Clearing the air over weekend beach use by associations
In a recent letter to the editor (No-sense Smoking Ban on 2-24-06), the writer stated "Let’s stop the merchants association from using our small beach every weekend for events . . ."
I just wanted to set the record straight. The OB Main Street Association (merchants association) rarely uses our small beach for any reason.
There are 52 weekends in a year (104 weekend days). One Saturday, every June, we host the Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off. This year will be our 27th year. One Sunday in September we co-host the Jazz 88 OB Jazz Festival in the Pier Parking lot. On a couple of weekends during the year, a surfing association may ask us to be involved in a contest with them. We are involved only to the extent that we help the event sponsors mitigate any negative impacts on the community.
So, the OBMA alone only impacts the beach 2 weekend days per year. That is a far cry from "using our small beach every weekend for events."
I just wanted to clear up that erroneous statement.
Denny Knox, Executive Director OBMA

McMillin sentiments echoed
Further to the excellent guest column in the Peninsula Beacon titled “Big Grab, Poor Sentiment,” by Kathleen Blavatt, there are additional reasons for the anti-NTC/McMillin elements in the residential areas of San Diego.
Encouraged by the special relationship that McMillin developed with the City of San Diego, politicians and the San Diego Development Department on the NTC project, McMillin executives are purchasing smaller homes on single lots, then razing them and replacing them with mansion-type or monster homes.
Based on their successful manipulation of the approval process on NTC, these McMillin executives are applying the same contribution and lobbying process to the current City of San Diego, politicians and Development Dept., and as a result, these monster houses are disproportionately large and overpowering compared with exiting homes, violate traditional set-backs, height limitations, floor ratios and obliterate the scenic views of neighboring houses, eroding the area’s architectural character.
As is clearly illustrated with McMillin’s attitude and posture, the real estate development industry is subject to the same greased palms of lobbyists and other politicians that characterize our system of government.
We the citizens, taxpayers and voters have to utilize our First Amendment rights and remind our fellow residents of the wheeling and dealing of McMillin and the politicians in order that developers do not gain inordinate influence over city council and departmental decisions in the future.
Jim Gilhooly, Point Loma

Two perfect sites remain
Our Regional Airport Authority ignores sound advice on viable alternative sites within the core metropolis, all the while targeting Miramar. They’ve made a good public show costing millions in consultant fees, scaring everyone in the outback communities with preposterous sites which would cost $20 billion in infrastructure just to get us there in an hour. Executive Board members were hand chosen by elected officials with the Miramar target objective in mind and that is certainly a central and viable site. However, we all lose if the Hail Mary doesn’t play at the Pentagon.
Either of two perfect mega-regional airport sites for San Diego’s 21st century economic engine sit right under our noses at the south end of San Diego Bay : 1) The Salt Flats site centered around the Naval Radio Station at the south end of the Strand, with an approach along the Otay River valley, or 2) Ream Field, a Naval helicopter practice landing field along the northern tier of the Tijuana River estuary.
These sites are immediately accessible to the lion’s share of a five million population San Diego-Tijuana metroplex. With existing interstate highway, rail and marine access infrastructure, the sites are ready-made for residents, tourism, business, port and freight interests. They’re flat with superb air approach and takeoff patterns. Either can be as large as you want, fitting the 3,000 acre goal and dual runways. They’re both largely unoccupied. Relatively few homes would be impacted. Imperial Beach badly wants and needs redevelopment.
It’s time to fish or cut bait with a real choice for San Diegan’s for the 21st century economic engine.
Al Frowiss, former San Dieguito Planning Group Chair
Mike Stevens , Stevens Planning Group