REAL ESTATE

The results are in from a survey of 2,700 Newport Beach and Costa Mesa residents who were asked what they would like to see on the site of a 500-acre oil field. There were few surprises.

“Light industrial” was among the least popular of the options, while residential development was one of the most popular.

The independent survey conducted for Newport Oil Co. got 660 replies, some of them from people who did not favor any of the development options.

“That does show they are interested,” said Leonard Anderson, project manager for the Newport Beach oil company, which owns the land.

The oil field, active since the 1940s, is nearing the end of its producing days. The company has been talking to county officials for a year about getting permission to build something on the land.

Anderson said community opinion could restrain development plans, which is one reason his firm decided to commission the survey.

About 65% of respondents said they would be more likely to support eventual development of the property if it included primarily residential uses, with single-family homes and condos listed as suitable uses.

About 86% said they would be more likely to support the project if restoration of extensively degraded wetlands was included.

When residents were asked to rank development worries, 31% said impact on property values was their top concern; impact on traffic was picked by 28%.

View preservation, mentioned by 7%, was one of the least important concerns--except among residents who live in the Newport Crest neighborhood, which overlooks the oil field.

Citing the survey results, Anderson said the company will not consider light industrial uses for the coastal land.