Our Readers Write: La Jollans speak out about unfinished curbs, helicopter noise, good-and-bad building projects

Our Readers Write / Opinion / Letters to the Editor:

Letters to the Editor from the June 14, 2018 issue of La Jolla Light as La Jollans speak out on local issues:

• Does the City consider this project finished?

Please consider this photo (pictured above) of the pocket park at the foot of Midway in the Bird Rock area provided here. This two-year project cost more than $500,000 (after more than 12 years of planning), was completed two years ago, and now looks pretty decrepit. It still has ugly black tarp and orange sandbags lining the curb. (I can’t imagine what good they do.)

There is an enormous mound of grass growing beneath the curb. The park was built without a water supply, so occasional watering is accomplished by a City park person borrowing the generous adjacent neighbor’s garden hose. Much of the original vegetation has died. Could the La Jolla Light possibly track down someone at the City who can fix all of this?

This beautiful view point receives high usage by both locals and visitors and does not create a very good impression. Thanks! — Clem Hoffman

Editor’s Note: We hope to bring you an update on this situation in the June 21 issue.

• Good things coming to La Jolla Blvd.

Living a block from the old Nautilus Professional Building and adjoining little retail building for over two decades, I wondered if these eyesores would ever go away? When I read that the professional building would be converted to apartments, I was thrilled. Knowing the Murfee brothers are the developer is even better news. Their Crown Point, Point Loma, Hillcrest and North Park projects are outstanding. This long overdue redevelopment is great news. The new retail will be a nice addition to the neighborhood. Well done! — Tony Pauker

• Project on Coast Walk too large for community

Who approved the ginormous pile at Coast Walk and Torrey Pines Road? La Jolla Light keeps reporting on the 17 busy-body boards in La Jolla telling people what they can and can’t do with their property, and yet this humongous 939 Coast wanna-be scooted through the approval process without so much as a by-your-leave? Sad. This thing will be blocking views for decades to come, right as you enter and leave The Village. — Kennedy Gammage

• News helicopters could be grounded

Regarding last week’s letter “Helicopter noise is rattling nerves,” I have lived in the same house 400 feet from Marine Street beach going on 42 years. I am well acquainted with helicopter noise and usually don’t need binoculars to identify the aircraft. Several types of helicopters fly the coastline:

• Marine: as part of their drill to remain mission ready;

• Coast Guard: typically as part of their surveillance or search activity;

• Police: rarely along the coast, usually inland looking for nefarious activities;

• News: Almost as frequent as police and often in the vicinity of police activity;

• Rescue: picking up injured or sick people and taking them to the closest hospital, rarely along the coastline.

There may be days when as many as 25 helicopters fly the coastline, but these are typically military and not civilian. And they often fly in formation, something police helicopters never do. The only type of helicopter flying the coastline not performing a training, search and rescue or public safety function are news helicopters. Ban them from the area. The other flights are for our benefit. — David W. Valentine

• Helicopter noise in La Jolla compounded by other aircraft

Margaret McDaniel is right in her recent letter about the noise from helicopters, and they are flying so low, they appear to be just above the tree-line. We already have extensive aircraft noise — arrivals 24 hours a day, departures 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Now add in the helicopters, the private pilot activity that increases this time of year, and the summer advertising banners by small planes.

Did anyone notice that during the big Torrey Pines Golf Tournament, the skies were very quiet?

The noise pollution, as well as the dirt and soot pollution from the skies, bombards us constantly. What used to be a quiet, clean and lovely city is deteriorating fast. I don’t see any concern by the local or national government. — Gillian Ackland

• A big thank-you to dog-loving La Jollans!

Our faith in the innate goodness of people was restored on June 9. Let me explain. On Mother’s Day, we adopted a shy chihuahua/corgi dog at the Bonita Animal Shelter. Jeeves quickly became a piece of our heart and lives.

On Saturday, June 9, something spooked him and he bolted away from us and out into the tourist crowded streets of La Jolla. Within seconds, people were running with us, trying to catch a very fast dog. My wife was offered a ride by a couple in their SUV, while a wonderful lady in an electric cart took me to the last place she saw him.

What was most likely no more than a half hour of desperate searching, seemed like a lifetime. Visions of worst-case scenarios filled our mind as we searched for our poor little guy. He came from a traumatic situation and had so far in his journey to become a happy and confident member of a new family.

As I was dropped off on Prospect Street, a valet from the La Valencia hotel called over to me and asked if we were looking for a lost dog. Jeeves was with them. He was shaking and panting, but unharmed.

Today, as he sits at our feet and begs for pieces of our breakfast, we are grateful for all of the wonderful people of La Jolla that helped us become a family again. — James, Rhonda and Jeeves Jensen

• What’s on YOUR mind?

Letters published in La Jolla Light express views from readers in regard to community issues. To share your thoughts in this public forum, e-mail them with your name and city of residence to editor@lajollalight.com or mail them to La Jolla Light Editor, 565 Pearl St., Suite 300, La Jolla, CA 92037. Letters reflect the writers’ opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or publisher.