LAGUNA BEACH : Officials Discuss Laguna Laurel Move

City officials met for the first time Tuesday to discuss a new proposal from the Irvine Co. to move its controversial planned residential community out of Laguna Canyon, a major departure in the decade-long dispute.

The proposal tendered by Irvine Co. officials last week calls for the 3,200-home Laguna Laurel project to be relocated to the city of Irvine if a number of conditions are met.

City officials who met in closed session Tuesday were optimistic about the offer.

“I think in this arrangement the city of Irvine could win, the city of Laguna Beach could win and the Irvine Co. could win,” outgoing Laguna Beach Mayor Robert F. Gentry said. “We’re discussing how to handle the parameters, what we should offer.”

Officials also agreed to keep Gentry as the lead negotiator in future discussions with the Irvine Co. and Irvine city officials. Gentry was succeeded as mayor Tuesday by Lida Lenney in a ceremonial changing of the guard in which the mayoral post rotates among each of the council members.

Before this latest proposal, the Irvine Co. had made no public suggestion that it would consider any site other than the acreage at the mouth of Laguna Canyon.

Now, Laguna Beach city officials are hoping to persuade the city of Irvine to take the project within its borders in exchange for open space farther down the canyon and closer to Laguna Beach.

The two sides are scheduled to begin what is expected to be a series of discussions on the proposal next week.