Letters to the Editor 7-6-17
Fore
Dear ER:
South Bay residents should be concerned about the the proposed development of The Lakes golf course into a mega-bar, with alcohol sales being the primary source of revenue. All South Bay city governments should be monitoring how this development will affect traffic on Sepulveda Boulevard, across from the Chevron refinery, a roadway already impacted by high commuter traffic at rush hour. The proposed development could bring half a million patrons a year to the site, mostly on Friday and Saturday evenings. Additional factors will worsen the impact. Top Golf plans two marketing promotions a month. Also, the construction of a road from the rear of the Raytheon property to Hughes Way will create even more potential for gridlock at the Sepulveda intersection. The City of El Segundo is reviewing the environmental impacts but the traffic study is suspect because it relies on properties in Arizona with lower population densities than Los Angeles. The traffic study dismisses the additional traffic because the already overburdened intersections don’t get bumped up into the next worse category. But there is no doubt that there will be traffic impacts. The proposed zoning change from Open Space to Commercial Recreation will result in a loss of green space to the community and to the wildlife that finds refuge there. Now is the time for the surrounding communities to analyze the traffic impacts and step in with objections or mitigation measures. Once the mega-bar is built, it will be too late.
Debra Geist
Manhattan Beach
One minute mayor
Dear ER:
The Manhattan Beach City Council recently reduced the time for public input at council meetings to only one minute. Three minutes is the standard. Mayor David Lesser’s legacy will be the One Minute Mayor. Maybe he has a one minute egg at breakfast or read the One Minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard, Ph.D. The object of oratory is not the truth, but persuasion. (Source — not a famous philosopher, but a fortune cookie.) Have you ever heard a city council member talk for only three minutes? Reducing the time to one minute is an insult to everyone who has made our country the greatest democracy in the world. The residents of Manhattan Beach should go to City Hall and tell the City Council to stop messing with our Freedom of Speech.
Robert Bush
Manhattan Beach
Marching band, march
Dear ER:
We have a reoccurring issue in our neighborhood resulting from the Redondo Union High School band practicing in the school-owned parking lot on Vincent st. and Pacific Coast Hwy. This occurs almost every weekday night ‘till 9 p.m. Why can’t they take their practice to the nice big football stadium and away from our rarely peaceful neighborhood. Redondo Union has 60 plus acres and they can’t find an area on campus away from the residential area to practice? Does it ever occur to any of them that they’re annoyingly loud. They practice in our neighborhood because it’s convenient. They store their equipment near the parking structure. Come on RUHS we voted for all your bonds. It’s your turn to be a good neighbor. We live up in Vincent park and the noise is deafening. I really sympathize with our poor neighbors on El Redondo. Why is it a constant battle asking for a quality of life with this school?
James McLeod
Redondo Beach
Into the briar patch
Dear ER:
CenterCal did more to help pass Redondo Beach Measure C than the measure’s proponents. Their investors should be suing them, instead of CenterCal suing the city. When CenterCal built the 3D model of their proposed development, Measure C proponents told residents to go see it. When people saw the truth for themselves they didn’t want it. If CenterCal had just followed through with what they promised in the first place, maybe things would have been different. Instead of being a partner with the people of Redondo, they ended up being a bad guest, one who after setting your house on fire and burning it to the ground, sues you for not providing a place to stay.
Wayne Craig
Redondo Beach
Article 88
Dear ER:
South Bay Congressional Representative Ted Lieu is still a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force Reserve (“Lieu talks Trump Care in Facebook Live stream,” June 30, ER News.com). The inflammatory words Lieu spoke against the President should be punishable by a court-martial. He is breaking the Military Code of Conduct (Article 88) and should be prosecuted by the military justice system. No matter how you feel about President Donald Trump as president, you can’t do that as a commissioned officer. But because of politics and the media that won’t report it he probably won’t. I hope his boss Defense Secretary James Mattis gets good wind of this.
Brian Vidal
Facebook comment
Consistency vs containment
Dear ER:
Why don’t they start with the drinking on the beach at the Hermosa Beach Ironman (“Fourth of July policing,” ER June 29, 2017)? How does the City enforce a law forbidding drinking on the beach, yet turn their head and pretend it isn’t happening with the Ironman? Is is City sanctioned or is there a special permit issued? Selective enforcement is legal? Please don’t give me that crap about it being a custom.
Eduardo Garci-Rojas
Facebook comment
Time bag
Dear ER:
Nowhere in the world is it okay to leave luggage unattended (“Bomb scare at Manhattan Village,” ERNews.com, June 30, 2017). That’s the reality of living in 2017. Shame on these tourists for not listening to the staff at Chili’s and thinking it was okay to leave their luggage behind. Manhattan Beach should give them a bill for the fire and police service it took to unravel this debacle.
Pamela Jill Parsons
Facebook comment
Heart of aloha
Dear ER:
Keoni is the genuine article, just as Wayne Miyata was, and as Duke was (“Keoni Boyd look back,” ER June 29, 2017). Aloha is deep within his heart and we are privileged to know him.
Ken Seino
Facebook comment
Developer demons
Dear ER:
Redondo Beach development opponents should stop demonizing everyone who supports development. I have been sworn at, poked in the chest, lied to and about and called names. In all the time I have supported development I have not used one word of rancor, nor lectured anyone about “decency,” or argued emotionally. Yet I think I have gotten my point across. Let’s all try that, and remember we will still be neighbors; we have a lot to share when all is said and done.
Charlie Szymanski
Redondo Beach