and was posted Tuesday on the city’s web site. Staff will meet next week with the city […]
Critics continue to air objections to a plan approved by elected officials in June to develop a $42 million village entrance park and parking structure long sought for downtown. At last week’s City Council meeting, among eight people raising an array of concerns, resident Alan Boinus voiced his about potential contaminants in the soil at […]
Editor: On June 11, in a packed City Hall meeting devoted to the proposed village entrance, three City Council members voted to strip $15 million from the city’s general, parking, and sewer funds and put residents in debt for more than 25 years. Many residents, such as I, were at this meeting to propose that […]
“I am in remission,” Mayor Kelly Boyd proclaimed Tuesday, receiving rousing applause from the crowd of 60 present at the City Council meeting. A very different ambiance pervaded the same room five months earlier when Boyd first confirmed that he was battling multiple myeloma, a form of cancer that affects the plasma cells, a type […]
City Council Opens Personnel Board Positions The City Council of Laguna Beach is currently accepting applications to serve on the city’s Personnel Board. The board hears appeals relative to any disciplinary action, dismissal, demotion, and reduction in pay or suspension. It consists of three members who serve two-year terms that begin on Oct. 1 of […]
City employees will for the first time contribute to their own retirement benefits, under a three-year agreement covering salaries and benefits between the Municipal Employees’ Association and city that the City Council approved last Friday. The pact was effective July 1. The new contract covering 106 workers, coupled with adjustments to salary and benefits for […]
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