LAGUNA BEACH : Canyon Committee Helps Raise $20,200

Although not quite sure yet how active its campaign to block development in Laguna Canyon will be, the Committee to Save the Canyon reported Friday it has raised $20,200 in support of a city bond measure to buy some of the canyon land.

Citizens will vote Nov. 6 whether to support Measure H, a $20-million bond issue to purchase a portion of the 2,150 acres scheduled for development by the Irvine Co.

Bond supporters have said previously that the required two-thirds majority will be difficult to obtain unless the city and the developer can come up with a viable purchase plan.

The land, appraised at $105 million, has been offered to the city for $78 million, to be paid out over a five-year period.

Although active campaigning is in slow motion pending a final agreement between the city, environmentalists and the company, campaign organizers have continued raising money.

Of the 28 contributions received during the first three weeks of the campaign, the largest donation came from the Irvine Co., which gave $5,000. A subsequent donation from the company to be included in a later report totaled $10,000.

Other major donors included two environmental groups involved in the land-purchase negotiations--Laguna Greenbelt Inc. and Laguna Canyon Conservancy--which gave a combined total of $5,000.

The committee’s expenditures for the same period totaled $12,527.

The campaign coffers are expected to fill up Monday evening when a major fund-raiser is held at the Hotel Laguna.