City hall traffic a concern

Two important factors will shape where voters decide the next Newport Beach city hall will go — traffic and cost.

Two factions, for and against a February ballot measure that would require Newport Beach’s city hall to be built next to the city’s central library faced off Wednesday at the Newport Beach Yacht Club. The ballot measure, dubbed Measure B, would rewrite the city charter to specify that city hall must be on a site adjacent to the city’s central library. The debate was sponsored by the nonpartisan residents’ group Speak Up Newport.

“I find it hard to believe that there is no traffic impact when you put a building down in Newport Center next to the busiest intersection in town,” said Measure B opponent Hugh Logan, referring to the corner of MacArthur Boulevard and San Miguel Drive.

Logan and other Newport residents against the ballot measure believe building city hall next to the city’s central library would cause gridlock on Avocado Avenue, San Miguel Drive and MacArthur Boulevard. Logan said Wednesday he was in favor of building on a site on the 500 block of Newport Center between Santa Rosa Drive and San Nicholas Drive proposed by the Irvine Co. Representatives from the Irvine Co. have claimed the site is “traffic neutral” because land surrounding the site would include the right mix of office space and residential and shopping areas.

“There are some wildly incorrect statements out there on traffic,” said City Hall in the Park proponent Ron Hendrickson at the debate.

City Hall generates minimal traffic problems, Hendrickson said, because many employees work flexible hours and many visitors come at off-peak hours.

Traffic improvements also are already planned for intersections near the proposed city hall in the park site, Hendrickson said, including cameras that will monitor and improve traffic flow in certain areas.

Hendrickson also pointed out that the new city hall probably wouldn’t be completed for at least three years.

Cost may be the deciding factor for many voters in February.

Measure B supporters claim the site next to the library would be cheaper to build on because the site is already owned by the city.

Measure B opponents claimed Wednesday the proposed Irvine Co. site in Newport Center would be $7 million to $10 million cheaper than the site next to the library because of the cost of excavating the library site and other issues.

“This measure handcuffs us to a poor site regardless of cost,” said Measure B opponent Jean Watt.

BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at [email protected].