‘Tis the season for hospitality

The Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the city, is sponsoring the traditional Hospitality Night from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season.

Many downtown businesses and organizations will be open for a festive evening, and some streets will be closed to vehicles.

Santa Claus will arrive at City Hall, 505 Forest Ave., around 6 p.m. and will help the mayor light the Pepper Tree.

Entertainment and events will take place throughout the evening. Downtown merchants will remain open, with many offering holiday specials.

Portions of Forest Avenue, Beach Street, Third Street and the Pepper Tree parking lot will be closed to vehicular traffic during the event so that pedestrians can walk more freely and safely through the downtown area.

Information: (949) 494-1018.

Harman to address Conservancy meeting

Assemblyman Tom Harman will be the featured speaker at the Laguna Canyon Conservancy dinner meeting, set for Monday, Dec. 5. Harman has lived and worked in Orange County for the past 43 years. He was first elected to the State Assembly in 2000, following six years as a Huntington Beach councilman.

Harman will give a short history of the efforts that went into saving the Bolsa Chica wetlands and provide an update on current legislation.

The dinner meeting will take place at Tivoli Terrace, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. Doors open at 6 p.m., dinner is served around 6:45 p.m., and the program follows. Dinner tickets are $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers and may be paid at the door with prior reservations. Annual membership is $10 per person.

Space at the dinner is limited. To reserve seats, call 949) 494-6465 and leave name, phone number and number of reservations. (Please spell your name and others on your list for the name tags.) The deadline for reservations is Saturday, Dec. 3.

City sidewalk projects to be discussed

The city will hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, to present concept plans for two sidewalk projects -- one planned for Coast Highway from Hinkle Place to M Street, another at lower Nyes Place.

Representatives from Psomas Engineering, the city’s consultant for the projects, will present the projects and ask for community input.

The meeting will take place at Lang Park Community Center in the large multipurpose room, 21547 Wesley Drive. Information: Derek Wieske, assistant city engineer, (949) 497-0792.

Surfrider Foundation to host holiday party

The Laguna Beach chapter of the Surfrider Foundation plans to host a holiday party at Ocean Avenue Brewing Company starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15.

Those who attend can look forward to an evening of live music, holiday drink specials, a raffle prize giveaway and good company. The evening features music by the Blues Offenders from 7 to 10:30 p.m., followed by DJ Stephen Chew from 10:30 p.m. to closing.

For a $10 entrance fee, guests can experience a night of holiday cheer and lift their glasses to a good cause. Raffle tickets can be purchased for $5 for three tickets, $10 for seven tickets and $20 for 15 tickets. All proceeds from the night benefit the Laguna chapter of the Surfrider Foundation.

“We expect a packed house on the 15th with a great crowd that is happy to kick off the holidays and also is interested in keeping their oceans healthy. The party is open to the public, anyone is welcome and we look forward to the celebration,” said Rick Wilson, chapter chairman of the Surfrider Foundation.

Information: (949) 631-6273, (949) 492-8170, or www.surfrider.org/lagunabeach.

Design Review Board has three vacancies

The City Council is looking for people to fill three vacancies on the board of adjustment/design review board. Two of the vacancies are for regular terms, from Feb. 1 to Feb. 1, 2008; the other is an alternate which runs from Feb. 1 to Feb. 1, 2007. Applications are being accepted and interviews will be held on Jan. 10.

The board of adjustment is a five-member appointed body that considers requests for variance from zoning codes and coastal development permits. Its members also sit on the city’s design review board.

The one alternate member prepares for and attends all the meetings of the boards but only participates if fewer than five regular members are present and participating. The regular meetings of the board are held the first four Thursdays of every month at 6 p.m., and its members are compensated in the amount of $210 per month.

A substantial time commitment of approximately 10 hours per week is necessary to be a board member. In addition to the weekly meetings, board members and the alternate are expected to visit the sites and review the plans of projects prior to the meeting. The board acts on an average of 15 items per week.

Applicants should attend two current meetings of the board prior to the interviews with the City Council.

Residents of Laguna Beach are invited to apply. Those interested must obtain an application from the office of the city clerk and return it by Jan. 3.