Letters to the Editor: November 29, 2007

Roundabout is insane

I don’t know who dreamt up the insanity that has become Colima Street. It is five blocks long between La Jolla Mesa and La Jolla Boulevard. With a stop sign at each end, three stops and a roundabout in between and with a parking strip white-lined down each side, it is no longer possible for two cars to pass each other on the street. Well, if you drive a small car, you might manage it but not if you drive an SUV. Everyone assumes that the solid lines on the side mean Park Here! Certainly they do even oversized vehicles like boats and RVs.

The latest “improvement” is to remove the right hand turn lane at the La Jolla Mesa and Colima end and narrow La Jolla Mesa to make that almost impassible also. The projections into La Jolla Mesa have practically halved the road. Without a right turn lane, all traffic turning from Colima south to Pacific Beach must wait until any trafffic turning left up to Mount Soledad has cleared. Sometimes that is a long wait. I can see a major pile-up coming. With so many other roads needing attention I cannot imagine why this particular intersection has received so many changes. The right turn lane was important. How can this be approved?

Gilllian Ackland

Birdrock

Don’t impose paid parking

It breaks my heart to see the time that our community-serving merchants must spend to protect La Jolla from a Parking Board that is hell bent to impose some form of paid parking upon La Jolla. While the Board dithers over alternatives for selling this ill-begotten concept, and while conflict-of-interest questions continue in a side show, the cheer of this season is dimmed by a Board that will not listen to the cries of its own people saying NO to paid street parking.

By merely asking citizens what kind of paid parking would they prefer while ignoring the overwhelming response of none of the above, the Board demonstrates that citizens can not be heard without going directly to the elected San Diego City Council. There the long-time residents and merchants can testify by the thousands that existing parking works well enough and that a scheme of paid street parking would destroy the village that is such a prize to the City of San Diego and joy to its residents and merchants.

John A. Berol

La Jolla

PLJ October board election disputed

Promote La Jolla held an election in October to fill eight seats on the Board of Directors.

It was subsequently determined that two of the candidates were not eligible to be on the ballot. Not counting those two candidates that were not eligible, Bob Collins and I were among the eight qualified candidates with the most votes, yet the Board of Promote La Jolla has refused to seat us.

Having been legitimately elected to two seats on the Board, there are no “vacancies” to fill, yet PLJ now is calling for applications to take our seats!

We will not apply for any so-called “vacancies” on the Board because there are none. To do so would allow the 13 PLJ incumbents and continuing directors to have exclusive voting rights on our two seats, rather than recognizing the tallied vote of La Jolla’s B.I.D. members in the PLJ elections.

This decision by the Board of Promote La Jolla is contrary not only to the PLJ By-laws, but also contrary to fundamental concepts of fairness and to the basic principals of the democratic process.

Nancy Warwick and Bob Collins

La Jolla

Just say no

No! What does the La Jolla Community Parking District Advisory Board NOT understand about the word “NO?” The majority of La Jollans do NOT want paid parking in La Jolla!

Linda Pequegnat

La Jolla

Scripps Park Action Plan approved

Congratulations!

Hard work from people like you has paid off.

The Scripps Park Action Plan has now been formally approved by the La Jolla Town Council, Community Planning Association, Promote La Jolla and the La Jolla Park and Recreation, Inc.

Our next steps are to define the responsibilities of the Scripps Park Project and the La Jolla Town Council Parks and Beaches Committee, and then move ahead for approval from the city of San Diego.

That means that very soon the Plan can be implemented to help preserve, restore and enhance our precious Scripps Park. Stay tuned.

Thanks again for all your help.

Patrick Ahern

Scripps Park Project

Promote La Jolla should work with large Village employers

Promote La Jolla could negotiate a parking solution by working with large village employers (e.g. Jack’s, George’s, and Top’ O The Cove) and the three parking providers (Ace, Sunset, Diamond) so that employees have a place to park AND there is available on-street parking for customers. PLJ could provide parking maps to tourists, residents and employees which highlight the parking regulations on various streets and shows all of the available parking garages.

Promote La Jolla could work with the city to identify 30-minute zones in front of destination businesses which need them. Promote La Jolla could negotiate a resident’s pass for many of the villages (private) parking garages. Promote La Jolla could work with the city to coordinate a city bus stopping at a perimeter parking lot to bring employees to the village.

Promote La Jolla could. Could. Could. Could.

But why should they when they can simply work with the city to install parking meters which generate substantial revenue (fines) for the city and them (fees) and get 10 percent of the small-business customers to stop coming to LJ.

Parking spaces for restaurant patrons doesn’t have to mean - get out of town‚ for everyone else.

Encourage Promote La Jolla to seek an appropriate solution for all businesses and stop catering to the few.

William A. Shirley

La Jolla

Community could have been more responsive with wildfires

Regarding last month’s wildfires in San Diego County resulting in many tragedies, as a 32-year resident of La Jolla, I was frankly disappointed at the somewhat poor response of this community.

With so many places of worship, schools and business offices here, with the exception of a few, one could have expected an avalanche of financial, shelter, food and clothing offers. More of our hotels, motels and residents might have offered a token of shelter, and restaurants could have offered meals at discounted prices.

Here was an opportunity to show our worthiness as residents of a Jewel, not only in name, but to count our blessings for a happy Thanksgiving.

In case I am mistaken due to insufficient coverage by the media, I would be happy to be corrected.

Alfonso de Bourbon

La Jolla

Disasters have us raising serious questions

Recent disasters around La Jolla and San Diego County are raising some serious questions about where we live and how to manage our environment.

First of all, the recent landslide on Mt. Soledad may very well be only the beginning of these types of problems in La Jolla. Mt. Soledad is composed of ancient seafloor and, therefore, a great deal of unconsolidated material which has already been disturbed by erosion and construction. It is only a matter of time before more landslides continue to take place.

Secondly, the question of open space management once again is an issue considering the recent firestorms in San Diego County. What should have been done after the firestorms of 2003?

It appears the courts will be busy in the future with these issues

Kent Trego

La Jolla

Listen to residents

Please listen to tax-paying residents in La Jolla. Do not promote business and developer interests regarding parking meters and paid parking.

La Jolla is a village not a New York City! Help!

Rita ONeill

La Jolla