Study of possible city hall site is approved

NEWPORT BEACH — City leaders inched toward a decision on a home for a new city hall Tuesday, when the council voted to pay for a formal study of a Newport Center park-and-ride site.

An Orange County Transportation Authority bus terminal now occupies the property on Avocado Avenue between San Miguel Drive and San Joaquin Hills Road. Plans will be drawn up and cost estimates calculated for relocating the bus facility and building a city hall.

Council members approved the study with little discussion.

“It should give us an idea as to the feasibility of the site and whether it really would work as a city hall,” Councilman Ed Selich said.

Los Angeles firm DMJM Design will investigate the land and plan for a 72,000-square-foot city hall, 300-car parking garage and possibly other community facilities such as a civic arts center.

Council members have considered about two dozen sites in the last two years, but this study is the furthest they’ve gone with any since opting not to rebuild on Balboa Peninsula.

A few residents urged council members to take a closer look at the property but others cautioned them not to depend on it.

“An alternate site — because you will be getting protests on this — would be, to me, a wise move,” resident Phil Arst said.

Former Councilman Dick Nichols suggested architect Bill Ficker be allowed to present a controversial plan he’s been proposing since last year to build a new city hall on a portion of land that’s reserved for a park.