NEWPORT BEACH : Plan for College at Ex-School Opposed

More than 100 residents poured into the Newport-Mesa Unified School District board meeting this week to oppose plans to put a Coastline Community College campus at a former elementary school site near their neighborhood.

Residents of Vista del Oro, part of a residential area between Back Bay and Eastbluff drives on the east side of Upper Newport Bay, complained that the school would bring increased traffic and noise, and questioned leasing an elementary school site to the college when young families are moving into the area. They argued that the new influx will probably create a need for a new elementary school in the future, and that the site should be retained for that purpose.

“Our homeowners take a great deal of pride in our neighborhoods,” resident Mikelle Watson said. “Many homeowners bought their homes for this ambience, and it will definitely negatively impact our neighborhood and our property values.”

The community college district hopes to open the new campus this fall at the former Eastbluff Kindergarten Center. It is planned to offer a child-care facility as well as a range of classes for seniors, parenting instruction and continuing education in business, languages, social studies and other subjects.

Coastline Chancellor Alfred Fernandez said at Tuesday’s meeting that his staff has met with neighborhood groups to gauge opinions and address residents’ concerns. Also on hand were Newport Beach Councilmen John W. Hedges and Clarence J. Turner, who said they will work with both college and school district to find a compromise.

The Newport-Mesa board took no action on the issue, and the Coast Community College District board will discuss it at its April 1 meeting. The plan is still in a preliminary stage and no lease price has been set for the property.

Many of the approximately 40 neighborhood residents in attendance said they had attended classes in the college district before and supported its goals, but did not want the school in their neighborhood. They were particularly concerned about traffic and late-night noise.

“I think it’s a real safety hazard. When you put in extra cars, you’re asking for an accident,” said resident Mary Ganiere.

Both the North Bluff Parks Homeowners Assn. and the North Bluff Bay View Homeowners Assn., representing a total of more than 600 homes, have opposed the plan.

“Even though some of the things they had to say weren’t exactly what we wanted to hear, it’s very good to have that many people come out and hear what they have to say, so we can better tailor our decisions,” Kevin McElroy, vice president of administrative services at Coastline, said of residents who spoke in opposition.

Residents also expressed concerns that the community college’s students would mainly be teen-agers right out of high school, but college officials said most Coastline students are working adults attending evening classes.

The average age of students at the college’s current site at Corona del Mar High School is 28, with 95% of the students from Newport Beach.