Summary of Assets

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

The Environment

Natural environment

• Natural beauty
• Beaches
• Open space and terrain

Infrastructure

• Police network - broadband wireless

The People

Communications

• Communication, high speed digital network
• Municipally owned telecom assets for wireless network

Activist citizenry / values / diversity

• Citizen participation in government
• People, location - synergy of these two elements
• Community responsiveness

The Community

Arts and Culture

• Art related activities
• Maintaining cultural balance during development, moving forward with improvements without losing sight of history and unique character of community

Image and Identity

• Small town atmosphere
• Informality
• Friendliness
• Desire to think and act strategically

Governance

• Responsiveness to needs of the community

Summary of Challenges

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

The Environment

Transportation

• Traffic control
• Controlling growth and traffic

Infrastructure

• Underground all utilities

The People

Communications

• Develop low cost communications (wireless for example) for city wide community (voice, audio, video, data)
• Start investing now in communications infrastructure (city sponsored?)
• Telecom - great choice of service providers
• Internet service available to all citizens with assistance available to help them learn how to use it
• Increased use of community and public access forums and channels
• Distribution of digital information to community
• Lack of choices in providers

The Community

Image and Identity

• Bridging the digital divide-user familiarity and literacy in technology
• Enforcing zoning laws

Governance

• Empowering people with balance
• Begin political and legal work that will be required

Outside Issues

• Dealing with growth in surrounding communities
• Growth of area

Summary of Visions

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

The Environment

Transportation

• Pedestrian village, little to not commercialization, divert or stop traffic at city entrances

Infrastructure

• World class civic center

The People

Communications

• Electronic "white board" for local businesses
• Access to all television/radio/telephone/internet in all forms with meaningful competition among providers
• True broadband connection for residents (beyond cable and DSL)
• Low cost communication options

Activist citizenry / values / diversity

• Residents connected to each other

The Community

Image and Identity

• Remain much like today, (i.e. small and connected to one another)
• Like today, only more

Economy

• Maintain, improve quality of life - support growth of business, cultural and intellectual growth without physical growth
• Meaningful competition in telecommunication avenues

Summary of Opportunities

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

The Environment

Downtown / Commercial Development

• Encourage resident serving businesses

Transportation

• Explore opportunities for underwater traffic diversion

The People

Communications

• Passive optical network (PON)
• Fiber to the home (FTTH) perhaps using the water district right of way
• Develop integrated telecommunications
• Increased used of tv and internet for city information dissemination
• Use wireless technology
• Using cellular technology coupled with legislative changes
• Increased use of Cox community access
• Online connection of related professions

The Community

Image and Identity

• Use of technology to expand personal freedom without detrimental effects

Governance

• Plan for Laguna Beach! Need a dedicated team to do strategic planning for this
• Formal process for on-going community involvement in strategic plan evaluation and implementation
• Legislative and regulatory changes at national level
• Identify strategic planning committee to develop a telecom strategy
• Community forums