EDITORIAL:Council decided. Newport voters elected them. And that settles it

Back in the year 2000, when Greenlight forces were busy brewing up their bitter cocktail of ballot box planning, we took a very unpopular stand.

We stood in front of the oncoming train and yelled, “Stop!”

That train didn’t stop. Greenlight became the law of the land, and we had to jump out of the way and concede to the will of the people.

What we said then, in argument against Greenlight, is that the City Council is elected to be the lawmakers for the city of Newport Beach. Today, in the wake of the vote to push ahead with the Newport Center passive park plans, we still believe the same thing.

The elected council members should set policy for the city.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t quarrel with their reasoning.

The council’s decision to proceed with the park kicked aside a plan by noted architect Bill Ficker that would have used a small portion of the 12 acres of the park for the creation of a new city hall that would sit adjacent to the city’s crown jewel library facilities on Avocado Avenue.

The creation of world-class civic center at that site is very appealing, we must admit.

Before we go on. We’d like to commend Ficker for his vision and dedication to this idea. He deserves much credit for putting together an idea that he believes would improve all of Newport Beach.

Hence our problem with the council’s decision. What it seemed to come down to was keeping the promise of the parkland. But that argument doesn’t hold water.

Because the park was never in jeopardy.

Ficker’s plan would have blended the park and the city hall project together and used some 2.5 acres of the 12-acre property. That’s hardly a taking of park land.

What’s disappointing is that the plan by Ficker, who spent lots of his own money and time, didn’t get a full hearing by the council. The majority of the council made up its mind and refused to listen to other options.

There was no staff report prepared on his plan. No analysis. It was just rejected without the full council giving it serious consideration.

Sound familiar?

Despite all of that, we must concede that the idea has had its day at the council, and we are ready to move on.

But we’re not so sure that those who believe in Ficker’s city hall plan, and they are many, are finished fighting.

Like the aforementioned Greenlight vote, there is now talk of a citywide referendum on his plan. And if that were to happen, we are not so sure that City Council members won’t find themselves in the same place we were in seven years ago — yelling “stop” at train that is coming at them full speed.