Council doesn’t deserve a raise I don’t...

Council doesn’t deserve a raise

I don’t think the Laguna Beach City Council needs a hike in their

monthly “stipend.” Mayor Pearson-Schneider has become the “Teflon”

mayor and has caused thousands of citizens to turn off city

government. Ms. Kinsman is a prude who does whatever Mr. Frank tells

her and the thought that Steve Dicterow will be the next mayor for a

year is a disaster.

ROGER CARTER

Laguna Beach

Top of World should keep its character

The board of the Top of the World Neighborhood Association (TOWNA)

has been very pleased with the diligent work of the city’s Design

Review Board (DRB) particularly in regard to protecting public views

as homes are being built at the north end of Alta Laguna Boulevard.

We encourage DRB to be vigilant in protecting the neighbor

character of Top of the World when they review plans for constructing

additions to existing homes. We are a well-established neighborhood

far removed from the hustle and bustle of the Coast Highway corridor.

We value our privacy, quiet and tranquillity dearly. With an

elevation reaching nearly 1,000 feet, many of our homes enjoy lovely

ocean and canyon views.

The continual upgrading of homes has been, in general, beneficial

in many ways to our neighborhood. However, the TOWNA board has always

encouraged the design review process to employ strict interpretations

of the applicable ordinances and rules and regulations to protect

views, privacy and setbacks, and to grant variances in only the most

compelling cases such as where the protection of the public view

would benefit.

DRB should consider carefully the precedent it may be setting in

granting any variance in our neighborhood.t

PIERO WEMYSS

Piero Wemyss

President

Top of the World

Neighborhood Association

‘Dip’ opponents manipulated system

Regarding the approval of the dip house:

As an architect, I’m dismayed how “concerned citizens” have

learned to manipulate the design review process by organizing

neighborhood opposition and clouding design issues with hyperbolic

arguments about watershed, wetlands, the environment, or traffic

access issues to promote their own agenda -- preventing development

of vacant parcels. Only difficult lots are left, and the city knows

they must permit development on lots considered buildable or buy them

at market value.

Contrary to the way the city operates, this is not a game of last

one in is a rotten egg. The property owner accepts certain risks in

developing in an area which could potentially flood. City Hall

already makes it exceptionally difficult to get approval on

challenging lots but can’t arbitrarily prevent their development when

much of downtown is built in a natural watershed.

Fortunately, they realize such double standards don’t hold up in

court. If the City Council wants to keep every lot in its natural

state, they should have started by removing parts of downtown, many

of the streets and drainage improvements built in watercourses which

have allowed development in the first place.

TOM BURGER

Laguna Beach

Group watching historic coastal home

The historic oceanfront structure at 31351 Coast Highway, rated

“E” (for “exceptional”) on the city’s historic inventory, is at risk

of being demolished and replaced by a 9,696-square-foot

contemporary-style residence with a nine-car garage. Once owned by

Dr. Edwards, who is said to have been the physician of the writer and

adventurer Richard Halliburton when Halliburton was in residence in

South Laguna, the Mediterranean-style home overlooks the northern

portion of West Street Beach just south of Camel Point. With its

lushly landscaped grounds and distinctive bluff top gazebo, it

presents a memorable vista from the beach. The proposed project would

take up almost all of the site and eliminate much of the existing

vegetation.

The Design Review Board has held three hearings on the project. In

continuing the discussion to its June 2 meeting, the majority of the

board indicated concern about the destruction of the historic

structure and the impact of the proposed replacement. Village Laguna

shares this concern and encourages residents to attend the June 2

hearing and ask that the historic structure be restored rather than

destroyed.

DOUG REILLY

President, Village Laguna