CITYSCAPE ROUNDUP: Scoping date set for project

City Council and the Planning Commission will jointly review the environmental impact report for the Athens Group project in Aliso Canyon on May 19.

Key documents in the proposal will be made available to the public before the meeting date, but probably not the full file, which is about three feet tall “” even before public meetings have begun. A date will be set for a tour and open house of property before the May scoping session.

Councilwoman Toni Iseman asked to have copies of the key documents available at the Laguna Beach Library for the use of interested residents when City Hall is closed.

The scoping session will be preceded by a joint council/commission workshop on the Downtown Specific Plan from 4 to 6 p.m. and a short dinner break.

No other items are on the agenda for the special meeting, set for the Monday preceding a regularly scheduled meeting.

“” Barbara Diamond

?

Historical Society seeks surfing photos

The Laguna Beach Historical Society is seeking to borrow surfing photographs from the 1960s to be used in an upcoming Surfing Heritage Foundation exhibition at John Wayne Airport. The society will scan in the photographs and return them to the owners.

In other news, the Historical Society board of directors elected Kimberly Stuart as president, Anne Frank as vice president, Nelda Stone as secretary, and Gene Felder as treasurer. The board also expanded, adding two members, Tom Simpson and Ronald Kaufman.

The next Historical Society program will be at 7:30 p.m. April 21 at Council Chambers at City Hall, 505 Forest Ave. Vern Spitaleri will present “The History of Main Beach Park.”

Those interested in supporting and joining the Historical Society should send $15 per individual, $25 per household or $50 per business/organization to 278 Ocean Ave., Laguna Beach CA 92651.

More information on the Society and Laguna history is at LagunaHistory.org or call (949) 497-6834.

?

IRS offices to help with stimulus payments

Internal Revenue Service offices in Santa Ana and elsewhere will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 29 to help people file a tax return in order to receive their economic stimulus payment.

IRS personnel will be on hand to answer questions about the economic stimulus payments and to file tax returns, which must be done in order to receive a stimulus payment.

The Santa Ana office is at 801 Civic Center Drive West.

IRS offices and its community partners are opening their doors March 29 as part of a nationwide campaign called “Super Saturday.” The goal is to help people file for and receive their economic stimulus payments. In addition to Super Saturday, many local IRS offices will open April 12 and for extended hours during the week throughout the remainder of the tax filing season.

About 1.9 million Californians qualify for an economic stimulus payment but are not required to file an annual tax return. IRS urges them to file this year. The IRS website at www.irs.gov provides more about the economic stimulus payments, including forms and instructions.

?

Village Laguna meeting focuses on cell towers

Laguna Beach City Manager Ken Frank will discuss the council’s recent decision to pursue the placement of cellular phone facilities on city property at a meeting of Village Laguna on Monday.

Frank is expected to describe the recent developments in state and federal law that limit options for cities with regard to these facilities and explain the impact of these changes on the city’s telecommunications ordinance.

The public is invited to attend.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the Wells Fargo Bank Community Room, 260 Ocean Ave., Laguna Beach.

?

Grief recovery group to start at end of March

A seven-week grief recovery class begins March 31 at Laguna Presbyterian Church for those who have lost a loved one to death.

Licensed therapist Jackie Pearson will facilitate the group from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Mondays in the church parlor, using “The Grief Recovery Handbook,” which offers a path of actions needed to complete the grieving process.

A $20 materials fee is due at registration in the church office, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The Parlor is located in downtown Laguna Beach at the corner of Forest Avenue and Second Street. For more information, contact the Rev. Kathy Sizer at (949) 494-7555.