Parking Structure

Like many other Lagunans, I am concerned about Adventist?s plans to sell the hospital. I am concerned that Adventist evidently owns not only the hospital, but also all of the land that is part of the whole complex. I have questions that are probably in the minds of other citizens. If the sale were being considered, why did the city donate to the hospital more than $100,000 and give $68,000 for the rent of parking spaces (spaces essentially unused by the hospital) as recently as January of this year?

Spring is just around the corner and it seems that many areas of the city are in a blossoming mode. Optimism about the future comes from several quarters, including the fact that the city will no longer be on the hook for the millions of dollars it will take to repair and restore Bluebird Canyon. Plans are moving forward for a new Village Entrance where Laguna Canyon Road meets Forest Avenue, which has been in the planning stages for more years than many want to remember. A real Civic Arts District is also moving forward, and with the relocation of the city-maintenance yard to a parcel farther up the canyon, the way is paved for expansion of the district to include the Laguna College of Art & Design ?

Barbara Diamond City officials have been salting away a hefty chunk of the Festival of Arts lease payments for the past three years, waiting for the time they could agree with the festival Board of Directors on how the money should be spent. The time came Tuesday. The City Council voted unanimously to approve phase one of a long-term plan for Festival of Arts capital improvements and to support the general concept of future improvements proposed by the board.

Barbara Diamond City planners will try again on Wednesday to reconcile proposed projects on Third Street with the city's general plan. "We asked (City Atty.) Phil Kohn for a letter that would justify our ability to vote on the community center and the garage under the community clinic, since they were not included in the implementation list of the Downtown Specific Plan," said Planning Commissioner Anne Johnson. "We felt we needed more information before we could vote."

It?s not over until it?s over, Yogi Berra famously said. He might have been talking about proposals for the Village Entrance. The City Council on Tuesday tacked on a couple of new options to consider for inclusion in the already revised environmental impact report for the project, which has been on and off the drawing board for about 30 years. The research on additional options was included in the agenda item, which was a proposal to authorize a contract amendment for the completion of the Village Entrance EIR and appropriated necessary funds.

City officials who are seeking a site for a community theater think they may have found the perfect spot. The theater was spotlighted at the Aliso Creek Area Plan Project scoping session held May 19, among the requests the council members asked to have included in the draft environmental report being prepared for the project. “I was on the Coastal Commission for two years and what I learned is that development does bring community benefits,” Councilwoman Toni Iseman said, “I hope we realize we can ask for things.

Barbara Diamond Mid-Laguna residents are hoping city officials will help them iron out a parking crunch in their area that has caused residents and businesses to compete for scarce parking spots. City officials met Jan. 25 with residents and business representatives to begin a collaborative effort to resolve residential street parking problems in the area between Thalia Street and Bluebird Canyon from South Coast Highway to Temple Terrace. Some in the business community believe a parking structure is the best way to resolve the issues.

The Laguna Beach Planning Commission wants to know more about the proposed Village Entrance project before making a decision on it. Planning Commissioners voted unanimously Jan. 24 to hold a special public hearing Feb. 21 on the Village Entrance draft environmental impact report. After being briefed on the report, commissioners concluded that more information was needed in order for them to make recommendations, and that sufficient time should be set aside for their discussion and public testimony.

Reading Karen Klein's commentary had me fuming on Friday (Commentary, "Why bring NOAA into the sea lion killing?," April 5). In the editorial, the writer says, "Sad, but was it irresponsible? Criminally or civilly irresponsible?" I say yes! A sea lion was killed in a national nature reserve. If I had a big strong dog, would it be responsible of me to let my young daughter take it for a walk? Does she have the knowledge or strength to restrain the dog? Had this happened to me, my dog would have been taken to the pound to be destroyed.

SHERWOOD KIRALY Every now and then as you stroll down life's highway, something knocks you back a few paces. If you've strolled down Ocean Avenue recently you know what I mean. Downtown Laguna has been a little jammed up lately. Roadwork has caused a lot of us to fall victim to rue arestia, or inability to park on the street. I've taken to leaving my car in the Glenneyre parking structure and going on foot, which has its points. There are few pleasures tastier than the feeling you get when you're walking faster than the vehicular traffic.