Commentary: State agency decision shames Planning Commission

In a happy — and stunningly unanimous — vote, the Coastal Commission last week agreed to hold a separate hearing to discuss an appeal against a controversial proposed project relating to the locally well-known Ben Brown’s at Aliso Creek, now called The Ranch at Laguna Beach.

Until recently, I had been taking it for granted that our Laguna Planning Commission and City Council were properly progressing The Ranch application — an improved tourist hotel, one with golfing enhancements for residents, was my understanding.

Wrong.

As it happens, Lagunans have an alert neighbor, Mark Fudge, to thank for his appeal of The Ranch to the California Coastal Commission. I was appalled to learn of the alleged inattention of the very body charged with protecting our precious Laguna coastal environment, the Laguna Beach Planning Commission.

Powerful special interests fought Fudge’s appeal and, until last week’s Coastal Commission action upholding it, he had been left to defend alone the grounds of his appeal against both a strong letter to the Coastal Commission (including the signatures of three former councilwomen) and a letter to the Coastal Commission lending the local Art Museum’s imprimatur — also in support of the contested project.

Fudge, the developer, the Planning Commission and its staff have been wrangling for months over whether the Laguna Coastal Protections had been violated.

It would take pages to weigh in on the complicated processing and planning details Fudge and the Coastal Commission staff analyzed. Essentially, the commission decided it had enough concerns that something inordinate may have transpired at the hands of Laguna’s government to warrant another hearing.

The efforts of Fudge have shattered our fond expectations that the Planning Commission and City Council were pursuing policies in the defense or preservation of our beloved Laguna coastal treasure.

Have our local authorities brought us to the verge of revocation by the Coastal Commission of our control of implementation of our Local Coastal Plan?

If so, that may be a bitter — but necessary — pill to swallow.

In new hearings, the Coastal Commission will decide the Ranch’s outcome. What a disgrace that we trusted the progressive Planning Commission to protect and preserve our Laguna.

Having watched the multiple planning controversies about Laguna Canyon, the Village Entrance (almost resulting in the disaster of a four-story parking garage), and this latest contest over The Ranch, Lagunans may consider as suspect the Planning Commission’s actions and motives — and thus the legitimacy of its authority.

Thankfully, before the Fudge appeal, the Planning Commission experienced a minor staffing shakeup. Having placed us in jeopardy of losing control of our Local Coastal Plan, a majority of the remaining Planning Commission membership should be thinking about tendering their resignations in a final generous act of contrite good citizenship — and in a gesture to encourage the Coastal Commission to continue or restore home control implementation of Laguna’s Local Coastal Plan.

Mr. Fudge has nudged us to reflect on who Laguna’s true protectors are — or may yet be.

PAUL MERRITT is running for Laguna Beach City Council, is a former member of the Laguna Beautification Council and a former councilman for Laguna Niguel.