Allan Beek -- Community Commentary

Traffic, traffic, traffic. What is going on? Excess traffic is created

by excess development, beyond Newport’s original growth plan. That is why

the Greenlight Initiative provides that any major change in the growth

plan (properly called the General Plan) must be submitted to a vote of

the people.

There is good news. A survey has shown that this common-sense idea is

so popular that the pro-traffic forces have no hope of defeating it on

Nov. 7. So the Chamber ofCommerce is using the only tactic left to them:

They are launching a “Redlight” counter-initiative that will cancel

Greenlight if it gets more votes.

To hide its true purpose, the chamber is claiming “Redlight” supports

the Traffic Phasing Ordinance. Redlight declares that three little

details of that ordinance can’t be amended without a vote of the people.

This is amusing, because the chamber has just finished waging a two-year

war against the Traffic Phasing Ordinance. Now suddenly they claim it is

the key to salvation. This explains the puzzling questionnaire the

chamber mailed out recently, asking if you know about the Traffic Phasing

Ordinance, and what you think of its details. That is part of the

campaign to build support for Redlight and hide its true purpose.

The three details that Redlight will protect have stood for over 20

years, and survived last year’s detailed scrutiny by the Planning

Commission and City Council. So they are in no danger of being changed.

Aside from canceling Greenlight, Redlight wouldn’t really do anything at

all -- just leave us with the same Traffic Phasing Ordinance we have,

anyway.

Greenlight, on the other hand, does something. Without taking away any

property rights, nor changing the Traffic Phasing Ordinance, nor any

other law or procedure, it gives the voters the right to decide whether

or not proposed changes in the character of Newport Beach should be

accepted.

The Chamber of Commerce doesn’t want you to have that right. To

protect your rights, don’t sign the “Newport Beach Traffic Planning and

Improvements; Traffic Phasing Ordinance” petition when you see it.

Just say no.

* ALLAN BEEK is a longtime Newport Beach residents and proponent of

the Greenlight initiative.