MAILBAG - May 11, 2007

Council should sit out Aliso subcommittee

Last week, City Council wisely unanimously approved the continuance of Agenda Item No. 13 to May 15 council meeting. Agenda item No. 13 was to appoint two councilmembers to serve on a subcommittee with city staff and representatives of the Athens Group to develop project elements for a redevelopment agreement with the Aliso Creek Inn and Golf Course project.

It is a bad idea to have a subcommittee.

This is an enormous project, the largest development Laguna Beach has ever seen. Council- members are not able to devote enough time or expertise to be on a subcommittee to stay on top of the redevelopment plan.

All the councilmembers are already heavily committed in this community, so how much time can they really give to the redevelopment of the Aliso Creek Inn and Golf Course?

We tried that the last time the Athens Group developed land in Laguna Beach and look what happened.

I am, of course, referring to the infamous increase in costs of Treasure Island Park and the parking debacle, etc. These were huge mistakes and it is hard for me to implicitly trust the city a second time around. The city has not proved itself able to look out for our best interests.

It is a good idea to have a series of public workshops.

Public workshops with the city and the Athens Group means we can ALL be better informed every step of the way and know exactly what the project elements specifically are in a timely fashion.

These community-involved public workshops would increase the likelihood that the Aliso Creek Inn and Golf Course redevelopment plan would become the very best we can expect — an asset to the residents of our town.

I think that the Athens Group should go through the regular development and permit process at city hall, Planning Commission, Design Review, City Council, etc, just like everyone else.

The city and City Council needs to realize that appointing themselves to a subcommittee to oversee this development will only invite criticism of favoritism at best and skullduggery at worst.

Please come to the City Council meeting on Tuesday and support this proposal.

CHARLOTTE MASARIK

Laguna Beach

‘Goons’ provoked police during rally

I watched in horror as police action unfolded during the MacArthur Park melee on May 1. It didn’t seem real that the LAPD could lose control as it looked to be happening, but as a member of the Minuteman Project and one who has attended many rallies and protests, I can attest to the frustration the police were under.

The agitators who sparked the incident looked to be from the same groups that we have faced many times in Laguna Beach.

These types, which we commonly refer to as “goons” are most likely organized Socialists, Communists or Anarchists.

Their methods to intimidate include wearing masks to hide their identity and using foul and threatening language.

Their attempts to draw us into a confrontation are much like those of your pesky little brother’s; when he would point his finger within an inch of your face and claim in a sing-song voice “I’m not touching you,” daring you to do something about it.

This time the police called their bluff. Unfortunately, they went too far.

Keeping in mind that these “goons” are confrontational enough to provoke LAPD’s highly trained elite police force, imagine the abuse the Minutemen and our supporters must endure from them in order to exercise our right to freedom of speech.

In no way would I condone the excessive use of force used by the police that day, but I understand how and why it happened.

They were reacting to provocation and unfortunately the agitators were successful in creating the response they were seeking.

EILEEN GARCIA

Laguna Beach