So long, Dr. Barke
It was stunning to hear outgoing Rossmoor Community Service Director Barke’s departure letter—read in his absence at the November 12 board meeting. For an individual who should have resigned from the board years ago after vacating the community to claim that a “group of far-left advocates has politicized … and taken over the RCSD” and to “pray Rossmoor will reassert its conservative core to take back the RCSD from the woke left” is such a gross distortion.
The effort to make sure that the noise and traffic impact of pickleball on residents who live around Rossmoor Park are addressed is driven by respect for health and safety, not by “woke” politics.
The preservation of tennis opportunities in the face of pickleball reflects the conservative notion of maintaining constructive institutions rather than disrupting them.
The expectation of appropriate use of property tax, grant, and Prop 68 funds by the RCSD reflects the need for good governance, not a politicization by the “far left.”
So long, Dr. Barke.
Rob Kaplan
Rossmoor
Lampson project issues need to be resolved
In regards to last week’s article by David Young on the go-ahead for the Lampson Project, I take issue with the reference to NIMBYism (not in my backyard) by the developer’s representative George Voight. Time and time again as public comments were offered by Seal Beach residents, the issue raised is the density of the Project. The development of 246 housing units is simply too big for the 12.3-acre site and should be scaled back! The College Park East residents understand the need for more housing and are not against a development that is planned responsibly.
Not including enough space for a bus stop within the development for the children is just one example of the serious problems with the Project. No, it is not a safe passage for children to be crossing Lampson to and from the bus stop at Heather Park. Instead, what will no doubt happen is that parents will see the danger and either drive their children to Heather Park or drive them directly to McGaugh, and schools in Rossmoor and Los Alamitos. This translates into more congestion and an unnecessary increase in vehicle miles travelled with resulting air pollution. The solution is to scale back the number of housing units, and use the Park and Ride Lot land for a neighborhood bus stop with parking spaces.
The sewer usage and storm water flooding are other examples of the myriad of problems related to the premature Lampson Project development. There are critical issues to be resolved with the City of Seal Beach before moving forward and breaking ground.
Catherine Showalter
Seal Beach
