Letters 02/05/15

mi_02_01_15 (1)Wowing the judge

Dear ER:

I read with interest your article “School of wow” (ER January 29, 2015). Over the last couple years I have had the opportunity to work with Redondo High Assistant Principal Lindsey Corcoran in connection with the school’s Constitutional Rights Foundation Mock Trial team and Teen Court. She is bright, energetic and the type of administrator that leads by example. We are very fortunate to have the dynamic leadership of which you wrote about in the article.

Justice (Ret) J Gary Hastings

Redondo Beach

 

Shilling for a windfall

Dear ER:

AES has spent over $200,000 to date on Redondo Beach Measure B, which will be on the March 3 ballot. It should be no surprise that our elected officials are now shilling for AES’ windfall zoning. Several voted for 2,998 condos in Heart of the City. Of course they support 600 to 700 units.

The power plant will be gone regardless of Measure B. AES didn’t get a power contract. SCE’s CPUC filing shows a Redondo plant would have to generate over 5MW to get 1MW where the power is needed.

The development would generate $5M in annual city revenues? What about the costs? Oops.

The developer will pay to mitigate traffic impacts. Really? Where’s the money to widen our arterial streets? How else can our roads accommodate over 10,000 new car trips each day? We are actually reducing lanes on Herondo and Harbor to accommodate bicycles.

The Council must approve any development? They seem to have missed the text in Measure B granting AES the power to veto any Council attempt to limit development.

The letters call the zoning “fair” “responsible” and “exciting.” Far from it. Measure B is great for AES, but bad for the city, school and residents. Vote NO on B.

Jim Light

Redondo Beach

 

Clearing the air

Dear ER

I’d like to thank the League of Women Voters for hosting “Cleaning the Air That We Breathe” given by the Air Quality Management District at the Hermosa Beach Kiwanis Club last week.

I learned that 80 percent of air pollution comes from mobile sources (cars, trucks, planes, trains, ships, etc.) with ships, such as oil tankers, being by far the biggest contributors. My takeaway from the discussion is that if we can produce our own oil, we won’t need to ship it in from overseas. Hence, we can drastically reduce the amount of pollution in the air. We can also stop buying oil from unregulated nations. As if hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue for Hermosa Beach isn’t enough reason to support Measure O, now we’ve got another one — reduce air pollution by supporting local, domestic oil production.

Lorie Armendariz,

Hermosa Beach

 

A change of heart

Dear ER:

As a resident of Redondo for over 60 years, my wife and I are voting yes on Measure B. When AES initially received permission to build 3,000 units and a new power plant, we joined Chris Cagle and others in getting a referendum passed to stop AES. Many of us who fought this battle believe strongly in private property rights, but also realize that zoning must be fair to all.

Now years have passed, and AES is finally coming up with a fair compromise. We feel that going from 3,000 units and a new power plant to no power plant, 600 units, 250 hotel rooms, and 85,000 ft. of commercial space is a good compromise. We do believe that AES, and our city officials, must be closely monitored through this development process. We must not forget that AES manipulated our mayor and council into voting for 3,000 units and a new power plant at the start of this process. But we must also realize that this is indeed a good compromise.

Bill and Susie Lippert

Redondo Beach

 

A bad bet

Dear ER:

Less oil is expected to be produced from the E & B Hermosa Beach oil project in 34 years than the U.S. produces in two days. This project will not result in lower gas prices, energy independence or more products made from oil. The city will see very little money. There is very little oil, and the price of oil is in decline due to high supply and soft demand. Even with over 100 mitigation efforts, there are still nine significant and unavoidable impacts on health, safety and the Hermosa Beach lifestyle. This is why property values could decline by over $100 million. The city does not need to raise taxes to pay off E & B.

Why gamble on our future? No on O.

Claudia Berman.

Hermosa Beach

 

A double standard

Dear ER:

As I watch the debate about Measure O unfold, I’m struck by how the anti-oil people play both sides of many issues. If E & B representatives attend city council meetings, then they are trying to control us. If they don’t attend, then they “don’t care about the city”.

There was jubilation from the anti oil crowd the night a third council member announced his anti-oil position from the dais. However, when the Police Officer’s Association took a pro oil stand they were labeled “sell-outs”.

I guess some opinions are more equal than others, as George Orwell taught us.

Dave Schrader

Hermosa Beach

 

Across the aisle issue

Dear ER:

I am a morally conservative, socially liberal, economically moderate business owner in the South Bay. Like most business owners, I’m pro-business, and believe in the free-enterprise system. I also am a property owner and resident of Hermosa Beach.

My perspective on oil drilling in Hermosa Beach is strictly from a personal financial standpoint. I don’t want the property value of my home to be reduced with oil company drilling due to an apparent “deal with the devil” made by some Hermosa representative(s) many years ago.

I write this appealing to both political spectrums, liberals and conservatives and anyone in between.

Conservatives, this is not a “tree-hugger” issue, with radical environmentalists trying to prevent “progress.” Our property values will fall.

Liberals, get out and vote No on this “green-threatening,” environmentally unstable, big oil attempt to recoup an old debt. Our property values will fall.

Ever wonder why property values in El Segundo, a beautiful secluded beach community, never come close to those in Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach? Oil.

As an insurance agent, I can assure you that no earthquake policy will cover damage caused by “man-made” seismic events.

And you neighboring communities of Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach, get your head out of the sand. The diagonal drilling will affect you as well.

Gregory G. Smith

Manhattan Beach

 

Waterfront lessons

Dear ER:

Redondo Beach Measure B will result in 600 new residences. Given Redondo’s demographic, we can expect 300 to 500 children under 18. Since the measure doesn’t provide for the construction of new schools, where will they be educated? There are only two schools in the area. Does anyone think these schools can absorb this new population without a cost to the existing students?

Proponents of Measure B claim it will generate $1 million annually for schools. Given the property’s size and location, I doubt this amount is much different than it currently generates.

In 2012, California spent $8,700 per student. Based on this amount, 300 additional students will require $2.6 million in funding from the state and Redondo Beach taxpayers.

In the end, what is the benefit to us, the current residents. This is not only a question of revenue, there will be costs. We should be asking how Measure B will impact our neighborhoods, schools and lifestyles.

Dr. David Glazer

Redondo Beach

 

Look around

Dear ER:

Over the past six to eight years I have visited many of the seaside communities between Imperial Beach and Pismo Beach. After observing some of the characteristics that the successful communities have, it feels like people associated with the CenterCal King Harbor project haven’t done enough homework. Therefore I am assigning the following project. Start at the edge of the Redondo Civic Center at Diamond and Broadway. Flip a coin. Heads, walk to the Redondo Pier via Beryl and Harbor Dr. Tails, walk south via Torrance Blvd. Go all the way to the center of the pier. Return via the other direction. Along your walk count the number of restaurants and retail businesses that you find before reaching the harbor. Do something like this in another coastal town, possibly Seal Beach or Huntington Beach. Send your impressions of this journey to the newspaper. For extra credit, find two other routes to the Redondo Pier between Beryl and Torrance Blvd.

It’s important to understand the local features in Redondo, which too many people seem to have ignored.

E. Goroszko

Redondo Beach

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