SURFING SOAPBOX: Residents are being forgotten

I remember the good old days, when Santa came to town and put plastic bags over the meters for two weeks. Yes. Two whole weeks of free meters. I can still hear the reindeer cheering and the Grinch stomping his feet and no, I am not referring to Ken Frank, our city manager.

For years now the residents of Laguna Beach have been pleading with our beloved City Council to endorse and/or designate resident-only parking downtown. Now the city has designated 123 free parking spaces for residents, business owners, employees and, in keeping with the holiday spirit, why don’t we add old Santa himself, along with a fully staffed sled with reindeer.

Oh, wait a minute, tourists are also permitted to use the new 123 parking spots downtown.

I’m not sure which is worse: that the city has allocated these parking spots downtown in hopes of bringing more shoppers in hopes they will spend more money, or that this town and the powers-that-be will never fully understand that it is the residents who keep the hands of commerce moving in this town.

Granted Laguna Beach has done a fantastic job of catering to the tourists. Some may even say that it sold out. Can you say MTV? The wonderful show called “Laguna Beach”? That was as big of a turning point in Laguna Beach history as was the rebuilding process after the horrific fire of 1993.

Both serve as significant periods of time in each of their given decades when Laguna Beach was headed, up, up and up.

Until the bottom fell out.

Because what goes up must come down.

Rents skyrocketed, home prices went through the roof and tourism was at an all-time high. Then came the flipping of homes and old Laguna neighborhoods were changing quicker than the Oakland Raiders hire-and-fire coaches. Businesses were coming and going, as rents kept increasing. Store prices remain high because they cater to the tourists. Javier’s and Cedar Creek Inn, both great, long-standing Laguna restaurants, bid farewell, not to mention a host of other stores and shops. It’s no wonder downtown Laguna looks like a ghost town. Until our city begins doing a better job of catering to its residents and their needs, I don’t see it getting better any time soon.

Because what’s the incentive for residents to shop in town?

Peace.

JAMES PRIBRAM is a Laguna Beach native, professional surfer and John Kelly Environmental Award winner. His websites include AlohaSchoolofSurfing and ECOWarrior Surf.com. He can be reached at Jamo@Aloha SchoolofSurfing.com