Homeowners group opposes Irvine Co. plans

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- The Newport Coast Committee of 2000, a group of

homeowners association board members, is protesting the possibility that

the Irvine Co. may purchase and build apartments on a commercial site.

Last week, the group took out a one-page advertisement in the Pilot

announcing their vehement opposition to this notion.

“The homeowners in Newport Coast and Newport Ridge demand that the

Irvine Co. fulfill its promise to allow a 150,000-square-foot shopping

center to be built at the commercial site situated at the intersection of

Newport Coast Drive and San Joaquin Hills Road,” they wrote.

In 1993, the Irvine Co. sold the property to Vons, which planned to

build a retail complex on the land. Since then, Vons was acquired by

Safeway, and the center never materialized.

“We are in discussions with them to try and purchase a portion of that

site back, which we hope will expedite the construction of the shopping

center,” said Paul Kranhold, a spokesman for the Irvine Co.

Kranhold added that the site is zoned for several uses including some

residential, which would not be ruled out.

And that has become a major point of contention between the two

groups.

The committee said that the company did not disclose to the community

that a portion of the parcel might be used for apartment buildings. But

in the official zoning document, the possible uses for the site,

including residential, are listed.

The Newport committee is opposed to the construction of apartments

because it would increase “density, congestion and the transient

population.” They added that it would also lead to “diminished views,

less open space, reduced commercial variety and lower property values.”

“You need houses, elementary schools [and] parks to complete a

community,” said committee member Al Willinger. “We feel strongly that

its important to have a commercial center where homeowners can gather and

meet -- without it the community is not whole.”

But, Kranhold said, the Irvine Co.’s intention is to hasten the

building of the shopping center, if they indeed purchase the property.

“Vons hasn’t been able to move the project along [because] they are

not a shopping center developer,” he said, adding that the Irvine Co. has

expertise on building commercial centers.

Robert McSparran, the area real estate manager for the Vons Co., said

that the company and the Irvine Co. are in negotiations. He would not

comment on whether they would be completed any time soon.