Weigh in: Out There | San Clemente

Great article!!! The residents are waking up all around California. Developers will now be moving out of state to ruin other towns. I am glad to see that in San Clemente there are some very brave residents that see the importance to fight for Quality of Life. Thanks to these unselfish citizens the whole State stands to gain. Keep up the great work guys and lets not allow ill-responsible development in our cities.

San Clemente resident @ 1:46 PM PDT, May 3, 2008

I'm sick of developers and their grubby lawyers and employees. Pacific Golf paid them to spout outright lies in order to fool residents into believing that building on "Open Space" is good for them. Mann & Company would not accept the bribes nor would the voters of San Clemente. Come November, the red carpet that's been rolled out for developers will be thrown into the trash. "C" 'Ya

"C" 'Ya @ 11:29 AM PDT, May 2, 2008

Bravo to Mr. Mann and his colleagues! Anytime a ballot initiative get almost 70% of the vote you know that the opposition couldn't pass the smell test. BTW - I wonder if some of the pro-development whiners in here were in line for a bonus from developer Rosenblum? In the interest of full disclosure they should own up.

Clyde McPhatter @ 10:42 AM PDT, May 2, 2008

Quality of life is a huge issue all over Los Angeles, and Orange County. I forsee similar backlashes from other residents in other areas. Many of our coastal areas are being ruined by over zealous development. In our country, we do have the right to make our views heard through in local government..My compliments to those who have taken the time to make their views heard!

Dorene Slavitz @ 9:22 AM PDT, May 1, 2008

Development can never be stopped, no matter how people try. Population will always grow. The problem with Marblehead is that they will most likely put in some chain stores to make it look like every other shopping center in South OC (hopefully they don't). As for the golf club kicking those guys out, I believe it's their right to do so...private club makes its own rules.

TS @ 10:17 AM PDT, Apr 30, 2008

After spending summer in San Clemente since the 70's , I am amazed that such Irvine- looking communities, i.e. Talega, have been allowed to have been built. Please lets welcome the idea of keeping San Clemente with its old beach town charm in tact, as there really isn't a nicer beach community around.

Orange resident @ 10:51 PM PDT, Apr 29, 2008

P.S. I just read through the other comments. If any of you wants to see the insidious ruination of old San Clemente, please observe the collusion between local investment Realtors and their speculator friends when the elderly owners of Pier Bowl properties die and their non-local heirs sell. On the first-round sale to speculators, appraisers undervalue the properties while agents convince the heirs that it's hard to sell in an area halfway between LA and SD. And from there the properties trade hands several times among business buddies. I saw it happen more than twice.

Chased out by the 'new' San Clemente @ 9:45 PM PDT, Apr 29, 2008

The time to take a stand passed more than 10 years ago. Development since 2000 has already killed the so-called "sleepy little beach town." Now you can no longer get your prescriptionfilled downtown, but you can buy $125 blue jeans. Million-dollar condos are replacing the nearly unaffordable apartments on the ocean side of I-5. When do San Clemente's new residents take up the cause of affordable housing for non-millionaires? When there's nobody left to clean their houses, trim their yards and wait on their tables?

Chased out by the 'new' San Clemente @ 9:27 PM PDT, Apr 29, 2008

To the people who are angry about their "loss of property rights" and want to live in a city that is built completely out with expensive homes and retail shops, well, maybe you will be happier in any other city in South Orange County. But it's finally time for the residents of San Clemente to stand up for what is right, and for our quality of life, before it is too late. We like our quiet little beach town, and never wanted the huge developments on the hill in the first place. We should be concentrating on carefully improving our original vision, not on building out our last open space.

San Clemente resident @ 11:20 AM PDT, Apr 29, 2008

The people who think this article is "biased" are simply the people who will beneift monetarily from overdeveloping San Clemente. I moved to San Clemente 15 years ago because I was drawn to the "small town" feel- very rare in South Orange County indeed. I have watched the city quadruple in size, mostly in million dollar homes and retail stores in which I have never, and will never, set foot. Rest assured that this is a "grassroots movement" long in the making, from people who have lived here for many years and are tired of seeing our city ruined by developers and "big money."

San Clemente resident @ 11:17 AM PDT, Apr 29, 2008

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