Costa Mesa Plans

* As a longtime resident of Costa Mesa’s west side, I too watch with interest the plans for revitalizing my neighborhood, but the one I live in doesn’t sound anything like what Art Acosta describes (Letters, Oct. 10).

My neighbors are middle-income Asian, Latino, African-American, white, old and young, not “largely poor (and) Latino.”

I attended a planning meeting a month or so ago.

Costa Mesa West Side residents and business owners were invited to understand the various ideas being promoted. The attendees were given the opportunity to discuss the options and vote.

The planning options did not include “expensive stores and homes for [former Mayor Peter] Buffa’s country club buddies.”

They did detail plans to upgrade dilapidated buildings and to consolidate industrial sites, as well as to increase bicycle lanes and pedestrian accommodations.

As for a demographic study, I think Acosta makes a racist statement regarding students from UC Irvine and their ability to conduct an impartial study.

His implication is that if the study were conducted by mostly Latino students, the findings would be different than one staffed by Asians, blacks and whites.

That should offend everyone equally.

SCOTT NORDELL

Costa Mesa