CATCHING UP WITH...

-- Amy R. Spurgeon

The cemetery unveiled its Garden of Valor -- six, 6-foot-high

granite monuments depicting scenes from the four branches of the armed

services as well as police and fire departments -- shortly before

Memorial Day in 1995.

The council ordered Pacific View to remove the monument, claiming it

failed to obtain city building permits. Councilwoman Norma Glover said

the dismantling of the monument should “send a message” to the memorial

park officials that they would have to obey the laws.

One Spyglass Hill resident -- responsible for alerting the city to the

parks monument -- said the display obstructed his view of the ocean.

Other area homeowners said Pacific View has a history of creating its own

rules and bypassing city laws.

Pacific View officials said an oversight prevented them from obtaining

the necessary paperwork for the monument. They argued state guidelines

did not require them to apply for a permit.

But public pressure from community members -- including the American

Legion Post in Newport Beach and military veterans -- eventually

persuaded council members to reverse their decision, allowing the

monument to stay.

“After I had some time to think about it, I regretted our hasty vote,”

Councilwoman Jan Debay said at the time. “I’m glad we are not going to go

in and yank it out.”

As punishment for not obtaining the building permit, the city’s

building department planned to fine Pacific View between $400 to $1,000,

according to the then-Building Director Ray Schuller.

In exchange, the park agreed to plant trees around the monument in

order to shield the Garden of Valor from homeowners’ views.

But the planning department ended up fining Pacific View $99 as an

investigational fee for not obtaining the building permit, according to

city Building Director Jay Elbettar.

In all, the park paid the city close to $200 for the right to display

the Garden of Valor. The original building permit cost the park $99.

Today, the monument still stands and serves as the only city monument

where actual servicemen and women are laid to rest. The granite monuments

that make up the Garden of Valor are known as columbarium and cremated

remains are stored in cubby-hole-like slots in the structure. The

columbarium includes the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, police and

fire departments.

The memorial park donates a slot to local firefighters and policemen

who lose their lives in the line of duty. The slots -- as well as other

plots in the park -- also are pre-sold to the public.

“You have live people running around all over the world right now that

own a space,” said Gary Archibald, director of sales for Pacific View

Memorial Park. “People who haven’t prearranged are going to make some of

the biggest decisions on the worst day of their lives.” Pacific View

unveiled another major milestone in March with its Garden of Reflection

-- a man-made nature garden at the rear of the park dedicated to cremated

remains. The garden contains a stream, rose bushes, plants and benches.

The stream’s boulders along with the garden’s rocks, stepping stones

and benches are home to urns containing cremated remains. Families place

memorial placards on top of rocks or benches.

“We are very visual beings,” Archibald said. “People want to come

somewhere and connect.” Pacific View Memorial Park General Manager Bob

Dowson said the cemetery is very progressive and works closely with the

community to asses their memorializing and burial needs.

But park officials said that with million-dollar properties

surrounding the park, a cohesive development plan between the park, city

and property owners is in the best interest of everyone.

“The majority of the neighbors like us,” Archibald said. “But just

like anywhere else, it is difficult to live next to anyone during

construction.”