News: Council Member Nancy Gardner

city council district 6 v corona del mar & newport coast

Nancy Gardner

mayor v newport beach, california

newsletter: july 2012

CITY CHARTER
Over the past months, staff has reviewed the charter and come up with a number of suggested changes to make it better agree with current law, current practice, etc. A Charter Update Committee of residents was formed to analyze proposed changes and then make recommendations to the council, and this was not some group of acquiescent nodding heads. Virtually every issue was challenged, some were rejected, others rewritten. The discussions were thoughtful, changing my mind completely in at least one case. Their recommendations will come to council July 10 for a study session and then action at the regular session.

CROSS COUNTRY RUNNING
If you’re joints are tired of hard surfaces and you’re looking for a new place to run, I recommend the Buck Gully Trail. It’s remarkably even for a dirt surface, nice little slopes, lots to look at, and most of the time there’s an on-shore breeze to cool you off.

TOUGH DECISION
As a council member you often have to balance your private sentiments against the welfare of the city. One of our residents was trying to get Coastal Commission approval for a house he wants to build in Beacon Bay. By the end of the process, he was willing to agree to almost any condition the Commission demanded. The problem was that the Commission insisted the city, as lessor, had to agree to be bound by the same conditions, one of which was that there could be no future shoreline protection devices for the home. Now as a private citizen who is generally against hardening devices, I probably wouldn’t have thought much about it, but as a council member in a city that has a large area at sea level, this concerned me. By agreeing to that condition, were we creating a precedent that could tie the city’s hands in dealing with potential sea level rise? Much to the owner’s dismay, the council felt this was a risk we couldn’t take. We didn’t sign the agreement but have directed staff to work with the owner and Coastal Commission staff to resolve the matter.

NANNY STATE—LITERALLY

We are in the process of purchasing furniture for the new city hall, and as I was reviewing the various categories I came across furnishings for something titled Mothers’ Room. Red flag. We don’t have a policy that allows parents to bring their kids to work, nor do we have a whole bunch of people coming to city hall with their babies, so what was this? It turns out it’s a mandate, something a higher level of government has determined that every public building should have, regardless of need. Note to self—remember this the next time you decide to mandate something.

SHARROWS

The Bicycle Safety Committee is requesting that the council install sharrows on PCH in Corona del Mar from Hazel to Avocado. Where there is no bike lane, a bicycle has the same right to the right lane as a car, and sharrows are a way to remind drivers of this fact. The council will consider this at the July 10 meeting. As usual, check the agenda for changes.

LABOR AGREEMENTS

New labor agreements with various city unions have employees contributing more to their pensions. The agreements also institute a second tier or different terms for new hires (older retirement ages, for example). I am happy to say that while the negotiations have been tough, each group has recognized that changes had to be made, and they have stepped up to the plate, agreeing to these changes .

FUTURE TOPIC SUGGESTIONS

This is a two-way process, so please don’t hesitate to contact me with your ideas and opinions. My email address for city business is: NGardner@newportbeachca.gov. Don’t worry if you forget it. I’ll still be using the AOL one, too.

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Mayor 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: ngardner@newportbeachca.gov