Newport Office Project Trailing in Referendum

In a referendum being closely watched by planners and developers across Orange County, Newport Beach voters on Tuesday appeared to be rejecting plans to build a 10-story office project near John Wayne Airport.

The vote is considered significant because it’s the first test of Newport Beach’s landmark Greenlight Initiative, which requires a citywide referendum on all major developments.

Newport Beach is one of only a few local governments in the state to require such a vote, and experts have said the outcome will set the tone for development in the city and perhaps beyond.

With only absentee ballots counted, the tally was 43.7% in favor and 56.3% against the project.

The Greenlight Initiative, which voters approved in November 2000, requires a special election for projects that add more than 40,000 square feet of building space, 100 peak-hour car trips or 100 homes above what is allowed by the city’s general plan.

The first such project since--and the subject of Tuesday’s election--was the $50-million expansion of the Koll Center. Plans call for construction of a 10-story office tower at the complex at Jamboree Road and MacArthur Boulevard and replacement of a two-story garage with one that is six stories. An adjacent surface parking lot would be ripped up and replaced after a lower level is placed under it.

A divided Newport Beach City Council approved the project in August, setting the stage for Tuesday’s special election.

Supporters argued that the project would boost the city’s economy without harming residents’ quality of life. They pointed out that the property is located in a primary commercial district and that the new tower would not significantly worsen traffic congestion.

Critics, however, maintained that the office tower would clog already congested traffic even more. They also said the developer should not move forward with the project until Newport Beach completes a revision to its general plan next year.

While city officials are hopeful that voters will decide each project on its own merits, some developers expressed fear that a “no” vote would have a chilling effect on future development in the city.

For example, the family that owns the Newport Dunes resort has put the property up for sale, blaming the Greenlight Initiative for complicating their expansion plans.

Some planning experts said elections such as this one do not necessarily accomplish what is best for the entire community.

“Ventura County has legislation that requires any large project [on farm land] to go to voters and . . . it’s almost impossible to get anything approved in those communities,” said Randy Jackson, president of the Costa Mesa-based Planning Center, an urban design firm.

Others said voters are not able to easily assess large projects’ numerous technical details.

“We created planners and planning departments to do this,” said Scott Bollens, a professor of urban planning at UC Irvine.

“It’s a healthy sign for citizens to put an initiative on the ballot that changes the planning program, but when you have specific projects being reviewed by the citizens, it’s putting very technical issues in front of people who have a lot of other things on their minds,” he said.

The cost of Tuesday’s election was paid for by the developer.