Newport Beach City Council meeting wrap-up

Here are some of the decisions made at the Newport Beach City Council

meeting Tuesday.

NEWPORT COAST SPEED LIMITS

WHAT HAPPENED: City Council members approved speed limits for some

Newport Coast streets. Some of the limits are new, others just formalize

speed limits already in place.

VOTE: 7-0

WHAT IT MEANS: Among the dozens of areas to get city-imposed speed

limits: A 60-mph limit is now official on Newport Coast Drive from Coast

Highway to the Corona del Mar Freeway. The limit is now 55 mph on

Jamboree Road from East Coast Highway to San Joaquin Hills Road, on

MacArthur Boulevard from the Corona del Mar Freeway to San Joaquin Hills

Road, and on San Joaquin Hills Road from Spyglass Hill Road to Newport

Coast Drive.

MOBILE HOME DESIGN STANDARDS

WHAT HAPPENED: Mobile homes on regular residential lots will now be

required to fit in better with the surrounding homes. The council

approved a set of standards for manufactured homes in these areas that

prohibits shiny metallic surfaces and otherwise requires them to have a

look consistent with the homes around them.

VOTE: 7-0

WHAT IT MEANS: The standards don’t affect homes in mobile home parks,

only those on residential lots, among houses in neighborhoods.

CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Among the most heated issues at Tuesday’s meeting,

council members went one final round on the issue of redrawing council

districts. The item came up because the 7,000 residents of Newport Coast

became part of the city Jan. 1. Under the controversial council vote,

those residents will be added into John Heffernan’s District 7.

VOTE: 5-2

WHAT IT MEANS: Some, such as Councilman Gary Adams, warned that this

measure means no one in Newport Coast will be able to run for council for

three years, because Heffernan’s seat is not up for reelection until that

time. It also means Heffernan’s district will have almost 80% more people

than the city’s other six districts. For these reasons, Heffernan joined

Adams in opposing the measure. All other districts will remain the same,

at least until the annexations of Santa Ana Heights and Bay Knolls come

into effect, or until the proposed Banning Ranch development comes more

clearly into focus.

BALBOA ISLAND BRIDGE BEAUTIFICATION

WHAT HAPPENED: The bridge is on its way to having a new look. The

council approved a $303,300 contract with Pima Corp. to spruce up the

landmark bridge.

VOTE: 7-0

WHAT IT MEANS: Soon, a stone veneer will cover the entrance walls of

the bridge, matching the walls at the intersection of Bayside Drive and

Jamboree Road. Five aluminum street light poles will be removed and

replaced with eight concrete poles with outlets for decorative lighting.

An irrigation system will be installed to water plants that will

eventually be in planters on light poles. Bridge railings will be

replaced with new black railings, and the North Bay Front stairway

handrails will also be replaced.

MARINER’S VILLAGE IMPROVEMENTS UNDERWAY

WHAT HAPPENED: A $144,044 contract with MetroPointe Engineers marks

the beginning of the first phase of work in the Mariner’s Village

Improvement Plan.

VOTE: 7-0

WHAT IT MEANS: The first phase of the project will focus on Coast

Highway. When all three phases of the project are finished, the whole

area will have a new look with an emphasis on new landscaping.

NEXT MEETING

* WHAT: Newport Beach City Council meeting

* WHEN: 7 p.m. Feb. 12

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

* INFORMATION: (949) 644-3000