A thanks from the docent coordinator I...

A thanks from the docent coordinator

I want to thank Barbara Diamond for the wonderful and

informational article that appeared in the March 28 edition of the

Coastline Pilot. (“Kickoff to tidewater docent program set.”) All of

the facts in the article were correct with the exception of one: I am

not a docent trainer as indicated in the article. I am the tidewater

docent program coordinator. We are fortunate to have two very well

qualified trainers: Cheri Schonfeld and Jon Lewengrub. Cheri is an

Orange County Marine Life Refuge Supervisor and Community Watch

Volunteer Coordinator. Jon works out of the Ocean Institute in Dana

Point where he is the marine life refuge project manager.

Additionally, I want to invite individuals who are interested in

becoming tidewater docents to our training session at 3 p.m. on April

15 and 17 at the Montage Resort and Spa. In order to qualify as a

docent, an individual must attend both training sessions.

FRED SATTLER

Laguna Beach

Better planning would facilitate skate park

The one main reason that the City Council is having such a

difficult time finding a home for a skateboard park is its

determination to move the corporate yard to ACT V.

Had they planned to build a parking structure that would house

corporate yard needs and festival parking also, as I have suggested

before, better planning would have emerged and the skateboard park

would have its home fairly close to town.

ANDY WING

Laguna Beach

Resort as bad for Laguna as predicted

I told you so. I told you so. The Montage Resort and Spa has just

opened and already there are traffic and parking problems. It will

only worsen as the tourist season approaches.

It will be many years before tax revenues will repay the city for

money given to the developers by City Manager Ken Frank and his

cohorts. I am talking about the permit and other fees that were

waived, and then the ridiculous money paid out for the park.

I have explored the park situation with experienced, licensed

landscape architects and they say that for what the city paid ($8

million) they could have installed wall-to-wall carpeting and velvet

couches.

In spite of all my inquiries, I was never able to get any

information about the plans and specifications. What did we buy for

$8 million? Save your quarters folks and maybe you can afford to park

long enough for a picnic lunch. You feel sorry for the merchants

across the street who can only watch as Montage employees fill their

parking lot. These merchants pay taxes too.

Frank ignores all our admonitions and we have another Surf and

Sand traffic mess. I live nearby and it is no longer an easy chore to

visit the shopping center.

Goodbye Village Laguna.

DAN HUSTON

Laguna Beach

The time to move the corporate yard is now

I participated in the Vision Laguna process.

The Arts and Culture Strategy Team Action Plan of the Vision

Laguna 2030 final report, issued in December 2001, called for the

creation of adequate parking for year-round arts events. The listed

time frame was 0-2 years.

It is now 2003. Let’s implement this action item by moving the

corporate yard and increasing available parking at the Village

Entrance.

I support the majority vote of the City Council.

LINDA DIETRICH

Laguna Beach

Thumbs-up to council for moving yard

The council’s decision to move the city yard is very sound. The

corporate yard move out to ACT V makes total sense, consider the

following:

It will create more Downtown parking. This new parking will be

used mainly by Laguna residents and patrons of the Festival.

Parking for the Festival will become even more critical when the

Festival goes to year-round events.

The Downtown corporate yard is an eyesore, located at our Village

Entrance. This has never made sense. It is a wasteful use of property

that will be put to a much higher use.

The corporate yard is an outdated and sub-standard maintenance

facility.

The move makes sense because: A) It will provide a new maintenance

facility, and B) This new facility located at ACT V for that use is

logical, to leave it Downtown is ill-logical. The move is a win-win.

ARNO CHAUVEL

Laguna Beach

We believe that the move of the corporate yard by the council is

imperative for our city at this time. The conditions under which our

employees work in the current buildings are not acceptable.

The Village Entrance Task Force, after much debate, recommended

more than seven years ago to move the corporate yard to ACT V. Task

force members did their homework, listened to the pros and cons and

made a reasonable decision.

In addition it is absolutely necessary that we provide additional

parking closer to town for all the visitors and residents to use

year-round. Every weekend we have more visitors as they come to enjoy

our beautiful city and with the available parking at the Village

Entrance we will also be supporting our local businesses.

ANN AND BILL MCDONALD

Laguna Beach

District could profit from El Morro money

As someone who has camped all over the United States, I can tell

you how important it is to have additional campsites in our public

parks.

On the other hand, as a parent of two children who attend school

in Laguna Beach, I can’t think of anything more important than

retaining teachers, keeping classes small and having after school

programs in place.

That said, I hope some of the $10 million El Morro Village

recently proposed giving the Parks Department finds its way to our

local school district. If that were to happen, then the debate is

closed in my mind: Laguna’s kids come before out-of-town campers do

at El Morro.

BILL HOFFMAN

Laguna Beach

Shame on bad, inconsiderate driver

This letter is in reference to the person that almost ran me down

in Laguna Beach last Tuesday, March 25.

She was a young woman driving a large, white SUV. Another young

woman was riding with her and the time was just before 8 a.m.

I was in the crosswalk by Hobie’s surf shop. She made what I guess

was a rolling stop at the stop sign. Unfortunately she did not stop

until she grazed my thigh at then she was so surprised that I was

directly in front of her, she put her hands up to her face. If I had

not been paying attention I would probably be recovering from a hip

replacement or worse. Luckily I was able to jump sideways to avoid

being knocked down.

She did not have the courtesy or the decency to stop or even roll

down her window to see if I was all right or to apologize.

Shame on her for her poor driving and even more for her total lack

of consideration.

RICHARD RENTZ

South Laguna Beach

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