ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Nice Idea, but Not Needed

Advisory Measure A in Newport Beach, which would authorize the city to acquire, improve and maintain separate parcels amounting to 138 acres for open space and recreation by selling $68 million in bonds, is a nice idea. It also turns out to be a win-win situation for the city, where many of the advertised benefits would be available anyway for free.

A “no” vote still would preserve a large percentage of the parcels of land called Castaways and Newporter North as open space. The city has signed off on townhouse development proposals for these properties that are tasteful, environmentally responsible, and usable.

So why should taxpayers, in a wrenching economy, pay millions for 100% of something when development would be unobjectionable and they would get a lot of it anyway--along with new tax revenue?

That’s the question we are left with after considering the proposal. Homeowners would pay $120 a year or $10 a month for 30 years; additional taxes on an office with about 2,000 square feet would be about the same. That may not seem like much to everyone, but it will make a difference to many folks.

In fact, this appears really to be mostly a neighborhood issue, a conclusion that a casual drive in the area around the land seems to support. “Yes on Measure A” signs are plentiful in the nearby hills; but in nearby Corona del Mar, the “no” signs start appearing in front lawns.

Instead of asking the entire city to buy the land, this district well might have been wise to cast a narrower net. It would have cost more that way for those participating, of course. But in these tight times, people are considering with special care what they get for their tax money.

We long have supported the concept of open space set-asides, but this one seems incorrectly framed as a citywide issue when it really is a neighborhood issue. And it is proposed in an area that already is basically given over to development. Already, the city’s interest in open space is provided for quite adequately in the existing development plan.