Visioning is What They Do Best

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Editor,

Last week I attended Mobility Planning Meeting and Visioning, an open workshop organized by the LB Planning Commission to familiarize attendees with the the Land Use and Circulation Elements and a new visioning for Complete Streets Policy.

Deja vu, where had I experienced this planning process before? Then I remembered meetings I attended previously. Each of these were workshops attended by Laguna residents and by members of city council to set goals and list actions. Each workshop produced a strategy document to guide execution of goals therein.

2001: The LB Vision Steering Committee: The 2030 Vision Plan (identifying a shared vision and seven themes for action)

2008: The Climate Change Working group: “The Climate Protection Action Plan” (Visioning and 6 categories for Action including transportation)

-rewind

2009: Transition Laguna Beach: Transition Guidelines (Vision plan mission statement and the mobility group)

-rewind

2009: Complete Streets Task Force: Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan (Vision plan, mission statement for non-motorized transport)

-rewind

2012: The New Complete Streets Task Force: Five Hour Potluck meeting, A Visioning Process

-rewind

7 May 2012: LB Planning Commission: Mobility Planning Meeting and Visioning (Land Use Element, Circulation Element, CS Policy )

-rewind

The Planning Commssion began their meeting with a 20-minute slide-show of traffic-calming art. Other than a slide or two of Forest Avenue, the presentation was of generic origin. Despite five years of informal discussions on traffic relief and three years of meetings with 86 residents, Planning Commission  and City Council in task force meetings, the Planning Commission was starting from scratch.

Last month the OCTA sponsored a day-long seminar on non-motorized transport for urban planners, designers and engineers to learn how cities integrate non-motorized transportation into their transport plans. The seminar was so packed by attendees from other Orange County planning districts that OCTA moved us to their largest conference room. Not surprising, nobody from Laguna Beach city staff attended.

This is why despite 25 years of city planning, consultants and staff salaries, Laguna Beach has not placed a flower pot at Forest and Broadway to begin construction of the city entrance. Remember that when you vote.

 

Les Miklosy, Laguna Beach

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