COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

Gary Hunt

On Nov. 7, the residents of Newport Beach face a ballot measure that

will have a significant and long-term impact on the quality of life of

our city. At issue is whether Measure S should be approved or rejected by

the voters.

The Irvine Company and the community have been partners for over 50

years in planning and creating what is clearly one of California’s finest

cities. Working in partnership with the city and its residents, we have

created a special community that, because of thoughtful and careful

planning, has a high quality of life. This quality of life is enjoyed by

every resident and business in our city today.

It is this quality of life that all of us strive to preserve and

protect for generations to come. In September, after careful review, The

Irvine Company stated its opposition to Measure S. As we stated, Measure

S, the Greenlight initiative, eliminates the city planning process and

replaces it with a process that encourages piecemeal development and

subjects complicated planning issues to political slogans with no

long-term planning structure for maintaining Newport Beach’s quality of

life.

There are those who believe that our opposition to Measure S is based

on self interest. They claim our position originates solely from a desire

to seek future additional general plan amendments in Newport Beach

without having to submit future plans to the voters.

To correct this inaccurate view and to ensure that all Newport Beach

voters consider Measure S based on facts, not fear, we wish to inform the

residents of Newport Beach that The Irvine Company will not seek any

future amendments to the General Plan of Newport Beach. Further, we will

not build any more high-rise office buildings in Newport Beach.

Given this commitment, Measure S will have no impact on the future

plans for The Irvine Company properties in Newport Beach, whether it

passes or not.

The Irvine Company makes this commitment for one very important

reason. We care very much about the long-term quality of life and

preservation of property values of all residents and landowners in

Newport Beach, whether they are a homeowner, a small-business owner, or a

corporate owner.

It is our sincere hope that in removing the public discussion of

additional high-rise office buildings and applications for future general

plan amendments in Newport Center, residents will be able to base their

decisions on Nov. 7 not on simple campaign slogans and fear tactics, but

rather on a thoughtful analysis of what the long-term implications of

Measure S will be on a planning process that has served the residents and

businesses of Newport Beach well for more than 50 years.

After careful analysis by our company, we are joining many civic

leaders in our city, including The Firefighters Association, the Police

Employees Association, the Orange County Taxpayers Association, and the

Newport Harbor Chamber of Commerce in opposing Measure S.

The Irvine Company has a long history of providing financial support

to local organizations and campaign efforts. The recent Newport-Mesa

School Bond effort is an example. It is in this spirit that The Irvine

Company has supported the efforts of these groups that oppose Measure S,

and we plan to continue to do so.

As an organization with a 50-year commitment to professional planning

and quality of life in Newport Beach, it is our opinion that Measure S,

if approved, will have a negative effect on property values and, more

importantly, a negative effect on the quality of life that the residents

of Newport Beach have all come to value and appreciate.

We urge the residents of Newport Beach to carefully review Measure S

and to cast their vote based on a complete and informed understanding of

its effects.

* GARY HUNT is executive vice president of The Irvine Company.