LAGUNA BEACH : $95,000 Plan Would Transform Alleyway

A plan to transform a downtown alley into a more aesthetically pleasing passageway at a likely cost of more than $95,000 moved into high gear as volunteer teams formed to create designs for the roadway.

The teams, made up of architects, artists, merchants and residents, are considering a variety of ways to redesign the 600-foot-long strip of pavement between Ocean and Forest avenues, including the possibility that the alley should be changed into a modified pedestrian mall, where trash bins are enclosed and decorated and delivery trucks are only allowed during specific hours of the day.

Currently, the alley is open to traffic from Beach Street to Coast Highway.

“I think people are looking at the possibility of creating another wonderful little place in town that would be user-friendly and also a meeting place,” said Deputy City Manager Cynthia King, who is heading the project for the city.

While not all merchants are happy with the idea--mostly because they fear they will end up paying too much of the bill--King said she is encouraged by the public’s response.

About 50 people attended the first meeting on Sept. 12, she said, even though it was scheduled for 7:30 a.m.

On Saturday, about 30 residents, architects, merchants and artists showed up, and some volunteered to serve on the design teams, she said.

“The extent of the volunteer effort is pretty incredible,” she said. “No one is getting paid to do this.”

The City Council has not yet endorsed the project, which was launched early this year, long before the city’s current budget woes.

The City Council agreed to consider redesigning the alley as part of a necessary plan to improve the passageway, which is marred by potholes and plagued by drainage problems, King said.

Since the alley is already heavily traveled by pedestrians, some city leaders considered it a perfect time to launch a larger project to dress up the pathway, camouflaging trash bins and perhaps installing tables, seats, artwork or landscaping.

While the Chamber of Commerce is considering promoting fund-raisers to help pay for the project, Chamber vice president Sheila Bushard said some merchants are edgy about how much they will end up paying.

“They want the drainage repaired and the paving improved, but any more than that, most of them are not interested,” Bushard said.

“If the city wants to spend the money, fine. But basically, (the merchants) just want it cleaned up.”

The design teams will meet independently during the next few weeks and will present their plans to an independent jury on Oct. 10.

The jury’s recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council, which is expected to consider the alley improvement project in November.