SOUNDING OFF: Old trailer park a shameful mess

Regarding the former El Moro trailer site, I couldn’t agree with James Pribram more! (Surfing Soapbox, “Trashing of El Morro continues,” Coastline Pilot, Jan. 11)

Just as the state did with the Crystal Cove cottages, they couldn’t wait to evict the El Moro tenants, only to let the property deteriorate to near slum-like conditions. The site of the former trailer park is a total eyesore!

I can’t believe they would remove the trailers and then just leave the concrete pads, walls, roadways and common buildings to decay. Add the trash and graffiti that has built up, and we have a replica of northern Baja in the making.

And if they weren’t ready to at least clean up the mess following the eviction, why did the state elect to cut off a revenue stream that would have continued over the last two years, had the tenants been allowed to remain in place?

It just boggles my mind how the state could do such a stupid thing.

And now with the just-announced 10% budget cut, do we really think the reclamation project will proceed in the spring as promised? How long will we have to look at the mess they’ve created?

I’m afraid the answer lies only a short distance north; see the beach-front Crystal Cove cottages for our state in action “” or more like inaction.

I think it’s high time the citizenry and city government of Laguna Beach proactively prod the state into some serious corrective action. I’m sick and tired of looking at the mess they’ve created!

JERRY KING lives in Laguna Beach.