City is ‘open for business’

Laguna Beach wants prospective businesses to know the city is “open for business.”

A subcommittee of the Business Assistance Task Force, called Laguna Open for Business, will broker meetings designed to clarify how business is done in Laguna.

Commercial property owners, property managers, Realtors and architects are encouraged to take prospective clients to the meetings for informal discussions about opening businesses in town.

“We hope to demystify the process,” said Planning Commissioner Anne Johnson, a subcommittee member. “We believe there is a lot of misunderstanding out there, which is particularly confusing to the mom-and-pop businesses.”

The first meeting will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Community Center, 380 Third St.

Besides Johnson, panelists for the meeting will include Planning Commissioner Linda Dietrich, contractor and designer Gregg Abel, Chamber of Commerce President Jeff Redecker and Realtor Cary Glenn.

Subsequent meetings are scheduled the first Tuesdays in November and December. Panelists will be rotated, but representative of the original group.

For example: Incoming Chamber President Chris Teller will be on the second panel; past President Dave Sanford will be in the third group.

“It is our hope that the outcome might streamline the process of opening a business in Laguna,” Johnson said. “That might require some changes in city policies and ordinances.”

City planner Monica Tuchscher has been assigned to the subcommittee. For more information, call (949) 497-0745.

The task force, chaired by Mayor Pro Tem Elizabeth Pearson and Councilwoman Toni Iseman, also plans to conduct a citywide resident survey to find out where residents shop, what kind of merchandise and services are missing in town and what kind of stores residents would like to see.