Irvine project sparks lawsuit

Newport Beach and Irvine are exchanging barbs over large-scale development projects, each claiming the other city has not done the proper environmental homework.

Newport Beach and Tustin are suing Irvine over a development project in the Irvine Business Complex, and Irvine has raised objections over plans for new homes near John Wayne Airport in Newport Beach.

The Newport Beach City Council put off approving a plan earlier this week that would put as many as 972 new homes in an area near John Wayne Airport after Irvine objected to the development.

The homes would be in an area roughly bordered by Campus Drive, Jamboree Road and Highway 73, close to Newport’s border with Irvine.

Newport Beach city officials tabled preliminary approval for the plan until February after receiving a letter from Irvine critical of the project.

Irvine accused Newport Beach of violating state law and failing to study the potential environmental impact of the project.

“Specifically, the city of Irvine takes issue with the attempt to evade detailed environmental analysis...” the letter states.

The letter raises concerns about added traffic the development might bring to the area.

Newport Beach has a vested interest in seeing housing developed on the land if the project is approved, said Sharon Wood, Newport Beach’s assistant city manager.

“If it’s approved, we have an interest in seeing it implemented to help provide housing,” Wood said.

State law requires Newport Beach and other cities to address regional housing needs. The California Department of Housing and Community Development found that Newport Beach was out of compliance with the law in October, according to a letter the state agency sent to city officials last year.

Newport Beach and Tustin have filed a new legal challenge against Irvine, alleging the city has not done enough to address the environmental impact of a planned office and shopping center in the Irvine Business Complex near John Wayne Airport.

Filed last month in Orange County Superior Court, the suit challenges Irvine’s approval of more than 800,000, square feet of office restaurant and retail space at Jamboree Road and Michelson Drive. The Irvine City Council approved the project late last year.

The lawsuit is not the first to challenge urban development in Irvine.

An Orange County Superior Court judge ruled in favor of Newport Beach and Tustin last year in two lawsuits challenging two Irvine housing developments near John Wayne Airport.

In both suits, Newport and Tustin argued Irvine violated state law and approved building projects in the Irvine Business Complex near John Wayne Airport without doing the proper research on how it would affect the environment. The court agreed Irvine officials did not properly address what environmental impact the projects would have on Newport and Tustin.

Phone calls to Irvine City Manager Sean Joyce and the Irvine Public Information Office were not immediately returned Thursday.

BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at brianna.bailey@latimes.com.