INSIDE CITY HALL Here are some...

INSIDE CITY HALL

Here are some decisions coming out of Tuesday’s meeting of the

Newport Beach City Council:

MORMON TEMPLE

City officials cleared their agenda of all but a few can’t-wait

items on Tuesday to make time to consider the issue of a Mormon

temple. At hand was the question of whether the city should overturn

a decision of the Planning Commission that would allow the Church of

Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to build a temple with a steeple

that reaches almost 100 feet high. A late-hour compromise embraced by

the church and opponents alike resulted in unanimous approval of a

plan to build the church with a 90-foot steeple.

WHAT IT MEANS

Church officials have said they hope to begin work as soon as

possible on the new temple, but no specific date had been set.

WHAT THEY SAID

“We embrace this and we’re ready to move forward as a community,”

said Steven Brombal, Bonita Canyon Homeowners Assn. president.

PENINSULA POINT UTILITIES

A costly plan to move utilities underground was widely embraced by

residents: Only 18% of the homeowners who cast ballots on the issue

opposed the plan to be assessed to move electrical, telephone and

cable lines underground. Owners of the 135 homes in the new

assessment district will be taxed about $5,500 for the work to move

the equipment underground. Then each household will pay out of pocket

to have their homes hooked up to the underground facilities.

WHAT IT MEANS

The goal, say supporters, is to increase the beauty of the

neighborhood by removing unsightly telephone poles and to reduce

hazards from earthquakes and other dangers associated with the

above-ground utilities lines.

SOUNDING OFF

“The older, the better. That’s what I tell my wife, anyway.”

-- Mayor Tod Ridgeway

-- Compiled by June Casagrande