Editor,
What has happened to our City Council? They are cutting all the trees down! What happened to informing the public about these changes?
What if the “view ordinance committee” gets their way? Then all the trees may be cut down, even in the public parks.
Two of the members of this view ordinance committee actually stated the law should be retroactive back to when, and I’m quoting them, “when God created the lots!” If this is a government appointed committee shouldn’t they remember they are a separation of church and state?
They want to change our city by adapting laws other cities have used and I’m insulted by this. Laguna Beach is well-known for its cottage homes with a twist of modern architecture with tree lined streets and tree grove neighborhoods, a unique artist colony that historically was homesteaded by families planting some of these trees.
Some of the public comments at the view ordinance meetings are from new home owners who have admitted they purchased their homes at a modest prices knowing the view was blocked by mature trees but hoped to bully the owners that have lived here for years that own the trees to cut their trees down or remove them all together.
Some of these people won’t even accept a lacing or trimming of the trees. Yes, everyone needs to maintain their trees and landscapes. Yes, we need to respect our neighbors, but if you wanted an unobstructed view you should have bought your home with an unobstructed view at a premium price and did your homework before the purchase.
Liza Stewart, Laguna Beach
The sad truth is most homeowners did buy a home with a view and now
it is gone, thus the reason for the VE Committee and an fair
equitable and enforceable view preservation and restoration ordinance.
This is not about slash and cut all, just need neighbors to work together to reconstruct a blocked view.
If you support such an effort as the VE committee check out http://www.lagunaviews.net.