County to Condemn Laguna’s Land for Access to Tract

Over bitter objections by the City of Laguna Beach, county supervisors Tuesday authorized the condemnation of a city-owned strip of land to provide access to a planned residential development in county territory known as Laguna Heights.

The Carma-Sandling Group, an Irvine development company, bought the land on the ridgeline overlooking Laguna Beach six years ago and has been battling the city over its proposed subdivision for more than three years.

Although the 440 acres are in county territory, the only access to the property--aside from building a road up sheer cliffs--is through city property at the end of Alta Laguna Boulevard.

County officials originally hoped the city and the developer would agree on having Laguna Beach annex the completed housing tract, which offers sweeping views of inland canyons, the ocean and coastal cities.

But Laguna Beach officials said that allowing more than 70 homes in the area would cause too much traffic. Carma-Sandling contended that anything less than 108 homes would be economically unfeasible. Both sides have filed several lawsuits, which are still pending.

On Tuesday the Board of Supervisors authorized condemning a 300-foot strip of land at the end of Alta Laguna Boulevard, land that currently contains picnic benches and is designated a mini-park by the city.

“The issue is, the county feels obliged to condemn city property,” Laguna Beach City Manager Ken Frank said. “The real question is whether you’re going to condemn park property to provide a road for a private developer.”

“The city is vigorously opposed to the condemnation,” City Atty. Philip Kohn told the supervisors at a public hearing two weeks ago, because it advances “purely private” interests.

“Public use in this case is virtually nonexistent” because the road will serve only the subdivision, which will be off-limits to nonresidents, Kohn said.

But county officials noted that Carma-Sandling said it will build the houses on 20 acres, giving the other 450 acres to the county to be part of the “green belt” of undeveloped open territory that the county is acquiring.

“We’ve put more attention into this map (of the property) than any other,” said Peter Herman, land use aide to Supervisor Thomas F. Riley, whose district includes Laguna Beach. “The project is in as good condition as any project ever approved by the Board of Supervisors.

“I don’t think there’s any question that the project in and of itself is meritorious,” Herman said. The development will have fewer dwelling units per acre than the Laguna Beach average and is set back from the public right-of-way, he said.