MAILBAG: Keep saying ‘no’ to toll road through park

The folks at the Transportation Corridor Agencies do not seem to understand that the people of Southern California do not want nor need a toll road that would compromise San Onofre State Beach and Trestles surf break.

So we are back to battle, one more time, to show them and the federal government just what “no” means.

The TCA has appealed to the feds at the Department of Commerce to over turn last February’s ruling by the California Coastal Commission.

Now it’s clearly up to us to tell them loudly and convincingly that we want the CCC’s verdict upheld, and that we do not want a toll road in our state park, or near Trestles!

Please join the Surfrider Foundation, the Sierra Club, the NRDC and other groups, along with thousands of regular people who are surfers and supporters of state parks on July 25, at UCI Bren Events Center.

We need to have a strong showing and a loud voice. Come, bring your family and friends and be a part of history and help save Trestles and San Onofre from an unnecessary toll road that will not solve our traffic issues. For more information go to: www.savetrestles.org

CAREY STROMBOTNE

Laguna Beach

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Affordable housing a key issue for city, its servants

I attended the July 1 City Council meeting when the Housing and Human Services Committee’s proposal on affordable housing was considered by our City Council and unanimously forwarded to the Planning Commission for consideration.

The Housing and Human Services Committee’s proposal recommended the city require developers of large subdivisions to provide the required affordable housing units equal to 25% of the residential units in the project as specified in Housing Element Policy HE-2.4 rather than allowing them to pay an in-lieu housing fee (now set at 50k per unit).

While the unanimous vote forwarding the proposal to the Planning Commission was a disappointment to me (since I would have liked to have seen the housing committee’s provision adopted right then), I was encouraged by the public discussion between Mayor Jane Egly and Councilwoman Cheryl Kinsman about the need to find the political will to exercise the power the council has to require developers to actually provide affordable housing in return for the opportunity to build large subdivisions in our village.

I was also encouraged by council members Kelly Boyd and Toni Iseman’s votes to encourage the Planning Commission to get serious about affordable housing.

However, I do think the council missed a golden opportunity to do something truly creative about our dwindling rental housing stock. Interestingly, the agenda item just preceding the discussion on the Housing Committee’s visionary recommendation involved a proposal to demolish two existing apartment buildings on an oceanfront lot which house eight units and to construct two single-family residences. If the council were not aware of the rapidly declining number of affordable rental units in Laguna, the extensive discussion on the proposal to eliminate eight rental units should have served as a reminder.

The council sent this proposal back to the Planning Commission with its guidance to get serious about finding affordable housing. Planning commissioners have the opportunity to make history by approving the Housing Committee’s recommendation and actually craft policy to require affordable housing be built as part of any future subdivisions. They should consider adding affordable housing requirements for new developments that will rely on the services of employees who will need housing close by, and who will be increasing the demand for affordable housing in our community.

Finally, they should also considering setting aside a percentage of these units for our police officers, firefighters and teachers who may not be able to afford to live in the community they serve so well.

After all, proposed projects like Aliso Canyon, if approved, will ultimately result in projects that generate large amounts of income for their proponents. These builders can afford to share in solving the housing problem they are helping to create.

One problem remains: Planning Commission meetings are not televised like council and DRB meetings, making it difficult for all of us to participate in its deliberations. Please join me in asking our city to televise Planning Commission meetings as a public service.

AL BAEZ

Laguna Beach

Mail to the Coastline Pilot, P.O. Box 248 Laguna Beach, CA 92652. Send a fax to (949) 494-8979 or e-mail us at [email protected]. All correspondence must include full name, hometown and phone number (for verification purposes). The Pilot reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity and length.