SLCA Bulletin - South Laguna Civic Association

SLCA Bulletin
Summer 2014
southlaguna.org
P.O. Box 9668
South Laguna CA 92652-7639
Inside…
• SLCA Accomplishments
• Report from The Ranch
• Summer Festival July 27
at the Garden Park
South Laguna Civic Association • Non-profit organization founded 1946 • Dedicated to Protecting the Quality of Community Life
What SLCA Has Done for You Lately
By Ann Christoph
Thank you for
supporting SLCA
O
ne of the most important things SLCA does is to track
projects that are being proposed and represent the
community interest through letters, public testimony and
contacts with staff and decision makers. Here are some of
the projects we have been involved in on your behalf during
recent months:
by keeping your dues current
Design Review Board Hearings
SLCA Accomplishments
continued from page 1
California Coastal Commission
The Guy Skidmore/Stonehenge house at 31381 Coast Highway
has been demolished, the result of the disappointing denial of our
appeal by the Commission on March 12, 2014. Still remaining is a
hearing on the appeal of the permit for a new house on the property,
not yet scheduled by the Commission. At issue is the existing nonconforming wood stair tower on the public beach and a required
5' wide sidewalk along Coast Highway that has not been provided.
City Council
The Council has agreed that the Boys and Girls Club will have
exclusive use of the Fred Lang Park community room to provide
after school and summer children’s activities. Other community
groups including SLCA have been promised use of the gym, and
the Methodist Church staff has agreed to accommodate community
meetings in their facilities. Lang Park is the former site of Aliso
Elementary School, which was closed by the School District in 1981.
The Boys and Girls Club programs will add much needed childoriented services at that facility.
• Ti Amo Restaurant – 31727 Coast Highway. Permits to remodel
the restaurant were appealed to the City Council by neighbors
with the help of SLCA. People’s concerns were with the unlimited
hours of operation and lack of on-site parking, loss of two existing
trees, and the architecture of the proposed building that does not
feature the historical cottage that underlays the existing modern
facades. The City Council approved the project on March 18 but
convinced the owners to agree to a closing time of 11 p.m. on week
nights and midnight on weekends. The remaining concerns were
not addressed.
• Boyd Residence – 31592 Wildwood Road. The remodel for this
house under the very large Torrey Pine tree is now underway. To
address SLCA and neighborhood concerns about the welfare of
the tree, the Design Review Board and City Council imposed strict
requirements about arborist monitoring during construction. A
stop work order was imposed when this requirement was not being
respected by the contractor.
Code Enforcement Office
• Carol’s Way – Public walkway
between Pedro and Monterey
in Coast Royal. Named for
Carol Thompson, a deceased
and beloved 51-year resident of
south Laguna who championed
pedestrian access to the beach,
half of the walkway has been
encroached by an adjacent
neighbor’s fence. The City’s code enforcement and engineering
staff are reviewing the encroachment. SLCA hopes to install a small
plaque at the top of the walkway to commemorate the site.
• 31502 Shrewsbury – This proposed addition was initially
opposed by several neighbors because of its size. SLCA
discovered that the allowed maximum floor area was
being incorrectly calculated. The project was reduced, the
city revised its methods of calculation, and the neighbors
and applicant are satisfied with the
compromise. DRB approved, April 24.
and the street. The DRB denied the project on May 22 but
the applicant appealed to the City Council. It is to be heard
on July 15, but will probably be continued to August 5.
• 31631 Coast Highway – The proposal for this super-sized
house was considered on June 26. It was not only much
too large – 8665 sq. ft. plus 3760 sq. ft. of garage for a total
of 12,425 sq. ft. – but it would have involved excavating
2 subterranean levels adjacent to an ocean bluff. Most
importantly, there is a previously undocumented historical
house on the property. We submitted photographs from
our historical archives. As a result the DRB continued the
project to September 11 and required a historical report.
The house of Ethel Owen, just north
of the Aliso pedestrian bridge, taken
by her nephew Richard Challis in 1946.
This house will be the subject of a
historical report that is required to
be evaluated before a project can be
approved on the property.
• 31614 Mar Vista – Hamilton
Residence. SLCA Board Member
Barbara Bowie represented SLCA and
worked with neighbors and the DRB
to reduce the size and impact of this
uphill residence. DRB approved, May 8.
• 31461 Coast Highway – Shopoff Residence, north of the
West Street beach stairs. SLCA analyzed the drawings and
submitted a letter objecting to the size: 8082 square feet of
living area, 1285 square feet of garage, and 1359 square feet
of deck area. There are also issues regarding the relationship
of the project to the County-owned public stairs and
easements. On June 26 the DRB granted an indefinite
continuance for the applicant to work out the easement
issues with the County.
• 31521 Mar Vista – Morales Residence. SLCA’s objection
here is with the height of the proposed house sited at
the top of Eagle Rock Way. The house would loom over
adjacent homes and impede hillside views from lower lots
Heritage Committee
• 31351 Coast Highway, the Ilsley/Corwin E-rated historical
house above West Street Beach is proposed to be restored.
This house was proposed to be demolished in 2005 to be
replaced by a modern structure. SLCA prepared a historical
report, which set in motion the city’s incorporation of the
California Environmental Quality Act criteria into historical
properties review. As a result the owner changed direction
and has decided to restore the house. The restoration plans
were approved by the Heritage Committee on April 21, 2014.
continues on page 4
Summer 2014
page 2
Summer 2014
Betting the Ranch: Aliso Canyon’s Future
By Barbara Miller
O
n May 12, the Board of Directors of the South Laguna
Civic Association toured “The Ranch,” the Laguna Beach
resort currently being renovated and rebranded, previously
known as the Aliso Creek Inn, and earlier as “Ben Brown’s
Restaurant” and 9-hole golf course. On two previous
occasions, the board also considered the project. The
picturesque 84-acre property is located in Aliso Canyon;
the new name chosen, “The Ranch,” reflects the original
use and owner of the site, Laguna Beach homesteader, Joe
Thurston.
Mark Christy, a Laguna Beach native and one of the
new owners of the property, led the tour and answered
numerous questions about the plans for the project. He
had obtained permits for remodeling the hotel within the
existing footprints and that work has been in progress. The
remodel would increase the number of hotel rooms from 64
to 97, although the footprint of the buildings will remain the same.
The 9-hole golf course will remain and an event venue that can be
used for weddings and other celebrations is being created in the
more remote part of the property. The owners plan to have the
restaurant open for breakfast, lunch, and
dinner.
The Laguna Beach Planning Commission
approved part of the project and granted
permits for the internal reconfiguration of
the hotel, addition of a spa, and renovation
of the restaurant on May 14, 2014. Shortly
afterward, however, Mark Fudge, a Laguna
Beach resident, appealed the City’s decision
for approval of the project to the California
Coastal Commission. Fudge contends that
the City of Laguna Beach did not follow
protocol by exempting the project from an environmental review
(CEQA). He also cites other non-compliance issues.
In accepting the appeal, the Coastal Commission’s staff report
cites inconsistencies in the Laguna Beach approval process and
agrees that the appeal raises a “substantial issue” regarding the
City’s approval process. The report questions whether the approval
 Individual $25
 Sponsor $200
 Family/Business $45
 Contribution for historical research $ ___________
 Supporting $100
 Friend of the South Laguna Community Garden Park $100
Phone (Day) _____________________ (Evening) _____________________________
Address ____________________________________________________________
City _______________________________________________________________
Email _______________________________________________ Date___________
SLCA is a non-profit organization; however, your contributions are not tax deductible. Tax-deductible
contributions to the South Laguna Garden Park should be made to CVOC/SL Garden and mailed to SLCA.
Profile
of this project complies with the regulations and standards of the
City’s Local Coastal Program and the State Coastal Act, which sets
development guidelines within the Coastal Zone.
The appeal to the Coastal Commission was held on Wednesday,
July 9 in Ventura. Commissioners voted in
favor of following the recommendation
of the agency’s staff, meaning that
they found a “substantial issue” of noncompliance, which now triggers a “de
novo review” of the entire project. At the
time of this writing, a date for the review
has not yet been announced. Such a
review starts the permitting process all
over again from scratch. In effect, the
earlier permits granted by the Laguna
Beach Planning Commission will be
treated as if they had never been issued. The Coastal Commission’s
July 9 action and the deliberations ahead on The Ranch project
likely will be closely watched by City officials, developers, and
environmentalists in coastal communities throughout the state.
Assuredly, the stakes are high and so will be the drama centering
on The Ranch.
By Tom Osborne
va’s Caribbean Kitchen restaurant was the perfect venue for
SLCA’s annual meeting on the evening of February 25, 2014.
Eva Madray, restaurateur and chef extraordinaire, greeted with
her signature warm hospitality the 27 adults and one baby as
we entered her cozy, colorful eatery on Coast Highway. Imbibing
glasses of Sean Minor Chardonnay or Cabernet, attendees chatted
informally while munching Punani Shrimp Salad, Crab and Sweet
Corn Cakes, and Aubergine Choka (garlic-stuffed roasted eggplant
with shallots).
Still, all was not wining and dining. New Mayor Pro Tem Bob
Whalen, the featured speaker, reflected on what he found “most
South Laguna Civic Association Dues
Name______________________________________________________________
Business with Pleasure: SLCA’s 67th Anniversary and Annual Meeting
E
page 3
interesting and challenging” as a City Councilperson. SLCA Vice
President Mike Beanan led a discussion on ocean water quality. Ann
Christoph talked about the fundraising effort underway to buy the
garden and in that regard announced a recent $100,000 donation
by an anonymous party. Honoring outgoing 11-year SLCA President
Bill Rihn was a highlight. Greg O’Loughlin presented Mr. Rihn with a
stunning aerial color photograph of South Laguna. The photograph,
shot by O’Loughlin, was signed by all members of the SLCA Board,
its former president, Ginger Osborne, and former City Manager
Ken Frank and his successor John Pietig, as well as by several City
Councilpersons. What a perfect evening!
SLCA President Greg O’Loughlin
A
professional photographer, I have
served on the SLCA board of directors
since around 1992, and in the early 2000s
I simultaneously served for several years
as chair of the City of Laguna Beach
Environmental Committee. Earlier this year
I was asked by the SLCA board to serve as
president and accepted the honor. In taking
on this new leadership position, among
other things I intend to focus on ocean water
quality, implementation of our Marine Life Protection Area rules,
overdevelopment, and community relations.
We live in a very special place; our village of south Laguna
attracts visitors from all over the globe who swim in our coves,
compete in our world-class skim boarding events, hike our
scenic hillside trails, stroll through our Community Garden Park,
and marvel at the views and public amenities at the Montage
Resort along our coast. As a long-term local resident, I, too, am
grateful for and smitten by all of this. That’s why I invite you to
join us and help SLCA in caring for this little slice of Shangri-la.
SLCA Board of Directors
Greg O’Loughlin . . . . President. . . .
Bill Rihn . . . . . . . . . 1st Vice Pres . .
Mike Beanan. . . . . . 2nd Vice Pres . .
Jim Joseph. . . . . . . . . . Secretary. . . .
Mary Ives . . . . . . . . . . Treasurer. . . .
Mel Harwell. . . . . . . . . Director . . . .
Cindy Love . . . . . . . . Alternate. . . .
Barbara Miller. . . . . . . Director . . . .
Tom Osborne. . . . . . . . Director . . . .
John Thomas. . . . . . . . Director . . . .
Barbara Bowie. . . . . . . Director . . . .
Morrie Granger . . . . . Alternate. . . .
James Henry . . . . . . . Alternate. . . .
Tom Joliet. . . . . . . . . Alternate. . . .
Ann Christoph. . . . . . . Emerita . . . .
499-2241
415-1312
499-6367
499-5974
.499-2857
499-0541
499-9100
499-0505
499-4809
499-5099
499-9452
499-2746
510-5771
499-1751
499-3574
Join in the Summer Festivities
at the Garden Park
Sunday, July 27, 4-7 p.m.
Live music, activities
Potluck – bring drinks and a dish to share.
As usual, this is a zero trash event, bring your reusable dinnerware.
W
e will be celebrating nearly five years at the South Laguna
Community Garden Park.
Our first day of building the Garden Park was August 15, 2009!
In the past year we have raised over $150,000 toward purchasing
a permanent garden property and on June 17 the Council voted to
allocate $250,000 towards that goal. It is very rewarding to see
support broaden as more Lagunans appreciate the benefits of the
Garden Park.
Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/
pages/South-Laguna-Community-Garden-Park/285466217510 and
our website SouthLaguna.org/garden.
● dues for 2014
please Check the address label on this bulletin.
All 2013 memberships expired January 1.
The date on the mailing label is when your membership
ends. If it is 1/2014 or before, please send your dues
check along with the membership coupon at the top of
this page.
Clip the coupon and mail it with your check
in the enclosed envelope to:
SLCA, P. O. Box 9668, South Laguna, CA 92652-9639
Contributions are welcome and appreciated!
Susan Dalcamo and Alani, daughter of gardener Carly Andrews, with
the donated vegetables from the Garden Susan recently delivered to
Friendship Shelter. “Oh what bounty! We will put this to good use,”
residents and staff said appreciatively.