Laguna Niguel Factions Meet as Election Forum Nears

As Laguna Niguel’s cityhood election campaign heats up, the opposing sides are beginning to talk to each other, but so far no one has changed sides, representatives said Friday.

“We’ve met (Friday) with some of the Stop Cityhood people, talked with them, and given them some information,” said Denny Harris, an executive member of Citizens for Cityhood.

Representatives of Stop Cityhood acknowledged meeting with some of their pro-cityhood counterparts, but they said they are not likely to change their opposition to Laguna Niguel’s bid for incorporation, which will be on the Nov. 7 ballot.

“We just think this (cityhood election) is coming up too soon,” said Debi Larsen, a member of Stop Cityhood. “This community needs some time before it takes on the responsibilities of cityhood.”

Nonetheless, Larsen said she and other Stop Cityhood members are trying to be open-minded and will have a representative at Sunday’s community forum being sponsored by Citizens for Cityhood.

Citizens for Cityhood is the organization directing efforts to get a favorable vote Nov. 7 in behalf of incorporation. Harris said Friday that he is encouraged that the Stop Cityhood representatives are making themselves available.

“I really think we can have a better understanding this way,” Harris said. “I think there’s a need for getting the facts out.”

Harris said Citizens for Cityhood’s forum will be at 7 p.m. at the YMCA gymnasium, 29831 Crown Valley Parkway, next to the Crown Valley Community Park. He said several governmental experts will be on hand to answer questions.

Chere Hines, another representative of Stop Cityhood, said she plans to attend the forum, but added, “I may not speak or ask any questions. . . . I’ll mainly be there to listen. You see, I’m not totally opposed to cityhood for Laguna Niguel, and under the proper circumstances I could support it.

“None of us wants to stop cityhood forever,” Hines said. “But right now, we’re concerned about revenue--can this community stand on its own? And we also want to know what’s going to happen to the coastal strip.”

She was referring to Laguna Niguel’s loss to Dana Point last year of the Monarch Beach coastal area, which includes the affluent Ritz-Carlton hotel.

The county’s Local Agency Formation Commission put Monarch Beach into the cityhood proposal for Dana Point, and when Dana Point voters approved incorporation, Monarch Beach became part of that new city on Jan. 1. A Laguna Niguel residents’ group, however, is challenging the loss of Monarch Beach in a case now before the state appellate court.