Church plan would reduce neighborhood parking Regarding...

Church plan would reduce neighborhood parking

Regarding the St. Andrews project, it’s ironic that many of the

“Please No Expansion!” signs in the Cliff Haven area are on the lawns

of homes that have been massively expanded within the past few years

or whose value has increased greatly, in part, because of the

possibility of their being enlarged.

Apparently, expansion is fine for some in the neighborhood but not

for others.

The new underground parking at St. Andrew’s will reduce the

on-street parking in Cliff Haven and noise levels will be reduced by

sound mitigation in the buildings themselves and by the proposed

decorative wall on Clay Street.

The project should be approved.

FRITZ WESTERHOUT

Newport Beach

Interview presents another perspective on church growth

Congratulations on Sunday’s Q&A; feature, “Preaching to a different

choir.” At last, we in Cliffhaven and Newport Heights have the

opportunity to present the neighborhood perspective on the St.

Andrew’s expansion.

LYNDA ADAMS

Newport Heights

Approve report; get on with vote on Marinapark resort

Regarding “Residents thumbs down on Marinapark project and study”

on Wednesday:

One letter writer objected to the environmental report, saying it

does not address many important issues. The city asked for and

welcomed public comments, concerns and questions regarding the

report, and all those received were addressed and answered.

Therefore, if a resident felt important issues were not addressed in

the report, it would have been better to voice those concerns to the

city instead of complaining later.

Another reader wrote that the City Council will be setting itself

up for “hefty and drawn-out lawsuits” if they certify the report.

Could the threat of lawsuits be an effort to stop the democratic

process? Why do people opposed to this project fear a vote by the

people at the November election?

The Marinapark project has been ongoing for over five years; the

environmental report has been thoroughly scrutinized and should be

approved by the City Council. Then let’s get on to a vote by the

people in November.

CHRISTINE DABBS

Balboa Peninsula

Working Group part of solution, not problem

In Leonard Kranser’s reader’s response letter of July 7, he states

that the Airport Working Group does not merit more than a “seat at

the table” in planning airport issues in Orange County.

Perhaps he doesn’t realize that without the working group’s

historic participation in John Wayne Airport negotiations, Newport

Beach and Costa Mesa would be virtually buried in noise and pollution

from flight traffic. May I offer a suggestion? Since Kranser is so

opposed to re-opening El Toro to flights again, would you share with

us your real solution to the air travel problem that we now face?

I am not talking about the Ontario, Palmdale, Camp Pendleton

drivel that we have all heard and dismissed, but a workable plan -- a

plan that will not evict any citizens from their homes or businesses,

will not cost taxpayers billions of dollars and will not take decades

to build.

Airport Working Group is an organization whose sole purpose is to

save Newport Beach and surrounding communities from the

ever-encroaching John Wayne Airport. Instead of trashing the group, I

suggest that you focus your considerable ability and resources on the

problems at hand.

If Kranser has a practical solution to our air transportation

issues, I, for one, would like to hear it.

FLORENCE STASCH

Newport Beach