Here’s a look at what took place...

Here’s a look at what took place at the March 15 meeting of the Laguna Beach City Council:

EXTRAORDINARY BUSINESS

The Laguna Beach High School Girl’s Varsity Basketball Team was

honored by the city for winning their California Interscholastic

Federation division.

“They are outstanding examples of participants in Laguna Beach

sports,” Mayor Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider said.

The team of Lauren Kelley, Lisa Avila, Brittany Clark, Andrea

Ventura, Lauren Delgado, Emily LaRose, Claire Vevaqua, Chelsea

Hairston, Tess Grogan and Haley Eaves was coached by Stacy Howard and

assistant Dan Breece.

THE PUBLIC SPEAKS

*Sarah Kasman announced she has returned to her old job as

executive director of Laguna Shanti, which used to be headquartered

in Laguna Beach.

“I want to thank the city for its financial support,” Kasman said.

“The city has the dubious distinction of the highest per capita

incidence of AIDS in the country.”

*Rik Lawrence asked to have the word “tenants” included or

determined implicit in the parking section of the resolution

approving the redevelopment of the Pottery Shack.

*Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Verlaine Crawford reported

that the chamber had created a government affairs council in January

and will begin to track legislative actions and set priorities.

AIRSPACE 4-1

The council approved a tentative parcel map airspace subdivision

at 575 North Coast Highway that will create three attached

residential condominium units.

Two live-work rental units at 346 North Coast Highway were

submitted as the required replacement of two rental units that will

be lost due to the development of the 575 project.

The council asked for a legal opinion on whether artist-live-work

units were valid replacement for standard rental units, which also

was questioned by two members of the Planning Commission. They didn’t

like the answer.

Councilwoman Toni Iseman voted against the approval, despite City

Attorney Philip Kohn’s opinion that the council could not legally

veto the proposed replacement of residential units with live-work

units under the current wording of the city’s housing element.

“We didn’t intend this result, but that is not what the provision

says,” Councilman Dicterow said.

WHAT IT MEANS

The council then directed staff to send the housing element to the

Planning Commission for clarification about replacement units.

“I don’t ever want to see this happen again,” Councilwoman Kinsman

said. “It’s wrong.”

CONSENT CALENDAR

Consent calendar items are approved in one motion unless a member

of the council, staff or public “pull” the item for separate review,

which then requires opening it to public comment and a vote.

*The council accepted a $4,390 donation from the Laguna Beach

Relief and Resource Coalition to fund Cold Weather Shelters, which

costs about $250 every time one is opened.

Shelters are opened when there is a 50% or greater chance of rain

and a temperature of 50 degrees, or a temperature of 42 degrees or

less.

“This year we faced some very cold, wet nights,” said Ed Sauls,

president of the coalition. “We went to members of the community and

asked if they could help and $3,300 was raised. We told folks it was

for the cold weather shelter. If any money is left over, it will

carry over to next year.”

Expenses include security guards, cleaning blankets and the

purchase of cleaning equipment. The program is administered by the

city’s Community Service Department, which does not charge for staff

time.

*The council approved a $9,926 contract to Weston Solutions to

complete an ocean bacteria evaluation.

TRASH TALK 5-0

The council voted unanimously to hold off taking final action on a

proposed amendment to the city code relating to the placement and

storage of residents’ three allowed trash containers.

This was the third council hearing on the trash container measure,

heard originally Feb. 1.

On Feb. 15, the council voted that trash cans could be left on the

street for pick-up, but the rest of the time the containers had to be

stored out of public view from any street, unless stored in alleys.

Containers were also required to be hidden except on properties

where it was deemed “practically impossible” or would cost more than

$2,000.

The public-view requirement was questioned at the second reading

of the amendment.

“I would support this if it can be done in a reasonable way

without forcing people to spend money,” Councilman Dicterow said.

City Manager Ken Frank said aesthetics drives most of the

complaints about the containers.

WHAT IT MEANS

Residents who fail to hide their trash containers as approved

under the original amendment could be cited and fined.

“It’s a safety issue when the cans are left on the street, but

it’s not a safety issue when the cans are put on private property,”

Kinsman said. “To require someone to build a trash enclosure that

requires design review is going overboard.”

The three-container system was approved by the council to reduce

the trash stream to the dumps or be subject to hefty fines, as

mandated by the state. Recyling and green waste containers do not go

to the dumps.