NEWPORT BEACH : City Debates Fate of ‘People’s Park’
Almost four months after voters decided Newport Beach should not sell a plot of land dubbed “People’s Park,” city officials are still considering what to do with it.
The debate over the fate of the 30-by-100-foot lot at 4210 River Ave. continued at a recent City Council meeting. Park neighbors who have planted trees on the lot and maintain it as a mini-park are asking the city to rezone the land to ensure it is kept open for recreational use, said Irene Butler, assistant city clerk.
However, the council voted unanimously to review all potential uses for the lot, including the possibility of building affordable housing on the site, Butler said.
On Feb. 12, the city’s Parks, Beaches and Recreation Department advised the City Council that the lot is not needed as part of the city’s park system and recommended that the current R-2 zoning be maintained.
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