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Letters
Parking for all
However, I was not able to make full use of the structure, since the elevator adjacent to the handicapped spaces was not functioning. My mother is handicapped, and it was necessary to drive around the alley to drop her off near Good Stuff and leave her unattended while I drove back to the structure to park. Obviously, the same routine was required when we were done with our lunch and preparing to leave.
Since my mother was not really a passenger at this stage, I parked in one of the (few) full size spaces and paid the fee, but I also queried the attendant as to their policy of extending free parking to those issued handicapped placards. The attendant was not aware of this practice. The rules, regulations, and privileges extended to persons granted handicapped placards include free parking in municipal structures and parking meters. Since the city relies heavily on attracting visitors to its downtown area, parking is a municipal concern. I don't know the ownership of the structure, but even if it is privately owned, I would think the city would require them to adhere to these regulations.
I have had trouble previously with the City of Hermosa Beach when I was issued a parking ticket for an expired meter when the placard was plainly displayed on my rearview mirror. It took three months and several letters before the issue was resolved and my ticket bail refunded.
I believe the parking structure has been opened prematurely since it is basically out of compliance with current laws protecting handicapped persons. Clearly, the city has not fully instructed its personnel on the importance of honoring the rights of our handicapped citizens.
Bill Cartwright
Dear ER:
As a member of the Manhattan Beach Parks and Recreation Commission, I am very concerned about this issue and want to reduce the inconvenience suffered by our neighbors. On the other hand, I also want to preserve the rights of all our residents to use the park and sand dune in a responsible way. I want to be certain that there is no misunderstanding on this point. I favor exploring alternatives that satisfy the neighbor's concerns while allowing residents to quietly run up and down the dune. These include better enforcement of noise and use restrictions, placing additional limitations on large group use and altering parking. The solution should fit the problem. While we discussed a temporary closure of the dune to discourage its use as regional exercise destination, I would favor that only if less extreme measures failed to alleviate the problems.
The issues will be considered by a committee of neighboring residents, park users, two parks and Recreation commissioners and city staff. Their recommendations will be considered at the parks and Recreation Commission's February 28, 2000 meeting. As always, the public is welcome to attend.
Brian S. Currey
Dear ER:
I stated that "50 percent of the schools in California received a 630 API." I did not say or imply that "the other half fell below that mark." That is untrue since 12 percent of the schools received 800 or above which leaves the other 38 percent of schools either between 630 and 800 or between 200 and 629. The Governor, Department of Education and all educators are more interested in improvement and growth and that is the reason for the emphasis on the API Growth Target, which is different from the API score.
The writer also quoted me as saying: "He said that smaller classes, added training for teachers and after school tutoring for students were steps the district is exploring to raise all its schools to the 800 level." The fact is that the district has been doing these things for some time.
Another inaccuracy is the reference to "diverse school population." I did not state that RBUSD has the most diverse population of the Beach City districts. I said that within RBUSD we have a diverse population that varies among our school sites. In fact, the reporter wanted me to compare the district's scores to other school districts. I told him I did not want to do that because we are primarily interested in our own district students and their growth.
The article contained so many more negative and slanted views and innuendoes. Finally, and for the record, I did not "joke" about real estate agents using the scores to attract homebuyers. In fact I suggested to the writer that he read a recent LA Times column by Mike Downey on how realtors are using the API scores.
RBUSD can indeed be 'happy' with its site scores as noted in your headline. We also realize that a single standardized measure is not a complete indicator of the quality of education in our schools. We support the state's efforts to include multiple measure such as writing to calculate future API scores.
Jerry Klein
It does not seem reasonable to expect the City to make special concessions for individuals who choose to live in homes with less than optimum surroundings. The City does, however, have a responsibility to these and all of its residents to insist on steadfast enforcement of the rules, regulations and guidelines already in place to govern traffic and use of facilities.
Only if proper enforcement fails should more drastic solutions be entertained.
I have had two opportunities in the last week to park in the newly constructed
parking structure north of the Hermosa Beach Pier. Both times, the attendants
were pleasant, there were plenty of parking spaces available, and the fees are
relatively reasonable.
Hermosa Beach
Open parks
What is happening to our city? Now a group of residents are trying to limit
access to Sand Dune Park. The park is for everyone, not just them. What's next?
Restricted use of the beach because sand area residents don't like the traffic?
Grow up people. The park has been there almost 40 years. As a Cub Scout, I helped
plant trees there. What is needed is for rules to be enforced by a city employee.
Have the police go by and issue citations for disturbing the peace. Install
parking meters along Bell Ave to off set increased employee costs. Park hours
should be the same at all parks. I long for the good old days in Manhattan Beach.
Just last week looking at the local papers, I see complaints of tugboat noise
while trying to replenish the beaches, unattended teenagers in parks, ads for
plastic surgery. Aren't the parks where we would like to see our teenagers?
Get real people! Stop being so uptight and join the beach life! Long live the
Sand, Surf and Sun. Manhattan Beach California -- The jewel of the South Bay.
Manhattan Beach
Duned
Thank you for your article on Sand Dune Park. It did a fine job of explaining
neighboring residents' concerns about increased use of the sand dune by large
groups who exercise there and the noise that results, especially in the early
morning hours. Neighbors are also concerned about over-use of the park and adverse
impacts on the area, such as trash, noise, and more noise.
Manhattan Beach
Re-evaluating API
Your reporter, George Wiley, in his article on the Redondo School District's
API score wrote numerous inaccurate statements and quotations. It is apparent
that he misunderstood the API score, its calculation and its implications. The
headline stating "mid-level results" was misleading and not correct. The mid-level
is the 50 percentile. Our district wide score was in the 70 percentile. In addition,
88 percent of the schools in California did not achieve the 800 number set by
the State School Board as the ideal score.
RBUSD, Director, Public Information and Educational Services
Keep the UUT
Sources of municipal revenue are consistently changing in terms of dollar volume.
The stimulus to implement the Users Utility Tax (UUT) was to provide a consistent
source of municipal revenue earmarked to provide funding for services to guarantee
a better, safer, quality of life for Hermosa residents. The original UUT revenue
was earmarked to fund an increased police presence, repair our aging sewer system
and fund debt service on a bond to purchase the green belt. The quality of life
in Hermosa has improved because of the directed use of this tax. As co-author
of the original UUT, I urge Hermosans to engage the City Council in dialogue
that will result in council action directing specific use of the UUT revenue.
The loss of this predictable source of revenue will ultimately have a negative
impact on the quality of life in Hermosa Beach.
Hermosa Beach
Excess protest
After viewing recent Manhattan Beach City Council and Commission meetings, it
is most curious why otherwise intelligent individuals would make such poor choices
in purchasing real estate. It should be abundantly clear to any prospective
homebuyer that living on or near a public park or a busy traffic street will
have a downside, and the price negotiated for the residence is generally reflective
of the nuisance which the buyer elects to endure. Can we next expect residents
living along The Stand to begin complaining about the excessive foot traffic
or those along Rosecrans Avenue to petition to relocate the oil refinery?
Manhattan Beach