Skaters could find a home at dog park

The South Coast YMCA has signed a conditional use permit to build the

Laguna Beach Skate Park on 35,000-square-feet of the dog park on

Laguna Canyon Road.

The conditional use permit requires a signature by the city of

Laguna Beach, the owner of the property to be improved.

At the recommendation of the YMCA Skate Park Task Force, the YMCA

prepared and submitted an application for a conditional use permit

for the location. The YMCA has a signed an agreement with the city to

build and manage a skate park at this location.

At the direction of city staff, the YMCA completed several

preliminary studies regarding the feasibility of an alternative

location at Big Bend on Laguna Canyon Road. These studies include

soils, hydrology, biology, traffic and topographical studies.

When the City Council in a subsequent meeting suggested that the

Big Bend site might not be suited to the skate park use despite its

own request that the YMCA relocate, the YMCA decided to go forward

with the location for which it already had a contract.

According to the terms of the agreement with the city of Laguna

Beach, the YMCA is to receive up to $75,000 of funding from the city

toward the planning, design and construction of this project.

The YMCA hopes to create a state-of-the-art facility for skaters

of all ability levels to learn and hone their skills. Preliminary

plans for the facility include parking, public transportation, wooden

ramps, walls and bowls and a 25-foot half pipe. Also planned is a

1,000-square-foot recreation and meeting area, snack shack,

observation area and a location for rental or purchase of safety

equipment such as pads and helmets.

Forum gives a chance to know the candidates

Candidates running for seats on the Laguna Beach City Council and

the Laguna Beach Unified School District board are scheduled to

appear at a Candidates’ Forum where they will take questions from the

audience.

Candidates will each make brief statements before the floor will

be open for questions. The forum will begin at 7:30 p.m. Monday in

Council Chambers, City Hall, 505 Forest Ave.

City Council candidates will take the first round of the forum,

and school board hopefuls will participate in their own session. The

event will be sponsored by the Top of the World Neighborhood Assn.

and the Temple Hills Community Assn. For more information, call forum

chair Piero Wemyss, at (949) 279-8645.

Oktoberfest fun hits Laguna Beach

Voting booths, beer and chicken dancing will all be parts of the

Laguna Community Concert Band’s Oktoberfest celebration.

Other musical acts slated to perform will be the German American

Brass Band of Southern California, the Orange Symphonic Band and the

Golden West Pops Band.

German food, homemade desserts and beer will be on the menu, and

guests will also be able to try out new electronic voting machines.

Oktoberfest will begin at noon Oct. 24 at Tivoli Too!, 777 Laguna

Canyon Road. For more information, call (949) 494-6044.