Marinapark leases won’t be more than a year
June Casagrande
BALBOA PENINSULA -- Residents of the 56 mobile homes at Marinapark,
whose lease expires next month, could get a one-year extension from the
city, but they won’t get the longer deal they seek.
“We’re asking the city for a three-year lease renewal,” resident
Stewart Berkshire told the City Council on Tuesday, adding that he
believes the lease would not threaten a luxury resort planned for the
site.
Marinapark on Balboa Peninsula is home to 15 permanent residents and
41 vacation homes. The 15-year lease on the city-owned property expires
in March.
As part of their original agreement, the residents agreed to leave
when their lease expired to make way for other land uses the city was
considering. As compensation, their rents were cut in half. Average
monthly rent for waterfront mobile home spaces there is $1,250, which is
half the city’s estimated value of $2,500. Over 15 years, this adds up to
$225,000 for some.
“The shorter-term lease, one year, renewable by us, lets us anticipate
some type of future change in use at that site,” Mayor Tod Ridgeway said.
The City Council decided in the 1980s that eventually the land should
be developed to serve visitors to Newport Beach. Recently, with that goal
in mind, the City Council selected Sutherland Talla Hospitality to
develop the site.
Environmental studies will soon begin on Sutherland Talla’s proposed
147-room luxury Regent Newport Beach Resort. If the controversial project
wins approval of the Planning Commission and City Council, it will be put
to a Greenlight vote.
“As the landlord for that property, we have to be realistic with the
possibility of when Sutherland Talla may be ready to go to a ballot and
we also have to be respectful of our tenants,” Assistant City Manager
Dave Kiff said. “So we’re trying to balance those concerns.”
* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)
574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.