February 24, 1999

Stop him before he improves our quality of life

I don't know whether to laugh or cry when I see some well-meaning, goodhearted folks do their best to tear down and rip apart the dream of a fellow Pacifican. That dream would replace a non-descript duplex of uncertain age and history, with a really nice complex of architecturally distinguished buildings which would attract business and dollars to Pacifica, embellish our landscape, and add something to our community in which we can take pride and pleasure.

Paul Chakkapark owns the property at Cabrillo Highway and Crespi Drive, an important corner which has been mostly a location for political signs in season and the aforementioned duplex. IÕve known Paul since he opened HumphreyÕs Restaurant, and IÕve admired his hard work and his willingness to risk his resources to bring good things to his adopted community.

What I found most disturbing is that those who continue to fight this worthy project sent me a copy of the architectural drawing of what is proposed, with a note attached. ÒDid you know this is coming soon? Please act quickly to stop this.Ó For goodness sake, why? Instead of continuing to put energy and effort into saving a mediocre duplex nearing the end of its useful life, why not work to save the Castle, the Little Brown Church, the Sanchez Adobe, and other worthwhile memories of the past?

Enclosed with the letter giving the city councilÕs phone numbers and the architectural drawings were several pages of stuff from the Pacifica Open Space Task Force Report of 1988. Paul ChakkaparkÕs project has absolutely nothing to do with ÒOpen Space.Ó Those persons in Pacifica who are most rabid in favor of keeping all the open space we have now, even the least important, tell me that we should do our building on ÒinfillÓ, the empty lots and others lands that would not impinge on viewsheds, wildlife refuges and buffers they enjoy so much.

The duplex which would be replaced is a mediocrity. It has no architectural value. It has no historical value. It has no value as open space. There is no more reason to preserve it than there is to save all the old wooden barracks at Fort Ord or the unpainted, unused outhouses behind farmhouses up and down the coast. Age is not necessarily beauty. Age is not necessarily of historical value.

ItÕs discouraging to see that not even the most worthy project, planned with the most excruciating attention to preservation and amelioration will be allowed to proceed unscathed in Pacifica. A few years ago we lost the possibility of a magnificent conference center planned for Mori Point. Only in Pacifica would a place that spent most of the last 100 years as the site of a restaurant, hotel and whorehouse be considered virginal open space.

Only in Pacifica would one of the busiest corners in town, a freeway onramp and main thoroughfare, be called a quiet residential neighborhood that should not be disturbed. Only in Pacifica would some citizens lust after more open space, in a city already choking on its existing 70 percent open space. ItÕs time we used all our lands to best advantage.

Paul Azevedo is a member of PacificaÕs Open Space Committee, but his opinions on PacificaÕs land usage are his own, and not necessarily those of his fellow committee persons. Some recent Reactor columns may be found at his new website, http://www.thereactor.net/