Good reasons for clearing property In...

Good reasons for clearing property

In a recent report in your paper (“Water district files vandalism

report,” Coastline Pilot, Sept. 13), [Renae] Hinchey, general manager

of the water district, claimed that I had denuded their vacant site

behind my house and cut down 40-year-old valuable trees and toyon. I

have had conversations with Hinchey in the past and found her to be a

very reasonable person. I am sure that she would not knowingly

distort the truth but in this case she has been given some incorrect

information.

Clearly it would have been impossible for 40-year-old trees to be

growing on the site as this was the place where the ’93 firestorm

first broke through to destroy our homes on Canyon Acres, and nothing

on their site survived.

In reality there was only a tangle of brush, some weed trees

covered in vines that had grown from our property and an old concrete

foundation that was left after they took down the tank. No clearing

has ever been attempted since the fire, except for a

postage-stamp-size piece of grass last summer.

Despite the fact that the fire department mandates that vacant

lots be cleared annually, the high fuel brush, the weeds and the

black skeletons of the trees killed in the ’93 fire were all still

there. And as it is only 8 feet from our home it was causing us great

anxiety.

I can understand how this lot could get overlooked because it is

virtually invisible from anywhere but our house. But when the fire

erupted in the canyon this summer, and subsequently my wife could not

sleep, I felt that I had no choice but to pay someone to clear it.

Please bear in mind that in other areas of town the goats clear a

wide swath but we on Canyon Acres have to clear our own brush.

I have in the past requested to have this lot cleared and I have

also tried to buy it so that I could clear it myself (and remove the

ugly chain-link fence that surrounds it) but have received no

response.

The site has no value to them, (I was told a while back, by

someone in a position to know, that it is not a satisfactory site for

a pump station as has been suggested), and for zoning reasons it has

no value to anyone else. It would therefore seem that the only

sensible solution would be for the water company to sell me the lot.

The city would save money on maintenance and insurance, the

environment would be improved by the removal of the ugly chain-link

fence and all other issues would become moot.

JOHN HARWOOD

Laguna Beach

Giving in to pressure not admirable

People in Laguna should not worry about what people think in

Mission Viejo, Costa Mesa or wherever we play these days.

Unlike the Titans, the Hawks, the whatever, we are lucky enough to

live in or be from a place that has a real tradition and unique

character. The name of our team, like the town it represents, should

be a source of pride and the idea of wanting to be like those other

places is a bit pathetic. Perhaps the lack of spirit that changing

the team’s name is supposed to address does not come from the name

“Artists,” but from an attitude that chooses to retreat and conform

rather than stand and fight.

Team names don’t make teams win. Good play does, and spirit and

pride generally follow. It’s happened here before, and it can happen

again. When our players lose, let them focus on improving their game,

and let them learn not to worry about what others say. And when they

win, let them tell the Titan, the Hawk and the whatever, that we are

from Laguna Beach, and yes, that’s right, it was a bunch of Artists

that just kicked your butt.

Finally, Laguna sports teams have been called the Artists for more

than 60 years, going on three generations of Laguna families. The

idea that a single group of high school students should make a

decision for this whole community with this vote on the first day of

classes is underhanded and sleazy.

Laguna deserves better.

JONATHAN FRANK

Laguna Beach

The Breakers: A bad idea whose time has come.

JOHN S. RHOADES

Laguna Beach High School,

class of ’42

San Diego

Was name changed to defend masculinity?

Re: (“Laguna Beach High breaks in new nickname,” Coastline Pilot,

Sept. 13)

I was disappointed when the students at Laguna Beach High School

voted to change their nickname/logo, not because I like the “Artist”

better than “Breakers,” but for the reason it was done. Bryce

Loidolt, a well meaning, active and well rounded student, deeply felt

a need to do what he did.

Why did he take this action? “Loidolt heard plenty of complaints

from his two brothers who had endured jokes and jeers questioning

their masculinity. So when he followed in their footsteps and donned

his maroon-and-white jersey, he decided it was time for a change.”

I ask the coaches, where were you when this harassment was going

on, the counselors, the parents and the mentors? Did anyone dare ask

Loidolt and the team just what was so threatening to their

masculinity? Why couldn’t they see this as a weakness coming from

their adversaries? Why couldn’t they have been introduced to the

importance of the arts in sports? Athletes have been enhanced by many

of the arts in refining their skills. Professional football players

have been known to learn a thing or two from ballet.

Changing a name merely covers up the insecurities about ones

masculinity that are still there. Too bad Loidolt didn’t realize that

those other guys were even more insecure. Too bad the student body

didn’t realize it had an opportunity for dynamic growth, maturity,

and leadership.

BILL LAPOINTE

Laguna Beach

How to catch a Red Baron

I just finished reading the article you published, “On the trail

of the Red Baron,” (Coastline Pilot, Sept. 13). If what was reported

was true, this is certainly an amusing example of our city officials

at work.

Mayor Wayne Baglin was quoted as saying, “Planes should be 1,000

feet up. Top of the World is 1,000 feet. Anything below that is

illegal.”

It is not that I would expect Baglin to be familiar with Federal

Aviation Regulations, but to avoid making an incorrect statement like

that, he should consult with somebody that does.

Section 91.119 of the Federal Aviation Regulations states in part

that an aircraft over open water does not operate closer than 500

feet to any person, vessel, vehicle or structure. This distance could

be horizontal or vertical. In other words, the plane could be two

inches above the surface of the water as long as it was 500 feet to

the side of any boat or swimmer. Helicopters have a different set of

rules that allow them to operate at lower altitudes.

That is not to say that this plane was not operating illegally,

because very likely it was. The same section of the Aviation

Regulations states that when operating over a congested area the

plane must remain 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a

2,000-foot radius of the aircraft. The land adjacent to the coast in

Laguna qualifies as congested. So, if the aircraft flew over land

along our coast below an altitude of 1,000 feet, then the pilot was

in violation.

That brings us to our next city official, Toni Iseman. The article

stated that Iseman called the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for

help. Why would she do this? The Orange County Sheriff’s Department

is a law enforcement agency just like the Laguna Police Department

is. This incident occurred in the city of Laguna, not in an area

patrolled by the sheriff. She called the state senators as well as

the Federal Aviation Administration. All these efforts got her

nowhere, and rightfully so. None of these people or agencies have

anything to do with initiating an investigation into this incident.

What follows is the way in which professionals would have handled

this situation. A police officer (our own, not a deputy sheriff)

would have contacted witnesses to the incident and taken a criminal

report for section 21407 of the Public Utilities Code. This code

states the following: It is unlawful for any person to operate an

aircraft in the air, or on the ground or water in a careless or

reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another. In

any proceeding charging aircraft in violation of this section the

court in determining whether the operation was careless or reckless

shall consider the standards for safe operation of aircraft

prescribed by federal statutes or regulations governing aeronautics.

What this means is, that if the pilot violated the altitude

regulation indicated in the regulations, then he is in violation of

the Public Utilities crime. A PUC crime is investigated and filed

with the District Attorney’s Office just like any other crime, by the

local police department.

A detective from the Laguna Beach Police Department would get in

his car and drive up to John Wayne Airport, contact airport security

and have them help him with a search for the plane. That particular

plane is unusual and there are not too many of them. If he needed to

look inside closed airplane hangers he would contact the airport

management that rents each hanger to the aircraft owner. The renters

of these hangers do not enjoy the same Fourth Amendment rights

related to searches as you would in your house, so they can generally

be searched without a warrant.

But if the detective had some concerns about this (now would be

the time to call the FAA) he would take along with him an FAA

inspector who is authorized to inspect any plane and any pilot at any

time.

After finding the plane and confirming its identity with some of

the witnesses, identifying the pilot is easy. It is either the owner

or a renter. These types of specialty planes are rarely if ever

rented, and as a former aircraft owner myself, I can say it is highly

unlikely he let somebody borrow it.

If something like this happens in the future, a request from the

Newport Beach Police Department to have their helicopter come down

and follow the plane back to the airport would be the most efficient

way to identify the pilot.

P.S. Are you sure this wasn’t Labor Day, not Memorial Day?

JONATHAN BRICK

Laguna Beach

* Editor’s note: The red plane was witnessed flying over Laguna

during Labor Day weekend, not Memorial Day.

Don’t worry about the Red Baron

The Red Baron may well have been within the limits of over water

flights. There would be no minimum altitude limits providing he was

away from the shore line and no vessels or people under him.

This type of annoyance only happens on rare occasions. I am more

concerned with other things, such as Harleys with modified exhaust,

power speed boats, again the noise and last but not least the

banner-carrying planes that patrol our beaches on weekends.

Why can’t we focus our attention on matters that really disrupt

our peace and tranquillity?

KEN & EVELYN HOBE

Laguna Beach

I say RELAX.

We have bigger fish to fry.

KAREN PETTY

An artist in Laguna

“City officials are seeking identity of low-flying red plane”

(Coastline Pilot, Sept. 6).

The crash of this plane would create problems, not only for the

pilot but for Lagunatics.

However, where is the concern with many commercial planes flying

directly over our town starting as early as 7 a.m. and continuing

throughout the day until as late as 9:30 p.m.?

When did the FAA allow a change in the flight pattern? A

commercial plane crashing in our town or nearby would create a

catastrophe such as the crash of a military plane in Leisure World a

few years ago. Also, a disastrous fire could erupt from such a crash.

We do not need another fire, nor deaths in Laguna Beach.

Can anything be done to alter the flight pattern? As Gary Alstot

would say, “Just wondering.”

JULIE O’DONOVAN IRELAND

Laguna Beach

* The Coastline Pilot is eager to run your letters. If your

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