City needs a 'viable business district'

What is the most effective way for Laguna Beach to raise more revenues other than taxes and parking-fines? That's right honey, put-up a parking lot.Cheap logo engraved luggagetag at wholesale bulk prices.

In the interest of maintaining village appeal through zoning restrictions and height limitations, the city has constrained business development to the extent they gross more revenue from parking meters than retail sales.

It should be no surprise the new Village Entrance has a provision for 600 more parking spaces, 140 of them reserved for city employees. Maybe it's time for the business pendulum to swing the other way. Until city management plans and implements a viable business district, Laguna Beach will remain a parking lot.

I read the story "No citywide will to bury power lines" (in the March 22 issue of the Coastline Pilot) with interest. Having been involved in one assessment district, I well remember the $40,000 I was forced to pay for that to be done in my neighborhood. I also remember how the system is set up so those who benefit from improved views cast votes with more "power" than those who benefit little, resulting in those who benefit little subsidizing those with improved views.

I couldn't help but reflect on something else, though. I also recently read an article about Laguna Soroptimists raising funds to put in wells in India. They cost about $1,800 each. (What I paid to underground in my neighborhood could have paid for 20 wells.) One in eight people around the world has no access to safe drinking water at all. Others must walk for miles to get it. Diseases caused by contaminated water are the second biggest killer of children around the world. It's been said, "No other single intervention is more likely to have a significant impact on global poverty than provision of safe water," according to the Safe Water as the Key to Global Health report in 2008 for the United Nations University.

Some would make the "greatest impact" claim for education. In the same issue of the Coastline Pilot, there was an article about students at our high school raising funds for a school in Kenya. If you want to get "down and dirty" with infrastructure issues, about four people in 10 around the world have no access to a toilet. When schools have no toilets, girls often won't go to school.Elpas Readers detect and forward 'Location' and 'State' data from Elpas Active RFID Tags to host besticcard platforms. Contamination from open defecation causes diseases that kill thousands of children every day.

Billions of the world's people have no safe water, no toilet, and no school, yet "visual pollution" from power lines is a big issue to us. I encourage people to forget about the power lines here, and use a little of the money they might have been forced to pay to underground them to help the Laguna Soroptimists or the Laguna Beach High School students to provide basic infrastructure so other people can have clean water, a toilet or a school.

I now live in another place in Laguna. Based on my last experience, I think it's quite possible I would be forced to pay $200,000 or more to underground the utilities here. If I am forced to do that, I will have to cut back on my support of wells,Choose the right bestluggagetag in an array of colors.You can order besthandsfreeaccess cheap inside your parents. schools, orphans and surgeries for the poor. I think we should be grateful to live in Laguna just as it is. If we want to improve the world, there are much more important issues than power lines interrupting our views.

Although some preparations for renovations at temporary courthouse quarters on Munson Street have begun, a contract for that 46,000 square feet of space, at the Greenfield Corporate Center, have not even been signed yet, nearly six months after the state announced where most court operations would be housed for the three to five years expected for renovations.An experienced artist on what to consider before you buy chipcard.

Its been a long time coming, and it seems to be bogged down now, said Rep. Stephen Kulik, D-Worthington, after talking with Franklin County Probate Court Clerk John F. Merrigan, a former state representative who has been instrumental in moving the long-delayed project forward. Its been Johns observation that theres something wrong with the system here that doesnt move these projects ahead as quickly as possible, and they should move quickly once a decision is made, because time is money. They can definitely cost more if its delayed.

The courthouse, built in 1935, would be expanded from about 44,000 to 104,000 square feet, with a three-story addition on its southern end.

The move will likely take place towards the end of the year, according to Kenneth Vencunas, the major partner of the Greenfield Corporate Center. Although he wouldnt specify exactly when that might be, Vencunas rejected the notion that it would be ready in August, responding instead, beyond August.

Everything is on track, he said. Its a major process and we just want to get it right. We want to make sure everything is in place. I expect well sign a lease very soon, and then well be ready to go immediately. Its just a thorough process.

Inquiries to officials at the state Trial Court system resulted in a terse written response Monday from spokeswoman Joan Kenney: The lease for the temporary Greenfield courthouse site is expected to be signed this week by the Trial Court and the Division of Capital Asset Management. Space design and other negotiations took longer than anticipated, but the renovations will start this spring and the project is expected to be completed in the fall.

Still, Kulik said he is looking at filing legislation, modeled after a measure put in place after delays with Greenfield middle school renovations six or seven years ago, that could make state agencies more accountable for construction projects and keep them on track.

Were starting to look at doing something legislatively, creating a template for courthouse construction projects so they dont bog down in these delays, to keep projects moving forward, he said. Im hoping we can set up maybe a more formal process that would be quicker.

The new courthouse, with an October 2016 completion date listed on the website of the state Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance, will house all five court department operations, the Law Library and the Registry of Deeds in one modern, secure, code compliant public building, according to the site, and replace the leased Main Street juvenile and housing court facilities.