To vote or not to vote, that is the question
In my last article to the Daily Pilot, I indicated that, as long as I
am mayor, I hope to bring city issues of importance to the forefront
that affect the entire community as well as the future of Newport
Beach (“Bell Curve missed with swing against council,” Jan. 16). This
article is a continuation of that idea.
A standing-room crowd attended the most recent City Council
meeting, which was on Feb. 25. There were four issues on the agenda
that had brought forth a great deal of interest by many members of
the public, and, quite frankly, it was nice to see that type of a
turnout, which clearly shows how involved people in this city really
are. Many of the folks who showed up at this meeting were not those
who you usually see at council meetings or political events. There
were mostly residents who are simply concerned.
The issue I would like to discuss in this article, which I believe
is of interest to the entire city, is the hotel that is being
considered at Marinapark -- the area on the Balboa Peninsula between
15th and 18th streets that has been a mobile home park for many
years.
The issue before the City Council was whether to adopt
recommendations presented by a subcommittee formed to review the
proposed project and make recommendations to the City Council. The
subcommittee consisted of myself and Councilmen Tod Ridgeway and Don
Webb. The subcommittee’s recommendations were simple -- let the
people of this city vote on whether a hotel should exist at this
location after the city completes a full environmental report, as
well as a fiscal report, and makes the information in those documents
available to the voters well before the election.
While the recommendation was really that simple, the subcommittee
had to consider a number of factors before it was able to come to
that conclusion and you certainly wouldn’t think it was so simple if
you happened to watch the council meeting that evening.
The subcommittee wrestled with a number of issues. First, the city
“owns” some of Marinapark, but a portion of the parcel is tideland
that is really owned by the people of the state of California, and
all of it is bay-front property on the peninsula. According to the
State Lands Commission, the existing mobile home park is not
permitted on tideland.
The subcommittee also discussed the fact that the best use of
Marinapark has been the subject of controversy for close to 30 years.
The controversy has increased in recent months with the publicity
attendant to the proposed hotel and the political opportunities the
hotel offers to those who are looking for issues.
The subcommittee also had to consider how the proposed hotel might
be presented to the voters. We are advised that the project probably
didn’t require a vote pursuant to Measure S (Greenlight) because it
did not generate very much traffic. However, the project proponent
actually wanted a vote and could have proceeded by way of initiative,
in which case no environmental report would be prepared, as the
initiative would not require environmental documents.
The subcommittee concluded that if the City Council started a
process to have the people of this city vote on the issue, then an
environmental report would be required, and the subcommittee believed
it was of paramount importance that the voters know, well before the
election, if the project would have any environmental impacts. The
conclusions of the environmental report would be provided to
everyone, and the report would be reviewed for accuracy, completeness
and comment by the Environmental Quality Affairs Committee, which is
a citizens’ ad hoc committee made up of 23 residents in Newport Beach
from varied walks of life and expertise. The committee’s report on
its review will be only one of a number of public meetings on the
issue.
The council decided to accept the subcommittee’s recommendation to
submit this proposed hotel to the voters after a full environmental
report and a fiscal report were prepared and the conclusions passed
on to the voters well before the election. The council felt a vote
was appropriate because the property is owned or administered by the
city, the best use of the site has been a hot topic for many years,
and the council has previously asked the voters to decide just how
waterfront property should be used (the Aquatic Center and Beacon Bay
leases were submitted to the voters).
The City Council’s decision on Feb. 25 was to let the people vote
after they were fully informed as to what they were voting on. While
there is nothing remarkable about what we did, this was a very
typical public outreach that this City Council undertakes on a
regular basis.
What was remarkable is that there were dissenters who tried to
convince the City Council that we should not let the people vote.
Really. They argued that no vote was necessary since a hotel on the
peninsula was opposed by a majority of about 1,000 residents recently
surveyed about their feelings as part of the general plan update
process for the entire city and there had been opposition expressed
at two community meetings. Truly, although there were only a few
people at the council meeting who opposed a vote by the people, it
was somewhat disheartening to actually hear the people say don’t let
the people vote.
Hopefully, everyone in Newport Beach will realize that the City
Council’s decision to place the proposed hotel on the ballot was the
right decision and not make up their minds how to vote until all of
the facts are in. I can guarantee you this City Council will make
every effort to inform the voters, and I hope all of you express your
informed opinion at the ballot box.
In concluding, I simply would like to say, please, don’t be afraid
to let your neighbors vote on an issue that is so important to this
city. It will ultimately be you, and you alone, who will approve or
not approve a hotel on the peninsula.
* STEVE BROMBERG is the mayor of Newport Beach.
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