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Marinapork: RIP.
UPDATE! November 3, 2004: Voters defeat Measure L, 66% NO,
33% Yes. RIP Measure L.
Is it a big surprise to any of us that our infamous Newport Beach mayor has
invited yet another one of his developer buddies to build a 110-room
luxury resort, here on our already over crowded peninsula?
Yes, it's true. Currently referred to as the Sutherland Hospitality
resort, it would be located on the existing 8 acre Marinapark, which is between
15th and 18th Streets on the bay side of the peninsula. What's really
interesting about this one is that this would actually be building their hotel on city
property - an area zoned as "Recreation and Environmental Open Space!" This is the same city property (currently a
trailer park) that
the city has proposed to convert into an actual park. So, perhaps a better question is,
Marinapark: Park or Pork?
The only good news here is that due to the
GreenLight
ordinance*, our developer friends in city hall will actually have to allow us to
vote on this one before Ridgeway starts the ignition on
his first bulldozer! On November 2nd, they plan on trying to ammend the city's general plan
to re-zone the property as "Marine Commercial", thus allowing the hotel project
to proceed.
The next question will then be - will the voters actually know that they can have a park instead of the hotel?
The vote will be titled "Measure L", and a "YES" vote will re-zone the land for
the hotel, a "NO" vote will retain the current "Recreation and Open Space"
zoning.
Aerial image compliments of www.newport-parks.com.
But since we don't claim to be experts on this topic, we'll refer you to www.newport-parks.com
where you can learn all about it. You can also buy "VOTE NO ON L" t-shirts
and buttons in our on-line store. In the meantime, feel free to use the
table below to send an e-mail to any or all of your city council
representatives. Make sure they know your opinion:
Related Articles, From Both Sides:
• City
of Newport Beach: Marinapark Resort and Community Plan
• 8.15.04.
Mayor: City Can't Satisfy Greenlight
• 8.09.04.
Greenlight Wants Fairness
• 7.29.04.
Marinapark's Future in Voters' Hands
*It should be noted that the city is actually circumventing the true Greenlight
mandated voting process in an effort to tailor their message and vote to their
developer's delight (it's a long story). That said, without the Greenlight ordinance, it most
certainly would not have gone to a vote before the general public at all!
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