The Oct. 6's Review contained an opinion piece from Coastal County Water District Director James Larimer and a letter from Cabrillo Unifired School District Trustee Jolanda Schreurs. Both seemed to argue that everyone should get behind the Wavecrest project because the community has elected several pro-Wavecrest candidates (such as themselves) in recent years.
Does that mean that since George Bush was elected in 2000, we should all get behind his foreign policy in Iraq or his tax cuts for the rich? Locally, if pro-development interests are in control of a political board or agency, are preservationists compelled to stand down as natural areas are bulldozed to make room for a 220-house subdivision (Wavecrest) or 450-car parking garage (Harbor Village)?
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Thus, it is particularly offensive that a public official such as Mr. Larimer must resort to name-calling whenever he encounters a viewpoint that differs from his own. By the way, what Mr. Larimer calls "obstruction" is nothing more than people insisting that developers abide by the applicable laws and regulations that protect our environment.
Both Mr. Larimer and Ms. Schreurs are fond of touting the many "free'' benefits that our community will receive from the Wavecrest project, e.g., dedicated open space, ownership of Smith Field, and Mello Roos tax revenues. We all know that nothing in life comes for "free.''
In the case of Wavecrest, the costs are extremely high and will be borne by future Coastside residents: a mega-development of 220 houses, more traffic gridlock, the loss of pristine natural beauty and irreplaceable wildlife habitat, and finally, an ill-conceived middle school location.
Kevin J. Lansing
Half Moon Bay
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