Mailbag - April 18, 2002

All citizens of Newport Beach should be proud of the hard work done by

our Urban Forester John Conway and the city being named “Tree City USA.”

However, I feel that your article (“A forest grows in Newport,” April

7) did not present the problems with view preservation in a balanced

manner.

This article highlighted one ocean front homeowner’s “questionable”

complaint about a tree blocking his view from his bathroom.

The article did not mention the four years of participation by both

view and non-view homeowners with Conway, the city’s staff, the Park

Beaches and Recreation Commission and the City Council in establishing

the G-1 Policy in 1998. This policy provides for reforestation and

trimming to protect the views of all our residents while still preserving

our urban forest.

While emphasizing the city’s valuation of the urban forest at $63

million, the article does not point out that view homes have an increased

value of $500,000 to $1 million plus over comparably sized non-view homes

on the same street. There are more than 1,000 view homes in Corona del

Mar alone, easily adding well over $750 million in taxable value to the

city.

In council districts 2, 3 and 7, view preservation is one of the major

issues residents have asked to be addressed in the new updated city

general plan.

Unbalanced reporting over this sensitive issue is not fair to the

residents and city staff who have worked so hard to address this

important matter.

YVONNE HOUSSELS

Corona del Mar

EDITOR’S NOTE: Yvonne Houssels is the former president of Harbor View

Hills South Homeowners Assn. and a participant on the committee to

establish the G-1 Policy.

Marinapark residents need to pack and move on

Here we go again. First the Crystal Cove people want out of the lease

they signed ages ago and now Marina Park. These people can’t be that

naive to think these documents are meaningless.

The fact that the Newport Beach City Council is even trying to

accommodate them irritates me. They certainly were thrilled to sign the

lease 17 years ago. Did they think it would give them the right to cheap

living the rest of their lives?

Tell them their time is up and get on with the business of running the

city. There are much more pressing issues than this one that is clearly

not up for discussion.

RHODA FRIEDMAN

Newport Beach

Kids need information when time is right

Is Steve Smith (Family Time -- “Kids need shielding and time to grow,”

March 16) really that naive that he believes by shielding children from

what he deems “bad information” this will somehow protect them from life?

Information and education is power and if children are told the truth,

in an age-appropriate manner, they will be much more secure in this

ever-changing world. I also feel that Smith needs to stop taking cheap

shots at Newport-Mesa Unified School District Trustee Jim Ferryman, move

on and focus on what is really important.

MAXINE MACHA

Costa Mesa

Pilot editorial needs some clarification

I would like to correct an unfortunate impression that may have been

created by the Pilot editorial “Costa Mesa should appreciate property

owner’s compromise” (Feb. 28). The editorial states that Costa Mesa city

planning staff urged resident Michael Schrock to apply for a zone change

on his Cecil Place property and then recommended City Council deny the

application. In fact, staff temporarily recommended denial when a

parking deficiency was discovered between the Planning Commission and

City Council hearings. However, once this problem was corrected, staff

returned to its original recommendation of approval.

While zoning and land development issues often generate controversy

and disagreement, it would be a shame to further complicate things by

giving the impression that city staff is intentionally misleading

applicants. Costa Mesa residents, business owners and developers deserve

better service than that, and we do our best to provide it.

PERRY VALANTINE

Costa Mesa

EDITOR’S NOTE: Perry Valantine is Costa Mesa’s assistant development

services director.

California has plenty of mule deer

California has the highest number of mule deer anywhere, not Nebraska

or Utah (Inside Scoop -- “Council really passes the buck,” March 4). We

just don’t see that many of them because access to where they are at is

extremely limited.

The mountain lion is also a major cause of the plight of the mule

deer. Ignorant California voters put a hold on all mountain lion hunting

and the deaths of fawns and immature deer has increased dramatically, as

have the attacks on humans.

XAVIER LIMON

Costa Mesa

Sycamore trees looked fine at Hillgren Square

What is it about face lifts that they never look quite right (Facelift

to 17th Street center nearly complete,” Dec. 10)? Perhaps at Hillgren

Square it is a generic choice of stucco and palm trees that once again

replaces any existing history within the city of Costa Mesa.

Somehow, we just saw it coming that those beautiful, healthy sycamore

trees were to meet their fate with the bulldozer. Does anyone around here

realize that those trees were actually native to this area and that palm

trees are not? Enough already. Oh, and by the way, what are the

requirements to become an upscale client?

IAN M. YOUNG and LINDA H. YOUNG

Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa lacks one beach component

Here’s a new name for Costa Mesa: Costa Mesa Beach (bring your own

sand).

ANNA BETTY GOLDMAN

Corona del Mar