SOAPBOX
Letters to the Editor (cont.)
F R O M T H E M I N D O F Z ELESKI
(Cont. from page 12) this coastal permit issued in 1994. The bottom line is, lets keep the historic core value of the North Beach triangle in place by not selling this public owned land at a discount to a private developer.
NORTH BEACH PROJECT WRONG FOR MANY REASONS Juniel Worthington, San Clemente
This LAB project is the wrong project at the wrong time. We should not sell public land that the city seized from 10 families via eminent domain to a developer. This is not surplus land. We, the people, are using it every day while we enjoy the trail, the Ole Hanson Beach Club and the beach itself. If you sift through the financial details, you will see that the city’s big projected money maker of this mall is parking revenue. (Their figures are greatly over-estimated). Sales and property taxes amount to peanuts. Do they think we are stupid? Who pays for parking when they go shopping? On Del Mar, nobody does. When was the last time you paid parking to shop? Experts know that the key to making a sound decision is to first identify your problem. Alert! The problem at North Beach is the run-down appearance of the Miramar Theatre and 7-Eleven (convenience store). This project does not touch one inch of them. Not one. Don’t forget that. The LAB project does not fix North Beach. We now have over 150 empty buildings, office spaces and restaurants in San Clemente. Marblehead mall will be adding several dozen more stores. Our city manager stated the LAB project’s financial viability is thin. The LAB project may not make it and might even put Kaylani’s (Coffee Co.) and Ichibiri’s (Japanese Restaurant) out of business, creating more private property eye sores at the entrance of San Clemente. The risk of the development should be on the developer not on the city tax-payers. Every business owner in town should be asking for handouts just like City Council is giving the LAB. If existing business owners, including Target, had to pay fair market value for their property, why doesn’t the LAB? Government subsidies and government handouts are mostly bad ideas. Let the free market decide. See www. nothbeachgreenalternative.com for a better solution. I’ll be voting no on Measure A on March 8. No taxpayer handouts and subsidies to developers.
THE GREATER GOOD Jenifer Massey, San Clemente
The LAB is a private developer. Its proposed project known as Playa Del Norte, PDN, is to be built on publicly owned land taken from private owners by eminent domain in 1970. The land was taken for public parking and a public park. What we will lose if we relinquish this public treasure to a private developer is: 1. Beachfront parking that will be taken by visitors to PDN. 2. Future park to be enjoyed by all not just the affluent. 3. Open space and open views. PDN is to be built on 9 to 12 feet of fill. It is to be 48,970 square feet. It is to be 50 feet tall at its highest point. The City of San Clemente hired an independent firm, Keyser-Marston, to do a feasibility study. Their report concluded that PDN lacks financial viability. We currently have 200 vacant offices and shops in San Clemente. When the Marblehead Outlet Mall is completed in San Clemente, it will have 121 additional shops plus restaurants. Did we move here to shop? We are the guardians of a sacred trust. Public land is to be enjoyed by all forever. Vote No on A.
PLAYA DEL NORTE IS HISTORY IN THE MAKING Diana Donaldson, San Clemente
I am so grateful to the San Clemente City Council, all previous San Clemente mayors, a series of planning commissions, and everyone else who has supported plans for Playa Del Norte for our North Beach. I believe that San Clemente will be the lucky beneficiary of the (developer) LAB’s design and management with its history of thoughtful, innovative and visionary projects. Page 14 • San Clemente Times • February 10–16, 2011
Twenty years ago, I read about the LAB “anti-mall” in the newspaper and went to Costa Mesa to see what it was about. An overlooked industrial area on Bristol was transformed into a memorable destination. There are one-of-akind stores in an architecturally interesting and innovative setting. We have been there many times since, and it is always filled with people of all ages enjoying the unique design and welcoming outdoor seating areas. Since I enjoy getting my hair cut across the street, I’m also familiar with their eco-project “The Camp.” This is an example of an environmentally sound, yet beautiful retail center. Here there is an atmosphere of eco-friendly shops that include sports, clothing, interesting books and gifts, and a thriving health food restaurant. Both of these locations provide a special pleasure due in part to their original architecture, beautiful drought-tolerant landscaping and amazing attention to detail. Now, I am realizing that Linda and Shaheen Sadeghi’s LAB (Little American Business) have reached other vibrant communities with exciting projects. The historic flour mill in Portland, at the water’s edge, was unanimously approved by that community for renovation by this team. They have also broken ground on the restoration of an historic packinghouse and Packard auto showroom in downtown Anaheim, across from city Hall. Both of these communities have recognized the long-term approach LAB takes to the neighborhood revitalization and welcome their investment into their communities. There are developers, and then there are community builders. LAB is committed to the communities they are a part of and their 20 years of success and recognition are tangible examples. They have received Congressional recognition for community revitalization, national architectural and planning awards, and are invited to lecture across the country, including speaking two times at the prestigious TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conference. Their projects are unique, support small independent businesses, have little or no vacancy, even in these difficult economic times, and have been going strong for two decades. I couldn’t be more pleased that five years ago, our city council had the foresight to unanimously vote to invite the LAB to plan a village scale destination for us at the entrance to San Clemente. They have proven to be tirelessly committed to this amazing solution to our long-blighted North Beach. Here and now we can have a location to be truly proud of...a location that people come and bring their friends to celebrate their special holidays, a location worth remembering. It seems that we will have the opportunity to vote YES for this North Beach Project yet again. Let’s build it.
YOU’RE INVITED! 8 a.m. Friday, February 18 at Café Calypso ••••• 114 Avenida Del Mar, Suite 4, San Clemente
VILLAGE VOICE: OPPOSITION’S PULPIT John Dorey, San Clemente
Remember Measure W when the city voted 53.6 percent to 46.4 percent in favor of continuing the Playa Del Norte process? Opposition leaders indignantly accused the city of paying the (developer) LAB and the Sadeghi family $28 million. Ever wonder why that so-called factual issue isn’t around for Measure A? Because it was a big fat lie. They made that up with creative rationalization and then tried to sell it to the voters of San Clemente. It didn’t work. The voters saw through it. Since the big-fat-lie concept didn’t work, the opposition developed a series of smaller fabrications hoping this time, like spaghetti on a wall, one or two might stick. They used this format to coerce referendum signatures because it couldn’t be challenged. Wayne Eggleston, who originally founded the anti-North Beach group, recently wrote a Village Voice article in the San Clemente Times. I was hoping for a high level of discourse but instead I found misleading statements designed to fool less-informed voters into voting No on A. He exposed the Village Voice as a biased source of misinformation on Measure A, with tactics similar to Measure W and the referendum. The Voice intentionally misleads his readers into believing that the LAB is receiving a check for $4.5 million from the city. (At least it’s down from $28 million.) He implies that if you vote No on A, you can stop the parking expansion and consequently stop the money from being spent. That’s absurd. This expansion will take place whether Measure A passes or fails, and he knows that. The new parking will help the casino, the Miramar, beach and trail users and all future needs of North Beach regardless of whether PDN is built. Mr. Eggelston states that family dining, culinary and entertainment focused Playa Del Norte is not suitable for North Beach yet as a city councilman he voted in favor of placing it on this site. Every local knows that Ole Hanson’s vision was to have this area provide these services for our community. (Cont. on page 16) www.sanclementetimes.com