READERS RESPOND -- More reactions to proposed Heights annexation

South County has their saying: “No Way, No How, No Jets!” Santa Ana

Heights residents west of Irvine Avenue have their saying: “No Way, No

How, No Costa Mesa!” What part of “no” does the Costa Mesa council still

not understand? The same residents that years ago petitioned against

Costa Mesa are still saying no and will continue to say no.

Costa Mesa has done nothing for us, and have only recently awoke from

their sleepy slumber to announce that they would start fighting the

airport. Why would we settle for a frozen TV dinner when Five Crowns is

at our door? Newport Beach will preserve our community and fight against

commercial development and airport expansion. Costa Mesa, on the other

hand, is destroying the feel of Eastside Costa Mesa by greedily devouring

the low-density housing for pack-em and stack-em six-plexes.

Rather than beat a dead horse, Costa Mesa should seriously concentrate on

bettering their own city and leave Santa Ana Heights annexation to

Newport Beach. They asked to annex us, we applauded, now sit down.

Westside needs your attention.

RUSSELL NIEWIAROWSKI

Santa Ana Heights

I think a better question would be, should unincorporated areas of Orange

County be annexed? That would leave the decision up to the residents. It

would also leave some decision-making power in the hands of the cities

wanting to annex those areas. As was seen at the meeting Tuesday night,

some people are for annexation some against. Most in this case were in

favor of Newport Beach annexing all of Santa Ana Heights. Santa Ana

Heights is in a unique situation of bordering two cities. Should the

residents have the right to choose which city incorporates them?

Absolutely. Should the Local Agency Formation Commission have the ability

to break up a cohesive community? I think not.

I think you had many good quotes in your articles. But I believe you

missed the best -- that being the owner of the Convalescent Hospital on

Santa Ana Avenue. He said he has been there for 26 years and has never

seen a street sweeper in that time. I have lived in Santa Ana Heights for

about five years and have seen a street sweeper once, that being during

the recent resurfacing of the streets. This one time I saw the sweeper in

action he didn’t even sweep the gutters. He swept only to the asphalt

edge of the area to be resurfaced. This is the kind of service the

residents have come to expect out of the county. In one of your articles,

you quote Allan Roeder as saying “the county has indicated that they want

to get out of the business of providing municipal services.” Apparently

the county got out of that line of work 26 years ago for some of its

services.

I think you should look at recent history here from the view of the

residents. About two years ago during the breakup of the Santa Ana

Heights Water District there were two bidders. One being Irvine Ranch

Water District and the other being Mesa Consolidated Water District. At

that time the property owners were courted by each water district. But

because of Costa Mesa’s attempts for three or more years to annex their

supposed portion of Santa Ana Heights, the property owners voted for

Irvine Ranch Water District. Costa Mesa has created a sort of backlash

against itself.

BRIAN WECKLICH

Santa Ana Heights

I think that Santa Ana Heights should be annexed and that residents

should have a say, in which city annexes them. First of all, the

residents can block any potential annexation if more than 50% object to

the annexation. I live in the Westside of Santa Ana Heights, which is in

Costa Mesa’s sphere of influence. I know that probably most people in the

Pegasus tract of Santa Ana Heights want to be annexed by Newport Beach to

enable the Santa Ana Heights community members to remain together and

give them more of an ability to voice their concerns as one community.

Newport Beach has stated that they would maintain the zoning laws that

are currently in place in Santa Ana Heights. We hope that maintaining our

current zoning will preserve our community.

Additionally, the residents of Santa Ana Heights are the most affected by

issues of John Wayne Airport expansion. The city of Costa Mesa is totally

uninvolved in this issue. Newport Beach is actively working to build the

El Toro Airport, fight against John Wayne expansion, and extend if

possible the agreement with John Wayne that expires in 2005. What would

Costa Mesa do to protect our interest?

SHARI WILLIAMSON

Santa Ana Heights