Here are a few items the council...

Here are a few items the council considered Tuesday:

SUNSET RIDGE PARK

The city took a small step toward establishing Sunset Ridge Park

at Coast Highway and Superior Avenue when the council voted to

approve a lease of either 10 or 25 years and to set aside $1.35

million to pay for the park.

The city has been working for several years to get the state to

transfer the property -- about 18 acres -- from current owner

Caltrans to the state parks department, which would lease it to

Newport Beach.

WHAT IT MEANS

The move doesn’t amount to much right now because state

legislators this week decided to up the price for the land to “fair

market value,” though a cost was not disclosed.

City officials are still haggling with legislators over how much

to pay for the park land, which could cost up to $6 million to

develop.

(Councilmen Don Webb and Tod Ridgeway absent.)

HARBOR VIEW HILLS REFORESTATION

The council voted to approve the planting of new city parkway

trees in the Harbor View Hills South neighborhood, nixing an earlier

decision of the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission not to plant

the trees.

Residents complained that the existing trees were damaging

sidewalks, impairing homeowners’ views and were the wrong species for

their neighborhood, but the commission deadlocked on the new tree

request, which meant it was denied.

Councilman Dick Nichols asked the council to review the decision.

WHAT IT MEANS

The city will replace 19 trees in Harbor View Hills South.

(Don Webb absent.)

POLICE CHIEF CONTRACT

To put off the departure of Newport Beach Police Chief Bob

McDonell, who announced he’ll retire July 1, the council granted him

a two-year contract at his current annual salary of $162,531 with new retirement benefits.

After almost 12 years as Newport Beach’s police chief and more

than 36 years in law enforcement, McDonell has reached the limit of

what he can draw from the state pension program and could make more

money by seeking employment elsewhere.

City officials want him to stay to offset a recent spate of

retirements by high-level police officials, and because he’s good at

spotting and nurturing talent in the department.

WHAT IT MEANS

McDonell likely will remain chief for another two years, during

which time city officials expect he’ll look for viable candidates to

replace him.

The city will contribute two-thirds of what it was paying for

McDonell’s pension, but officials still expect to save about $26,000

a year on the chief’s health and retirement with the new contract.

(Nichols abstaining; Webb absent.)

-- Compiled by Alicia Robinson