NEWPORT BEACH

Mariners Mile gets called all sorts of names. They range from “the city’s eyesore” to “just another strip.” City leaders hope the area’s Cinderella status might change soon. After years of trying to come up with guidelines to clean up the mile-long stretch of Coast Highway, a new strategic vision and design framework is expected to become effective in the near future.

The Planning Commission on Thursday postponed approval of the document that outlines the vision until its next meeting. The city plans to add the Lower Castaways to the area along Coast Highway from the Arches Bridge to the Back Bay Bridge.

Once the commission signs off on the document, the City Council will discuss it at two meetings before voting on it.

Crucial elements of the plan include unifying the area by putting up entry signs on the bridges and installing nautical-themed street signs along the mile.

Mariners Village, from Riverside to Tustin avenues, would become the mile’s focal point. The proposal encourages the development of a shopping center with a focus on an upscale market, cafes, theaters and specialty retail.