ON THE AGENDA The Newport Beach City...

ON THE AGENDA

The Newport Beach City Council will consider these items at its

meeting tonight:

YACHT BERTHING

A long-anticipated matter will finally come before the council at

their study session today when city leaders consider how to crack

down on boats docked illegally and unsafely in the harbor. Many

commercial marinas and yacht brokerages in the city are in violation

of fire safety codes. Those codes require that boats not be stacked

together and that they are tied up in a way that allows them to exit

quickly and safely in case of a fire.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Because the matter is on the study session, council members can

not take any formal action on the matter. They may, however, ask

staff to put the matter on a future agenda for some substantive

action.

NEW COUNCIL MEMBER

One of the most pressing issues facing the council tonight will be

the question of how to fill a vacancy in their own ranks. Now that

the application deadline has passed and seven people have applied,

council members have a better idea of how to proceed.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Mayor Steve Bromberg has said that he will ask colleagues to forgo

creating an ad hoc subcommittee to review applications and instead

ask that the city hold a special council meeting to interview the

candidates.

SHIPYARD AREA EXPANSION

A plan to build a mixed-use project on the peninsula could take an

important first step tonight when the council considers hiring a

consultant to do an environmental report on the project. The $73,060

contract they will consider, with the Monarch Beach company Hodge &

Associates, would cover the cost of an environmental report on Bill

Blurock’s 2.4-acre property at 2300 Newport Blvd. The project calls

for 30 loft-style residential units above two partially subterranean

parking garages and retail commercial space.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Some business people have worried that Blurock’s plan doesn’t

adequately address parking and other environmental concerns. If the

council approves the contract, it’s certain that parking will be one

of the topics Hodge & Associates studies.