From Our Readers
Peninsula News – Thursday, May 17, 2007

Listen to voices of reason

 To the Editor:

             I only hope that Rolling Hills Estates Mayor Susan Seamans was misquoted in the Thursday, May 10 edition of the Peninsula News. With regard to RHE scaling back the Village Plan, she is quoted as saying, "I think with 900 units, people didn’t understand and we didn’t understand what the impact was.” With so many residents continually commenting on the impending negative traffic impact, how could she not "understand"? Perhaps she just was not listening.
            Thank heavens we have sensible people such as Councilman John Addleman, who just wants the city to "take a break” and determine how the initial projects will impact traffic, air quality and other variables. It seems that he and Councilman Steve Zuckerman are the voices of reason on the RHE City Council.

Shelley Pogorelsky
Rolling,Hills Estates

 Editor's Note: Seamans was quoted correctly.
 

Village Plan is 'ridiculous'

 To the Editor:

            We all owe a debt of gratitude to Rolling Hills Estates City Council members John Addleman and Steve Zuckerman. Without their efforts to preserve the Peninsula on behalf of residents, our community would be even more overwhelmed with high-density development in the Deep Valley/Silver Spur area, which could also have included the ridiculous European Village proposal.
    Unfortunately, we are already facing the construction of a total of 133 condos and the loss of a valuable parking area adjacent to a medical building. That will probably mean another 266 cars on our streets. Let's hope the proposed 244 additional condos in the planning stages will be squelched. We definitely don’t need any additional parking and traffic congestion, to say nothing of air pollution. It may be an advantage for the developers and the contractors, but definitely not for the majority of us who live here.
            Thank you, Mr. Addleman and Mr. Zuckerman! We hope you will successfully convince the mayor and other council members to cease any further developments. As longtime Palos Verdes residents who value the original plans for a low-density and rural-type atmosphere, we are truly indebted to you both.

Anne Vanderlip
Palos Verdes Peninsula

 Remain vigilant

 To the Editor:

             Thank you to the Rolling Hills Estates City Council members who support reducing the size of the Peninsula Village Plan. The recent vote was encouraging.
            However, we who are opposed to the plan because of the likely traffic increase and the change of character of the center by high-rise development must continue our efforts.
            At the afternoon session of the RHE City Council workshop on May 8, before the vote, we listened to a long and detailed discussion of the traffic congestion that already exists at several intersections in and around the center. There must be a way to improve business in the center (and tax revenues) without seriously aggravating existing problems!
            Some of the more recent additions to The Avenue seem to be doing well, such as Frascati Ristorante, Borders bookstore, Marmalade restaurant and the expanded Regal Theatres. Why not increase efforts to find more businesses that meet the needs of the thousands of existing shoppers on the Hill?
            Residents of RHE could be very helpful in minimizing the development by communicating their concerns to their City Council members. City Council e-mail addresses appear on the Internet at ci.rolling-hills-estates.ca.us.

Quintus (Bud) Guthrie
Rancho Palos Verdes