Briefly In the News: Downtown walking tour workshop on Wednesday

The Laguna Beach Planning Commission is holding a public workshop at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to discuss the results of the downtown walking tour conducted on Jan. 12, according to a city press release.

The Planning Commission has conducted community workshops to consider a potential amendment to the Downtown Specific Plan and wants public input on how to improve the downtown area.

The Downtown Specific Plan includes policies and guidelines to preserve and enhance the village character of the downtown, according to the news release. It also determines the types and locations of business that are allowed in the area as well as establish design guidelines for new development and policies to preserve local landmarks, historic development patterns, diversity of building designs and pedestrian scale.

The workshop will be held in the City Council Chambers, 505 Forest Ave.

For more information contact Principal Planner Carolyn Martin (949) 497-0398 or cmartin@lagunabeachcity.net.

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Honorees Brunch set for Feb. 3

The 47th annual Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade will present the 2013 honorees at its Honorees Brunch on Feb. 3, according to a news release.

Honorees include Grand Marshal, Capt. Jason Ehret, an active duty U.S. Navy Seal and graduate of Laguna Beach High School, class of 1984; Honored Patriot, Dr. Joseph A. Pursch, who served as a flight surgeon and chief of neuropsychiatry during his 20 year career in the Navy, and currently is in private practice in Laguna Beach; Citizens of the Year, Bonnie and Arnold Hano, longtime local activists and volunteers; Junior Citizens of the Year, Laguna Beach High School seniors Michelle Brown and Brock Csira; Athlete of the Year, Laguna Beach High School football player Drake Martinez; and Artists of the Year, the Pageant of the Masters, in honor of its 80th anniversary.

The Honorees Brunch will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Tivoli Terrace on the Festival of Arts Grounds, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. The public is invited. Cost is $25 per person. For more information, contact Sandi Werthe at (949) 494-6016 or email her at shworthy@juno.com.

The parade will take place at 11 a.m. March 2, starting at Laguna Beach High School and marching down Park Avenue, right on Glenneyre Street at the library and down Forest Avenue past City Hall, ending at Ocean Avenue.

— Alisha Gomez