Imagine the annexed possibilities

Geoff West

During a recent Costa Mesa City Council meeting, when the subject of

the annexation of the Santa Ana Country Club and other areas of West

Santa Ana Heights was discussed, City Councilman Gary Monahan

suggested to his peers that representatives of Costa Mesa meet with

representatives of Newport Beach to negotiate with them -- and

encouraged them to “play hardball,” to use Monahan’s term.

Keep in mind that Monahan, in his previous breath, acknowledged

that he didn’t think Costa Mesa could prevail in a battle of

annexation of the areas in question because the residents of the

affected areas have made their feelings very clear, but it could

still fight Newport Beach’s attempt to absorb them. It looked to me

as though he was ready to go to battle like the proverbial one-legged

man in a butt-kicking contest.

As I watched him, it struck me that it might be profitable to play

a little poker with our former mayor, since he seems determined to

play all his cards face up. During the brief debate, one speaker

suggested, half in jest, that perhaps the best solution would be to

have Newport Beach annex all of Costa Mesa, to which a few folks

chuckled. That suggestion got me thinking, though. I mean, why not

permit Newport Beach to annex all of Costa Mesa? We already share a

school district, a helicopter fleet, a hunk of infrastructure and a

common interest in seeing no further growth at John Wayne Airport.

It seems to me that there could be many benefits for Costa Mesans

if Newport Beach swallowed us up. For example, those who decry the

“out-of-town industrialists,” who “defile” the Westside, would lose

that tired argument because many of those “out-of-towners” live in

Newport Beach. Those who long to have a marina would have it --

instantly. Those who envy the clout and prestige of Newport Beach

would have it -- instantly. Those who wish for greater property value

increases would have it -- instantly. All this is possible by simply

allowing Costa Mesa, like the lonely stepchild sitting in the corner,

to become part of the Newport Beach family. Don’t you think those

businesses in the South Coast Metro area might like to have “Newport

Beach” on their stationery? What kind of political clout do you think

a city bordering John Wayne Airport on three sides might have as the

ongoing battle to expand the airport continues through this century?

Imagine the folks in Newport Beach no longer looking down their noses

at Costa Mesans because now we would be one big, happy family.

Imagine the political power of 200,000 people marching together

instead of two groups of 100,000 pulling in opposite directions.

Imagine being able to butt heads with Irvine as a team. Ah, the

potential.

About now you’re probably asking yourself, why in the world

Newport Beach might even consider annexing Costa Mesa. Well, for

starters, how about the sales tax dollars generated by South Coast

Plaza, IKEA and the Harbor Boulevard of Cars? The annexation of Costa

Mesa would expand the shopping opportunities within Newport Beach.

Think of the prestige of shopping at the Home Depot of Newport Beach

or the Target of Newport Beach or the 99 Cent Store of Newport Beach.

Maybe someone in Newport Beach is clever enough to figure out what to

do with our municipal oxymoron, Triangle Square, because it sure

looks like no one in Costa Mesa can. Of course, there are other good

reasons for annexation, some of which have to do with development of

property that straddles our common border. Also, the high-society

types could stay within their own city when they go to the symphony

or see a play at the Orange County Performing Arts Center -- which

would undoubtedly be renamed the Newport Beach Performing Arts

Center. Heck, the Segerstroms wouldn’t even have to leave their city

of residence to visit their business interests.

So, after you stop choking on your Frosted Flakes, give this a

little thought. I’ll bet many of you can think of lots of good

reasons why Newport Beach and Costa Mesa joining forces as one

unified city would make sense. Of course, some of you might even come

up with one or two reasons why it wouldn’t work. Then, again, maybe

our elected leaders could just try to get along with our neighbor,

negotiate in good faith, not threaten to “play hardball” and actually

do the job we elected them to do -- represent the best interests of

the residents of Costa Mesa. That could work, too.

* GEOFF WEST is a resident of Costa Mesa.