If something is proposed for a church, it has to be divine, right?
Maybe not.
After all, we’re talking about Laguna Beach. Specifically, there is hope that a new parking structure for public use can be built at Laguna Presbyterian Church.
Unfortunately, as cities go, Laguna Beach is not very religious, so the plans may not get a final blessing by city elders – or Laguna’s cranky residents.
But is more parking needed downtown? Yes (unless you believe anti-car advocates).
Is the church location at 415 Forest Ave. perfect? Perhaps. It’s a tight spot, and traffic on Third Street is already heavy.
Is this a miracle for all of Laguna’s parking woes? No.
But it is pretty good, which is why the City Council (in a recent 3-2 vote) wants to move forward with baby steps, starting with soliciting design proposals. There’s still a lot to do – and many things can go wrong – but this parking project has the most potential since the Village Entrance.
Speaking of which, if the church plan falls through, the city-owned Village Entrance will remain the most logical location for a parking structure.
Which begs the question, what is the lesser of two evils, a church lot or a public lot?
Let the holy war begin.