News: Councilwoman Nancy Gardner

city council district 6 v corona del mar & newport coast

Nancy Gardner

councilwoman v newport beach, california

newsletter: january 2010

PORT THEATER
The exterior of the Port Theater is nearly complete, but the interior remains a shell because of plan changes, miscommunications, etc. We finally got everyone in the same room and clarified the interior–an upscale movie theater with a capacity for 350 patrons (The old theater could seat over 900), plus the ability to apply twelve times a year for a special event permit to accommodate things like premieres for the Newport Beach Film Festival.

GRAYWATER
The State giveth and the State taketh away. The State had graywater conditions that were onerous, to put it mildly. As reported here previously, facing drought conditions, the State took the eminently sensible step of simplifying things. All you had to do was get a permit and adhere to some easy safeguards to hook up your washing machine and use the rinse water for irrigation purposes. This being California, this wave of common sense was no sooner announced than it was rescinded. If things get really dry people once again have the choice of a permitted system costing thousands or doing their own thing. Wonder which most will choose.

SOLAR PANELS
While graywater may still be complicated, solar panels get easier. Under AB 2473 all a homeowner has to do is show that the installation meets health and safety standards. A city is not allowed to impose design or other standards. This could cause some unhappy neighbors, especially when it comes to height issues.

UPCOMING DATES

January 9, 8:00 am - Noon

This is the Council’s annual planning session, held this year at the Newport Coast Community Center (6401 San Joaquin Hills Road). Among the subjects I hope we discuss–the future of the current city hall site.

January 12

STUDY SESSION: home solicitation ordinance and proposed Huntington Beach desalination project.

COUNCIL MEETING: the Megonigal residence. This is the home that is proposed at the base of Begonia Park and has stirred up considerable concern because of potential impacts to public views which are to be protected under the General Plan.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
Since resolutions are notorious for being broken, I’m almost afraid to make any, but . . . I resolve to do my best not to get carried away with an edifice complex when it comes to the new civic center.

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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