First suggestions for city general plan put forward

Alicia Robinson

The City Council got a first look this week at Newport’s next big

battle in which slow-growth supporters will face off with pro-growth

forces in 2005.

Council members received a list of suggestions for revising the

city’s general plan, which guides development in Newport Beach,

setting zoning densities and allowed uses for land in the city.

The state requires cities to update their general plans every 10

years.

Nearly two years into the process, Newport Beach now has a list of

between two and six land-use alternatives for each of 13 geographic

areas.

A committee of 38 citizens created the list, and the council will

revise it in January.

A later phase will solicit public input on the alternatives. The

alternatives are wide-ranging. Six ideas are included for Balboa

Village, and possibilities for Banning Ranch include using the entire

property as open space and developing a resort similar to the Montage

in Laguna Beach.

Adding more hotel rooms are among the alternatives for six areas,

including Balboa Village, Banning Ranch, Fashion Island/Newport

Center, Lido Village, McFadden Square and West Coast Highway. Another

recurring idea was to allow mixed-use developments in alternatives

for six areas -- Balboa Village, Cannery Village, Corona del Mar,

Lido Village, Mariner’s Mile and Old Newport Boulevard.

Affordable housing was mentioned in one alternative for Old

Newport Boulevard, and additional parking was a possibility for

Corona del Mar.

Phil Arst, spokesman for the slow-growth advocacy group

Greenlight, already has expressed concern with the alternatives,

which he said will add to existing traffic problems and allow more

development than residents asked for in a 2002 survey.

But those involved with the general plan update stress that what’s

on the table is a list of alternatives that are far from final.

“At this point we’re gathering information; we’re not making any

recommendations [or] proposals,” said Phil Lugar, a co-chairman of

the 38-member General Plan Advisory Committee.

“There will be more visioning conferences set up for the

public.... We’re just trying to identify some specific areas that

need to be looked at.”

The public is welcome to come to the advisory committee’s

meetings, which are advertised on the city’s website, and the City

Council will go over the general plan alternatives at a Jan. 11 study

session, said Newport Beach Mayor Steve Bromberg.

It’s too early to judge what the alternatives might mean for the

city’s future, but some growth is to be expected, he said. “[The

general plan is] the road map for the city for the next 25 years,”

Bromberg said.

“It’s not realistic to assume that nothing will change in the

sense of growth between now and 25 years.... However, our goal is to

keep that growth balanced and reasonable, which is why we’re looking

at so many different alternatives.”

For information on the General Plan Advisory Committee meetings,

visit the city’s website at https://www.city.newport-beach.ca.us and

look for General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) listings on the

meeting calendar.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers business, politics and the environment.

She may be reached at (714) 966-.