Voters hope to cast Marinapark call

Alicia Robinson

The City Council will decide tonight whether voters get to cast

ballots in November on the hotly debated Marinapark resort proposal,

which many residents argue is the wrong idea for some of the last

undeveloped coastal property in the city.

Council members are poised to vote on whether the environmental

report on the project meets California Environmental Quality Act

guidelines. If they certify the report, they will vote on whether to

place the 110-room luxury resort project on the November ballot so

voters can have a say.

The meeting is expected to draw a vocal crowd, but it’s unclear

which way the council is leaning on the issue. Some council members

have come out for and some against accepting the environmental report

and others declined to say how they expect to vote.

“It’s a very critical meeting, because if [the report] doesn’t get

certified, then it’s not going to go to the voters in November,”

Councilman John Heffernan said.

The council has to decide tonight to make a deadline for November

ballot issues.

At tonight’s meeting, the public will get to comment on the

environmental reports, and council members can discuss information on

the project that has emerged since the last meeting.

City staff members revised the expected revenue from the

Marinapark resort because of a math mistake in the earlier numbers,

City Atty. Bob Burnham said. In the fourth year of operation, the

first year the resort is expected to reach financial stability,

Marinapark is projected to net the city $2.2 million rather than $3.5

million as officials had thought, he said.

Developer Stephen Sutherland also recently told city officials his

financial partner for the resort project will be Woodridge Capital

LLC. Sutherland’s original partner, D. Michael Talla, has withdrawn

from the project.

But the council’s decision tonight centers on the environmental

report.

Councilman Steve Bromberg said everything he’s seen so far,

including the city attorney’s legal opinion, indicates the report

meets the state’s guidelines.

On the other side of the issue, Heffernan noted that the city’s

Environmental Quality Affairs Committee wanted the environmental

report revisited and said that carries some weight with him.

“I’m questioning myself whether the [report] was adequate and

should be certified,” he said.

Most council members said they have enough technical information

but want to hear the public’s comments before committing to anything.

They are likely to get plenty of public comments at tonight’s

meeting.

“I think we’re in for a long one,” Mayor Tod Ridgeway said.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers business, politics and the environment.

She may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

alicia.robinson@latimes.com.