Constructive criticism

Mike Swanson

Six months after the city unveiled tougher water-quality standards

for housing construction, pollution is less of a problem, city

leaders say, but there is still much to be done to keep Laguna’s

beaches and water clean.

“I really don’t believe the city does a good job of enforcing

contractor housekeeping at construction sites,” said Councilman Wayne

Baglin. “City codes are enforced by citizen complaint, but if no one

complains, then nothing’s done.”

Roger von Butow of the Clean Water Now! Coalition and Baglin both

said an unacceptable number of contractors in the city continue to

ignore water-quality ordinances. An eight-lot property between

Bolsana and Barracuda drives in Arch Beach Heights is of particular

concern to both because of the enormous amount of loose dirt and dog

waste in the area with no silt fences up to trap runoff if it rains.

“Every time there’s an open lot in Laguna, it turns into a bark

park,” von Butow said. “Then there’s no sediment control, no fencing,

then it rains and all that [stuff] washes into the ocean. Sandbags

and fencing is often all you need to prevent disaster. It’s not like

this is rocket science.”

City Manager Ken Frank agreed that the surplus of dog waste is a

problem in several areas in the city, especially at the end of

cul-de-sacs like Barracuda Drive. Contractors are required to clean

their sites before leaving at the end of the day, but aren’t

responsible for cleaning up after dogs.

They are certainly held accountable, however. Just Monday, city

inspectors halted construction at the Arch Beach Heights site because

the contractor had piled a mound of loose dirt on an adjacent

property, Frank said. If the contractor is seen working there again,

he faces fines.

City inspectors visit construction sites every two weeks during

the rainy season, Frank said, but only inspect after complaints

during the dry months.

In a report released last month, the environmental group Heal the

Bay gave Laguna’s beaches A’s across the board when it’s dry and

mainly Ds and Fs when it’s wet.

Right now the problem is that too many unfenced city construction

sites are left in a condition that makes silt runoff reach gutters,

then the ocean, too easily, Baglin said.

“Our being so angry about the situation with construction sites

isn’t because there’s a little bit of dirt on the street,” von Butow

said. “When silt particulates [bonds with other street particles],

especially with water, it turns into toxic soup and flows into the

ocean. That’s more of a problem than dog [feces].”

The biggest problem is that contractors and homeowners still

aren’t used to the stricter water quality requirements, Frank said,

but he expects conditions to improve gradually as everyone learns

more about what they can’t do.

Peter Mann, who lives on Ocean Way just steps from the beach, said

he routinely sees black water leading from the storm drain to the

sand near his house. Six of the 10 houses on his block have been

remodeled in the last 15 years and he hasn’t seen improved efforts in

site housekeeping by his neighbors.

Von Butow said he’d be surprised if 25% of construction projects

in the city were carried out with water quality in mind, and Mann

said he’d keep his figure at 0% until he sees otherwise. Baglin,

who’s seen two recent projects near his home on Wendt Terrace -- one

that seemed up to code and one that had “gross violations” -- guessed

that about 50% of projects are sensitive to the new water

regulations.

“If we’re going to clean our beaches,” Baglin said, “it has to

start at our front door -- especially if your front door’s under

construction.”

City staff mailed an annual water quality update to all Laguna

Beach addresses and P.O. Boxes last week that includes a section

explaining how to avoid urban runoff in several areas.

“The city’s doing a good job in some areas,” von Butow said. “It’s

great about street sweeping and people don’t seem to be hosing

everything down like they used to, but we’re still way off. There are

even some construction companies that are conscientious about water

quality, but I wish there were more.”

* MIKE SWANSON is a reporter for the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot.

He covers education, public safety and City Hall. He can be reached

at 494-4321 or mike.swanson@latimes.com.