Developer, public see beach differently

With regard to the Community Voices commentary written by developer Anand Jobalia ("Beachside revitalization requires tough decisions," April 1):

Height-limit restrictions in Ormond Beach may be a challenge for developers, but there is little chance the folks living there will reconsider the issue. Better a sandy plot, as I look at it, than a sky-scraping wall of masonry shading the sands. In time there will be a compromise as developers find a way to make the numbers work and property owners tire of paying taxes on burdensome investments.

As to “tough” requirements for “new build” in Daytona Beach: Tough is what building codes should be, particularly when it comes to beachfront development. This is clearly evidenced in the devastation brought upon beachfront structures by the storms of recent years.

And then there’s the issue of beach driving. Jobalia, a developer, has taken a developer’s position on this topic: Beach Driving is Bad. For folks living here and paying taxes here, as well as with many tourists, that’s not necessarily the case. The telephone pole-like posts that segregate certain beach areas fronting high-end motels are a travesty on the rights of local citizens. This may not be segregation at its worst, but it is pretty bad.

Jobalia presented his thoughts and comments but offered no more than biased platitudes in terms of what might be done. As an idea for those who care about an open beach, I would like to suggest a series of weekend beachfront sit-ins on the sands fronting the most recently segregated motel beach. It is my hope that the Sons of the Beach might pick up on the organization of such events every weekend during the coming summer months. Encourage folks to bring their coolers and spread their towels and blankets over this segregated area. No cars allowed — but perhaps a thousand or so sunbathers spread over every square foot of beach will get someone’s attention.

Mac Smith

Ormond Beach

 

Scare tactics

This letter is not intended to offend any of my gun-owning friends and relatives. I will defend the Second Amendment to my death. I have nothing against hunting (preferably for food, not merely trophy-mounting). My dad was on the Navy Competition Pistol Team. He and several friends and relatives are lifetime NRA members. However, this was back when the National Rifle Association was composed of like-minded, sports-minded, environmentally conscious outdoorsmen. I spent many a Saturday peering downrange to see how we had shot.

This was long before the NRA became a political machine, spending lots of money to lobby those in power, and making the gun and ammo companies very wealthy. The NRA fosters fear that we should stockpile armaments and rounds, because “they” are coming to take them away.

But the Second Amendment is still intact, not a single legal gun or shell has been confiscated, and the number of guns in this country has almost doubled. Note, “number of guns,” not “number of gun owners.” Think hoarding and stockpiling due to unwarranted fear. A few years ago, I couldn’t find a single box of .22-longs.

I fervently hope for common-sense gun control: true background checks, mental health screening and restricting maximum-casualty, minimum-time assault weapons to military and law enforcement. I’ve eaten a lot of venison, and it was never mowed down with 30 rounds a minute. I certainly don’t believe we should arm teachers or turn schools into armed fortresses. We all need to solve this together; we’re better than this.

Pat Ferraro, Flagler Beach