Council OKs Lot Merger After Acrimonious Hearing

posted: June 26th, 2012 11:57 pm | 9Comments

The Newport Beach City Council voted 6-1 tonight to approve a controversial merger of two Ocean Boulevard lots after two-hour hearing that at one point erupted into a shouting match that caused a police officer to intervene to calm things down.

“I was ready to vote on this seven weeks ago,” said Councilman Steve Rosansky, who moved to approve the lot merger of the properties at 2808 and 2812 Ocean Blvd.

Councilman Rush Hill expressed dismay that the properties’ owners, John and Julie Guida, did not conform entirely to height restrictions suggested by the city’s Planning Commission, but in the end, he too supported the merger.

“This has just been a nasty thing since day one,” he said.

Council member Leslie Daigle was the lone dissenting vote, saying that the proposed height of a home built on the merged lot didn’t concern her as much as the size of the lot, which she said would be out of scale with the neighborhood.

Before the Council vote, public testimony turned heated when neighbor John Cummings spoke in favor of the Guidas and against Clifford Jones, who has been a spokesman for the Ocean Lane families whose views were on the line.

“I think this kind of stuff destroys the community,” Cummings told the City Council. “This is not Corona del Mar. I think it’s unneighborly. I’m embarrassed to be an Ocean Boulevard citizen.”

An audience member then said, “Calm down! Calm Down!” while Mayor Nancy Gardner asked them not to make comments. Cummings then said, “Oh Christ!” and told Jones, “You’re a mean old man! Don’t tell me to shut up!”

A Newport Beach police officer, who was sitting at the back of the Council Chambers, approached Cummings, and order quickly was restored without further ado. Later in the meeting, Jones’ wife, Linda Jones, told the Council that she resented the personal attack on her husband. And Corona del Mar resident Dan Purcell testified that he hoped that the Council would restore decorum to future meetings.

At that, Cummings spoke out with an apology to Jones, and the meeting continued.

In all, 13 members of the public testified. Staff also gave a report, and Coralee Newman of Government Solutions, Inc., who represented the Guidas, described the efforts her clients had made to work with neighbors to come up with restrictions on a home to be built on the lots that would preserve views and be smaller in height and density than what city could would permit.

In the end, Newman said, the “right decision was made.”

“We worked hard to work with the neighbors,” she said. “We were pleased with the outcome.”

The lot merger has stirred emotions among neighbors for months, even before the city’s Zoning Administrator in September first approved the merger. A major issue was a private 1951 agreement among five homeowners, which restricted three Ocean Boulevard homes to one story without defining the height of a story. Two neighbors in back on Ocean Lane have testified they were devastated at potentially losing views of the ocean and Lookout Point.

Jeff DuFine, whose mother-in-law lives in one of the Ocean Lane homes, told the City Council on Tuesday that they were voting on the future of Corona del Mar.

“People will build lot line to lot line,” he said. “‘Come down to Corona del Mar with your money and stake your claim to your one-third of an acre of paradise with your money.’ I think it’s almost imperative that you have to vote no. There can be diversity without enormity.”

Stephen Miles, a lawyer representing the neighbors, said he was concerned that the homes were demolished earlier this month, saying that the city’s demolition permits should not have been granted given the circumstances and controversy, as well as an investigation that was exploring historical significance of one of the homes.

After the hearing, a small group of lot merger opponents gathered outside Council Chambers, discussing their next steps.

“Lawsuit,” DuFine said. “We have 30 days to do it.”

Linda Jones said the decision was “very sad.”

“At this point, what more can be said?” she asked. “It’s a sad day for the neighborhood, it’s a sad day for the city, and it’s a sad day for the neighbors.”

Read our earlier stories here, here, here, here, here and here.

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9 Responses to “Council OKs Lot Merger After Acrimonious Hearing”

Comments

Jamie

June 27th, 2012

No offense to Jeff DuFine, but isn't that what everyone here does, whenever they arrived? Took their money and staked a claim to paradise. The only thing is the neuvo-wanna-be-riche moving here these days don't seem to care if they get their piece of paradise by "stealing" it from those who were there first. As I've said many times I'm all for development, I think new, large homes are the future of the town. But it can be done without hurting others or the public. I see absolutely no reason the Guidos can't have a spectacular and lovely home without building it higher than the previous homes. Is it greed or arrogance? I think there is nothing wrong with the lot size. There are other lots about as big, some just a few doors away. It is not out of place. Ocean Blvd should be filled with large estate homes IMHO, it's one of the premiere residential streets in the world. Chopping it up into "cottages" would be a disservice to teh community. But also, Ocean Blvd I think needs particular attention to protect the public, and other landowners. Especially on the bluff side where it seems each new builder wants to block more and more public views and build down the bluff until it's a wall of concrete like above China Cove. Oh BTW, I just got back in town after 3 months out of state - that's a really nice and super ugly green fence the Guidos put up around those properties, just in time for the 4th of July. Gee thanks.

Jay T

June 27th, 2012

It baffles me why someone would continue on when so much controversy has been made in a small community. There are so many places you can build your dream without tagging yourself as a problem causing resident. To me this was just not worth it. Life is about being harmonious, recognize the situation and make beautiful music. The Guidos have made a horrible racket and the sound waves will echo fora long time. I am also completely aghast at this city council. Again we see government protect the money as they know how to make it work for them in their elected positions. And for those who claim CDM needs this mega mansions to be a beautiful place are just dead wrong. In fact many of these faux looking homes have degraded the beauty in my opinion...

Casual Observer

June 27th, 2012

"white people problems"

Ryan

June 27th, 2012

If you want to control development, buy the land. If you disagree with the way the city council is operating, run for a council seat or at least strongly back a candidate you agree with. If you don't like the height restrictions and building codes in the city, work to get them changed. But to sit here after the fact and say that people who bought land and went through the proper channels to get their new home approved have done something wrong is chickenshit. The Guidas have done nothing wrong other than stir up some folks that live in CDM and want to close the door behind them. The green fence is required by the city as a measure of public safety. Again, if you don't like it, work with YOUR city to get it changed.

SL

June 27th, 2012

I guess it's too much to ask that "Councilman" Rosansky would just phase out with some form of dignity! No on Banning Ranch and No on the "Rosansky Legacy" bridge on 19th St. Sorry NB residents; you voted these developers in office!

Beatrix

June 27th, 2012

Wow. What can you say about that meeting last night? Not only did the Council ( the City Council 6) address the 5 findings of of the Lot Merger Law (that must be met for an approval), diss a possible historical example of a house and whitewash the premature demolition said house ( to destroy evidence), make sleazy comments about the Juaneno Indian tribe (“that band of Indians never lived at 2808 Ocean Blvd”), and allow expletives from a frothing vituperative man toward another member of the audience ( in which a policeman was summoned to calm him down). They had to make one of the most important rulings of their tenure and they blew it. If the ruling is not challenged, the floodgates are open now to unbridled growth and the city will become a segregated white wealthy enclave with a ghastly array of faux architectural styles and bad taste. Shame on you all for not doing your job and trying to dodge a bullet.

Beatrix

June 27th, 2012

CORRECTION! THIS SENTENCE SHOULD READ.....NOT ONLY DID THE COUNCIL NOT ADDRESS THE 5 FINDINGS OF THE LOT MERGER LAW (THAT MUST BE MET FOR AN APPROVAL). . . . . . . .

Simone

June 27th, 2012

Mr. Guida when warned by wiser associates, that years of litigation could be a real possibilty, he obstinately refused to listen. Instead of trying to establish a civil dialogue with his neighbors, from day one, who knows what some negotiating could have accomplished? The neighbors might have been willing to give up more of their views with some compensation and might have been willing to accept his home and he might have even started to building it. Instead he went straight to war and in the process has probably spent millions of his wife’s money hiring bad lawyers, lobbyists, architects, and what not. This is a clear example of someone with new money who isn’t smart enough to know how to spend that money effectively. He clearly cannot see the big picture and if his wife has any business acumen (she runs a 100 million a year advertising company) which she must, she should turn off the spigot now. Maison Guida may never be a reality. If he is able to build before he reaches 65 and his daughter is happily married and expecting, it will be a miracle. Lawyer up! In the meantime he has unintentionally given those rascally neighbors the views of their lives. Once he razed those homes and the football field appeared the view is stupendous. The neighbors now have a 10 million dollar view. Unfortunately for the citizens, they may be looking at a green mesh fence for the next few years. Thanks MR. GUIDA for your gift to the city but especially to the neighbors.

John

June 29th, 2012

1.THE WALL STREET JOURNAL IS READ BY THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THE COUNTRY.................................... 2.THE WASHINGTON POST IS READ BY PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY RUN THE COUNTRY.................................... 3.THE NEW YORK TIMES IS READ BY PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY SHOULD RUN THE COUNTRY, AND WHO ARE VERY GOOD AT CROSSWORD PUZZLES.................................... 4.USA TODAY IS READ BY PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY OUGHT TO RUN THE COUNTRY BUT DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE NEW YORK TIMES. THEY DO, HOWEVER, LIKE THEIR STATISTICS SHOWN IN PIE CHARTS.................................... 5.THE LOS ANGELES TIMES IS READ BY PEOPLE WHO WOULDN'T MIND RUNNING THE COUNTRY, IF THEY COULD FIND THE TIME -- AND IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO LEAVE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO DO IT.................................... 6.THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER IS READ BY PEOPLE TRAPPED IN LINE AT THE GROCERY STORE.................................... 7.THE NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER IS READ BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECENTLY CAUGHT A FISH AND NEED SOMETHING TO WRAP IT IN.......

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