NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL Wrap-up

Noise ordinance changes

City Council members will discuss changing Newport Beach’s noise

ordinance to make it easier to file criminal charges. Councilman Gary

Proctor suggested the move after police recently broke up a 40th birthday

party for notorious noisemaker Dennis Rodman. The revised ordinance would

include a section that clarifies that people may face criminal charges

after an officer has issued a warning. The district attorney’s office has

so far hesitated to prosecute offenders because the ordinance made it

difficult to prove that someone willfully made noise. City officials hope

the new version will change that.

What to expect: Council members are expected to approve the changes.

Budget review

Council members will continue their review of the budget that’s

proposed for the 2001-02 fiscal year. At the last meeting, the city’s

elected leaders reviewed the city’s spending blueprint for the coming

year and began looking at the budgets of specific departments. Today’s

meeting will focus on budgets for the city’s human resources, public

works and internal services departments.

What to expect: Because the review will take place during the

afternoon study session, council members are not expected to make any

decisions. A third review session is planned for the June 12 meeting,

which will also include a public hearing during the evening. Council

members are expected to adopt the budget June 26. It will take effect

July 1.

John Wayne Airport settlement agreement

Council members will discuss whether to set aside $400,000 to complete

an environmental review that’s necessary to amend the existing settlement

agreement. Establishing flight caps, nighttime curfews and passenger

limits on the airport, the agreement took effect in 1985 and is scheduled

to expire in 2005. On May 8, the Orange County Board of Supervisors

tentatively approved a proposal by Newport Beach city officials to add

several gates and somewhat increase flights and passenger limits in

return for keeping the nighttime curfew.

What to expect: Council members are expected to approve the move.

Newport Village park

Council members will discuss the initiation of a general plan

amendment that would allow city officials to move ahead with plans for a

park on the 12-acre site behind the Newport Beach Central Library.

Supporters of an arts and education center had tried to reserve about

3.5 acres for their project, but council members rejected the proposal in

March.

Council members are also expected to direct city officials to draw up

plans for a park, as well as a budget amendment to pay for the project,

and bring them back for review at a future meeting.

What to expect: Council members are expected to initiate the amendment

and ask for park plans and cost estimates.

FYI

* WHO: The Newport Beach City Council is Mayor Gary Adams, Steve

Bromberg, Norma Glover, John Heffernan, Dennis O’Neil, Gary Proctor and

Tod Ridgeway.

* WHEN: 7 p.m. today; the budget study session will begin at 3:30 p.m.

* WHERE: Newport Beach City Hall, 3300 Newport Blvd.