Street Repaving Plans Get the Green Light

The Laguna Beach City Council has endorsed a plan that calls for the repaving of virtually all streets in the city over the next 11 years.

Beginning in June with a $700,000 resurfacing project in the Top of the World community, the municipal services department plans to resurface all public streets except El Toro Road.

Council members are enthusiastic about the program.

“That’s just really wonderful,” said Councilman Steve Dicterow, who joined his colleagues in the unanimous vote Tuesday.

The extended project is the second long-range planning measure the council has endorsed in concept this year.

In January, the council gave the nod to a 10-year plan to improve Laguna Beach’s sewer system and asked city staff to develop long-range plans for other capital improvement projects.

The money for each year’s repaving project will come from the city’s gas tax fund, which is used for street improvement projects. The city is also seeking funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to resurface streets damaged in the 1993 firestorm.

Each year, during budget sessions, the council will appropriate money for the next project.

During the 1996-97 fiscal year, the city plans to repave streets at both the south and north ends of town.