City officials polling West Newport residents on improvements
Newport Beach city officials are asking West Newport residents to weigh in on a neighborhood master plan that emphasizes landscaping, wider sidewalks, additional lighting and signage and other improvements for what amounts to a long-term wish list.
In January, the city began developing the West Newport Mesa Streetscape Master Plan. The plan is intended to “unify the diverse elements” through sidewalk, parkway and landscape improvements that encourage pedestrian and bicycle use, according to a city staff report.
Residents can share their ideas for the area bordered by West 16th Street, Newport Boulevard, Hospital Road and Monrovia Avenue at a public workshop Wednesday and again at Thursday’s Planning Commission meeting.
A similar effort to refresh the Balboa Peninsula with new landscaping, road improvements and better signage has been under way for the last several years.
West Newport’s issues became more evident when the City Council created a Height Overlay Zone for residential development in January 2015. The zone increases allowable heights to 40 feet for flat roofs and 45 feet for sloped roofs in exchange for increased setbacks.
City officials said a master plan would help direct private improvements and identify potential areas in which to invest city resources.
Councilman Tony Petros said the idea for the plan was brought to the forefront during the time when city officials were considering an 81-unit condominium development planned for the former site of the Ebb Tide Mobile Home park on Placentia Avenue. The development originally did not have a lot of public amenities, but featured rooftop decks for each condominium, Petros said.
The developer worked with the city to incorporate certain enhanced design elements, including a larger setback in exchange for the less-restrictive height limit.
“That spurred my whole thought of not wanting to see the densities that are happening in neighboring communities and wanting to have a real discussion in the community about open space and the livability of the neighborhood,” Petros said.
The Planning Commission approved that project last August.
Decades ago, West Newport was known mostly for its industrial uses and boatyards, but over the years residential units began replacing businesses in the area. Petros expects that will continue to be the case, given the area’s prime, coastal location.
Petros said some West Newport residents have expressed concerns about the city allowing the density permitted in other cities.
“We want to work with the development community so they clearly understand what we want and allow them the opportunity to provide it,” he said.
The public workshop is at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Pacifica High School, 881 West 15th Street. The Planning Commission meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at 100 Civic Center Drive.
