Irvine Co. vows not to build more high-rises

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- Irvine Co. officials announced Monday that the

company will not build more high-rise office buildings in the city or

seek future amendments to the city’s general plan.

Gary Hunt, executive vice president of the Irvine Co., said company

officials made the decision so voters could see the consequences of

growth-control Measure S on the Nov. 7 ballot without worrying about

future developments the company might have in the works.

“Either side can interpret [our decision] how they choose,” Hunt said.

“Clearly, Measure S proponents can say, ‘Look, Measure S is already

working.’ And opponents can say ‘Measure S is already having exactly the

consequences that we were afraid that would occur.’ What we are saying

here is, ‘Look, if the issue is more general plan amendments and

high-rise buildings in Newport Center, you don’t have to worry about the

Irvine Co. because we are not going to do that.’ ”

Hunt said the company killed plans for an expansion project at Newport

Center that called for more than 1.1 million square feet of office space,

including a pair of six-story buildings and 150 residential units.

Although the company had spent several hundred thousand dollars in

planning the project, in January it canceled the proposal in anticipation

of Measure S.

Pacific Life, which has headquarters at Newport Center, also announced

recently that it has no plans to expand its offices in the city.

“We pulled our project off the shelf and immediately directed our

expansion efforts to South County,” wrote Bob Haskell, Pacific Life’s

senior vice president, in a letter to the Daily Pilot. He added that 400

company employees had been moved down south.

“Our current plan is to maintain our headquarters here in Newport for

as long as is feasible,” Haskell wrote. “Voters in Newport Beach should

make up their minds about [Measure S] without falling prey to scare

tactics that seek to create the fear that our project will resurface

again.”

Measure S proposes to put before a citywide vote any development that

allows an increase of more than 100 peak-hour car trips or dwelling units

or 40,000 square feet over the general plan allowance.

In September, the Irvine Co. endorsed Measure T, which would add parts

of the city’s traffic phasing ordinance to the City Charter and nullify

Measure S, should voters approve both measures.

So far, the Irvine Co. has donated $34,000 to the Measure T campaign.

The Irvine Co. owns 435 acres in Newport Beach, about 4.75% of the

city’s land area.

While calling the Irvine Co.’s decision “good news,” Measure S

supporters said the need to give residents the final say on developments

had not disappeared.

“If it were not for [Measure S], those projects would not have been

withdrawn,” said Phil Arst, a spokesman for Measure S. He added that the

Irvine Co.’ decision was an “election ploy.”

“We welcome their progressive step, but it does not lessen the need

for [Measure S,]” Arst said.

The recent actions by the Irvine Co. and Pacific Life eliminated only

a few developments that would have added to traffic congestion in Newport

Beach, he added.

“But taking four or five out still leaves some rather horrendous ones

over our heads,” Arst said, citing a proposed hotel and conference center

at the Newport Dunes and a 566,000-square-foot expansion project by

Conexant Systems as examples.

Measure T supporters could not be reached for comment Monday.

Hunt said the Irvine Co.’s decision did not come easily.

“I think that any time you deprive yourself of the flexibility to be

able to make changes to meet a community’s needs, you have to be

disappointed in that decision,” he said.

But as a company with a history of more than 50 years in the

development of Newport Beach, the Irvine Co. had a desire to alert

residents to the effects Measure S would have on the city’s future, Hunt

said.

“People already have a right to overturn City Council decisions,” he

said, adding that residents who oppose a project, for example, can

collect signatures for a referendum.

Exposing all developments exceeding the thresholds set forth by

Measure S to a citywide vote “puts a tremendous, chilling effect on any

landowner,” Hunt continued. “To go through the planning process and then

go to a cote of the people ... I wouldn’t do it. I would take my business

elsewhere.

“Don’t vote for Measure S or against Measure S because of what the

Irvine Co. may or may not do,” Hunt said. “Vote on it with a full

understanding of how it will affect your personal property and the

community as a whole.”