Our Readers Write: Scripps Coastal Reserve, Scripps Park restrooms, neighborhood streets
Letters to the editor
Reopen the Scripps Coastal Reserve
I read your article regarding the Scripps Coastal Reserve at UC San Diego and have been vocal about the closure as well (“Coastal Commission investigates as Scripps Coastal Reserve at UC San Diego remains closed,” July 27, La Jolla Light).
This has been accessible to the public during daylight hours for decades — one of the highlights of the region, with the views from the cliffs, nature trail and some amazing homes across the way also.
It is one of the first spots I used to take visitors in town. One of them loved the location so much that he proposed to his now-wife at the reserve, a spot they intended to revisit every time they came to San Diego. That was shattered by an unnecessary closure, even with COVID-19, in retrospect, as outdoor spaces are of little concern. Imagine if the Hotel del Coronado or Balboa Park were to close to the public.
As a nature lover, this is a kick to the face, an amenity revoked. I ask UC San Diego to reopen the reserve with its Native American history, views, well-established bunny population and interesting plants to be enjoyed by locals, students and visitors alike.
Adam Young
Reserve closure is blocking access to beach trails
I am grateful to the La Jolla Light for bringing the continued closure of the Scripps Coastal Reserve to the public’s attention in its July 27 article, which did an excellent job of explaining how the beloved reserve was closed to the public when COVID-related restrictions began in March 2020 and has remained so ever since, with little explanation.
However, the closure of the reserve also has blocked the only public access to two trails to Black’s Beach: a bluffside trail on the north end of the reserve and the Sumner Canyon beach trail, which is accessed from the south end of the reserve. The California Coastal Act protects these beach access trails, which were openly used by the general public daily for decades and are only accessible to the public via the reserve.
The California Coastal Commission and UC San Diego need to resolve this issue and reopen the reserve to ensure that our cherished coastal spaces and beach access trails remain accessible for generations to come.
Asa Feinstein
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Scripps Park restroom facility still has privacy problems
Drainage at the Scripps Park restroom is not the only problem (“Recent fix at Scripps Park restroom facility ‘improved the situation a bit,’ but drainage problems remain,” July 27, La Jolla Light).
While I appreciate the privacy panel installed in the women’s restroom, the shower/changing area is still clearly visible from the balconies of the top two floors of the hotel across the street.
It is really remarkable that this was overlooked by the architecture firm that designed it, and it needs to be addressed.
Angela Shaw
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Neighborhood streets still badly need repairs
As I looked out at the ocean one morning and saw a beautiful rainbow, I was reminded how fortunate we are to live in such a wonderful area.
Sadly, the upkeep of our community’s roads by the city of San Diego is not adequate. The city did recently repave several of the main traveled roads in La Jolla, but many of the roads that residents use have not been properly redone in over 35 years.
Often they are two-lane, narrow, winding roads, and to avoid hitting a bump or pothole, vehicles need to swerve into oncoming traffic. This is not safe. In addition, pedestrians and bicyclists on the sides of these roads are at risk of an accident caused by the dangerous conditions.
The city of San Diego plans a 12- to 15-month water main replacement on the street beginning next spring, following SDG&E’s work to place power lines underground. The street is to be completely repaved after the city project is completed.
How do we get the city of San Diego to take our complaints seriously? If our community could band together to present our needs, possibly something could finally be done to repair the roads in our neighborhoods.
Lisa Casey
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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. See the full policy at lajollalight.com/policy. ◆
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