Plenty reason to deny Driftwood
On Saturday, I attended a tour of the Driftwood Estates
development project, which, if the Laguna Beach City Council approves
it, will probably become known more as a pariah than as a successful
project.
The plan is to develop 15 units on 10-plus relatively inaccessible
acres in exchange for 200-plus acres of very steep, largely
undevelopable land to the city. The tour group was 75 to 100 angry
attendees. The applicant, the developer, the architect and one other
crony were there (whom I don’t count because they have much money to
gain).
The City Council members were there, as well as the chair of the
Laguna Beach Planning Commission, Kimberly Stuart. Needless to say,
if they count themselves among the project supporters, they can count
on opposition to their re-election hopes. For all I know, they could
be supporters. If so, they won’t be re-elected by any in attendance
(except the developer). It continues to annoy me to no end that the
city’s senior planner Ann Larson speaks as if the project were a
foregone conclusion, talking of the project in present (is) or future
(will) tense, instead of conditional (would/may). She must’ve been
sleeping during that English lesson.
Curious to know the extent of my city’s obligation to the
applicant, I asked, “Is the city obliged to allow the applicant to
build 15 homes on this property?” Director of Community Development
Steve May’s answer was “No.” I then asked, “Is the city obliged to
allow the applicant to build more than a single residence on this
property?” “No.” May repeated. A chatty Councilman Steve Dicterow,
next to me at the time, said he disagreed. He essentially said the
city is obligated to approve development plans unless they can
rationally determine the plan is unsound.
Do rational arguments against this project exist? There are so
many, it surprises me that the plan is still being considered. In
fact, at each city Planning Commission hearing I attended, I
protested this waste of our time and money. I emphatically stated
“This is a waste of my time, not to mention a waste of the Planning
Commission’s time and a waste of my tax dollars.”
Here’s some rationale:
* The width of pavement on Driftwood (currently 26 feet, to code
at time of construction, but too narrow in current code); the width
of the proposed extension of Driftwood (28 feet, wide enough for
parking on one side); and the width of roads (28 feet, wide enough
for parking on one side) are barely wide enough for current traffic,
let alone when heavy machinery is moving through!
* Traffic in the area is already overburdened (add to that
Treasure Island Resort, church, school and Driftwood!?); steep (and I
mean steep!) development parcels would require removal and
re-compaction of many lots.
* More water will be needed for the already taxed
wastewater/sewage infrastructure; severe access restrictions (one way
in/out for residents); project requires removal of a waterway on the
city map; loss of habitat of coastal chaparell.
* Grading by the owner of the property; each home will be built
individually, meaning almost endless noise and development, not to
mention Design Review Board and Planning Commission hearings; the
environmental impact report (recommended for certification by the
Planning Commission) doesn’t take into account each home’s effects;
homes below the construction area are in for a lot of mud and debris
crossing their properties.
* The city has already proven they don’t clean out catch basins
as often as necessary, and as a result, people will be flooded and
have damage to their homes.
I urge the City Council to reject the applicant’s request for a
subdivision, as well as removal of the waterway from the city map. It
is not good for Laguna Beach. It is not good for the residents and
neighbors of the Driftwood area. It will not be good for re-election
hopes.
* CLAY LEEDS is a fourth generation Laguna Beach resident.
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