Mailbag: Project would have negative impact on neighbors

I live in the 900 block of 19th Street in beautiful Westside Costa Mesa. I purchased my home here three years ago after living less than a mile up, off of 19th Street, for 10 years. Since purchasing the house I have worked nearly the entire time to transform it, both inside and out, to be an eco-friendly and beautiful home. I love what my home has become and have received an overwhelming response from people who drive or walk by.

I recently learned that the city is considering the possibility of widening 19th Street at my end to four lanes to connect it to the proposed (19th Street bridge).

The impact this would have on me personally is unimaginable. Since the start, I have said that I wish to live out the rest of my days in this home, my first house, and I wanted it to be my last. My wonderful neighbors, many of whom have grown up here, or have been here for a very long time, were also devastated to hear that we could all lose our homes if our street is widened.

I ask you, as our city representatives, to consider the lives that you will tear apart if you allow this project to go through. Imagine how you would feel if you lived beside us on 19th Street. Aside from us, for the neighbors nearby, many of whom do not even know that this possibility is looming, noise and heavy traffic will forever alter the quiet, safe, peaceful streets where they live and their children play.

I am just one of the good citizens of this wonderful city that this project will affect. Please consider my story.

Michelle Simpson

Costa Mesa

The writer initially sent this letter to the Costa Mesa City Council and asked that a copy be printed in the Daily Pilot.

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Worried about our investment property

My husband, Ron, and I live in the 900 block of 19th Street, and we own a condo inside Newport Terrace in Newport Beach. We purchased our home three years ago and we have one of the lushest yards, both front and back, than anyone on the street. We have poured tens of thousands of dollars into making our condo a happy place for our renters.

Unfortunately, we did not become aware of Banning Ranch, or the proposed widening of 19th Street, until earlier this year, or we would have considered buying elsewhere, perhaps in another city that wouldn’t impact our two properties, as this project will. Learning that the city is considering the possibility of widening 19th Street at my end to four lanes to connect it to the proposed (19th Street bridge), this would impact both of our properties.

My wonderful neighbors, many of whom have grown up here, or who have been here for a very long time, were also devastated to hear that we could all lose our homes if our street is widened. Knowing that none of the City Council members, save for Councilwoman Wendy Leece, have homes on this side of town, makes it easy, or OK to approve such a project since it will not affect your lives or homes!

We ask you, as our city representatives, to consider the lives that you will tear apart if you allow this project to go through. Take into consideration, and imagine how you would feel, if you lived beside us on 19th Street.

We are just a few of the good citizens of this wonderful city that this project will affect. Please consider our stories before you vote yes to demolish an established community with so many residents that will be impacted.

Sandie Frankiewicz

Costa Mesa

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Banning Ranch is a no-win for Costa Mesa

The Banning Ranch development project is a no-win situation for the city of Costa Mesa. Should the development occur, the development company will make huge profits, the city of Newport Beach will gain considerable tax revenues, and the city of Costa Mesa will be stuck with much of the newly generated traffic.

For me, this is a quality-of-life issue. Why should Costa Mesa residents endure increased traffic, congestion, polluted air, and loss of the last remaining bit of undeveloped coastal land, to support increased tax revenues by our neighbors in Newport Beach?

Richard Robertson

Costa Mesa

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Museum would spoil Fun Zone

Shame on the Newport Nautical Museum for destroying the Fun Zone, which has been a unique attraction in Newport Beach for 75 years (“Boosters hold high hopes for ExplorOcean,” Oct. 15) Although I frequently visited the Fun Zone with my children over the years, we have yet to step foot in the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum after it replaced the bumper cars, tea cups and spooky house ride several years ago. We certainly will not visit since the museum’s recent decision to evict the historic carousel.

After reading the article twice, I still do not understand the new concept proposed by the museum to replace a California landmark. But I am quite sure that the vast majority of residents and visitors, adults and kids alike, would prefer to visit the Fun Zone as it is rather than pay to sit in a theater designed with “an abstracted boat in the center of a circular room” that “will attempt to recreate a certain era of exploration — the Vikings, or ancient Polynesians, for instance.” What could the museum trustees be thinking?

Roman Darmer

Newport Beach

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City and Irvine Co. wise to ban pet sales

Kudus to the Irvine City Council for passing the ban on selling cats and dogs in Irvine pet stores.

Who doesn’t love those cute little puppies and kittens that are sold in pet stores? What is sometimes overlooked is the fact that those adorable fluffy little ones have adorable mothers who are often forced to produce over and over again in the most deplorable of conditions and then discarded when they can no longer produce. And many of the offspring have emotional and physical problems, due to the horrible conditions they are exposed to prior to adoption.

Irvine has taken a big step toward creating a more humane city in passing this ordinance along with the ban on rodeos and circus acts that feature wild animals. And a big thank you to the Newport Beach-based Irvine Co., which refuses to lease property to stores that sell dogs and cats.

Michaela Pond

Corona del Mar

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Irvine coverage hurts the Pilot

It is extremely disappointing and sad that the Daily Pilot shows no regard to its loyal readers who take the time to express their opinions and would rather read about Newport Beach and Costa Mesa rather than about Irvine coverage, particularly in weekend editions, as expressed by Terry Johnston in the Oct. 11 forum section. As Terry Johnston states, “Enough with Irvine, already.”

After seeing the front page of Oct. 16 why not just deliver it to Irvine and call it Irvine Daily Pilot? Each Sunday you outdo yourself! I didn’t even bother opening the rest of the pages. Wish I could have my carrier leave the Pilot out of my Times. If you are looking for more news, why not go to Huntington Beach, Seal Beach and Long Beach?

Mary Ann Bruce

Newport Beach

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Obama’s jobs bill desperately needed

We are in a state of crisis, the American people are getting desperate, while the government holds jobs and opportunity from good, law-abiding, hardworking people with families to feed. How can we get Congress to see that this bill is the most urgent we are facing now?

Amana Nova

Laguna Beach