News: Council Member Nancy Gardner

city council district 6 v corona del mar & newport coast

Nancy Gardner

council member v newport beach, california

newsletter: SEPTEMBER 2013

UPCOMING MEETINGS
Big one: We'll be talking trash, literally, at the next council meeting (Sept. 10) where we will look at proposals from a number of waste management companies as well as one from our own employees. All participants were asked to respond with two approaches: manual, single stream (what we have now) v automated, dual stream. A couple of months ago we did what in the marketing world we would call a focus group. A dozen folks came in, sat down, crossed their arms and said, in effect, "Absolutely no change!" After discussion, there was some shifting by all but one. Provided there was flexibility in can size, for example, most of them were willing to accept automated, particularly given the number of injuries our workers sustain. So we'll see if there's any shifting at the council meeting. Another meeting, another issue: Sept. 9, 6:00 pm in the Community Room at the Civic Center, there will be a presentation on the changes that the Land Use Amendment Committee is considering for the General Plan, an opportunity to get a word in early-wise as to the committee's direction.

CBS v TIME WARNER
Here's the deal: We have no say. A couple of years ago the cable companies persuaded our leaders in Sacramento that local control, as far as it relates to cable companies, was a bad idea. The result: Time Warner no longer has a franchise agreement with the city. Per the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act of 2006, all cable company agreements are with the state which means Time Warner is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission. Haven't heard anything yet about PUC intervening, so it looks like I will go to my daughter's (she has Cox) to watch the finals of the US Open. Oops, just heard it was resolved. Well, anyway, if it happens again, you will understand the city's lack of leverage.

DEATH OF A BEACH
It is well-established that memory is not the most dependable record. If I think about the summers of my youth, the days are always sunny and there are always waves. Logic tells me there had to be at least an occasional overcast morning or a flat day, but my memory recalls nary a one. So when I recall Little Corona as a nice, sandy beach, the water replete with garibaldi, lobster, abalone, and compare it to what it is today--a beach starved of sand and carved by runoff, the ocean largely devoid of the aforementioned marine life--it's easy to think the earlier is a false memory, but not at all. Recently, Randy Seton sent around a photo of Little Corona in the 60s which confirms the broad, sandy beach, and marine studies done in the same period describe the above-mentioned marine life, and lots more. With apologies to Arthur Miller: It's not the finest beach that ever was, but it's a beach, and a terrible thing has been happening to it. So attention must be paid, and after years of neglect, it is. A tide pool monitoring program continues to educate visitors about the fragility of that environment. Science studies have tested methods for restoring rockweed and lobster production to increase their presence. A combination of education and smart irrigation programs with homeowners along the gully helps to reduce runoff. The city is applying for a grant to do a test infiltration program that would get some of the water from the gully off the beach. And despite the beach received a damning Heal the Bay grade, we were recently contacted by someone who had done a study which showed significant improvement in the creek and beach water quality. To continue with our homage to Mr. Miller: We won't allow it to fall into its grave like an old dog. Attention, attention will be paid -- and the ending will be much happier than in the play.

NAUGHTY NEWPORT
The Newport Beach Historical Society is in the publishing business again. It had a pretty decent success with Bawdy Balboa, my father's reminiscences of the rowdier parts of Balboa's early days. Now we'll see if history can repeat itself when the society issues Naughty Newport, the same irreverent take applied to some of the other areas. The book will be available from Amazon, but there may be local sources as well. Stay tuned.

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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Council Member Nancy Gardner

QUALITY OF LIFE ADVOCATE FOR NEWPORT BEACH

City of Newport Beach | 100 Civic Center Drive | Newport Beach, CA 92660

Phone: 949.644.3004 | EMAIL: ngardner@newportbeachca.gov