Mailbag - Oct. 10, 2000

L.A.-style gridlock comes to Newport Beach

For anyone who has lived in the Newport Harbor area for any

significant amount of time, the statement, “traffic and development in

Newport Beach is not out-of-control” sounds ludicrous.

In my 37 years, I have seen traffic go from a July problem, to July

and August problem. Then it was a summer only problem. Today, traffic is

a 365-day a year headache and getting visibly worse every year as the

city continues to approve more and more developments.

You really have to be new to not see the change.

Ever driven down Coast Highway between the hours of 3 and 7 p.m.? No,

you are not in L.A.! This is Newport Beach my good neighbors and that is

bumper to bumper traffic. Many folks moved here to get away from that

kind of gridlock only to contribute to it here.

Enough is enough! Voters must take control through Greenlight.

It is OUT-OF-CONTROL!

DAVID BEEK

Balboa Island

Who’s protecting our views?

I attended a recent Newport Beach Planning Commission meeting,

especially interested in what they had to say regarding Mariner’s Mile.

It was not clear what the maximum height of any new construction would

be, as developers always use the argument that it isn’t feasible to build

unless you can go higher than the legal limit.

And nobody advanced the idea that it is important to protect (what is

left of it) the public park view of the bay from Cliff Drive Park.

Then the possibility exists that 20 years from now there will be a

Chinese Wall of similar Balboa Bay Club buildings up and down this area

of the Coast Highway.

Don Williams

Newport Heights

Seeds of Republicanism easy to see

The front page article in the Sept. 27 edition of the Daily Pilot

titled “A Vote of Confidence,” which featured the Newport-Mesa Islamic

community encouraging members to vote, was very interesting.

People who immigrate from Islamic countries understand the importance

of not allowing the government to gain too much power over its people.

That is why they encourage people to get involved in the process, to

vote for individual rights, and why they resist big government

controlling our lives.

It is not a surprise that they vote Republican.

NANCY SMITH

Newport Beach