Blame Game
Indy columnist Michael Ray has a long, positive history with Councilmember Peter Blake and recently wrote a piece defending him.
In order to defend Blake, it is not necessary for Mr. Ray to malign others. He could just say why he thinks Peter Blake is a good person and councilmember.
Instead, he bases his support of Blake on a shared distorted view of Village Laguna, a group he apparently loves to hate.
Village Laguna is a volunteer organization that is dedicated to preserve and enhance Laguna Beach’s village character. Blake and Ray may not agree that that is important, but most of us who have decided to continue to make Laguna Beach our home value the special qualities that make our town unique and delightful—often termed “village character.”
Sometimes to preserve and enhance village character Village Laguna points out to decision-makers when a proposed project would diminish or harm that character. Village Laguna seeks other solutions—not harm to applicants as Ray implies.
The Blake application in 2001 that Ray cites in his column is an example. Fetneh Blake applied to remodel the building at 427 N. Coast Highway for her women’s fashion business. City online files show that her architect, Anders Lasater of Mark Singer’s office, proposed to modernize part of a 1920s motor court building and remove an archway connecting the store to the adjacent store, Laguna Print.
They filed an application on March 14, 2001. A Design Review hearing was scheduled on April 4 and was held on May 10. At that meeting, several pages of petitions objecting to the remodel were submitted as well as letters from Village Laguna, the Laguna Beach Historical Society and Laguna Print. The Historical Society letter states, “(the building) is one of the more charming examples of Laguna’s old “motor courts” originally built to provide housing for tourists. The existing façade provides not only a link to Laguna’s past and history, but makes the two commercial uses visually pleasing and provides an arch to the inner court yard. The design is charming and is the type of architecture people visit Laguna Beach to experience.”
The Board agreed with the public comment and objected to the proposed changes. The Board continued the meeting to June 14, when the applicant requested a continuance to June 28. At that meeting Lasater wrote, “We no longer wish to remove the arch or change the lines of the existing building in any way. Instead, we proposed to restore the front of the building and maintain the art deco styling of the facade.”
The Design Review Board unanimously approved the revised project. There was no appeal and the city wrote a Design Review approval letter on July 5, 2001. An approval in a little over three months—hardly “more than a year longer than necessary” as stated in Ray’s column.
The revised/restored design apparently functioned just fine for the clothing store as the business was operated there for 18 years, and only recently relocated to Crystal Cove. Had the Blake’s part of the building been modernized to suit the design ideas of that particular business, historic character of the complex would have been lost. Thanks to the input of many members of the public, the Heritage Committee, the Historic Society, and Village Laguna, the historic character of the building was retained. It continues to tell the story of how Laguna Beach responded to the needs of the influx of motorists on Coast Highway after it was constructed in 1926—while continuing to provide a viable location for local business.
Ray says that this public input to save Laguna’s environment is “bullying” and speculates that it has cost hundreds of millions of dollars to unsuspecting applicants. What has cost continuing frustration and dollars is the seemingly unreasonably long permit process at City Hall. The three-week staff review prior to qualify for scheduling for Design Review that the Blakes experienced in 2001 is rare today—most reviews take much longer. Start to finish, Blake’s review took less than four months. Somehow, Village Laguna is not only blamed by Ray and others for all public testimony questioning applicants’ proposals—but is also blamed for these delays. It is within the power of our Council, Mr. Blake included—not Village Laguna—to improve these processes at City Hall.
Public input to protect Laguna’s environment is our civic duty. Laguna Beach is a treasure, we must conscientiously decide how to shape our future, considering today’s needs while we respect our past, and the beautiful setting we have inherited.
Rather than harsh words, personal accusations, and instructions from Blake that people whose comments he doesn’t agree with should “step aside” and let others take the town in a different direction, let’s see if we can solve our problems in a cooperative spirit. We all have something to contribute to sustaining Laguna as the town we love.
Ann Christoph is a landscape architect and former mayor and member of the City Council.
Thank you Ann for taking the time to research and explain the truth of what happened to the Blake remodel. It is shameful that people use their opinions as facts and the truth is ignored in justification of a point of view. The “whole world” voicing their opinions contrary to those of Blake is not Village Laguna and to continue to use that organization as a whipping post is ludicrous, unless you need a rallying cry, a scapegoat on which to focus all your vitriol and hatred. That is what Blake is doing. Mendacity has no place in a civil discourse.
Once again, thank you Ann. Your article seems clear to me of the process of last 2001and how much that process has changed today. Thank you for holding the focus to an easier time to gain a permit right here in Laguna. Thank you for holding the focus to what so many of us want here in Laguna, which is to preserve our historical characters while including the new.
I went through grade school with the granddaughter who’s grandfather built this motor court. I am so intrigued with this early 1920s real live history and how this court evolved and thrived through the depression and then on to today. The daughter of the original builder was friends and weavers with my grandmother. Both had booths for years at the Festival of Arts.
This is what I have watched Village Laguna stand up for time and again at our council meetings. These volunteers seem to me to be our voice. Thank you for highlighting these facts Ann, it’s much appreciated.
Thank you Ann for speaking Truth to Power.
Laguna Beach IS a treasure. And its residents like Ann Christoph, Joanna Felder, Verna Rollinger, Barbara Metzger and so many others, both now and those that came before them, are what makes Laguna Beach so great.
In a common cause, they have dedicated their lives to recognizing and preserving the unique “Village Character” that makes Laguna Beach both one of the most wonderful places to call home, and the world-class international tourist and day-tripper draw that it is. A destination where one can escape the misguided over-development of non-descript cities like Irvine, Newport Beach, Manhattan Beach and other locations in Orange County and the rest of this great country.
But unfortunately, scapegoat artists like Peter Blake and Michael Ray, among others, with their vitriol, hatred, bullying, blatant lies and a total lack of discernible leadership, are among the most prominent things that drags Laguna Beach and its public image down into the gutter. Perhaps it’s Blake’s checkered past which brings out his incessant need to use vinegar instead of honey to influence others? But like Blake’s idol in Washington, he will most probably be just a passing ship in the less than three short years remaining in his current term, destined to become a part of Laguna’s checkered history that all will be happy to put in the past.
What I know for sure is that the type of behavior demonstrated time and again by Peter Blake and Michael Ray gives license to many in questioning developers motives solely based on their backgrounds or length of residency, rather than on the merits of the developers actions, both past & present, their honesty, and verified transparency. Behaviors and prejudice that should not be acceptable from anyone, in any circumstance, in any city, anywhere or anytime.
So I say… Laguna Beach, we as a community can do better than this. Those who wish to do development in Laguna Beach can do better than this. And our City Council can certainly do much better than this.”
In response to Ann Christoph’s column attacking me:
Oh my, such sharp teeth from such a sweet lady.
Or is she sweet at all?
Thanks Ann for setting the record straight on the story told by Mr. Ray. Readers do understand his intent and motive. As the founder of PAC Liberate Laguna, Ray has 2018 campaign investments of $152,000+ to protect since a good portion was spent getting Peter Blake elected to our City Council for developers interests. This is what residents are most interested in and concerned about.