Get Involved: LB Planning Commission asks for Complete Streets Input

Our city Planning Commission is developing a Parking Management Plan for the Downtown Specific Plan area and are soliciting help from the Complete Streets Task Force. They request:

"If the Complete Streets Task Force is interested in this endeavor, please feel free to discuss, consider, and formulate any and all project objectives with the Task Force and provide a list of itemized objectives for the Downtown Parking Management Plan to us no later than July 1, 2011." 

This effort will be an agenda item for the June 14th meeting.  If you don't know how to get started, read the Laguna Beach 2030 Vision Plan. 

Share any ideas on the comment section here or email lagunastreets@gmail.com

Talking Points to Mobility

Now is the time to build for the future of Laguna Beach-- No more keeping us down with the status quo!

I recently read some suggested talking points from the group Streets for all Seattle and thought they made sense for us (with a few tweaks). Any new public investments in our city transportation planning should make Laguna Beach:

1.  Healthy by promoting active transportation options;
2.  Affordable by not making automobile-ownership a prerequisite for mobility;
3.  Vibrant by providing an aesthetic village atmosphere for businesses and community interaction to thrive from new accessibility;
4.  Equitable by ensuring that our transportation system works for everyone – young and old, able-bodied and disabled, rich and poor;
5.  Environmentally-responsible by helping to protect our oceans, canyons and lowering overall carbon emissions.

We Are Hopeful -- Complete Streets and LB City Council Budget

On Tuesday 17 May 2011 during the Budget Workshop Laguna Beach City Council approved a budget line-item for Complete Streets infrastructure, the appropriation will appear in the city's budget  plan for Capital Improvements. A "place holder" value for this appropriation is currently $300,000.

A big thanks to all who attended and/or voiced support for our beautiful city and its need to fund and support walking, biking and mass transit.

Moulton Meadows Trail Project by Complete Streets Task Force

 The LB Complete Streets Task Force proposed a walk/bike trail to connect TOW to Arch Beach Heights allowing these two neighborhoods access to TOW elementary school, playing fields and beautiful park space. Pictured is the existing public easement from Alta Laguna Blvd into the watershed, the paved Moulton Meadows road is seen on the horizon.

Sharrows in Long Beach - Urban Planner Commentary

Part 1.5: Request for Sharrows on Cliff Drive

Please join the community to voice your support for bike lanes.

You may have read our earlier post from a Laguna Beach resident who put in an "official" request to the PTC (Parking, Traffic and Circulation Committee of Laguna Beach) for bike lanes and bicycle shared access (Sharrows) on Cliff Drive in Laguna Beach, CA.

A PTC meeting will address the public request on Thursday, April 28, 6 pm at the Senior Center.

The requests for these improvements are here:
http://lagunastreets.blogspot.com/2011/03/part-1-request-for-sharrows-on-cliff.html

The city response for these improvements is here, see item 5, Agenda:
http://www.lagunabeachcity.net/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=7164

Map of the proposed area to place sharrows on Cliff Drive:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=206081808123476062630.0004a0baa371986ff9451&z=1

Show your support for a balanced mobility plan for Laguna Beach and attend this meeting!

  

More Support for 20 mph Streets: Kids Safety

New research by Royal Holloway College, London University, studied the perceptual limitations of children and concluded that they had difficulty detecting cars approaching at speeds over 20mph. 

Would you commit to driving 20 mph in town to save lives?

Read the entire article

This great photo from Preventable.ca. Great media ideas for safety.

Moulton Meadows to Old Top of the World Trail

The Complete Streets Task Force of Laguna Beach (CSTF) is working with community leaders to extend a trail from Moulton Meadows to the Old Top-of-the-World neighborhood. The current trail is not much more than a goat path and is not safe or even easy for anything with wheels--namely bikes and strollers, nor is it very safe for kids to use unless accompanied by a very able-bodied adult to push or pull them up the trails steep and treacherous passage.
 
The new trail would be a viable and car-free option for elementary children to ride or walk to TOW Elementary School. It will allow for both neighborhoods to have access to Moulton Meadows' beautiful trails, playing fields, courts and playgrounds.When the CSTF has had informal discussions with neighborhood families the response has been overwhelmingly positive for the new trail. One neighbor simply stated, "It is silly that there is no safe access between our neighborhoods. Our kids play together at school and then to get back to MM to practice on the soccer fields, it's a 4 mile drive each way."

Currently, the MM fire road ends at the private, gated road Sommet du Monde. From our understanding, the owners of the six houses on this road have refused to grant pedestrian and bike access to the community. There has been some investigation into whether the city would have any right to open this up as a public through way, but an attorney speaking for the property owners has threatened litigation if the city were to press for eminent domain. In order to simplify the issue and preserve community harmony another option was chosen to avoid the "private" community.

Thus, Plan B is to build a bike and stroller accessible route for the trail, with some necessary easements from TOW residents. The CSTF is working to determine the route, costs and other options. The old trail will be returned to its natural condition and absorbed by the surrounding reserve.

If you are interested in joining CSTF to work on this project, please use the contact information for this website: lagunastreets@gmail.com or write to the task force directly at CSTF@verizon.net. Meetings of CSTF are held the second Tuesday of the month 4-6 pm at the Community Center downtown.

Improving Bike Safety in Corona del Mar

Newport Beach painted Sharrows on Bayside drive to improve bike safety. READ the letter from the city managers office. 

No Joke, April 1 LA City Council voted to approve $5.4Million for Safe Routes to Schools

Safe Routes funding, the council unanimously approved $2.67 million for bike lanes, bike racks and bike-friendly pavement markings. Full Article NBC-LA