Banning Ranch foes meet tonight

Danette Goulet

NEWPORT-MESA -- A group of residents who have banded together in an

effort to block development on the Banning Ranch property will meet today

to discuss creating a wildlife and open space reserve instead.

Calling themselves the Santa Ana River Estuary and Bluffs Task Force,

a group of about a dozen Newport-Mesa residents are determined to stop

the proposed development on a large piece of untouched land.

“We’re pretty much a bunch of local people who would like to keep this

open space,” said Terry Welsh, chairman of the task force. “The feeling

in our group, that we hope will spread, is that this is an irreplaceable

piece of property. There is an ever-decreasing amount of property along

the coast, especially in Orange County.”

The task force hopes to find state, federal and private funding to

purchase the land for a reserve, Welsh said.

The project could coincide with another effort by the Friends of

Harbors, Beaches and Parks to create a park that would line both sides of

the Santa Ana River, stretching from Adams Avenue to the ocean.

Banning Ranch is a 412-acre plot of undeveloped, unincorporated land

that overlooks the Santa Ana River where Newport Beach and Costa Mesa

meet.

The two primary owners of the property are Yorba Linda-based Aera

Energy and a group called the Rancho Santiago Partnership, of Newport

Beach. The Newport-Mesa Unified School District owns a small corner of

the land and intends to sell it.

Taylor Woodrow Homes three years ago unveiled a plan to build 1,750

residential homes, a 75-room hotel and a 70,000-square-foot retail plaza.

“Since that time, we’ve been working to add detail into the project,

define the project’s benefits and determine the environmental impact,”

said Mike Schlesinger, the developer’s project manger.

Plans are still being studied by the Orange County Planning and

Development Department, which will also consider the possible impacts of

the project on the environment.

So far, developers have submitted an application for a general plan, a

zoning change and a coastal program, said George Britton, a county

project manager.

Even with the progress on the project, Schlesinger said selling the

land to the group is not out of the question -- if the price is right.

“It isn’t our plan to sell this property. However, sometimes someone

comes by and offers to buy it from you,” Schlesinger said. “If they

submit an offer, we will consider it.”

FYI

WHO: The Santa Ana River Estuary and Bluffs Task Force

WHAT: A public meeting to discuss the proposed development of Banning

Ranch

WHEN: 7:15 p.m. today

WHERE: 230 E. 17th Street, Ste. 206, Costa Mesa