Trail Users vs. Homeowners

Re “Curb Appeal: Homeowners Block Bid by Trail Users for Parking Access,” June 9: I am of course appalled at these whiny homeowners in the hills. I live in the beach neighborhood just south of the pier in Santa Monica. Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski claims that she does not want to turn residential streets near recreation areas into “parking lots.” The beach is a popular recreation area, and every single inch of curb space within five blocks of the sand is filled with the autos of bikers, roller-bladers and beach-goers nearly every hour of the day. The incessant trolling for spaces, idling autos, crying children and trash left behind make living at the beach less than perfect, but it is not my beach and I can’t have it all to myself.

My solution: Put parking meters up and down their precious streets. In beach communities, meters have brought in millions of civic dollars a quarter at a time. Let those exclusive neighborhood streets earn their keep. Taxpayers deserve reasonable access to public space.

Sorry to hear about people relieving themselves in the bushes behind your house; you should see the mess inconsiderate people leave behind in my neighborhood!

STEVEN W. JOHNSON, Santa Monica

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I can’t help but respond to your article. Maybe the run-bike set should read the sign before entering Sullivan Canyon from Queensferry Road. It very clearly states: “TRESPASSING, LOITERING, TAMPERING, FORBIDDEN BY LAW.” This is not a public trail head; it’s county land.

If they can’t respect the law, what makes you think they will respect our neighborhood, which they don’t! If you go to the top of Westridge, take a good whiff, then look around. You can’t miss the garbage or the dog droppings. If this was happening in their neighborhoods, they too would do something about it.

DEBBI PATTEN, Los Angeles