City must keep eelgrass under control The...

City must keep eelgrass under control

The Southern California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy that has been

incorporated by reference and endorsed in the proposed city of

Newport Beach Local Coastal Plan is off course. As eelgrass spreads

to the beach areas, swimming is no longer desirable in the harbor. As

the harbor fills with silt, no dredging can take place.

Reportedly, dredging permanently removes eelgrass. Sailboats and

larger power boats are now running aground in various parts of the

harbor at low tide. If Newport goes along with the eelgrass

mitigation policy in the harbor, no boating or swimming will be

possible in the foreseeable future.

In response to demands of the Southern California Eelgrass

Mitigation Policy prescribed by the California Coastal Commission,

California Department of Fish and Game, National Marine Fisheries

Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the city of Newport Beach

is currently preparing a Local Coastal Plan to guide the city’s

future eelgrass mitigation actions. As drafted by the city, the plan

will require the protection of eelgrass in the Newport Harbor to an

extent that will make the maintenance of docks, seawalls, groins,

marinas and navigational channels either impossible or prohibitively

expensive.

Newport Harbor was made into a unique recreational boat harbor

with the help of the federal government and a local bond issue in the

1930s. Since then, maintenance dredging has been conducted in the

harbor in a satisfactory and affordable process that has served to

replace sand on constantly eroding beaches while maintaining

viability of piers and moorings. During this period, eelgrass beds

have continued to exist along the peninsula and islands of the

harbor. The city endorsement of the Southern California Eelgrass

Mitigation Policy is the wrong course of action. We must be alert to

unreasonable rules that diminish our quality of life, our property

values and profitability of local businesses.

Once final governmental rules are in place, it will be too late to

introduce the concepts of reason and logic. The eelgrass policies as

drafted in the city of Newport Beach Local Coastal Plan will result

in the serious degradation of one of the finest recreational harbors

in the United States.

GUS CHABRE

Balboa Peninsula

Time to end fireworks sales in Costa Mesa

I am glad to see this fireworks thing is finally on the people

again. I really believe we are very primitive to have that go on

every year. Because the animals suffer, children suffer, people get

hurt, and I am so happy we are finally considering doing away with

fireworks in Costa Mesa.

GENE BEAVER

Costa Mesa

El Toro needed to handle transportation

I think it is absolutely outrageous that they are not using at

least part of the closed El Toro Marina Base for a new airport if we

need it badly.

It is just going to lead to more and more problems than how to

handle the transportation.

BARBARA POHLEN

Balboa Island

City needs to preserve Marina Highlands

I believe the Marina Highlands area of ocean view homes is the

crown jewel of Costa Mesa. Others may have different favorites, but

Marina Highlands is the “crown jewel,” at least of the Westside.

Way back in 1962, when my aerospace employer built a new plant in

Anaheim, I moved from Los Angeles to buy in Marina Highlands

specifically for the view and the ocean. It has been the perfect

place to live. Quiet, good air, marvelous view, ocean breeze and

wonderful neighbors. From the start, we all knew when we bought here

that this was designed to be a single-story complex, with each lot

individually terraced and placed on two streets that were also

specifically terraced to afford all houses an unobstructed ocean

view. The city worked hand-in-hand with the developers to achieve

this unusual site. The new residents lived happily this way for more

than 35 years, until a newcomer moved in with different ideas.

This new resident’s home is on the lower terrace, so nobody could

build in front of him, and he already has a fine view for himself.

But regardless of his neighbors, he wanted to add an upper story to

his newly purchased house, though there is plenty of space on his

large lot to increase the size of his home without spoiling his

neighbors’ views. But he decided to try going against the traditions

and “rules” of the complex and wanted to add an upper story, even

though it would ruin the views and decrease the value of homes of

other neighbors on the terrace above him.

By contrast, two neighbors who have chosen to expand their homes

recently respected the ocean views of their neighbors and avoiding

building upward. They used their ample front patios and built decks

out over their property on the mesa or ocean side of their houses.

They will have simply magnificent homes, much increased in space and

value and, at the same time, their modernizations are increasing the

value of their neighbors’ properties

One of these beautiful homes is next to mine, so that when I sell

my house, I will look for a buyer with plenty of capital who will

similarly rebuild my home into something fittingly spectacular. This

area deserves it. To me, these two homes are a snapshot of this

area’s future. With care today, Marina Highlands won’t become a

hodgepodge of tall and single-story homes tomorrow, with no

delineated character and with unhappy, litigious residents constantly

“taking each other to court” over view obstruction.

We hope we can depend on the City Council to help us maintain our

standards and preserve our views in this unusual development that I

believe it destined to be a residential diamond of the city. As for

right now, it’s a perfect place to live and we all want to protect

its well-being.

MRS. GERRY COLSON

Costa Mesa

Smith right on the mark with column

I just want to say that that could not have been said any better

than how Steve Smith wrote that (“Kobe made more than a mistake,”

July 26). It was on the mark, perfect, I absolutely agree with his

perspective. Kobe did make more than a mistake, and our values are

really skewed when we look up to these kinds of superheroes and not

the firemen and the policemen and all the other people out there

protecting us.

So Steve, great writing. Right on the mark. Just wanted to let you

know.

MARSHA JOLLISS

Newport Beach