Developer’s Gain Will Be Community’s Loss

Yes, sure, the Koll Co. “faces a tough battle from angry environmentalists” (“Koll, Calm and Collected,” May 14). What a sham. Orange County supervisors gave district prerogative to Harriett Wieder and carte blanche to Koll despite hearing hours of warnings regarding the enormous negative impact on neighboring communities. Their fiscal gain stands to be a fiscal nightmare for Huntington Beach, which surrounds the wetlands. With the “developer-sympathetic” Coastal Commission hearings upcoming, who is left to stop Koll despite the 20-year struggle?

VICTORIA NESS BLOOM

Huntington Beach

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The Sunday (May 14) Business section had two articles concerning Koll enterprises. One was a glowing report about a 62-year-old grandfather of 13 who started his own business with $1,000. The other was a small box that said Koll Real Estate Group posted a $5.7-million loss for the first quarter (a net loss of 12 cents a share).

Now we know from the article that the entrepreneur, Donald M. Koll, doesn’t spend his own money, but somebody has to pay the piper when you go into debt. KREG is the one who is trying to develop the “company jewel”--Bolsa Chica. They are in trouble, folks. Let’s keep the “company jewel” as open space for generations to come. Save it--don’t pave it.

EILEEN MURPHY

Huntington Beach