Request to speed up lawsuit is declined

Greenlight residents group leader Phil Arst struck out in the court system again Tuesday when Orange County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey T. Glass would not speed up Arst’s suit against the city of Newport Beach.

With Glass’ decision, it looks like the city-written description of Greenlight’s Measure X initiative will appear on the November ballot. The city typically writes descriptions of resident ballot measures, but Arst challenged this one, claiming it was misleading to voters.

Measure X would further tighten voter controls on major developments in Newport Beach, as a follow-up to Greenlight’s successful 2000 initiative.

Arst wanted to expedite the hearing process to meet an Aug. 31 deadline to get ballot language to the Orange County Registrar of Voters. After a judge refused on Aug. 18 because she was too busy, Arst said, he requested another judge.

But Glass let the earlier decision stand and he also supported the city’s ballot language, though he did not formally rule on it, Newport Beach Assistant City Atty. Aaron Harp said.

“He stated that he did not find it misleading, false or to misstate the matter,” Harp said.

The next court hearing on Measure X is set for Oct. 2. The Orange County Registrar of Voters begins mailing sample ballots Sept. 28.