The Niguel Shores Men’s Club met April 2 with breakfast provided by the Gutknecht Team, and April 16 for breakfast by the Morris/Wollen Team. Beginning May 1, John Yocca, raised in Niguel Shores, assumes the role of el presidente for the Men’s Club, and CDub will revert to Program Veep. Yours truly, the scrivener, will continue his spelling mistakes.
Our April 2 speaker was Attorney Lisa Williams, a San Clemente-base estate planner. She emphasized that estate plans to take us from where we are to where we want our legacy to go and grow. Estate planning is a lawful method of controlling into the future when you are no longer in the present. The plan gives what you have to whom you choose and designates someone to make it happen the way you want it to happen. That person is a fiduciary who must do what what’s best for you, not what’s best for him or her. It is not usually a good idea to pick a family member as the fiduciary—
usually called a trustee. Money changes people and can create problems with family as trustees. Lisa advises using a professional licensed trustee.
Lisa posed many questions to consider when planning your estate. How do you play it forward? What do you want to happen with your estate in twenty years? In fifty years? She said to look at the trust document as baby-sitter instructions. Decide which makes more sense for your beneficiaries — instant distribution or a lifetime of benefits. What are your plans about charitable giving? About kids’ continued occupancy of the house. Is your legacy stated with clear directions, or will it be a nightmare to unravel? Keep the end in mind.
On April 16, Dana Point Community Development Manager Matt Schneider, assisted by Economic Manager Kelly Reenders and Management Analyst Rachel Johnson, updated us on the forward look and theme for Dana Point—Harboring the Good Life. Functions provided by the Dana Point Community Development Department include inspections, planning, staff for the Planning Commission, Building and Safety, Economic Development and Code Enforcement. Note that Niguel Shores resident Roy Dohner chairs the Planning Commission.
Last year, Community Development handled almost 2000 building permits representing over $157,000,000 in construction costs and conducted over 9000 inspections.
Here is an update we heard from our speakers: Prado West in Town Center could be finished by year-end. The Greer, replacing Jack’s building, has been approved. It will offer housing and 188 underground parking spaces. The refurbished Light House nears completion as home to Union Bank. When complete, redevelopment of its former site as Vista Del Mar will commence. All of the new housing provided will be high end, high rent apartments.
Dana Point Town Center has a few undeveloped “opportunity sites” waiting for new proposals (possibly for more hotels).
Speaking of hotels, approximately 360 rooms are in the works mostly on the bluff by the Headlands and near Cannons. The Wave Resort including a hostel, Cannons Hotel, a Boutique Hotel, the Strand Hotel and Lantern Point will appear on the bluff top and are all in varying stages of fulfillment. Bluff-top development requires geo-technical design and review, usually resulting in fortification of the bluff.
We also heard the news that Doheny Village will see lots of beautification.
For further updates and new retail and dining businesses opening throughout commercial Dana Point, see
www.aboutdanapoint.com
For Men’s Club information, please contact rfsaint@me.com or any Men’s Club officer.
—Robert Saint-Aubin
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