Condominiums could spark revitalization of the Westside

Do the citizens of Costa Mesa need a referendum on the 1901 Newport

Plaza development?

No, Costa Mesans do not need to vote on 1901 Newport Plaza because

our elected council members have already carefully considered all

aspects of the project and voted to approve a scaled-down version. To

engage in land-use decisions by mob rule or popularity contest,

rather than on the basis of careful study and negotiation within the

existing rules of public decision-making, is a bad idea for our city.

As residents of “downtown” Costa Mesa, my neighbors and I enjoy

walking from our homes to patronize the stores and restaurants in

Triangle Square, the Courtyards and those along West 19th Street. So

I am extremely disappointed by the shortsightedness of the 1901

Newport Blvd. opponents, many of whom live elsewhere. This project

offers unique design and urban village benefits similar to other

successful new condominium projects in desirable neighborhoods like

Playa Vista, harbor-front Long Beach and downtown Brea. These

projects attract both young professionals and older couples, all

wanting to be close to shopping and entertainment opportunities that

real downtowns can offer.

Downtown Costa Mesa has long been a lagging commercial area --

along South Harbor Boulevard, at Triangle Square and along West 19th

Street. The condominiums at 1901 Newport will create 145 “new urban”

homeowners, eager to support their neighborhood shops, restaurants

and theaters, and who will be delighted to do so on foot. Their

presence will be a needed shot-in-the-arm for my neighborhood. Better

yet, all Costa Mesans will enjoy our revitalized downtown Costa Mesa

and the significant long-term financial benefits to our city.

This project will turn a big ugly parking lot, between a Toyota

dealership and a freeway, into a new community of homeowners, proud

of their neighborhood and their new homes. It will also bring the

opportunity to buy a new home in Costa Mesa at prices that are

significantly below the median price of our expensive single-family

homes. These more affordable prices will attract the kind of young

families and young professionals who have always called Costa Mesa

home but cannot now afford to buy here.

Some bemoan the level of traffic in the area, but ignore the fact

that this traffic already exists and studies shows that 1901 Newport

will not significantly contribute to this condition.

Yes, a majority of our City Council has already made the right

decision for the majority of Costa Mesans by approving the compromise

development plan for 1901 Newport, which was proposed by Costa Mesa

Citizens for Responsible Growth. It was a smart decision from which

we will all benefit as our downtown is revitalized. And it will show

once again that land-use decisions should not be handled by simple

popularity contests.

BILL TURPIT

Costa Mesa

Regarding the planned development at 1901 Newport Plaza: I support

allowing 145 condo units at 1901 Newport. Here’s the short version of

why I support the project in this form.

First, I believe it will bring a critical mass of people with

disposable incomes right into the an area of the city that needs to

be revitalized.

And secondly, its location is distinguishable from various other

locations in the city by the fact that it is a parking lot behind an

office building, across the street from an auto dealer, and is

bordered with high traffic streets. In other words, this isn’t a

location in the middle of single family homes with a density ratio of

eight homes per acre that is suddenly faced with a massive, out of

character project next door. If it were, I’d oppose it.

Here’s the longer version of why I support this project.

I believe that Costa Mesa needs to be improved -- most of our

vital statistics are down in the dumps. I believe we can only truly

improve our city by improving our demographics. To improve

demographics we need more quality homes to attract upwardly mobile

professionals back to the city. At the present time, Costa Mesa is

unbalanced. We have too few owner occupied homes. We have too many

rental properties. We have too many industrial properties. We have

too many office and retail properties.

Lest anyone get the incorrect impression that I’m for runaway

dense development in the city, I hasten to say that a few years ago,

I was one of the first and one of the most constant voices to call

for the then proposed -- and now built -- Mesa Verde Collection at

Harbor Boulevard and Adams Avenue to be reduced in density. My

reasoning was that at that particular location, lower density, higher

priced homes would help improve the area. I, and others who argued in

a similar vein, have been proved right by an increase in demographics

in that area. As a slight digression, I’m now arguing that homes

should be built next to Mesa Verde Center, where the former ice rink

was located. The Segerstrom Co., by contrast, apparently wants to put

in more retail uses.

Also a few years ago, I helped circulate petitions against the

Home Ranch project. My arguments in that case were somewhat different

than those of many others who were circulating petitions. Most people

seemed to be against the entire project. I simply wanted to see fewer

industrial and commercial components and more single-family homes be

part of the project.

Again, I believe Costa Mesa needs more homes that will attract and

hold an upwardly mobile, urbane, professional class, which we are now

losing to other cities.

I’ve listened to all the arguments pro and con on 1901 Newport

Plaza. Most of the con arguments cite density and traffic as the

reasons for the opposition. Now, when many people say they are

opposed because of the density, they often stop their argument there

and don’t go on to say “because ...” In fact, it appears that some of

the people who say they are against the density, don’t really know

why they’re against it. It just sounds nice.

Others will say that they are against the density because it

increases automobile traffic. So, their ultimate argument isn’t

really against density but against automobile traffic. Fair enough.

There really is too much automobile traffic in that immediate area.

The problem, however, is that much of that traffic is pass through

traffic from inland cities going to Newport Beach. The correct way to

stop that traffic nightmare isn’t to leave the area around Triangle

Square in a state of decline, but to solve the real problem of

traffic.

To solve the real traffic problem may require that the Costa Mesa

Freeway ditch be continued down to 15th Street and then come up to

grade for the run to the beach. Then, the ditch can be capped and

used for other uses. Of course, money is the problem. But without

such a ditch it is hard to envision any plan that will cure the

traffic problem.

What will 145 Condos at 1901 Newport bring to the area? A couple

of hundred people with disposable incomes who will shop in the local

stores and whose very presence will make West 19th Street more attractive to quality merchants. This could start the revitalization

of West 19th Street and, hopefully, other parts of the Westside.

M. H. MILLARD

Costa Mesa