Email to Huntington Beach Planning Commission
Since I have a prior committment and can't attend the planning commission meeting tonight (well, if I get home early enough, I may walk up there and at least sign in, so the opposers at least get credit for another body being there...
Dear Ms. Wine,
I have lived in Downtown Huntington Beach, only two blocks away from the Civic Center, off and on since my parents moved here in 1968. I attended Smith Elementary, Dwyer Middle School and HBHS (graduated 1980), and now my kids are following the same path.
I am increasingly concerned that the City of Huntington Beach seems to be in a mad rush to cover any remaining open space with buildings and seems, to me, to consider developers wishes over any other parties'. First the undeveloped part of Central Park for a huge senior center, now this unneeded "Cultural Center." We don't need any more restaurants downtown - they seem to go out of business quite regularly down there.
Apparently, the planned library space is only half as big as the current building. Yes, the Central Library is not that far away, but this one is within walking distance of my kids, and current state budget battles mean their school libraries are not available nearly as much, making this library that much more important to area school children. The building itself is representative of a part of Huntington Beach's history; I cannot understand why this city feels it has to make every part of itself new and eradicate anything from earlier eras. Building trends in all parts of downtown show this; the house across the street from me, which was a historical Standard oil building and older than other buildings nearby which are on the National Historic Register was recently torn down to put an an enormous ugly So Cal Pseudo-Spanish Generic house that takes up the entire lot. The town I grew up in is becoming unrecognizable.
Green spaces are few and far between in this city. Let's not cover up one that already exists. The statement I heard by a city council member saying "It's just something for neighborhood dogs to pee on," really rankles me. If you don't want grass, which I agree, consumes a lot of water, has to be mowed regularly and is a bit boring, put in a xeric garden, or native plants. Make something interesting. Or even open it up to public gardens open to nearby apartment dwellers (even more needed, since those at GoldenWest College closed). But don't build on what little open space remains.
Thank you,
Leeanne Laughlin
Huntington Beach resident
Dear Ms. Wine,
I have lived in Downtown Huntington Beach, only two blocks away from the Civic Center, off and on since my parents moved here in 1968. I attended Smith Elementary, Dwyer Middle School and HBHS (graduated 1980), and now my kids are following the same path.
I am increasingly concerned that the City of Huntington Beach seems to be in a mad rush to cover any remaining open space with buildings and seems, to me, to consider developers wishes over any other parties'. First the undeveloped part of Central Park for a huge senior center, now this unneeded "Cultural Center." We don't need any more restaurants downtown - they seem to go out of business quite regularly down there.
Apparently, the planned library space is only half as big as the current building. Yes, the Central Library is not that far away, but this one is within walking distance of my kids, and current state budget battles mean their school libraries are not available nearly as much, making this library that much more important to area school children. The building itself is representative of a part of Huntington Beach's history; I cannot understand why this city feels it has to make every part of itself new and eradicate anything from earlier eras. Building trends in all parts of downtown show this; the house across the street from me, which was a historical Standard oil building and older than other buildings nearby which are on the National Historic Register was recently torn down to put an an enormous ugly So Cal Pseudo-Spanish Generic house that takes up the entire lot. The town I grew up in is becoming unrecognizable.
Green spaces are few and far between in this city. Let's not cover up one that already exists. The statement I heard by a city council member saying "It's just something for neighborhood dogs to pee on," really rankles me. If you don't want grass, which I agree, consumes a lot of water, has to be mowed regularly and is a bit boring, put in a xeric garden, or native plants. Make something interesting. Or even open it up to public gardens open to nearby apartment dwellers (even more needed, since those at GoldenWest College closed). But don't build on what little open space remains.
Thank you,
Leeanne Laughlin
Huntington Beach resident