Newport to move ahead with annexation

-- Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- City officials and Newport Coast representatives said

Tuesday that they were close to reaching an agreement on terms of the

city’s proposed annexation of the upscale neighborhood.

“I’m confident that thanks to the work of the resident team, we’re

close to an agreement out there,” said Deputy City Manager Dave Kiff, who

presented the annexation proposal to the City Council.

Council members unanimously decided to move forward with an

application for the annexation of Newport Coast, Santa Ana Heights and

Bay Knolls. Residents in the latter two areas appear to support

annexation overwhelmingly.

The move allows city officials to bring back a resolution at the

upcoming Sept. 26 council meeting, which will then be filed with the

Local Agency Formation Commission of Orange County. The state agency

makes decisions on whether a city can annex unincorporated areas in its

sphere of influence.

Newport Coast representatives said they hoped to make a favorable

recommendation to residents about the annexation once the city had

changed some of the wording in the document.

“We hope to be able to come back to the city at the Sept. 26 meeting

with favorable news,” said Jim McGee, president of Newport Coast

Committee 2000.

He added Wednesday that the group had asked the city to tighten up the

language and establish a timeline for some components of the proposal.

Since the group and city officials were still working on the final

document, he did not want to comment on any details.

As it stands, the city’s proposal would pay $18 million over 15 years

to share some of the high-tax burden for Newport Coast homeowners. It

also includes $7 million for a civic center.

Should the agency commission approve the annexation, and less than 49%

of residents in the area object to the move, the three areas could become

part of the city as early as March 2001, city officials said.