Council will resort to other plans

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- The City Council on Monday decided to consider proposals

in addition to the Sutherland Talla resort suggested for the Marina Park

Mobile Home and American Legion Post 291 site on the Balboa Peninsula.

Council members said the proposal would force them to make a hard

decision, weighing city revenue against preserving Newport’s standard of

living.

“As much as we love this city there are seven people up here that have to

pay the bills,” Councilwoman Norma Glover said.

While the city needs money it also needs to preserve open land, Mayor

Dennis O’Neil added.

The developer of the proposed resort, Steve Sutherland, wants to build a

156-room luxury hotel. It is estimated that the Italian-style resort

would produce $2.8 million in city revenue annually.

While Sutherland’s proposal allows the Neva B. Thomas Girl Scout House,

which also occupies the property, to remain where it stands, the mobile

home park and American Legion would both have to move. The leases for all

three facilities expire in March 2000.

Threatened by the proposal, 60 people -- many representing the park and

legion -- showed up to defend themselves.

“[The hotel] will upset the fragile balance of the community,” said

community member Tom Hyans, adding that the city should not prioritize

city revenues over residents.

“There are locations more suitable,” he stressed.

Legionnaires protested plans to move their hall, saying that the

organization for U.S. war veterans is very active within the community

and helps residents remember the freedoms they enjoy.

Other objections to the resort revolved around keeping the property’s

tennis courts, playground and water front open -- something that

residents feared they will lose if the hotel is built.

Sutherland countered that he plans to expand the tennis courts, improve

the playground and keep the beaches open. These would be available to

Newport residents free of cost, he said.

He added that he was also interested in offering the Legion $500,000 to

rebuild or relocate the building on a waterfront property.

“I am very understanding of this situation and want to negotiate with

them -- not to put them on the street,” Sutherland said.

Despite the concessions, community representatives seemed unmoved.

In the end, the council decided that they will accept other proposals for

development including ones from the American Legion and Marina Park.