Mailbag: There’s not enough water for Newport Beach to keep growing

For many years now, there has been talk of slow growth, when it comes to building large, commercial and residential projects in Newport Beach. Many folks wish to keep our lovely city from becoming crowded, congested and mostly paved over like, say, Santa Monica.

I have always felt that property owners should be allowed to do with their property anything that the city codes allow. That said, when I happened to turn down San Joaquin Hills Road from Jamboree the other day, a route I rarely take, I was absolutely astonished at the gigantic stucco mountain of brand new apartments being built on San Joaquin Plaza. As I understand it, there will be 524 new apartments, with 524 new water meters!

I turn on my shower for about five seconds, get wet and then turn it off. I lather up, wash my hair and then turn the water back on to rinse. My lawns are turning brown, many plants are dying, and I get a note from the city saying that if I don’t further reduce my water usage, I will be fined. As a longtime resident, I can’t maintain my landscaping, I have to shower as if I’m living in a third world country, but the Irvine Co. gets to build 524 new apartments with 524 new water meters.

Does anyone on the City Council see where this is going? I’ve never thought much about all the Banning Ranch noise, but you’re really considering this? How much more water must we all conserve to allow for all the new water usage that something like Banning Ranch will require?

I say, enough! If there is not enough water for the current residents of Newport Beach to live a decent quality of life, then there is certainly not enough for new developments which will bring in more people to use more water. I call for a moratorium on all new construction of any multiple unit or commercial projects, until this water shortage situation is brought under control.

I say we need to reel in development here or pretty soon Newport Beach, the gem of the Orange County Gold Coast, will be just another congested, overbuilt mess, like so many previously beautiful beach cities along the California coast.

Allen Drucker
Newport Beach

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New homes may need dumbwaiters

A dumbwaiter is a must have for any 3-story townhome. If your townhome has a dumbwaiter, you will be able to load items from your car directly into it in the garage and send it up to the kitchen for unloading. Leaving you free to manage any children or be unencumbered when climbing the stairs.

If you have young children with you, and you are the only adult, and do not have a dumbwaiter, you must leave the children unattended either in the garage or upstairs while bringing up the groceries or other items.

Every thing about a dumbwaiter makes sense for your townhome: convenience, child safety, increased resale value. Yet most builders are not offering them.

Why? These are premium properties near the beach where upscale buyers are asking for dumbwaiters and will pay the price to get them. Builders should consider including dumbwaiters in their townhomes, to satisfy market demand and to avoid built in obsolescence and future customer dissatisfaction.

Robert Graham
Costa Mesa

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It’s the Democrats who evoke Darth Vader

Re. Mailbag: Republican National Convention offers view of the darkside (July 20): If the Repulbican National Convention reminds one of “Star Wars,” then the Democratic National Convention will most certainly remind us of “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” starring Hillary Clinton as Nurse Ratched. Talk about the dark side!

Mark Elder
Costa Mesa