BREAKING NEWS:

Newport Beach residents will vote on whether to build a city hall on a 12.8-acre parcel planned to become a park, now that the Orange County Registrar of Voters has qualified the measure for the ballot.

Newport Beach City Clerk LaVonne Harkless said today the registrar confirmed petitions supporting the measure had at least 10,870 valid signatures, far more than the 8,997 signatures required. The City Council will vote Oct. 9 on whether to place the measure on the February 2008 ballot.

“Obviously we’re very, very pleased to get the results back so quickly, and we’re excited about our campaign,” City Hall in the Park lead proponent Bill Ficker said.

Opposition is expected from Parks Are Priceless, a group formed to encourage development of the park planned for the site next to the city’s central library.