Commentary: No one will explain need for Balboa overlay

This post has been corrected, as noted below.

Newport Beach Mayor Pro Tem Diane Dixon won her council election based on a campaign of transparency, accountability, fiscal conservatism and, most importantly, listening. We now face the innocuously named Balboa overlay, which was presented by Dixon.

When I initially looked at this, I was shocked to find out what this so-called overlay district was really doing: calling for the creation of “additional performance standards for existing and proposed restaurants and bars that serve alcoholic beverages.”

I am unaware of a single complaint brought to a public meeting of the new council. Had there been one — or preferably more — discussion with whatever establishments were causing these mystery problems might have been warranted. More importantly, these problems would have been identified.

The weekend before the meeting, I stopped by establishments affected by the proposed regulations. I asked about any problems that may have served as an impetus. I asked whether the businesses had been contacted by the city. I asked whether the owers were even aware that this was being voted on.

All of my questions were met with a no.

Calling for new government involvement in businesses is not the principle of small government or the free market.

We do not know what the problems are, who has made the complaints, or why we are spending taxpayer dollars to come up with a solution to a problem that has not been identified

.

Why is the peninsula being targeted? If the overlay is good for the goose, is it not good for the gander? Why not make this Newport-wide?

Why only target establishments open beyond 11 p.m.? Shouldn’t standards be universal? Where is the consistency in the general concept — and more importantly, why is it being brought up? Where is the communication? The accountability?

The people in the community deserve an open and honest discussion of this matter.

Businessman MICHAEL GLENN lives in Newport Beach.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated Michael Glenn ran against Diane Dixon in the election. In fact, he declared an intention to run but decided not to pursue the office.