THE LAST WORD:

Developers feared him. City Hall critics admired him. And many owe him a debt of thanks for his time.

Phil Arst wasn’t exactly liked by everyone in town. Indeed, many dreaded the day he would sink his teeth into an issue that they were involved in.

But one thing is certain. Arst, who died last week at the age of 79, was a passionate fighter for his cause — maintaining the quality of life in his adopted hometown of Newport Beach.

We didn’t always see eye to eye with Arst, either. But it was hard not to admire him for his spunk and spirit.

He wasn’t exactly the father of Greenlight, the movement and measure that has tethered all future city development to citywide votes. That title went to Allan Beek. While Beek may have fathered the measure, Arst nurtured it and protected it as if it were his own.

And the city’s health wasn’t the only pet project he advocated. After receiving a liver transplant several years ago, Arst preached the value and importance of organ donations to community groups. Unfortunately, it was complications from that first liver transplant that cut his life short.

Without Arst’s passion and grit, it is hard to know just how effective the Greenlight powers will be down the road. But there is no denying that Arst left an indelible mark on the history of this town he loved so much.