City hall debate is healthy

So Daily Pilot Editor S.J. Cahn cannot recall a topic that beats Bill Ficker’s Newport Beach City Hall proposal in terms of volume and speed of responses.

Ficker, as you may know, has suggested that the new city hall be built near the library on Avocado Avenue and that it be paid for by selling the current property on Balboa Peninsula.

Not a bad idea, certainly one that should not be dismissed without some thoughtful discussion.

What cracks me up is the response. This newspaper got a ton of mail quickly, and I could not help but wonder how many people in Newport Beach have even been to the current City Hall for anything at all.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’ve been to the Newport Beach City Hall many times, but it has been only to observe City Council meetings. Not being a resident of Newport Beach, I have not had any other reason to visit the property.

And except for two visits to conduct some routine personal business, the only reason I’ve had to go to the Costa Mesa City Hall is to witness City Council meetings. Thanks to the upcoming elections for council seats, those meetings are known lately as “End Days.”

Not going to a city hall except for council meetings doesn’t mean that one is a bad citizen or that one cannot weigh in on the location and design of the new facility. Still, it is interesting to see how this discussion has provoked more and faster response than the upcoming dismantling of the Fun Zone or what to do with the Marinapark property.

If there is not going to be a park at Marinapark or a soccer field or two to pick up the slack from Costa Mesa, I’d be in favor of Stephen Sutherland’s proposal to build a luxury hotel.

For one, there is no doubt in my mind that the hotel would get more locals visiting it than any new city hall ? that is, unless the new city hall had a really nice restaurant, bar, swimming pool, spa and ocean views.

Not likely, though, but something to think about. Perhaps just a Starbucks will suffice.

Having a city hall filled with people needing or wanting services is not a good thing. Think of a fitness center that is constantly trying to sign up new members. They are counting on their history, which shows that after the initial burst of energy, most members don’t go to the center on a regular basis.

As long as a new city hall is up for discussion, I’d like to see Newport Beach lead the way to more virtual services and allow more city workers to do their jobs from home. I don’t know to what extent that is possible, but I’d like to see an investigation of the possibility.

The design of the new city hall is almost as important as the location. The city deserves something that is both striking and timeless; something that represents the city’s status as one of the most desirable places in the country in which to live and work.

In Costa Mesa, an already serviceable but ugly building was made less attractive by the addition of support beams to boost protection in the event of an earthquake.

Newport Beach, if you want to see what not to do, visit Costa Mesa City Hall.

All of this commotion is good. At a time when schools are closing for the summer and people are getting ready to leave for long overdue vacations, people are still paying attention to an important topic.

All we need now is for someone to make a decision. That will not be coming soon, thanks to the power vested in the people of the city. At some point, however, the talk must stop and residents should choose from a short list of options.

Despite what some people believe is a handicap to growth and development, the process is encouraging participation in government.

And unlike the fitness center that doesn’t want everyone to show up at their door at once, these voices are music.