6 lagunabeachindy . com SEPTEMBER 16 , 2022
Having watched Toni Iseman ’ s 24-year-long career as a member of the City Council – the thing that stands out the most to me was when she had approved plans to renovate the primary parking lot across from the Laguna Theater and Festival of Arts in front of her . She then proceeded to draw curves and eliminate parking spots , and then to top that , she narrowed the spaces between parked cars , saying , “ people are buying smaller cars now anyway .” Never was a more untrue statement made – big is better when it comes to cars today . The curb around the perimeter is blacked by the tires that have rubbed the curb navigating the curves- sometimes people hold their breath as they try to get past the first leg of cars and move on past the walkway to city staff parking and , on Saturdays , the Farmers Market . I have seen people squeeze into spots , or if they have guests in their cars , they disembark first so as to be able to exit their cars . . What a mess . I think that should be her legacy . After all this is not a career job .
I have other memories of the rhetoric when view preservation was on the agenda for years . Of course she being a Village Laguna devote she voted for any and all project spearheaded by them .
I for one hope that some day the citizens of this town and members of City Hall push for limited term policy for City Council members and that we do not elect the City Clerk – only two cities in Orange County and Los Angeles vote for their clerks . Some even suggest that the City Treasurer also become a position for people with experience and education to conduct such work as required by virtue of this key position . At least there would be a chain of command and certainly be subject to evaluation and pay / benefits . Ganka Brown , Laguna Beach
The City of Laguna Beach could set
Letters LETTERS CAN BE MAILED TO : EDITOR @ LBINDY . COM
an example for the entire community by removing substantially all of the irrigated grass at City Hall , Main Beach and Heisler Park . These are very substantial areas . And , they require a lot of water to maintain . The Water Department regularly chides us residents to save water . It seems rather tone deaf for the City to ask us to save water while it squanders tens of thousands of gallons per year , keeping nonnative grasses watered . Tom Papa , Woods Cove
The Laguna Resident First ballot initiative is Measure Q . The Laguna Beach Independent reported , “ One newly formed political committee funded by the real estate community … has reportedly amassed over $ 71,000 to defeat Measure Q .”
We need your readers to vote on Nov . 8 and pass Measure Q , the ballot initiative by and for residents . The election is a little over two months away and is our last , best chance to save Laguna Beach . We need to finance the campaign and organize volunteers .
They say you can ’ t fight City Hall . It is pretty tough as city insiders , and developers do like favors , variances , and to promote tourism to make money . Measure Q gives the Laguna Beach City Council better standards to help manage development and preserve Laguna ’ s quality of life and property values . Importantly , the initiative gives residents the right to vote on projects which exceed these standards .
Measure Q restores Laguna Beach ’ s downtown height and parking standards that have been in place here for decades , but which have been recently gutted by City Council .
Newport Beach ’ s Greenlight ballot initiative was passed 22 years ago and has only triggered three votes of the people . The idea is not to have lots of elections , but to moderate what the developer asks for , and what the City
Council gives away .
We need volunteers to walk neighborhoods , call Laguna Beach voters encouraging a Yes on Measure Q vote , or financially support the campaign by mailing a check to Laguna Residents First , PO Box 285 , Laguna Beach , CA . 92652 or go to LagunaResidentsFirst . org / donate and donate via PayPal . We now have new Yes on Q signs ; to display one , call me at 949-939-7257 or email Gene @ Felders . Net .
Laguna Residents First is California Political Action Committee 1421491 and donations are not tax deductible .
Gene Felder , Laguna Residents First Treasurer
I don ’ t know about everyone else , but I keep saving water and my water bill seems excessive . Maybe this is one
LAST WEEK ’ S QUESTION
LETTERS , page 25
Would you consider yourself aware of the details surrounding Measure Q ?
- Yes 85.9 % - No 4.2 % - I ’ d like to know more 9.8 % Total Votes 71
THIS WEEK ’ S QUESTION
Is there to much noise pollution in laguna
- No - Yes
To vote , visit the poll tab at lagunabeachindy . com . Submit poll questions to clara @ firebrandmediainc . com .
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EDITORIAL
MANAGING EDITOR Clara Beard clara @ firebrandmediainc . com
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PUBLISHER EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Steve Zepezauer
CREATIVE & MARKETING DIRECTOR Tracy Powell
CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER / PUBLISHER Scott Sanchez
CITY HALL MEETINGS :
HOW TO CONTACT THE CITY COUNCIL
Sue Kempf Mayor 439-3001 skempf @ lagunabeachcity . net
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD 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
Tuesday , Sept . 20 . City Council Meeting at 5 p . m .
Bob Whalen Peter Blake Mayor pro tem
Council member
497-0796
584-1224 bwhalen @ lagunabeachcity . net pblake @ lagunabeachcity . net
Toni Iseman Council member 494-7648 tiseman2 @ aol . com
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 295-0832 gweiss @ lagunabeachcity . net
Ann Marie McKay City Clerk 497-0309 amckay @ lagunabeachcity . net
Laura Parisi City Treasurer 949-497-0327 lparisi @ lagunabeachcity . net
OTHER ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES :
REP . MICHELLE STEEL , 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 LISA BARTLETT , 333 W . Santa Ana Blvd ., Santa Ana , CA 92701 714-834- 3550 , Lisa . Bartlett @ ocgov . com
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