8 lagunabeachindy . com FEBRUARY 3 , 2023
Letters
PAGE 6
Do we need these special committees , especially when they approve something that was considered done and final by everyone in city hall ? I say no .
I will write more about what has passed over the years – especially about view preservation and the months / years of trying to pass this concept . By the way , Village Laguna council members always voted NO on view preservation . I will try to balance council meetings with positive comments on past and present people that Village Laguna is targeting , especially when they are making false statements . Ganka Brown , Laguna Beach
I am always surprised to see so many people dressed in black , especially men in black t-shirts when I am out in town . Black is beautiful , but I thought it was a popular evening color . Years ago , the owner of the Riviera hotel told his fellow Rotarians and others that he thought business owners and workers could wear colorful Hawaiian and other “ beachy ” friendly clothes because he said we are a beach town , famous for our wonderful beaches . After all , art is a big part of our culture , with dozens of galleries , three summer festivals and a pageant , to say the least . The next time you reach into the closet , pick something colorful , and you , too , can be part of our culture and history . Roger Carter , Laguna Beach
If a speed hump can get approved on the only road entering a box canyon , on a critical evacuation route , where over 500 residents live , then it can be approved just about anywhere in Laguna Beach .
Case in point , the city manager chose to add a request for a speed hump on the 800 block of Bluebird Canyon Drive to the Jan . 24 City Council agenda . This item had been raised in the past and denied when all facts became understood .
This time , residents in the impacted neighborhood were not given notice until days before the meeting , and many never saw the notice . The two vociferous neighbors wanting the hump were informed weeks earlier by a City Council member championing the idea . They took that advantage and lobbied hard , while city council members on the other side didn ’ t even know it was up for discussion .
Unfortunately , for the 500-plus impacted residents whose voices were not heard , it worked .
Also alarming was the fact City Council members disregarded comments from the fire chief , police sergeant , PTC , and public works , who were not supportive of adding any speed impediment to this particular road . The City ’ s own speed hump guidelines were also largely ignored .
As it stands now , residents in the impacted area feel the process was very unfair and plan to fight the installation as this decision would impact their lives in the event of an emergency .
Craig McKessar , Bluebird Canyon resident
In his recent column , Michael Ray compared former council member Peter Blake to a former US president .
Who did he choose ? At first blush , you ’ d think he ’ d choose the obvious : Donald Trump . Why ?
Because of when they were both in office , they used hate , swear words , name-calling , and yelling at citizens whose only desire was to be heard and contribute to important issues , and in so doing , both attacked democracy . Both were voted out of office by an electorate disgusted by their behavior . Columnist Billy Fried got it right .
So , Mr . Ray tried unsuccessfully to compare Mr . Blake to Teddy Roosevelt because both took on “ entrenched interests .” What Mr . Ray tries to cover up is that , as a developer who wants to radically change the Laguna we love , he is the entrenched interest .
Who stands in the way of irresponsible developers from over-developing Laguna ? Many community organizations provide a balanced perspective on development . For over fifty years , Village Laguna has encouraged responsible growth and community development ( note that I am Village Laguna ’ s vice president ). Hence , this is the organization that Mr . Ray attacks .
Over the years , Village Laguna has stood up for the city , held its elected officials and staff accountable for their actions , and increased property values . Laguna Beach is a special place . This message appears to be lost on Mr . Ray . Need proof ? Go by his house on Hawthorne Street in North Laguna , and what will you see ?
An absolute eye-sore . A house in disrepair , knee-high weeds , a disgrace .
If Mr . Ray really cares about Laguna ( and his North Laguna neighbors ), he would apply his own developer skills to fix his own house .
And speaking of house-fixing , he should apologize for the slander against Village Laguna , recognize that his problems are of his own making and rejoin the Laguna community . Merrill Anderson , North Laguna
Note to Michael Ray : Ok , we got it that you hate Village Laguna and think incivility and bullying are acceptable behavior .
You can write about something else now .
Dick Harley , Laguna Beach