News: Councilwoman Nancy Gardner

city council district 6 v corona del mar & newport coast

Nancy Gardner

councilwoman v newport beach, california

JUNE UPDATE

WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD
The State Board is doing a documentary on how local jurisdictions are grappling with urban runoff, and I was asked to take the film crew around to show what we are doing. We went to Little Corona, Crystal Cove, Pelican Point and Pelican Hills Resort, and they seemed impressed at what they were seeing although I doubt that will get us very far if there’s an enforcement issue. The footage will run on their website. Please visit http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/ for more details.

BUCK GULLY
Erosion is an issue in Buck Gully, and if you go up to Poppy and 5th Avenue and take the path down to the gully you will see a series of gabions or drop structures the City constructed to ease the problem. Right now it looks a little stark, but vegetation is already taking hold, and within a year or so it will look quite natural.

GREEN BUILDING
The Task Force on Green Building had our first meeting, setting out our goals. We plan on coming up with proposals for an incentive program as well as educational materials to make it easier for those who want to build green or to make their current residence or building greener.

OASIS
Two major donations to the Oasis building fund, one for $2.5 million and one for $500,000, will be announced shortly. The new building is designed to meet the needs of both current and future users (you know, those who insist that sixty is the new forty) and attractive to boot. There are still plenty of naming opportunities, and anyone interested in making a contribution can contact Oasis (949-644-3244).

JOINT OCEAN COMMISSION INITIATIVE
The Joint Ocean Commission Initiative recently put on a workshop for West Coast elected officials which I attended. While most of what was discussed required regional action, there were a couple of ideas that worked on the local level. An example: In trying to save its fishing fleet, a small port in Oregon is creating a brand identity for these fish touting environmentally sustainable fishing methods, freshness, etc. and working with local restaurants to feature the fish on their menus. I passed this on to the Economic Development Committee as a possibility for the dory fleet.

CdM MEDIANS
If you walk or drive around CdM you will have noticed that the medians at Marguerite have new landscaping. The dolphins, the decoration of which is passionately loved by some and hated by others, remain the centerpiece, and the design created by Roger’s Gardens combines blue and green hues to suggest the ocean with spiky silvered succulents at the base of each dolphin for splashing water. The new plants will use less water and not have to be replaced every couple of months as the seasonal color was.

WALKING
The world would be a better place if we all walked more. It’s healthy, it’s good for the environment, and it promotes world peace. Okay, maybe that’s going a bit far, but certainly it does more to promote congeniality than driving where the most common interaction is giving someone else the bird (not that I, of course, even know what that is). Ocean Boulevard is practically a freeway of walking in the morning which is why a recent poll showed that people living in Corona del Mar were happier than the residents of other parts of the city--or it would have, I’m sure, if that question had been posed. To make the morning walk even more agreeable, the new concession at Big Corona, Fuji Grill, will be open for breakfast, and soon the City will fill in the missing gap of sidewalk on PCH from Cameo Shores to The Village for those wishing the extra exercise.

FUTURE TOPIC SUGGESTIONS

This is a two-way process, so please don’t hesitate to contact me with your ideas and opinions.

Councilwoman Nancy Gardner

QUALITY OF LIFE Advocate FOR NEWPORT BEACH

City of Newport Beach - 3300 Newport Blvd - Newport Beach, CA 92663

Phone: 949.644.3004 - EMAIL: gardnerncy@aol.com

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