MAILBAG:City Hall park site would create civic center

Recently, a number of false and deliberately misleading statements by uninformed citizens of Newport Beach have been published in the Daily Pilot.

I wish to set the record straight. The sole purpose of the petition now being circulated is to let the residents of our city vote on the issue of whether the new City Hall should be built in Newport Center adjacent to the library, within a small portion of the total parkland.

Even though the land to which we are referring was originally dedicated as open space in its entirety some time ago, circumstances have changed.

In all these years, nothing has been done about it, nor, in the meantime, have we been successful in finding a truly suitable location for a new City Hall.

There are a total of 12.8 acres in Newport Center Park, and the new City Hall, as it is currently planned, would take 2.8 acres, still leaving a full 10 acres for a lovely park.

Be sure to see the wonderful, four-color rendering of the plan, bearing in mind this part of the city already has an overage of “passive” park acreage, according to the recreation element of the General Plan.

The city already owns the land, eliminating a huge expense, which would have to be incurred with the purchase of another parcel and also eliminating “phasing” (the process of having to relocate people and equipment during construction), which would be necessary if we were to try to rebuild on the current site.

We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have an actual civic center by building the new City Hall adjacent to the main library.

The plan also includes much-needed additional parking for the library’s many worthwhile programs, not to mention how much more likely Newport Center Park is to be used when it is part and parcel of an entire complex, rather than being off by itself, bordered by two major thoroughfares.

A few people have expressed concern about possibly losing the exquisite view. There is absolutely no need for worry on that score. The land will be excavated so that the highest point of the building will be below the view plane from MacArthur Boulevard and the homes in Harbor View Hills.

Now is your chance to be pro-active about your community. Exercise your right to vote by signing the petition, which will allow this issue to be placed on February’s ballot so our city’s voters can decide, once and for all.

WENDY BROOKS

Beware false identities; thanks for Fair Game

I read Tom Johnson’s column, “Park decisions not wise,” July 20 and couldn’t agree with you more.

Anyone who had been paying attention to things going on in this city for the past decade knows Martin H. Millard’s MO.

You left out his attempt to shutter the Orange Coast College Swap Meet a couple years ago — a venue for social interaction and low-end commerce for a primarily Latino clientele.

Geez, I hope you guys have a really good lawyer on retainer!

I expect you’ll get comments posted by “Bill,” “Al,” “Jim” and other bogus names Millard has been using online.

I fully expect you’ll hear from him directly, perhaps with copies to the Times and Tribune companies — and maybe even Sam Zell!

I wonder if you’ll get any comments supporting him from real, actual, identifiable residents of this city.

Thanks for saying what needed to be said.

GEOFF WEST