Mailbag: Let law enforcement, not land-use policy, handle ‘problem’ motels

It’s vital to Costa Mesa citizens that we preserve the essential character of our city while planning intelligently to accommodate development.

On Aug. 20, the city held its third public outreach meeting on the update of the general plan. The good part is that a lot of people showed up to participate in the process.

Weeks ago, at the outset of the public outreach process, the city’s consultant told participants that we should create a vision for how Costa Mesa should look 30 years from now. We started off with a broad horizon, but now it appears that blinders have been imposed on us. We touched briefly on future development in the Westside and spent almost all of the allotted time on a few “problem motels” that generate many calls for police services.

Apparently a few motels have become dens of illegal drug dealing and prostitution. And our developer-driven City Council can think of no better way to cope with the problem than to create a long-term land-use plan that would provide for such intense development on those properties that private developers would pay beyond top dollar to acquire them. This is akin to your creating a long-term financial plan based on the task of getting rid of a pebble in your shoe.

Hello? Has anyone talked with the district attorney about a red-light abatement action to padlock the vice dens?

We Costa Mesans need to create our own vision for our home town. That’s what we need to devote our time and energy to, and let law enforcement handle crime and vice.

Eleanor Egan

Costa Mesa

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Mega-yacht woes befalling Newport

My condolences to the residences of Newport Harbor regarding the mooring of the mega-yachts Invictus and Marama. My only hope is they don’t have fire pits.

Diana Smith

Corona del Mar

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Yachts are good for the area

I think those who are resisting a short visit to our harbor by two mega-yachts should lighten up.

Newport Harbor is a harbor. Harbors have boats. Boats have lights on them and, if they have engines, they make noise.

At one time we had two of the most beautiful sailboats in the world moored in that exact same location. They were both well in excess of 100 feet and were an asset to our harbor.

I can’t wait to see these magnificent boats, and I look forward to them being guests of the city of Newport Beach.

Come on people, take one for the team. They will be gone before you know it.

Forest Garfield Smith III

Newport Beach