Changes to sewer rates ahead

About 8,500 residents are billed the same rate annually for sewer

service.

That could change.

The City Council voted 3 to 1 Tuesday to seek bids for a

comprehensive study of residential sewer service charges.

“I am sure glad you have seen fit to address this inequity,”

resident Lee Reymer said. “There is a big difference between a

$22-million home and small, one-bath home.”

Volume-based fees, which will be studied, are assessed on how much

water is used rather than the size of a home.

Some agencies use a tiered usage charge, which means an assessment

based on high, medium or low usage of set volumes of water.

Laguna charges a flat rate, included on property-tax bills. The

study will not affect South Laguna, which is serviced by South Coast

Water District, nor the approximately 400 commercial or industrial

properties served by the Laguna Beach sewer department.

This will be the fourth time in recent years that restructuring of

charges has been evaluated, said David Schissler, director of water

quality.

In May, Assistant City Manager John Pietig reported that the most

recent analysis, completed in April of 2002 and presented to the

Wastewater Advisory Committee, has since disbanded.

The committee did not recommend a change in the billing system at

that time because of a belief that it would be confusing and take the

focus away from fixing the sewer system and stopping spills, Pietig

said.

However, council members Toni Iseman and Wayne Baglin, who

co-chaired the advisory committee, both voted in favor of the

proposal Tuesday.

Mayor Cheryl Kinsman, who voted against the proposal, prefers

charges based on the size of a home, regardless of water usage.

Councilman Steve Dicterow was absent.

-- Barbara Diamond

Skimboard Pro Am

starts today at Aliso

Aliso Creek Beach figures to have an international feel to it this

weekend when competitors from all around the globe converge in Laguna

Beach to enter the Victoria Skimboards World Championships Pro Am.

Competition begins today at 9 a.m. and continues all day, and

again at 9 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

It’s the 28th year of the event, said Tex Haines, owner of

Victoria Skimboards.

“We’re really stoked to share our waves with the rest of the

world,” Haines said. “Putting on this event has very much been a

community effort. We’re putting up the Pro Am purse and local surf

shops have put up prize money too. We’ve had great support.”

Competition will take place in men’s, women’s and other, age-group

divisions.

Haines said that about 170 contestants worldwide are expected to

compete.

Laguna Beach’s Bill Bryan, who competes for Victoria Skimboards,

has won the event 10 times.

He’s considered a top contender again, joining brother George

Bryan, Paulo Prietto and Brandon Sears -- all from Laguna Beach and

representing Victoria Skimboards -- as the top Pro Am competitors.

The Pro Am prize purse, Haines said, is about $8,000.

For the first time, a Senior Pro Division will offer a prize

purse.

-- Mike Sciacca

City Council denies

Nextel installation

City officials put Nextel on call waiting Tuesday.

The City Council voted 4-0, Councilman Steve Dicterow absent, to

deny a Nextel Communications installation that included mechanical

equipment stored in an office. The denial overturned a Planning

Commission approval of the project at 31640-31642 S. Coast Highway.

“This is not a NIMBY,” project opponent Diane Richardson said. “I

wouldn’t want this in anyone’s backyard.”

Councilwoman Toni Iseman appealed the commission approval and

staff recommended upholding the appeal because of the location of the

equipment, not the use.

Nextel proposed installing six panel-type antennas embedded and

concealed in the facade of an existing 10,000-square-foot office

building in the South Laguna Village Commercial Zone, with mechanical

equipment cabinets located within a portion of an existing office

suite.

“We do not believe the proposal is in line with the intent and

purpose of the zone,” said John Montgomery, director of the Community

Development Department.

According to the municipal code, the intent and purpose of the

zone is “to serve commercial needs of local residents with an

emphasis on resident-serving retail. Office uses on the second floor

and street-level uses are encouraged.”

“We’ve approved more than 100 of these in commercial zones and in

residential neighborhoods,” Councilwoman Elizabeth Pearson said. “It

provides service for local residents. But office use is office use. I

can turn it down on that basis.”

Construction also would preclude use of the parking area for about

three months and force building tenants to park on the street. Some

parking spaces would be lost, which staff said was not acceptable.

“Staff says [this project] does not meet the intent and purpose of

the zone, but it is an allowed use in all zones,” Saito said.

According to the 1996 Federal Telecommunications Act, “local

regulations may not prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the

provision of telecommunications services within the jurisdiction.

Regulations and decisions relating to the placement and

construction of facilities may not be based on radio-frequency

emissions associated with the facilities, provided that such

emissions comply with the FCC’s prescribed standards.”

However, the city can establish and enforce reasonable fact-based

siting preferences when feasible alternative locations are available.

-- Barbara Diamond

City seeks approval of water-quality policies

Changes to the city general plan and local coastal program to

upgrade water-quality policies will be submitted to the California

Coastal Commission for certification.

“The Coastal Commission staff has discussed this and said it is

the best in the state,” said Councilwoman Toni Iseman, who sits on

the commission.

Revisions to the city’s Open Space/Conservation Element of the

General Plan were approved Tuesday, 4-0, with Councilman Steve

Dicterow absent. It has been a two-year project.

The Planning Commission made recommendations in 2002 based on a

requirement by the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board to

evaluate the general-plan policies on water quality and watershed

protection to ensure the policies adequately direct land-use

decisions.

Amendments were submitted to the Coastal Commission and finally

approved in February, subject to conditions “not entirely acceptable

to staff,” said John Montgomery, director of the Community

Development Department.

Staff continued working with the Coastal Commission staff on

further revisions and in June submitted a finalized set of amendments

to the city Planning Commission.

Thirteen new polices are proposed for the water quality and

conservation section of the general plan, as well as related

ordinance amendments, again reviewed and recommended by the Planning

Commission.

With the council approval Tuesday, the revised amendments will be

submitted to the Coastal Commission.

“Surfrider Foundation compliments the city on its efforts to

update the water-quality policies,” Laguna Beach chapter President

Rick Wilson said. “It is much more complete.

“In the original eight policies, there were three mentions of the

Laguna lakes and one brief mention of the ocean. But I would caution

you that these are just words unless they are enforced.”

-- Barbara Diamond

Planners to hear public on building changes

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to consider

building modifications and new signage at 380 Ocean Ave.

Anyone interested in the projected plans may view the application

before the hearing at the Community Development Department at City

Hall. People may submit written comments about the project or speak

at the hearing.

The hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday in Council Chambers

at City Hall, 505 Forest Ave.

For more information, call City Planner Scott Drapkin at (949)

497-0362.

Center will hold driving course

The next classes in the 55-Alive Mature Driving Course will be

held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 11 and Sept. 18 at Lang Park, which is near South Coast Highway and Wesley Drive.

Students must attend both sessions, and the cost to attend will be

$10 paid for in a check written out to AARP. Enrollment will be open

through Sept. 7, and checks should be mailed to the Laguna Beach

Senior Center, 384 Legion St.

To enroll in the class, call the Laguna Beach Senior Center

coordinator at (949) 464-9535.