Dear Editor,
Chris M. Kingry’s provocative query, “I’m not sure where these Rossmoor people are getting their information” regarding the proposed LA Fitness Center, has a direct answer: experience.
Objections to noise are clearly understood by those most impacted by the close proximity to their living quarters, especially residents of the Rossmoor Regency and Rossmoor Park Condominiums. Even the Environmental Impact Report cites human voices and car doors from the center’s parking lot and the HVAC systems on the roof of the 37,000 square-foot building will require mitigation. Plus, what homeowner or renter wants to look out on an ugly warehouse-type building blocking their sunlight and fresh air?
When I lived in Anaheim across from a 24-Hour Fitness Center, I was on a Neighborhood Watch Committee that frequently met with sheriffs of the APD. The idea that Fitness Centers make it easier for criminals to prey on clients and nearby residents is based on statistics, Chris. That parking lot was not a nice place to be with the noise, refuse, drug dealers, thieves, and vandals.
I haven’t even addressed myriad issues of traffic, parking, and aesthetics.
Ask your Seal Beach City Council members why they don’t want the fitness center in your neighborhood and why the issue of crime has been deliberately left out of the proposal’s EIR. Those are better questions, Chris.
Diane Rush
Coalition Against LA Fitness / Rossmoor resident
LA Fitness NOT Fit to be in Rossmoor–Let’s Get Back to the Basics
Dear Editor,
LA Fitness currently has over 1,200 Gym locations with plans of adding one new gym every week. This privately held company, headquartered in Irvine, does not release financial data, crime reports, lawsuits or pending litigation. This is NOT a local gym concerned about local residents, environment, traffic, crime, or erosion of the quality of life in our community. The only goal here for LA Fitness is to make money and add another weekly gym to its worldwide tally.
Yes, developers should be able to build businesses on land they own and cater to their customers. However, when the proposed business creates high traffic and potential crime in a neighborhood surrounded by residences on three sides, we need to take a step back and discuss. Will this business negatively affect the local residences? Will there be more traffic? Does this type of business attract crime? Is there a safety concern? Is there a possibility that Emergency Vehicles will be impeded from an Emergency call? Will this business create a financial and services burden on the local community? How will property values be affected by a large 37,000 square foot building located less than 100 feet from residences that is open from 5 a.m. to midnight? Will there be an overflow of cars parking on residential streets? What are the long-term effects? Let’s look at the facts.
Based on the 37,000 square foot proposal released by LA Fitness and their minimum membership goal, it is estimated that 2,600 members will be using the club every day. This means 5,200 cars will be coming IN and OUT every single day starting at 5 a.m. until midnight, seven days a week. Will Seal Beach Blvd be able to accommodate the increased traffic flow? Will some of these members decide to use Rossmoor side streets and enter the gym from the rear, on Montecito Road? Can you imagine an additional 5,200 cars driving on St Cloud, and Bradbury?
I am not against property developers, but this proposal to build a huge gym in a quiet neighborhood is not in the best interest of the residents of Seal Beach and Rossmoor. I’m asking the City Council of Seal Beach to reject the LA Fitness project.
Steve Samuelson
Seal Beach/Rossmoor resident
Give LA Fitness an opportunity
Dear Editor,
It seems that there is a concerted and organized campaign against a health facility such as LA Fitness having a place at Rossmoor Center. The main complaint is an assumed increase in traffic. While I understand the traffic concerns, it is hard to imagine a more congested area than In-n-Out Burger, and no one seems to complain there. Indeed, the more traffic, the more business, and the more business, the more taxes received by the city. These are the consequences of a healthy business economy. But that, of course, is not the point. The main problem is change, and change is always difficult for some. I understand and appreciate that.
The main concern, however, should be, does this enterprise enhance the needs and well being of our residents? In this regard, LA Fitness more than fulfills that requirement. LA Fitness is a health club, and all that implies. The people that go there do so as part of a lifestyle that is concerned with health, the single most important possession we can have in this life.
How well I know. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with both cancer and Parkinson’s disease. Only my lifelong habit of strenuous exercise prevented me from succumbing to these maladies and keeping them at bay. The latest scientific journals (see Scientific American) have come to the conclusion that the “golden key” to a long and healthy life lies primarily in regular and vigorous exercise. Indeed, if any medicine were to be discovered that had half of the benefits of exercise, it would be hailed as a wonder drug! I follow a regimen of exercise to stay alive and active. It’s vital to may life, literally.
In a world of shops and restaurants, which do little to enhance our lives, I respectfully ask you to consider allowing an enterprise such as LA Fitness an opportunity to improve both the health and vitality of Seal Beach residents. A quality city deserves a quality health club.
Tom Pontac
Seal Beach
About Rossmoor and the LA Fitness issue
Dear Editor,
This is in response to the letter from Chris Mitchell Kingry of Seal Beach in your May 11th edition regarding his comments about Rossmoor people as I would like to dispel a few myths. From his comments Mr. Kingry appears to be not so much pro-L.A. Fitness as he is anti-Rossmoor.
As it just so happens, I am one of “these Rossmoor people”, and while I will cop to the fact that the house that I live in has had a couple of additions, sadly, nobody would mistake my unpretentious one-story dwelling for a “McMansion”. Also, I do manage to venture outside of the Rossmoor Wall—quite frequently, actually. I am an active member of the Seal Beach Lions and often attend Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce meetings. Through those two organizations, I have volunteered for the Thanksgiving Dinner at St. Anne’s Catholic Church, the Seal Beach Christmas Parade, Breakfast with Santa at the Marina Center, the Be More Healthy Expo in Eisenhower Park, the Leisure World Community Expo, and the Lions Club annual Fish Fry. And no, despite what you must be thinking, I am not retired nor am I independently wealthy. I am just a working stiff who wants to get to know her neighbors and support my community of Rossmoor/Los Alamitos/Seal Beach. After all, the last time I checked, we all share the same school district, and children who reside in Seal Beach do attend the grade schools located in Rossmoor.
As for Mr. Kingry’s comment that health clubs don’t invite crime, I wonder why it is that every single gym to which I have ever belonged has had numerous signs clearly posted in the parking lot urging you to take your valuables with you or keep them out of sight. Could that possibly be for the reason that not-so-nice people break into cars to steal valuables which, from my understanding, is a crime? Furthermore, I know for a fact that a former acquaintance who has become a meth addict and is now homeless belongs to a gym for the express purpose of using the facilities to shower and to use the restroom, so the fear about attracting drug addicts which has been expressed by other Rossmoor residents, is not a figment of the imagination. It is a legitimate concern.
Rather than casting aspersions upon Rossmoor residents, I suggest that Mr. Kingry make a sincere effort to become involved in our local community so that he can actually get to know his neighbors and understand their concerns. It would be so much more productive than firing off mean-spirited letters spouting stereotypes of people that he clearly has not taken the time to get to know.
Mary E. Doyle
Rossmoor
Lets keep the small town feel
Dear Editor,
I believe the controversy that surrounds the fitness center, can be put to rest by saying, that most Los Alamitos residents want to keep our small community small.
Good grief, does every inch of space need to be built upon? How many more gyms, shops, dentists, and eateries do we need? Seal Beach didn’t want this gym in their backyard, so they gave it to us and they get the revenue. Traffic is getting bad, Cypress too has done the same thing. My opinion is: enough is enough, Los Alamitos is just fine without anymore additional anything.
Claudia Freeman
Los Alamitos
Thoughts on sanctuary cities
Dear Editor,
On behalf of Rossmoor-Los Alamitos Republican Women Federated, we urge President Trump to keep his promise and defund cities and states that become sanctuary locals – including our own state of California.
§ Currently, California receives $1 BILLION A DAY in federal funds. Should California irresponsibly become a sanctuary state – we want Washington to STOP SENDING THE MONEY!
§ For California cities that have recklessly become sanctuary magnets for illegal aliens – we want Washington to STOP SENDING THE MONEY!
“Tough love” is the only way liberals might change their position on welcoming illegal aliens, including criminals and gang members.
Our club members, along with millions of patriotic Americans, overwhelmingly support President Trump, Vice President Pence and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Let’s defund all sanctuary towns, cities, and states!
Robin Itzler
Rossmoor-Los Alamitos Republican Women Federated
Truck trailers parking at the race track
Dear Editor,
Questions are often asked about the truck trailers parked in front of the race track. These trucks are parked on the 13 acres owned by the City, not the Race Track. The city has a contract with GES that allows them to park there. After all the concerns raised about the possibility of Prologis building a trucking distribution center on the 33 acres, it is hard for residents to understand why the city would enter into such a contract. Most residents agree that revenue is a critical need for the city. The concern of many residents, however, is that the city is willing to compromise the aesthetics and other quality aspects of our city in order to achieve revenue objectives. If you would like to see the city cancel this agreement with GES and stop allowing these truck trailers to park there, the best thing to do would be to email the Cypress City Council:
• Mayor Paulo Morales pmorales@cypressca.org
• Mayor Pro-Tem Jon Peat jpeat@cypressca.org
• Council Member Stacy Berry sberry@cypressca.org
• Council Member Rob Johnson rjohnson@cypressca.org
• Council Member Mariellen Yarc myarc@cypressca.org
George Pardon
Cypress
