How to Preserve Open Space: Buy It

* The Oct. 21 story “Bare Hill, Brooding Residents” expresses the outrage many of us in Laguna Beach feel as we witness the recent scarring and scalping of our coastal hills. Unfortunately, outrage is not enough.

The reality is there is only one sure way for the public to protect undeveloped open space: Buy it!

We need to decide that the few remaining parcels of wonderful open space in Orange County are worth preserving, buy them and designate them as parkland. It is just as simple as that.

Unfortunately, even after land is purchased, the public must be vigilant to see that it is not nibbled away in greedy bites by those craving “improvements” such as roads, golf courses and other so-called public amenities.

There is not a great deal of the natural beauty of Orange County left. If we want to protect and preserve it, we must be willing to pay for it by taxing ourselves. It does no good to wail and rage once bulldozers arrive.

Here in Laguna Beach, we bought part of Laguna Canyon and dedicated it as parkland. We in Laguna Beach still pay for that purchase every year when we pay our taxes. That is how it is done. (In spite of that, a road now runs through our beautiful park, but that is another story.)

However, many parcels in our hillsides are still owned privately. If we want them to remain open space, we must buy them and guard them diligently. Until then, they belong to others and are vulnerable.

ANNE JOHNSON

Laguna Beach