Free market discussion
Dear ER:
I am writing to correct misinformation about the Gelson’s project contained in a recent letter-to-the-editor. Here are the facts:
To date, we have submitted only the preliminary project application to the City. The studies required by the City are now being conducted to confirm compliance with City requirements.
The site is zoned for retail uses and is one of the City’s main retail corridors. Everyone agrees that there is already enough fast food and strip retail. A specialty market is a high-end, neighborhood amenity and Gelson’s has an unparalleled history of being an excellent neighbor in the communities they serve.
One of Paragon’s core philosophies is to listen to all constituencies. We believe listening results in better projects. We have met with a huge number of Manhattan Beach community groups. Our goal is for the Gelson’s project to be a win-win for our city.
The Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce has formally endorsed the project. If you have not already done so, please contact us.
Lastly, thank you to those of you who have provided comments on our website (GelsonsMB.com). The response from Manhattan Beach residents has been overwhelmingly supportive, with almost every comment received to-date strongly in support of redeveloping the currently blighted site with a Gelson’s.
Jim Dillavou
Manhattan Beach
Principal, Paragon Commercial Group
JDillavou@ParagonCommercialGroup.Com
Sal on
Dear ER:
Sal Longo deserves to have his liquor license (“Suzy’s caught in moratorium crossfire,” ER, August 20, 2015). He runs Suzy’s by the books. Come on city council, let’s get with the program.
Jan Carns Eckford
Website comment
Liquor is quicker
Dear ER:
The only reason I don’t go to Suzy’s is that they only serve beer (“Suzy’s caught in moratorium crossfire,” ER, August 20, 2015).
Roger Evans
Website comment
Suzy sunshine
Dear ER:
Hang in there Sal. Suzy’s has had such a positive impact on so many of us. Keep up the good fight (“Suzy’s caught in moratorium crossfire,” ER, August 20, 2015).
Jon Klein
Beyond the pale, of smoke
Dear ER:
Laws against smoking in apartments is beyond the scope and good sense of the city council and is an invasion of privacy (Manhattan Beach considers extending smoking ban,” ER August 20, 2015). Apartment owners can set their own rules regarding leasing to smokers, but this is not city government’s job.
Connie Sieber
Website comment
A shade too loud
Dear ER:
Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach was to have been a quiet bed and breakfast. Instead, owner Mike Zislis built a bar and restaurant and started operating them loudly. Suddenly neighbors were faced with a noisy bar across the street from their homes.
Hundreds of noise complaints were filed. Now the Manhattan Beach has “proudly” honored Shade for the 10 years-too-late noise suppression efforts that still leave neighbors in a worse position than if Shade were the quiet bed and breakfast that was planned.
It is as if we were to give British Petroleum the Medal of Honor for their fine work in wiping off some bird butts after the disastrous oil spill in the gulf.
Michelle Murphy
Manhattan Beach
Contempt for contemptors
Dear ER:
Clearly Hermosa’s Council remains, at best, dysfunctional, making addressing important public issues and participation extremely difficult.
Why? Public apathy resulting from repeatedly expressed disinterest by three councilmembers in their constituents. The majority of the few residents who vote do so based on candidates telling them what they want to hear or candidate charm, appearance or gender. Result: some of the worst city councilmembers in decades continue to be re-elected. On the current council, only Hany Fangary and Nanette Barragan express genuine interest in public involvement – only to be blocked by the “Notorious Three,” councilmembers Pete Tucker, Michael DiVirgilio, and Carolyn Petty. They have made clear their disinterest, if not contempt, for the public, except at election time. Their primary agenda has been to personally attack against Fangary and Barrigan. Tucker at least listens sometimes, but only gives lip service. Nothing can be done until Hermosa elects three responsible members to the council.
Listen to [resident] Howard Longacre. While he may have flunked charm school, he is mostly right.
Shirley Wright
Hermosa Beach
A city, council, divided
Dear ER:
Hermosa’s city council evidently includes four, self-appointed, pseudo-city-planners: 12-years of flawed-thinker Pete Tucker, 8-years of delusional-leadership Michael DiVirgilio and 2-useless-years of Hany Fangary and Carolyn Petty.
These four have been violating California’s “open-meeting” Brown Act for some two years now, along with their facilitating City Manager Tom Bakaly, by having individual, private meetings and networked discussions with two downtown hotel-developers.
They have been doing all possible, behind the scenes, to modify the city’s General Plan update. They would change zoning laws to reduce parking requirements for downtown developments and have evidently agreed to cut off Hermosa’s walking and biking passageway along Beach Drive, between Hermosa’s north residential-sand-section and its south residential-sand-section, as it passes to and from Pier Plaza.
Instead of doing all possible to lower downtown density and reduce unneeded, late night liquor-drinking activity by beautifying the gateway Beach Drive with daytime, beach-oriented shops, for walking and casual biking, this arrogant and secret, self-aggrandizing, small-minded council bunch is aiming to relegate the south sand section residents and businesses to being the dregs of Hermosa Beach, making the north sand section the exclusive part. And turning Pier Plaza into one solid drinking slab of chaos and drunks from Hermosa Avenue to the Strand.
The plan to give away and historic Beach Drive by this arrogant, lawbreaking Hermosa city council gang is unacceptable and should outrage anyone with a modicum of intelligence.
Howard Longacre
Hermosa Beach
Sacramento stars
Dear ER:
The South Bay and Manhattan Beach are fortunate to be represented by State Senator Ben Allen and State Assemblymember David Hadley (“Legislators discuss energy, education bills,” ER August 20, 2015). Both are bright, thoughtful and collaborative. And, they have partnered on legislation. These two are shining examples of the type of legislator we need more of in Sacramento and Washington.
Mark Burton
Manhattan Beach Mayor
Website comment
Dense thinking
Dear ER:
Paul Moses made my point exactly (“Don’t El Segundo Redondo, ER Letters August 20, 2015)
If high density residential development were a panacea for a city, our per capita city revenues would blow away El Segundo. But that is not the case, the per capita revenues in El Segundo are three times that of Redondo. This demonstrates that residential produces far less revenues than commercial and industrial uses.
A good percent is from Redondo workers who commute to El Segundo, while our businesses underperform. It’s a double whammy. We get less revenue from residential and our residents spend their money out of town during weekdays. Adding more underperforming businesses and more residents who will just commute out of town every day only makes the situation, including traffic, worse.
It is a basic tenet of land use that commercial, industrial and agricultural uses produce more revenue than residential, while demanding less service. Good city planning tries to balance these elements. In our case, not only are city revenues less than optimal, but our roads are more packed because nearly 90 percent of Redondo workers commute out of town to work.
Moses forgot one other land use. While Redondo has around 155 acres of parkland/open space for our 68,000 residents and 6.2 sq miles, El Segundo has 213 acres for its 17,000 residents and 5.46 sq. miles.
Our density is increasing despite claims by the city that we have no growth. Between the 2000 census and 2010 census, we have gone up by 4,500 residents. Over the same period El Segundo went up by 620. Manhattan Beach went up 1,800 residents. Marina Del Rey went up 690 residents. PVE went up a whopping 98 residents. Santa Monica went up 5,650 residents and it has 1.3 times the land area of Redondo. Even Torrance, which is three times our land area, only went up 7,500. Hermosa’s grew by about 950 residents and they are just 1.4 sq miles. So they are close to Redondo, but we still beat them on density growth.
Yep, from the 2000 census to the 2010 census we are the winner on density growth, outpacing even Santa Monica, despite city claims that we have no growth.
The last thing Redondo needs is more condos. But they are coming. Wait until we see the high density housing proposal from the Galleria.
If our council does not head it off, North Redondo residents will have a fight on their hands. Hopefully residents from all districts will band together to fight the ongoing “condoization” of Recondo in both halves of Redondo.
Jim Light
Website comment
No room for the old
Dear ER:
Two weeks ago I went to a charity fundraiser at the Standing Room in downtown Hermosa Beach. I’m 71 years old. I just had my right knee replaced and the doctor says my left knee will be done soon. I drove around downtown in frustration, looking for a parking space for at least 45 minutes. I could not find a parking spot within walking distance and there were no handicapped spaces either.
Does Hermosa hate seniors and handicapped people? Don’t we deserve some form of consideration?
Out of desperation, I finally parked at the only spot available, a handicapped space at the convenience store. Yes, I had my handicapped card on display, to no avail.
I guess my lesson is not to come to Hermosa Beach.
Regina J Lucero
Redondo Beach
