While that may have positive effects for some local business owners, the negative impacts to Laguna have not been analyzed in the Environmental Impact Report. Irvine says Laguna is outside of the "project area."
It does not take an expert to know that our city will be greatly affected by all this development. Has Irvine offered mitigation money to build parking structures, support alternative transportation, etc.? No way. All of the increase in revenue will be spent on nice new soccer fields for its manicured community.
To be fair to our city, Laguna Beach was not given notice of any of the increase in units; local community members tipped them off. The city is now scrambling to digest the convoluted reports and is in the process of hiring a traffic consultant — more money not being paid by Irvine.
Irvine will also not extend the review period for the city. Developers and Irvine stand to make millions from the additional housing. Irvine can increase funding for the Great Park while Laguna Beach will receive more traffic, stress to our parks, beaches etc.
Do we care? Do we want this additional summer traffic? Can it get worse? We all slept through the development of "Laguna Altura" at the far end of Laguna Canyon — can we afford to sleep through this? Please call your city representatives and say enough is enough. Right now the city needs our support in fighting this project.
Ginger Osborne
Laguna Beach
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Egly and Rollinger support the arts
Take a northbound trolley to Diver's Cove and walk through a totally new Heisler Park and check out these three great and recently installed public art pieces near Monument Point and south of the lawn bowling area.