Vote Puts Luxury Resort Plan Closer to Reality

Now that voters have approved plans for a luxury resort hotel and 34 homes on the Laguna Beach coast, construction might be completed within three years, city officials said Wednesday.

“The people have spoken and the will of the people is absolutely clear,” Laguna Beach Mayor Steve Dicterow said.

Laguna Beach voters Tuesday approved the controversial development plan 55% to 45%. The resort still needs approval from a joint design review board, the Planning Commission and City Council as well as a state coastal development permit. All of those are expected.

Some opponents said the 275-room resort will be a blow to the city’s charm. They foresaw continuing battles over preservation and the lure of lucrative development. They also argued that the development on 30 acres set aside too little land as park space and would generate too much traffic.

Supporters cited the money the hotel would bring to both the city and the town’s cash-strapped schools. In addition, they said, the development would open the land to the public and add another coastal park.