Thanks for the in-depth look at...

Thanks for the in-depth look at the Back Bay situation

Thank you to the Daily Pilot for its excellent coverage of the

Newport Bay Naturalists and Friends’ “Low Tide Rides” cruise (“A Rare

Look at Life,” Friday.) About 150 volunteers are dedicated to raising

awareness of, and sensitivity to preserving Upper Newport Bay, one of

the few remaining estuaries in the state. Through free activities

such as summer “Shark Camp,” regular marine life inventories on

Shellmaker Island, lectures, the restoration of native plant life and

interpretive tours along Back Bay Drive, the group contributes more

than 12,000 hours each year to educational endeavors. At a time when

turmoil can seem to surround us, it is heartening to know that the

public can draw knowledge, reflection and perspective from the

resources and beauty of our local environment.

CAROL STARCEVIC

Newport Beach

Marinapark hotel will be welcome addition to peninsula

I was very pleased to see Stephen Sutherland respond to the many

untruths stated by Tom Billings regarding the proposed Regent Hotel.

Sutherland is working with the American Legion to provide

improvements to their building and will also build a new Girl Scout

house and community center for local residents use.

These improvements coupled with the new Regent Hotel certainly

will be welcome additions to our peninsula.

CHRISTINE DABBS

Balboa Peninsula

Smith, letter writer made strong points on morals

I want to thank Steve Smith and Steve Gooden for speaking up.

Steve Smith for the value of speaking up when we see incivility or

injustice (“Family Time,” Saturday) and Steve Gooden for writing

about the Daily Pilot’s photo of a man holding a glass with the bare

breasted woman on it (“Photo lacked decency paper should uphold,”

Saturday). The photo subject was unnecessary and lacked a sense of

public responsibility to uplift and uphold basic social and moral

values.

I want to thank these men for being strong enough in their

convictions to speak up. All too often I find myself not wanting to

make waves, but actually by allowing these standards to fall away, I

am a part of the loss of moral values in our society. We must not be

complacent, but courageous to uplift and uphold basic social and

moral values.

CAROL LEONARD

Corona del Mar

Smith column suggests speaking out against war

I think Steve Smith’s column from Saturday, “Family Time,” on

speaking up when the bad guy wins is just wonderful, and I think we

should all speak out against the war. I don’t see any bumper stickers

and I don’t see any people in the streets and I don’t think we should

go to war against Iraq. I think it is a terrible thing to go to war

and I think only a weak country would choose violence over reason.

JUDY PLEDGER

Costa Mesa

Serious thought needed on Marinapark’s future

As a Newport Beach native, I feel compelled to write concerning

the Marinapark issue. Tom Billings is right in stating that the

mobile home site is zoned for public use (“Hotel idea for peninsula

lacks potential for success,” Jan. 25). The mobile home park was

never intended to be a permanent fixture on the harbor. The land

always was intended for use by the public with public access to the

water.

There is only one park on the harbor in Newport. This is located

at 44th Street and is, in fact, on the channel, not on the harbor

proper. A larger public park on the water with an improved community

center, tennis courts, basketball court, Girl Scout house and boat

access could all be incorporated into the Marinapark site and would

be well used.

I do agree that a five-star, low-profile hotel could also be an

improvement to our community, but at what cost? Besides the Balboa

Bay Club, there is no other venue in Newport Beach west of the Coast

Highway bridge to hold weddings, anniversary parties, reunions, etc.

Our summer, weekend and holiday traffic on the peninsula is bad

enough. Can you imagine the added impact of 100 to 200 people every

Saturday or Sunday for an event? Not only would the roads be

congested, but also there will surely be a huge deficit of parking

spaces available for residents and beachgoers.

I fear our sewer system will also take on an extra burden. The

amount of water used to run a deluxe hotel will surely test an

already dicey sewer system and could cause damage to the already

polluted harbor.

I implore our City Council to think long and hard on this issue.

Be sure the environmental studies take all the variables into

consideration. Improvements are always welcome and are long overdue

on the peninsula. We all benefit as a community from improvements,

but let’s keep in mind our lifestyle and neighborhood atmosphere here

at the beach.

And, by the way, if the hotel is approved, let’s make sure it is

in keeping with the style of Balboa (like the Pavilion or the Cape

Cod-style beach homes). Although I love Spanish architecture, which

is the style proposed for the hotel, I do not think it is in keeping

with the charm of the peninsula.

HOLLY SMITH

Newport Beach