More "Me", Park Peril And Wendy's Town Hall

MORE OF ME ON THE "CHARTER CITY" ISSUE
OK, by the time most of you locals read this on Friday you may already know that the Daily Pilot published a commentary of mine on their pages. You've already seen this issue discussed here earlier, HERE, but I thought - since you just can't get enough of what I write - you may wish to read this essay, too. HERE.
HYPERTENSION ALERT: All you Righeimer fans, please be advised to be sure your blood pressure medications are up to date before you read this essay!

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SUNSET RIDGE PARK UPDATE
Late Thursday night we received notice that the proposed controversial Sunset Ridge Park, located near Superior and Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach, came to a screeching halt at the meeting in Oceanside Wednesday of the California Coastal Commission. According to reports from the Banning Ranch Conservancy, HERE, following lengthy presentations and debate and proposals that included abandoning the most controversial part - the access road off PCH that would have certainly been the precursor to the Bluff Road element of the even more controversial Banning Ranch development - the City of Newport Beach yanked it's application before what appeared to be a certain losing vote could be taken. That saved them having to wait another year before presenting the proposal again. Newport Beach will now be required to submit a new application and, according to the report, no hearing is anticipated until early in 2012.

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PAVING OVER FAIRVIEW PARK?
It is rumored that the November 16th meeting of the Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation Commission will include a request to pave over part of the vernal pools at Fairview Park - a protected habitat for the San Diego fairy shrimp. Apparently this desecration of what has been described by many as the "Jewel of Costa Mesa" would occur near the section of the park near Jim Scott Stadium and the Waldorf School - to accommodate more spectator parking for events at the stadium. I suspect those of you who really care about preserving Fairview Park will want to attend that meeting and make your views known to Chairman Jeff R. Mathews and his fellow commissioners. I'll remind you once the agenda is available for review - probably next week.

SMELLS OF MENSINGER
If true, this has the stench of Steve Mensinger all over it. And, if true, this won't surprise me at. After all, Mensinger - seen here on the right - is Mr. Football here in town. He is also a developer and those folks just can't stand to see even a sliver of open land without a building or a parking lot on it. The loss of precious local open space doesn't bother him. He can just jump on an airplane and fly off to the wide-open spaces of Montana or Alaska to catch fish or kill critters any old time he wants. In the meantime, those less affluent folks here in our town are given the proverbial finger. I've lost track of how many times I've warned you about these guys. If your rights have not yet been trampled by them, it's only a matter of time...

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ANOTHER WESTSIDE TOWN HALL
A reminder for you. Next Wednesday, November 9th, councilwoman Wendy Leece and Mika Development Corporation will host a Town Hall at Pomona School from 7:00 p.m - 8:30 p.m. You can read all about it on the flier below.