LAGUNA BEACH : Arts Plaza Proposal Given a Bad Review

Art and life, often so well mixed in this city, clashed this week when two city officials opposed a plan for an arts plaza next to City Hall.

The suggestion was made by city Arts Commission members for a half-block-long, 56-foot-wide area south of City Hall, which is undergoing renovation.

Police Chief Neil Purcell and City Manager Kenneth C. Frank both said the proposal, which would eliminate parking planned for the area, was impractical. “You probably couldn’t pick a worse place, other than Coast Highway,” Frank said.

Purcell said Thursday that any proposal that would draw crowds to the area could create a safety hazard.

Arts enthusiasts had proposed building the center on the site, which is known as Loma Terrace. They had suggested several possibilities for its development, including the creation of a serene outdoor area where a specially commissioned sculpture could be viewed, and a more comprehensively designed “artist plaza,” where residents could meet and mingle.

The most elaborate concept was presented to the commission by former chairwoman Leah Vasquez, who envisioned redesigning the half-block area with a stream, boulders and etched rocks “reminiscent of cave paintings.” The goal, she said, is to create a serene resting place for residents and visitors.

“I don’t see this as a piece of art separate from the environment,” Vasquez said. “I see it as using man-made and natural elements to create an environment where people can renew themselves, perhaps at a lunch break. “

Commission members also suggested that a plaza be built at the other end of City Hall, in an area leading to Laguna Canyon Road, as a “village entrance,” reaffirming the city’s commitment to art.

Mayor Lida Lenney called the proposal “an interesting idea” that received “a fair bit of encouragement from the council.” Also this week, Pat Warner and Tom Askman were named as finalists in an arts commission competition for a sculpture to serve as the focal point of the new City Hall.

The sculpture, designed to fit within a 12-by-18-foot area, will be displayed on the corner of Forest Avenue and Loma Terrace, commission chairwoman Kay Ogden said.