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North Park Residents Mind Their BIZ
More people need to speak up for the small business owners of North Park who are striving to make our community a better place. Namely, the restaurant and bar owners unfairly slandered by a cantankerous old man bent on impeding economic progress at all costs and those who believe his lies. I live in North Park two blocks south of University Ave and revel in my proximity to wonderful food and entertainment after living in a sleepy town the previous three years of my life. I am married and plan to start a family. And I love North Park's burgeoning social scene. In fact, that is why we bought our house in North Park. It was definitely not the most affordable house, and it certainly was not the biggest, of the homes we viewed when we first moved to San Diego. However, what this house did have was a wonderful surrounding neighborhood that appeared to be taking off! My husband and I like to say that what we ended up buying was not so much the house, as the neighborhood of North Park. My husband and I have frequented all the establishments listed in this article (something I'm sure Mr. Leichtling and other protestors have NOT done) and appreciate their honest business practices and good food and drinks. These establishments are NOT seedy, do not promote drunkenness and are not “a BLIGHT” on North Park, a term highly favored by the naysayers. After visiting these establishments, I for one, lament the prospect of a moratorium on licensing in North Park because this will do nothing good for our community. North Park is growing in popularity with young families and young professionals, two demographics whose influx bodes well for any community. Property values go up and the rate of crime goes down. And of course, retail establishments soon follow the bars and restaurants. This is the natural course in the gentrification of any neighborhood and I fail to see why Mr. Leichtling and his followers so vehemently oppose these positive changes. I strongly feel that Mr. Leichtling's blaming the businesses of North Park for “revelers urinating on his bushes or sleeping on the hood of his SUV” as well as “a couple getting it on on the front lawn" is ABSURD and unwarranted. Unless he asked these individuals where they had spent the last several hours prior to fornicating in his yard or urinating on his bushes, there is no way of knowing. Blaming innocent restaurant owners whose business efforts have improved the overall quality of life in North Park is wrong and uncharacteristic of a good neighbor. These protests against the businesses of North Park smack of a good ol' witch hunt and I wish more North Park residents would overtly support these business owners. Maybe then, the naysayers will be silenced and will cease unjustly blaming others for random events in the community. Bottom line, North Park is growing and no one has ever truly stood in the way of progress.— March 11, 2010 3:12 p.m.