Irvine Bid to Gain Coastal Access Is Rejected by LAFCO

For the second time in its existence, the city of Irvine’s dream of having its own beachfront has been crushed.

Orange County’s Local Agency Formation Commission Wednesday denied the 17-year-old city’s request to extend its sphere of influence to include the Irvine Coast between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, an area of planned development already partially under the sphere of influence of Newport Beach.

The five-member LAFCO, meanwhile, reaffirmed Newport Beach’s influence over that same area and postponed until next January a decision on Newport’s request to add one more sliver of coastal land to its sphere.

In official terminology, a sphere of influence precedes annexation. Both Newport Beach and Irvine have indicated a desire to annex the part of the Irvine Coast where the Irvine Co. plans a 9,400-acre development of resort hotels, retail stores and high-priced homes. The development is in the final stages of planning before the county.

LAFCO Chairman Donald Holt Jr.said the commission rejected Irvine’s request because the land lies much closer to Newport Beach, which already has drawn plans to provide essential services such as police and fire protection to the newly developed area.

Irvine city officials had argued that they could serve the planned coastline community just as well and added that they, as inlanders, deserved a piece of the shoreline and the tax revenues the new development will bring.

“God didn’t give the coast to Newport Beach,” Irvine Mayor Pro Tem Ray Catalano said angrily after Wednesday’s meeting.

Both Holt and Newport Beach Mayor John Cox called the planning agency’s decision a defeat for Irvine’s longstanding desire to extend to the sea. In 1976, LAFCO turned down Irvine’s only other official request to extend its sphere of influence to the beach, according to commission executive director Richard Turner.

“I’d like to have them stay on the other side of the (proposed) San Joaquin Hills Corridor,” which will run about five miles inland, said a jubilant Cox.

Irvine city officials, however, called the LAFCO decision a victory in disguise. Catalano explained that his city never really wanted the entire Irvine Coast and requested it only after archrival Newport Beach did so. Catalano said Irvine’s request forced Newport to reduce its original expansion plan considerably.

In December, Newport had asked to extend its existing sphere of control from Muddy Canyon to the Laguna Beach city limits--an area encompassing the entire unincorporated Irvine Coast. After Irvine and Laguna Beach jumped into the fray and asked for parts of the same coastline, Newport Beach trimmed back its request. At that point, it requested its existing sphere of influence plus a “sliver” of adjoining land to the south as well as Crystal Cove State Park.

On Wednesday, Newport Beach officials formally withdrew their bid for control over the state park and asked only for that sliver of land to which the development will extend.

Holt said after Wednesday’s meeting that LAFCO probably would approve Newport’s request for the sliver, after the commission’s staff has had time to review the merits. Holt added it was unlikely, however, that the commission would favor any more coastal expansion requests by Irvine.

Undaunted, Catalano said his city already intends to submit a new bid for what it really wants: roughly one-half the area of Irvine Coast development. Catalano said he hoped that the cities of Irvine and Newport Beach could strike a compromise on control of the Irvine Coast before returning to LAFCO.

Catalano said Irvine intends to use as a bargaining tool his city’s willingness to transform its railway station into a high-speed transportation center for funneling Orange County airline passengers away from overcrowded John Wayne Airport to Ontario International Airport.

Mayor Cox, however, said there could be no room for negotiating with Irvine officials, whom he accused of being “incredibly greedy” by undertaking a “land grab.”