Laguna Beach, CA

App-c

Source Page

Appendix C

Vision Workshop wall graphics

Small group results

Comment cards

Insert Workshop wall graphic ? (Available From City)

Appendix C: Small Group Results and Comment Cards

Small Group Results

1) Assets

canyons creeks, environment
history - natural topography ["architecture" written in close beneath] still exists - still have that heritage
village feeling, caring community, support groups
small town - easy to interact, friendly people
ocean
tourists
art community
Crystal Cove
Laguna Village - bluff view, affordable now
Senior volunteers
Proactive (not reactive)
Planning for growth
Dealing with growth around us
Preserving character

2) Challenges

Much energy is spent fighting threats (outside and internal)
Tourist - local issues (shuttles into town?) keep village charm & yet functional
Keeping historical architecture
More use of bus system
High rent for businesses - how to keep local business and service and merchants (compete w/Homebase, etc)
Keeping locally established groups in town - they move out of town for more space and support
View problems (trees vs. view) compromise? Civil living
Parking - residential and town. (clean out garages and use them for cars?)
Beautification - streets, sidewalks
Treasure island - better design, more community oriented
Keep diversity - economic, age groups, community supported housing (affordable housing), no mansionization
Resident serving uses
Special zoning and rent control
Emphasize arts in every aspect of Laguna life and activities
Subsidized housing for artists
View corridors
Water sources - wells, etc.
Serving different types of people in Laguna - select the groups to emphasize and give priorities to tourists, day users and residents
Building and maintaining Laguna community
Welcoming newcomers and educating
Counter-mansionization
Maintain character and mix
"Do we need" building codes
Street and block activity, ZONING CODES
Bring day worker residents into the Laguna mainstream
Future of Crystal Cove - accessablitiy/serve citizens, quality of development
Conflict between resident needs and tourism. Resentment.
Affordable housing - diversity, aging of Laguna population (supporting seniors)
Future of Laguna Village - affordablility
Conflict resolution - engaging jmore people by making input easier; resolving issues proactively
Environmentally sound building - how to encourage more and make it easier for innovative design to flourish
Pollution control - innovation, not just restricition
Building consensus - built into city planning process
"solution box" - not suggestion box
Kiosk on Main Beach
Kid's input
Encourage passionate people - "Passion Fair"
Give ideas a trial period to prove themselves
Study successful villages/cities as models (old and new)

3) Vision for the Future

Parking permits? - buy up lots and make them neighborhood parking lots
Senior center, housing, community center
Village entrance
Respect natural environment (creek down Laguna Canyon - no concrete channel)
- Could make it more park-like near festival grounds
San Luis Obispo
Keep spirit of helping each other (as was apparent after slides and fire)
Maintain community involvement (i.e. Laguna Canyon support)
Sense of "downtown"
Solve challenges in positive way
Resource center
- Areas to congregate, interact
- Social services
- Coordinate
Expand and coordinate social services
Retain diversity - architecture, social, economic
Clean oceans and creeks
Affordable housing
Maintain our culture (art festival, artist workshops)
Transportation solutions - light rail?
More user-friendly for people with limitations
Buses
Good public transportation
Limit auto access - more car-free zones
Subsidized housing for day workers, artists, and service employees, seniors (see Woodbridge Manor in Irvine as an example of senior housing)
City officials see vision and follow the plan
- Courage to follow through on the plans
- Courage to implement the vision
- Accountability to public and subjected to public review
See if there are other models in other cities (EX. Carmel, CA)
Maintain, continue to acquire and support open space, parks, wilderness, ocean quality
Keep talent and cultural art here in Laguna
- Theater, dance, music, art (we have lost good groups because they outgrew us!)
Public accessibility to each other - positive conversations
Schools churches as friendly meeting places
Getting visionary solutions to the powers that be (rather than complaints)
Focus groups that address specific problems
"Departments of Innovation"

4) Opportunities

Establish and maintain sense of community, quality of life
Keep village atmosphere
Develop creative ways to raise funds
Clean up the ocean - big tourist draw and resource
Form a citizen's committee to monitor city council, also have yearly report cards on progress and how well they followed the plan - make report card and adherence to plan part of the election process
Vision plan must have realistic goals that have a real chance to be implemented
Regional planning to control traffic problems
Televise meeting (council) commissions and committees (to fully inform public about planning and to employ modern high techniques
On the web site: issues, summaries, timelines, what is hot and what is not, options/choices, show the positions of different community org
General plan has to be linked to vision plan!
Be watchful and show good stewardship of our boundaries - air, water, sound, etc. El Toro

Comment Cards

Community input from comment cards have been transcribed but not categorized.

What do you consider to be the major assets, or strengths, of Laguna Beach?

"character" of residential development
unique and individualistic landscaping
beautiful beaches with well-maintained access
human scale of development
quaint village houses and atmosphere
friendly people
beach access - related environment - parks - green belt
green belt
arts - village shops - rest
climate
location
citizens (multi-ethnic econ, etc)
identity - resort. Beaches and ocean. Art colony. Residences. Architecture
green belt
artists
ocean
air
trees
character (art, architecture, beach, landscapes)
open space
walking accessibility
history
art - (art, music - museums, performances, etc.)
children
beach and coast (interface of land and sea)
land from beach east
diverse character of existing development, homes, businesses
the people
air quality, water quality, etc.
climate
The community has such a sense of purpose - regular citizens have a feeling that their opinions count and that they can effect change! I have lived here since 1972 and change has mostly been positive and made with consensus. I appreciate the signage laws, open space, tree arbitration, design review, downtown plan and Village Entrance (?whenever?). Our schools have incredible support from the community - both money and time. I?m also happy with our current plean of an elected city council and a professional city mgr.
Miles of beautiful beaches
Surrounded by hills and open space
Small town atmosphere
Community feeling
Good schools
Walkable downtown
Small scale
Intimacy
Diversity
Artistry
Clean ocean
Clean air
Historic quality, pedestrian orientation and pedestrian scale of the downtown, a downtown specific plan. There were many things that I like about Laguna Beach 10 years ago, but city councils have changed ordinances and/or have not strictly adhered to the ordinances and the changes in Design, Review, and Planning Commission
Downtown
Sense of community
Main beach
Open space surrounding
Diversity
It?s beauty
Small scale, historical depth, self-containment within the natural setting
Natural beauty - ocean, hills, casual landscaping of neighborhoods
Eclectic architecture reflecting individuality, unconventionality of residents
Face-to-face relations with city leaders
Real downtown, with services concentrated in one place where neighbors meet
Overlapping of community organizations - knowing people from various points of view
Village atmosphere; friendly interactive neighbors
Main beach and all other beaches
Rural south Laguna - environmental and wildlife interaction
Unique houses and gardens - real diversity
Climate
Its village atmosphere and glorious views of ocean and canyon
Small local businesses like the hardware store
Lack of housing tracts and high rises (very exemplary)
Atmosphere, beaches, the arts, the local people, green belt!
Tourist business base
Service jobs
Artist
Entrepreneurs
Small businesses
Ocean
The unique beauty and charm of the town and neighborhoods
The small town atmosphere
Diversity, tolerance, all ages
Safe - cozy neighborhood - caring neighbors
Incredible climate, natural beauty
The beauty
The diversity of the population
Manageable size
High level of community involvement
Recreational facilities
Natural beauty
Eclectic community
History as art community
Incredible natural beauty
Emphasis on the arts
A real downtown, lively day and night
Diversity of architecture, people
Funky character
Unique shops and restaurants
Open space, trees, and ocean views
Involved citizens
Beautiful parks with unique, wonderful sculpture/art, gardens, views
Small town feeling - arts identity
Pedestrian accessibility
Beaches
Great views and beauty
Cleaner air than elsewhere in county
Very good schools (small schools)
Feeling that I can impact policy as an individual because it is a small place
Individual off beat eccentricities
Lots of good restaurants
Physical setting of course - very unique
Small town appearance - not really a small town atmosphere as I know it, but as close as it gets in southern California
Concerned citizens
The well educated, vital population in LB is one of the greatest assets. Diverse thinking and interest in participation in Laguna?s life is an asset
Obviously, the geography is a major asset. The weather
The green and blue belts
The diversity - (house size and style, acceptance of diff cultures, etc)
The downtown - walk to everything
The caring community - for those less fortunate
Scale, texture, ad hoc quality
Variety. Piece meal development
Variety of population (age spectrum)
Variety of housing types
Diversity of people - diversity as a function of: socio-economic, age, profession, lifestyle (corporate chiefs and road warriors to local resident lifeguards and etc), sexual orientation
Natural resources and environment
Limited ingress and egress
Low (non-existent) crime level
Sense of community
"welcome home" attitude
forsight to plan in this manner
controlled development
architecture (structural and landscape)
quality of tap water
layout and availability of basic retail and services (grocery, P.O., cleaners, etc.)
school quality
air quality
artistic presence
suprisingly high number of natives and long-timers
the strengths of Laguna Beach are the greenbelt
village atmosphere
clean ocean
arts
beauty of the small town, the sea, and seashore, and the greenbelt surrounding the town on the inland sides
small town feel, friendly - don?t need to lock doors, etc.
the people
the diversity
location
small town atmosphere
Victoria Beach - sunsets
Rare location
Greenbelt around it
Village atmosphere
Community participation
Beach, campers, bluffs, friendly people, enlightened people, weather, eclectic homes, views
Greenbelt to limit growth. People who care for their community.
Low crime
Dog-friendliness! Dog owners are friendly people.
Art - both public and galleries (okay, the museum too)
The coast and main beach
Sande St. John
Doug Miller
The topography in general
The geographic barriers and boundaries
Ann and Marv Johnson
A friendly, welcoming, unique living environment
Downtown
Topography and views
Variety and texture both culturally and development/architecture/scale
Open space both on a village level and on a neighborhood level
Its sense of place, and traditional urban setting - as opposed to the "planned" suburbs around
Lifestyle diversity
Community spirit - "small town" feel
Art and festivals
Love of environment and trying to preserve it
Physical setting
Physical environment
Diverse population
Pedestrian scale
Social services
Committed citizens
The people - sense of community
The physical beauty
The geographical distinction form the other urban sprawl areas of Orange County: surrounded by greenbelt
Natural environment
Community activism
Politically diverse
Heritage preservation
Beauty, beaches, natural environment. contained
lovely and accessible downtown area
respect for natural topography, including hillsides, canyons, and streams
"organic" funky street layout creating surprises and interest
eclectic architecture, with a sense of history
authentic downtown
small town atmosphere
coastal environment - views and vistas
sense of community (concerned citizens)
artistic heritage and culture
weather
location - greenbelt and ocean
diversity - people and housing
community - we know each other, number of caring organizations
cultural tradition
downtown
beach, casual atmosphere.
No neon signs
View of the ocean or hills
Village look
Artist colony: Art museum, art galleries, art festivals
Historic charm: old bldgs retained,
Beach community: small town charm, beautiful coves and beaches
Greenbelt surrounding Laguna Beach
The ocean
The art is our industry
The environment
Keeping the Festival of the Arts
Location/separation - geographic assets; ocean, hills, trees
Identity/history - art/character
Scale
A sense of community
A real "downtown"
Unique bldgs of human scale
Trees? gardens
School identity (and need to improve)
Name identity (need to keep)
Scenic
Involved citizens
Separation from other communities, varied housing types
Heisler Park
History
Greenbelt

What do you think are the most important challenges facing Laguna Beach now and for the future?

Traffic congestion downtown
Need for parking
"attractive" public transit
ocean/water quality
maintaining diversity - economic, social
preserving "village" and art colony flavor
over development
rebuilding of the cottages with modern-style homes
polluting of the ocean
traffic [connect to outside development]
outside development [connect to traffic]
parking
identity
the loss of the Art Festival, which is a symptom of loss of community vision. This process is our challenge
lack of foresight and value regarding character
building design (both residential and commercial)
open space
walking accessibility/enjoyment
art, artists, art history
type of businesses
maintenance/preservation of LAG CANYON
developmental pressure
traffic, parking
internal conflict between constituencies that want to change and those that don?t
When I moved here in 1972 I loved all the seasons in our town - the stimulating yet crowded summer season, and the more tranquil winter season. I enjoyed the idea of a Sept Walkabout (bar hopping) denoting the day the tourists left and Laguna became only ours again for the off season. Unhappily for me, we are now a vibrant year around resort and tourists, crowding, and traffic are with us year around. Resident serving businesses have gone and we must leave town to buy daily use items. I?d like all business decisions (planning, etc) be made with residents in mind.
Keeping the above, not destroying
Dealing w/ traffic and congestions
Keeping a diversity of housing, socio-economic
Will Laguna welcome and accommodate the people in the fast growing hinterland who will want access to what we value or will Laguna resist, oppose, and make unwelcome that population?
Development
Traffic
Changing demographics
Mansion-ization of Laguna
Misguided "visionaries" (wanting parking structures in the downtown instead of peripheral parking with tram service or light rail into downtown)
The chainstore-ization of the downtown to the detriment of residential serving businesses
Growth of surrounding communities and their intrusion on our limited space.
Developers? constant attempts to "improve" our beaches and cliff sides. Well meaning groups who want to "upscale" our institutions - i.e. LAM - FOR - who knows what?s next?
Resisting development that will homogenize the community with the rest of the county
Solving the problems created by population growth elsewhere around - pollution of beaches by runoff, air-quality deterioration because of through traffic and destination traffic
Retaining local control of community services
Finding ways to house the people who provide these services
Keeping small town atmosphere - with its unique architecture without being too restrictive - Real challenge!
Overbuilding on small lots - overbuilding period.
Making Laguna more user friendly for locals while accommodating visitors.
Maintaining the environment for people and wildlife
Parking
Clean oceans and waterways
Finding a site for a senior center
Creating a balance between those who want to reinvent Laguna as an urban forest and those who love the ocean views and do not want them obstructed.
Commercialization. Turning into a Disneyland by the sea. Overdevelopment
Lack of housing and transportation/parking for hundreds of "service" employees earning low to moderate wages.
Lack of diversity - culturally, ethnically and socio-economic
Very segregated!
Parking - my family and friends no longer want to visit because they can?t park
Stopping El Toro airport and keeping John Wayne Airport flights from going over Laguna
Managing traffic and tourists - parking, too.
Keep the small town atmosphere
Surrounding communities encroaching on our paradise
Quite obviously - the traffic issue/problem
Density planning/control
Need to change the structure of current city government - nee to eliminate city manager position to an elected full time position
Services of residents
Support for artists and other creative persons who otherwise cannot afford to live here any longer.
Maintaining economies and cultural diversity of the population
Controlling the building of the huge houses
Accommodating day and overnight tourists
Retaining the remaining artists
Getting agreement on prorities for Laguna with so many disparate opinions, passionatley held.
Keeping our unique instituions vital and run by Lagunans. (museum, festival/pageant)
Quashing El Toro Airport
Having a clean environment
Local services/businesses for residents to keep tax $ in town
Facilitate visitors enjoying Laguna without their cars
Keep the small town feel
Stop the airport!
Bring school technology into present
Create more walkways between parks and down to beach (especially Temple Hills Walkway)
Finish undergrounding
Clean beaches - should be cleanest beach - need to become aggressive with polluting neighbors
A real view ordinance!
The ordinance for general fire safety
Skateboard park
Reduce noise and air pollution
Because of its assets it has now, and certainly in the future a greater draw of people, people, people
Parking, people, pollution, politics
Noise and light pollution
Commercialization of Laguna Beach
How to handle visitors - parking
Traffic
Clean ocean - renew sewers and storm drains
Too large houses
Affordable housing for those who serve us - teachers, police, bank tellers, hotel workers
Maintaining scale and texture
Keeping national retail chains away
Mantaining viable retail
Maintaining a heterogenous community
Ad hoc idiosyncratic quality
Perserving the items above, especially socio-economic mix
Ocean and stream water quality improvement
Traffic volume - very important to note that this is shared by many other coastal communities (Carmel, Malibu, etc.)
Wildlife mgt.
Balanced and fair zoning and permitting for development
Keeping older drivers off the road once driving skills have deteriorated
Maintaining local access to long term and acute med care for aging population
NOISE
Water run-off mgt. (storm and irrigation)
Keeping Laguna green,
Maintaining village atmosphere
How do we address the issue of surrounding building developments advertising Laguna Beach as a destination?
It will be a challenge to not tax and permit us to death. Be creative in our solutions and not take the easy way out through regulation permits and no taxation.
Automobile traffic invasion making pedestrians an endangered species. Not just number of cars but the speed, the power and the greed. Make Laguna a "pedestrian sanctuary."
Millionares pushing out middle class as housing prices skyrocket. Local business, artists, etc, can not afford to live here in future.
Need to keep the cottages and quirky houses
Need to get support from city hall to let us update our houses without building new style homes. If old house has a setback which is dificient to current standards, then that should be OK. Existing is grandfathered in, so renovations should be grandfathered.
Planned growth
Housing
Environment
Jobs
Traffic
Senior center
Keep mega-development out
Problem of parking - transportation
Solve beach pollution problem
Affordable housing (particularly for city employees)
Density
Traffic management
A community center avaliable to all community groups
Absentee ownership - dealing with their greed
Keeping our heritage - art museum, art festival
Preserve what we have. As wealth increses, preserve eccentricity - money breeds a sense of entitlement - people think they can have their way because they have money.
Clean water
Controlling and channeling growth
Not crowds but transportation
Political and economic will imposed from without
Building community cohesiveness
Preserving Laguna as a viable ARTISTS? colony - in large part this is already gone
Water quality
Cultural diversity, economic diversity, affordable housing, pressures from increasing development in surrounding communities.
Preserve local institutions with fresh involved local participation
Maintain "urban" feel and encourage its expansion into all neighborhoods
Create youth friendly environment so we don?t lose our young people.
Make low income housing for young families available, maintain schools, provide youth activities
We must create the "Village Entrance"!
Maintain village atmophere in spite of massive surrounding growth.
Major parking structure for day visitors - a structure that is environmentally hidden. Also a shuttle service from parking to downtown and north/south - not just summer - weekends all year.
Must clean beaches to put major efforts to end ocean water pollution and urban run-off.
Keep the Festival of Arts - or if it is lost, create new venue.
Keeping it small scale
Keeping it affordable
Keeping it resident-serving
Maintaining the heritage and historic character of our community in the face of the growth and sameness of the increasing closeness of neighboring communities
Ocean pollution
Traffic and congestion
Pollution of oceans
Living wage minimum wage
Maintaining views - "view equity" biased in direction of existing views versus new monstrosities
The intersections at Broadway/Tower Cliff and at Broadway/Tower Cliff diagonal
Limiting development, as it erodes community character
Affordability/diversity
Local businesses/services geared to locals
Traffic control
Traffic!
Keeping small, village scale of architecture
Keeping diversity of population, including economic diversity
Keeping a gentle community spirit
Keeping a pro-environmental ethic
Automobile traffic and congestion
Maintaining the unique character of Laguna Beach
Preserving and enhancing the beaches, coastal water resources, hillside vistas and greebelt
Unifying the residents of L.B. to include Irvine Cove and Emerald Bay.
Preserving Laguna?s artistic heritage and character
Fighting visual pollution - utility poles, signs, parking meters, architecture, landscape, etc.
Loss of diversity
Traffic
Loss of shops for locals
Number of 2^nd (and 3^rd and 4^th) homes
Keeping Laguna unique and separate(?) from Orange County as an atmosphere.
Parking
Clean oceans and beaches
A building design that looks quaint, not massive
Keeping beaches as is!
Accomodation of extra people, visitors, tourists
Keeping town popluation @ 25,000
Keeping town residential/built area @ existing envelope
Keeping town greenbelt undeveloped
Purchasing privately owned "open space" and keep it preserved as open space.
Pedestrian and cars. The cars must be controlled
Keeping what we create. How we created many theaters, dance, art that has outgrown Laguna Beach
Pollution of the ocean and controlling the environment
Maintaining the artistic character and artists? work/live via opportunities/taxes etc.
Courage of vision and planning
Retaining identity
Preserving scale, character of resources - animal, veg, mineral, people
Water: wells, streams, rain, etc.
Overseeing/custodians of assets: sites, ridgelines, valley (canyon)
Population density/traffic patterns, use and control
Quality of air, water, soil, ocean, noise
Developing non-invasive "river walk" along E side of canyon along CANAL
Control access to green space and ocean
Annexation should not contradict Laguna Plan (is what happenend to El Toro)
Estab. Develop artist residences, work areas and service people?s low cost housing to 10-20%
Encourageing character of neighborhood
WHAT IS LAGUNA BEACH -
Traffic
Some citizens not involved
End of eastern freeway
Affordable housing
Emergency access
Ocean pollution

What is you vision for the future of Laguna Beach? Describe what you would like the city to be 30 years from now.

Pedestrian-centered, European, arts, small-business, local-run business, sense of community
Village-like - quaint
Low height - one to two story houses
Small business - no large Kmart like
Pollution free ocean
Population under 30,000
Enrichment of downtown fabric
Eliminate parking on forest and ocean
Allowance of more mixed use (residential above, office/shops below)
Force through traffic to 405 or toll roads by some system of "tolls" @ the three entrys
Finally, eliminate the fountain @ city hall!
City sponsored welcome wagon and request for commitment to support community values and visions
Community events like "Music in the Park" "Art Walk", regular "Town Meetings" to attend to issues and reinforce vision
Laguna Beach web site interactive.
Resources needed - maybe terminals located in key places in Laguna giving referrals to restaruants, parks, things to do and see, etc.
Public forums for new innovators
I would like it to be here. A place where spirit, creativity, and diversity are blessed and celebrated.
Loads of character
Open space
Art and artisans
I?d like to see it be much the same as it is now
Pedestrian, bicyclist, jogger trail linkage
Better water quality
Better beach maintenance
New latitude for creative development
Second north/south vehicle route through Laguna (health and safety issue)
Unified congressman, state reps, etc.
Year round lifeguards - all beaches
Slower traffic speeds thru south Laguna commercial area
"mother-in-law" units in some areas
no airport at El Toro
resident serving leisure activities year around - senior center
remodel our movie theater and also one in Monarch Shopping Ctr
I?d like to see a wonderful jewel of a city completely surrounded by open space and clean streets, oceans, and beaches.
Continue civic pride in our neighborhoods and downtown area and So. Laguna is remodeled to serve residents. M Street off PCH.
Tourist parking, info, and canyon relocation with shuttle buses helping with traffic.
Let?s have some treats, music (Bluebird Park) and festivals, NOT advertised outside of town.
Noise abatement is a priority so we can enjoy our tranquility and peace.
Resident parking lots may help get an errand done downtown.
Let?s put a cap on how much square footage can be covered on a lot and how much must be garden. Increase public garden spaces (Heisler Park)
Laguna is a charming place. In 30 years will it be a charming historic place? That?s what I?d like to see.
A better internal transit system. Laguna needs to maintain its small town charm and manage tourism and overbuilding of huge expensive homes
Increased ethnic diversity
Same income diversity
Same achitectural diversity
Presever human scale/local control
Increased artistic diversity - a cultural center/not just landscapes, but film/video, more venturesome forms (an upscale Venice Beach!)
More public transit
Downtown all pedestrian
* peripheral parking w/ tram service
more restrictions on buildings and size
limit development
a village entrance with:
no parking structure
park like setting/sculpture garden
no parking of cars
clean beaches
clean air
protected open space (no school, H2O tank, etc.)
purchase more open space
maintain views
maintain diversity
limiting intrusions by either communities, developers, and groups
intentionally keep Laguna a beach side community similar to our "Village Laguna" idea
put together a Citizen Committee that would monitor intrusions.
Put together "Draconian" laws that would severely limit building (like Carmel) - development - etc.
As close as possible to the way it is now: need to stop creeping mansionization, suburbanization;
resist bigness, corporations,
preserve neighborhood character and environmental resources
More or less the same with increased parking facilities (artfully disguised), cleaner oceans, maintain the village atmosphere and small town community interaction and cooperation
Keeping the small town atmosphere is very important - we must diligently work to preserve this
I would like to see a village atmosphere remain. A provincial feel. Less cars. Parking outside the village and shuttles in/out.
Remain renown for the arts. Support art and provincial atmosphere.
Culturally and socio-economically diverse allowing the service employee (mostly minorities and low income) to be able to afford to live in Laguna
City parking structure/multilevel - architecturally pleasing
A good senior citizen facility with parking. What we have now is easy for seniors to use, and is limited for programs. Look at Corona del Mar and Laguna Hills
A "walking" town. Parking on periphery
access to restrooms for handicapped
more free transport to all areas of Laguna. Make this transport frequent and on time.
Close Forest Ave to car traffic
Keep the canyon "natural"
Designate an area of town for "practical" businesses for residents (so we don?t have to leave town to shop). Put these businesses in an area away from the tourist-busy shops
Like it was 30 years ago! However I am well aware that change is inevitable
Downtown area made into pedestrian (traffic free) area
Clean air, water, ocean is very important
Parking structures outside the town with excellent public transportation. Structures that are unobtrusive and attractive.
I think that current building codes will protect the physical community.
I believe that we need to be protected from vehicles of people who use Laguna as a destination - day - overnight - etc.
Be as unique and beautiful as it is now
Have a way to enjoy town without having to have a car
Be a town with a diverse population actively engaged in their community
An enhanced emphasis on cultural activities and institutions, lead by Laguna residents
Clean ocean and streams
All utilities underground
Increase pedestrian friendliness
Complete Temple Hills Path to ocean
Create safe bike paths from hills to beach
Parking incentive for electric vehicles - break in ticket prices
Alternative fuel for electricity for all public transportation
Control of cultural institutions, like museum, FOA
Need cultural diversity and full spectrum of ages
Locker for loot downtown
Many challenges like Newport Coast/Crystal Cove pollution in ocean
Remain unique
Find a solution to handle crowds
Continue to have neighborhoods that are diverse both in appearance and population make-up
I?d like to see Laguna Beach be a center for the humanities. We now have an art school. I can envision a film school, music school, writers? workshop for out town. The beautiful physical environment is a perfect background for creative thinking. I see a small town which is an oasis for the spirit - a place for renewal.
Forest Ave retail has relevance for residents
Variety of age groups
Variety of housing types
Heterogeneity
95% rain and irrigation runoff harvested and recycled (e.g. recharge fire-fighting resevoirs)
exemplar of pollution-free community: noise, water, air, trash, animal waste
diverse
easy ingress and egress via public transit. "Pedestrian Sanctuary"
24/7 online political/civic participation and access to services
maintain our quality of life here by keeping our downtown
clean oceans and open space
keep the cottages and quirky houses and quaint gardens. Let?s not be forced to rip down our cottages and build mega houses
the same
use residents in any visual plan
I just moved to Laguna Beach two months ago and would like to see it stay very much as it is. We must do anything and everything we can to limit growth and maintain the character of the village and people. Despite the negative connotation of the word "exclusive," the way to preserve the community is to put up barriers to entry - that means parking fees and tolls and limited access. As in Aspen, there can be concessions to people who work and live here - there are many model cities we can turn to for solutions.
An open, bohemian enclave surrounded by a wide green belt and environmental barriers that discourages out-of-town day traffic.
Business community self-contained, owned and staffed mostly by locals.
A renowned arts community drawing a world audience for performing arts and painting and sculpture
Known, as well, for its "cottage"
Virtual industry, an online model city.
Clean water and beaches
No crime
A sense of town with a viable downtown of diverse businesses that serve locals and tourists.
A cultural environment that supports diverse venues, educational institutions, public visual experiences, etc.
An economy based on a designed mix of tourism, culture, and local business including light industrial, technology and home business.
More cosmopolitan, even more vibrant and diverse so that it is not one dimensional anymore (strictly art)
Just like today - with certain elements perfected or beautified rather than destroyed by over-population and over-development.
We can do it with strong community involvement. Become "pro-active"
Actually I wish it were more like Laguna in the 50s when I was growing up here.
A leader in dealing with environmental impact on our individual as well as community level.
Encouraging "neighbors" to join the effort.
Most of us will still live in small (3000 sq ft) houses.
It will be pedestrian friendly with public transportation.
The trees will be large and loved.
The ocean fair will be clean
Dogs will be welcome everywhere
An oasis of diversity and preservation of a community
eclectic architecture
eclectic people
identifiable downtown and community gathering place
beautiful hillsides
clean ocean
paradise in a sea of sameness, automation, impersonal uninteractive areas surrounding our city.
A well-developed relationship with a third-world sister city.
Civic education forums/programs
Elimination of speed-traps entering Laguna from Canyon Road and North Laguna. No more early morning police feeding frenzies.
Compassionate/reasonable parking enforcement officers
Better use of large, increasing senior population
Embracing technology while preserving small-town character
Preserving affordability so that our artists, teachers, service employees, etc. can continue to live here.
Pollution minimized through stringent controls
A system of public footpaths to connect residential areas and canyons with downtown
Better public transportation - e.g. direct buss connection to AmTrak.
A world class artistic community.
A unique and treasured place to live, work, and visit
Retain open space
Clean up ocean
Diverse community (cultural income groups and housing)
Affordable housing
Caring community
Control traffic - creative solutions.
Restricted development
Expanded cultural tradition
Expanded youth facilities
Community center
A healthy place for children to grow up
A city united against drugs
Keep its existing sense of place, character, image, culture
The cars routed via a tunnel around or under Laguna. This would allow our tourists to enjoy Laguna Beach
Less traffic through town - I like the tunnel idea under downtown
Sustainable Laguna - use resources carefully
Establish guidelines and moratoriums on Ridgeline and Slope, Oceanfront and Canyon development
Create a downtown walking only district and trees along canyon (OAKS)
Create a continuous "people moving system" w/o cars - to downtown and hub transportation. Park and shuttle from periphery of Canyon and N/S end (optional)
Create a "Laguna Meander Riverwalk" from Ocean to Lakes as part of entry and appreciation for geography
Oak trees replanted along entire canyon road (as was prior to 1972)
Have access to interactive business/education Town Hall
Limit pop growth via homes
Limit animal (pet) cats/dogs and establish guidelines for predating
Renewable H20 and sewer water system
Limit scale of bldgs and density
Provide incentives for med/low cost home
Leave wild wilderness and areas of ocean.

What opportunities do you see for moving the City toward that future vision?

install a visionary (elected) city manager for term (limited)
establish permanent "satellite" committee to "feed" council from: art museums and art organizations of all types, schools, parking/transport collaboration between county and city, senior citizens, etc.
establishing "Laguna and Laguna Beach" as a registered trademark name
Establish "view corridors" from all streets to beach
All utilities underground
Coord people money transit system
Upgrade % for arts to 5%
Re-establish concept and ideology of the Festivals and "public" art collection
Very positive
The city embracing all the art we create
discourage cars by developing better public transportation
redevelopment of poorly designed buildings and lots
retain vision committee to establish 5 year plan to go after "strategic plan" recommendations
number of people who care
changes at festival of arts
concern about shops and traffic
get a long term plan
open communication channels for input - i.e. internet, e-mail, www, town hall meetings, community meetings, TV/cable vehicles for discussion, etc.
enhancing the sense of arrival by improving the village entrance ?.. by all means preserving and enhancing Laguna Creek through the village entrance, not undergrounding the creek!! We shouldn?t sell out our environmental ethic in favor of development.
Non-partisan planning decisions (city council NOT making design review decisions - NOT qualified and NOT unbiased)
Engaging experts in traffic control, pollution and preservation of natural resources. Involving community and specialists in each area of concern as stated in visioning process
Mentoring
Park/flower maintenance
Outreach to lower income people and community services available to them
New business people - young people
School career days
Continuing and maintaining a dialogue and communication amongst our community members but also interacting with other communities to assure that our vision isn?t diminished or clouded and is advanced in concert with the realities of what is happening around us.
Defeating the Treasure Island Project. Before every discussion, asking will it benefit the residents.
Maintaining neighborhood character. Restoring Laguna Canyon Creek
Waste water management is in the organizational process
Neighboring communities are ready for cooperation on the "run-off issue"
Taxes provided by Treasure Island Resort will help pay for imporvements we want and need! I don?t feel the resort will negatively impact our village atmosphere because of its distance from downtown. As a So. Laguna resident I am looking forward to the start and early completion of the Treasure Island Resort.
Plenty - very thoughtful people around
Take advantage of current pageant issue and let pageant move to San Clemente while keeping, nurturing and promoting the festival and other truly cultural venues and institutions at the Irvine Bow. Let?s actively find and recruit cultural institutions to locate in Laguna.
Look for ways to foster entrepreneurial endeavors in the city and create a city position for entrepreneurial support
A great parking structure/community center/local arts center/city entrance and a decent in-town transportation system funded by transfer tax and a community foundation. Low cost housing funded by astronomical cost housing
Limit traffic by not widening roads, emphasizing public transportation, high parking fees.
Limit new housing. Limit huge houses that are often enclaves that don?t contribute to neighborliness.
Protect small business and continue to keep out chainstores.
Limit resort development.
Continue to focus on conservation.
Do not build parking lots!
Keeping government small
Improving infrastructure
Protecting open space
In France, every kilometer or so by law there must be a wild copse of significant enough size to support trees and animal life
Laguna was a leader in becoming a nuclear free zone. We need to become a leader in becoming a "terracing free zone" - no developer should be allowed to change the contour of a single parcel. Hopefully this would inspire other cities to do the same.
This incredibly well thought program
Full citizen participation
Benchmarking
Good architectural and planning guidelines
Solve traffic issues with traffic people that have behavioral background not ones that feel that the way to solve is to widen it!
I can see using the festival ground and the artists in this town as a source for initiating some of the humanistic activities
Hard working citizens
Creative opportunity to solve tough problems
Housing for police, teachers, etc.
Need safe bike path!
Safe pedestrian path! Hill to beach. North-South
We need transfer tax for environmental protection, parks, etc.
City council needs courage to have real traffic calming
City officials need courage
I feel sad we are worrying about "mansionization" when city council couldn?t be bothered to visit the lady?s house who lost her view to Mansion by guy who promised to support peoples political campaigns. She had served the design review, staff said it was inappropriate. Several town architects spoke against it and none but the architect of project were in favor and the council didn?t have the courage to vote no. shame on you. You didn?t enforce existing policy and opened all North Laguna Cliff trove to that type of development
Good question?finding projects which will unite the disparate opinions in Laguna.
Develop out of downtown parking - preferably in Laguna Canyon. Compliment with 18-20 hour bus system designed for year round tourists. Number of new spaces needs to equal currant number of metered parking spaces.
Your best resource is to interest and use the ambitions and talents of the residents.
Take advantage of vision planning and act now
City parking structure
Community center - full service pool, bowling, etc. - multi generational
Affordable housing - rent and owner bared
Have a human population as diverse as the "canine" population
Slow growth, responsible growth
Planning for visitors
Infrastructure
Keep Laguna like Laguna is - an oasis free of over commercialization
Community forums like this one
Citizen involvement - mailers sent to community with strategic issues listed and the opportunity to reply - either in writing (some people can?t make it to committees), on a website, or small group participation
Apply for land trusts to purchase and maintain open space
Government or citizen groups that monitor the water that runs into our ocean.
Vigorous implementation of city?s general plan
Committee structure of city government - allows all of us to get involved
Small scale of city and resulting relative ease of access to decision makers
Physical limits to growth
Strong citizen support for the way things are - tradition of love of Laguna
None or very little. Money is, of course, the issue.
The Treasure Island property
The village entrance
Resist the temptation of overdeveloping?
Pedestrian downtown
Well coordinated planning for all issues
Develop strategies to address traffic, congestion
Setting up an environmental conservancy to manage our resources and effectively deal w/ all the government issues
Rent support for business with varied merchandise that residents need
Strict noise abatement - no leaf blowers, city trucks made quieter, no building noises on the weekends or too early in AM
Poll residents (like census) on issues
Revisit fire and safety readiness yearly
Continue undergrounding wire to improve views
Keep unique institutions FOA, Pageant, LB art museum,
Local control of boards
More tree shaded shopping streets perpendicular to PCH like Forest Ave - identify and steer businesses there
Parking areas (the best ones) for residents only
Allocate $ to test creek water and upgrade sewer facilities - educate public about what can go down a drain
Forums like this
Ocean water quality - major educational effort
This process.
Giving it power through any and all avenues including city government to art and beyond
Lead, demonstrate what is possible in a world of apparent limits.
Uniqueness.
Recycle bins on streets
Community groups commit to one day of clean up - rotating throughout the year so everyone stays involved
All tour groups, buses, hotel guests, being formed of need to keep Laguna clean and ideas for supporting community values
Keep chain stores out of Laguna - preserve unique flavor of town
Bring values into the schools and teach kids about it while they are young and get them to commit to them and get their parents to commit to upholding vision
Remote parking outside of town - electric bus shuttle
Initiate design control
Control and block "tract" development
Control sewer and run-off pollution
Acquisition of green belt parks
"keep and preserve a unique sea side village"
website - questions, responses
public acquisition of public space - beautiful space for community interaction and enjoyment