Marinapark plan deserves a fair hearing

It would be an understatement to say that developer Stephen

Sutherland has not done more than could be expected to win support

for his plan for a hotel at Marinapark.

Just this week, Sutherland submitted a proposal that calls for a

110 rooms, down significantly from the 156 originally included, and a

ballroom of just 3,600 square feet, down from 7,600. And, finally,

the plan includes three “view corridors” where the harbor is visible

from the street.

For these efforts, Sutherland deserves a fair hearing by the City

Council and, if it comes to a vote under the Greenlight law, the city

at large.

That part of the Balboa Peninsula--Marinapark is on the harbor

between 15th and 18th streets -- certainly deserves more attention

than it has had up to now. A classy, upscale addition, combined with

the city spending millions to redevelop Main Street, would go a long

way toward revitalizing the area, providing better jobs and simply

improving the look of an aging part of Newport Beach.

And at first glance, Sutherland’s latest proposal appears

promising. It is not too big, which reduces traffic concerns. There

is a good amount of open space on the land, as proposed. And it still

allows access to the harbor, an important consideration.

Access, ultimately, may be the sticking point for this

development. According to the original lease signed by the residents

of Marinapark, they would have to leave if the city turned the

waterfront property into a public park. City officials have since

changed the wording of the lease to permit a private, for-profit

venture there. It certainly is reasonable to assume that residents

there would not have agreed to the lease if it had included

development other than a park (which, given market forces, would be

much more likely to happen, and therefore would reduce the odds on

their gamble that they would not be forced out). That change is

something city leaders ought to explain, and Marinapark residents

deserve answers.

That issue aside, however, the Marinapark hotel proposal has come

a long way from its earliest incarnation. The council and residents

should recognize that. Residents would also do well to remember that

Sutherland is no evil outsider bent on developing Newport Beach and

then moving along.