Visioning

Community members cited numerous ingredients for creating a community vision that involves people working together to plan a future that focuses on the arts, history, environment, economy, government, education, environmental protection, housing and transportation.

One of the most pervasive vision points involved the desire to preserve the unique, small town character of Laguna Beach. Community members felt that a vision should preserve the heritage of Laguna Beach, including the arts, history and architecture.

Many community members described elements of a strong economy as integral vision components. The economy included a vibrant Downtown, with a sufficient balance between resident-serving and visitor-serving businesses, as well as diverse employment opportunities and access to state-of-the-art technology.

Celebrating and ensuring diversity is another important aspect of the Laguna Beach vision. Community members would like to make sure all types of diversity, including the people, architecture, housing and the arts, remain a consistent component of the community.

For many community members a comprehensive transportation system is integral to Laguna Beach?s vision for the future. People mentioned many types of alternatives that would allow residents and visitors to easily move around the City, including bike and pedestrian pathways, auto-free zones, improved shuttle service and better parking.

Many workshop participants felt that the protection of environmental resources should be a central part of the City's vision. Protecting the ocean, beaches, hillsides and creeks and other environmental assets within the City surfaced as important factor for creating a solid vision.

Finally, many residents want to promote interaction between community members of all ages and encourage active citizen involvement and collaborative decision making. Many view the vision process as a good model for improved dialogue and interaction.