Marinapark continues to be a sore spot

We live in the Bluffs in Newport Beach now, but we were longtime

residents of the Peninsula -- 25 years on 7th Street -- and we

strongly oppose the Marinapark environmental impact report and want

the council to reject it.

NED AND MARY JACOBY

Newport Beach

Do we really need another ill-conceived monstrosity like the

Balboa Bay Club out on the already-crowded peninsula? Do we need more

traffic, more parking issues and more polluting of our waters?

Every time we cruise by the Balboa Bay Club on our boat, I just

have to cringe. Could a structure be more ill-suited to this area?

Perhaps only a high-rise skyscraper would be worse. Everyone knows

that the developers of the Marinapark project will overbill that

land, because that’s their job -- maximum occupancy and maximum

bucks. But what about our bay?

What about the neighboring homes and the local impact of that

area? I know it’s coming to a vote for the council members to go

forward with the environmental impact report, and I hope that the

council will stop it before it starts. But if it does go to voters,

it’s up to them to preserve the beauty of our bay -- at least for a

few more years. The overcrowding and the traffic is getting so bad.

It’s up to us to try to keep it the way it is and preserve the beauty

that we have here.

ELIZABETH BARNES

Costa Mesa

I am opposed to the use of the Marinapark site for any use other

than as a marine-oriented public facility and have been for the past

40 years. This final act of the City Council is an insult to the

public and abandons any future opportunity for a public facility on

the sole remaining bay-front property owned by the city.

This is a gift of public property for a “pie in the sky”

development with questionable return to the city’s residents for

their investment.

Save Las Arenas Park for the residents of the city. Send a message

to the City Council that this sort of skulduggery will not be

tolerated, and your parks may be next.

TOM HYANS

Balboa Peninsula

My vote is to have the city approve the Marinapark environmental

impact report and send the question of approving the general plan

amendment needed for the project to the voters in November. Yes, I do

approve.

PAT GREENBAUM

Newport Beach

Regarding the proposed Marinapark hotel project, how can we be so

short-sighted? Is instant gratification a new name for greed? Growth

and progress does not mean “hurry up and build.” It means clear

thinking for the future as well as for the present.

A public park is forever and will be needed and utilized forever.

A luxury hotel is a private enterprise consisting of storied

buildings with an unknown occupation, albeit with public view and

access corridors to the bay. A park features “open space,” a great

need in this over-crowded area.

Last but not least, Newport Beach has a harbor that is the largest

yacht harbor in the United States and needs a bayside,

nautically-oriented park complete with tennis and basketball courts,

small boat launching, tot lots, picnic tables. What is there to even

think about? A city the size and opulence of Newport Beach, with such

expert city management, surely should find a way to subsidize a

public park as above mentioned.

RUTH GARSTONE

Balboa Peninsula