NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL PREVIEW

Here are some items the council will consider tonight:

PARK VOTE

Some past decisions on what to do with the park site next to the central library — formally named Newport Center Park — may have to be revisited after officials said last week Parks Commissioner Debra Allen could have a conflict of interest. Allen participated in planning the park, but the city attorney’s office said she lives within 500 feet of the park, which could be a conflict under state Fair Political Practices Commission rules.

Allen has questioned the city’s measurement. Regardless, the council will consider rescinding its Feb. 27 decision to finish plans for the park and begin building it. After that, it’s unclear how far back in the decision- making process the city will go. Some have suggested redoing the public outreach that deter- mined Newport Center Park should be a largely passive park.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The city attorney’s office said Allen’s involvement could be a conflict, so unless council members get compelling information otherwise, they’ll probably undo their vote to proceed with the park.

GROUP HOMES

Earlier this year, council members were happy to have state Sen. Tom Harman propose a bill to help cities better regulate and keep track of drug and alcohol recovery facilities and other group homes, and several other legislators also put in legislation. Now, a new city committee of residents is asking for changes to give the bills more teeth.

While residents are welcome to communicate with Harman on their own, the council will vote on whether the city should ask him or Riverside Sen. Robert Dutton to amend their bills.

Residents believe the bill would be more effective if it increased the distance required between rehab facilities from 300 feet to 1,000 feet and if it applied that restriction to all facilities instead of just those owned or run by the same company.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Council members are under increasing pressure from residents to get control over rehab facilities, but they’ll have to balance that with their desire to see a bill passed. A number of previous bills have failed, so officials probably had that in mind as they crafted the current proposal.

HARBOR PATROL

A bill proposed in the state assembly would specify that county sheriffs are the “sole and exclusive authority” over coasts, harbors and waterways in California. This runs counter to Newport’s interest in someday taking over harbor patrol services from Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona.

The council will decide whether to formally oppose the bill and tell state legislators so. The topic of who controls the harbor patrol is germane because Newport and county officials have been talking since 2005 about who should manage harbor patrol services and whether cities should bear the county’s costs.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The council probably will vote to oppose the harbor patrol bill.

— Alicia Robinson