LAGUNA BEACH : Planning Commission Takes on Full Agenda

A proposed low-income housing project for people with the AIDS virus that has so far enjoyed strong support from this city will be examined by the Laguna Beach Planning Commission tonight at 7 p.m.

Commissioners will also consider two other projects that have stirred public interest: construction of a reservoir in the Top of the World neighborhood and the redevelopment of an oceanfront parcel that includes the old Fahrenheit 451 bookstore.

The $3.2-million housing project calls for the renovation of a building at 480 Mermaid St. and construction of 25 one-bedroom apartments where people infected with HIV can live independently. Laguna Beach, which has by far the highest per capita incidence of AIDS in Orange County, has already allocated $736,000 to the project.

The major funding for the development will come from a $1.8-million federal grant.

City staff is recommending that the commission endorse the plan before forwarding it to the City Council for final approval.

City staff is also recommending approval of a conditional use permit and coastal development permit for construction of a 3-million-gallon water reservoir next to Alta Laguna Park.

After previously resisting the project, the City Council helped clear the way for the tank’s construction in May by striking an agreement allowing the Laguna Beach County Water District to buy the reservoir site.

The council’s earlier resistance to construction of the tank on an environmentally sensitive knoll became a politically charged issue after last fall’s firestorm.

In another controversial matter, commissioners will also decide whether to approve a plan to redevelop a bluff top next to the Hotel Laguna, including the old Fahrenheit 451 bookstore.