Name of Organization:Laguna Coastal Business Exchange
Date of Workshop:June 21, 2000
Number of Participants:
Facilitator:Melissa O'Neal

Summary of Assets

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

The People

Children/youth

  • Family recreation opportunities

The Community

Arts and Culture

  • Common values – arts, community...
  • LAM

Image and Identity

  • Charm
  • Sense of tranquility

Economy

  • High socioeconomic level

Summary of Challenges

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

The People

Seniors

  • Caring for aging population

Communications

  • Ability to share strength with rest of Orange County, US, and world

The Community

Economy

  • Facilitate tourism without sacrificing Laguna for its residents
  • Contain cost of living and of doing business
  • Address challenges to year-round business survival, particularly in retail sector
  • Reduce small business turn-over
  • No growth movement vs. business development
  • High rent for business

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

  • One-way streets to improve traffic flow
  • Large grocery store with parking (acknowledged this will be handled with the new Boat Canyon development)
  • Expanded perimeter parking, less parking in town

Infrastructure

  • Smart hillside engineering – reduce at-risk construction practices
  • Adequate fire-fighting water resources
  • More goats
  • Deal with sewer/water run-off

The Community

Arts and Culture

  • Off-peak tourist events focusing on “local” tourism, such as upcoming “Festa Italiana”
  • Have one week per month where its “residents only” on main beach

Summary of Opportunities

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

The Environment

Transportation

  • Develop Village Entrance Parking Garage

The People

Community organizations

  • Strengthen involvement of Chamber of Commerce and allied community leadership groups
  • Form an events committee (perhaps as a result of the Vision process) with representative from all sources to accomplish the following:
  • Insure events are not in conflict or working at cross purposes with each other
  • Market Laguna Beach as the entertainment hub of Orange County
  • Coordinate advertising for all events
  • Increase year-round participation at events
  • Develop events/activities to showcase Laguna in the off-season for locals
  • Provide off-season activity discounts (once we create these activities) ala Disney’s winter price reduction for residents, etc

Activist citizenry

  • Encourage existing resident enthusiasm, commitment

The Community

Economy

  • More money/resources from individuals, businesses, and local government
  • Use Irvine bowl for more events during the year (raise more money)