Environmentalists keeping eye on arts center

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- While environmental groups have not yet raised the

red flag over the proposal to build an arts center, there is some concern

about the legality of developing the dedicated open space north of the

Central Library.

“My question is whether or not or how they can go ahead and build on

it,” said Claudia Owen, co-chair of Stop Polluting Our Newport, an

environmental activist group. She added that she is maintaining a

wait-and-see attitude on the issue.

But another environmentalist, Jan Vandersloot, has stronger feelings

on the subject.

“There are two agreements the City Council in the past committed to

retain the site as open space,” Vandersloot wrote in a letter to the

Daily Pilot. “If the current City Council should honor the commitments of

its predecessors and keep its trust with the people of Newport Beach, it

would retain the site and make it into a Newport central park.”

He added that the site also “affords some of the best views of the

ocean and the coastline.”

A year and a half ago, Stop Polluting Our Newport vocally opposed a

proposal by the city and the Irvine Co. to build housing for low-income

senior citizens on the 12 acres of land, which is bordered by Avocado

Avenue and San Joaquin Hills Road. One of their arguments was that the

land is home to coastal sage scrub, a bush that provides a nesting ground

for the endangered California gnatcatcher.

However, there were other arguments against any building on the land.

Many residents -- and the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission -- said

they wanted the land to remain open space because of the public views and

the quickly depleting stock of vacant land in the city. Councilman Tom

Thomson even formally proposed a Central Park for the plot complete with

picnic tables and an outdoor amphitheater.

But despite the concerns about open space, City Attorney Bob Burnham

said building an arts and education center on the site is both possible

and legal.

“The city received the dedication from the Irvine Company,” he said.

“It can be modified by mutual agreement by the parties.” In order to do

so, the ad-hoc committee of library board and city Arts Commission

members would have to make a proposal to both parties, who would have to

approve the plan.

In the meantime, local environmentalists said they will be patiently

and carefully observing the project’s progress.