Design decisions are bad for Laguna The...

Design decisions are bad for Laguna

The Design Review Board is eroding the character of Laguna. The

board is creating uniformity, sameness, restrictive and unimaginable

designs. Where is the integrity of the town as a unique community

with varied view? Somehow you have to come to grips with aesthetics

of the cityscape versus the individual’s view corridor.

Each of the City Council members has their own special purpose and

they want the public to be liberal enough to accept their programs.

They restrict and regulate the liberalness and soul out of this

town’s architecture by appointing Design Review Board members who’s

views are substandard to the overall concepts of free expression and

good taste.

Some of us still have a philosophy of hope, health and happiness.

Hope -- that we can still have a unique town. Health -- that we can

choose a better relationship between neighbors. Happiness -- to

achieve the above.

JIM LASHLEY

Laguna Beach

Driftwood Estates not quite a done deal

Lately, our town newspaper reporters have been mentioning

“Driftwood Estates” in their articles. However, what they’re not

mentioning is the fact that the “Driftwood Estates” (in actuality,

the Hobo Aliso Ridge) project has failed to secure the five

governmental agency permits required to fulfill their development

application in this state. Not one shovel can break ground until

every one of these permits (and the approval processes thereof) is

successfully acquired.

These outstanding permits are required from:

* California Coastal Commission

* California Department of Fish and Game

* U.S. Fish and Wildlife

* California Department of Transportation (Cal Trans)

* U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

So, if anyone thinks “Driftwood Estates” is a done deal -- think

again.

DAN ELIA

Sierra Club -- Hobo Aliso

Task Force

Laguna Beach

Nasty attacks are not needed

Dave Connell is a pleasant man, and I very much appreciate the

work he does as a member of the Police Department’s Citizens on

Patrol. He often checks our house when we are away.

But I disagree with the disparaging statement he made in your

paper (“Do as I say, and not as I do, take your own advice,”

Coastline Pilot, Dec. 3) about Village Laguna, referring to its

“nasty vindictive letters” and “personal attacks.” He goes on to say,

“Sure there was a lot of attacks by all sides on both issues and

personalities; but unfortunately that is the name of the game in

politics.”

I refuse to believe that such attacks are the name of the game.

There is a world of difference between attacks on individuals and

attacks on issues. It is issues that distinguish the candidates. Open

discussions of the issues let us know where the candidates stand and

what they would be likely to do if elected.

This is especially true of incumbents running for reelection. They

have voting records that can be examined. What better way is there to

determine who pays lip service to, for instance, conserving open

space and who actually follows through with actions and votes? What

better way to find out who holds developers to their original

estimates and who allows runaway overruns?

I would hope that future elections will deal with issues, as

Village Laguna does, and never with personalities.

BONNIE HANO

Laguna Beach

* The Coastline Pilot is eager to run your letters. If you would

like to submit a letter, write to us at P.O. Box 248, Laguna Beach,

CA 92652; fax us at (949) 494-8979; or send e-mail to

coastlinepilot@latimes.com. Please give your name and include your

hometown and phone number, for verification purposes only.