6 lagunabeachindy . com MARCH 24 , 2023
How would you spend $ 150 million ? One option would be the school district ’ s facilities master plan included in Thursday ’ s school board study session . District parents received a text invitation to the school board study session last Friday to hear the proposal . Why not the whole community ? After all , public schools are exempt from the Design Review Board .
Elements at the elementary and middle schools include new turf fields , tech labs , outdoor science gardens and second-floor classrooms . Great use of funds that directly benefit the students and continues to bring our elementary and middle schools forward in education . Construction is contained within the campus , with only construction traffic impacting the neighborhoods .
The concern involves the high school and district offices with an estimated rough cost of $ 90 million based on renderings , so I would expect it to be higher . High school elements include a turf baseball field , an upgraded A / V system , and modernizing 7,500 square feet of classrooms , all direct student benefits .
It also includes relocating a new two-story district office complete with underground parking at Short St . and Park , impacting neighborhood light and air , creating added traffic issues to an already congested , narrow street and intersection while appearing out of scale with the neighborhood . What is wrong with upgrading current offices ? They have served us well , and enrollment is declining .
The balance seems better suited as a community recreation development project as it includes a two-story parking structure with top-floor lighted tennis courts in the current district office location , not currently in the view corridor or in the night sky . Are any buildings to be demolished historic ? Lastly , an aquatic
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center over the current tennis courts with a 50-meter AND a 25-yard pool . Certainly needed and long overdue . What other options could be considered ? St . Catherine ’ s for a whole recreation center ? Could that be a high school “ home pool option ?” What ’ s the traffic impact ? It ’ s a main artery of traffic , evacuation routes , school traffic and summers . Why did district leadership fly this project so low under the community ’ s radar ? Community members need to pay attention because of the design review board exemption . There is nothing that would protect the views , the night sky , or the surrounding neighborhoods ’ light and air . This community must demand that a project such as this must have a more extensive , more public input process , like city projects , transparent and inclusive of all . The project needs a public town hall , perhaps with a special election , to approve the plan . It ’ s time to pay attention so this project doesn ’ t slip through . Past boards have given this administration leadership carte blanche for too long . It ’ s time to put on the brakes . Sheri Morgan , Laguna Beach
Has Billy Fried become Michael Ray ’ s Mini-Me ? Just when we thought
LETTERS PAGE 8
theIndyPoll
LAST WEEK ’ S QUESTION
Do you support the city ’ s use of the St . Catherine School property ? - Yes , 82.5 % ( 33 votes ) - No , 17.5 % ( 7 votes )
TOTAL VOTES - 40
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CITY HALL MEETINGS :
Tuesday , April 4 Laguna Beach City Council Meeting at 5 p . m .
HOW TO CONTACT THE CITY COUNCIL
Bob Whalen Mayor bwhalen @ lagunabeachcity . net
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
Sue Kempf Mayor skempf @ lagunabeachcity . net
SECOND AND FOURTH THURSDAYS , 5 PM LOUIS WEIL : lweil @ lagunabeachcity . net KRISTINE THALMAN : kthalman @ lagunabeachcity . net DON SHERIDAN : dsheridan @ lagunabeachcity . net JESSICA GANNON : jgannon @ lagunabeachcity . net DEBORAH NEEV : dneev @ lagunabeachcity . net
Mark Orgill Council member morgill @ lagunabeachcity . net
Alex Rounaghi Council member arounaghi @ lagunabeachcity . net
PLANNING COMMISSION 1ST AND 3RD WEDNESDAYS , 6 PM STEVEN KELLENBERG , steve @ kellenbergstudio . com KEN SADLER : 616-0517 , ken . sadler @ cox . net JORG DUBIN : 497-2618 , jdubinart @ cox . net STEVE GOLDMAN : 203-554-2290 , steveg415 @ ymail . com SUSAN McLINTOCK WHITIN : 838-6317 , whitinsusan @ gmail . com
George Weiss Council member gweiss @ lagunabeachcity . net
Ann Marie McKay City Clerk amckay @ lagunabeachcity . net
Laura Parisi City Treasurer lparisi @ lagunabeachcity . net
OTHER ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES :
REP . KATIE PORTER , 1113 Longworth House Office Building , Washington , DC 20515 . 202-225-2415
ASSEMBLYWOMAN COTTIE PETRIE-NORRIS , 19712 MacArthur Blvd . Ste . 150 , Irvine , CA 92612 . 949-251-0074
FIFTH DISTRICT SUPERVISOR KATRINA FOLEY , 333 W . Santa Ana Blvd ., Santa Ana , CA 92701 714-834- 3550 , Katrina . Foley @ ocgov . com
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