More Fairgrounds Frivolity and 1901 Newport Plaza
THE BEAT GOES ON, AND ON...
In the case of the story that never stops - the sale of the Orange County Fair and Events Center - two local bloggers have presented us with more insightful coverage.
"THE CURL" STRIKES!
Over at the Orange Juice Blog, author Vern Nelson hammers away at the folly of this sale. You can read his post HERE. In case some of those images on his blog look familiar, yes, he borrowed them from me.
SHE'S ON HER GAME!
Former mayor Sandra Genis, a land use planning consultant, has been slapped awake by this issue and has begun posting again on her blog, La Femme Wonkita after a long hiatus. She wants to put a halt to the sale and today she presents us with an excellent primer on just what can and cannot be done with the Fairgrounds under various circumstances. Her entry is a "must read" for anyone interested even minimally in this issue. You can read her post HERE. It's good to see her back in the saddle again.
THEY'RE BAACK!
Tomorrow morning the Fair Board meets for their regularly-scheduled meeting at 8:30. The buzz is that they can expect company in the form of angry, frustrated stakeholders and residents wishing to make their views known. You may recall that all the Fair Board members who attended last Monday's meeting at City Hall skipped out as soon as the Public Comments portion began. That, of course, demonstrated one more time exactly how much they care for the opinions of the public.
LOOK FOR IT!
Also, for your reading pleasure, there is a chance that a commentary I submitted to the Daily Pilot will appear in print over the weekend - I'm not exactly sure when. You'll have to join me in looking for it. For my part, I just hope most of it makes the cut... If it gets eviscerated, as sometimes happens, I'll publish the entire thing, unedited, here next week.
NEWS ALERT! Costa Mesa resident Chuck Cassity has a commentary in the Thursday edition of the Daily Pilot suggesting we, the residents of Newport-Mesa, buy the darn Fairgrounds ourselves. Click HERE to read Chuck's very clever suggestion.
1901 NEWPORT PLAZA - LITIGATION?
On another subject entirely, the Costa Mesa City Council held a joint meeting of the council and the Redevelopment Agency on Tuesday - the Redevelopment Agency is just the council in another dress. In a closed session they had several items apparently dealing with 1901 Newport Plaza - the condos that are known as Pacifica At Newport Plaza - which, from the way I read the staff introduct
ion, has gone into receivership. The items to be discussed were pending and anticipated litigation and purchase of property. I wonder what the heck all that is about?
TURMOIL AND LAW SUITS
Some may recall the turmoil that surrounded that project after it was approved when residents raised a stink about it and promptly got sued, along with the city, by the developer. I don't recall the exact details, but the height was dropped and the number of "affordable" units was codified. Perhaps some kind soul at The City will let us know what's happening here, since it is our money being spent, after all.
In the case of the story that never stops - the sale of the Orange County Fair and Events Center - two local bloggers have presented us with more insightful coverage.
"THE CURL" STRIKES!
Over at the Orange Juice Blog, author Vern Nelson hammers away at the folly of this sale. You can read his post HERE. In case some of those images on his blog look familiar, yes, he borrowed them from me.
SHE'S ON HER GAME!
Former mayor Sandra Genis, a land use planning consultant, has been slapped awake by this issue and has begun posting again on her blog, La Femme Wonkita after a long hiatus. She wants to put a halt to the sale and today she presents us with an excellent primer on just what can and cannot be done with the Fairgrounds under various circumstances. Her entry is a "must read" for anyone interested even minimally in this issue. You can read her post HERE. It's good to see her back in the saddle again.
THEY'RE BAACK!
Tomorrow morning the Fair Board meets for their regularly-scheduled meeting at 8:30. The buzz is that they can expect company in the form of angry, frustrated stakeholders and residents wishing to make their views known. You may recall that all the Fair Board members who attended last Monday's meeting at City Hall skipped out as soon as the Public Comments portion began. That, of course, demonstrated one more time exactly how much they care for the opinions of the public.
LOOK FOR IT!
Also, for your reading pleasure, there is a chance that a commentary I submitted to the Daily Pilot will appear in print over the weekend - I'm not exactly sure when. You'll have to join me in looking for it. For my part, I just hope most of it makes the cut... If it gets eviscerated, as sometimes happens, I'll publish the entire thing, unedited, here next week.
NEWS ALERT! Costa Mesa resident Chuck Cassity has a commentary in the Thursday edition of the Daily Pilot suggesting we, the residents of Newport-Mesa, buy the darn Fairgrounds ourselves. Click HERE to read Chuck's very clever suggestion.
1901 NEWPORT PLAZA - LITIGATION?
On another subject entirely, the Costa Mesa City Council held a joint meeting of the council and the Redevelopment Agency on Tuesday - the Redevelopment Agency is just the council in another dress. In a closed session they had several items apparently dealing with 1901 Newport Plaza - the condos that are known as Pacifica At Newport Plaza - which, from the way I read the staff introduct
ion, has gone into receivership. The items to be discussed were pending and anticipated litigation and purchase of property. I wonder what the heck all that is about?TURMOIL AND LAW SUITS
Some may recall the turmoil that surrounded that project after it was approved when residents raised a stink about it and promptly got sued, along with the city, by the developer. I don't recall the exact details, but the height was dropped and the number of "affordable" units was codified. Perhaps some kind soul at The City will let us know what's happening here, since it is our money being spent, after all.
Labels: 1901 Newport Plaza, Fairgrounds Sale, Sandra Genis, Vern Nelson
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 11/11/2009 10:52:00 PM
2 Comments:
Thanks for those photos Geoff, wasn't sure the blog protocol - should I have got your permission? Didn't have your e-mail address anyway. Well thanks! THe one of Gus is especially cool, and I couldn't find photos of the secretive Fair Board anywhere but your site.
Vern, you can always email me at the address attached to this blog on the Profile page. No problemo with the photos - I always enjoy seeing my handiwork. :-)
Your blog entry was terrific. Sorry I couldn't make it to the Fair Board meeting this morning... sounded like "fun" based on news reports. Nothing like 150 rowdy demonstrators to liven-up a meeting.
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