Letter: What Happened to ‘Residents First’?

Pamela Baker, San Clemente

It was quite alarming to read Mayor Steve Swartz’s comments in the Jan. 3-9 edition of the San Clemente Times story, “Looking Forward.”
His comment about focusing on the city at-large and not just residential concerns, does he not understand that we are all residents? Is he not going to look out for us? What does he mean by the “city at-large?”

For the last 10 years, three of our councilmembers’ motto was “Residents First.” They worked tirelessly against the VRBOs and the sober living homes that were making a terrible impact on the quality of life in our town. They also adhered to the rules and guidelines of the General Plan that took years of man-hours and a lot of money to complete. Was anyone paying attention when one of Steve’s first votes as mayor of our town approved a controversial project that contradicts our own General Plan?

By the way, what does “mixed-use businesses” mean? I have heard of mixed-use buildings.

Another alarming statement: “tourism is another source of income” he would like to explore, mentioning Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano. Talk to those residents and see how they feel about the continual building in their cities.

Is Steve envisioning a Ferris wheel on the Pier, ice cream shops on every corner, changing codes for developers?

We need to keep a close eye on Steve Swartz and his majority on council.

San Clemente is not a tourist town. San Clemente is a quality-of-life town. As one of our former mayors put it: People did not move here to shop.

Let us keep San Clemente the quality-of-life town that we all love.

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