Condo project is about what residents want

I think everyone knows my thoughts on the condos proposed for 1901

Newport Boulevard by now, so I won’t drag this whole thing out with

too many comments on the technicalities of shade and shadow.

I do believe, though, that our whole reliance on what is

considered a threshold of significance has been subjective from the

beginning. Even with the new environmental report and the revised

development plan, I believe there will be a significant negative

impact on the city and the surrounding neighborhood in terms of shade

and shadow, traffic and density.

That being said, I think we need to look at this whole project

from the beginning in terms of what our general plan states. This

plan before us is double the density allowed by our general plan.

Some have likened our general plan to our constitution. It is a

document put together by the people with great community input.

Some people have advocated changing our general plan and have said

it is a living, breathing document. Although I do not agree with

that, if it is a living, breathing document that is subject to

change, then let changes live and breathe through the normal process

of public comment and involvement, and not a simple council decision

that undoes what the people have put together.

Do we follow what the people have come up with in terms of maximum

allowable density through the general plan process or do we ignore

it? We have an opportunity to support what the people have told us

they want through numerous meetings in creating our general plan, and

that is less density.

Whether the issue of shade and shadow has been resolved is not the

point.

The point is that this is twice the allowed density and we are not

required to approve it.

That is what is before us.

It is interesting that on the agenda later last week, we were

looking at a similar size piece of property on Bay Street where the

Daily Pilot now sits. That property owner is looking at the idea of

single-family detached residences there and possibly on some of the

surrounding properties. It is far less dense than what is proposed

before us now.

My point with this is that less density is completely possible.

The only reason a tall parking structure is being proposed at 1901 is

because of the density. Take away the density, and you have no need

for the parking structure. If it can be done on Bay Street, it can be

done at 1901 Newport.

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Allan Mansoor is a Costa Mesa city councilman.