Scare tactics for Leisure World home market story
I find the Sun’s page 1 article in the Thursday, May 24 edition titled “Leisure World living units moving at a snails pace” to be full of holes.
I am surprised Mayor Michael Levitt (a Leisure World resident) didn’t respond properly.
It seems to me that 201 units for sale out of a total of 6,700 units is a very, very low rate.
I believe there were about 800-1,000 units for sale in 2009.
Mayor Levitt is quoted as speculating “that the economy may be the reason for the glut on the market.”
What glut? Two-hundred and one out of 6,700 is around 0.03 percent.
Nat Ferguson who wrote an article on Page 16—is this a buyer’s or seller’s market?
He states “contrary to what the general public believes, we are currently experience a ‘seller’s market.’” He goes on to note that this is the best seller’s market in four years.
So I suggest Charles M Kelly, author of “snails pace,” consider writing an article stating facts not “scare tactics.”
Judy Carter-Johnson
Seal Beach
Re: Coastal Commission
This is in response to Assistant Editor Charles M. Kelly’s article in the Sun, Thursday, May 12 re: “State Coastal Commission … obstacle to development in coastal cities.”
This is exactly what the majority of the electorate wanted when they voted to approve the California Coastal Zone Conservation Act (Prop. 20) in 1972.
This was implemented by the legislature by approving a bill by then former Assemblymember Pete Wilson to protect California’s coastal areas—the first law of its kind in the nation.
The legislation, among other things, declared that “to achieve maximum responsiveness to local conditions, accountability, and public accessability, it is necessary to rely heavily on local conditions.”
Therefore, implementation of the Coastal Act policies is to be accomplished through the preparation of a Local Coastal Plan to be reviewed and approved by the state Coastal Commission.
Rather than being critical of the state commission, the residents of Seal Beach should be involved in assisting the newly created Ad Hoc Local Coastal Plan Citizens Advisory Committee which has members appointed by the council and reflect folks from all walks of life in our fine city.
Once the LCP is completed and approved by the Planning Commission and the City Council, it will be submitted to the state Coastal Commission for review and approval (certification).
Then the city will have coastal permitting authority over proposed developments. The state retains permit jurisdiction over development on tidelands, submerged land and public trust lands.
If any resident of our city has any questions or needs further information, they should contact their local council person or the city manager’s office.
Les H. Cohen
Legislative Advocate Emeritus
Sel Beach Leisure World
Member LCP Committee
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