Newport Beach has chance to make many changes

Ben L. Schmid

Richard Stevens gave an avid developer’s view of the semi-thwarted

commercial development of Newport Beach, (Rebuttal, “Greenlight

endangers Newport’s quality of life,” Sunday). If he wants to

understand the reason for suppression of over-commercial development,

then visit Miami Beach. The Balboa Bay Club’s current expansion, with

nearly a half-mile of harbor-view-blinding, four-story buildings show

the loss of staunch restraint exercised by the Newport Beach Planning

Department and City Council.

Having been a summer homeowner on Balboa Island for more than 40

years and a full-time resident for more than 15 years, I applauded

the limitation of building size to total floor footage of 150% of the

net lot size on Balboa Island. The 25-foot height limit was also

applauded. Now the height allowable has been raised to 29 feet

(without a public reviewed code change) -- will 35 feet be next?

As a member of the San Marino City Planning Commission for seven

years, I and others maintained the planning code, limiting frontyard

fence height, visible vents or solar panels from street-facing roofs

and land building heights affecting the neighbors’ yard sun exposure.

A lawyer was always a member of the commission to give a

preliminary explanation before each third or fourth meeting of why we

respect and enforce the planning regulations. Seldom, when the

commission’s finding was appealed to the city council, was the

finding reversed.

As for the need for commercial development and increasing housing

density to increase revenue, San Marino elected to maintain its zoned

business areas without the addition of auto dealerships and markets.

In order to fund increasing municipal costs, a property tax

assessment was voted on every four years to maintain the police and

fire departments. Thus, any well-organized city can increase needed

revenue by stating the need.

Volunteerism is another untouched source for satisfying cost

growth. If we are going to be a beach community, let’s act like one

and balance the stated needs versus the costs.

As the city reviews and amends the general plan, let’s limit

densification, not permit any more oil change, or similar facilities,

on Mariner’s Mile or within Corona del Mar, provide timed traffic

signals on Jamboree Road and MacArthur Boulevard, bypass Laguna Beach

traffic through Corona del Mar by realigning the Newport Coast Drive

turnoff at Coast Highway, add a pedestrian bridge at the school

crossing and pay to remove the pay station at the San Joaquin toll

road. These are all within a possible bond issue or assessment for

their implementation and within the province of the existing City

Council.

* BEN L. SCHMID is a Balboa Island resident.