The following is from the April 19,...

The following is from the April 19, 2005 meeting of the Laguna Beach

City Council.

All Council members were present.

GARDENER HONORED

The Council honored Michel Martennay for 19 years of tending to a

plot of ground, at the end of Mountain Street, that he named the

Garden of Peace and Love.

“The garden is dedicated to those who have died from the terrible

disease of AIDS,” said Police Chief James Spreine, who introduced

Martennay to the council. “The city welcomes everyone to see the

garden.”

Martennay, a 24-year resident, is a native of France.

BAND SHELL SOUGHT

Laguna Beach Community Concert Band President Sheryl Caverly and

band member Dennis White asked the Council to consider putting a band

shell or gazebo in the proposed Village Entrance.

Caverly said the band could raise money to pay for the structure.

SENIOR FUNDRAISING

“We owe our history to the seniors of this town and their time has

come,” Senior Center Fundraising co-chair Ann Quilter told the

council.

She announced a $350,000 challenge grant from Hearts of Montage,

for which Laguna Beach Seniors will be seeking donations.

BUS SHELTER

Margaret Brown asked for modifications to the bus stop at Wesley

Drive to provide better shelter from the sun and rain.

CONSENT CALENDAR

The council approved checks written between March 29 and April 8

in the amount of $830,3123.22 and payroll in the amount of

$515,424.45.

* Orange County Community Development Block Grants in the amount

of $9,885 were accepted for the city’s Cold Weather Shelter Program

for fiscal year 2005-06. Staff estimate the grants will provide

shelter for 40 homeless people on nights that the temperature dips

below the threshold required to open the shelters.

* The council voted unanimously to support proposed state

legislation to reduce diesel emissions from trains and rail yard

operations. These facilities are primarily located in Los Angeles,

but emissions can affect people in surrounding areas.

POST-DISASTER PLANS

The Council voted, 5-0, to support a new ordinance establishing

enforceable instructions and requirements for occupancy of buildings

following a disaster. The ordinance provides for placards to be

placed on buildings, rating safety from “Inspected -- Lawful

Occupancy Permitted” to “Restricted Use,” to “Unsafe -- Do not Enter

or Occupy.”

WHAT IT MEANS

The ordinance allows the city to enforce occupancy restrictions

and to place warning signs on damaged structures following a

disaster. It will go into effect May 19.

CREEK CHANNELING

The council, by a 5-0 vote, added funding to the 10-year capital

improvement program for the reconstruction of the Laguna Canyon

Channel from Beach Street to Main Beach after reviewing a staff

assessment of the structural condition and hydraulic analysis of the

channel. The assessment recommended reconstruction of 50 feet of the

channel closest to the ocean.

With pictures and words, the staff showed a badly deteriorated

channel, with rusted-out rebar and crumbling concrete, which requires

reconstruction to stay serviceable.

Staff believes a portion of the channel under Coast Highway

belongs to Caltrans and should be evaluated by Caltrans.

WHAT IT MEANS

Government agencies could spend between $400,000 and $1.4 million

on the project, depending on whether the existing foundation can be

used.

UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT

A council majority voted, 4-1, to move forward on Underground

Utility Assessment District 99-5 -- Loma Terrace, Bent Street and Y

Place, after a majority of parcel owners in the proposed district

voted in favor of it.

The vote was taken after adjustments were made to assessments that

had been increased due to a revised engineer’s report and increases

in Southern California Edison’s construction costs since the

preliminary estimates were made.

Councilwoman Cheryl Kinsman opposed the increased assessment for

the city.

“I don’t believe the city should pay an extra $10,000 it doesn’t

owe,” Kinsman said.

WHAT IT MEANS

Utility lines will be placed underground in the area that will be

assessed. The assessment on the Laguna Beach County Water District

parcel was increased by $7,986. The area on the Barbieri property was

recalculated and the assessment reduced. The assessment for city

parcels was increased by $20,455 allowing a reduction in the

assessments for other parcels.

WEED ABATEMENT

The council approved the weed abatement program, 5-0.

WHAT IT MEANS

Weeds, rubbish or refuse deemed a public nuisance must be removed

by the property owner, or the fire department will do it and put the

bill on the property tax roll. Property owners were provided an

opportunity to protest.