mailbag - Jan. 20, 2000

It’s disappointing to see yet another Newport Beach restaurant, Twin

Palms, close its doors. Enough already! The City Council can and

should do more to support local restaurants. We live in a resort area

and should be ready to accept that restaurants and bars go along with

that.

GRANVILLE KIRKUP

Newport Beach

Getting ready for the spin cycle

Now the real power struggle begins. With the rapid success of

Greenlight’s traffic control initiative being placed on the ballot, the

developers in our city must be having a few sleepless nights.

It is much easier to influence a majority of the City Council to smile

favorably on your project then to convince an entire voting populace to

put up with aggravated traffic and lower quality of life for the sake of

your huge development.

Prepare for the spin doctors to tell us that the initiative will

result in the end of life as we know it.

I know they will certainly have a hard sell convincing me to vote

against the initiative and I hope the rest of the voting population of

this city will be able to see through their propaganda as well.

VERONICA SHAVER

Newport Beach

Don’t believe the South County hype

I certainly hope Newport Beach and Costa Mesa residents will not be

misguided by letters to the Daily Pilot from South County residents

trying to dissuade us from our commitment to El Toro airport.

There are two overwhelming facts that our community must understand

regarding this issue. First, numerous studies indicate our county must

secure more airport capacity for the future.

The communities around LAX and Ontario have made it clear they will

fight expansions of those airports and have told us to take care of our

own transportation needs. We no longer can depend upon them! Second:

There are only two viable choices for our county: build El Toro airport

or expand John Wayne. All other options have demonstrated fatal flaws

prohibiting them from consideration.

El Toro sits on 4,700 acres of land and has four extremely long

runways. John Wayne is on 470 acres and has one short runway. To make

John Wayne able to provide the increased air traffic service for the

future, many homes, schools, and businesses close to that airport will

need to be razed to the ground.

Then that airport will intrude even further into our cities of Newport

Beach and Costa Mesa. An airport at El Toro is the best use for that land

for the vast majority of Orange County residents.

JANICE BROWN

Newport Beach

Letter writer’s comparison is insulting

Martin Brower’s comments in his Jan. 6 letter to the Daily Pilot were

an appalling insult to the Newport Beach City Council and residents of

our city.

He admonished them by comparing Costa Mesa giving Christmas toys to

children while Newport Beach gave $1.25 million to pro El Toro Airport

groups.

Certainly this man is aware that the city of Irvine alone has

committed $6 million and that other South County cities and groups have

thrown another $6 million into fighting the proposed El Toro Airport.

The $1.25 million from Newport Beach pales in comparison but at least

it helps to secure El Toro airport so that John Wayne Airport does not

double or triple in size. In other words, our council is trying to save

our quality of life, keep our home values stable, and prevent homes and

schools from being torn down to make room for more airport land at John

Wayne.

Shame on Brower for his lack of appreciation. I applaud the council’s

actions and congratulate them. Maybe it is a good time for us all to

write and thank them for watching out for our best interests.

J. OLSON

Newport Beach