Artists will meet with subcommittee to help develop suitable ordinance for live-work units in Laguna Canyon.

BY BARBARA DIAMOND

City planners and artists say they plan to work together to iron out issues with Laguna’s live-work ordinance for artists.

Based on recent input from local artists, the Planning Commission will request a year-long extension of a moratorium on artist live-work projects in Laguna Canyon to conduct more research. A commission subcommittee has scheduled three public workshops to resolve issues that have plagued the ordinance.

“The purpose and intent of the artist live-work ordinance is to promote an affordable lifestyle for artists while ensuring that negative impacts on occupants and neighbors are avoided,” said Ann Larson, staff liaison to the commission. “The existing ordinance doesn’t accomplish these goals.”

Workshops for artists, resident, developers are scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 7 in the City Council Chambers, Oct. 13 in the Conference Room at the Community Center on Third Street, and on Oct. 20 in the game room at the center.

Commissioners have been wrestling for about eight years with the issues of affordability and qualifications for occupancy in artist live-work units proposed for the Laguna Canyon area, the city’s only light-industry zone. They were ready to throw in the towel.

The commission’s Sept. 14 agenda included the elimination of artist live-work units as a conditionally allowed use in the M-1A zone, where many of Laguna’s artists live and work and combined projects have been proposed.

However, testimony at the hearing revived the impetus for artist live-work units in the canyon. More than 10 artists at-

See ARTISTS, page C37