Putting the cart before redevelopment I can’t...

Putting the cart before redevelopment

I can’t wait any longer to join the debate regarding the expansion

of Costa Mesa’s downtown redevelopment area. At first, I was in

support of making the redevelopment area as large as possible to

include all blight in the city; however, based on recent events, I am

reevaluating my initial position.

As the perimeters of the expansion area grew closer to being

formalized, there was a growing public outcry by property owners on

the Westside. The Daily Pilot estimated that a crowd of at least 250

persons showed up at the Redevelopment Agency meeting in February.

The meeting had to be rescheduled to accommodate the unprecedented

turn out for an agency meeting.

The whole handling of the expansion area issue brings to the

forefront what has been a repeatedly frustrating experience for me as

a member of Costa Mesa’s Community Redevelopment Action Committee.

The City Council is constantly placing items on its agenda and

approving them, issues that directly affect the redevelopment of the

Westside, before the vision for the revitalization and redevelopment

of the Westside has been determined by the committee.

This ad hoc decision-making without an overall plan in place is

frightening for affected property owners. What if the area is

expanded, and thereafter, poor decisions are made for its

redevelopment?

Perhaps these complaining property owners would agree to an

expansion of the redevelopment area if they knew exactly how the

redevelopment area would be refashioned. If a cohesive, practical,

economical, problem solving and popular vision can be established,

and if that vision then supports an expanded redevelopment area, then

and only then will the agency be able to obtain the popular support

of an expanded redevelopment area and avoid litigation by Westside

property owners against the city.

Who can blame the property owners for objecting at this point?

After all, the City Council that would oversee the redevelopment of

the Westside, and which would wield the power of eminent domain are

the same individuals (with the exception of one new council member)

who brought us the Huscroft House, the City Hall retrofit, mishandled

the city attorney suspensions, continued to disagree and delay our

schools’ ability to use the $2 million Segerstrom donation and

bickered among themselves all year during council meetings.

Before there can be public support of expanding the existing

redevelopment area, the agency must supply a popular vision for the

Westside, build the public’s confidence in the agency’s ability to

carry out the vision and then seek the support of the effected

property owners.

I am in favor of shelving a vote on expanding the redevelopment

area until a plan is in place that warrants an expansion of the

redevelopment area. The first step should be to allow the committee

to finish its work.

But, alas, the council is forever putting the cart before the

horse.

TERRI BREER

Costa Mesa

High hotel fees will keep public out of Marinapark

We are totally against building a hotel on the Marinapark mobile

home site. We think Tom Billings in his letter of Jan. 25 (“Hotel

idea for peninsula lacks potential for success”) expressed our

concerns completely.

The Balboa Bay Club has very effectively kept out the public by

charging outrageous fees for the use of the building that was to

remain open for public, city and charitable organizations. Before the

remodel, our nonprofit charity held its meetings there for the cost

of 25 lunches, which the members paid. The club may be open to the

public and also accessible to nonprofits, but only if they can pay

their fees, which effectively keep the public out. I can’t imagine

the effort it would take to try to use the beach.

So, we hope that our City Council and the people of Newport Beach

will not deceive themselves into thinking that a hotel at that site

would be available for the public, charitable or civic organizations,

without them charging exorbitant fees that would effectively keep the

hotel for its paying guests. Please do not be deluded again.

The peninsula needs public park land. It needs open space. It

needs another area such as the park and open space at the Balboa

Pier. Please do not approve a hotel for that site. One is enough.

EARL AND MARY ALLYN DEXTER

Newport Beach

Senior should not be part of affordable housing debate

I am in agreement with the affordable housing being considered at

the corner of East Coast Highway and Jamboree Road. However, I would

like to suggest the word senior be removed from the wording. This

would allow anyone who qualifies the opportunity to live in Newport

Beach.

We have school teachers who educate our children, employees who

maintain our city services and probably reporters with our local

newspaper, all who find it extremely difficult, at today’s prices, to

live in Newport Beach..

DICK DICKSON

Newport Beach

One city, one foundation for schools’ money

Re: Question of the day: “Are you satisfied with the two Home

Ranch foundations?”

There should be one foundation for the schools, not the two as

approved by three confused members of the City Council. Given the

context of Costa Mesa, two foundations will help divide this city

instead of unite it.

In addition, these same three confused council members were wrong

to try to find ways around the Brown Act. The discussion on the dais

sounded more like a conspiracy to find a way to break a law and not

get caught than a way to do the people’s business.

The preamble to the Brown Act states: “Public commissions, boards,

councils and other legislative bodies of local government agencies

exist to aid in the conduct of the people’s business. The people do

not yield their sovereignty to the bodies that serve them. The people

insist on remaining informed to retain control over the legislative

bodies they have created.”

Kudos to Mayor Karen Robinson and Councilman Allan Mansoor for

wanting to uphold the right of the people to not only know what

government is doing, but to participate in real time with what it is

doing. Hopefully, Robinson and Mansoor won’t be named in any lawsuits

that may result from the disgusting actions of Council members Chris

Steel, Gary Monahan and Libby Cowan.

MARTIN MILLARD

Costa Mesa

Forget Kohl’s store and leave Kona Lanes alone

I have read with great disappointment that Kona Lanes may be

replaced with a department store that we sure do not need in our

neighborhood. It is so sad that all the old landmarks keep getting

taken away, and Kona Lanes is such a nice place and great for people

of all ages to have some good, safe fun.

Why take that away?

I say keep Kona Lanes the way it is. They have already taken away

our movie theaters, ice skating rink, Bilbo Baggins. There are plenty

of vacant stores in strip malls up and down Harbor as it is, why not

leave a successful business alone?

MERLE GITLIN

Costa Mesa