When did parking become the problem? Regarding...

When did parking become the problem?

Regarding Aug. 29’s Daily Pilot story, “Triangle Square to refocus

on fashion,” this is just the most recent in a series of news reports

about efforts, so far unsuccessful, to restore Triangle Square to

some semblance of its former glory. And in response, I’ve got to say

there’s something fishy going on here.

I was at the grand opening of Triangle Square more than a decade

ago. I recall seeing Richard Branson, Virgin’s CEO, cavorting in a

hot tub with the Baywatch babes.

The center was fully built out and leased.

There were two floors of Virgin Records, a full-blown Niketown,

and Sfuzzi, a large (and excellent) Italian restaurant (the current

home of Sutra Lounge).

There was a pizza place where the Chronic Cantina now wishes to

open, so far without the blessings of the city.

There was a Johnny Rockets, a Chinese restaurant, a Mexican food

eatery, an ice cream place and a large virtual reality entertainment

center.

All this, plus the Edwards Theater, Barnes & Noble, a supermarket

and various other places to shop were available.

And guess what. There was no parking problem.

Between then and now, businesses have vanished, one by one. We’ve

been told the major reason for this exodus is the difficulty in

parking. It’s too confusing, we’ve been told.

Confusing? It’s no more confusing than the parking structure at

Metro Pointe or Via Lido Village. You enter, then go around and

around until you find a space and pull in. To exit, simply reverse

the aforementioned process.

But now, when it appears that a management team is actually trying

to do something about this very public embarrassment, the reason

given by the planning commission to deny approval for restaurants to

replace the restaurants that were there at the beginning is a lack of

parking!

Parking wasn’t a problem then, and, in my opinion, it shouldn’t be

a problem now. I hate to come off as a conspiracy theorist, but could

there possibly be some other hidden agenda driving this dynamic?

If not, I suggest approval for the Chronic Cantina be granted, and

fast. And for the next restaurant, and the next one. Triangle Square

was an entertainment and dining center and should be once again.

Let’s get to it.

CHUCK CASSITY

Costa Mesa

Take a hard left leaving John Wayne

Since the large airport at El Toro is closed in favor of

nonaviation commercial and residential development, the present

flight paths out of John Wayne Airport can be reevaluated.

The El Toro airspace no longer must be protected and is now open

to planes flying over that area from all airports, Long Beach, Los

Angeles and John Wayne Airport.

At present, takeoffs from John Wayne Airport go over Newport Bay

and out to the ocean and turn toward the east or turn to the north.

The bulk of destinations are to the eastern United States.

However, with clear airspace around the former airport at El Toro,

there is no reason not to allow takeoffs to make that turn much

sooner, perhaps when the airplane reaches a designated altitude.

Engineering advances in airplanes have accomplished so much that

jet planes are more capable, more efficient and quieter than they

were years ago. They can easily make a turn within a shorter space

than previously.

This early turn to the east after taking off from John Wayne

Airport offers many advantages. It reduces flight time in trips to

eastern destinations, and it saves large amounts of expensive

aviation fuel.

As to noise levels, fewer Newport Beach residents would be

affected since the planes would be crossing Newport Beach boundaries

within a few minutes.

Newport Beach and Costa Mesa both have suffered from noise of

outgoing planes going over six miles of residential neighborhoods

before reaching the ocean.

Even residents of Laguna Beach would be spared noise with this

changed flight plan since the planes would no longer reach that area.

I hope that the Newport Beach City Council studies this proposal

and works with the Federal Aviation Administration and the airlines

in considering its many advantages.

SHIRLEY A. CONGER

Corona del Mar