Too much development withering Costa Mesa I...

Too much development withering Costa Mesa

I left the Costa Mesa City Council meeting Monday night frustrated

and confused. Council members voted 3 to 2 to not listen to community

input on an issue (continued to the August 4 meeting). The rationale

that the public meeting would last over two hours and that there were

many items still on the agenda was, in my opinion, really lame.

Costa Mesa has been my town since 1967. Back then, 1901 Newport

Boulevard was a campus for the Newport-Mesa Continuation School.

“Triangle Square” was nothing more than a large parking area with a

scattering of ground-level buildings housing small businesses and my

sons’ dentist and orthodontist’s offices. Mimi’s restaurant and the

attached shopping “mall” did not exist. Neither did the Costa Mesa

Freeway. South Coast Plaza consisted of one long building, starting

at the May Company and ending with Sears. Nothing but fields

surrounded the Plaza. The San Diego Freeway ended at Harbor

Boulevard.

Honestly, I am grateful for some of the city’s growth. Gone are

the days when we saw South Coast Repertory plays in a scruffy

building just south of 1901 Newport, when we attended the grand

opening of Opera Pacific at the Edwards theater on Bristol, when we

heard the Orange County Philharmonic concerts at Santa Ana High

School. We are most definitely proud of the Performing Arts Center

and, believe me, we spend a lot of money there.

On the other hand (here I feel like Tevia, Fiddler on the Roof), I

am not proud of a majority of City Council members lending a deaf ear

to their constituents. I am not proud of the horrible traffic jams in

our downtown. My son owns a home on Church Street, a block away from

1901 Newport. Visiting him has become a major hassle. We now drive

around the back way -- Bay to Orange to 19th to Church in order to

avoid 19th and Newport. The traffic on the southbound Costa Mesa

Freeway from Victoria to 19th has become a nightmare around the

clock. Downtown has hit a saturation point. Triangle Square

businesses are faltering. Why? Because you can’t get near the place.

Lastly, I am not proud of what seems to be the City Council’s

willingness to bend over backward for the “big D” (no, not “...

little A, double L, A, S”) -- developers Enough already. What’s this

about 14 low-cost units at 1901 Newport? That’s like throwing the dog

a bone before you shoot him. We’re not falling for it. Give us a

break. City Council, listen up. On Aug. 4, vote no on further

development at 1901 Newport.

FLO MARTIN

Costa Mesa

Pollution at Corona del Mar State Beach

Now that we all agree Newport Beach City Councilman Dick Nichols

suffers from foot-in-mouth disease, it is time to focus on the real

issue: expanded grass area at the Corona del Mar State Beach.

Should there be concern to contaminated run-off in the swimming

area, due to the maintenance of the grass area? Stop Polluting Our

Newport and Defend the Bay should study the real issue.

PAT GREENBAUM

Newport Beach

Recall will not result in Nichols’ ouster

The Nichols recall will fail, I think. That’s my vote on that.

RICHARD HOUGHTON

Balboa Coves