Letters/Online Comments

Re: Former Gov. Brown’s street vendor bill forces Avalon staff’s hand on food carts (issue Feb. 8-21)

Will Avalon be street-vendor crazy?
Say it’s not so! Pretty soon Avalon will look like Venice Beach. What a shame.
Larry Nelson

 

Re: Questions abound about Poseidon’s proposed desalination plant (issue Feb. 8-21)

Fatal Flaws of Poseidon’s Desalination Plant
One of the fatal flaws, which I think you should have pointed out in your article, is that the applicant for the Poseidon project has not identified the use(s) of the desalinated water created by the Poseidon project. Will it simply be used to recharge local groundwater basins in times of drought (that would be terrific), or will it be used to by new developments. Environmental Impact Reports are required to address the whole of the action. The Environmental Impact Report for the Poseidon project does not answer this question. The applicant has manipulated the description of the project (it’s referred to as piecemealing) and thus far has successfully lobbied to answer this question at a later date (once the facility is built and presumably it’s too late to stop it).

What is piecemealing? Here is a recent article: https://www.ceqadevelopments.com/2017/04/04/sixth-district-rejects-piecemealing-and-other-ceqa-challenges-to-ordinances-enacted-pursuant-to-santa-cruz-countys-zoning-modernization-effort/.

If the water generated by the Poseidon project is used for new development, the project will have a significant growth inducing impact on Orange County (this is the real story!). The state legislature has passed bills streamlining infill development in urban areas (high density apartments and condos). New development will need domestic water. Where will the water come from? Imported water is very expensive and increasing difficult to obtain. Desalinization plants are one option. Assembly Bill 1668 and Senate Bill 606 are other options. (see: https://www.wateronline.com/doc/permanent-water-restrictions-approved-in-california-0001). Many local governments in urban areas (orange County) oppose state mandated infill development. The state has threatened to cut off state funds to local governments that do not do their fair share to meet housing needs. This is an ongoing battle far from over.
David Tanner

 

Re: Wild West: Sea Lions and Boaters in Oceanside (and Elsewhere) (issue Feb. 8-21)

Sea lion accessibility solutions?
I watch the sea lions frequently. The one thing I noticed is the dock made for them sits higher than the boat docks. I used to see them on their dock but have noticed the sea lions seem to prefer the boat docks. Could it be that the boat docks are easier to get up onto? If it were me, I too would use the boat docks. Maybe some type of device could be attached to their dock to make it easier for them, especially the pups, to get up on the dock. Or somehow lower their dock. Thank you.
Duane Virgin