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by Joe Hanauer
It ’ s just a few days until the election . Yet surprisingly , people still are wondering if they understand Measure Q .
The confusion shouldn ’ t be surprising . First , Q is extremely complicated . Second , California ’ s ballot measure concept has morphed into competing advertising campaigns that dominated my sound bites , having nothing whatsoever to do with the essence of the proposals .
Unfortunately , the consequences of most ballot measures are so serious
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that we really need a measure that outlaws misleading rhetoric , limits the number of pages of a measure , and holds those campaigning accountable for what they say . The seriousness of Measure Q is no exception .
If you ’ re like many , you may think Measure Q deals with keeping Laguna beautiful or only avoids oversized developments . You wouldn ’ t be at fault . Measure Q ’ s sound bites have repeatedly been showing the artist live work project in the Canyon as a size it would prohibit . Not true .
That project is below the size that would kick in a public vote . But that ’ s not all . Measure Q has what it calls a Beautiful Laguna Overlay Zone . Q has nothing to do with design , architecture , color , vision , or anything to do with ‘ beauty .’ The Beautiful Laguna Overlay Zone is simply a name given to the geography Measure Q is proposing to dominate . Every single commercial area in town , as well as residences within two to three blocks of our commercial areas . They ’ ll all be subject to Q ’ s restrictions and a potential public vote .
The crazy part about Q is that it will do the opposite of addressing our
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town ’ s beauty . By causing Laguna ’ s business neighborhoods to be subject to new restrictions , the needed upgrading of our aging and deteriorating buildings will be stymied .
Laguna ’ s nearly one hundred years old , and we ’ re showing our age . Changes to our treasures like The Ranch , the Old Pottery Place or the smallest buildings like the 1400 s . f new coffee shop on Broadway are hard enough to get approved without adding the risk , time and cost of a public vote on top of our City ’ s stringent approval processes .
You see , buildings typically get ‘ beautified ’ when ownership changes or new tenants move in .
But smaller one-of-a-kind dining , fitness and retail concepts can ’ t take on the risks proposed by Q . Instead , we ’ ll get the opposite of what Measure Q promises . Only deep-pocket developers will pick up vacant stores and take on the risk and expense of this complex process .
Q is devoid of the heart and soul you would expect in a Beautiful Laguna Overlay Zone . It ’ s eighteen pages of highly technical material .
There ’ s nothing about a vision for Laguna . But to be clear , the writers
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and supporters of Q love our town as much as we do . So , how can two such passionate views differ so greatly about how to address Laguna ’ s future ?
Consider the differing approaches to addressing traffic . Q posits that businesses cause Laguna ’ s traffic problems , and it proposes to put a damper on new shops and dining . And for those who can survive Q ’ s challenges , these businesses must address 100 percent of any impact they create .
NO ON Q understands that our beautiful beaches and wonderful Laguna experience attract visitors , not businesses . And NO ON Q believes that beyond shops providing parking , the City must address parking and traffic capacities . There is no word in Measure Q about potential City actions to add parking capacity or to work with Caltrans to improve the capacity of our roads .
This is just one example of the disconnect between our differing points of view . Time ’ s run out . It ’ s time to vote . If you don ’ t understand Q , go to Citizensforlagunasfuture . com . The entire ballot initiative is there . Please read it . If you do , we hope you ’ ll agree - Vote NO ON Q .
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