Comments by Sofia Freer

Quiz: What was the HMB city council majority’s biggest mistake?

I believe the correct answer is N (All of the above) Barry, this is a good laundry list of the HMB Council Majority's poor decisions. I would also decry their veil of unnecessary secrecy, and failure to act more quickly to give the go-ahead to SB863. Sofia Freer

Editorial: Senator Yee’s SB863 gets it right

Barry thanks for a great editorial. My husband and I posted a message on Senator Yee's website on Aug. 21 in support of SB863. Here's what we wrote: Dear Senator Yee, We applaud your proposal to offer financial help to the citizens of Half Moon Bay while continuing to uphold environmental protections essential to the wellbeing of all Californians. We understand that you were put in a very difficult position by the actions of the Half Moon Bay City Council majority and believe that you have come up…

Letter: Fast track recycled water project proposed to SAM

Thank you, Scott and Ric. In 2005 I, along with more than 80% of Half Moon Bay voters, voted in favor of the City’s Advisory Measure for tertiary water treatment. I have been frustrated that the Half Moon Bay City Council has made no move to respond to the voters’ mandate. It's great that you, residents of Montara and Miramar respectively. are providing the push to get this much needed water treatment program started, even though it's unlikely any of the water will be used outside of…

HMB mayor, attorney say Coastal Commission staff is lying to legislature

Leonard, I too was reminded of George Orwell's "Ministry of Truth" in his satiric novel 1984. The "Truth Squad" is a chilling development designed to quash any thoughtful discussion of opposing ideas, especially as it follows Marina Frasier's impassioned statement that "we're at war". Sofia

HMB’s lawyers “educating” environmental groups about AB1991

Beachwood history shows that “compromise” is not part of Chop Keenan’s vocabulary. He appears to completely lack social conscience. One might even say that he failed to learn the basic skill of sharing that most of us learn in Kindergarten. Keenan’s supporters like to label anyone who is opposed to this calamitous settlement as a “no-growther”. I’m not anti-development, only against development that endangers the environment on which we all depend, and…

HMB announces Beachwood settlement decision with note tacked to bulletin board

So the city has caved, and except for Dana’s comment the silence is deafening. Am I the only one to whom any settlement feels like payment of ransom? I guess we’re just waiting to hear how much of our environmental wealth has been offered, how much it will impact our traffic, and whether the offer is acceptable to our conqueror. Sofia Freer

Editorial: Does the Chronicle’s editorial board read the Chronicle?

Barry, Thanks for alerting your readers to the editorial. Sadly, the Chronicle is not the paper it used to be. I responded with a letter to the editor. It was a challenge to keep it under their 200 word requirement. I wonder if it will see the light of day. Among other things, I directed Chronicle readers to the Coastsider for information on Beachwood. Sofia

One man’s HazMat training

I need to correct a huge error I made. This was ceratinly not a natural disaster! It should never have been allowed to happen, or to have the devastating and long-lasting impact it has had.

One man’s HazMat training

What I learned is that the clean-up effort generates mountains of "hazardous" solid waste due to what seems to be over-zealous caution on the part of CALOSHA. It is this a result of too many frivolous lawsuits? The presentation I attended was mind-numbingly boring, a feeling shared by all of the attendees sitting nearby. Nevertheless, eager to be of some help in this awful natural disaster, most of the 70-75 would be volunteers suffered through till the bitter end. We were treated to a thorough regurgitation…

Was ailing surf scoter at Francis Beach a victim of the oil spill?

Today, three more oiled surf scoters were found on Half Moon Bay State Beach. One was already dead, and of the two that were rescued, only one has a chance of survival. Earlier today, I received the following message from State Parks: Hello Everyone: As of yesterday I had word from the Farallone National Marine Sanctuary staff that the oil spill had reached only as far south as Sharp Park in Pacifica. This morning I learned that there was one oiled bird collected yesterday at San Gregorio by beach…

POST is buying Wavecrest

There's not much left to say, but I will say it anyway. Many, many kudos to Bruce Russell for working his magic, and to Audrey Rust for marshalling the resources that brought us this most welcome of all “developments”. Sofia Freer

The Review’s publisher is confused about park financing, democracy

It's high time I joined the chorus of praise for John Lynch that rose in response to Debra Godshall's mean-spirited blog. It is indeed difficult to find many individuals, let alone a husband and wife team, who have given so much of themselves to our community as John and Jule Lynch. For all of us who are sick and tired of the divisiveness on our coast and of the petty partisanship that pervades our community, we need to look no further than to Half Moon Bay Review's punblisher, Debra Godshall, our…

Reminder: Montara and El Granada community parks meetings this week

There are few parcels that are both suitable and available for community park use, and we cannot afford to let go of any opportunities. The Review's myth about the city getting snookered on the Stone Pine property and being unlawfully secretive about the purchase has managed to fool a lot of good people. I guess if something is said over and over again by the press and by a handful of individuals it takes on the appearance of truth. It saddens me that land for recreational use has become such a political…

Reminder: Montara and El Granada community parks meetings this week

I'm a Park and Rec. commissioner from Half Moon Bay. Last night at the HMB city council meeting I brought up the point that, from a recreational perspective, we are a single community from Half Moon Bay to Montara. It seems logical that the mid-coast should be represented on the HMB Park and Rec. commission, since we provide recreational services to the same population that is served by CUSD. Councilmembers Grady and Muller agreed with me, but the women of the council prevailed. Their reasons for…

Letter: Attacks against HMB planning commissioners are unfounded

Mr. Larimer, here are some inconvenient FACTS: (1) Regulatory agencies requested the delay of approval until CCWD addressed all their environmental concerns. (2) The application did not comply with the city’s Local Coastal Program or zoning ordinances. (3) The Planning Director sets agendas, not the Planning Commission. (4) A greater number of residents were signed up to speak on EACH of the other two agenda items. OPINIONS: (1) If CCWD had done all their “homework” and complied with the laws,…

HMB City Council video: not exactly live, but pretty darn fast

Great start Barry and Darin! I'm looking forward to future full coverage of HMB city council meetings, select planning commission meetings, and other noteworthy community events. How many of these do you think you can handle?

HMB City Council will appoint Gorn’s successor

It all depends on your definition of "long". Marina Frasier explained that she was in favor of election when Sid McClausand resigned last year because it was a long time before his term expired. Naomi Patridge noted that she voted in favor of a replacement during one of her previous terms, because only six months remained in the resigning councilmember's term. The outcome was never in doubt, but the process was interesting. Sofia Freer

Measure S loses with 61% of the vote

I have just scanned the long thread of comments folowing the failure of Measure S. Unless I missed it, none seemed to place the blame where it ought to be. At last night's MCC meeting CUSD Board member Charlie Gardner said it was DUE TO THE CLOSURE OF DEVIL'S SLIDE! You can all turn on MCTV and hear it from the man himself. Sofia Freer

Album:  Rebuilding Devil’s Slide, and a persistent question

Great photos Coastsider! My heart goes out to those on the mid-coast who are so severly impacted by the closure of Devil's Slide. To increase the use of public transportation, would it be possible for busses to have police escort on Hwy 1 during rush hour to ease their way past automobile traffic? Increased ridership would also alleviate traffic woes for those drivers who must use their own vehicles to transport gear and other equipment. Sofia Freer

Letter: It’s time to conserve water and save money

I am no advocate of strong-arming property owners into responsible water use. My major objective is for the City to provide landscape design guidelines for residents and to provide strong motivation for landscape design professionals to become inventive rather than to rely on the easy and unimaginative use of lawn surrounded by the typical border of flowers and shrubs. These measures would not preclude refining the water rate structure to increase rewards for those who use less water. I recently…

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