Sparks fly during Westside discussion

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- Discussions surrounding the future of the Westside were

heated at this week’s redevelopment meeting, prompting Councilwoman Libby

Cowan to deliver a cutting blow to Councilman Chris Steel and his

supporters.

Council members, acting as the city’s Redevelopment Agency, voted 4 to

1 Monday to create a Westside Redevelopment Committee, designed to forge

a working plan for the area. Steel was opposed.

The committee is to be composed of about 46 people who have a vested

interest in seeing the area improved, said Cowan, who finished up her

year as the city’s mayor last week.

Of course, the concept of who has a “true interest” in the area had

different meanings for many people at the meeting and sparked debate

about who should be allowed to participate in the committee.

Cowan, along with some members of the audience, supported a wide base

of community input, including renters, community organizations and

churches, as well as property owners. But Steel and his supporters argued

that the majority of input should be given by those who own property on

the Westside.

“I am concerned that we are giving certain groups more weight than

they need or deserve,” Steel said.

The councilman also argued that certain organizations, such as the

Latino Business Council and the Chamber of Commerce, should not be

included in the committee.

Cowan said her intent was not to emphasize or minimize any group in

the “incredibly vibrant, social and economically diverse community” of

the Westside. She went on to say she was offended by what she called the

hypocritical viewpoints of Steel and some of his supporters.

“Steel does not own property. He is a renter. I don’t understand how

this community feels so strongly about home ownership as a qualification

for participating in the future of our community when the voters sent a

non-property owner to the council,” Cowan said.

Cowan said she objected to vilifying renters as noncontributing

members of the city when they too pay taxes and participate in the

government.

In response, Steel said he may have been misunderstood. He said he was

in favor of renters participating in the process and had nothing against

those who do not own property.

“I’m not against renters for gosh’s sakes. There’s more renters than

property owners who vote . . . and I’m seeking all the votes I can get,”

Steel said.

Cowan and Steel continued to go back and forth about smaller details,

while Councilman Gary Monahan -- the agency’s chairman -- tried to

control the meeting.

Earlier in the meeting, however, Steel did assert that homeowners

should have “more weight” in the decision-making process because they

have more of a “permanent status.”

Resident Mike Sullivan agreed with Steel and said he was offended by

the proposed makeup of the committee and did not agree with Cowan’s

definition of “stakeholders.”

“I think you’re just trying to get something through in a way that

people who live there aren’t going for,” Sullivan said.

In contrast, resident Bill Turpit, who also is a member of the Latino

Business Council, commended Cowan. Turpit has been critical of previous

Westside improvement movements because he said they neglected the Latino

community.

“What I appreciate about the proposal is that it does not neglect the

importance of people who live and work on the Westside to participate in

this process,” Turpit said.

Each council member will be able to appoint a member to the committee

and specified community groups will each choose two representatives.

Members must be legal residents, own property on the Westside or live on

the Westside, Cowan said. Five at-large members will also be chosen.

The committee will meet for the next 18 months with periodic reports

on its progress. The final presentation is scheduled to be completed by

June 2003.

“I think it’s time the Westside pull together, discover the

commonalities of the residents and decide how to make the area a better

place to live,” Cowan said after the meeting.

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .