Port staff is in hot water over waterfront project

Re “Political Issues Cloud San Pedro Seaside Revival,” July 26

The Port of Los Angeles says its project to “beautify” the waterfront isn’t part of the Bridge to Breakwater project. Hardly. It’s an underhanded scheme to create prejudicial momentum for a high-density development and to obfuscate its impact by fragmentation. Parking in this “beautification” project is bigger than open space. For a project that isn’t part of the Bridge to Breakwater plan, it is curious how its features coincide precisely with the high-density version of that plan. If Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is serious about open government, he should join the voices of those who want to keep George Orwell out of port planning.

Tom Politeo

Co-chairman and Founder

Harbor Vision Task Force

Sierra Club, San Pedro

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Here in San Pedro, we have been dealing with the highhandedness of the port and its staff for years. The port has consistently failed to deal adequately with the massive impact this booming business has on the health and physical structure of our community. Now we find that that port staff has hidden from the Harbor Commission -- its boss -- an unflattering economic report on its latest expansion plans, and that the city attorney’s office has declared illegal the port effort to ignore state environmental laws with regard to a $44-million, multi-acre waterfront project. Yet the port wants to push ahead. A little humility and coordination with the community would be a refreshing change.

Peter M. Warren

San Pedro