Dana Point Headlands Could Be Preserved, but Should They Be?

To save the Headlands or develop it? That is the Shakespearean question. To find out requires the City Council to examine the feasibility of a bond issue.

Don’t believe all of those valuations of the property that are floating around. Only a formal appraisal counts.

Sophisticated telephone analysis in Newport Beach recently indicates that more than $100 to $125 per year of tax assessment would not be acceptable to the majority of voters. Using that criteria, the City could raise approximately $30 million (based on a recent economic analysis by the city). That amount of money would limit how much of the Headlands could be purchased and improved.

The specific plan for the Headlands will be completed. But upon completion or before, I have no doubt that the City Council will consider a bond issue to respond to the voices of so many of our citizens and put an end to this contentious and all-consuming issue so that the city can get on to other matters affecting the lives of our people who live in Dana Point.

ROBERT F. NICHOLS JR.

Dana Point

Robert F. Nichols Jr. is a member of the Dana Point Planning Commission.

* Having been a resident of Dana Point longer than the harbor has been here, I have a keen interest in seeing that the last open space in Dana Point is developed in an intelligent way. I took advantage of the Dana Point Chamber’s lunch and tour of the Headlands so I could make my own determinations with regard to the specific plan.

After taking the tour, I was very impressed with the latest plan presented by PBR, the firm hired by the landowner to design the development.

The plan is a very responsible and respectful design for one of the most beautiful vistas along the California coast. It seems that every consideration was taken to assure that everyone will benefit. Significant areas of open space, some developed into parks and some left in a natural habitat, were incorporated throughout this plan. I also realized that a lot of people like myself will now have access to a place that was formerly off-limits.

I work for a very highly respected international architectural design and land-planning firm in Newport Beach and have nothing whatsoever to do with the proposed development.

Being curious, I showed this plan to one of the principals of the firm. He was very impressed. That indicated to me that PBR was doing an excellent job.

Before the tour, I was cautious about how the land was to be developed, but now I’m very excited about the Headlands’ future.

SHER FULLER

Dana Point