Summary of Assets

The group identified the following community assets during group discussion and on written comment cards.

The Environment

Natural environment

• Location
• Natural beauty, coastline
• Preservation of natural areas
• Limited by geographic size
• Greenbelt
• Beach
• Isolation ? by location, limited access to town, set apart from everywhere else makes it special, able to disappear, respect of privacy

Housing / Residential Development

• Neighborhoods

Downtown /Commercial Development

• Street life
• Pedestrian scale ? easily walked
• Island on the land ? uniqueness in midst of suburbia

Infrastructure

• Excellent schools

The People

Education

• Proximity to university ? changed intellectual demeanor of town

Community organizations

• Community support ? large number of organizations
• Non profits

Activist citizenry/ Values/ Diversity

• Altruist feeling ? caring for others, town, art, something bigger than just ourselves
• Liberalism
• Honoring of diversity of views
• Mix of ages
• Respected privacy
• Healthy atmosphere ? alternative health options, spirituality
• Community involvement

The Community

Arts and Culture

• Art, art colony, artists, galleries, LAM
• 100 year history with art
• Cultural feeling, awareness, residents, kids
• Opportunities for music, theater, museum

Image and Identity

• Small town feeling
• Easy to know people
• Friendly
• Community feeling
• Slow paced, relaxed atmosphere
• Cosmopolitan in small town setting ? feel lots going on, lots to do for variety of interests
• Eclectic

Economy

• Economic profile of residents

Summary of Challenges

The group identified the following community challenges during group discussion and on written comment cards.

The Environment

Natural environment

• Retain open space
• Water ? supply and ocean runoff
• Pollution

Housing / Residential Development

• High real estate prices
• Need for affordable housing
• Change in demographics due to home prices

Downtown / Commercial Development

• T-shirt shops
• Non-resident focus, shops
• Downtown pedestrian orientated
• Need for resident serving commercial areas

Transportation

• Traffic
• Parking
• Buses/ trolleys

The People

Community organizations

• Maintaining resources to support what is special
• Dollars to fund non-profit groups, for public benefit projects ? Laguna Shanti, Art Museum, etc.

Children/youth

• Integrating Hispanic children in schools

Activist citizenry/ Values/ Diversity

• Other cultures
• Population
• Stay creative without agenda ? meaning driven vs. outcome driven
• Reluctance to change

The Community

Arts and Culture

• Maintaining arts infrastructure, lifestyle

Image and Identity

• Commercialization vs. community
• Not being lost to fa?ade like Carmel ? an illusion vs. reality of community who supports it like Aspen
• Keep eclectic spirit
• Hold on to community feeling in face of day visitors

Governance

• Allow for organic change ? not be rigid in status quo!
• Governmental leadership in town ? honoring peoples? input

Outside Issues

• Pressures from surrounding area.? Develop working relationship to facilitate cooperation and collaboration on issues of concern: pollution, population pressure, traffic, congestion
• Encroaching of Newport Coast

Summary of Visions

The group identified the following as major visions for Laguna Beach during group discussion and on written comment cards.

The Environment

Natural environment

• Clean beaches and ocean
• Clean water
• Safe
• Protection/ preservation of habitats

Housing / Residential Development

• Architecturally interesting ? not necessarily big

Downtown /Commercial Development

• Pedestrian sensitive
• Cafes
• Maintain vital downtown

Transportation

• Peripheral parking for guests
• Limited cars in town
• Electric tram from outlying areas

Infrastructure

• Streets
• Enhanced recycling

The Community

Arts and Culture

• Culturally astute
• Leader in arts
• Expanded arts district
• Bigger museum presence and prominence in the community
• More support for museum
• Museum involvement in community and vice versa

Image and Identity

• Creative hub of Southern California
• Place where creative people live ? can afford to live, work and contribute to creativity
• Environmentally astute
• Maintain sense of community

Economy

• Balanced business/ economical plan ? visitors/ residents

Summary of Opportunities

The group identified the following opportunities during group discussion and on written comment cards.

The Environment

Natural environment

• Environmental protection legislation
• Environmental awareness

The People

Communications

• Improve communication with City.? Vision process is great example
• Outreach to the community

Activist citizenry/ Values/ Diversity

• Philanthropy spending at all time high
• Grass roots movement.?Have commitment and demonstrated ability to get things done
• Engage community ? keep them engaged
• Clarify values of community residents

The Community

Arts and Culture

• Revenue from hotels, development, Treasure Island coming into the community to support the arts infrastructure
• Major arts organizations unite across the country
• High spirited energy for arts already in Laguna Beach
• More interest in the arts from all arenas, kids and public in general

Economy

• Projected economic growth in California
• New technology.?Problem solving, revenue, education
• When economy is up ? art is up.? More dollars available to spend on art, interest in art and availability to general public

Governance

• Environmental protection legislation
• Improve communication with City. Vision process is great example

Outside Issues

• Better working relations with the surrounding community environmentalists, El Toro Airport