Mailbag: Plan is cause for concern

I must say that Lou Murray was right on about the proposed construction on the Bolsa Chica Mesa (“More like a ‘heart attack for the mesa,’” Natural Perspectives, Feb. 10). Not enough scrutiny has gone into the project as of yet. It involves too many changes in the landscape, and thus the habitats involved, not to warrant at least an Environmental Impact Report.

It is, by the way, sponsored by the same group at Bolsa Chica that is the first to be heard when any type of effort is made to do anything on or near the wetlands. Nevertheless, they plan to move forward with these controversial changes and avoid their own type of scrutiny.

These modifications to the existing mesa would involve the active habitats of the Great Blue Heron and the local families of coyotes that are active on the Lower Mesa. Those same coyotes may then be forced to roam the neighborhoods close by. Many other controversial changes, such as trail building and windmill placement, speak for themselves in the eyes of environmentalists.

Thus, I agree wholeheartedly with Murray in her columns, and offer her thanks from the public for making this project known to many more people who care about the Bolsa Chica.

Charles P. Nichols

Huntington Beach

A few questions on trustee’s letter

There are several points to contend with in what Celia Jaffe has presented in her letter (“More information about Dwyer’s solar arrays,” Community Commentary, Feb. 10):

1) The Huntington Beach City School District board was not open to any other solar placement sites because the board was the party that insisted the structures be placed in the front of the school — despite the solar access studies that Chevron did (none of which included the school-front location). The ice-plant option, according to Asst. Supt. Jon Archibald at the Dec. 14 board meeting, was a very viable option. Additionally, the PE department of Dwyer begged not to lose the front of school field area, but rather the back basketball courts instead. Apparently, Jaffe knows more about what the PE teachers want than they do.

2) Eighth-grade promotion will not be held as usual, neither will the major money-maker, the Dwyer Dash, be held as planned. The fencing, construction and subsequent structures will render these events forever altered. Promotion and the annual panoramic photo will also be forever marred as they will not have the amazing, historic and iconic Dwyer beauty in the background — all of these events may be held to face away from the school due to the visual blight and to appropriately accommodate seating.

3) The board and Chevron did not follow prudent environmental guidelines, nor did they file with CEQA. They know this and must be relieved that, due to the community’s late awareness of this project, the 180-day statute of limitations has lapsed (though it should have reset Dec. 14 when a vote had to be made for a completely new structure location).

Recently, “Inside OC with Rick Reiff” gave our district an F on this project. Suffice to say the community agrees wholeheartedly.

Gina Gleason

Huntington Beach

Editor’s note: Gleason is the president of the Dwyer Middle School PTA.