A year of ups and downs

2005 was a year of ups and downs in Laguna Beach. Literally.

The hillside that slid down into Bluebird Canyon in June is being shored up.

However, the year began and ended on a high note.

The Act V/Village Entrance/ Corporation Yard compromise reached by Mayor Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider and Councilwoman Toni Iseman set the tone for a sea change in council demeanor and accomplishments. The proposal, enthusiastically endorsed by the council, brought an end to the wrangling that had besmirched the image of civic leaders and divided community groups for more than a decade.

Passage of Measure A -- a half-cent sales tax increase -- in December assured that projects would not be cut due to the financial pressure of repairing the landslide damage and brought 2005 to a triumphant close.

Lots happened in between the compromise in January and vote in December. Here is a glimpse of the year, gleaned from the pages of the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot.

JANUARY

* A sewage spill Jan. 3 closed 1,000 Steps Beach. About 1,400 gallons of sewage was swept through a storm drain to the beach before the spill was discovered.

* City Manager Ken Frank reported that better-than-expected revenue from property and sales taxes and substantial savings in city spending added up to a general fund balance about $2 million higher than anticipated at mid fiscal year.

* Veteran Police Chief James Spreine announced he would retire in October. Spreine and his wife, Linda, looked forward to moving into the home they were building in Sequim, Wash., near Seattle, where he was raised.

* The City Council agreed to try to facilitate meetings between the Laguna Beach Unified School District and Laguna Beach High School neighbors who opposed a tall, opaque fence around the baseball field that obscured their ocean views.

* City officials approved compromises at a Feb. 15 workshop that moved the city closer to agreement on the configuration and location of the city’s maintenance yard, a political landmine for more than 10 years.

* 2004 real estate figures showed a 30% increase over the previous year’s figure of $1.3 million for the median-priced Laguna Beach home.

* City planners approved live music and sale of alcoholic beverages for Mozambique restaurant, which replaced Tortilla Flats. Neighbors were not happy, contending traffic and parking would adversely affect residential streets.

FEBRUARY

* The final accounting on the 2004 City Council election showed that an anti-Wayne Baglin group spent the most money: $57,570. Baglin came in third in the two-seat race.