CITY COUNCIL WRAP-UP

The following is from the Laguna Beach City Council meeting of Feb. 6.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Eleanor Henry told the council that a large ficus tree on the corner of Cerritos blocks views from oncoming traffic and makes turning difficult onto Temple Hills Drive. Mayor Toni Iseman asked City Manager Ken Frank to investigate.

CONSENT CALENDAR

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EDITOR’S NOTE

: Consent calendar items are approved in one motion unless a member of the council, staff or public “pull” the item, which then requires opening it to public comment and a separate vote.Approved without comment:

March 20 as the date to interview applicants and appoint three residents to the Heritage Committee and three residents to the TechComm Committee. Applications must be in by 5 p.m., March 13.

Direction to the city manager to conclude a purchase agreement with Intelli-Fax in Long Beach for a Nortel Call Pilot voice mail system for $34,000, which would include maintenance and support for one year.

Purchase of one generator from Cummings Cal Pacific for $39,811 and one control panel and two pumps from ESSCO for $90,894 for the Shaws Cove lift station.

Music in the Park’s seven-concert schedule with amplified music from July 22 to Sept. 2 at Bluebird Park.

Pulled for discussion

Denial of a $5 million claim by Janice Michelle Hoffmeister. Hoffmeister alleged false detention, unnecessary roughness and malicious criminal prosecution.

BEAUTY MARKS 5-0

The council directed the city manager to include funding in next year’s capital improvement budget for research, design and costs of permits for beautification of the ocean-ends of Brooks, Cress and Mountain Streets. Staff was directed to work with the Beautification Council on the projects as time allows and with other organizations such as Southern California Edison and the Laguna College of Art & Design to develop plans for future improvement projects.

PTC RECOMMENDATIONS 5-0

Parking, Traffic and Circulation Committee recommendations to remove 25 mph signs and pavement markings on West Street, Eaglerock Way and Catalina, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th avenues in South Laguna were approved unanimously. Also approved: a committee recommendation to direct staff to include funding for the preparation of a design and cost estimate for a vehicle refuge on El Toro Road for left-turning vehicles from Canyon Hills Drive in next year’s 10-Year Capital Improvement proposals.

AFFORDABLE RENTAL STOCK 5-0

The council unanimously voted to send a proposal to relax restrictions on second units to a subcommittee comprised of two members each from the Housing and Human Affairs Committee and the Planning Commission. The committee had recommended the revisions as a way to increase affordable rental housing, with which the council concurred, but not for use as vacation homes.

MARINE PROTECTED AREAS 5-0

An amendment was introduced to bolster the city’s ability to protect its natural marine resources and passed on to second reading for approval.

The purpose of the proposed amendment would acknowledge the marine areas established by the city and designate an area manager to clarify, regulate, manage and enforce the status; streamline enforcement so minor offenses are cited as city code violations, not misdemeanors “” often dismissed by judges as overkill; regulate and reduce impacts of collecting or research in the areas by educational or scientific groups.

OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION 5-0

The council approved the purchase of the Stonefield and Chao parcels along Laguna Canyon Road with funding from the State Parks Bond measure routed through the California Coastal Conservancy. The city will hold title to both parcels, which will be leased to the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.

BYE-BYE ETRPA 5-0

A resolution withdrawing from and terminating the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority was approved. Each member of the group “” which successfully blocked a proposed commercial airport at the former U.S. Marine Corps Air Base “” was required to adopt the resolution.

“It is now time to do something very rare “” terminate a government agency,” said Councilwoman Cheryl Kinsman, Laguna’s representative to ETRPA for six years.

APPEALS

The council upheld an administrative denial of a proposal to use a two-bedroom residence at 785 Alta Vista Way as a short-term rental.

A Design Review Board approval of a proposed new single-family home and detached garage at 2399 Crestview Drive was overturned. The council sent the project back to the board with instructions to move the access, and to substantially reduce the size of the home.

The council upheld the board’s denial of a 163-square- foot deck at 667 Mystic Way.