EDITORIAL

Since it was proposed, we have been firm in our insistence that the

dangers of Newport Beach’s Greenlight law outweigh its benefits and good

intentions. Ballot-box lawmaking is a principle we simply can’t endorse,

if only for fear of the “tyranny of the majority.”

But that doesn’t mean we can’t see beneficial effects from Greenlight.

And one we weren’t expecting was clearly on display last weekend as

developer Stephen Sutherland hit the streets of Balboa Peninsula to

garner support for his proposed 147-room luxury resort at the Marinapark

mobile home park, city-owned land that also is home to the American

Legion Hall.

Pre-Greenlight, the idea of a developer pitching a project directly to

the people would have been outrageous. But now, if that is part of what

it takes to get support for large development, we say “Good for

Greenlight.”

A little door-to-door developer campaigning should mean voters are

more educated about not only a project they’ll vote on, but on the issues

surrounding development in the community. It should raise the interest

and awareness of Newport residents on issues that are next door, down the

street and across town.

It should make our city government stronger.

Of course, it will be up to residents to keep the door open when the

developer comes knocking. And we can only encourage and hope developers

will put on a fair and honest sales pitch.

But if both sides keep that bargain, Sutherland’s walk last week could

end up as a major step in improving relations between residents and

developers, which Greenlight’s victory and the ballot-box demise of the

Koll Center expansion project prove is still strained.

That’s something we can heartily support.