Vision plan still 20/20, just not 2004

June Casagrande

It’s not Vision 2004 anymore. The state budget crisis, a drooping

economy and the frustrating process of trying to get Caltrans to

relinquish a section of Coast Highway all contributed to the renaming

of the Corona del Mar beautification project to just the Corona del

Mar Vision Plan.

Corona del Mar business leaders will give a presentation to the

City Council tonight on their far-reaching plan to beautify Coast

Highway.

“It’s a beautification program with a lot of emphasis on

pedestrian safety,” said Ed Selich, a planning commissioner helping

steer the vision plan of the Corona del Mar Business Improvement

District.

Though the plan won’t meet its original goal of being mostly

complete by 2004, Corona del Mar’s centennial, Selich said that the

improvements continue to make steady progress.

“Basically, it’s a beautification plan with an emphasis on making

the area as pedestrian friendly as possible,” Selich said.

But this simple summary belies how extensive the $12-million plan

is.

Crosswalk improvements are a cornerstone. Flashing lights will be

installed in the pavement to mark crosswalks across Coast Highway at

Orchid, Iris and Dahlia avenues.

Median landscaping is another major feature of the vision plan.

The project calls for replacing painted medians in Coast Highway with

raised medians that have decorative landscaping and lights. Medians

in the area that are already raised and landscaped with get more

extensive landscaping, though the plant types and other details

haven’t been decided. Sidewalks on either side of Coast Highway are

also slated for more decorative landscaping.

LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS

This green emphasis of the vision plan dates back to the

mid-1980s, after the city removed about 80 mature trees in the area

because their roots were doing damage. Since that time, the city has

replanted about 100 young trees along Coast Highway in the area, and

local business leaders have maintained their hopes of making the area

as green as possible.

New street lights are also in the works. Planners hope to replace

the existing light poles with decorative ones that meet the same

highway standards. Likely the posts will have fixtures for attaching

banners as well as planters that will be irrigated with water pumped

right through the light post.

In addition, planners want to install a series of shorter lamp

posts, about 12 or 15 feet tall, to illuminate walkways for

pedestrians and add to the ambience.

Some of the street furniture and other decorative elements of the

plan are already in place. A preview of the new look is at the

southwest corner of Coast Highway and Marguerite Avenue, where a

decorative bus shelter and landscaping have been installed.

Water fountains with special sections for dogs, new entryway signs

and even a clock tower with a community message board are also under

consideration.

OWNING THE ROAD

The $12-million project has already earned about $3.5 million in

the form of a state grant. The city has not committed any funds, but

might consider requests in the future. The difference might come from

other state grants and similar sources, Selich said.

“The beauty of this plan is that, the way we designed it, it can

be phased in piecemeal,” Selich said.

But the question of whether the city will take over Coast Highway

continues to be the biggest stumbling block. If the city takes it

over, it would eliminate a lot of red tape for getting permits. The

city would also be more permissive as to the things it would allow

there.

“The process of getting permits through Caltrans is complicated,”

Asst. City Manager Sharon Wood said. “It takes time and they are

fairly inflexible with standards. ... People have really run into

difficulty with things like getting permits to put up banners for

things like the sand castle contest. That more everyday kind of

thing’s easier if it’s under city control.”

Caltrans has offered to pay the city $3.5 million if it takes over

the portion of Coast Highway between Jamboree Road and Newport Coast

Drive. The money is to cover the city’s cost of maintaining the road.

City officials are unsure whether this is enough, but Selich said

that it’s crucial the city take over Coast Highway.

“The business community feels that relinquishment is extremely

important,” Selich said. “It’s more than just an issue of how much

money comes from Caltrans. I feel intuitively that these improvements

over the long term will rejuvenate the area and, in the end, be very

financially worthwhile.”

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

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

[email protected].