Greenlight preserves city’s quality of life

Adele and Mel Mann

The Daily Pilot editorial titled “Dunes sale a sad ending” (June

28) revealed the Pilot’s implied attack against the Greenlight law.

It’s as if Greenlight killed the Dunes hotel project. There was no

Greenlight election on the Dunes hotel. But it was obvious that the

many citizens throughout Newport Beach appeared to be adamantly

opposed to the proposed Dunes hotel, especially those residents in

the vicinity of the hotel. Fortunately, the project died.

The Greenlight law permits Newport Beach residents to vote, “yes”

or “no,” on large-scale developments that could create even more

burdensome traffic.

The rejected Koll project, for example, was the first instance

where residents could vote on a large-scale development.

Almost 65% of the electorate opted to maintain our quality of life

rather than allow construction of this traffic-generating high-rise

office building.

Without resident advocate groups such as Greenlight, the residents

in Orange County could ultimately expect to be victims of unbearable

traffic levels such as those now present and growing in Los Angeles

County.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority in Los Angeles predicts that by

2025, rush-hour traffic highway speeds in Los Angeles County will

drop by 50%. Let’s not allow this traffic nightmare to happen in

Orange County.

As residents, we should continue to support Greenlight’s

objectives. Four seats on the Newport Beach City Council are up for

election in November 2002. Soon, we will hear from the candidates. We

should support those candidates who believe in Greenlight’s

objectives.

* ADELE and MEL MANN are Newport Beach residents.