MAILBAG - Feb. 15, 2000

The recent articles and commentaries concerning the new school concern me

on a number of levels (“New school faces traffic concerns,” Feb. 7).

First and foremost, I am a parent of second- and fourth-graders who are

scheduled to attend the new school.

Second, I drive on Newport Coast Drive every school day at about the time

school would start.

Third, I am a taxpayer who lives in Newport Coast.

Fourth, I am a business litigation attorney who has both defended and

prosecuted actions involving personal injury victims.

The above combination leads me to believe that opening the new school

without making appropriate plans to protect the safety of the children

attending the school would be the equivalent of playing Russian Roulette

with six people.The question is not if, but when, will the first student

get struck by a car.

I do not need a fancy traffic study to tell me that cars speed up and

down Newport Coast Drive in excess of 60 mph.

I do not need a traffic consultant to tell me that school zone signs,

crossing guards, reduced speed limits, and flashing lights will not slow

down every car, enough to avert a pending tragedy.

I do not need a medical degree to tell me that the parents of the injured

or dead student will suffer an irreplaceable loss.

I do not need my law degree to tell me that there will be an expensive

lawsuit against the school district, the city, the county, the Irvine

Co., and others, which will lead to the payment of millions of dollars

from those entities that knew about this design defect and failed to

comply with their duty to protect the children of Newport Coast from a

known danger.

I do not need a construction background to determine how much the two

footbridges over Newport Coast Drive and San Joaquin Hills road would

cost. It will cost less than the life of one child.

I do not need a political science degree to figure out the community

feelings about this issue and the backlash that will happen after the

first injury.

I, and other concerned parents, will explore each and every avenue

possible to protect our children, including not sending them to the new

school, unless and until corrective measures are taken to eliminate the

risk to our precious kids.STEVEN A. FINK

Newport Coast

Greenlight’s effect must be known

I am normally opposed to the city spending so much money on outside

studies, but in the event of the Greenlight issue it is such a very

critical issue (“City OKs analyst for Greenlight initiative,” Feb. 9). We

need to know exactly the impact five to 10 years down the road. I would

certainly approve hiring John Douglas, a very capable person, to look at

this very thoroughly so we know what the absolute impact will be.

DAYNA PETTIT

Balboa Peninsula

Green space is too valuable to lose

I take exception to Bill Turpit’s article about the skateboard park

pertaining to TeWinkle Park being the place for the second skateboard

facility (“New site would only delay skate park,” Jan. 13). We already

have parking spilling into surrounding streets -- noise, motorcycle

races, other activities from the fairgrounds, bark park, tennis courts,

youth and adult sports activities and a new sports complex. People use

TeWinkle Park more than most other parks for family enjoyment. Every

space is used. We cannot afford another of our green spaces to be

replaced by cement. Please find some other area already cemented, not

impacting residential areas.

Leave green areas alone.

NADINE ANDREEN

Costa Mesa