Our Readers Write: Fading charm; UCSD expansion; on-street dining; parking permits; fentanyl; new-look Light

Letters to the editor:

San Diego helps to chip away at La Jolla’s charm

Once again San Diego lets down La Jolla — the community review board’s decision on housing development is reversed by one person downtown (“San Diego hearing officer approves home development opposed by La Jolla Shores review committee,” Oct. 13, La Jolla Light).

A single hearing officer applied downtown concepts to void village community standards — standards that were activated to preserve the charm of La Jolla. A place where one’s neighbor can still have a garden in the sun. A place where the ocean breeze can still be felt. A place where a bit of backyard privacy is possible. A place where the view by existing or future neighbors will be possible.

The most recent example involves placing a 30-foot vertical wall as close to the property line as possible. Cast a giant shadow, cut off the breeze and obliterate possible views for existing and future owners.

Matthew Edwards

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Will its expansion ever be enough for UCSD?

The excellent guest commentary “UC San Diego’s unbridled expansion is harming our coast and community” by Cameron Volker (Oct. 6, La Jolla Light) notes that ground has been broken for the “tallest campus housing complex in its history.”

One wonders if the [University of California] regents have any idea of the effect their massive building and ever-increasing numbers of students have on the surrounding community.

The crane has become the state bird. Human and automotive traffic has spread out like an oil slick. It is unconscionable. When is enough enough?

Althea Brimm

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Dining on street parking spaces should not be permanent

This letter originally was sent to Alexander Llerandi, a coastal program analyst for the California Coastal Commission, which is expected to consider the city of San Diego’s “Spaces as Places” program at its November meeting. The initiative establishes regulations for eating and drinking installations placed on parking spaces on city streets and other outdoor public areas and provides a process for existing temporary operations to transition to permanent. However, it cannot take effect in coastal areas of the city until it is reviewed and certified by the Coastal Commission.

Dear Mr. Llerandi,

I am the owner of three businesses in La Jolla: K. Nathan Gallery, KelmanOrtiz Fine Frame Makers and Connect2Artists. Just to let you and the powers that be know, I am unequivocally against the wholesale gifting of our on-street parking spaces to restaurants.

I have spent many years on various boards and committees for the La Jolla Town Council, La Jolla Community Planning Association and La Jolla Village Merchants Association, protecting and improving our downtown parking. I am saddened that anyone would even entertain giving away our valuable parking spaces to private businesses. The temporary access to expand outdoor seating into the streets because of the COVID risks and restrictions was an excellent idea, but to expand this to a permanent situation is extremely ill-advised.

The city of Carmel-by-the-Sea just went through a similar process and ended up revoking all on-street business parklets. They concluded that to allow a permanent or semi-permanent takeover of their streets by private businesses would degrade their downtown area and their way of life and have removed all of them. I hope you will conclude the same and help protect La Jolla.

Keith Kelman

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La Jollans need resident parking permits

As summer is winding down, I have been pleasantly surprised how easy it is to find long-term parking around the neighborhood. I live in a building that affords us the luxury of a parking spot; however, we have two cars, so the second goes on the street.

During the summer, it was occasionally incredibly frustrating to leave in the morning to run a quick errand, only to return to the house to find all the long-term spots were not available and two-hour spots open. This would mean I’d have to go out and move the car every two hours until 6 p.m. or hope I saw an exempt spot available.

I believe there is a simple solution to this: La Jolla resident parking permits. Make us exempt from the two-hour rule! It would be fairly easy to implement and would save people a lot of hassle. Just give residents a permit that allows them to park in a two-hour spot for a longer time.

Dick Williams

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Fentanyl is one of the most vital issues for high school students

Regarding the op-ed from the La Jolla Light’s Oct. 6 edition written by Mark Powell about the lack of fentanyl awareness and Narcan kits in San Diego Unified district high schools (“Schools must install opioid emergency kits throughout campus”).

I am a senior at La Jolla High School and the leadership chairperson for the PTSA. Since last spring, I have been working on a resolution regarding these exact issues. I authored a resolution on fentanyl awareness and Narcan distribution [the medication naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose] and lobbied the San Diego school board. On Oct. 11, the board passed the resolution.

The resolution memorializes that all middle and high schools within the San Diego Unified School District will have Narcan kits at the ready and there will be at least three people trained in its administration. In addition, routine and frequent education will be provided to the students and teachers/administrators regarding fentanyl dangers and the importance of access to Narcan, and SDUSD schools will participate in Fentanyl Awareness Day.

This is one of the most vital issues affecting high school students today.

Aiden Kleinman

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Praise for La Jolla Light’s new look

What a surprise to see the full format. How great is that? Bigger photos. Photo essays.

Congrats on the large format.

Carol Sonstein

…

I really like the new format/size of the paper. It’s like we grew up.

Ed Witt

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What’s on YOUR mind?

Letters published in the La Jolla Light express views from readers about community matters. Submissions of related photos also are welcome. Letters reflect the writers’ opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or publisher. Letters are subject to editing. To share your thoughts in this public forum, email them with your first and last names and city or neighborhood of residence to robert.vardon@lajollalight.com. You also can submit a letter online at lajollalight.com/submit-a-letter-to-the-editor. The deadline is 10 a.m. Monday for publication in that week’s paper. Letters without the writer’s name cannot be published. Letters from the same person are limited to one in a 30-day period. ◆