Committee tackles general plan update

Alex Coolman

NEWPORT BEACH -- In the wake of Measure S, the battle over growth

might seem to have quieted down, but that wasn’t the case Monday in the

meeting room of the Newport Beach Library.

That’s where a committee has been gathering to hammer out a revised

version of the city’s general plan, the document the city uses to guide

its policies on safety, traffic and, yes, growth.

Newport Beach’s general plan was created in the 1970s and portions of

it were updated in 1988, but the state Attorney General has been pushing

the city to bring the document into the 21st century.

And because the general plan can play a major role in determining the

city’s vision of itself, the language of the plan has become the new

battlefield for the debate over where Newport Beach is going and how it

ought to get there.

At a meeting at the library Monday, many of the people who were most

prominent in the pro-Measure S campaign -- people like Nancy Skinner,

Allan Beek, Phil Arst and Bert Ohlig -- were listening carefully as City

Council members and city staff attempted to describe their long-range

view of the city. Also in attendance were people like real estate

development planner Philip Bettencourt.

Everyone seems to agree that the old General Plan could use some help.

It’s too detailed in some respects, said Planning Commissioner Ed

Selich, and too incoherent in other ways. The different “elements” of the

plan -- describing things like traffic flow, safety, and other issues --

don’t feel like they’re integrated into any harmonious whole.

But should the new plan set out a striking new perspective on city

growth?

Arst seemed to think the answer was clear.

Handling traffic, he told the committee, needs to be a top priority.

“I believe the message from the voters as a first order of business

was to do that.”

But Councilwoman Norma Glover urged caution on the committee’s

interpretation of recent election results.

“I don’t think the people have accepted that this is a built-out

city,” she said. “I don’t think the citizens of Newport Beach agree on

that at all.”

What all sides seem to be sure of is that growth -- in one form or

another -- lies ahead for Newport Beach.

“We know we are facing the growth of regional traffic,” said Beek, who

noted that nothing but a recession was likely to change that likelihood.

It seemed clear Monday that finding the correct response will take

time.

The group was able to agree on a few general goals -- getting accurate

data about the city, for example, and trying to make the plan revision

process as inclusive as possible. But on more detailed points, it made

little progress.

“You’re identifying the key questions you have to answer,” said

Carolyn Verheyen, a consultant who is helping to facilitate the meetings.

“But at some point, you have to move on and answer them.”

FYI

The next meeting of the General Plan Update Committee will be at 4

p.m. Dec. 11 in the Friends Meeting Room of the Newport Beach Central

Library, 1000 Avocado Ave.