Widening of a Costa Mesa Avenue

The city of Costa Mesa has again ordered and completed an environmental impact report to widen Del Mar Avenue and University Drive. A public hearing is being held Monday before the city Planning Commission.

The widening of Del Mar/University in conjunction with the proposed extension of University Drive from Irvine Avenue to MacArthur Boulevard over the top of Newport Back Bay made some sense. Now the connection to MacArthur over the bay is a dead issue. So, too, should be the widening of Del Mar.

Why wipe out homes to connect Irvine Avenue to Newport Boulevard? Worse, why would the city want to condemn part of my property and the property of other citizens of Costa Mesa simply to allow Newport Beach citizens to easily get to the Costa Mesa Freeway? For seven-tenths of a mile--so many homes.

This road widening is not in the interest of Costa Mesa citizens. Where does it go? At what cost? Houses will be displaced, citizens ignored. If it is needed for commuting, why not widen Mesa Drive? It terminates right at the foot of the Costa Mesa Freeway, as well as offering a direct entrance to the Orange County Fairgrounds.

Mesa Drive also meets Irvine Avenue. Instead of affecting many homeowners, widening it would impact few by displacing the edge of some golf greens at much less cost and citizen impact.

I also wish to protest the amount of advance warning given for the public hearing. I have been given twelve days notice. The notice and the public hearing could easily become history while a family was on vacation. Is this fair?

CARLA BROCKMAN

Costa Mesa