City Presents Key Themes for General Plan Update

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

As the city moves from the visioning phase to the drafting phase in its process of updating the General Plan, key ideas and policy priorities have emerged from residents’ input as guiding principles for the town’s new plan.

At its Community Visioning Open House on June 29, staff shared highlights of residents’ comments as it works to form a long-term vision for the City of Dana Point.

The town’s current plan comprises nine elements, including land use, urban design, housing, circulation, noise, public safety, conservation/open space and economic development, as well as a land-use policy map.

In the lead-up to drafting a vision for the updated General Plan, city staff and its consultant team gathered residents’ insight and policy priorities on the nine elements through community workshops, pop-up events, an online questionnaire and an interactive map.

During the public-input period, the city received 238 individual responses to its questionnaire, which was available from Feb. 14 to May 22. The interactive map available on the General Plan website received 127 comments, with 758 “up” votes and 162 “down” votes on said comments.

Starting with the city’s Land Use Element, which creates a blueprint for the location, density and intensity of future development, residents voiced interest in ensuring new developments are compatible “with Dana Point’s small-town, coastal character.”

Residents also noted they’d like to see mixed-use retail and dining options in Capistrano Beach and more restaurants, entertainment and “local serving uses” in Doheny Village.

Addressing the Urban Design Element, residents encouraged streetscape enhancement, public art, improvements to the pedestrian experience in the city and more gathering spaces.

Comments for the Circulation Element included evaluating the feasibility of extending trolley service, additional bike lanes, improved bike and e-bike safety and pedestrian safety, with improved connectivity in the city.

In the Noise Element, the city noted “while many participants’ responses indicated that noise is not a substantial issue, traffic and street noise was clearly the most frequently noted noise concern in Dana Point.”

Residents said they’d like to see the city’s natural resources, parks, open spaces and beaches maintained in its Conservation and Open Space Element.

Comments regarding conservation and open space emphasized the need to mitigate coastal bluff erosion, enhancing local trails and adding more recreation facilities.

For the Public Facilities and Growth Management Element, residents voiced interest in undergrounding utilities, providing public Wi-Fi, and expanding parks, schools, sports fields and trail facilities.

Residents also commented that they’d like to see the city “continue to have a role in the (Dana Point) Harbor revitalization for both local and visitor benefits.”

Comments for the Economic Development Element highlighted residents’ concern for balancing resident-serving and visitor-serving commercial uses and an interest in the local business economy.

Residents also highlighted the need to “address challenges of expensive rents, operating costs, staffing needs, and regulations.”

Housing Elements provide a blueprint for local governments to address hous- ing affordability and growing populations. The state’s housing department certified Dana Point’s Housing Element last September.

The city’s Housing Element is “not envisioned for extensive update as part of the upcoming General Plan update process,” as it was recently updated in 2022. However, the city noted that comments received on the Element “will continue to inform community dialogue on housing-related topics as the City evolves.”

Resident comments included suggestions to “consider strategies to retain subsequent generations to contribute to a continued sense of community” and “seek to accommodate needs of families, seniors, middle-income households, disabled persons, and a range of individuals.”

Similar to the Housing Element, the Public Safety Element was recently updated and is not anticipated to be included in the General Plan update. However, comments regarding public safety emphasized emergency preparedness, public awareness of evacuation routes, and ensuring “resilient public infrastructure and utilities in the event of earthquake, fire, or other natural disaster.”

Residents also noted concerns about climate change, sea-level rise and coastal erosion.

During the open house on June 29, Dana Point resident Steven Carpenter noted that though the General Plan update process will take a while, he’d like to see continued community involvement throughout the process.

“What I’m seeing is a lot of good input coming back from the city,” Carpenter said. “It’ll be interesting to know next week—when I heard the full report will be coming out—there’ll be a summary report and then the full report coming out, but the general thoughts are good.”

“There are concerns over the over-development, especially in the Doheny Village Area,” Carpenter continued. “That’s really the only negative thing I’ve heard so far.”

Carpenter added that as a longtime resident, he wants to leave Dana Point “in a better condition than I had” for future generations, “which is going to be hard to do.”

Resident Robbie Robinson commented that she’d like to see the city invest

(Cont. from page 5) in undergrounding overhead utilities and assisting homeowners financially in undergrounding.

Commenting on the General Plan update process, Robinson said she felt the city is “doing a really good job, all things considered.”

“I’d like to see them do more to really, really pay more attention to not only the businesses and the tourists, but also to pay more attention to the residents, as far as their needs,” Robinson continued.

A Visioning Framework Document was scheduled to be released the first week of July and is expected to include a full list of key comments and themes that the city received from the community.

The next step in the General Plan update process will be a study session hosted by the Planning Commission on July 10. The City Council will host its study session on July 18.

Lantern Bay Realty Celebrates 50-Year Anniversary

BY CLARA HELM

Lantern Bay Realty reached a significant milestone in 2023 as the Dana Point-based company celebrates its 50-year anniversary.

Originally from Buffalo, New York, Joe Lovullo got his degree in business with an emphasis in real estate and finance. After getting his broker’s license in 1973, he settled in Dana Point, because he saw the future of promise it could hold.

Up until 1989, Dana Point was an unincorporated town, still in the process of development and ripe for opportunity, Lovullo recalled.

“I just drove up and down the coast and almost started in Carlsbad, because that looked like a growing community,” said Lovullo. “But when I got to Dana Point, I said, ‘This is it.’ ”

Herb Johns, the dean of real estate at Saddleback College at the time, invited Lovullo to be a guest speaker at some of his classes. What started as guest speaking turned into 12 years of teaching night classes there.

Some of his former students now work as real estate brokers in San Clemente.

While teaching classes at night, Lovullo was building and running a real estate business during the day. After nine years in business, Lovullo got an opportunity in 1984 for company growth.

“My big claim to fame was when I