Using CRAC standards, blight is in eye...

Using CRAC standards, blight is in eye of the beholder

During the March 10 meeting held at the Neighborhood Community

Center, the subject of eminent domain was pushed forward as a

necessary and desirable tool for dealing with a communitywide, rather

than site-specific, project. The large gathering in the meeting hall

was made aware that once the approval for such was made, all property

in the communitywide project would have title limits applied that

would stick there for 30 years. Whoa.

Eric Bever, in his letter on Saturday (Readers Respond, “Eminent

domain leaves divide”) wrote: “Without redevelopment, and eminent

domain, we all better get used to things the way they are and worse.”

Basically, I argue the Community Redevelopment Advisory Committee

has failed to find any physical or economic blight defined by state

law and instead used the Planning Commission’s -- looser, and

therefore impermissible -- definition of urban blight.

It’s a reasonable requirement. Without state law guidelines,

redevelopment agencies could cite a broken window here, a cracked

sidewalk there, overcrowding around the block and broken toilets half

a mile away. Add them all up and presto: Suddenly a whole

neighborhood’s blighted -- on paper, anyway.

I ask for the address of one building found to be blighted

according to state law.

What do I mean?

I mean a building that’s unsafe or unhealthy for the people living

or working there. That’s what state law says. All I need is one.

Why? If such a building can be pointed out, I will personally

report such to the city of Costa Mesa Code Enforcement for action.

If the reader sees what he/she believes to be physical or economic

blight, report such to the code enforcement person assigned to that

geographic area.

TOM SCHWORER

Costa Mesa

Irvine should not control closed El Toro Marine base

The mischievous plan by Irvine to take over the closed El Toro

Marine Corps Air Station through annexation could backfire on

opponents of the El Toro international airport that voted for Measure

W and now favor annexation. Should Irvine get zoning control over

that base, it could immediately rezone the property for an

international airport, turn on the lights and start the flights, and

the rest of the county, mostly South County, could go pound sand.

It has always been a mystery to me why Irvine, the city that

stands to gain the most from the airport, has claimed to be against

the airport.

The airplanes do not even pass over Irvine, and no one, anywhere,

is in the noise zone of that airport, unlike John Wayne Airport,

which has victims and should be closed. As an airport, the Navy will

get top dollar for the property, and private enterprise will build

colleges, terminals and hotels.

Irvine should not be allowed to annex that base unless it comes up

with an ironclad restriction that even Irvine cannot rescind, in

order to prevent double-crossing its friends. I, myself, am in favor

of the planned El Toro international airport, but I believe it should

be controlled by a higher authority and not by the city of Irvine.

DONALD NYRE

Newport Beach

Newport library lecture series should balance antiwar speech

When Newport Beach Councilman Dick Nichols was verbally beat up

because he wanted more balanced views represented when people speak

through the Newport Beach Public Library lecture series (“Council

colleagues chide Nichols,” Feb. 28), the argument was made that the

program was privately funded, but that the city does facilitate it.

If the city facilitates it, then city money must be spent on staff

time to manage the program, therefore public funds are being spent

and the argument for balance has merit.

In Wednesday’s Pilot (“Colonel who knows war to speak tonight”),

we find out that Col. David Hackworth is going to be speaking about

the war. Hackworth is no doubt a very qualified and distinguished

speaker. He is also very antiwar.

Now this letter is not to express an opinion for or against war.

It is interesting, however, that they did not pick a speaker that is

pro-war. Will there be such a speaker to balance the debate? Surely,

one could be found that is qualified. I would think that they would

want to voluntarily present balanced views. It is also interesting

that the paper mentioned that “the session in Newport Harbor High

will be open only to students and teachers.” What about parents? I

would think that would be important.

ALLAN MANSOOR

Costa Mesa

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Allan Mansoor is a Costa Mesa city councilman.