Steel served admirably under the circumstances...

Steel served admirably under the circumstances

The apparent intention of Geoff West’s letter to the Daily Pilot

was to thrash Costa Mesa City Councilman Chris Steel (“A bumbling way

to run a city council meeting,” Tuesday).

It had the opposite effect on me. I felt an overwhelming sympathy

for Steel. Maybe this is because I too have a miserable cold, have

had to take medicine to relieve the worst of symptoms and couldn’t

even imagine going to a council meeting, let along leading it.

The slight mistakes Steel made in that process were remarkable

under the circumstances.

DONNA JORDAN

Newport Beach

The Navy needs to rethink its use of the El Toro base

Last year’s Orange County passage of Measure B and the rejection

of Proposition 51 is a wake-up call to the U.S. Navy that El Toro

should be revisited. After all, it was public opinion that caused the

Navy to decide to sell the base rather than give it for public

benefit. Now it is public opinion that says don’t transfer that base

until it is cleaned up for its intended use. The voters all over

California have said no to paying for a park for Irvine, and the Navy

is only funded for cleanup to the level of that of an airport.

Just look at the vote last November, as compared to the vote last

March. Cleanup, Measure B, was broadly supported in Orange County,

while park funding, Proposition 51, was rejected all over the state.

By contrast, the developers’ initiative, Measure W, which the Navy is

blindly honoring, passed with a majority only in south Orange County

cities.

I believe the Navy should revisit El Toro and consider that the

highest and best use for an airport may just well be an airport.

DONALD NYRE

Newport Beach

Hotel will add more to peninsula than tattoo parlors

In response to Tom Billings letter regarding the proposed Regent

Hotel on the Balboa Peninsula (“Hotel idea for peninsula lacks

potential for success,” Jan. 25). He stated keeping the Marinapark

mobile home park makes sense. But for who? I think he loses sight

that a hotel is open for public use (the mobile home park is not) and

this project would enrich our surrounding community, much more than

the local tattoo parlors.

Billings says there is easy beach access. I don’t think a cement

sea wall in front of the mobile home park makes the beach very

assessable at all. The private Marinapark mobile home park is

completely surrounded by a fence, and there is a closed gate across

the public sidewalk discouraging access.

Presently only the mobile home residents enjoy the harbor view.

The hotel will open the view with three viewing corridors for all to

see the water from the boulevard.

The hotel includes sufficient parking for hotel guests and

off-site employee parking will be provided at a location not on the

peninsula.

As a younger resident of the Balboa Peninsula. I believe the

Regent Hotel will revitalize this aging area and generate jobs and

much needed tax revenue for our city, while maintaining the

peninsula’s quaint atmosphere.

JENNIFER DABBS

Balboa Peninsula