Mailbag - Sept. 13, 2001

Cutting Lido from parade will deprive some

Having lived at 711 Lido Park Drive for close to 30 years to be told

at this time that we will no longer be able to view the boat parade does

not seem very well planned out (“Changes afloat for boat parade,” Sept.

1).

To cut the parade at the western edge of the channel between Lido Isle

and Lido Peninsula will in fact deprive Newport Beach residents of many,

many years from the ability to view the parade from their house. There is

no commercial in this area.

LEONARD MANDEL

Newport Beach

Campbell’s plan protects cove and children

The plan that Assemblyman John Campbell is proposing to use rent money

from El Morro Village to renovate the cottages at Crystal Cove makes

sense to me (“Campbell: El Morro rent could pay for cove cottages,” Sept.

2).

This saves El Morro from turning into a transient RV camp, and it also

preserves Crystal Cove. I am a mother of school-age children, and I

wouldn’t like it if they put a transient RV camp next to my children’s

school.

How many parents would want a transient RV camp next to their kids’

elementary school?

SHERI HYTER

Corona del Mar

Greenlight voters have spoken: No Dunes

My wife, son and I ask the Newport Beach City Council to stop any

hotel building in the Dunes (“City may consider buying Dunes,” Aug. 1).

It is a matter of record that the environmental-impact report the Dunes’

owners submitted stated that the approved 275-room family inn was not a

positive realty investment.

There should be no variance granted in lieu of this. Greenlight put

the brakes on the giant hotel-convention center, etc. that was sought.

This kind of revenue to the city would be overcome by the increased

traffic, pollution, etc.

The people have spoken -- listen to them. We are asking the officials

that we have elected to represent us to listen to our voices and express

them in their decisions.

MARK, GLORIA and CHRISTOPHER FAHEY

Newport Beach

Follow France’s wise shopping cart footsteps

The solution to the shopping carts is what they do in France (“Costa

Mesa pushes shopping-cart retrieval efforts,” Aug. 21). They have no problem at all.

You put a dollar in a slot to get your shopping cart out. When you

leave, you put your shopping cart in, and you get your dollar back. That

way, if there are any shopping carts around anywhere, somebody’s going to

pick that shopping cart up and take it back to get that dollar. It’s a

very simple, simple process. They have the carts just like they do here,

all lined up in a row. It’s kind of like what they do at the airports.

When you take your cart back, you get your money back. It’s a very simple

solution.

I’d like to know why they don’t do it here. Nobody likes seeing the

shopping carts around.

PEGGY MAROTTA

Balboa Island

Residents should weigh annexation issue at polls

This letter addresses the issue of annexing Newport Coast into the

city of Newport Beach. I agree with Clifford A. Schmiesing (Community

Forum, Feedback, Sept. 2) that the Newport Coast appears to have little

in common with my community. What I wonder is, what’s the hurry? Why does

the City Council want to vote to annex Newport Coast so quickly?

Residents in both the city and the Newport Coast development should be

offered an opportunity to express their wishes in a regularly scheduled

election.

A fair procedure to annex should be followed in a timely manner. An

advisory vote on the November 2002 ballot could be put before both the

residents of Newport Beach and Newport Coast. If a majority in both

communities favor annexation, then the City Council will proceed.

If neither community favors annexation, then Newport Coast can proceed

to apply for city status. If only one of the communities favors

annexation, then the matter should be tabled for two years while another

ballot is put before voters in both communities.

Before the advisory vote by citizens, the City Council can take the

opportunity to inform us why they favor annexation. Opponents can offer

their differing viewpoints. We can make our decision and expect our

representatives to act on the will of the people.

DIANE BAKER

Newport Beach