Involvement is key to Marinapark question

The discussion about the future of Marinapark continues to underscore

just how tough, and important, an issue this is for Newport Beach.

Since voters last year turned down Measure L, which would have

allowed for construction of a luxury hotel at the harbor-front

peninsula site, an ad hoc committee has been meeting to gather

technical information, look at successful developments of similar

sites, gather input from the public, and put together possible

development ideas. At its meeting last week, the committee was still

debating six possible uses for the site, where a Girl Scout house, a

mobile-home park, a tot lot and tennis courts now sit.

The key sticking point is whether the site should be devoted

mainly to park or boating uses, and just how extensive any harbor

might be.

The vote on Measure L -- two-thirds of voters opposed it -- makes

clear that Newport Beach residents want to have access to Marinapark.

That is the strongest argument being made by those who want to see

development of a park as opposed to a marina.

At the same time, those pushing the city’s need for more docks,

especially to handle bigger boats, are right when they say the

Newport is a boating community. The harbor defines this town as much

as anything, and Marinapark is the only remaining place to build new

slips.

These competing ideas will not be reconciled easily. And it

certainly will not be reconciled without more residents getting

involved.

The ad hoc committee will hold at least one more meeting before it

sends any recommendations to the council. (It was not established to

reach one conclusion.) It is possible that meeting will happen Aug.

18. As many members of the community as possible should be there.