Irvine to pay city $3.65M

The Newport Beach City Council on Tuesday settled its lawsuits with Irvine over a developing residential complex near the city border.

In a closed session, the city reached a $3.65-million settlement over the Irvine Business Complex, near John Wayne Airport.

The money, which Newport Beach shall receive within 20 days, will go toward widening Jamboree Road near the 405 Freeway.

Newport Beach is counting on that corridor to expand with traffic as Irvine’s project, which will include about 15,000 residential units, is completed.

“We are keeping faith with Newport residents who have been impacted by Irvine’s increased development and densities along the Jamboree Corridor,” said Councilwoman Leslie Daigle.

Newport Beach claimed that Irvine’s project violated the state’s environmental quality standards without addressing the effects of changing the area from industrial and commercial to mixed, high-density residential use.

Tustin joined Newport Beach in the lawsuits but did not join in the settlement.

In a separate resolution, the council approved the final environmental impact report for the new city hall.

To move forward with the project and design, council members would have to override air quality and carbon emission standards by stating that need outweighs the impacts.

During grading and construction, standards set by South Coast Air Quality Management District for nitrous oxide and carbon emissions will be violated because of all the construction equipment, according to the staff report.

Residents expressed the most concern about the proposed emergency operating center, which would be placed in the basement.

Several said that if the center — an essential building — does not meet federal standards, city officials need to reconsider its design.

City Manager Dave Kiff attempted to temper their concerns, saying the room would be built sturdier than anywhere else in the building, and that the whole building itself will be up to the latest earthquake standards.