| Name of Organization: |
Resource Center |
| Date of Workshop: |
July 11, 2000 |
| Number of Participants: |
9 |
| Facilitator: |
A. Cohen |
Summary of Assets
The group identified the following community assets during group discussion and on written comment cards.
The Environment
Natural environment
- Natural beauty and climate
- Ocean
Downtown / Commercial Development
- Downtown commercial core
- Scale of the town - walkable
- Unique businesses
The People
Education
Communications
Activist citizenry / values / diversity
- Involved citizens
- Giving and generosity of people
- Way people respond at disaster time
- People are friendly and tolerant
- Homeless people say police are kind and fair
- Homeless can always find food
- Diversity of people
- Opportunity to get involved in community
- Diversity of age group and cultural groups
- Religious diversity
- Largest proportion of citizens are age 45-54
- Acceptance of all lifestyles
- Concern for individual and preserving individuality
The Community
Arts and Culture
Image and Identity
- Small town ambiance
- Sense of community
- Village atmosphere
- Casual environment
Economy
Governance
- Accountable city government
Summary of Challenges
The group identified the following community challenges during group discussion and on written comment cards.
The Environment
Natural environment
- Environmental degradation
Housing /Residential Development
- Lack of low income housing (especially for seniors and service employees)
- Housing affordability for community to be balanced
- Laguna is built out
- "Mansionization" of Laguna
- High housing prices and the effect it is having on the community (reduces diversity, people leave,etc.)
Transportation
The People
Seniors
- Population becoming older and more conservative
- Providing social services for aging population
Activist citizenry / values / diversity
- Lack of community spirituality
The Community
Arts and Culture
- Not enough workers on boards of art museum and festival etc
- Challenge of trying to maintain artistic cutting edge of community
- Losing artistic edge
Image and Identity
- Worry about losing our institutions
- Pressure to be bigger and better
Economy
- No industry, limited tax base
Governance
- Developing our vision before others take it over
- Involving people who don't live here but own property
- Improve our voting record
Outside Issues
- Societal pressures creating dysfunctional families
- Outside influences
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
- Sustainability - preserve the land
- Use renewable energy or water
- Clean ocean and air
Housing /Residential Development
- Our children could afford to live here
Transportation
Infrastructure
- No incidences of violence and abuse
- Community resource center located downtown
The People
Activist citizenry / values / diversity
- Balance of materialism and personal spirituality
- Knowledgeable, caring population
The Community
Image and Identity
- Preserved sense of community
- Community of spiritually content people
- Preservation of uniqueness
Governance
- Have politically aware citizens
- Have a strong social service model that meets the needs of all citizens
- Concerned citizenry involved in location decision making
Summary of Opportunities
The group identified the following opportunities during group discussion and on written comment cards.
The People
Activist citizenry / values / diversity
The Community
Governance
- Hiring a city grants writer
- Assessing the city budget
- Involving more and more people in vision process
- Following through on General plan updates. Making it accountable to vision
- Developing a collective vision, one not just designed by a few
- Monitoring the vision process
