Public can weigh in on Mariners’ Mile revitalization during workshop Monday
Traffic travels along the roughly 1-mile section of West Coast Highway in Newport Beach known as Mariner’s Mile.
Newport Beach residents and business owners on Monday will again be able to share their visions for Mariners’ Mile during a workshop at Marina Park.
The discussion is the second in a series of meetings for residents and business owners to brainstorm about what they would like to see along the mile-long stretch of West Coast Highway between Newport Boulevard and Dover Drive.
In 2011, the council identified Mariners’ Mile as one of six zones in need of revitalization. Work in other areas, including Corona del Mar, Balboa and Lido villages, West Newport and Santa Ana Heights, has been underway for years.
However, a decision on how best to use the narrow Mariners’ stretch, which is hemmed in by bluffs on one side and Newport Harbor on the other, has long eluded city leaders. The area began as a nautical destination and has transformed over the past several decades into a haven for luxury car dealers, restaurants and yacht businesses.
City staff and PlaceWorks, a community planning consulting firm, are forging a master plan to address possible future uses, as well as limitations to revitalization, and they’re seeking community input to help shape the vision.
PlaceWorks is expected to interview area stakeholders to hear their ideas, evaluate the effectiveness of public policies, review the parking management plan and determine how best to design the street for pedestrians and bicyclists, according to their contract with the city.
The study, which began this summer, is expected to take six to nine months and go to the Planning Commission and City Council for review.
During a July meeting, about 50 community members spoke about their desire to maintain the current configuration of lanes along the stretch of East Coast Highway while creating a pedestrian-and bicycle-friendly environment on the harbor-front.
Monday’s community workshop will begin at 6 p.m. in the Collins Island and Bay Island rooms at Marina Park, 1600 W. Balboa Boulevard.
Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
