INSIDE CITY HALL Here are some decisions...

INSIDE CITY HALL

Here are some decisions that came out of Tuesday’s City Council

meeting.

RIVER PARK

Council members listened with enthusiasm to a study session

presentation on the proposed Orange County River Park. Members of the

Friends of Harbors, Beaches and Parks presented their ambitious plan

for open space and environmental preservation of an 1,100-acre piece of land reaching into three cities: Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa and

Newport Beach.

If planners can get funding to help pay the cost of the park,

anywhere from $20 million to $100 million, the park would be bigger

than either Golden Gate Park in San Francisco or Central Park in New

York City. Because it was just an informational presentation, no

council action was required. It was nonetheless clear where some

stand.

WHAT THEY SAID

“This is a project I wholeheartedly support.”

-- Mayor Steve Bromberg

ECONOMIC COMMITTEE

When developers and businesses such as car dealers approach the

city looking to do business, city staff is never sure what to say or

whether to encourage them, City Manager Homer Bludau said. For that

reason, staff asked the council to create an Economic Advisory

Committee made up of council members to consider each case and to

direct staff how to proceed. The committee’s activities would be

distinct from, but complementary to the existing Economic Development

Committee.

Bromberg moved to appoint Councilmen Tod Ridgeway and Gary Adams,

as well as himself, to the committee. The city’s two Greenlight

councilmen voted against the item.

WHAT THEY SAID

“This sounds like a perfect breeding pond for influence peddling.”

-- Dolores Otting, resident and council regular

DESIGNATED DRIVERS

A program to place designated drivers in area bars was solidly

appreciated by council members, but when it came to giving the

program a $15,000 grant, Adams parted ways with the rest of the

council.

WHAT THEY SAID:

“I’m not sure that in the current economic environment, when we

may have to consider cutbacks in the near future, that it’s the best

use of taxpayer money. ... I’m not going to support this motion, even

though I very much support what you’re doing.”

-- Councilman Gary Adams

ANNEXATIONS

Newport Beach wants to annex West Santa Ana Heights, the Santa Ana

Country Club and a residential area south of Mesa Drive if and only

if the city can also take control of about $30 million in

redevelopment money for the area. Residents in attendance and the

council agreed that the city could spend the money faster and more

effectively on area improvements that could the current redevelopment

agency as it’s administered by the county. The money is earmarked for

improvements for the redevelopment only, and the city could not put

it in the general fund or use it for work outside Santa Ana Heights.

The council agreed to move forward with the annexation, contingent

upon taking over the redevelopment agency. The next step in

annexation could come in the fall, when the city may file an

application with the county to annex the area.

WHAT THEY SAID

“Yes, I believe that taking over the redevelopment agency is a

deal breaker.”

-- City Manager Homer Bludau, answering a question by the mayor

-- June Casagrande