Don’t turn the San Diego coast into a copy of Miami Beach

Re “Let’s change outdated coastal height limit” (Oct. 23): After reading Harry Bubbins’ commentary, I was struck by his worry about “the teacher in La Jolla who can’t afford to live in the community where they teach.”  Well, that’s me. I have been teaching in La Jolla for more than 25 years and don’t mind driving in each day. I would rather see the character and charm of our individual neighborhoods preserved than ruin them in the name of “density.”  We don’t need Miami Beach-style high-rise buildings dotting the coastline. Proposition D was designed to prevent just this type of thing and was wisely supported by San Diego voters.

We have a beautiful city that draws tourists from all over the world. Donna Frye said it best: “They don’t come here to see our condos.”

Perhaps we can look to another beautiful city as an example of smart growth, Santa Barbara, which retains its quaint charm by enforcing height restrictions.

— Mark Heinze, San Diego