Mayor notes progress in state of city

Alicia Robinson

When it’s his turn to give the state of the city address, Newport

Beach Mayor Steve Bromberg likes to focus on the positive.

Back when he last took the podium for the annual Speak Up Newport

Mayor’s Dinner in 2003, he highlighted the city’s recent triumphs,

such as the annexation of Newport Coast and steps toward extending

the settlement agreement that limits expansion at John Wayne Airport.

Thursday night, he discussed the city’s progress on issues that

could leave an imprint on Newport for years to come -- the

general-plan update, the future use of the Marinapark site and

several “sphere issues,” including getting more control over the

airport and annexing West Santa Ana Heights.

The majority of his off-the-cuff speech -- as a rule, he doesn’t

use prepared texts -- dealt with how cities need to start thinking

regionally to address issues that affect them all.

“In the old days in Orange County, cities were not very involved

with each other,” he said. “They wouldn’t look beyond their borders.

Things have changed.

“They need to think reasonably, because what we do and what they

do affect their neighbors.”

Some might argue that in years past Newport has looked out for its

own interests -- for example, resisting expansion at John Wayne

Airport while supporting plans for an airport outside its borders, at

the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. But Bromberg dismisses

that with a driving metaphor -- the past is seen in the rearview

mirror, while the future takes up the whole windshield.

The city has formed two “borders” committees to deal with

development that’s gnawing at the edges of Newport. One committee

talks with Irvine officials, and the other will meet with

representatives of Costa Mesa and possibly Huntington Beach.

Bromberg also talked about the overwhelming success of the 1/1

Committee -- a group of nine Newport Beach residents, eight of them

former Marines and one an Air Force alumnus -- that has so far raised

about $90,000 to help a Marine battalion the city adopted in 2003.

The guest speaker at the dinner was Maj. Gen. Timothy E. Donovan,

commanding general of Camp Pendleton, who thanked residents for their

support of Camp Pendleton Marines.

“I cannot tell you what it means to have the outreach of the

American public through the city of Newport Beach behind a unit going

into harm’s way,” he said.

Bromberg’s only harsh words were for the Daily Pilot, which he

criticized for publishing a Community Commentary in Thursday’s paper

that he said wasn’t factual.

The commentary suggested that the City Council’s intended changes

to the general plan would result in tens of thousands more daily car

trips in the city.

“If it wasn’t such a ridiculous statement, it’d be absurd, and

it’s an affront to the 38 citizens who sit on the general plan

advisory committee,” Bromberg said.

The Mayor’s Dinner is sponsored by Speak Up Newport and was held

this year at the Sutton Place Hotel in Newport Beach. About 450

showed up for the dinner, the largest crowd ever for the event.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers government and politics. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4626 or by e-mail at alicia.robinson@

latimes.com.