ON THE AGENDA IMPROVEMENTS The city has...

ON THE AGENDA

IMPROVEMENTS

The city has about $1.5 million to spend on fixing up Corona del

Mar State Beach, but now they must figure out how to spruce it up.

A number of improvements, paid for from the American Trader Oil

Spill settlement and from Proposition 12, could be made depending on

what the council and the community want. A little more light will be

shed on the matter when the council hears plans for fixing up the

beach at their study session before the council meeting.

WHAT TO EXPECT

In two public meetings on the matter so far, a vast majority seem

opposed to putting a full-service restaurant there. But how to

upgrade restrooms, a snack bar and a lifeguard station there remains

to be seen.

APPOINTMENTS

The issue that just won’t go away could finally get wrapped up, or

at least come close tonight when the council considers making

appointments to three city committees.

The council will vote on appointing residents to the Aviation

Committee, the Coastal/Bay Water Quality Citizens Advisory Committee

and the Environmental Quality Committee.

For the last two or three City Council meetings, members have been

taking the matter piecemeal, nominating representatives from their

districts as well as at-large representatives.

In a separate item, the council will also consider appointing some

new members to serve on the General Plan Advisory Committee.

WHAT TO EXPECT

What little controversy lurked in the water quality, environmental

and aviation committee issues has been largely exhausted, so

tonight’s appointment process could be pretty straightforward. The

General Plan Advisory Committee matter could be a little trickier, in

part because the council will also consider whether to institute a

mandatory attendance policy for committee members.

NEWPORT TERRACE

In the 1950s and ‘60s, the land under what is now the Newport

Terrace condominium complex was a landfill. The Orange Council Health

Care Agency and other bodies have sent a number of notices to the

condominium’s homeowners association about methane levels at the

site. A report in 2000 showed no immediate health hazards, but

government agencies agree that further studies should be done.

The city is obligated to pick up part of the tab, about $76,000,

to hire SCS Engineering to begin work.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The matter is on the council’s consent calendar, which means that

staff anticipates it will win approval without much discussion or

controversy.

-- June Casagrande