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| Name of Organization: | North Laguna Community Association |
| Date of Workshop: | July 25, 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 Environment
Natural environment
- Weather
- Beaches and coves
- Greenbelt, open space
- Walks in the park
- Beautiful parks and trees
Housing / Residential Development
- Diverse neighborhoods
- High property values
Downtown / Commercial Development
- Pedestrian oriented downtown
- Restaurants, extended evening hours in the village
Infrastructure
- Adequate safety i.e. Police/Fire
- Low crime rate
The People
Activist citizenry / values / diversity
- Diverse lifestyle
- Tolerant to diversity
- Participating citizens
The Community
Arts and Culture
- Arts oriented
- Festivals
- Art museum/art school
Image and Identity
- Nice people
- Small town atmosphere
- World renowned
- Adult friendly
Summary of Challenges
The group identified the following community challenges
during group discussion and on written comment cards.
The Environment
Natural environment
Housing / Residential Development
- Affordable housing
- Residential Design Review
- Review height limitations
Downtown / Commercial Development
- Improve acceptance of new and old businesses
- Limited resident-serving businesses
Transportation
- Traffic and parking
- Traffic plan
- Inadequate public transit
- Visitor/residential parking inadequate
- Poor visitor/tourist access to village
Infrastructure
- Flood control
- Infrastructure (i.e. sewer) issues
- Fire District
- Senior Center
- Need a community center for North Laguna
- Need placed to meet (expand facility at Lawn Bowling
Greens in Heisler Park)
- Difficulty in residents having equal access as tourists
to utilize our recreational opportunities (facilitate resident priority use of
recreation)
The Community
Arts and Culture
- Retaining the Festival
- Securing permanent funding for arts venues
Governance
- General Plan needs to be updated/improved
- Council Consensus
- Village Laguna
- History of relinquishing control of unique institutions to non-residents (i.e. museum/festival)
- Lack of realism in implementing practical solutions (i.e. you can't solve parking issue without a taller parking structure)
- Imaginative solutions squelched by City Hall
- Repeal unnecessary bureaucratic regulations at the City level (i.e.:" no fun at the beach" ordinance)
Outside Issues
- Impact from El Toro Airport
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
- Natural beauty is preserved
Housing / Residential Development
- Control oversized building on lots
- Increase freedom for homeowner improvements
Transportation
- Maintain same appearance but with increased parking
- Create beautiful entrances from all three access points
- Improve mass-transit (intra and inter both discussed)
- Make Laguna Canyon Road a safer place to travel
- Fantastic Downtown Parking Structure
- Create a Forest Avenue promenade if adequate parking is
created as well
Infrastructure
- Increase power line under grounding
- Enhance infrastructure to handle seasonal floods
- Build a new pier in Laguna
- Create more facilities for kids and seniors
The People
Education
- Working-parent friendly school system
- Great school system
Activist citizenry / values / diversity
- Less community animosity to new things
The Community
Arts and Culture
- Sustain and embellish arts reputation - - continue image as a center for the arts
Image and Identity
- Preserve character and cottage feel
Economy
- Secure increased and varied types of revenue (other than property/hotel taxes)
- Secure adequate tax revenues
Governance
- Need vision from Council as well as community
- Open discussions regarding the possibility of annexing Emerald Bay
- Speed up vision process (lets resolve some of these issues much sooner than 30 years)
Summary of Opportunities
The group identified the following opportunities during
group discussion and on written comment cards.
The Environment
Housing / Residential Development
- Modify building height requirements similar to Santa Barbara
Downtown / Commercial Development
- Promote public/private partnerships in developing vacant parcels and facilities
- Create Business Investment Districts
- Create incentives for desirable businesses
The People
Activist citizenry / values / diversity
- Promote open minds = accept new possibilities
- Increase volunteerism
- Increase community involvement
The Community
Arts and Culture
- Increase off-season community events
Economy
- Seek to diversify revenue sources and industry base
- Treasure Island revenue
Governance
- Improved City Council leadership
- Leaders should lead; not delegate, yet seek public input
- Become a redevelopment area
- Articulate an inspired vision that will create community consensus
Outside Issues
- Increase sphere's of influence (i.e. Emerald Bay)
- Enforcement of county agreements: flood control
- Build relationships with other government agencies
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