City Council sets date for Koll election

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT BEACH -- Moving ahead with a Greenlight vote on the Koll

Center expansion, the City Council on Tuesday authorized a special

election for Nov. 20.

The council members set the date at their regular council meeting with

no one speaking out against their move or the project.

The council previously approved the project, a 250,000-square-foot

expansion of the office complex, at its July 24 meeting.

With Tuesday’s action, the residents will now get a chance to decide

whether project developers will be allowed to build their 10-foot office

tower. The developers will pay for the election.

Greenlight leaders have said they will fight the Koll project.

After the passage of the Greenlight Initiative in November, its

supporters were placed on an ad hoc committee to review developments in

the city pipeline.

The Koll project marks the first time the new measure will be tested.

Perhaps sensing the controversy surrounding their project and the

impending public vote, Koll developers have made attempts to pacify

Greenlight leaders.

The developers have promised to chip in $2 million to help ease the

effect of traffic of the project, $112,500 for a planning study of the

area around John Wayne Airport and $60,000 to help build a fire station.

City planners have determined the roadways around the center would

need about $15 million in improvements to accommodate the increases in

traffic.

The project, which also includes two parking structures, would be

located at Koll Center’s southern tip near the intersection of Jamboree

Road and MacArthur Boulevard.

Council members John Heffernan and Gary Proctor have said they oppose

the project because the planning study would not be completed by the time

residents cast their first Greenlight ballots.

* Paul Clinton covers the environment and John Wayne Airport. He may

be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail ato7

paul.clinton@latimes.comf7 .