Mailbag - April 26, 2002

Loss of El Morro may be more than we think

Ed Merrilees gives credit to “strong organized groups . . . nipping in

the bud” John Campbell’s legislation to extend leases at El Morro and

raise rents to pay for restoration at Crystal Cove.

What he fails to recognize is the causal relationship between John

Campbell’s initiative and the state Park Department’s recent position

that the Historic District will be “among the top projects for park

implementation.”

I was skeptical too, especially being a Democrat. But based on my own

inquiry, I am now convinced that John Campbell was motivated by his

sincere commitment to ensure the preservation of the cottages rather than

an obligation to the special interest of El Morro, which would offer him

little if any political advantage.

The real issue in my mind is the ease by which agencies and

individuals can undermine legitimate efforts, such as John’s, by playing

on popular fears, reinforcing hearsay, and exploiting public myths.

I personally witnessed this at the November 2001 Coastal Commission

meeting that granted a permit for work on the cottages. Commissioners

were told that all my group wanted to do was bring the residents back

(raising unrealistic fears) and that the beach had more visitors than

before the evictions (hearsay, attendance was actually down).

Commissioner Rose thanked the Park Department for finally providing

public access (myth, the beach already had better public access than it

does today).

My testimony objecting to a special condition in that permit that

mandates the demolition of beach cottages threatened by waves was

completely dismissed, raising the question -- who is really committed to

preserving the cottages? The Park Department raised no objection to the

condition.

When public attitudes are shaped by opinions that are not based on

facts but on stereotypes in our mind, it is not just the partisans who

lose, it is the public as well.

I believe Merrilees is very sincere and committed to his vision of

public access for Crystal Cove and El Morro. However, I see no evidence

that warrants his cynical view of John Campbell, whose efforts ensured

that responsible public access also guarantees protection for the

cottages. The true test will follow Davis’ May budget revisions when John

Campbell has promised to reintroduce the bill if the Park Department goes

back on its commitment.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Irvine Coast, once again get your emails

ready, but this time write the governor and ask for our share of

Proposition 40 money.

BRUCE HOSTETTER

Fullerton

Editor’s note: Hostetter is a founding member of the Crystal Cove

Community Trust

In reply to Ed Merrilees’ Sounding Off regarding the plight of El

Morro, I’ll be the first one to endorse any man’s crusade becoming his

passion, but as a resident of Laguna Beach may I submit a caution that

zealous myopia masquerades as “public good?”

The Friends of Irvine Coast may get their “day in the sun” but it will

be Laguna Beach that will eventually suffer and be less for it. Is

Merrilees aloof to the fact that an RV park brings more people to Laguna,

further increasing downtown traffic as city planners consider a

pedestrian tunnel [under Coast Highway as a remedy]?

There is no reference or solution extended the parents whose children

will attend El Morro Elementary School next door to a transient day camp.

Welcome to Doheny-Laguna Beach. Actually, I’m not sure there is any state

park adjoining a school yard.

Evicting 300 residents from Laguna’s dearth of low-income housing

inventory is another twist absent a doable replacement. Honestly, its

really not a concern of Merrilees and his friends.

But I’m really curious: Is anyone in town even hip to the notion that

once El Morro vanishes, part of Laguna Beach’s history goes, too, to be

replaced with strangers and out-of-towners? Merrilees would have

Lagunatics believe that progress is attained by building over places and

people.

Merrilees and the Friends of Irvine Coast may inadvertently be the

vision of Laguna, but it is a hollow ambition without foresight.

DUFF OWENS WILMOTH

El Morro Village

As a full-time, senior resident of El Morro Village, I take exception

to Ed Merrilees’ recent letter about El Morro Village.

Seventy-five-year-old communities are resources, too, and we have a

voice. El Morro Village existed long before the state made its deal with

the Irvine Co. Preservation can be about communities, too, especially

when there are feasible alternatives.

Here are a few things to consider:

1. For the record, El Morro Village represents only 1% of the Crystal

Cove State Park area. El Morro Village is and always has been open to the

public. In fact last summer, to encourage public awareness of our access

and to dispel any myths, we installed a “public welcome” sign at our

entry. It was up for a week before the Parks Department made us take it

down. For those who think we are private, I encourage you to come on down

and visit.

2. Assemblyman John Campbell’s scuttled proposal was a fiscally

responsible and creative way to solve the restoration of Crystal Cove and

to do it now. His proposal was a breath of fresh air in a time of

alarming fiscal apocalypse. At all times and most particularly in times

of crisis, we would expect our governor and legislators to look for

balanced approaches to stop the bleeding.

3. State Parks, and more importantly, all taxpayers of California

benefit from the positive cash flow income from El Morro Village, more

than $1 million annually. It may not sound like much considering the

state’s awesome financial dilemma but by at least leaving us in place, it

does not add to the problem. Should this income be gone, it will be gone

forever, replaced with a park with a deficit, also forever.

4. On the other 99% of Crystal Cove State Park, there are much better

locations for a transient RV and campground facility with safer access

off the highway where four-way signals already exist, and it would be

substantially cheaper to build.

5. The county, the cities of Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Irvine

that surround us do not meet the state’s mandate for affordable housing.

El Morro Village in part helps satisfy this need. Doesn’t nearby housing

for teachers, police, fire and other essential employees of these areas

make more sense than transient RV visitors from God knows where? Some of

these types of employees are already in El Morro Village with many senior

citizens like me.

6. What kind of wisdom is it to build a transient RV facility next to

an elementary school? The El Morro Elementary School PTA and several

other PTAs in Laguna are opposed to locating the RV park and campground

next to the school. It is poor land-use policy and you can bet no private

developer would ever be allowed to proceed with such a flawed scheme.

(Refer back to No. 4.)

There have been many creative ideas we at El Morro Village have

presented to State Parks over the past year, but they always fall on deaf

ears. The State Parks mantra was and remains “only following the general

plan.” Sometimes 22-year-old plans become outdated, even obsolete. At the

very least, the state should conduct a study to update the general plan.

In the meantime, I hope that something like Campbell’s proposal will

get the attention of other fiscally responsible legislators and my fellow

taxpayers.

ROLLY PULASKI

President, El Morro Community Assn.

El Morro Village

Change the lights instead of digging a tunnel

Regarding the city considering building a pedestrian underpass to ease

traffic on Coast Highway at Main Beach:

Before we undertake such a disruptive and expensive project, I suggest

the city review the solution in San Francisco’s financial district, also

beset with heavy auto and pedestrian traffic and little parking capacity.

They have three shifts of the traffic lights, rather than two: a

north-south auto shift, east-west auto shift, and a pedestrian only

shift. Pedestrians can walk diagonally as well as directly across the

street.

The only problem appears to be “training” pedestrians to only walk

when it is their shift; high profile signs and a police volunteer could

help with that. Adopting the San Francisco model would be an inexpensive

solution worthy of trying for a summer season.

If it does not work, then move forward with a tunnel or other

solution. If it works, apply it to other high volume intersections.

JOHN CHAMBERLIN

Laguna Beach

I don’t think enough emphasis is conveyed to commuters when driving

into Laguna in the first place. By putting a walkway we are making a

broad statement to commuters to drive with limited caution.

Caution attempts are being made with the added neon flashing lights in

certain areas. But, I don’t think it’s enough.

More should be done to catch the awareness of drivers. A double

crosswalk crossing both ways criss crossing the intersection similar to

New York City would be a less expensive and efficient way of handling the

issue.

When drivers come into the town they should expect that pedestrians

are everywhere, like a resort town should be.

Instead, many out of towners passing through get frustrated and fly

through town without caution. I’ve even seen the Laguna Police fly

through stop signs barely slowing down to check for pedestrians. Mostly

near lower Cliff Drive. What kind of statement are they conveying to the

public?

This is a walking town. Every attempt should be made to prevent

traffic problems and enhance pedestrian safety but answering the former

without the consideration for the latter is futile and irresponsible.

JACQUELINE JEANMENNE

Laguna Beach

Walkway under the Coast Highway is a good idea

Councilwoman Toni Iseman’s proposal to construct a walkway under Coast

Highway is a marvelous idea. One of my greatest aggravations in driving

through downtown Laguna is when I encounter pedestrians crossing Coast

Highway at Broadway. No one seems to pay attention to the “do not walk”

signal thus causing major traffic tie-ups at the intersection.

A walkway under the highway could eliminate this troublesome

crosswalk, and allow a much improved flow of traffic.

I cannot understand why the merchants would object to this structure.

As I see it, such an underground walkway should be no different than the

present surface crosswalk as far as foot traffic on Coast Highway is

concerned. As for the fear of flooding, I’m sure that possibility could

be eliminated through proper integration with the proposed flood control

project.

Naturally, the walkway should be well lighted, have very light colored

walls and ceiling, and be wide enough to accommodate the swarm of Main

Beach pedestrians. Attention should also be given to wall surfaces from

which graffiti can be easily removed.

I think this is a wonderful idea and should be given serious

consideration.

WILLIAM H. WATERSON

Laguna Beach

Time for no more growth in Laguna

In the 41 years I have lived in Laguna Beach, the town has changed

considerably, and until the 1980s, mostly for the good. Since then the

town has become contaminated by greed and its byproducts: unclean water,

polluted air, constant traffic jams and irritated residents. Yet the

Planning Commission and the City Council continue to approve new building

projects -- not for low-cost housing -- but for wealthy buyers.

Could it be that their thinking is that the more upscale we go, the

higher property values will rise?

The problem with this thinking is that the water, air, traffic and

tempers worsen as we build more and more, thus causing property values to

drop, not rise.

Those of us who live in the neighborhood surrounding Treasure Island

can testify to the massive intrusion that development is making in our

lives. When they have finished building and landscaping, will this

intrusion end? Not unless no one is allowed to enter the place because it

is people who cause pollution, or at least too many people crammed into

too small a place. Perhaps that is an accurate definition of what Laguna

is today.

In addition to the Treasure Island mess, we who live in the area are

now trying to prevent a further assault on our habitat called Driftwood

Estates. Again it is proposed development by the rich, for the rich, and

in a way it would be worse than Treasure Island because it would involve

the use not only of Coast Highway, but Wesley Drive, Driftwood Drive and

Ocean Vista.

These streets, particularly Wesley, are already overburdened with

exhaust fumes and noise from residents’ vehicles, school buses and trash

trucks. There also is housing for more than 70 senior citizens and their

visitors, who use this street, as well as those shopping in the area. It

is obviously dangerous to walk here, as well.

These are just a few of the reasons I am irrevocably opposed to the

development of Driftwood or any other proposed development in Laguna

Beach and am convinced we should put a no-growth policy into use

immediately.

LYN CHEVLI

Laguna Beach

Focus in schools should be on educating

Welcome. I enjoyed the newspaper’s new look and format. In response to

the story “District touts curriculum changes,” I am a parent of two

children at Top of the World Elementary School and I wish someone would

tell Asst. Superintendent Steven Keller, who is concerned about our

children’s lifelong fitness, that college graduates are less likely to

become obese and less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol.

Maybe if the Laguna Beach schools stick to educating our children and

getting them ready for college instead of taking my child out of her

classroom and away from her teacher to teach her yoga, just maybe if we

left the kids in the classroom Laguna would produce healthy children.

We need more time and teachers spent on reading, writing, math and

science, not yoga. So, I was happy to read about the district’s

commitment to a more rigorous math program. “Lifelong fitness embodies an

individualized, noncompetitive approach to physical fitness,” Keller said

in the story. The district tells us parents all the time that it is

impossible to provide individualized academic training of our children,

but he proposes to want to do it for their physical training? I can teach

my child yoga, pilates and other individual fitness techniques, but what

I cannot do or have a hard time teaching my child is team sports;

competing with and against peers; and sportsmanship.

I believe that learning the basic rules and playing basketball,

football, baseball, soccer, volleyball and track and field are part of

our American school culture; it’s a shame our district refers to it as

old-style physical education classes.

Promoting competition and teamwork through sports at our schools will

benefit our children for life. They can pickup yoga later in life when

they are individuals. But for now, five days a week, they are a big bunch

of kids -- let the games begin or continue.

You also mentioned that the district just hired a fitness trainer for

this new program. My daughter’s second-grade classroom has no sink and

two old Macintosh computers that don’t work very well. Parents have to

buy paper towels, soap and tissue for the classroom. There’s no science

teacher at Top of the World.

They can’t find or afford math and reading teachers for our

after-school program, but I’m sure glad [there is] a new pilates

instructor. This new fitness trainer sounds like a real luxury item. I

believe we have four physical fitness coaches at Top of the World already

and the city’s recreation department provides many yoga and pilates

classes that the teachers can take if they would like.

ROSEMARY WALLIS

Laguna Beach