Triathlon a special exception

Newport Beach City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to grant a special waiver that will allow the Pacific Coast Triathlon to happen in July 2009, despite a policy that doesn’t allow such events between Memorial Day and Labor Day for fear of excessive traffic congestion — but just this once.

The event is intended by the USA Triathlon organization to be a national qualifying event for triathletes attempting to compete at the world championships in Australia later in 2009. But Australia moved the original championship date from November to September, putting a cramp on Pacific Coast’s plans.

California State Parks, along with Newport Beach, has a policy that doesn’t allow any more racing events during the peak summer months in order to curb traffic. Pacific Coast’s event was held between those months until 2004, but moved till after Labor Day to meet the new standards.

But in 2009, in order to function as a qualifying race, Pacific Coast would have to host its event earlier to allow racers the time to prepare for a trip to Australia. For that to happen, the organizers needed the waiver from the city.

“It is an honor for the city to be hosting the national championships,” organizer Bill Leach said. “It will bring people from outside the community and will bring dollars with them.”

The California Department of Transportation had to sign off on the waiver, since it is doing construction near the race, and state parks also said yes. But the recommendation to the City Council on Tuesday’s agenda asked for the council to deny the waiver due to concerns over traffic congestion, police response and availability, and the effect the race has on local villas in the area who may not be able to reach Crystal Cove State Park.

“I have one concern: traffic — particularly if it is a hot summer day,” councilwoman Nancy Gardner said. “I know we have had other items in middle of the summer, and it was quite painful and we got a lot of unhappy people.”

East Coast Highway would have its southbound lanes shut down for the triathlon, forcing north and south bound travelers to use limited lanes on the northbound side of the highway, city officials said.

“Seems like we would have some of the same issues in September as we would in July — I really don’t see the difference in the disruption,” said Councilman Steve Rosansky, who acknowledged that a Boy Scout troop he is a part of has received funds in the past from the triathlon — the city attorney said there was no conflict on interest. “It doesn’t seem like it is that much of a burden on the police department.”

A representative from the police department estimated it would take six to eight officers to police the event.

But the benefit to the community outweighs the potential traffic woes, Leach said.

Attracting about 1,200 racers last year, the triathlon functions as a profitable source of community funds. Over the years, about $220,000 has been given out to local organizations as a result of the race, Leach said, which averages out to about $22,000 a year. Hosting a national championship race could help to produce even more funds that go toward both Newport Beach high schools — Leach is a Corona del Mar High school graduate, and his son will also attend the school — Boy Scouts, local sports, and local colleges, Leach said.

“That is always a concern, particularly now with the economy, if we can make business for local businesses,” Gardner said. “We have to weigh things.”

Eventually, the City Council saw the event as a favorable one — as long as the waiver didn’t set a precedence. They made it clear it was for a one time, special occurrence and fully expect the event to go back to its later date in 2010. Another stipulation, outlined by Gardner, is that the organizers of the event would have to work with area stakeholders to make them aware of how the race may inconvenience them.

“It is not like we are looking at some new guy coming in and throwing an event,” Rosansky said. “I think they have proven themselves as event operators and it is a nationally prestigious event.”

In an effort to help with traffic issues, the event organizers have moved the anticipated start time for the triathlon from 7:30 to 7 a.m. and expect for it to be cleared by 9 a.m., Leach said.