Fire Survivor Raps Rebuilding Delay
* As a survivor of the October ’93 Laguna Beach Fire, I must take issue with your editorial (“Patience Will Pay Off in the Long Run,” April 3). You state that experts have indicated that the hillsides must be stabilized, and yet in the next sentence you state that further study needs to be made as to whether an ancient landslide even exists.
If the fire had not occurred, we homeowners in the Mystic Hills would still be living there without one word forthcoming from the city or geologists about a potential slide. As a matter of fact, a number of homes have been built in the Mystic Hills area over the past 10 years, with soils reports approved by the city and with knowledge of the existence of a possible landslide of at least 10,000 to 100,000 years old.
The entire Laguna Beach hillside area is beset with probable ancient landslides, as designated in these numerous soils reports by licensed geologists. No previous stoppage of permits by the city occurred. The same logic would prevent any homes being built in Southern California because of houses built on or near earthquake faults.
After surviving a firestorm and losing everything but having hope of returning to an almost normal life, to delay rebuilding for an indefinite period of time is unbearable.
SOL SLOAN
Laguna Beach
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