Lagunans’ Pride Is Well-Founded

* How pleased I was to read that a visitor, Allan Conoval of New York City, wrote nice things about the beauty of the Laguna Beach he visited 10 years ago and again just recently (Letters, Sept. 3).

Still other justifications, I feel, for all Lagunans to take pride in Laguna have been its creation, utilization and preservation of a natural lagoon; a green Main Beach park; a chain of neighborhood beaches; a unique lifeguard tower and operating facilities; marine life preserves; winding and tree-lined streets; street-end access to beaches; family hillside view residences; human-scale business structures; highly rated destination resort hotels, motels, sidewalk cafes and colorful restaurants; accessible “greenbelts”; open space with walking trails and docents; and the Laguna lakes, arts and crafts, theater, active community improvement associations, local publications, modern hospitals, schools and hard-working elected city officials and staffs.

Those who were born here or who have lived here for a long time need no reminder of Laguna’s treasures today. They can testify, however, to very real evolutionary pains in forging the channel from an artist colony at the turn of the century to a true village and, finally, in 1927, to cityhood, with its planning, zoning and safety regulations. Quite a feat, if smallness and community spirit were to be retained.

Too, as Mr. Conoval points out in his visitor’s critique, there have been tensions between well-defined segments of Laguna. There are strong differences of opinion today. None of these differing approaches to what seems best for Laguna, however, in my opinion, prevents us from getting along tolerably well with each other--in a city setting with a positive sense of community, a “village atmosphere.” Possibly, this diversity has been our real strength.

Mr. Conoval has done us all a favor in reminding us of our past Herculean efforts as well as the challenge to our unity and ingenuity just ahead.

CHARLTON BOYD

Former mayor

Laguna Beach

* As a long-time Laguna Beach resident, and a person who had been very interested in preserving and promoting our village atmosphere, Mr. Conoval’s letter certainly warmed my heart.

We primarily work to keep Laguna Beach the beautiful place it is for the quality of life of the residents. However, it is also very good for business. Contrary to the views of some, it is not good for business for us to tear down the old, and build massive new structures.

Can you imagine how smitten this visitor was by Laguna Beach? When was the last time you wrote a letter to a newspaper in a city that you visited?

Mr. Conoval wrote: “Every resort or beach community has been overrun with developments consisting of obtrusive high-rise condominiums and apartments as well as unsightly strip malls. What makes Laguna Beach special is that this overbearing development has been kept to a minimum and is practically non-existent.”

We have a wonderful city in which to live. It is, also, a world-class destination resort. Let’s keep it that way.

PATRICIA B. STURGES

Laguna Beach