Read the reports

https://easyreadernews.com/letters-to-the-editor-4-4-24/

Dear ER

The Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) has created an unnecessary controversy over previously disclosed, state-mandated changes to the General Plan Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in Redondo Beach (“BCHD Campus plan at risk,” ER March 28, 2024). These were presented to the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) in at least three meetings in 2022.

For the Chair and some members of the GPAC claiming two years later they didn’t know this until last week is ridiculous. At best, it shows some GPAC members didn’t bother to read the agenda materials or attend meetings. The failure to be aware is on them, not on anything nefarious by the City of Redondo Beach. GPAC chair Nick Biro has been and still is a consultant for the BCHD. Does anyone truly believe Biro didn’t inform BCHD what was happening two years ago. 

The bitter truth is post-COVID BCHD realized they cannot secure funding for their project. It’s just too expensive and risky to lenders, even after BCHD gave away most of the ownership to outside entities. 

This latest PR effort appears to be a distraction to cover up for gross mismanagement. To date BCHD has spent over $12 million of taxpayer’s money developing this project and no lender appears to want any part of it. BCHD management and the District’s elected Board are frantically scrambling to find a scapegoat to keep their jobs. Time to blame the City of Redondo Beach.

Jessica Gonzales

Redondo Beach

Tear down that wall

https://easyreadernews.com/letters-to-the-editor-8-17-23/

Dear ER, As a Redondo Beach resident, I would like to applaud the City Of Torrance for hearing its residents, and not approving the bike path located at the end of Diamond Street. Diamond Street is a quiet, dead end street with a minimum amount of traffic. The obvious result of this half completed Beach Cities Health District project is an increase in traffic. The project was started without the approval of the Diamond Street residents. The building of a six-foot high wall is not in the rendering. The bike path will change from a wider path to a narrow path, which may prove to be a hazard for the bike riders. Some of the questions on Redondo Beach residents’ minds include why a six foot high concrete wall was built on BCHD property if it is not a part of the bike lane, and why was the project funded before getting the approval of the City of Torrance? Sincerely, Philip de Wolff #bchd #bikepathtonowhere

Gone in 13 seconds

Dear ER:

It appears Beach Cities Health District’s Flagler Alley bike path plan will still use $1.8 million in Metro grant money, in spite of the plan’s reduction by one third. I bike the Diamond to Flagler pathway from my home just west of Prospect to see friends who live on Tomlee Avenue. The ride takes me 40 seconds end to end on a regular bike. So the $1.8 million is now applying to about 13 seconds of a bike path?

Some allege the existing route is unsafe. I disagree, but admit that it could stand some improvements. The current path is perfectly functional, but needs to be resurfaced and needs some lighting. These lights should be low and path-specific so as not to shine into surrounding homes. The concrete barricades at the north (Torrance) end are not pretty, but they work well to keep cars out while allowing access to bikers, skateboarders and walkers. The same goes for the south end, which has a fence to keep cars out (an aesthetic improvement could be wood or vinyl instead of chain link). Both ends allow safe points of entry and exit.

The steep green belt adjacent to the path could be replaced with native plants to prevent erosion. This swath of land provides an important visual and sound barrier between people’s homes and existing medical offices, and a parking structure. These suggestions would cost far less than the $1.8 million BCHD intends to spend on what will now be a partial path, without the City of Torrance’s participation.

Shouldn’t such a project be city-initiated anyway? This isn’t BCHD’s first attempt to spend excessive amounts of our tax dollars on public land without the people’s consent. BCHD does a lot of good for the beach communities, but unfortunately their recent forays into private over-development on public property have tarnished their reputation. As letter-writer Geoff Gilbert put it, “Why the opposition from Torrance residents over this [bike path] project? Maybe it’s because it’s sponsored by BCHD, for which they have no trust.”

Lara Duke

Redondo Beach

https://easyreadernews.com/letters-to-the-editor-7-20-23/