Letters to the Editor 2-9-23
Stay in your lane
Dear ER:
I am not a big Trump fan, though I vote right of center the majority of the time. But why the Trump comment in the story about the Mira Costa versus Palos Verdes boys basketball game (“Mira Costa protects perfect record against PV,” ER Feb. 2, 2023)? “Come on, man,” sports should be a political free zone.
John Joseph
Torrance
ROW away
Dear ER:
The NRBBA has never endorsed a candidate, never endorsed a ballot measure (Nafissi declines to appear at League of Women Voters District 3 forum,” ER Feb. 9, 2023). There is zero track record of partisan politics. They have given equal time to any and all candidates in the past. Rescue Our Waterfront’s (ROW’s)’s Redondo Beach District 3 council candidate, Candace Nafissi, has an anti-progress message that doesn’t resonate with those who attend NRBBA meetings or events. Nafissi backing out of the candidates forum had nothing to do with the organization. It had everything to do with her positions and ROW.
Paul Moses
Redondo Beach
Sky not falling
Dear ER:
Affordable housing is unaffordable to build in Manhattan Beach. Because the land value in our city is among the highest in Los Angeles County per square foot, profitability has been nonexistent for developers for decades. The exception to this rule is when a small percentage of units in a development are designated as low-income. That has been an option for developers since 1979. But only recently has one developer exercised that option. There are very few lots in Manhattan Beach that offer the same variables. The most radical property law (SB9), available for anyone for over a year, allows for multiple homes on existing single-family (R1) lots. If that change had been significant for developers, they would have been gearing strategic plans well before the law was in place. As of this writing, zero permits have been pulled at the Manhattan Beach Planning Dept to build multiple units on R1 lots. The two extreme rise and decline property markets in less than a year indicate how little SB9 will affect our town. The lathered-up overstatements about the destruction of our way of life because of the one commercial lot, and zero SB9 permits in the last year, and a half are not reflective of reality. We have 14,000-plus lots in Manhattan Beach. Stop trying to scare the citizens of Manhattan Beach. Manhattan Beach, ask for more straight talk from your leaders about the reality of the day rather than get caught up in the hyperbole of political finger-pointing that accomplishes nothing. The sky is not falling. Cooler heads in our leadership are needed, so fear is not the prevailing attitude. Given the limited investment opportunity, affordable housing, and the new multi unit allowances will not destroy Manhattan Beach. The State, County, or City cannot force anyone to build anything. Those government entities can only establish zoning changes that allow for building options.
Stewart Fournier
Manhattan Beach
Line in The Strand
Dear ER:
The proposed barricades will block regular bike traffic, and force cyclists to walk (“Most Hermosa Beach Strand cyclists speed,” ER January 26, 2022). So if the target is e-bikes, why take out all bicycle traffic, including bike commuters. I bike commuted on The Hermosa Beach Strand for years. Very few bikes followed the 8 mph speed limit. Shoot, roller blades, skateboarders and scooters often exceed it. Anyone who has ridden bikes would know 8 mph is slow for a bike, and that even if you went only 8 mph the momentum would still lead to injuries in collisions. Before I blew out my knee, my average running pace exceeded 8 mph. It is dumb not to separate bike traffic from pedestrian traffic. Hermosa is the only section of the 22 mile bike path that commingles pedestrians with bike traffic for any appreciable distance. Time to address safety and separate the two. Redondo just uses lines on its Strand and it works much better than the Hermosa section. Not sure why Hermosa is so opposed to a couple of lines.
Jim Light
Redondo Beach
Ticket ‘em
Dear ER:
Increased speeds and dangers are the result of the proliferation of electric bikes on The Strand (“Most Hermosa Beach Strand cyclists speed,” ER January 26, 2022). They have raised the average speed for all traffic. Spending money on obstacles will be an inconvenience to all bicyclists, but will not stop the speeding e-bikes that travel the entire length of the Strand. The Hermosa Beach Police need to enforce the law that outlaws e-bikes and other motorized vehicles on the Strand when their motors are engaged. The tickets will be a net profit to the City.
Robert Aronoff
Hermosa Beach
Horvath backs
Kaluderovic
Dear ER:
I’ve recently received questions regarding the upcoming Redondo Beach District 3 March election and whom I was endorsing. This is a seminal moment for the direction our residents will take the city in the near future. Over the past 18 months, many North Redondo residents felt disrespected by the council majority. Many witnessed, especially in the past two weeks, the culmination of two decades worth of divisive politics and fear mongering that literally threatened to disenfranchise District 3 voters. With all that said, it is my pleasure to endorse Paige Kaluderovic (Kah-loo-jeh-ro-vich) for the District 3 Council seat. I recently met Kaluderovic, and found her to be a warm, caring, inquisitive, pragmatic and uniquely authentic individual. Someone who will continue being an independent thinker/leader for our District, a true North Redondo advocate, and an empathetic voice of reason who understands what it means to represent a district full of different needs and opinions. Kaluderovic is not a politician. She is just a concerned resident intent on being of service to her neighbors, for all the right reasons. She decided to run as a result of my colleagues refusing to give me, on your behalf, $19,000 for a single crossing guard at the Lilienthal/Ralston intersection. As a mother, Kaluderovic intimately understands that positive, and enduring relationships with the RBUSD are integral to our children’s school experience. As a small business owner, she knows the challenges that affect our commercial partners both locally and regionally. As a homeowner in the Franklin Park area, she knows how important North Redondo issues like the Green Line, the Galleria redevelopment, and the potential for the vast majority of new housing (as approved by the council majority) forced primarily in D3, D4 and D5 impact on our quality of life. I have found Kaluderovic to be a fast learner who asks the right questions and is determined to find the necessary answers so she can best make important and complicated decisions on our behalf. Kaluderovic will do the hard work to truly listen and understand your concerns, be responsive, and continue functioning as that important go-between for you with city staff. I believe that she is the only candidate who will ensure North Redondo priorities are not lost in a sea of competing waterfront needs. She is not beholden to special interests or the council majority. She is beholden to residents. You’ve been wonderful neighbors, especially in the past eight years as your representative. Last week you sent a strong message to my colleagues about the kind of local government, and behavior you expect from your elected officials. I respectfully request you to mark your ballots in the coming weeks, and elect Paige Kaluderovic as my replacement.
Christian Horvath
Redondo Beach Councilmember, District 3
Obagi backs
Nafissi
Dear ER:
I ask you to vote for Candace Nafissi to represent District 3 on the Redondo Beach City Council. In the last two years the resident-oriented majority on Council has moved many neighborhood improvements forward at record speeds. More improvements would flow to Mid and North Redondo with Nafissi’s representation. Anybody who passed by the Pauline Avenue Block Party last Halloween got to see firsthand the beautiful, family-oriented celebration Nafissi implemented for her neighborhood. The event brought joy to Beryl Street adults and kids alike on what otherwise would have been a humdrum Halloween on a Monday night. Nafissi’s diverse experience and strong work on numerous commissions in Redondo Beach have prepared her to serve on the City Council on day one. Nafissi’s attention to detail and ability to get major, innovative projects done is not only what I want in an elected representative for our city, but what I want in a teammate on Council. We need a fresh council member willing to put in the work to carry our City forward not just at Council Meetings, but as a regional force concerning the Metro C-Line extension, and as a compassionate leader addressing our unhoused populations. In addition, because I believe Nafissi would favor a regional park and wetlands to replace the retiring AES Power Plant, rather than the massive condo towers advanced by developer Leo Pustilnikov, I urge you to vote for Nafissi. Please help deliver Redondo’s brightest future: from the waterfront to Artesia Blvd. Vote for Nafissi.
Zein Obagi
District 4 Councilman
Redondo Beach
High expectations
Dear ER:
My hope for the tree ordinance was to increase the awareness in the city for the protection and increase of the tree canopy in Redondo Beach (“RB Tree ordinance allows for public cut-down appeals, ER Jan. 26, 2023. I hope we have achieved this as a formal policy in the city. Great cities have great trees.
Barbara Epstein
Redondo Beach
Study the history
Dear ER:
It’s time for local residents to consider what Beach Cities Health District is proposing through its Healthy Living Campus. This story starts in 1957, when BCHD (then the South Bay Hospital District), obtained its Prospect Avenue property by condemning the land and taking through eminent domain law for a public hospital. The hospital failed years ago. Now, through a private entity — Pacific Medical Buildings — BCHD seeks to get approval for a residential facility and additional uses. BCHD appears to be ignoring the law that applies to land obtained through eminent domain. The law specifically requires a public use. BCHDs proposed residential facility is plainly a private use. The City of Redondo said as much when it approved the Kensington assisted living facility in 2016. It remains to be seen if the Redondo Planning Commission, which must review the BCHD application that includes the proposed new buildings, will require BCHD to conform with California law, as it applies to eminent domain rule.
Tim Ozenne
Torrance
Bring back ‘1776’
Dear ER:
It’s great to see local talent taking on challenging works (“Founding fathers found in Torrance,” ER Feb. 2, 2029. I wish it was going to be around longer.
Troy Allison
Knowledge gate
Dear ER:
Light Gate at the Manhattan Beach Library is a wonderful way to capture the beauty of Manhattan Beach, while showcasing the importance of reading for children (“Huge crowd watches sunset at Manhattan Beach Public Library,” ER January 26, 2022). Special thanks to Tracey Windes and Ro Schreiner for their commitment to the Manhattan Beach Library Commission.
Myra Karas
Manhattan Beach