Forum gives a glimpse of runners’ ideas

Deirdre Newman

A candidates’ forum sponsored by the West Newport Beach Assn.

Wednesday gave candidates a chance to address a gamut of issues

ranging from Banning Ranch to modernizing City Hall.

The forum in council chambers featured all five candidates who

face competition. Incumbent Steve Bromberg, running unopposed in his

district, did not participate.

In West Newport, incumbent Steven Rosansky faces competition from

Catherine Emmons and John Buttolph. Incumbent John Heffernan is

running against Dolores Otting for the district that includes Newport

Coast.

During the hourlong forum, the questions from a panel of two

association members were directed at specific candidates. Each

candidate was asked two questions and had about two minutes to

respond to each one.

Two of the questions focused on Banning Ranch, which the city owns

a small portion of. Banning Ranch is a 412-acre site at the city’s

western border, where a development of up to 1,750 homes has been

proposed. About 40 acres of the property are within Newport Beach;

the rest is on unincorporated county land.

Buttolph said he would like to preserve the ranch as open space.

“What the city will have if I’m on the City Council is the

political will to see how we can keep Banning Ranch open,” Buttolph

said. “There are very few open spaces left. The reason many people

live here is the quality of life.”

Otting was asked if City Hall should be rebuilt somewhere else or

upgraded at its present location. She said while she prefers

remodeling the building, such a move should be up to residents.

“I think the issue you’re asking about is a very good issue to be

put before all of us at a town hall meeting,” Otting said. “My whole

premise for running is to get people to come to City Council meetings

and thank them for coming and invite them to come back again.”

The forum also gave candidates a chance to distinguish themselves

from their opponents.

“Of the three us running [in West Newport], I’m the only one

that’s been involved in the community for the last 19 years,”

Rosansky said.

Resident Bob Hawkins said the forum was informative.

“It covered a lot of issues, and I believe the candidates were

each able to provide and express their viewpoints,” Hawkins said.

Phil Arst, a spokesman for the slow-growth Greenlight group, said

the time allotted the candidates to answer the questions was not long

enough.

“It was too short a set of answers from people to really find out

where they stand,” Arst said. “Who’s backing them is really what’s

important -- where their campaign money is coming from.”

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers government. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.