BREAKING NEWS:

Proponents of Newport Beach’s City Hall in the Park initiative turned in 15,000 signatures today — well beyond the nearly 9,000 signatures required — in their quest to get the measure on the February 2008 ballot.

Architect Bill Ficker and other supporters delivered 10 boxes of petitions to Newport Beach City Hall around 11 a.m. City Clerk LaVonne Harkless said after she counts the signatures she’ll turn them over to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, which has until Oct. 9 to verify them.

The ballot measure would change the city charter to require that Newport Beach’s city hall be built on a 12.8-acre parcel of city land next to the central library on Avocado Avenue. City Council members have voted repeatedly to pursue other sites for a city hall, and an opposition group called Parks Are Priceless is fighting the initiative.