READERS RESPOND -- What are your thoughts about the Home Ranch

project?

Thank you for covering the Home Ranch project. I have only lived in

Costa Mesa for the past two years. I cannot begin to imagine how the

long-term residents feel, but I have lived in Orange County for more than

20 years. I have seen the congestion created in the name of progress. It

has been pleasing to hear that other residents are concerned about the

excessive size of the Segerstrom project.

I especially would like to thank Joe Bell for his insightful analysis

concerning the money offered to the schools (The Bell Curve, “Take the

school money out of Home Ranch vote,” Thursday). If the land-use permit

is going to be changed, change it to park land. Add more green and let

Ikea move the blue to Huntington Beach, as one reader has suggested.

BARRY SAMUELS

Costa Mesa

No, we do not believe the Ikea or any other retail outlet should be

built in the Home Ranch project. Leave well enough alone. We have plenty

of shopping centers in the area and if we need to go to Ikea, we can

drive the 15 to 20 minutes to Tustin to shop there. We don’t like the

idea of more traffic, noise and congestion on Fairview Road and South

Coast Drive.

JIM ARMBRUST and GEZELLE LOPEZ

Costa Mesa

To me it smells of bribery. If they had a heart for the schools, why

wouldn’t there be no strings attached? Give and it should be given back

unto you without any strings. And that’s what they’re doing so that it

makes it feel that those who oppose the Ikea and Home Ranch would be

against the schools.

It seems to me, that’s pitting the homeowners against the schools and

it’s not right. I know Henry Segerstrom has given a lot of money, but let

him give freely -- without any attachment to it. And I think he will find

himself a very blessed man.

But to me, this is wrong to coerce the people into bending and

changing just because he’s willing to give money to the schools. Then

tell him not to give if that’s how he feels. It shouldn’t be that way.

I just feel real disappointed in Segerstrom, and that he would feel

that he needed to bribe people in order to get his way. His way -- how

about the ways of the people whose lives will be more impacted? Everyone

will be, but those that live closest will be more impacted by this

venture that he has in mind.

JUNE McKINZIE

Costa Mesa

About the Home Ranch project, the Segerstrom family, the Ikea store

and all of the other things that are being planned: I’m very concerned

about the air pollution and the traffic. Those are my two big concerns.

JO ANN WORT

Costa Mesa

Mr. Segerstrom, think about it. A bribe by any other name is a bribe.

ANNA BETTY GOLDMAN

Corona del Mar