Planning for parks gets picky

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- The flatter the earth at Upper Bayview Landing, the

better the view for passing motorists. But, at the same time, the more

the land there is leveled for a park, the less money will be left to

landscape it.

This 12-acre parcel at the intersection of Jamboree Road and Coast

Highway could dominate the discussion today when council members take a

good, hard look at three parks-to-be.

Along with Bayview Landing, Newport Village Park and Sunset Ridge Park

will be the subject of a council study session to decide how and when to

develop these pieces of land into things of beauty and assets to the

community.

It’s a goal that could prove tricky, especially at Bayview Landing.

“When you’re driving down Coast Highway, there isn’t much of a view

because the dirt is higher than the roadway,” said Newport Beach Public

Works Director Steve Badum. “One thought is that we would use some minor

grading to lower that, not a lot, to improve the view from the Back Bay.”

A total of $680,000 has been set aside to develop the land once the

former gas station site’s soil is confirmed to be clean. The land is

slated to become a “passive park,” one with no parking and only minimal

amenities, such as a bicycle trail. City staffers have laid out three

options for developing the land as a passive park, ranging from leaving

the ground at its current height to grading it all the way down to street

level.

“I think we need to do some grading, but I’m not convinced we need to

bring it down to ground level,” said City Councilman Steve Bromberg,

whose district includes the park site. “If we grade all of it, that’s

where all the money’s going to go.”

Developing a park at Newport Village, though, is an even higher

priority, Badum said, because at the same time parking could also be

created for the Central Library next to it. The 12-acre site is just

north of the library between Avocado Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard. Like

Upper Bayview Landing, the lot is pledged by the Irvine Co. to be

dedicated to the city as park space. But as of now, there is no money to

develop the site.

Plans to create ball fields and other facilities at Sunset Ridge Park

will likely stay lowest on the priority list. Because the elevated parcel

at West Coast Highway and Superior Avenue is difficult to get to and the

possibility for development on the adjacent Banning Ranch property, it is

uncertain whether a joint agreement can provide access to Sunset Ridge.

* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .