READERS RESPOND -- Readers weigh in on the Koll project

I applaud Editor Tony Dodero’s column (“With Greenlight in, it’s time

to get out and vote, Nov. 5) regarding the Greenlight proponents’

aggressive stance against the Koll development. Trying to prevent an

issue from coming before the public for a vote represents the elitist’s

point of view that “we know what’s best for you, so we won’t bother with

allowing you to have a voice in the matter.”

Newport Beach is not the typical Orange County bedroom community but

was, until Greenlight, a leader in forward-thinking, well-integrated

commerce. We need the tax base and jobs that the Koll development and

other leading business’ can provide. The Dunes project alone could have

brought a tremendous revenue stream to the city. Increased traffic can be

handled by innovative and creative management, such as staggered work

hours, car pooling, improved public transportation, etc. Dwindling tax

revenues, unemployment and even recession cannot.

Newport Beach is not the sleepy bedroom community the Greenlight

proponents would like it to be. Their type of backward-thinking,

head-in-the-sand obstructionism is not what made ours such a great

forward-thinking city.

DONALD RAMSAY

Newport Beach

I received the Greenlight Implementation mailer. As a Greenlight

supporter, I was confused at first, until I discovered it was a ploy by

the Koll Center advocates. How pathetic for them to use deception to

further their objective. I really feel that they have demeaned themselves

with this.

DORIS HOPE

Newport Beach

I was going to vote “yes” on this Koll project because I thought it

was maybe the stretching of Greenlight. But after looking at this

politics that they have -- this deceptive, underhanded lies and stuff --

I’m voting against it now. I wonder how many votes Tim Strader Sr. has

cost himself by his undermining of the public trust like that?

BOB HART

Newport Beach

My feelings about the Koll Center development and expansion is that

it’s something that Newport Beach does not need right now. The kind of

shenanigans that are going on right now, we feel should be unacceptable.

RON ANDERSON

Balboa Peninsula

My comment is about the Greenlight dueling campaigns. I really want to

comment about the Koll developer half of it. Calling themselves the

Greenlight Implementation Committee is a blatant attempt to try to

deceive the public to vote for something that is against the wishes that

were put forth when Greenlight was voted in. I think that this kind of

really dirty, deceptive kind of campaign tactic is unacceptable and

should not be allowed in our fair city.

CARL MUMM

Newport Beach

Enough is enough. Traffic is terrible. Let’s shut down the expansion.

RICHARD BATTAGLIA

Newport Beach

I think it’s unfortunate that the Koll Co. needs to stoop to deceptive

practices in order to get its point across. They’ve got issues on their

side; they ought to argue them.

ED SIEBEL

Newport Beach

I think the developers or the S and G people are playing their

bait-and-switch propaganda that they always play with all the money in

the world behind them.

I say vote “no” on G, most emphatically.

MARGIT MOTTA

Newport Beach

I’m very upset by the way the campaign has proceeded. I personally

have received mailings that inaccurately ask me to support Greenlight by

voting “yes” on G.

In reality, the only way to support Greenlight is to vote “no” on G.

Also, the supporters of the Koll expansion project are calling themselves

the Greenlight Implementation Committee while they’re not implementing

Greenlight.

They don’t want to follow the city’s general plan, and they want to be

allowed to expand and build a 10-story office tower, which will bring

additional traffic congestion to the city. I’m also very concerned that

these so-called Greenlight Implementation Committee members’ names are

similar to former city of Newport Beach mayors. I’m afraid this may

confuse the voters. The Daily Pilot reports that Tony Sansone is not

related to the former mayor Phil Sansone, and Elizabeth Hart is not

associated with former mayor and Greenlight supporter Evelyn Hart. If the

supporters of Measure G really believe that a 10-story office building

will not impact traffic and that an exception should be made, why don’t

they proudly and correctly call themselves the Koll Project Expansion

Implementation Committee?

YVONNE HOUSSELS

Corona del Mar

I am an opponent of the Koll Center’s plan to develop a large

commercial building in the northern part of Newport Beach. Their

advertising and comments in the newspaper are quite deceptive, and this

fact should be known.

JAMES WHITAKER

Newport Beach

I think that it is disappointing that after everything that Newport

Beach went through to get the Greenlight measure passed, its City Council

recommended approval of this big Koll project. The three council members

who voted against it are the only ones who showed any sensitivity to the

voters. I hope that Newport Beach turns out in force to say again that

this kind of overdevelopment is not what they want. Costa Mesa needs a

Greenlight measure too.

ROBIN LEFFLER

Costa Mesa

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Robin Leffler is the vice president of Costa Mesa

Citizens for Responsible Growth.

In the past, I have generally been supportive of good development.

However, when it comes to the proposed new Koll Center office building, I

have been completely turned off by their shoddy antics.

In my judgment, integrity has been compromised by the proponents with

the misleading name of their committee and use of signatures of people

who are not well-known in the community but have names similar to

well-known members of our community. They must think the voters are

really stupid. I’m embarrassed for the people who have allowed their

names to be used on the list of supporters.

JACK REEVES

Corona del Mar

Regarding the dueling Koll Center expansion campaigns, I must say the

Koll developers’ campaign turns my stomach. It is a blatant attempt to

confuse voters.

They call themselves the Greenlight Implementation Committee with the

intent to confuse voters who might think they are Greenlight when they

are in fact a wolf in sheep’s clothing. They also list Elizabeth Hart as

one of their signers to lead people to believe a former mayor of Newport

Beach is on their side. Then they list another signer whose last name is

Sansone, the name of another former mayor of Newport Beach. This Koll

slime is certainly trying to hide under a rock.

HERBERT KARG

Corona del Mar

We are incensed by the Koll promoters’ thievery of the Greenlight

nomenclature to describe a committee advocating overbuilding and traffic

generation.

There is just no defense or excuse that can justify this plot to

confuse voters. The allocated building density on Koll’s property is

already substantial.

If you would like to contain development, minimize traffic and oppose

the need for JWA expansion, don’t be confused by a wolf in sheep’s

clothing. Vote “no” on Measure G.

MARIANNE and BRIAN TOWERSEY

Newport Beach