CITYSCAPE ROUNDUP: Remote city facility to open next week

City employees are expected to begin moving into the new municipal corporation yard at the ACT V parking lot site at 1900 Laguna Canyon Road Jan. 2 and are expected to be completely moved over by mid-January, according to City Manager Ken Frank in his Dec. 20 weekly update to the city staff.

“This will be the first time that the city’s maintenance crews have been simultaneously relocated in the city’s history,” Frank stated. “This will be quite a demand on our crews for the first week or so while they settle into their new facilities.”

Following the relocation of city crews to the new maintenance facility, the operations that will be staying at the location behind City Hall will move into the remaining buildings. These include the parking meter shop, sign shop, police storage and others. The meter and sign shop next to Laguna Canyon channel will be demolished by Jan. 21, Frank said. The existing maintenance yard, employee parking lot and the Lumberyard public parking lot will then be resurfaced and restriped on a rotating schedule.

Following rehabilitation of the old maintenance yard, city employees will park on the inland side of the channel, Frank said. The old employee parking lot bordered by Forest Avenue and Laguna Canyon Road will be rehabilitated and is expected to open as public parking about the third week in February.

The Lumberyard lot will then be closed for about five days for resurfacing and restriping and open near the end of February. While the Lumberyard lot is being worked on, permit holders will be able to park in the old employee parking lot.

Iseman denies seeking spearfishing ban

Councilwoman Toni Iseman is denying an accusation that she is proposing to seek a ban on spearfishing off Laguna Beach.

The issue of spearfishing was raised by Iseman and others at the Dec. 4 City Council meeting.

Iseman’s comments have been interpreted by some as a proposal to ban spearfishing.

Iseman said she is proposing to limit spearfishing to certain times of the day “to avoid conflicts with swimmers.”

“There is a concern among swimmers about spearfishing,” Iseman said. “I am not proposing to ban spearfishing.”

Some swimmers have asked that spearfishing be prohibited during midday hours when more swimmers are likely to be in the water, and Iseman said she would like the council to consider such a measure.

The spearfishing issue is expected to be raised at the Council in January.

“” By Cindy Frazier

Egly to appear at Conservancy dinner

Newly elected Laguna Beach Mayor Jane Egly and her husband, retired Judge Paul Egly, will be the special guests at the Laguna Canyon Conservancy dinner meeting Jan. 7 at Tivoli Terrace, 650 Laguna Canyon Road.

Jane Egly is a 23-year resident and is currently a professor of law at LaVerne College of Law. This is her fourth year on the council.

Egly will outline her plans as mayor in 2008.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and dinner is served around 6:35 p.m., with the program following. Dinner tickets are $10 for members and $15 for non-members and may be paid at the door with prior reservations.

New memberships or a renewal is $10 per person, per calendar year, which will now be good through Dec. 31, 2008.

To reserve a spot, call Ed at (949) 494-6465.

Garden Club presents program on fruit trees

The Laguna Beach Garden Club will present Larry Baumgartner, president of the OC Chapter of California Assn. of Nurseries and Garden Centers, at the next club meeting Jan. 11.

Baumgartner will speak on the topic “Fruit Trees in the Coastal Garden.”

Baumgartner is also a buyer for the Home Depot in Lake Forest, and holds a degree in Ornamental Horticulture. He also worked for Armstrong Garden Centers for 24 years.

The meeting will be at the Neighborhood Congregational Church, 340 St. Ann’s Drive, Laguna Beach.

The social gathering starts at 9:30 a.m., featuring a plant and garden “boutique” for unique garden items at “dirt-cheap” prices.

The business meeting starts at 10 a.m., followed by the speaker at 10:30 a.m. The meeting is free one time for guests.

For more information, visit www.lagunabeachgardenclub.org.