READERS RESPOND -- Home Ranch project awaits its destiny

I have lived in Mesa Verde now for about 15 years and I am a supporter

of the Home Ranch project, including the planned donation of $2 million

or more by the developer to fund a foundation to support education

projects in our community. I found columnist Joseph Bell’s Sept. 6

diatribe against the project to be illogical and insulting (“Take the

school money out of Home Ranch vote”).

The City Council and the Planning Commission should be congratulated

for trying to get the best deal possible for the city in exchange for

approving this excellently planned project. Bell’s resort to name-calling

and inflammatory accusations, without mention of any meaningful objection

to the project itself, demonstrates he really doesn’t know what he’s

talking about.

Anyone with Bell’s experience should know that real estate development

these days involves negotiations between the city and the property owner

wherein the City Council grants approvals in exchange for agreements by

the property owner to do things the City Council determines to be in the

public interest. City needs a park? City needs a fire station? City needs

a school? City needs traffic signals or bus stops?

When the city has determined that any or all of these things are

required in the public interest, it is reasonable and customary for the

city to place such demands on developers in exchange for development

approvals. This is not bribery (as Bell so irresponsibly accuses). It is

good business by our city representatives, and I praise them for it.

The $2-million donation is planned to fund educational support

primarily for our local schools that serve lower-income families. Corona

del Mar High School does not need this support. Estancia High does. I

wonder how much of the opposition to this project arises from the fact

that the benefits of this project are going to inure to the benefit of

“them” rather than “us.” Some opponents certainly believe that committing

such substantial support to the lower-income families in our community is

unacceptable because “they” don’t deserve it.

Again, I applaud the City Council and the Planning Commission for

recognizing that “they” are really part of “us” and that we must attend

to the needs of our weakest members in order to make our community

healthy and strong as a whole. Rather than rejecting the donation (as

Bell suggests), I hope the city can get an even larger one. That kind of

“seed money” is just what we need to build the momentum for private

industry and the community at large to take serious steps to improve our

schools.

I urge the council to approve the Home Ranch project, and I urge Bell

to do “a lot more research than [he’s] done up to this point” before he

presumes to comment again.

STEVEN J. DZIDA

Costa Mesa

I recently received a beautiful flier from the Segerstroms regarding

the Home Ranch project. The flier stressed the importance of education

and the benefit of the Segerstroms’ “gift” to our schools. Funny, there

was no mention that this generosity is based on the city bending to the

Segerstroms’ vision. Talk about an education.

CHUCK SHILLINGTON

Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa used to be a lovely place in which to live; now everything

has changed for the worse. Traffic is a nightmare, likewise shopping. Not

only are we forced to move at a crawl along the city streets, but now we

are faced with long lines and many people when shopping.

I find myself making plans about when to venture out. “What would be

the best time to avoid crowds and traffic?” I ask myself. The trouble now

is that there is no best time. It is always busy. Just how much more can

we accept in the way of people, houses and traffic? There comes a time

when our representatives must say “no” and stop this madness.

JOAN MORRISONCosta Mesa

I see that Robin Leffler is now trying to influence Newport Beach’s

council members (Readers Respond -- Nov. 8). She has constantly tried to

peddle her non-growth position in Costa Mesa. Maybe she will try to

expand her sphere of influence to Newport Beach.

They can have her and good riddance. Costa Mesa certainly does not

need a Greenlight measure. We trust our planning department and council

members to do their job, which they have been doing very efficiently.

WAYNE SEARCEY

Costa Mesa

I am taking the time to write this letter to express my support for

the Home Ranch project. As a former longtime resident and a current

business leader in Costa Mesa, I feel that the city of Costa Mesa will

benefit from the Home Ranch project.

After moving our learning center from Irvine to Costa Mesa more than

five years ago, we have experienced tremendous growth in part from the

support of the Segerstrom family and its related businesses. In our area

of the city, we have changed a dying corner to a thriving education

center that is a great source of pride to the community. This was the

vision of the Segerstrom family.

The Home Ranch project will bring good business to the city, provide

additional funds for our local schools and city, and provide additional

revenue opportunities for local businesses. Since moving to Costa Mesa,

National University has received tremendous support from the city of

Costa Mesa. I would like to see the same support afforded to the Home

Ranch project.

DAVID R. WALLER

Costa Mesa

* EDITOR’S NOTE: David R. Waller is an associate dean at National

University.

I am a resident of Costa Mesa, and I am in full support of the

Segerstroms’ Home Ranch project.

I am also an employee of the Automobile Club of Southern California

located on the corner of South Coast Drive and Fairview Road. The project

surrounds my place of employment and is of great interest to me.

This development will be a great benefit to the Costa Mesa community

and all people who live and work in this area. It will provide jobs,

guaranteed tax revenues to the city of Costa Mesa and funds to the

schools for expanded education for the students.

The additional traffic issues were addressed adequately and the

addition of a Susan Street offramp will be beneficial to all.

I recommend the project be supported.

DIXIE ANDINO

Costa Mesa

I am writing about the Home Ranch project and how it is going to

affect all the people who live in Costa Mesa through all the extra

traffic and smog we will be receiving. Of course, the Segerstroms live in

Newport Beach, so they will not be affected by all this traffic and smog.

It is also interesting that Newport Beach has a Greenlight Initiative to

protect their citizens against projects such as the Home Ranch. Maybe we

need a Greenlight Initiative in Costa Mesa to protect us from

carpetbaggers. Maybe they should move here so they too can enjoy all the

traffic and smog they want to create.

I understand that the Segerstroms want to give $2 million to our

schools as long as the Home Ranch project goes through.

First, $2 million to the Segerstroms is like 25 cents to me. Second,

we should not be talking about $2 million, but $100 million, and if the

Segerstroms are real philanthropists, the money should be given with no

strings attached.

The city of Costa Mesa has a general plan. Let’s live within our

general plan and not be so concerned about money as money is really what

the Home Ranch project is all about. I do not think any amount of money

will compensate the residents of Costa Mesa for all the traffic and smog

this project is going to create.

I understand that the city of Costa Mesa is desperate for soccer

fields. All the Segerstroms need to do is donate the lima bean fields to

the city of Costa Mesa for soccer fields, and then everyone would be

happy.

DOUGLAS MORROW

Costa Mesa

I am very concerned about the increased traffic and pollution that

would result. Also, I am quite concerned about the negative impact this

project would have on nearby residents and on Costa Mesa in general.

We have lived in north Costa Mesa since the late 1970s and are very

aware of the unpleasant impact of smog and increased traffic that has

resulted from development in this area.

Putting a huge Ikea store in the proposed area would mean a constant

flow of traffic seven days a week. Aren’t there more than enough retail

stores in Costa Mesa? We prefer to have a decent quality of life and feel

that the 1990 general plan is more compatible with our community’s needs

and wishes.

Please reject the Home Ranch general plan amendment and continue to

strive to serve the people of Costa Mesa and surrounding area.

AMBIKA HANNA

Costa Mesa

As homeowners who live just off Harbor Boulevard and the San Diego

Freeway, our family would like to express our support for the proposed

Home Ranch project.

Two and a half months ago, we would have supported the project for the

simple reason of upholding the owner’s property rights. Allowing men the

freedom to build and create on their own land is what has given our

nation unsurpassed wealth and unlimited opportunity for all individuals

on every economic level.

For those Costa Mesa residents who reject the distinctly American

philosophy of property rights or who suffer from NIMBY-ism, there is

another reason for supporting this worthy proposal that should be

painfully obvious.

We are at war. We have just suffered devastating human losses and the

worst single-day financial disaster since the Great Depression. Our

economy was in a slump prior to the Sept. 11 attack and is now hanging by

a thread.

We should be thanking God that the owners of this property and Ikea

still want to move ahead with this project. This project will generate

much needed jobs on every level, from the construction foreman,

engineers, importers, truck drivers and store managers down to the store

clerk who pushes a broom. Tax revenue will support schools, roads and

even artillery and rifles that will be used in the war that is being

waged to protect our freedoms.

This is not a proposal for a toxic landfill; this is for retail,

office, industrial and housing -- all valuable components of a healthy

and free economy. They are particularly valuable during a recession in

the midst of an ongoing war.

Those who oppose the Home Ranch project should set aside their

personal shortsighted selfishness and look to their and our nation’s

long-term economic security. We know that most less-vocal residents

support property rights, America and this worthy project.

“Property embraces everything to which a man may attach value and have

a right, and which leaves to everyone else the like advantage.” --James

Madison, U.S. President (1751-1836)

JIM AND KELLIE BIEBER

Costa Mesa

The proposed project is very much in opposition to the will of the

residents of Costa Mesa as clearly expressed in the existing general plan

that was developed after many in-depth public hearings. The plan calls

for low-density development, appropriate housing and a genuine concern

for the quality of life in Costa Mesa.

The Home Ranch project is grossly out of proportion to the realities

of the site.

In the old show “Jumbo,” a policeman stops Jimmy Durante and asks,

“Where are you going with that elephant?” Durante, who is tiptoeing in

front of one of the world’s largest animals, looks to his left, then to

his right and gets a big laugh when he says, “What elephant?”

The proposed plan amendment calls for doubling the zoned land-use

intensity and traffic in an already highly congested area. The amendment

sponsors pretty much say, “What elephant?” and then propose to build both

an expensive Susan Street offramp (subject to Caltrans approval) and an

expensive widening of the Fairview Road bridge over the San Diego

Freeway. After the construction of both major projects, the site traffic

might be kept at its present undesirable level, or more likely, be worse.

I suggest the Costa Mesa City Council reject the proposed general plan

amendment and include this letter in the public record for the project.

HERMAN A. SINGER

Costa Mesa