City posts upbeat report card

Barbara Diamond

Safely evacuating 350 families after the Bluebird Canyon landslide

topped the list of city accomplishments for fiscal year 2004-05, city

officials said.

The evacuation and the restoration of sewer service and other

utilities to about 320 residences within two weeks while assisting

owners to removing possessions from destroyed or badly damaged homes

rated its own category on the list of accomplishments, made public by

the city this week. Four other categories listed a total of 63

objectives accomplished in the past fiscal year.

“Public safety is the number one responsibility of local

government,” Mayor Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider said. “Infrastructure

repairs is the second most important.”

The city received a $900,000 federal grant for sewer improvements

though the offices of Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach).

“We are really going to miss him,” Pearson-Schneider said.

Cox was nominated by President Bush to serve as chairman of the

Securities and Exchange Commission and is waiting for a U.S. Senate

committee confirmation.

The city also was awarded other smaller, but significant grants

for infrastructure improvements, including one for restoration of a

portion of Laguna Creek.

“This was one of the city’s best years ever for obtaining grant

moneys from the federal and state governments,” Pearson-Schneider

said. “It’s a good thing we got it when we did, because a lot more

money will need to be redirected toward the landslide.”

The sewer and creek restoration grants were listed under the

miscellaneous category, which also included adoption of the updated

Cultural Arts Plan, expansion of the Farmer’s Market area, creation

of a task force to keep South Coast Medical Center in Laguna Beach

and the doubling of the number of film permits issued by the city.

“We issued 61 permits over 115 days of shooting in 2004-05,

compared to 27 permits over 35 days the previous fiscal year,”

Community Services Director Pat Barry said. “A lot of that was MTV

filming for “The Real O.C.”

Most recently a multi-day permit was issued for the filming of

“Boxboarders,” expected to conclude Aug. 3. However, in Laguna,

movies are not as common as fashion shoots, Barry said.

“We are outside of what is called the L.A. zone, which increases

the fees for performers,” Barry said. “That’s what makes it more

expensive to film here, not city fees.”

In all, 15 accomplishments were listed under miscellaneous. Nine

accomplishments came under the public safety heading, eight under

community development and 31 in the public facilities category.

City Manager Ken Frank, who issued the list, agreed the safe

evacuation of the Bluebird Canyon residents was a major

accomplishment.

“It was fairly amazing when you look at the homes there,” Frank

said.

He also listed grants as beneficial to the city.

“I think the fact that we got a grant to install a new crossing

signal in front of the Festival of Arts is pretty important, even

though it probably is going to be a year -- next summer -- before it

is done,” Frank said.

The city also installed pedestrian countdown signals at Broadway

and Coast Highway. On a lighter note, Frank said one of his proudest

accomplishments was sprucing up the play area at Lang Park.

The list also included the installation in March of more than 40

“ash urns” at all beach-access points. The urns were dictated through

the city’s no-smoking policy.

Here’s a look at some of what the city sees as key accomplishments

from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005:

Community development

Adopted new water quality requirements for significant projects.

Amended the sign regulations and assigned the Planning Commission

as the approval authority.

Revised the Noise Element of the General Plan and adopted the

noise ordinance.

Public facilities

Under an assessment district, reconstructed Dyer Place and assumed

City ownership of that street.

Installed pedestrian countdown signals at Coast Highway and

Broadway.

Obtained a $397,000 grant for sidewalk improvements on Coast

Highway in the South Laguna area.

Obtained a $426,000 grant for new sidewalk on the inland side of

Coast Highway from Hinkle to M-Street.

Replaced the play equipment at Lang Park.

Improved access to City Hall for handicapped individuals.

Reconstructed the two alleys between Forest and Mermaid.

Secured a coastal development permit for a new corporation yard on

Laguna Canyon Road.

Obtained $320,000 in grants to install a pedestrian signal in

front of the Festival of Arts.

Completed improvements to the sewer system so that the Federal

government lifted its compliance order.

Secured an additional $3 million of loan authority from the State

Infrastructure Bank.

Restructured the sewer service fees to lower rates for ultra-low

water users.

Trimmed over 600 trees in parks and along streets.

Installed ash urns at all beach approaches.

Adopted a conceptual plan for the restoration of Heisler Park.

Public safety

Refurbished the upper level at Fire Station 4.

Began replacing old lifeguard towers with modern, enclosed

facilities.

Expedited traffic leaving the downtown on July 4 with two outbound

lanes on Laguna Canyon Road.

Conducted six saturation patrols to deter drunk drivers.

Miscellaneous

Obtained a $900,000 Federal grant for improvements to the sewer

system.

Received a grant to restore a portion of Laguna Creek.

Hired a Marine Protection Officer to protect ocean resources.

Experimented with weekend and holiday shuttle service between the

Downtown and the Act V parking lot.

Installed public art works at the bus depot, Lang Park and Ocean

Avenue.

Adopted an updated Cultural Arts Plan.

Established a task force to retain South Coast Medical Center.

Initiated credit card use for recreation programs.

Expanded the area available for the Farmer’s Market by allowing

parking in another lot.

Bluebird landslide

Safely evacuated about 350 families and restored sewer service and

other utilities to about 320 of those houses within two weeks after

the landslide.

Assisted owners of badly damaged or destroyed homes to remove

their possessions.