Remembering Greenlight for what it was

In November 2000, it looked as though supporters of the slow-growth

initiative known as Greenlight had won the battle. The ballot

initiative won 62% of the vote and even opponents described it as

very popular. The sweeping victory appeared to signal a different day

in Newport Beach, one in which development would be corralled by

residents tired of traffic clogging their streets.

Since then, however, leaders of the Greenlight Steering Committee

seem to have done everything they can to lose the war.

After fielding just one winning candidate, John Heffernan, in that

2000 election, Greenlight returned in 2002 with high hopes and a

slate of candidates in all the races. Again only one was victorious:

Dick Nichols in Corona del Mar, who in more than a year in office has

made headlines for questionable comments while producing little in

the way of policy or programs. As we have said before, he was a poor

choice of candidate and has not carried the Greenlight banner well.

In the absence of such a leader, committee members have had to

step into a void of their own creation. They have spoken at City

Council meetings. They have written letters to the Pilot outlining

their concerns. They have spoken -- and for this we’re grateful -- in

news stories regarding development issues. Their message has been

loud, sustained and, increasingly, shrill.

Back at the beginning of the movement now known as Greenlight, its

supporters said over and over that they were not against all

development. They simply wanted residents to have control over

large-scale growth in the city, a goal accomplished with the Measure

S passage in 2000 that puts a heavy burden on developers and forces

them to make their case to the voters. So far, the Koll Center

expansion, the only project to test the Greenlight measure, went down

in flames.

Greenlight’s leadership, however, seems to have strayed from that

initial mission and any development larger than an extra bedroom is

met with a fast, certain “no.” A hotel at Marinapark. No. A hotel at

Lido Marina Village. No. A change of use at Newport Technology Center

(with whom the Pilot is negotiating a lease). No. Even a resort

proposed for Pelican Hill met with skepticism and disappointment that

it does not trigger a vote under the Greenlight law.

Opponents’ initial concerns that Greenlight would attempt to stamp

out any and all development seems to be coming true.

If leaders of the slow-growth cause don’t want to lose the war,

they would do well to reassess their mission and their message.

Rather than show a knee-jerk reaction, step back and take time to

consider the proposed development. Withhold judgment until all the

facts are in and debated. Seek out areas of agreement as a means to

start talks rather than set up conflicts that ensure there will be no

discussions. Let the initiative that they passed do its job. And look

back to the early days and remember what the war was going to be

about.