The Star-News from Chula Vista, California • Page 6

on Feb. 14, 2003 Mid-Bayfront may be Padilla's legacy I I LETTEfiS FROM READERS again by developers Development plans for Chula Vista's Mid-Bayfront are a little bit like buses. If you missed one, there's bound to be another one along sooa But Mayor Steve Padilla isn't content to let this quaint South County tradition continue. "I am determined, as your mayor, before my time is out, to see a project in the Mid-Bayfront," he said to an audience composed mostly of local business leaders at the monthly breakfast held at the San Diego Country Club last Friday. "And I need your help." The way Padilla tells it, Mid-Bayfront development proposals tend to be shot down by a well-organized group of zealots who turn up to speak at public forums.

"Those who organize best are heard loudest" But the Mid-Bayfront should represent the entire community. So the voice of South County business needs to speak up a little. It just needs to be organized sufficiently to expose some of the double talk. We need to be reminded that the Mid-Bayfront is not a 180-acre project, it's a 400-acre project of which 180 acres were set aside for development. The tree huggers already got their 220-acre conservation area.

Why should they be allowed to come again to the bargaining table and demand the rest? "We will be met at every corner by those who say that all change and any change is bad," he said "And they are wrong." The reason they are wrong is that an acceptable development of the Mid-Bayfront is an essential economic catalyst for the Broadway corridor. It's essential because Chula Vista has to brace itself for the massive impact of Gov. Gray MICHAEL C. BURGESS Davis, botched budget proposal and the withdrawal of $10 million in "backfill" that would replace lost Vehicle License Fees. And it would be disastrous to run out of money before backbone infrastructure is put in place to cater for the rapid development in the eastern city.

When speaking of the city's population having recently reached the 200,000 mark, Padilla likes to say, "Chula Vista is on the doorstep of its own coming of age." And that's not an entirely mixed metaphor. Coming of age used to involve being given a key to the front door. So it's time to grow up and give the Montgomery neighborhood the signs and sidewalks it was promised 20 years ago. It's time to fight Sacramento in defense of our own financial priorities. And Padilla even wants reconstitute the University of California Chula Vista taskforce to bring "a university of some sort" to Chula Vista.

It was a little disconcerting to hear him paraphrase a line from Pericles' funeral speech for the Athenian war dead, circa 430 BC: "We do not imitate but we are a model for others." But the same version was spoken by a newly elected JFK in 196L When Chula Vista does come of age, will others see our model as Athens or Camelot? 321 Chula Vista, CA 91910 (619)427-3000 wvvw.thestarnews.com e-mail: infothestarnews.com Sports Editor Phillip Brents Reporters: Laura Mallgren, Kirsten Myers Marcum Contributing Writers: Richard Pena, Joe Naiman, Chris Tian, John Philip Wyllie, Greg Eichelberger, John Roe Receptionists Pauline Lozano, Shavone Owens publication shall I hereof may Inc. Fooled A developer, Pacif ica, presented a development plan to the City Council last April. The area involved was the 100-plus acres of the Mid Bayfront at the foot of Street. The plan called for 3,400 housing units to be built on our bayfront with no amenities or provisions for the public. It was, in effect, to be a private gated community on Chula Vista's only available bayfront property.

I and some others urged the council not to approve it, but the council approved the concept of the plan and gave the developer a two-year exclusive negotiating agreement. Then something very unusual happened, something I do not remember happening in the three decades that I have been council-watching. What normally would have occurred would have been a long planning process, studies, EIRs, give-and-take in the plan between the developer and the city staff, and finally a plan brought before the Planning Commission and the City Council for approval with public hearings. Instead, scarcely eight months into the process, all planning was stopped and two extraordinary public community forums were held, with the council in attendance. We were told that "the slate was clean," that the developer was really interested in what the citizens of Chula Vista wanted on their bayfront.

Many of us were extremely skeptical. Hundreds of citizens responded by coming to the two meet you have no idea what war is. Our survivors' association is now down to about 7,000 members. Many of us have chosen our final resting place. Many to sea interment and many to land interment in Hawaii.

There is a poem which in part says it very well. "Hawaii, where the trade wind blow. There lie crosses, row after row." Once again our United States Congress has gone on the gravy train and given themselves another raise! According to the Associated Press they have increased their income $18,000 since 1999. Thus, as of Jan. 1.

2003. each member gets $154,700 each year! it would appear that the gi train also includes gifts from the lobbyists and members of industry. Said gifts include memberships in many clubs, tickets to a host of events as well as travel in our nation and abroad On Jan. 8 the Associated Press showed great changes for the lobbyistas and even better deals for our congress. I find this way of life to be demeaning.

An adage of many centuries says, "Beware of the bearers who bring gifts," and, there is also, in Exodus which was written by a God-fearing man named Moses, "And thou shalt take no gift; for the gift blind-eth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous." Moses lived in 1450 B.C. Would you rather listen to the lobbyistas, or to Moses? DON PORTERFIELD Chula Vista ings and voicing their opinions. Their common theme was clear far less extensive development, more park and space for Chula Vistans and visitors to our bayfront. Sad to say, our skepticism was justified. The developer's revised plan submitted recently was, if anything, MORE intense than the original plan.

So the two public community forums were indeed just for show, just to make it look like public opinion mattered. What a shame. Fooled again! PETER J. WATRYJR. Chula Vtsta War is hell Today we hear much saber rattling by members of the administration and of Congress who have never spent even one day in any U.S.

military unit. If you are one of those, you have no idea what war is. Thus I urge our president to play it cool. Some in the administration say, "If needs be, we can fight both Iraq and North Korea at once." I regard this as idle talk when we do not know what weapons either country has. I am a Pearl Harbor survivor of Hickam Field, Hawaii where on Dec.

7, 1941, we lost 181 mostly young men. Across the bay at Pearl Harbor Naval Base the loss of life was almost 4,000 killed and many wounded. Nothing on earth can prepare anyone for such. And there is no way that I will ever forget Thus I say if you haven't been there, PUBLISHED CONTINUOUSLY SINCE 1882 Linda Rosas, Publisher Michael C. Burgess, Editor Business Manager Jutta Vanderheyden Graphics Manager Tshea Rogers Graphic Artists: Sheila Newbery, Marcos Orozco Account Executives: Kendall Brenning, Colleen Money, Hector Nunez Classifieds: Stephan Melvin The Star-News, with all Its associated publications, provides coverage of the South County.

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