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
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