A few objections to Wilson’s objectives

Jeanette Pool

This letter is in response to Orange County Supervisor Tom Wilson’s

recent commentary (“Good time to talk about Aliso Creek Plans,”

Coastline Pilot Aug. 6).

I was appalled when I read Wilson’s commentary in our local paper.

I had to read it a second time to be sure what I was reading was

correct. His commentary proposes using some of the Wilderness Park so

that Montage can add nine holes onto the golf course at Aliso Creek.

What gall Wilson and the Montage have.

He flings around adjectives like “improvements,” “revitalization,”

“dynamic nature” and “opportunities” but all he is really saying is

“take, take, take and build, build, build.” While he was wallowing in

your own sense of self importance the hair on my neck was beginning

to stand on end

I don’t find anything “exciting” about the new Laguna Canyon Road.

I don’t believe that 22,000 acres in Ranch Mission Viejo will be

“improved” when its packed with single family homes. I don’t believe

that a major housing project along with a shopping mall will

“revitalize” the Dana Point Headlands. Wilson so aptly avoided

mentioning the contentious Corporate Yard to the Act V issue that the

county has been instrumental in facilitating to the horrendous point

it has gotten and I certainly don’t believe that taking some of our

Wilderness Park and allowing Montage to add nine holes to their

existing golf course an “improvement” to mother nature, the park or

our community. Why doesn’t Wilson just add an airport while your at

it.

Nobody that I know has “long awaited a multiuse trial” in this

area. Everyone I know would like to see that area preserved and

protected from people like Wilson and the Montage.

It was not long ago when Aliso Creek was a National Natural

Landmark listed in the Federal Register for its biological diversity

and Coastal Sage Scrub Habitat areas. When the Biological Resources

Inventory of the Aliso Creek/South Laguna Area was completed by

Karlin Marsh in 1993, Aliso Creek was identified as one of two top

priorities of places the city should consider purchasing for

preservation.

Let’s face it, Aliso Creek stinks and is a health hazard because

there are seven cities currently polluting it 24/7. Aliso Creek is

already undergoing a multimillion dollar restoration project that we

all know won’t work as long as those seven cities continue to use the

creek like they are. But what Wilson is trying to tell me is that by

adding more people onto this we will help “restore” the Creek? Do I

look like a turnip or something?

The commentary lists Wilson’s number, which I and several other

people have called and not one of us has received a response from

either Wilson or his staff. Too busy planning I presume.

Residents of Laguna, this is not just South Laguna’s park, this is

everyone’s park that Montage wants to turn into a golf course for

themselves. Tom Wilson. Orange County supervisor, supports this

“process” and if we take a look at Montage’s brief history in our

community then we can anticipate the city will acquiesce to their

whims as well. This is a call to everyone, requesting that all come

out to those dreadful city meetings, even in your pajamas, to speak

out against any project that proposes “improving” or converting our

Wilderness Park into something its not.

* JEANETTE POOL is a Laguna Beach resident .