NEWPORT BEACH : Changes in Hoag Plan Stir Opposition

Neighbors living near Hoag Hospital and environmentalists hoping to save hospital-owned wetlands are gearing up to oppose monumental changes in the hospital’s master plan, which is up for Planning Commission review next month.

The residents are concerned that the new master plan could bring blocked views, more traffic and the destruction of the Cat-Tail Cove wetlands. They plan to fight for lower building heights, more open space and preserved wetlands.

“We know perfectly well the issue is not whether Hoag Hospital is a good hospital or not--it is. And it’s not about whether they should be here or not--they should,” said resident Chris Hanson, who opposes elements of the plan. “But this (future development) seems to me to be a luxury that can’t really be afforded because of the damage it does to the public.”

The master plan is the framework for development over the next two decades. It details building heights, sizes and locations on the hospital’s 38 acres but does not specify designs and uses. Those would be defined in future specific plans.

At issue is the area called the lower campus, where the Cancer Center sits off Coast Highway. This is the proposed site for a row of new buildings on the wetlands. The residents of Villa Balboa overlook what is now open space, and they fear ocean and bay views would be destroyed by new development.

The master plan allows for two- to four-story buildings of 57.5 feet to 68 feet high, depending on the slope of the land on the narrow strip. Residents would like to see that limit lowered to 55 feet across the board, which would be 2.5 feet lower than the existing Cancer Center.

Residents argue that the same square-footage--just over 505,000--could be achieved in a lower building by eliminating the parking lot behind the row of buildings. Hospital officials say that the lot would be used as doctors-only parking, a needed amenity to lure quality doctors to the hospital, they say.

The new buildings on the lower campus are set aside for non-acute health services such as outpatient care, substance abuse services and hospital administration.

Residents are further concerned about up to 3 acres of hospital-owned wetlands on which the lower campus additions would be built.

Called Cat-Tail Cove, the area contains large amounts of pampas grass and cattails which provide a marshy habitat for birds, butterflies, frogs and lizards. Some birds that are on the California list of endangered animal species, such as the great blue heron and snowy egret, live in the wetlands. Others, such as the black-crowned night heron and golden eagle, also have been sighted in the area.

Friends of Cat-Tail Cove, a local environmental group, opposes the elimination of the wetlands and is preparing to fight the issue in City Hall. Members of the group argue that mitigation measures that call for duplicating the 1.5 acres of wetlands on another site--possibly in Upper Newport Bay--are not acceptable.

They welcome the hospital’s plans to build a view park at the highest point in the area and at the end of the existing bike trail but say the park does not make up for the potential loss of wetlands.

Some community members, however, support the hospital’s plans and recently formed a group to support it and help head off opposition from the community. The group, Hoag 2010, headed by former Mayor Jackie Heather and local restaurateur Jim Dale, is promoting the benefit the hospital provides to the community.

The plan is to go before the Planning Commission on Nov. 21.