Council discusses options for city hall

By press time, council had not voted on new civic center or suggestion to study other sites. NEWPORT BEACH -- The City Council on Tuesday discussed moving City Hall or building a new one at the current Newport Boulevard site. The council had not voted at press time.

The council building committee last week recommended forming two committees to research where to put a new city hall and how the project fits in with the city’s needs over the next 15 years. Each committee would include two council members and seven to 10 residents, and they would have until mid-June to report to the full council.

Some may see new studies as a sideways move, but it’s taken the council some time to arrive at a decision. Officials have been talking about a new city hall since 2001. They say it’s needed because the existing facilities are crowded and inefficient, and because they don’t meet standards to withstand earthquakes or serve disabled visitors.

The council has spent about $625,000 so far to have consultants draw plans for a $48 million civic center that would include a 72,000-square-foot city hall, a rebuilt fire station and a parking structure for 350 cars.

Councilman Tod Ridgeway urged his colleagues to vote for the proposed civic center and not consider other sites.

“We own the land, and we need the project, and we could go on with this argument forever and a day,” Ridgeway said. “I think the time is now.”

But questions have persisted about whether the Balboa Peninsula is the best location. Some argue it’s not central enough to Newport, and it would be in danger from a tsunami.

Some residents have criticized the proposed design. If the city decides to build a new city hall, the design will depend largely on the site.

Councilman Don Webb said a further site study would answer any objections from the public that the council didn’t look at all the options.

“As we look at those sites, we might find, hey, they aren’t there. But at least we’ve looked at it,” Webb said.

“I definitely feel we need a city hall, so this isn’t a delaying tactic to try to postpone or get rid of a city hall,” he said.

Finding a site could be difficult. Because of the city’s Greenlight law, a public vote would likely be required to zone any property for a city hall. That same voting requirement makes the current City Hall property less attractive to potential buyers.

The finance committee would look at the city’s long-term facilities needs, which will likely include replacing several fire stations and the Oasis Senior Center, and decide where the city hall fits in. How to fund future building projects will be another key question.

A September report showed the city’s income is expected to swell by about $25 million over the next five years, so officials believe the coffers could handle any debt payments they’d incur for a city hall.

City voters would need to approve the sale of bonds, which would increase their taxes. Some consider certificates of participation, another possible financing method, to be an end run around voters because they only need the approval of the council.

Council members commented on the fact that few residents were at Tuesday’s meeting to voice their opinions about the civic center project. Ridgeway took that to mean that residents trust the council to make the decision.

“The citizens have spoken by not showing up,” Ridgeway said. “They want representative government, and they want us to vote on it.”