Newport Beach’s Plan for Older Areas

In view of the recent press coverage on the Newport Beach Planning Commission’s first public hearing on the Cannery Village/McFadden Specific Area Plan, which took place Feb. 6, I feel it incumbent upon me to comment.

I will not speak to the merits of the proposal, as it is still pending before the commission. The proposal before us is not a proposal to erect a “shopping center,” or any other building, for that matter. It is simply a plan for future development presented to us by the city’s staff of professional planners after 18 months of citizen input and review. It is designed to give guidelines to individual property owners on how to develop or redevelop their property while, at the same time, permit orderly future planning in two of the older parts of the city.

In addition, the plan proposes to provide for a series of public improvements that would be phased over many years to come as public funds become available. In some cases, property owners would be required to contribute their fair share.

Before anyone else passes judgment on the merits of any aspect of the plan, I invite them to pick up a copy of it and have a look. They might also walk or drive through Cannery Village and McFadden Square and discuss it with city staff.

I also invite them to express their opinion to us when we again look at the issue Thursday. It is only through public input that we can make the decision which hopefully will improve the quality of life in Newport Beach.

JAMES (BUZZ) PERSON

Chairman,

Planning Commission

City of Newport Beach