MAILBAG:

The City Council has determined a need for a larger and up-to-date city hall.

The only real issue is where the city hall will be constructed — Measure B. Once the location is selected, it is up to the City Council to plan, bid and construct a new city hall.

Location: The only reason we are voting on Measure B is because the City Council eliminated this site, adjacent to the Main Library, as a choice for consideration. To many of us, only this site makes sense.

Cost: No matter what building the City Council decides to construct, the cost to build is similar. It will be built on a prepared, level pad. The grading and retaining wall or berm is more than offset by the large purchase price of the “Block 500” site.

Parking: The construction costs might be nearly the same in both locations. However, the city would not be able to control the design, construction costs or amount of the maintenance and sinking fund costs of its portion of the five-story structure planned at the Block 500 site.

The major difference is that at the library site, the city would own the land and structure, and at the Block 500 site the Irvine Co. would own the land under the structure.

And, at the Block 500 site, even though the city would pay for the construction of its share of parking, we would have only an easement to use it — not own it — and the city would be paying for upkeep and into a sinking fund forever.

Open space: There would be no loss of open space because The Irvine Co. is deeding 3.5 acres of open space north of San Miguel to the city, along with the Lower Castaways, in the new agreement. And, the existing site should become a park after the old city hall is torn down.

View: We must trust the City Council to preserve the View Plane Ordinance (as they always have) to preserve both the residents’ and public views.

Building size: We must trust the City Council to make the city hall no larger than needed (on either site).

Traffic: Traffic conditions will be similar in both locations. However, proximity of the library site to East Coast Highway will minimize its traffic contribution to the San Miguel intersections.

Traffic generated by a city hall in either location will be insignificant when compared to the traffic generated by the approved 1,250,000-square-foot Irvine Co. project of additional office space and apartments in Newport Center.

Library benefits: The library will gain much-needed parking, which will come with the city hall next to the library, not delayed to a future second phase of the park as in the City Council’s currently approved plan.

Perception: The City Hall located next to our Main Library creates an impressive Civic Center. This relationship would be lost in the Irvine Co.’s parking lot with tall buildings on both sides and a large five-story parking structure behind it (How did Dolores Otting describe it at the council meeting? “In the Irvine Company’s armpit”).

This is why I support Measure B.

CHARLIE VANDERVORT

Newport Beach