Commentary: Columnist overlooked proposal’s impact on the canyon

David Hansen’s Oct. 1 column “Isn’t Laguna Beach still an artists’ colony?” exhibits no investigative reporting skills whatsoever, and he was fooled into promoting this unworthy project. Yes, Laguna Beach is still an artists’ colony. To think denial of this grossly oversized apartment building defines Laguna’s art colony otherwise is delusional.

Las Vegas money, greed and hubris were defeated by local outrage. Hansen never interviewed or quoted any of the adjoining property owners, residents or neighbors.

The arrogance that the partners exhibited, despite Hansen’s description, offered no compromise: a football field-size project on .85 acres, shoe-horned between busy Laguna Canyon Road and Creek, which flood about every 10 years. This wolf in sheep’s clothing of a project was fortunately seen by the judge and an independent legal system for what it was: A serious abuse of power, lacking critical oversight by so many.

We who fought it feel vindicated.

Your columnist has always shown a bias in favor of this project. He now portrays the developers as victims?

1.) Developer Louis Longi did nothing wrong? How about listen to his neighbors? We were not opposed to the 2011 proposal of eight modest, single-level cottages. When Las Vegas-based Dornin Investment Group became partners, it expanded to 30 units, only eight affordable, 22 at market rate.

2.) Flagging art community? Artists leaving town in droves? The art community is booming in Laguna. This was a corporate real estate venture, definitely not altruistic.

3.) Who is more credible, Hansen or an O.C. Superior Court judge?

4.) Followed all the rules? They only followed their own rules, ignoring the Laguna Canyon Annexation Area Specific Plan’s goals of “rural, small scale, neighborhood compatible.”

The judge admonished Dornin, Longi and those who approved it, writing: “With 30 residential units, plus work space, plus retail space, plus a 47-stall parking garage, all on a parcel smaller than 1 acre, the project does not qualify as small-scale or rural. It would be a stretch to label the project suburban, but easy to label it urban ...” She also correctly defined our creek as a blue-line stream.

5.) A creek-side stroll shows neighbors violate setbacks? A 30-year-old fence or wall can’t justify a new, gigantic complex perched on the creek’s edge.

6.) The Los Angeles Times stated only 10% of commission ex parte meetings take place with environmentalists and their representatives. These were self-inflicted violations, initiated by the developer’s big money lobbying.

Laguna Beach, as a progressive protector of the environment, can preserve the nature and feel of our village and rural canyon for residents and artists. It’s all of these things. One can’t trump the other.

Artists live in our neighborhood. This project, in reality, had little to do with artists. Urban projects should be in the city close to services, not thrown into our rural canyon in a piecemeal, unplanned manner.

Maybe now we can get back to our quiet canyon lifestyle — until the next insensitive, incongruent project is proposed. We fought so that all could enjoy their journey through scenic Laguna Canyon, so it will not be lined with apartment buildings.

Our association appealed the Planning Commission approval to the City Council. We appealed the City Council approval to the California Coastal Commission. We supported the lawsuit protesting the commission approval. The law backed our positions.

We get the satisfaction of preserving our unique neighborhoods from the massive pressures toward urbanization the developers and our city were pushing. Our city should never have acquiesced to a developer-promoted project in our neighborhood, which can’t handle adverse, significant, unmitigated impacts to habitat and the environment.

We gratefully say, “Thank you, Friends of the Canyon, Clean Water Now and attorney Julie Hamilton.”

Thanks to all our members, neighbors and friends in Laguna and surrounding communities who supported us through this long, time-consuming, arduous and expensive process.

JOHN ALBRITTON is president of the Laguna Canyon Property Owners Assn.