Week in Review

NEWPORT BEACH

Measure V supporters detail general plan update

The city’s general plan update — on the ballot as Measure V — would change the amount of development allowed over the next 20 years so that car trips in the city would be reduced by 30,000 trips per day, the total amount of nonresidential development would shrink by 461,224 square feet, and the number of homes could grow by 1,149 units, Measure V proponents said this week.

The measure would be the first major overhaul to the city’s general plan since 1988. A public vote is required because of a city charter change residents approved in 2000.

Measure V opponents argued that any claims it will reduce development are merely on paper, and it would actually boost traffic over what exists today by more than 120,000 trips per day.

It’s not clear what will happen if the measure fails, but the city has been told twice by state officials to update the general plan.

The group opted not to endorse Councilman Dick Nichols, who won a seat in 2002 with Greenlight backing. Group spokesman Phil Arst said that as an incumbent, Nichols seemed to be in a stronger position than the other candidates, and the group only has limited resources in this campaign.

County officials took out an item to let Newport Beach develop a park on a county-owned parcel at Mesa Drive and Birch Street, and one that would have given Newport sole jurisdiction over whether to complete a horse trail along Mesa Drive.

Supervisor Jim Silva said there was too much opposition from other board members to those items, so they were scrapped. The amended agreement goes to supervisors and the City Council on Tuesday.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Costa Mesa man charged in bank robbery

A Costa Mesa man in a Halloween mask was charged with armed bank robbery Friday after police said he completed a takeover style robbery of a Costa Mesa bank.

Michael S. Kelly, 48, who has served time on the East Coast for bank robbery, reportedly wore a mask from the movie “Scream” and ordered everyone in the local bank to the ground before taking an undisclosed amount of cash from two tellers, police said. No injuries were reported.

An alert was put out to all Orange County law enforcement agencies with a description of the car the robber was driving, and he was spotted in Fountain Valley. There Fountain Valley police with help from Costa Mesa officers, arrested Kelly, police said.

Garcia reportedly owed the Internal Revenue Service about $117,000 in taxes from 1996 through 2001.

The Newport Beach resident has been on the professional surfing circuit for over 20 years and is a six-time Triple Crown of Surfing winner.

Upon his release — he is due to report in January — he will also have to complete 80 hours of community service.

He plans to help with the Huntington Beach High School surf team and disadvantaged children.

POLITICS

O.C. Supervisors OK sheriff’s immigration checks

Orange County Supervisors on Tuesday approved an agreement with federal immigration authorities to have up to 24 sheriff’s deputies trained for immigration enforcement. The deputies would check the legal status of people booked into the county jail.

Costa Mesa officials have said they will use the county agreement as a pattern for a plan to give city police immigration training, but whether the city goes forward depends on which candidates win two open council seats.

Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona said that in 2005, immigration officers working part-time in the county jail were able to check the status of 20% of foreign nationals booked there, and three-fourths of those checked were determined to be in the U.S. illegally. Once his deputies are trained, Carona said, they will be able to check 100% of foreign nationals held at the jail.

BUSINESS

3 restaurants, 1 hotel receive top AAA rating

Three Newport Beach restaurants and one hotel were named as four-diamond establishments by the Automobile Club of America on Wednesday.

The Balboa Bay Club and Resort was the only Newport hotel to be so named, but spokeswoman for the Newport Beach Conference & Visitor’s Bureau expects more to be added to next year’s list.

The First Cabin at the Balboa Bay Club, the Ritz Restaurant and Garden, and the Pavilion at the new Island Hotel, Newport Beach, were also on the list.

The Newport Beach hospital’s orthopedic care, joint replacement and gastrointestinal care programs were among the elite 5%.

Hoag’s stroke care, critical care and general surgery units were in the top 10%.

The six areas were further honored by the company’s Specialty Excellence Awards.

Sixteen other specialty areas were given five-star ratings — which means procedures and diagnoses in the fields are better than the company expected — solidifying the hospital’s reputation among similar hospitals.

NOTABLE QUOTABLES

“I know two years ago, when I ran against John Heffernan, Greenlight was kind of a bad word, but it isn’t the same feeling anymore. People don’t want to keep the City Council, they don’t want to keep the appointment process, and they don’t want the traffic…. It is time for the residents to have a turn.”

— Dolores Otting, Newport Beach council candidate, on receiving one of two endorsements from the Greenlight group, which seeks to limit growth in the city

“It makes me proud to live in Costa Mesa.”

— Nino Pozgaj, who has lived in Costa Mesa with his family for six years, on the reopening of TeWinkle Park sports facilities, which include three softball fields, one baseball field, a snack bar, bleachers, new lighting and more

“The trips really are meaningless. It’s how fast can I get from point A to point B.”

— Steve Rosansky, Newport Beach councilman and a Measure V supporter, on the projected number of car trips per day under the existing general plan versus the proposed new plan

“You can come to Newport Beach to enjoy the sand, enjoy the bay and the ocean, but when it’s all over, we have a little over 400 restaurants that are without a doubt the best of the best — probably in the whole country — in a city with a population of under 75,000.”

— Dan Marcheano, Newport Beach Restaurant Assn. president and owner of the Arches restaurant, on the importance of Newport Beach as a dining destination.

“I feel doubly blessed to be back here because I’m a cancer survivor. Two years ago, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be here again.”

Peggy Ogden, former resident of Crystal Cove, on her return for a stay at cottage No. 39, where she and her husband lived for eight years; Ogden spent two and a half hours on the phone to secure a reservation at one of the 13 restored cottages