Public opinion still mixed on peninsula project

On Thursday, a reader demonstrated his lack of true facts regarding

the Marinapark resort in his rebuttal letter titled “Overall height

an issue at Marinapark resort.” First of all, he quotes a letter from

Newport Coast resident Barbara Johnson, who asked questions about the

project that Marinapark developer Stephen Sutherland answered in a

recent community commentary. Why does he have a problem with this? It

seems that the more residents discover about this project, the more

they like it. Maybe that is why the naysayers want Sutherland to be

silenced

The writer further states that Sutherland has not provided

information on the “vertical dimensions” of the planned hotel. I have

seen plans that have been available at City Hall for about one year.

These show full elevations of the resort and are very informative.

Maybe he just did not bother to find the facts.

MARTHA HENDERSON

Newport Beach

Regarding the letter to the editor titled “Hotel trumps tattoo

parlor” article, I ask:

Why have either? It is as if you are saying “Do you want mad cow

disease or the plague?”

And the tattoo parlor isn’t a big hulking thing between the people

and the beach flushing 120 or more toilets into an area already

inundated with human waste and E. coli resulting in closed beaches.

No comparison.

It’s the traffic. Anyone with common sense can see it is terrible

now and moving in all those people and their cars is intolerable. Or

is developer Stephen Sutherland going to drop them in by helicopter

and have the housekeepers swim up the bay to work?

Why put a commercial development right in the middle of

residential homes?

Children walk to school very close to an alcohol-dispensing and

partying facility, which will leads to more DUIs and noisy parties.

Bay Avenue is quiet and serene now. It is not an area that would

“disgust” anyone. Let us reserve this land as a public park, open to

all who love to be near the water without paying exorbitant fees.

PATRICIA FROSTHOLM

Newport Beach

Last Sunday, I read comments from Stephen Sutherland, the

developer of the Marinapark resort, that compared his planned

peninsula project to the Montage in Laguna Beach. The Montage was

recently acclaimed by the media as one of the best new resorts in

America.

On Friday, my wife and I went there for lunch. We did not register

for a room when we arrived, as we just wanted to walk around and have

lunch. We were treated like royalty by every member of the staff that

we encountered and enjoyed a wonderful meal. If Sutherland’s resort

even comes close to the Montage, we vote yes, yes, yes.

HOWARD DAVIS

Balboa Island