Tide pools need protection now The recent...

Tide pools need protection now

The recent flurry of news articles on TV, in the Los Angeles Times

and the local Laguna newspapers has underscored the importance of

protecting our tide pools. It is unbelievable that Laguna, which has

the most scenic beaches in the area, is sitting idle and allowing its

tide pools to be ravaged while our neighboring beach communities are

all very pro-active in their efforts at preservation. Doing nothing

(or very little) is the equivalent of giving approval to the

continuing destruction.

While I was walking on the beach at the Montage this past weekend,

a hotel employee told me that he had spotted three sea stars in sand

buckets on his way home. He was proud to have returned them to the

tide pools and wondered how many others had been missed. On the same

walk, I overheard another Lagunan report that a sea star had just

been ripped from the rocks. At this alarming rate, it will only be a

few years before sea stars and other tide pool animals will seem as

prehistoric as dinosaurs to our children and grandchildren.

As a longtime resident of Laguna, I know that our beaches are one

of the town’s most valuable assets. Our beaches are the principle

reason we reside here. They are why visitors love to come here, and

why they long to stay. We should be protecting these irreplaceable

assets as we would any other valuable treasure. Tide pool life is an

integral part of the enjoyment of our beaches. Laguna should find a

way to enforce the tide pool rules posted on our beaches. Let’s avoid

having to say “if only ... “

CAROLE KIM

Laguna Beach

Laguna’s tide pools an unknown treasure

After having visited Laguna for many years, I finally realized an

opportunity to relocate here permanently four years ago. I learned

about the tidewater docent program from the newspaper last year and

it sparked something in me from my past. When I was in junior high

school in Northern California, I took a special science class about

the tide pools and it is one of those really cool experiences I have

fondly remembered. So I decided to take the course and volunteer as a

docent, to continue learning but also to give back to my new

community.

So many of the residents of Laguna are not aware that our city is

unique, for it has some of the richest tide pools in Southern

California. A lot of people don’t realize that there is extraordinary

beauty right at our doorstep when the ebbing of the tide exposes a

whole world full of animals and organisms that only become visible

for a few hours each day.

As a tidewater docent, I have come to so enjoy the children who

visit the tide pools because they are truly curious and interested in

learning and constantly challenge me with the greatest questions.

Like many people, I have seen changes at the shore since the ‘70s

when I visited Laguna but even in the last four years as a resident

of Laguna Beach, I have seen the decline of the diversity in the tide

pools. We must do more to protect the intertidal zone. If we don’t,

it will continue to decline and before long it will all be gone.

Everyone that reads this paper should come down on a weekend when the

tide is low and take a tour from the tidewater docents. You too can

experience this world that we are trying to protect. And bring the

kids along, too!

SUE MANN

Tidewater docent

Laguna Beach

A risk that is far greater than Laguna

Regarding the question recently posed in the Coastline: Will

Styrofoam pose a risk to Laguna Beach? I reply with this alternative

question: Will Styrofoam pose a risk to our world? The real issue is

not our little piece of paradise, but the world in general. Think

globally and act locally. Is Styrofoam a risk to any of the beaches

of the world? I think so, or this issue would not be raised. Should

we do something about this? Of course, but the bigger issue here is

that locals are aware of the needs in the community, but it is the

waste from our surrounding areas that are contaminating our waters

and making beach patrons ill both physically and mentally.

Again we come back to the question at hand: And the only answer

there can be is “yes.” Now what do we do?

ALLISON CUTLER

Laguna Beach

South Laguna needs to grow up fast

The arrival of a “master developer” on the scene who suddenly has

tremendous influence on the future of South Laguna is potentially a

great opportunity -- or a potential disaster. As evident from the

legacy of unresolved problems that still follow from the Montage

development, projects of this magnitude have enormous effects that

far exceed the type and scale of issues this city is used to dealing

with. The usual “alarmists” are already saying the mobile home park

and shopping center are undoubtedly next in line to be bought up by

the corporate outsiders. The south end of town has been swiftly taken

over by big-time developers!

But what exactly is there to be “alarmed” about? Change? Not

really. Development? No, not in and of itself. What is serious cause

for alarm is that the city is no more prepared for the challenges of

planning the potential large-scale developments posed by the purchase

of Ben Brown’s and the Driftwood Estates property than it was for the

Montage or the first Driftwood Estates tract map. We still live in a

town that is severely behind the times when it comes to planning

anything large scale or in a pro-active, problem solving mode. We

still have a Planning Commission that believes the design review

process is the way to address a tract map (though house to house

combat is a nightmare even the U.S. Marines fearfully avoid).

Laguna Beach needs to become a lot more sophisticated -- fast --

or the scale of projects now looking us in the face (and the immense

resources behind them) will once again overwhelm our decision-makers

as they busily arrange deck chairs (or no, it will probably be park

benches) on the next Titanic.

ALEX SHELTON

Laguna Beach

City sees no evil on Montage Resort

It’s Tuesday morning and I’m trying to find a way to close my

business early today so that I can once again go to public comments

and plead with the City Council to do something about the ongoing

parking, traffic and circulation problems that have been created by

the Montage Resort and the city’s lack of planning in South Laguna.

I attended the last City Council hearing on April 20, along with

several other retailers from the Aliso Plaza Shopping Center. Our

spokesperson addressed the council on all of our issues that not only

continue to be a problem for us, but are also costing us a lot of

money. These issues included the fact that we have to pay for a

full-time security guard to protect our parking spaces for our

customers. Whether it’s employees of the Montage Resort, guests

attending functions at the resort or just people going to the

resort’s beach, we get the parking and traffic problems and we pay

exorbitant rates to try and solve the problem. Without any assistance

from the City Council or the Police Department, we are literally

throwing our money away. The only solution the city has come up with

thus far is to install parking meters, which only drives the

employees and guests up into the neighborhood and into our parking

lot.

We all understand free enterprise -- that’s why most of us are in

business for ourselves. What we don’t understand is what part is

“free” if we’re having to cover the costs for security guards for a

problem that is being created by a multi-million dollar corporation

-- the Montage Resort.

For more than two years, the residents and businesses of this

neighborhood have been asking for a parking, traffic and circulation

study as well as a solution to this problem. All that is ever

produced is a study that is bought and paid for by the Montage

Resort, and of course the study will tell you everything is just

fine. When is this city going to be willing to invest in its

residents and the people that do business in this city? The problem

isn’t going away -- it’s only going to get worse the more it’s

ignored.

As I end my letter, I have decided that I won’t continue to try

and find someone to close for me tonight so that I can once again get

to City Council on time. This City Council hears no evil, sees no

evil and speaks no evil when it comes to the Montage Resort. Maybe

when the campaigning begins we can get someone’s interest from the

dais. Maybe ...

ALEX ALAVI

Laguna Beach

City needs to guard the lifeguards

We are very concerned that city management still has not addressed

local residents’ concerns about our lifeguard department using

part-time employees in full-time positions and seasonal employees

working as many hours as full-time employees. But for a moment let’s

look beyond the legal issues, regional standards and even the safety

concerns and ask our city management, what is the right thing to do?

Are we being fair and consistent? What is the ethical thing to do?

For 10 years the marine safety department has listed this safety

issue as the department’s No. 1 priority. It is apparent from the

amount of letters and public comment that the residents of Laguna

Beach want city management to address these safety and labor issues.

We are hoping that the city addresses this issue now because it is

the right, fair and ethical thing to do.

RICHARD and STACY YELLAND

Laguna Beach

Ban smoking on the beach? Absolutely

My opinion about the cigarette smoking ban on the beach in very

positive. As bad as polluting the water and the sand are, how much

worse is the fact that cigarette smoke pollutes people’s lungs. It’s

rare that I can sit on the beach without someone lighting up. The

wind blows the smoke back in my face and I am forced to inhale.

SUZANNE HAMMEL

Laguna Beach

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