“I would hope for the sake of the taxpayers of Newport Beach the petitioner would get off his high horse and let the city do its work,” Lacy said.
Lacy — who wrote the charter amendment known as Measure B, which Newport Beach voters passed earlier this year — has been outspoken in his criticism of Beek’s legal attacks on the measure. The attorney has even suggested on his blog a new word for legal motions he claims are a waste of taxpayer dollars — “Beeked.”
Measure B amended the city charter to require the next city hall to be built on the piece of land in Newport Center.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Peter Polos held off at a court hearing Thursday on issuing a final ruling on Beek’s request for the court to stop the city from spending more on finding an architect to design a new city hall and other project expenses while his lawsuits against the city remain unresolved. Beek says city plans to build on a roughly 12-acre piece of city-owned land in Newport Center violate several laws.
Polos said in a tentative ruling issued earlier this week that Beek has little chance of winning his lawsuits.
Newport Beach City Atty. Robin Clauson said that after the hearing she will ask the court to dismiss the matter if the judge sticks to his initial ruling.
The court granted the request today of several prominent members of the group to join the city’s legal fight against Beek.
Beek said he plans to see the legal battle through to trial. The activist said he feels the city and City Hall in the Park are the ones who have wasted taxpayer money.
