Mayor wants Silva for Newport Coast

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- It’s not even part of the city yet, but city

officials hope to convince Orange County supervisors to keep Newport

Coast in the same district as the rest of the city.

A redistricting plan tentatively approved by supervisors July 17 would

give Newport Beach to 2nd District Supervisor James Silva, while leaving

Newport Coast with 5th District Supervisor Tom Wilson, who currently

represents the city.

Because the city will likely annex the upscale neighborhood south of

the city by next year, Mayor Gary Adams urged county officials to avoid

creating a city with two supervisors in different areas.

“We respectfully urge the board’s consideration of a map amendment

that would place Newport Beach (and its remaining sphere of influence) in

a single supervisorial district,” Adams wrote in a letter to Cynthia

Coad, who chairs the Board of Supervisors.

City Manager Homer Bludau said Friday that Coad had not replied to the

letter. Supervisors are expected to take a final vote on the

redistricting plan at the Aug. 14 meeting.

City officials have welcomed Silva as Newport Beach’s likely new

representative. Unlike Wilson, who also represents South Orange County

and opposes an airport at the closed El Toro Marine Air Corps Station,

Silva is a supporter of a second airport in Orange County.

Wilson said Friday that he would certainly consider Newport Beach’s

request.

“I’m not advocating splitting cities,” he said, but added that Newport

Coast still isn’t part of Newport Beach and supervisors had tried to

balance districts in terms of population.

A public hearing for Newport Beach’s application to annex Newport

Coast is expected to occur next month, followed by a formal transfer of

power in January if Newport Coast residents approve the annexation, city

officials said.

The annexation of Santa Ana Heights and Bay Knolls has been pushed

back because Costa Mesa has applied to annex several neighborhoods in the

area as well, and the county agency that oversees annexations wants to

deal with both applications at the same time.

Neither Coad nor Silva could not be reached for comment Friday.

-- Mathis Winkler covers Newport Beach. He may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 mathis.winkler@latimes.comf7 .