Our Readers Write: Sad vote on short-term vacation rentals

From the La Jolla Light article “Lightner efforts to ban short-term vacation rentals defeated Nov. 1,” I sadly see it will be challenging to get City of San Diego help to protect residential life (as expected from zoning) given the current City Council’s preference to use buildings in the single family zone for commercial use as hotels and room rental operations.

Please be clear that alternative legislation to regulate commercial use in the residential zone is a backdoor method to make legal what should be prohibited. Persons who have worked so hard to preserve quiet tranquility where school children can get to sleep at 8 p.m. know from experience that offers of regulation are false promises given the complete impracticality of calling the City (or police) for help when there is a loud party next door or when the ordinary noises and lights of hotel use make it impossible enjoy residential neighborhoods as originally promised by zoning.

John A. Berol

La Jolla High School track belongs to all

I read the letter in the Nov. 3 issue about the La Jolla High School track no longer being open for public use. I am likewise very disappointed, this is totally contrary to the promises that were made prior to the work being done. I also find the concept that the school district somehow regards public taxpayer money as “their” money rather than taxpayer money very disturbing.

Please let me know how to further this discussion since this seems a very unsatisfactory outcome. Thank you for highlighting this important issue for our Village.

Melanie Knight

Shame on fight against DecoBike

Thank you for your hard work to keep La Jollans informed on local issues. Whether or not a bicycle or bike rack has advertising on it, can we all agree that a bicycle is clearly more environmentally friendly than a car? So isn’t it counter-intuitive that La Jolla Parks & Beaches, Inc. is fighting to keep a bike rack holding rental bikes (DecoBike) from taking away parking spaces along Scripps Park in La Jolla?

It’s pretty clear to me that some board members don’t just object to the advertising, they think bike racks are eyesores. Well guess what? Cyclists think long lines of cars spewing out noxious gasses are eyesores, too.

I have a great deal of experience serving on various boards in La Jolla, and as a Mayor-appointed volunteer, I still chair a committee in La Jolla Shores. From my years of experience, I know that most of the people who attend community meetings are those who show up to complain. People who are happy with proposals or developments generally don’t feel the need to take time out of their day to go to a meeting. So it really irks me when I see someone claim that “our community does not want” something based on the discussions at meetings or with friends and neighbors who agree with them.

Language, referring to cyclists as “distractions” and families on bicycles as “dangerous obstacles” to drivers “fighting” for parking spaces should never be expressed by someone holding a position to represent parks or recreation. It’s this sort of pro-car, anti-bike mentality at the City and on La Jolla boards and committees that has kept San Diego off of Bicycling Magazine’s list of “America’s Top 50 Cities to Bike In.” We should be No. 1 on that list with our amazing climate!

We need to do the right thing for the City, the people, and the environment. If we were all on bicycles (yes, some need electric assist up the hills!) instead of cars, there would never be any traffic jams here and we’d all be a lot healthier and happier. Imagine that!

I’ll continue to do everything I can to fight for this. I don’t like cyclists who don’t follow the rules of the road, but that disgust pales in comparison to my disdain for drivers who think cyclists should go away and stop being “dangerous obstacles.” I often have my own bike with me, but I just joined DecoBike for an annual pass to show my support for the program. I hope others will join me to show solidarity and support for cycling in San Diego.

Dan Goese

Barbarella scares up some good spirits

What fun! Barbarella’s restaurant was fully decorated for Halloween and was it so great. Barbara and her staff were in costumes and many of the guests were also dolled up. Barbarella’s is one of the shining parts of The Jewel in La Jolla. We’re lucky to have such a fun, good restaurant in our neighborhood. Thank you, Barbara.

John Beaver

What’s on YOUR mind?

Letters published in La Jolla Light express views and comments from readers in regard to community issues. To share your thoughts in this public forum, e-mail editor@lajollalight.com or mail them to La Jolla Light Editor, 565 Pearl St., Suite 300, La Jolla, CA 92037. Letters reflect the writer’s views and do not necesarily represent opinions of the newspaper staff or publisher.