READERS RESPOND -- Ikea doesn’t fit in readers’ plans

The general plan has apparently been thrown out the window by city

staff to accommodate the proposed Ikea store within the Home Ranch

project. That is what disturbs residents of this area who will feel the

tremendous impact of traffic and a variety of forms of pollution.

A survey of about 600 people was done in the Halecrest Hall of Fame

area, where I’m president of the association. The great majority

preferred no dramatic zoning changes that would allow an Ikea and its

associated problems. We feel that general plans should be flexible, but

not altered to the point to allow such a bizarre project.

GILBERT COLLINS

Costa Mesa

I think the City Council ought to think very, very carefully. That

project is larger than South Coast Plaza. South Coast Plaza generates an

awful lot of traffic. I’m not sure that this is a good idea.

ALAN REMINGTON

Costa Mesa

I think this project doesn’t fit. It’s just too big. It’s trying to

cram too much on too small a property in a place that is already too

built out.

ROBIN LEFFLER

Costa Mesa

I do not think that the Ikea project fits into the Home Ranch. At

least as we struggled for years to get a good general plan going, in that

it is too huge. Don Collins, the project manager for the Ikea, talks

about people only going to their local Ikea. Where are those people who

were going to the Tustin store going to go? They’re going to come here to

Costa Mesa.

We have a major problem with pollution. The Ikea store is just going

to contribute even more. Where does Ikea propose to park the cars that

show up there since they are asking for a majority of compact car spaces?

Please, we need to have the Segerstroms -- who are wonderful people --

do something that’s going to have the greatest sensitivity to the

neighborhoods surrounding the Home Ranch. We do not need a big giant Ikea

store. What we need is light industrial and plenty of housing. That’s

what’s going to help Costa Mesa grow into a fantastic city. Thanks Daily

Pilot for keeping up on top of this.

LANCE THOMPSON-HAILSTONE

Costa Mesa

Having had a heart attack, I’ll take healthy air over money. Book

learning is good, but without healthy air and good health, that $2

million is a drop in the bucket. No Ikea store in this here city.

NADINE ANDREEN

Costa Mesa

I’m more than disappointed by the proposal because I feel the Ikea

shopping experience is not anywhere close to the type of ambience that

the Segerstroms have presented the city in the past with their other

commercial development projects like South Coast Plaza.

In addition to that, I’m extremely concerned that the traffic and

pollution generated by just the Ikea store alone is in excess of what our

neighborhoods can bear. They claim that they’ll be alleviating the

traffic, but the issues don’t really address the weekend traffic. We have

trouble getting out of our tract here in Mesa del Mar currently.

Fairview Road traffic is such a problem on the weekends, whether it’s

from one of the two swap meets or some other event at the fairgrounds.

Sometimes it’s not even related to that; it’s just too many cars trying

to move through the area. On Sundays, it has to do with the Calvary

Chapel traffic. It’s a terrible problem, and the models don’t reflect the

conditions that exist in our part of the city.

I think this project with its proposal to double the number of trips

that are allowed in the general plan is bad. It’s just going to make life

unbearable in this part of the city.

The other issue that I think is really sad is that the developers have

felt the need to put the amount of money on the table to sell this

project to the community. I think that’s a really sad thing. It muddies

the water. It’s too bad. It’s going to polarize the community with those

who really want the money for the schools at whatever expense to the rest

of our community.

I think the Segerstroms have been very good to the city, but I don’t

think the Ikea is the right type of business for that area of Costa Mesa.

I don’t think it’s right for this project.

JIM ATKINSON

Costa Mesa

I would prefer that Ikea stay open in Tustin Ranch and not move to

Costa Mesa.

URSULA BOHEN

Costa Mesa

I wanted to comment on the Ikea store. I shop there frequently, and I

know it’s a great store. It will certainly be a fitting addition to Costa

Mesa’s already impressive retail array at South Coast Plaza. As for added

traffic: The Tustin store -- if you’ve ever been there -- is busiest on

weekends and during non-peak hours, so I don’t think that will be the

biggest factor.

By agreeing to alter the store design, the company displays a

willingness to work with the community. I can’t wait for it to open.

J. STEEL

Costa Mesa

I would give a green light to Ikea provided there will be no

high-density apartments.

BILL ANDERSON

Costa Mesa