The Kibitzer

3
695

There’s Something about Louis

By Billy Fried

Sculptor Louis Longi’s daughter, Isabella, was 7 years old in 2007, the year he purchased a one-acre parcel fronting Laguna Canyon Road to develop a multi-unit artist live/work complex. One could just imagine Louis holding “Bella” in his arms, gesturing across the land, and sharing his dream of a collaborative creative community of 30 artists, living and working together. Who could have imagined then that it would become a 12-year odyssey of soul crushing bureaucracy, opposition, and even corruption? Plus, a couple 100-year storms. The kind of disappointment and struggle that turns a lesser man into a raving, bitter fool.

Affordable housing for artists has been talked about for years in Laguna. It’s in the 1992 Downtown Specific Plan, and was subsequently adopted as an ordinance in 1997. Two decades later, it was central in this year’s City Council race. You’d think Louis would be feted for manifesting such a creative vision. Instead he was often vilified.

His first setback was the storm of 2010. Louis was three years in, working with architects and city planners on soil and traffic studies, hydrology, civil engineering, and building designs when the 100-year flood hit. His home and sculpture business were wiped out with 8 feet of mud. He had to go looking for money, and after an exhaustive search that nearly wiped him out, found angels in Marcella and Chris Dornin, who did it as a legacy project for the town they loved. Things were rolling again. The team did everything right to satisfy the neighbors, reducing the scale, impacts, and making unheard of creek mitigations. Louis believed the process made it better, and in January 2014, the Planning Commission agreed, approving the project. Woot woot.

But suddenly out of nowhere, angry accusations were flying that the trio were nothing more than rapacious profiteers, the project would ruin the adjacent habitat, create more congestion, disturb neighbors, and set off a boom in similar developments. So the anti-development cronies did what all Lagunans do when objecting to a decision their elected representatives make—appealed it to Coastal Commission. Coastal heard the appeal and, because it was environmentally sound, consistent with neighboring scale and use, and provided much needed affordable housing, denied it. Party time. Pop the bubbly.

But wait. Cork that bottle. The opposition found a loophole. They appealed again based on a technical violation—certain commissioners’ failure to disclose “exparte” (outside of hearings) meetings with Louis’ legal team. This was something Coastal was doing systemically, and had been ruthlessly exposed by LA Times columnist Steve Lopez. The appeal was filed at the right place at the right time, and Superior Court nullified the project. Busted, in more ways than one.

But not Louis. Fast forward to August 2017, when he got up to bat once more. And this time again, based on that pesky thing called merit, the project prevailed, by unanimous decision. One of the commissioners pronounced it so sound it “should be a model for other communities.” It was an ebullient and emotional close. Especially for Isabella, now 17, and a very promising artist herself. Father and daughter embraced tearfully.

Whoa, Nellie, the ever-constipated Coastal Commission managed to stall the permit over newly inserted conditions. Lawsuits followed. More money pissed away. And now, finally, a year and a half later, on the auspicious date of Jan. 11, Coastal abruptly awarded the permit after fears of going to trial.

Bam! After 12 torturous years, Louis, Isabella, and her children’s children will finally realize their longtime dream to live and create amongst fellow artists. Nothing can go wrong now, not even the second storm that hit last week and flooded the property again. Say what? Louis just shrugged. He’d been through worse, and the new construction will be set well off the ground.

How did Louis endure this, you wonder? His daughter grew into a lady and he never got a shovel in the ground, but he never doubted it would happen. Never lost faith. Stayed focused and upbeat – a lesson in perseverance for his child.

It’s Louis’ dogged conviction that he was doing something good. Ask any artist about live/work collaborative space. It’s where they want to be because its where the alchemy happens. Where bands and troupes and ensembles and babies are birthed. Imagine how good it feels to stand in the middle of that creative chaos if you are an artist yourself. And how great it will be for the creative fabric of our town.

Thank you Marcella, Chris and Louis. Nothing worth having is ever easy. Especially in Laguna. Make us all proud for your creative vision and commitment to our community.

 

Billy Fried hosts “Laguna Talks” on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. on KX93.5 and can be reached at [email protected].

 

 

Share this:

3 COMMENTS

  1. Billy: This information is absolutely incorrect. This is not my opinion. This is fact. What a shame. Now I can’t trust anything you write or say.

    The Indy: Please take down this incorrect post or post a correction containing the accurate facts.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here