MAILBAG: Ocean views are a community asset, should be preserved

Your editorial on views is to be applauded. (“Take a look at views,” April 3.) Mother Nature endowed Laguna Beach with some of the most beautiful ocean view sheds anywhere. She gave us these unique views of the ocean, islands, sunsets and even the inland valleys from steep bluffs and hills unobstructed by large vegetation. People came, saw and purchased land to enjoy these wide open spacious vistas unique only this area. Then far too many of these same people brought in trees foreign to this area, planted them where it did not obstruct the own precious views, but deliberately or unconsciously destroyed the precious views of their neighbors and even destroyed public view sheds.

Those who value trees should not ruin nature’s special gift to Laguna of these previously wide open beautiful vistas. They should be careful what they plant and where they plant it, and keep it maintained such that it does destroy any public or private views. Or, just move to any of thousands of other places where nature grows trees or where importing non-native trees adds to value and pleasure, not destroys value and pleasure.

If you doubt the value of these unique views in Laguna, just check the real estate ads; if the property has a view, it is the No. 1 sales feature. If it has trees, they are not even mentioned. (I have lots of trees, but they are all fruit trees and carefully maintained so as to not obstruct any public or private views and do not intrude onto or over any neighbors’ property or public property.)

DAVE CONNELL

?

‘Old Post Office’ a relic of Laguna’s past

I was recently reading “A Short History of Laguna Beach” by Karen Wilson Turnbull, which states: “John Nicholas Isch ran the livery stable. He also ran a grocery and was one of the early postmasters. Known for his trusting ways, he never locked up when he went fishing. Customers came in to shop and to pick up their own mail. They could pay the next time they came in. For a number of years, the only telephone in a town was in the store. The phone was connected with the Irvine ranch house, and messages could be relayed from there to the outside world.”

The grocery store/post office was on Laguna Avenue and was immortalized by Laguna Impressionist Joseph Kleitsh in his painting “Old Post Office.”

I recently went to the Laguna Art museum to see the current exhibition “Roger Kuntz: The Shadow Between Representation and Abstractio.”

There in the bookstore I was amazed to see Joseph Kleitsh’s “Old Post Office.”

It is quite a painting, and quite a thrill seeing it. The 1922-23 painting depicts a profile view of Nick Isch’s general store and post office on a sunny afternoon.

Then I went upstairs in the museum where there is an exhibition of historic art and I saw once again Joseph Kleitsh’s “Old Post Office.”

At first I was a bit confused, but found out the one in the bookstore is a giclée available for sale unframed for only $325.

I would encourage all Lagunas to see the exhibitions and see the quality of the giclée reproductions.

GENE FELDER

Laguna Beach

HOW TO GET PUBLISHED

Mail to the Coastline Pilot, P.O. Box 248 Laguna Beach, CA 92652. Send a fax to (949) 494-8979 or e-mail us at coastlinepilot@latimes.com. All correspondence must include full name, hometown and phone number (for verification purposes). The Pilot reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity and length.