Coast Committee to increase protests of Irvine Co. plans

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT COAST -- The Newport Coast Committee of 2000 is planning to

step up its protest of the plans of the Irvine Co. to purchase and build

apartments on what was to be a commercial site.

“We are looking at some other options, including pickets in front of

existing Irvine Co. projects, such as sales offices,” said committee

spokesman Jim McGee.

Last month, the committee took out a one-page advertisement in the Pilot

stating its opposition to the development and did not receive a response,

McGee said.The ad demanded that the Irvine Co. “fulfill its promise to

build a 150,000-square-foot shopping center” on the property at the

intersection of Newport Coast Drive and San Joaquin Hills Road.

Building a commercial center, however, is precisely the Irvine Co.’s

intention, said spokesman Paul Kranhold.

“There is some confusion that we’re going to do all apartments and no

retail,” he said, adding that if the Irvine Co. does take advantage of

some of the allowed uses of the property and builds apartments, it would

be on a “small portion” of the site.

The contention of the Coast Committee is that even a minimal increase in

apartments will decrease the size of the much-needed shopping center,

which has been in the proposal stages for years.

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

acquired by Safeway. Although a retail complex was planned, it never

materialized.

Eventually the Irvine Co. began to show some interest in repurchasing the

site and in building the commercial center.

However, the Coast Committee said, the Irvine Co. did not disclose to the

community that a portion of the parcel might be used for apartments.

According to official zoning documents, housing is one of the possible

uses of the site.

“We are still in discussions with Vons to try to repurchase the retail

center and the 18 acres,” Kranhold said. “If successful, we’re hoping to

expedite the construction of the shopping center.”

In the meantime, the Coast Committee will meet and decide on its next

course of action.

“We will continue to try to shed public light on the way the Irvine Co.

does business in Newport Coast,” McGee said.