More time for comment on Village Entrance

FOR THE RECORD

A story in the April 7 issue, “More time for comment on Village Entrance,” gave the incorrect due date for comments on the Environmental Impact Report for the project. The correct date is May 5.

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Residents and community organizations will have about another seven weeks to add comments to the draft Village Entrance Environmental Impact Report.

The council unanimously voted Tuesday to extend the comment period to May 25, designed to ensure that all interested parties in the community would have an adequate opportunity to offer suggestions on issues to be included in the report.

“I thought we just needed more time, but I have found a misunderstanding between the staff, the council and the public,” said Councilwoman Jane Egly, who proposed the extension.

The original comment period was to close on March 17. The description of the project in the notice provided at the scoping meeting included a five-story parking structure with at least 670 spaces, a linear park along the length of the site along Forest Avenue and Laguna Canyon Road from City Hall to the Art-A-Fair property. The former sewer digester, a historic structure, the existing sewer lift station will remain on the site.

Copies of the notice are available at City Hall. Commissioner Anne Johnson also asked to have the notice put on the city’s web site, www.lagunabeachcity.net.

Additional proposals suggested for the project include adding the Laguna Art Museum, town homes and the Bus Depot, now on Broadway to the site. “I want to be open to moving the bus depot,” Iseman said. “I want to be open to creative financing. I don’t know if town houses are the way to go, but we should be looking at the whole Civic Arts District.”

Pearson-Schneider said the concept for the environmental report was to increase downtown parking and to beautify the entryway to the city.

Comments may be filed until May 25 with Montgomery by e-mail at jmontgomery @lagunabeachcity.net or by letter to Montgomery’s attention addressed to City of Laguna Beach, Community Development Department, 505 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach, CA 92651.