Don’t let the door shut on El...

Don’t let the door shut on El Morro residents

Dear residents of Laguna Beach, having spent the sunset hours this

evening at El Morro, I just can’t stop myself from asking all of you

this question: How can you let such a beautiful spot go? You’ve saved

the Canyon Road (up to now), you’ve preserved most of the face of the

loveliest town in the world and now you are going to let go one of

the most beautiful, uncrowded, uncluttered beaches in the state and

the country?

May I point out that each of you has unfettered access to this

spot. It is not a closed beach. Most weekdays, as was the case today,

it is totally deserted and open to the public. You can put your back

to the highway, your face to the sea, and imagine your self alone as

the sound of the surf drowns out the sounds of civilization. I just

cannot imagine that you would rather have it full of campers.

Please, before the bulldozers scream, I challenge each one of you

to take a walk on El Moro from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. just before

sundown. Your heart will cry as mine did today at the thought that it

will soon be gone. Look up at the hideousness of stucco that has

crept up that lovely coast and ask if that is an improvement over the

few tiny residences of El Morro and the adorable cottages that once

were Crystal Cove.

I’ll never be so lucky as to be a Laguna Beach resident. But you

are, and I can’t help but think you just don’t know what is about to

happen. Thanks for listening.

PAT PEOPLES

Santa Ana

Cox comments rub

reader wrong way

As a longtime Newport Beach resident under the flight path of the

John Wayne Airport in Balboa, I strongly resented Rep. Chris Cox’s

verbal statement on television Jan. 5 suggesting that the El Toro

auction is good for all of Orange County.

Since when are 14,000-plus more homes in South County good for all

of Orange County? Suffice it to say they will only clog our already

overcrowded freeways, making air quality even poorer. And worst of

all, it will add to the 10-million plus passengers using John Wayne

Airport, create added pressure to do away with the existing curfews

that give us some reprieve from the noise and oil fallout that covers

our houses and patios and outdoor furniture.

This political boondoggle all in the name of the “Great Park,” has

been a real slap in the face to all Newport Beach and Costa Mesa

residents who live under the thunder from John Wayne Airport. I would

like to propose legislation that disallows all south countians from

using John Wayne Airport, forcing them to clog up more freeways on

the way to LAX, Long Beach or Ontario airports, thus giving us some

welcome relief from the burden of continuing added flights and

expansion of John Wayne.

DAYNA PETTIT

Newport Beach