LAGUNA NIGUEL : Commercial Center Appeal Scheduled
Opponents of a 17-acre commercial center approved by the Laguna Niguel Planning Commission in August will appeal to the City Council tonight to scale back the project, which includes restaurants, office buildings and a six-screen theater.
The action represents the first time a Planning Commission decision has been appealed to the council since Laguna Niguel became a city in December.
The center, planned for the northwest corner of Camino del Avion and Street of the Golden Lantern, has stirred controversy partly because it will block ocean views in the nearby Bear Brand community.
Homeowners are concerned about the density of the center and the numbers of people and traffic it is expected to attract. The theaters in particular are a sore spot for residents, who are asking the council to at least lower the height of the building and reduce the seating capacity by one-third.
The Planning Commission approved the project on a 3-2 vote only after the developer attached 34 modifications to the proposal.
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