Did the Newport Beach City Council just tip its hand on new police HQ site?
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Story of the day: Newport Beach takes deeper look at park for police HQ site
The Newport Beach City Council has long held the view that Civic Center Park, part of the municipal complex that includes City Hall, should be home to police department headquarters. This location has not been a universally popular choice.
Last fall, the council formed an ad hoc committee comprised of councilmembers, but no one from the public. During a March study session, the council voiced its support for the park location, which would mean the beloved “Bunnyhenge” sculpture garden that lends a whimsical vibe to the property would be razed or, in a more charitable scenario, moved elsewhere. The new HQ would require carving out of about 3.5 acres of parkland.
Other options provided to the panel included renovating the current department headquarters on Santa Barbara Drive near Fashion Island or, as the least expensive option, building a new facility on Dove Street near John Wayne Airport.
After some pressure from the public, a new ad hoc committee that includes local residents was formed and held its first meeting in June to discuss the various possibilities. That committee has not yet had a chance to come back with its recommendations, but the council this week charged ahead, approving $1.5M in contracts for study, design and outreach related to building in Civic Center Park.
One councilmember, Robyn Grant, balked at “putting the cart before the horse,” as she said. Given that the committee assigned to do the study has barely had time to consider it, and actual construction would “years away.”
One resident, Denise Oberman, was more pointed during public comments: “Are we evaluating several sites and comparing those for feasibility and suitability … or are we really just trying to slam one site through?”
City Manager Seimone Jurjis said there are certain challenges to building the HQ on the Civic Center Park site, so the information gained via the contracts approved last week is necessary.
“The challenge for staff is there are a lot of questions for the Civic Center site that we cannot answer,” he said. “It is a complex site with habitat, with species. There are a lot of topography issues. We did state to the City Council that if you want us to consider the Civic Center site, we’re going to need some help.”
MORE NEWS
O.C. Department of Ed orders financial audit of Laguna Beach Unified
The reasoning behind this decision is not entirely clear at this point, but in July the Orange County Department of Education ordered an independent review of Laguna Beach Unified School District’s financial records and work is set to begin on that audit.
Orange County Supt. of Schools Stefan Bean said the action followed “requests from members of the Laguna Beach community,” though he remained mum on who those community members are.
Man dies of apparent drowning at Laguna Beach
A 24-year-old man died Monday night in a drowning incident at Crescent Bay Beach in Laguna Beach.
An eyewitness told responders that the victim, who has not been publicly identified, had been swimming with a companion when he began to struggle and appeared not to be able to keep afloat. Once he was located by rescuers, he was transported to a hospital where he was declared deceased.
Couple receives plea deal in $5M embezzlement case
An Irvine couple who stood accused of embezzling nearly $5 million from web and advertising company BroadSpring accepted a deal and pleaded guilty to substantially reduced charges last week. Despite the objection of the Orange County district attorney’s office, Superior Court Judge John Adams gave both two years’ probation.
Anaheim passes on rideshare tax ballot measure
Voters in Anaheim will not be asked in November to pass a tax on rideshare trips to Disney and sports venues, following a decision last week by the Anaheim City Council.
The proposal would have put a 10% tax on rideshare users heading to the Anaheim Resort or specific areas of the Platinum Triangle, anchored by the Honda Center and Angel Stadium.
Costa Mesa struggles to reach unified vision for housing
Land occupied by the former Fairview Developmental Center in Costa Mesa, built by the state in 1959 to serve as a residential hospital for individuals with disabilities, will one day see a housing development on 80 acres there.
A draft specific plan was presented at a recent town hall where residents expressed their concerns about how the city could support between 2,300 and 4,000 new residential units at the site. The Planning Commission, which did not show a lot of enthusiasm for the plan last week, is expected to vote on it during their meeting on Monday, Aug. 10.
Balboa Island’s historic cottages are disappearing
In around 1913, after developer W.S. Collins dredged mudflats to create Balboa Island, people started building rustic beach cottages there that became cherished family getaways. Some of them still survive, but many have been replaced by multi-story properties with all the conveniences of today.
Adding to the increase of new larger homes is the fact that the island has also become more of a year-round community. One longtime resident recently tore down his Emerald Avenue cottage to build one where he could comfortably live out the rest of his days. “Most of the people are in their 70s and 80s on my street and live in newer homes,” he told the Daily Pilot. “Everybody needs an elevator.”
SPORTS roundup
Marshall, Kerr are 2026 U.S. Open of Surfing champions
Encinitas resident Jake Marshall, 27, and 19-year-old Sarah Kerr, an Aussie and the daughter of former CT surfer Josh Kerr, claimed the top prizes at the Open, held south of the Huntington Beach Pier. Each took home a trophy and $20,000.
Marshall edged out local favorite Kanoa Igarashi in the finals heat, scoring 14.77 over Igarashi’s 14.07. Kerr struggled over the past year to regain her health after being stricken with Lyme disease, so Sunday’s win was sweet victory indeed.
Surfing Walk of Fame and Hall of Fame ceremonies
They don’t call Huntington Beach “Surf City” for nothing. As has become a tradition, locals turned out during the week of the U.S. Open of Surfing to honor those who were named to the Surfing Walk of Fame and the Surfers Hall of Fame.
The six inducted into the Walk of Fame during a ceremony held Thursday at the Pier Plaza were Patti Paniccia, Jordy Smith, Dean Torrence (of Jan & Dean fame), Phil Roberts, Mike Purpus and Joey Hawkins. The next day, Courtney Conlogue and Jay Larson were welcomed into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame in a ceremony emceed by former U.S. Open surfing champion Brett Simpson.
Minor league baseball is coming to Irvine’s Great Park
The Irvine City Council last week approved a five-year agreement with Innovation Baseball Partners LLC to become the primary tenant of the Great Park Championship Baseball Stadium.
Innovation plans to form an expansion team to compete in the Pioneer Baseball League, which partners with Major League Baseball. Other minor league baseball teams it owns and operates include the Long Beach Coast, Oakland Ballers and Yuba-Sutter Freebirds.
4 Things to Do in OC
🏄🏻♂️ Inspired by last week’s U.S. Open of Surfing? Pay a visit to the newly-opened International Surfing Museum in Huntington Beach.
🚘 Embrace your inner rebel and enjoy one of the zoot suit fashion shows Sunday afternoon alongside a lowrider exhibit at the O.C. Fair.
🍽️ Dig into prime rib, Yorkshire pudding and other British fare at the new Gordon Ramsay at The Carnaby in Downton Disney. But read our review before you go.
🎤 Get some well-earned laughs at Irvine Improv, which is celebrating 40 years of welcoming rising comics as well as some true legends.
KEEP IN TOUCH
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