Not much love for show’s local hook...

Not much love for show’s local hook

I thoroughly agree with what J.P. Hannan said about the program on

television called “The OC” -- that it is misguided (“Honoring ‘The

OC’ is misguided,” Oct. 21). It’s not only misguided, he neglected to

state that very little of it is filmed in Newport Beach. Surrounding

areas, yes, but very, very little in Newport Beach.

RUTH GARSTONE

Balboa Peninsula

A few more questions about Marinapark

In his Daily Pilot community commentary supporting Measure L,

Clarence Turner makes some very lofty predictions about the revenue

that the proposed Marinapark hotel project will contribute toward the

city’s general fund ($2.2 million annually) and to the Newport Beach

tidelands fund ($1 million annually) (“Measure L best choice for

public,” Oct. 21).

Most folks will read this and say, “Wow ... this seems like a

great deal for the city!” However, Turner does not let us know some

things that would be helpful for understanding these figures, such

as: What are the occupancy assumptions used in the projections that

derived these figures? Are they in line with what similar hotels in

the area are now achieving and expect to achieve in the future? Will

the city receive any guarantee (from developer Stephen Sutherland or

a to-be-determined operator) should the project falter?

I recommend these very important additional facts be made

available to accurately assess Turner’s claims.

EDWARD LYON

Newport Beach

Public park not a benefit on the peninsula

While I have the greatest respect for Joan Irvine Smith and her

commitment to environmental causes, her Tuesday Pilot commentary,

“Parkland needs good measure of stewardship,” regarding the future

use of Marinapark and Measure L, relies on arguments that ignore the

quality-of-life realities that Newport Beach residents have been so

vocal about.

To lobby for the use of Marinapark as a public park site purely

for the sake of open space preservation shoves aside the very real

environmental and traffic impacts such a use would have on the

peninsula.

A public park at Marinapark, which would be open to all, will

simply create a choke point of vehicle, boat trailer, litter and

pollutant runoff. In fact, the city’s own environmental report

suggests a public park will generate two to three times more traffic

than the current mobile home park. That means two to three times more

vehicle emissions, a huge new demand for parking and additional

watercraft traffic on the bay.

Conversely, the same environmental report finds the resort will

generate no significant traffic impact beyond what the current mobile

home park produces. Moreover, the resort’s design will employ a

sophisticated runoff detention system to prevent further

contamination of the bay.

Parks are nice. But not all sites are right for parks. Marinapark

is not a suitable site for a public park, and we should vote yes on

Measure L.

SHIRLEY VADSET

Newport Beach