Here’s what downtown might look like with bike lane, seating, plants

Visitors to Ocean Avenue on Saturday got a glimpse of how the street would look with a bike lane, angled parking stalls and grassy areas with benches where asphalt now sits.

Organizers marked with tape the areas indicating bike lane and parking spots, and they brought in potted shrubs and set down a plot of artificial turf to give the public a clear sense of how a park-like area could enhance the space.

But the scene also set the stage for people to comment on ways to improve downtown Laguna Beach.

The city and its hired urban-planning firm MIG closed a portion of the road from Beach Street to Coast Highway for three hours to allow the public to weigh in on a variety of topics including whether existing parking lots should be converted to other uses, such as for outdoor seating.

The workshop was one step in a process to revise the city’s Downtown Specific Plan, a key planning document that sets development guidelines while maintaining Laguna’s charm and village character.

Earlier this year the City Council approved the hiring of Berkeley-based MIG to lead the public outreach and eventually develop recommendations.

MIG, which has completed revitalization projects in Newport Beach and Santa Barbara, is not proposing any changes at this point, just gathering as much input as it can from residents, business owners and visitors, said Rick Barrett, a principal with the company.

“Whether you live in Laguna, Pasadena or Kansas, your opinion is valuable,” Barrett said. “Ultimately, it’s keeping a balance between tourists and residents in coastal cities.”

Easels holding large sheets of paper allowed the public to write comments to questions atop each: Which downtown buildings do you like, from an architectural viewpoint? What do you think should be done with little alleyways?

Bill Steel has lived in Laguna for 25 years and would like more outdoor seating, like that provided by Zinc Cafe & Market to its customers along Ocean Avenue.

Steel is encouraged by rooftop decks that have been built at Mozambique and La Casa del Camino and recently approved for the Heisler building.

Deck approval ties “in with more people wanting outdoor spaces in the downtown,” Steel said. “I like the parklet area and favor more pedestrian accommodations downtown.” Parklets are small spaces that extend from sidewalks and provide green space and places to sit.

Creating safe bikeways in Laguna has been a hot topic of late, but a few residents weren’t so sure cycling along Ocean Avenue is the best idea.

“I’m concerned that if we put more bike lanes in, that would back up traffic,” resident Jennifer Carter said. “I’m all for bike riding, but Newport and Huntington Beach are more suited with their bike paths.”

Paul Merritt, who recently ran for City Council, also likes to cycle but is leery of rolling through town for safety reasons.

“I want to ride my bike, but I always worry about bicyclists where pedestrians are,” Merritt said. “Pedestrians get careless and the bikers might be looking at [the storefronts].”

The public also weighed in on the best use of a city parking lot sandwiched between Hennessey’s Tavern and Little Freebirds, which sells children’s clothing.

Comments written on the large paper boards went both ways.

One person wrote, “I’d like a park with a fountain and seating,” while another comment read, “If you remove parking, you will lose people.”

MIG will take input gathered from the workshop and combine it with information culled at future public outreach events regarding the Downtown Specific Plan update, such as Hospitality Night on Dec. 5 and during the Sawdust Art Festival’s Winter Fantasy, which begins Saturday.

For information about the Downtown Specific Plan update, visit the city’s website, https://www.lagunabeachcity.net.