Many changes are a bad sign

JAMES PRIBRAM

Holy smokes, and I’m not talking about cigarettes, this time. “No,

no and no,” “no’s” are on signs everywhere.

Maybe I should cut this great little city a break, but that’s just

my point -- Laguna used to be a great little town, not a city. The

masses are here, which is fine as long as the integrity of our town

or city, whichever it may be, is not compromised.

However, it is increasingly apparent that the integrity is being

compromised. Maybe we could stop developing our town or city just for

the next year or two or three.

I honestly feel like those in charge of making these decisions for

our town or city are just selling us out..

The City Council is completely catering to tourism. Those of us

who live here year round aren’t even an afterthought, especially the

locally-owned stores, if they even exist now.

We might as well be Balboa Island with all our trendy stores and

coffee shops.

Then there’s the signs, “sign, sign, everywhere a sign; blockin’

out the scenery, breakin’ my mind; do this, don’t do that, can’t you

read the sign?”

And if you don’t believe me, just go check out the new set of

signs on the south end of Main Beach. Again, it’s not so much what

the signs say, just their manner.

It’s hideous.

But one sign is increasingly hilarious every time I think of it.

It reads “The best way out of Laguna Beach is blah, blah, blah ... “

Switching gears for a moment, I received a very nice letter from a

council member asking where I would put parking spots for “resident

parking only.” I would put designated spots in the upstairs and

downstairs of the parking structure Downtown near the post office and

have spots scattered throughout the town or city. I would include

some beach parking as well.

Sound good?

It’s not about bashing or blaming, just a small voice from a

concerned local.

Peace.

* JAMES PRIBRAM is a Laguna Beach resident, professional surfer

and co-founder of “They Will Surf Again,” a nonprofit foundation

assisting people with spinal cord injuries. He was also a member of

the Water Quality Advisory Committee. He can be reached at jamo@

alohaschoolofsurfing.com. His website is alohaschoolofsurfing.com.