Councilman opposes grass areas on beach

June Casagrande

As City Council members prepare to hear a proposal for improvements

at Corona del Mar State Beach, Councilman Dick Nichols on Tuesday

said he opposes adding more grassy areas to the beach in part because

“Mexicans” dominate these areas.

“With grass we usually get Mexicans coming in there early in the

morning and they claim it as theirs and it becomes their personal,

private grounds all day,” Nichols said in a phone interview.

The comment was just one of many points the councilman made as he

explained his opposition to the proposed improvements, but it is the

one that most troubled his colleagues.

“This concerns me,” Mayor Steve Bromberg said. “I’m very bothered

because this is not the way the people of Newport Beach are. The

people of Newport Beach are very progressive and it’s indeed

unfortunate if we have an elected official spewing what might be

interpreted as a racial epithet.”

John Heffernan, who like Nichols was supported in his council run

by the city’s controlled-growth Greenlight movement, also said he

disapproved of the comment.

“When you’re a public official, you can’t make comments that are

racially toned,” Heffernan said. “What you say is taken far

differently because you’re a public official.”

Greenlight officials also quickly distanced themselves from

Nichol’s comments.

“We are troubled by Dr. Nichol’s alleged quote,” said Greenlight

spokesman Phil Arst. “He was endorsed by Greenlight because of his

long record of community service as opposed to that of his principal

opponent. Greenlight is committed to a better quality of life in

Newport Beach and while we stand behind the reasons for our

endorsement of Dr. Nichols as an insightful and hard-working

community activist, who has been making a difference in speaking up

for the residents, we are sorely disappointed with his comment.”

It’s the second time that Nichols used the word “Mexican” in a way

that raised concerns. At the Oct. 22, 2002 City Council meeting,

Nichols referred to a motorist as a Mexican, though he did not know

the man, his country of origin or citizenship.

Nichols made the more recent comment while discussing details of

the beach improvement plan that will be heard at an upcoming City

Council meeting.

In addition to expanded grassy areas, Nichols said he also opposes

plans to build added facilities for lifeguards because they will take

up more of the sand area than is necessary for public safety.

Fire Chief Tim Riley said that the fire department, which oversees

the lifeguards, supports the improved lifeguard facilities because

they will allow for a higher level of safety in a beach area that’s

difficult to serve because the harbor entrance separates Corona del

Mar from most of the beach area the city lifeguards patrol.

Better amenities are needed there because of this access issue, he

said.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

[email protected].