Lagunitas not healthy for Carpinterians and other living things
The Lagunitas Project consists of 160,000-square feet of office and warehouse space on the southern portion of property and 74 housing units on the rear northern half. It is to be constructed on the Arnesen Property. The parcel is divided by Lagunitas Creek that drains about 280 acres in the southeastern portion of the Carpinteria Valley.

The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) marks air pollution as the only environmental impact that is not mitigatable. That means that the City Council will have to make overriding considerations to allow that much pollution in our air. To make that statement, the Council would have to consider that the project is more important to the community than our air quality.

The EIR states that the citizens of Carpinteria can live with the added traffic of 2,588 daily car, plus truck, trips. We can live with the increased population and the loss of agricultural acreage. We can place 450 tons of garbage in our landfills yearly. A riparian area, which has served as a foraging area for raptors, will be lost. More than half of this 25 acres will be covered with impervious materials, which will increase run-off over our bluffs face.

Also, the Lagunitas Development will displace agricultural workers and their families who are living there. Since the property is not zoned residential, the city is changing this industrial zoning so that it will include residential use also. If the city desires a zoning change, then why don’t they change it back to agriculture since that is its that is what it has been used for about 70 years?

Vera Benson
Carpinteria Valley Association

Where’s a girl to park?
Am I the only person who feels this way? It has come to my attention after trying to find long term parking in downtown Carpinteria and near Carpinteria Library, that our city does not have adequate downtown parking to accommodate any activity over 90 minutes. There is not enough parking that is not posted 60 or 90 minutes.

On Oct. 19, I parked in front of Peggy’s Used Treasures for 85 minutes and got a $30 parking ticket. The few spots that are available I am assuming are being taken up by downtown employees. So, that leaves us patrons without a place to park so we can shop or have services done by downtown merchants.

It takes approximately 2 plus hours for a cut and color appointment, manicure, pedicure and even a movie. Now with the holidays coming, how can we shop Carpinteria comfortably if we can’t park? The only other alternatives are to park in the Vons parking lot or several blocks away in the residential areas.

Is that fair to the residences or the businesses that have the parking lots for their customers? I would like to know who in our city has this same issue and who in our city government can address changing this issue.

Sara Hipple
Carpinteria

Bike path thanks
On behalf of all of us who travel about the town on wheels and for the cars that share the roads with us, I would like to thank the mayor, the City Council and others who helped provide the new section of bike path on Carpinteria Avenue. It is now possible to reach City Hall and points beyond without having to ride or walk in the road.

Your prompt response greatly reduces the possibility of an accident and makes traveling to the Bluffs a more pleasant experience. Is it possible to extend the safe path the entire length of Carpinteria Avenue to accommodate the increase in bike usage that the new park will generate? Please try.

Karen Friedman
Carpinteria

Pulido, “Thank You for Your Support!”
I have so many people to thank for “Our” victory, and I would like to start by thanking my wife Anita, my daughters, my son-in-laws, my grandchildren and my friends and neighbors and all of the people in the community that helped me win this important election. My support was truly a reflection of the “American Dream.” I had supporters from all walks of life, the rich, the poor, the young and the old, and representatives from the various ethnic groups in our community. My supporters also came from different political parties and varying organizations.

I am committed to working with my colleagues on the Board of Education, administrators, faculty and support staff in order to make our school system one of the best. I will do all that I can in order to provide every student with a high quality education.

I want to encourage all of you to become active partners in the educational process in our community and to recommit yourselves to becoming educational leaders. Our students are our future and only you can guarantee that they are educationally prepared to face that future. Once again thank you for your support and let’s continue our campaign to make Carpinteria’s Schools the Best.

J. Alex Pulido
Carpinteria

Tribute to my brother
First I would like to thank each and everyone for their endless generosity. I appreciated the many calls, cards, flowers, and trays of food and all the visitors who came to pay tribute to my brother. I give a special thank-you to the Fire Department for their presence at his services and the special tribute in his memory. I am also gratefully thankful to Father Beto from St. Joseph’s for allowing and having Nick’s services at his church. I am still amazed at the number of people Nick had touched in his life to include my own.

Nick was always known for his incredible strength of character. Because of this, he made me feel very special in considering me stronger in character than most people he knew and would have expected nothing less from me. I do however owe this to Nick because I drew my strength from him. I remember that as a young girl he would put me on his tractor or Harley and expect me to just take off! To Nick, saying, “I don’t know how” and “I can’t” were not options. He expected the best of everyone as he gave of himself.

Nick had a funny side to him as well. If I needed an avocado or two, he would bring me a box full. His favorite pie was lemon meringue, and his hint for me to make him one was to bring a box full of lemons (you only need two). Sharon Dambach, a mutual friend of ours, would get similar treatment. He would bring her huge bag of persimmons to get his batch of cookies.

My brother was also a very caring person, as most of us already know. He was always checking up on me to see if I needed any help, whether it would be mechanical, plumbing, or gardening. Concerned that I had enough firewood for the winter months, he would take me up to the ranch and cut the logs as I loaded the trailer. It felt rewarding in return to help Nick with my grafting abilities as we shared our love of gardening and agriculture. Underlying all these events was the wonderful time we spent together that I know we will both miss dearly.

When he left, he took part of me, but one day I know we will be together to share all those things again. In his special way, he came to give his special farewell, letting me know he had completed his journey.

Rebecca Razo
Carpinteria