Koll Center expansion
The 250,000-square-foot expansion project at the Koll Center's
southern tip, near the intersection of MacArthur and Jamboree boulevards,
includes a 10-story office tower and two parking structures. In addition
to about $1.16 million in mandatory traffic and transportation fees, the
developers have offered to pay another $2 million for long-term traffic
improvements, as well as $112,500 to fund a planning study for the area
and $60,000 to build a new fire station, bringing the total fees to about
$3.3 million.
What to expect:
Planning commissioners can recommend that City Council members either
approve or deny a general plan amendment for the project. While Koll
officials can still build another 15,000 square feet, the expansion
project's remaining 225,500 square feet go beyond what the general plan
allows. Even if city officials sign off on the project, Newport Beach's
voters will eventually make the final decision in a citywide election
because the project triggers Greenlight, the city's new slow-growth law.
Tim Strader Sr., one of the project partners, has already said his group
would pay for a special election in the fall once they get the OK from
City Hall.
Boy Scouts sea base expansion
The Boy Scouts of America, Orange County Council, plans to expand its
sea base on West Coast Highway by adding an 8,092-square-foot sailing
building and a 6,400-square-foot rowing building. The expansion would
more than double the base from 9,943 square feet to 22,060 square feet.
At their May 3 meeting, commissioners expressed concern over the reduced
view of the bay from the highway if the buildings are constructed as
planned. While an open space of about 207 feet now exists, the view would
shrink by about 31%, to 142, because the sailing building would sit
parallel to the bay. Scout officials have come up with new drawings of
the project to give commissioners a better idea of what it would look
like.
What to expect:
Planning commissioners can either approve or deny the project. City
officials have also suggested two ways to preserve as much view as
possible. One alternative would move the sailing building 12 feet to the
west, resulting in a 26% reduction of public views. Another option is to
redesign the project so the sailing house becomes an addition to an
existing building on the western side of the base rather than a separate
building.
Coastal bluff development policy
Planning commissioners will take another stab at a policy to protect
