Mailbag: First Street Village development project is not what Burbank needs

I am writing after reading again about the plans for First Street Village development. It is upsetting to most of us living in Burbank. I have written to the Burbank City Council with no response. This development is disturbing for all the congestion it will bring to a small area around the mall. The parking will be hard to find. The traffic it will bring will be horrible. We do not need more congestion in the downtown area of Burbank.

When the new Ikea store is finished, the area from Alameda to Olive Avenue will be busy enough, but when you also take the old Ikea building and have 1,467 apartments within a quarter mile radius, that’s ridiculous. What about all the water and electricity the thousands of new tenants will be using when we are supposed to be conserving right now?

I want the single-family houses back in Burbank and no more multifamily dwellings with many rentals. These renters vote for things we have to live with forever and then they leave the area. Let’s stop with all the buildings that the developers are trying to build in Burbank and go back to the small town feelings that are disappearing.

Kathy Depp
Burbank

..

Support Portantino for state senate

I had the pleasure of working with Anthony Portantino during our time on the La Cañada Flintridge City Council and I have continued to work with him in my professional capacity as a government affairs director for several Realtor associations in our area. I was very pleased that the California Assn. of Realtors voted to support his campaign for the state Senate.

Our 25th Senate District would be well-served by electing Portantino. Frankly, I don’t always agree with him — but 100% agreement isn’t the point when electing a representative. What counts most are the integrity and priorities of our elected leaders. In Portantino’s case, he has a record of fighting for the types of reforms we need and he puts public education at the top of his list.

Portantino understands our Foothills cities and our desire to have our children excel in outstanding public schools. He and his wife, Ellen, are active public school parents and PTA members. Please join me in supporting Portantino as our next state senator.

Laura Olhasso
La Cañada Flintridge