Westside Costa Mesa In Peril?

DID YOU SEE THIS?
I suspect many of you, while flipping the pages of your Daily Pilot Friday, failed to notice the following advertisement that appeared in the lower left quadrant of my paper on page B7.  Click on the image to enlarge it, if necessary.

PROXIMITY?
This advertisement should cause every Westside Costa Mesa resident to snap to attention.  Here's a little map that includes the area involved.  The Hixson Metals plant is in the lower section, on Production Place:

SOME HISTORY
For some history, Hixson Metal Finishing has been cited for high emissions of hexavalent chromium, a cancer-causing pollutant.  You know, that stuff Erin Brockovich uncovered a couple decades ago in the drinking water in Hinkley, California.  The Orange County Register wrote about Hixson a couple times last May.  You can read one of the articles HERE.

PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIR BRUSHED IT ASIDE
At a Costa Mesa Planning Commission meeting last June a resident, having read that article and others, expressed concern to the commission about airborne cancer-causing pollutants invading the Westside of Costa Mesa, in response to which Chairman Rob Dickson assured her that it was a situation in Newport Beach, and that the Air Quality Management District has responsibility for any nuisance odors and referred folks to the AQMD.

WHAT ABOUT NEW HOME BUYERS?
Well, take a look at their chart in the ad, then look at the map.  If you're one of the folks thinking of buying one of those $700,000+ stacked homes along 17th Street or nearby on Industrial Way, are you comfortable with the proximity of airborne cancer-causing pollutants?  Is that something you think should be disclosed?

THE FIRE...
A little more history.  Back in 1987 an in-plant electrical fire resulted in a disaster at that site.  According to reports at the time, HERE, more than 500 people were evacuated and public safety folks were injured.  And, again to subsequent news reports, Newport Beach first responders, HERE, HERE and HERE, were reported to have suffered life-ending exposure to toxic chemicals while responding to that blaze, like Newport Beach Police Sergeant Steve Van Horn, who died 10 years later of leukemia.

THE NOTICE WARNS YOU... KIND OF
According to the report issued to Hixson Metal Refinishing on May 8, 2015, HERE, the company is required by the AQMD to issue an annual public notice, which I assume is why they placed that ad, above.  Part of that report includes this exhibit.  I also visited the AQMD site and found a page, HERE, that provides an extensive background on its interaction with Hixson Metal Refinishing.  Compare this to the map above.  Again, click to enlarge.  If you still can't read it, go to that link I provided in the first sentence of this section and see it in full size.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW
Thanks to a friend who saw this ad - I confess that I did not - and brought it to my attention Friday.  I think it's important for those folks living nearby understand what's happening, and has been happening, at that site for decades and continues today.

Costa Mesa To Help Fund Group Home Amicus Brief

NEWPORT BEACH ASKS FOR HELP
Today the City of Costa Mesa announced, HERE, that, in response to a request by Newport Beach City Manager Dave Kiff, it will contribute $10,000 to help fund an amicus brief to support Newport Beach's attempt to get its group-home ordinance reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.


ONGOING EXPENSIVE PROBLEM
Newport Beach has been dealing with group homes - primarily drug and alcohol rehabilitation homes - for many years and has fought extensive, expensive legal battles trying to find a way to mitigate the impact of those kinds of facilities on their neighborhoods.



PRESERVING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
Costa Mesa has recently had a very sharp, significant increase in the proliferation of such homes, to the extent that Mayor Jim Righeimer has formed a Preserve Our Neighborhoods Task Force, HERE, comprised of residents that, guided by city staff, conducts their meetings privately - not subject to the Ralph M. Brown open meeting law - to attempt to find a solution to the problem.  This "secrecy" has riled many residents.

NUISANCE ABATEMENT ORDINANCE
The recently-enacted the Nuisance Abatement Ordinance HERE was another step planned to help exercise some control over the negative impact of such facilities in neighborhoods throughout the city - which seem to be opening primarily on the Eastside.

TBON PETITION
The grass roots group Take Back Our Neighborhoods (TBON) has produced an on-line petition requesting the City issue an immediate moratorium on such homes, including so-called "half-way houses" for prisoners recently released under the State of California's AB109 program, HERE. A moratorium will be highly unlikely, since under current law such facilities with six or fewer "residents" are considered "families" and are governed by the same rules as any other family home in our city.  Still, with more than 100 signatories to the petition based on last reports, if nothing else it demonstrates the growing concern by residents of this city about what is becoming a very big issue.

HOPING FOR BROAD SUPPORT
According to Communication Director Bill Lobdell, it is hoped that many more cities throughout our region and the state will participate in the amicus brief on this issue in an attempt to convince the United States Supreme Court that this is an issue worthy of their consideration.  It seems like $10,000 well-spent toward the resolution of a problem that affects many communities.

A "Charter" Lesson From Our Neighbors

FEET TO THE FIRE MONDAY NIGHT
Tomorrow night, Monday, October 15th, Barbara Venezia and her pals from the Feet To The Fire mob will conduct a debate of Jim Righeimer's Charter between Katrina Foley - former councilwoman and current trustee of the Newport Mesa Unified School District - and Righeimer - the sperm donor of the charter.  Doors of the Neighborhood Community Center at Lions Park open at 6:30 and the interrogation begins at 7:00 p.m.

 NEWPORT BEACH'S CHARTER AMENDMENTS
The Daily Pilot is currently running an article by reporter Jill Cowan on Measure EE, Newport Beach's charter-related item that's on their ballot next month.  You can read that piece HERE.  When you go through that article you'll find some interesting facts - some of which should make you contemplate just a little more about Jim Righeimer's Charter.
 

RIGHEIMER - "WE SHOULD BE MORE LIKE NEWPORT BEACH"
I mention this because, from the very beginning, Righeimer has touted Newport Beach as an example of a Charter City that makes it work.  More than once he's said we - Costa Mesa - should be more like Newport Beach.  OK, let's discuss that just a little.

LOTS OF FREQUENT CHANGES
Cowan tells us that 3,703 residents voted to adopt their charter in June 1954.  She also tells us that, since that time charter amendments have appeared on the ballot 21 times!  I don't know the exact dates of all those ballots, but it averages just under once every 3 years.  She also tells us that the most recent previous time charter changes were considered was two years ago, in 2010, when 15 changes were made with one vote.  This time around Measure EE has thirty-eight (38) changes for the charter!  Jim Righeimer's Charter provides for the first review of his document ten years (10 YEARS!) downstream.


CAPRICIOUS COUNCIL ADDITIONS
Although Newport Beach has used a citizen's committee to come up with recommendations for changes to their charter this year, the city council added a prohibition of red-light cameras, described in the article as "a vote-getter", even though "Mayor Pro Tem Keith Curry said the city hasn't considered installing red-light cameras and that in theory an ordinance would suffice to keep them off city streets."  It's that kind of capriciousness that has many Costa Mesa residents concerned about Jim Righeimer's Charter.

STREAMING VIDEO
So, think about this as you gather your thoughts before you attend the Feet To The Fire debate Monday night - or watch it streamed live on your computer at this address, www.feet2thefireforum.com.  Apparently you can also view it on an Ipad, Iphone or Android enabled smart phone by going to an app store and download the Ustream app, then search for "Feet To The Fire".

BE THERE OR...
See you Monday Night...

Studying Combined Services Not A Done Deal - Yet

JUMPED THE GUN
It seems the City of Costa Mesa may have jumped the gun just a little bit when it announced, through a press release by Interim Communication Director Bill Lobdell last week, HERE, that plans were in the works to pay for a consultant to study the possible amalgamation of certain city services with Huntington Beach and Newport Beach.

HUNTINGTON BEACH HAS NOT YET APPROVED
According to a report by former Fountain Valley Mayor Gus Ayer in the Surf City Voice today, HERE, the Huntington Beach City Council has yet to officially bless this plan and the expenditure of the dollars involved. According to the Huntington Beach City Clerk's office, it is expected to consider it at its next meeting on Monday, August 1st. If Huntington Beach approves it, there is a likelihood that the studies will begin immediately and might be finished in four to five months.

AWAITING WORD FROM NEWPORT BEACH
I've contacted the City of Newport Beach to find out if these studies have already been approved in their city. So far, no reply to my inquiries has been received.

HATCH'S AUTHORITY TO APPROVE
According to Lobdell today, the Costa Mesa City Council is aware of Hatch's plan for this study and is "OK with it", even though it has not been discussed in an open forum of which we are aware. Apparently the decision to proceed with such a study falls within the purview of Hatch's job and he has the discretionary authority to disperse the funds necessary. Lobdell tells me these funds will come from budgeted salary accounts in which positions have not yet been filled. We've got a lot of those these days, which is how we're paying for so many consultants at City Hall.

WILL THE COUNCIL LISTEN THIS TIME?
Personally, I don't have a problem with this study - it makes some sense to evaluate our options. What does bother me, though, is the fact that the same consultant - Management Partners - spent several months evaluating the Costa Mesa Police Department and presented a report to the council outlining their recommendations for a bare-bones re-structuring. That report was promptly and resoundingly ignored and the council approved an even more stark staffing level. Not only did the council ignore Management Partners, but it also ignored an earlier report by then-Interim Police Chief Steve Staveley - a legend in state-wide law enforcement circles. Following the council's decision to ignore Management Partners Staveley resigned and left in his wake a scathing indictment of this council that still resonates throughout City Hall and the community today.

A VERY GOOD QUESTION
In his essay Ayers asks the question, "Why would any city want to partner with Costa Mesa on a study right now?" As you will see when you read it, he goes on to outline several reasons why ANY city might pause before engaging in such a partnership with Costa Mesa right now. Such is our reputation within the community of cities that form Orange County these days.

THOSE DARN DETAILS...
If these studies do proceed I hope the scope of work for them - not available for public review at this time - will provide direction to "drill deep enough" this time. The police restructuring study was a "high level" study that apparently didn't provide enough detail for some council members. That, of course, was not Management Partners' fault - it was ours for not describing the scope of work adequately. With this council, that's the way they operate - they take an opinion and try to create facts to support it.

Dave Kiff Named Newport Beach City Manager

DAVE KIFF WINS THE COMPETITION
Congratulations to Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff for being named to replace his boss, Homer Bludau, as the new City Manager in Newport Beach. Kiff was among many candidates from all across the country considered. His appointment as announced today by Mayor Ed Selich in a special City Council meeting at 3:43 p.m., following the closed session in which the council discussed the appointment and his contract.

IRONMAN KIFF
Why, you ask, did I use a half-naked photo of Kiff on this piece? Well, it seems Kiff is a serious athlete - a 4-time Ironman participant who, according to some reports, rides his bicycle to work from his home in Laguna Beach. As councilwoman Nancy Gardner put it, "We have the most fit City Manager anywhere!"

A GOOD CHOICE
From all reports, the appointment of Kiff as City Manager not only insures continuity on some very large, very special project - like the new City Hall, for example - but fills that position with a man held in high regard throughout the community.

CONGRATULATIONS TO DAVE KIFF
Again, Congratulations to Kiff and to the City of Newport Beach for this choice.

RACE FOR THE SCOOP
An interesting sidebar in this little drama was how quickly the news was presented to the public. The fledgling Newport Mesa Daily Voice, published by former Daily Piloteers Tom Johnson and Bill Lobdell, hooted early in the day that they would be first with the news of the appointment of the new City Manager.

THE PILOT WAS ALSO READY
The Daily Pilot was also poised to break this news promptly. So, here I sat with two browsers open and the streaming video of the council meeting playing, waiting to see which outlet would break the tape first.

THE WINNER IS... THE DAILY VOICE
As Ed Selich said the words at 3:43 p.m. the Daily Voice posted their announcement, HERE, with a nice bio on Kiff. The Daily Pilot posted their story about 10 minutes later, HERE.

LOBDELL HAD THE INSIDE TRACK
I suspect that, because Lobdell is also an Ironman competitor, he might have had the inside track on this story - it certainly looks like it.

COMPETITION IS GOOD FOR US ALL
Regardless, our communities are well-served by two organizations working hard to present the important news of the day to their readers. Competition is good for that business. Thanks to both for their attentiveness. The Orange County Register finished with the bronze medal in this race.

Newport Beach SR 55 Workshop Report

FINAL SR 55 WORKSHOP IN NEWPORT BEACH
I attended the Orange County Transportation Authority's final public outreach workshop on the subject of resolving the traffic snarl currently occurring on Newport Boulevard (SR 55) in Costa Mesa's "downtown", just beyond the terminus of the Costa Mesa Freeway at 19th Street.

SPARSELY ATTENDED
Unlike the two similar workshops in Costa Mesa last week, this one was sparsely attended. A dozen folks who identified themselves as Newport Beach residents attended, plus some Costa Mesa residents. The total headcount at the meeting, including OCTA and consultant staff, was fewer than 30 people. It made me wonder if our good friends in Newport Beach would rather sit on the sidelines until this process is well down the road, then jump up and say, "NO WAY!"

NO ELECTED OFFICIALS CARED ENOUGH TO BE THERE
One disappointing fact was that, with the exception of Newport Beach Councilman "Walkin'" Don Webb - who kicked it off then left - no Newport Beach elected or appointed official attended the meeting to hear what their constituents thought about the plans presented. Former controversial councilman Dick Nichol showed up after the formal presentation, but was actively engaged in the subject, asking many questions and making very relevant comments. And, even better, not once did he mention "Mexicans on the grass". (That's a kind of inside joke, folks.)

NEWPORTERS FEAR TRAFFIC DUMPING
Many of the comments made by the Newporters were concerns about the traffic being "dumped" into Newport Beach. I had to chuckle, because they already get that traffic. Most of the more favorably viewed options presented would help folks heading for Newport Beach arrive there more quickly and with much less stress. No matter how carefully the moderators of the workshop tried to explain the situation, much apprehension still existed at the end of the meeting.

CUT-THROUGH TRAFFIC A CONCERN
Our good neighbors - most of whom lived in the Newport Heights area - were concerned about cut-through traffic in their neighborhoods. If that sounds familiar, it should, because many of my Eastside Costa Mesa neighbors expressed the same concerns at the two previous workshops. The difference between them is the fact the the Eastside of Costa Mesa is feeling the impact of cut-through traffic NOW due to the long delays on Newport Blvd.

TRAFFIC DISPERSION CONCERNS
Much was made about the need to disperse the traffic at the end of the freeway. Nichol was concerned about the freeway ending at one single traffic light at Industrial Way - as it does now at 19th Street. Nichol - who had not yet viewed the options on the display boards - suggested off ramps at 16th Street and 17th Street to help with the dispersion of traffic. That rankled residents, who "heard" that to mean more traffic on their residential streets.

OFF-THE-WALL SUGGESTIONS, TOO
Along with valid concerns and suggestions there were, predictably, some pretty off-the-wall suggestions. One woman suggested discarding all the proposed solutions and concentrating on public transportation alternatives. She apparently just arrived from Mars, or would have known that southern Californians don't leave their cars to go anywhere. Another speaker took my tongue-in-cheek suggestion about installing toll booths and turned it into a suggestion!

THE NEXT STEP
Despite the paucity of attendees, the OCTA and consultant staff dutifully took copious notes of the concerns and suggestions. Now this process will continue with the blending of existing proposals with suggestions made by attendees of the workshops and the distillation of the options to 3 or 4 possible choices. Those will then be presented to the OCTA Board and elected officials. More community outreach will be conducted following that effort. The target for the end of this phase of the project is August of this year.

FUNDING? - NO DOLLARS ARE AVAILABLE
At that time cost estimates will be compiled and possible sources of funding will be investigated. No funding is available for any of the long-range options at this time. When I asked how long it would take to get something built, the moderator, using assumptions that one of the more costly options would be chosen and it would involve property acquisition, speculated that it would take 10-15 years. Yikes!

LOOKING FOR MATURE LEADERSHIP
I fear, based on some of the comments made this evening, that this project is going to be one more contentious issue that the cities of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach will butt head on. The problem that generated this study is clearly a Costa Mesa issue. At the two workshops conducted in Costa Mesa many residents expressed displeasure that Newport Beach even gets a vote. I hope the elected leaders and staff will be able to mediate an amicable approach to this subject because there are many more issues that require close cooperation that are at least as important as this one. If we allow this to deteriorate into a schoolyard spat there is much to lose on both sides of our common border.

NEWS FLASH! INITIATIVE FILED ON NEWPORT BEACH CITY HALL!

NEWS FLASH!

The Red County/OC Blog reported just before noon today that there has been an initiative filed with the Newport Beach City Clerk to relocate the City Hall to the location mentioned in my previous post - just north of the Main Library on that 12.82 acre parcel some folks want to retain as a passive park. You can read that blog entry here.

According to the entry, some big names are included in this filing, including Marion Bergeson, former California Secretary of Education and former State Senator.

This will certainly make an interesting issue even more so and will likely cause a few of the Newport Beach open space advocates to go apoplectic. In the meantime, the clock continues to tick and the price of any new City Hall continues to escalate.

Riggy Jumps The Border To Spread The Wealth

Well, this is going to be fun. I was all set to disagree with Jim Righeimer, carpetbagging Costa Mesa Planning Commissioner, as he launched his first effort as a front-page columnist for the Daily Pilot this morning. Then I read his column and darn if I don't agree with him!

Old Riggy is a pal of Dana Rohrabacher, who helped Allan Mansoor and Wendy Leece get elected in November. He moved to Costa Mesa the middle of last year, then gets appointed to the Planning Commission as Mansoor brushed aside a long time supporter like he was swatting a gnat. Now Riggy steps across the border to take his first swing as a "journalist" and hits the good folks in Newport Beach squarely where it hurts - in the middle of the raw debate about where to build their new City Hall. It's just a good thing that Barry Saywitz isn't the developer on the project because Righeimer would have gotten really nasty!

I'm trying to figure out how this issue is a "conservative issue" - the charter of Righeimer's columns as announced by the editors of the Daily Pilot. I guess you could call it a lesson in fiscal conservatism.

Actually, this an interesting turn of events. It seems that a Newport Beach Planning Commissioner, one Mr. Hawkins, recently attempted to tell Costa Mesans how to manage their traffic. I suppose you could consider Riggy's column a little pay back - a term with which he should be familiar.

In his column Righeimer suggests that the site above the Main Library, bordered by Mac Arthur, Avocado and San Miguel, is the best location for the new City Hall. He and I actually agree on this issue. For a couple years I've commented on the fact that the current location on Newport Boulevard on the peninsula is not the best location for a new City Hall. It's difficult to reach, especially in the summer, it sits astride the Newport-Inglewood earthquake fault and is in a tsunami zone. The last number I saw for the construction of a replacement facility at that location was nearly $100 million, and that didn't include the inconvenience of moving the entire city staff twice in the process.

The site above the library, as I've said many times, is the perfect location for a new City Hall. It's near the geographical center of the city, located adjacent to Fashion Island and is close to good public transportation (for those days when the folks in Newport Beach want to go to City Hall, but the Bentley is having the oil changed.) The site in question is slightly over 12 acres and the new City Hall Bill Ficker designed would take around three of those. The remaining nine acres could easily be used as the passive park so many of the city hall opponents demand. The facility would provide parking space that could be shared with the library - a much-needed improvement. If I recall some of the numbers being floated when Ficker's plan was announced, it would cost somewhere between $25 and $30 million. That's a significant cost savings, no matter how you slice it. Plus, the old site on the peninsula is prime development material and would likely bring a pretty penny - and offset a big chunk of the cost of the new facility.

It's hard to understand how so many of the good folks in Newport Beach fail to agree that this site is the best one for all residents. Sure, a few folks who live above that spot may have their view affected - but not much. An architect with Ficker's skill can address some of those concerns in a final plan. Some of the opponents of the Newport Center site say their city needs more open space. Puh-leeze! How many miles of beach do they have? What about the harbor and back bay? And, if that new "park" at the corner of PCH and Jamboree is an example of what they want put in the Newport Center site I hope they reconsider. It's an eyesore that requires most who would use it to cross at least 8 busy traffic lanes to reach it.

In his column Riggy nibbled around the edges of what may just be the actual problem here. It has to do with an imbalance of fiscal and intellectual resources - more money than brains. I don't have a vested interest in this, but friends and relatives who live in Newport Beach certainly do. I hope their city leaders recognize this opportunity do what is best for all residents. If not, it looks like at least a couple Costa Mesa residents - one who has lived here for more than three decades and another who has yet to hit a year - will try to help them out.

Is Newport Beach Really Prepared For A Tsunami?

I recently received an email from a woman living on the Balboa Peninsula who expressed concern about the potential for damage to that area by a tsunami. Apparently, her young son cannot sleep because he worries about a tsunami occurring and not being able to escape. In a subsequent exchange of emails she confirmed that she wrote to me because of the piece I wrote in the fall of 2005 entitled, "The Big One - Fiction Or Prediction?" on the earlier version of this web site. That piece addressed the probable damage from a major earthquake along the Newport-Inglewood Fault - which runs directly under Newport Harbor - but contained some thoughts about a subsequent, locally generated tsunami, too.

I understand the boy's apprehension. When I was a kid growing up in Los Angeles we had frequent "drop drills" in anticipation of a nuclear attack and there were monthly tests of the "emergency warning system" - a city-wide system of sirens to alert the populace of their potential annihilation from a nuclear strike. None of those things made me feel "safe" - I was petrified at the thought of being incinerated by an atomic bomb.

With the devastation caused by Hurricane's Katrina and Rita in 2005 and the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, all of us have a heightened awareness of potential natural disasters. Along the Oregon coast there are signs posted in low-lying areas which direct travelers to routes to higher ground in the event of a tsunami. There is also a system of warning sirens for such alerts. As I drove that area on vacation last year I found myself wondering just how effective those preparations would be. I did keep looking for those signs, though - just in case.

In doing research on this subject I find no record of a tsunami ever hitting the coast in Newport Beach, nor any Orange County beaches, for that matter. Chances are slim that one would ever strike this section of coast, but that doesn't mean there shouldn't be a plan in place.

Recent local news articles tell us that the federal agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has recently deemed Newport Beach to be "tsunami ready", joining Dana Point and Huntington Beach. That would imply that all systems are in place in the event of such a disaster. So, I went to the Newport Beach web site to find out what they've done. What I found was not very encouraging. On their site, under the "Disaster Preparedness" page, I scrolled down to the section entitled "Tsunami Safety Information", looking for information and comfort. I must say that I came away from that experience disappointed.

On that page readers are encouraged to turn on the radio or watch local television if you feel an earthquake, which they quaintly call "a natural tsunami warning". They are also told that, in the event of an earthquake, they should leave the beach and low-lying coastal areas. Well, duh! No kidding! Among the most profound instructions is to "make sure your teenagers don't go to the beach" during a tsunami warning. Is that the best they can do?

Subsequently, I dug deeper and found a link to their Emergency Management Plan and, buried on pages 91-93 of the 171 page PDF document are more details about their plans to try to insure the safety of residents and visitors in case of a tsunami.

I wrote back to this distraught woman and advised her to contact City Manager Homer Bludau, 644-3000, and ask him about the specifics of the city's plan in the event of a tsunami warning. How will residents and visitors be notified? Do they plan to block inbound lanes for use by outbound traffic? What about plans for the children at Newport Elementary School, which sits on the sand on the peninsula? Does the school district have a plan for their survival?

If I were one of the roughly 20% of Newport Beach residents who live in an area potentially threatened by a tsunami I'd be on the telephone to my officials demanding information about their preparedness. I'd want to know the details of their plan, so I could also be prepared to help implement it so my neighbors and I actually had a chance to evacuate and survive. If I had children in Newport Elementary School I'd want to know the contingency plans for them.

I made a few telephone calls and found the woman in charge of managing the tsunami preparedness plan for Newport Beach. She told me that a workshop will be held at the City Council Chambers at City Hall on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 6 p.m. at which time informational flyers will be distributed and questions answered for any residents or other concerned parties who choose to attend.

Based on what I know of Newport Beach's plan now, there is one glaring deficiency - notification of an impending tsunami. Dana Point has a system of sirens and loudspeakers to notify residents and visitors of an impending tsunami, plus clearly marked evacuation routes. Their plan can be viewed here.

Newport Beach has signs in place, and has evacuation routes plotted, but apparently intends to use emergency vehicle loudspeakers and those on the jointly-owned helicopter to make audible notification to folks in threatened areas. To me, this seems inadequate and is a significant problem - even if the possibility of a tsunami hitting their beaches is quite remote.

To those of you concerned about this issue, I recommend attending the meeting mentioned above and get some answers for yourselves.

In the meantime, you can be comforted by the fact - based on the information provided on Newport Beach's site - that even a projected "500 Year Event" of the largest magnitude anticipated would likely raise the water level only 16 feet. Visions of 100 foot high waves that might be in some concerned folk's minds are just not realistic. The last, and only, event of any magnitude encountered in Newport Beach was following the 1964 Alaska earthquake, at which time the ocean level rose approximately 4-5 feet and caused minimal damage. From what I can learn, no one in our region expects anything like the Indian Ocean tsunami that occurred in 2004 and killed at least 310,000 people - but you never know...