New housing ruins quality of life for existing residents

Carlsbad resident Michael Pattinson, a past president of the California Building Industry Association, advocates development as a means to reduce our state’s deficit. His math makes about as much sense as Michael Jordan severing his digits and selling them on eBay. Still, he has the right to express his opinion and it’s one we all need to listen to. The campaign to crowd more of his "customers" into our neighborhoods, open spaces, schools and roads diminishes the quality of life for residents already living here.

We were lucky to sidestep Ahmanson Ranch, but, throughout the county—in Newhall, Moorpark and even south of Lynn Road by Mt. Boney—the same kind of thing is happening: there is a financed, organized drive to develop more executive houses as quickly as possible. In Lang Ranch, the developer built on land that he did not own.

In Moorpark, the developer will not provide adequate traffic upgrades, but instead holds out for the public to foot the bill. With hysterical disregard for environmental issues, the developer could really care less what happens here once he’s made his sweetheart multimillion-dollar deal and left town.

Someone who can afford a million-dollar house can afford to live in plenty of places. It doesn’t have to be in a mega-mansion carved into the Conejo Valley’s ridgeline or sitting on ocean-view land south of Lynn Road that is all that’s left of the Old West.

Wouldn’t it strengthen our state and our economy if Pattinson and the CBIA redirected their formidable talents toward helping Californians quickly rebuild their homes after recent fires?

If the developer really wanted to, he could make a big difference for us all by planning strictly for our affordable housing shortage and by filling in areas of urban blight. The severe and under-addressed impending water shortage should also be considered. Our water sources are being cut off out of state, bought out by foreigners and seriously polluted by MTBE and perchlorate. Read R. Kennedy, Jr.’s article in the Dec. 1 Rolling Stone if you want to be outraged by Bush administration policy that hijacks our tax dollars and public health for corporate welfare to campaign contributors.

Mr. Pattinson, if you like development so much, keep it in Carlsbad.

Raymond Moccia

Newbury Park