The rich, quiet cousin speaks up

DOLORES OTTING

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Santa Ana Heights

Project Advisory Committee meeting.

For background, on July 1, 2003, Santa Ana Heights was annexed and

became part of Newport Beach. Boy were we lucky, as they have been

our rich cousin ever since. They don’t ask for much, and like the

Energizer Bunny who keeps going and going, they keep giving and

giving to the tune of $27 million.

Santa Ana Heights started giving to the city of Newport Beach at

the March 9, 2004 City Council meeting when the council voted to

take, via eminent domain, the properties necessary to construct a new

fire station and training center in Santa Ana Heights.

Now that we have the land, we need the building. Since we have

over two acres, we can build a training center, and with the training

center, the infamous training tower that will require a general-plan

change.

It’s the infamous training tower, coupled with the plan change,

that roused some of the committee members, and rightfully so. The

drawings they recently approved were mysteriously missing the

training tower, and they were also being asked for a general-plan

change. They were feeling duped.

This is an immense concern since their main objective is to

protect and implement their specific-area plan. Like us, they feel

that one change leads to another, and before you know it, everybody

wants 50 feet. Considering we just gave the proposed Lexus dealership

a 50-foot height limit, is it out of the question that this could be

the start of a trend?

Can wee look forward to a 50-foot parking structure at City Hall?

Remember, the city has indicated plans to possibly use extra

reinforcement so it could add more parking levels as needed.

The fire station now carries a $6-million price tag, and the

design and placement of the buildings is still undecided.

Interestingly enough, at their May meeting, Santa Ana Heights

committee members said they were told the balance of the cost has

already been earmarked for this expense out of the city’s general

fund.

Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff went on record to say that no

redevelopment agency funds would be spent either directly or as a

recoup for the training facility.

However, one month earlier, at the April 12 study session, Fire

Chief Tim Riley said that the county redevelopment agency has

committed $1.6 million, and that everything beyond this the city

would pay for until it receives the rest of the redevelopment agency

money from the county. It is the city’s intent to get control of the

redevelopment agency, he said.

Chief Riley further indicated that they have a legal opinion that

allows the city to repay itself once it receives redevelopment money.

This is a good thing because the Santa Ana Heights committee

members are being told that if they don’t spend the money, then the

state will raid their redevelopment-agency dollars.

So the city will come to their rescue and go shopping. Next on the

list is the new Regional YMCA, debuting at 50,000 square feet with

three pools and an estimated price tag of $18 million, which includes

the land. Coming in at $290 a square foot, it’s quite a bargain when

compared with the new city hall at $760 per square foot.

Congratulations to the newly elected Santa Ana Heights officers:

Barbara Venezia, chairperson; Greg Carroll, vice chair; and Mary

Slouka, secretary. Maybe Venezia will catch the political bug and

want to run for council; you never know.

Check out their website at https://www.sahpac.com. It’s worth the

time.