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Home My WebLink AboutPC - Public Comments - John MartinCITY COUNCIL MEETING, MAY 22, 2007 COMMENTS BY JOHN MARTIN, 902 S. BAYFRONT, BALBOA ISLAND MR. CHAIRMAN & MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS ON THE AERIE PROJECT FROM 3 PERSPECTIVES. 1. AS A PROPERTY OWNER AT 239 CARNATION AND A FORMER RESIDENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS ON THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AT 207 CARNATION. 2. AS A CURRENT RESIDENT OF BALBOA ISLAND AND SOMEONE WHO IS AWARE OF THE HUGE IMPACT THAT THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL HAVE FROM A PUBLIC PERSPECTIVE ON ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT HILLSIDES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 3. As SOMEONE IN THE BUSINESS OF COMMUNITY PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND HOME BUILDING FOR OVER 40 YEARS WHO HAS WORKED ON PROJECTS IN NEWPORT BEACH SINCE 1975. y I ALSO TEACH AT FOUR UNIVERSITIES ON PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING OF PLANNED COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOOD AND RESIDENTIAL DESIGN. (UCLA, UCI, CHAPMAN AND CORNELL). BECAUSE I AM IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND HOME BUILDING BUSINESS I FEEL A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT EXPRESSING MY VIEWS IN OPPOSITION TO THIS PROJECT AS WE NORMALLY STICK TOGETHER. BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I FEEL IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH, AND LONG LASTING, THAT I WANT TO STEP FORWARD AS I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING. -1- I WANT TO SHARE MY COMMENTS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, BECAUSE THE LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AT 201 -207 CARNATION ISM IN MY VIEW, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT AND SENSITIVE PROPERTY IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH. AND, IN MY OPINION, THE LEGACY OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE BASED ON WHAT IS DEVELOPED IN THIS LOCATION. REGARDING PERSPECTIVE #1: THE APPLICANT HAS DONE A GOOD JOB A SATISFYING MANY OF THE NEIGHBORS REGARDING THE PRESERVATION OF THEIR VIEWS. IN THIS REGARD, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STRUCTURES COULD BE HIGHER AND WIDER THAN CURRENTLY PLANNED. HOWEVER, WHAT MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATELY ANTICIPATED AND CONSIDERED IS THE SCALE AND SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT IT WILL HAVE ON THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE DISRUPTION IT WILL CAUSE THE LOCAL RESIDENTS IN THE RESTRICTED USE OF THEIR PROPERTIES FROM DEMOLITION TO COMPLETION WHICH COULD EASILY EXTEND FROM OVER 2 TO 4 YEARS. 75,000+ /- SQUARE FEET IS A HUGE AND MASSIVE PROJECT WITH 9 UNITS AVERAGING ALMOST 5,000 SQUARE FEET, OR 45,000 SQUARE FEET OF RESIDENTIAL HOUSING. HOW THIS PROJECT WILL BE BUILT MIST BE CONSIDERED AS THE LIFE -STYLE AND LIVABILITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE GREATER COMMUNITY, WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. -2- IN THIS REGARD, THE MATERIALS AND LABOR USED WILL BE EQUIVALENT TO BUILDING A SUB - DIVISION OF 30-40,1800 - 2000+ SQUARE FOOT HOMES ALL AT ONCE. IT IS EASY TO IMAGINE WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE IF AN ENTIRE BLOCK IN CORONA DEL MAR, ADJACENT TO THIS LOCATION, WAS BUILT AT ONE TIME. TO ANTICIPATE WHAT THIS IMPACT WILL BE, I UNDERSTAND THAT A CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT PLAN AND SCHEDULE IS A MANDATORY REQUIREMENT AT THIS STAGE BEFORE ANY DEVELOPMENT APPROVALS ARE GRANTED OR EVEN CONSIDERED. IN THIS REGARD, MAKING SURE IT ADDRESSES THE ISSUES BELOW IS IMPERATIVE: • QUANTIFYING HOW MANY TRUCKS CARTING AWAY THE 32,000 CUBIC YARDS OF DIRT; • THE HOURS OF OPERATION; • THE SECURITY FENCING TO AVOID THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMEONE DROPPING OFF OVER $0 FEET ONCE THE EXCAVATION HAS TAKEN PLACE; • THE NUMBER OF CONCRETE TRUCKS THAT WILL INVADE THE AREA FOR A SIGNIFICANT PERIOD OF TIME; • THE STAGING OF ALL TRADES (DRYWALL, FOR EXAMPLE); • THE ROUTES IN AND OUT; • AND THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE RESIDENTS RELATED TO THE NUMBER OF WORKERS WHO WILL BE IN THE AREA ON A DAILY BASIS WHO DO NOT LIVE THERE, NEED TO BE CONSTANT COMPLAINTS TO THE CITY COULD BE A DAILY OCCURANCE. -3- THE ABOVE CONSIDERATIONS ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE APPLICANT DOES NOT INTEND TO PERSONALLY BUILD THE PROJECT AND THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR WILL BE THE ONE WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION PLAN. THE RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEED TO KNOW HOW THE USE AND ENJOYMENT OF THEIR PROPERTIES WILL LIKELY BE AFFECTED, AND FOR HOW LONG. REGARDING BEING SENSITIVE TO, THE PRIVATE VIEWS, I THINK THE APPLICANT SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PLACE STORY -POLES ON THE SITE SO THERE IS NO QUESTION REGARDING THE VIEWS FROM ALL PERSPECTIVES. THIS IS USUALLY A REQUIREMENT FOR ANY PROJECT OF THIS NATURE, AND DEFINITELY A MUST FOR ONE AS SENSITIVE AS THIS DEVELOPMENT. RELATING TO THE PUBLIC VIEW, PVE STUDIED THE DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THIS MOST PROMINENT AND VISIBLE PROPERTY IN NEWPORT BEACH. SECTION 4.4, OF ITS COASTAL LAND USE PLAN (CLUP) REGARDING SCENIC AND VISUAL RESOURCES IS WHERE I BELIEVE WE NEED TO FOCUS. SECTION 4.4.3 -12 DEALS WITH "EMPLOYING SITE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION TO MINIMIZE BLUFF ALTERATION AND 8 CRITICAL CRITERIA ARE LISTED. IN MY OPINION, ONLY ONE OF THESE EIGHT CRITERIA IS HONORED AND I WILL BE PLEASED TO COMMENT ON ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THE CRITERIA ARE SUMMARIZED BELOW ALONG WITH A COMMENT ON WHETHER EACH ONE HAS BEEN CONSIDERED AND MET. 1. SITE DEVELOPMENT ON THE FLATTEST AREA. NO (PAD 1S GONE 2. DETACH PARTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT. NO (I 1S 2 BIG BUILDINGS) 3. UTILIZE EXISTING BUILDING PAD AND DRIVEWAY TO MAXIMIZE EXTENT POSSIBLE. NO (EXCEPT THE DRIVEWAYWOULD BE NARROWER) 4. CLUSTER BUILDING SITES NO (THE PROJECT HAS 2 MONOLITHIC BUILDINGS) 5. SHARED USE OF DRIVEWAY. YES (BUT STACKING WILL BE A PROBLEM SO PARKING ON THE STREET WILL BE MUCH WORSE THAN IT IS NOW). 6. DESIGN BUILDING TO CONFORM TO NATURAL CONTOURS OF THE SITE NO (THE NATURAL CONTOURS ARE ELIMINATED). %. UTILIZE SPECIAL FOUNDATIONS - STEPPED, SPLIT AND CANTILEVERED. NO 8. REQUIRE ALTERED SLOPES TO BLEND WITH NATURAL CONTOURS. NO IT 1S AS IF THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE COASTAL LAND USE PLAN ARE BEING COMPLETELY IGNORED. REACHING CONSENSUS ON SUCH A DOCUMENT -5- INVOLVES MUCH! TIME AND ENERGY THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED. BASED ON MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, THE VIEW OF THE SITE FROM THE DISTANT PERSPECTIVE IS OF PARAMOUNT CONSIDERATION. WHAT WILL HAPPEN ONCE THIS SITE IS GRADED AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION REMINDS ME OF THE UPROAR WHICH OCCURRED RECENTLY AT BIG HORN IN THE DESERT WHEN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY SAW ON THE GROUND WHAT THEY COULD NOT ENVISION PRIOR TO DEVELOPMENT. THIS WAS A , MASSIVE OVER -BLOWN STRUCTURE IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LOCATION. THE CHALLENGE AT AERIE IS THAT NEGATIVE PUBLIC REACTION, AND POSSIBLY OUTRAGE, WILL ONLY SURFACE ONCE DEVELOPMENT IS UNDER WAY AND IRREVERSIBLE. AS THIS HUGE STRUCTURE GOES UP, IT WILL LOOK LIKE A TALL OFFICE BUILDING OR VERTICLE PARKING GARAGE. WHEN THE GRADING FOR 40 & $O FOOT WALLS, AND THE WALLS THEMSELVES, SET BACK JUST A FEW FEET PARALLEL TO CARNATION, AND THE SIDE YARD OF 215 CARNATION, ARE EVIDENT, THE OUTCRY WILL BE A CHORUS OF ... "HOW WAS THIS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN ?" I BELIEVE THE PUBLIC REACTION, ONCE THE BLUFF IS GONE, NEEDS TO BE ANTICIPATED BY ALL THE LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY. BY THAT TIME, THERE IS NO PUTTING THE HILL BACK. THE APPLICANT HAS SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME WITH SOIL TESTS AND GEOLOGIC ANALYSIS AND THESE DOCUMENTS SHOULD BE EXAMINED CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS SATISFIED THERE COULD BE NO FAILURE ONCE THE NATURAL LAND IS GONE AND THE VERTICAL WALLS ARE EXPOSED. THE STAFF CLEARLY SEES THE IMPACT TO THE BLUFF AND MOVING THE DEVELOPMENT LINE UP IS A REASONABLE COMPROMISE. THIS WILL ALLOW A PEDESTAL OF NATURAL GREEN VEGETATION TO FRAME THE STRUCTURE AT THE BOTTOM. ' WITHOUT AT LEAST ELIMINATING THE Z OR 3 LOWER FLOORS, THE STRUCTURE WILL BE OVERWHELMING AS IT DRAPES THE HILL WITH BUILDING MASS THAT IS TOTALLY OUT OF SCALE WITH THE DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES IN THE AREA. MOST JURISDICTIONS EXPRESS THAT THEY WANT STRUCTURES TO SIT LIGHTLY ON THE LAND. THE AERIE DEVELOPMENT, IF IT IS SCALED BACK AND REDESIGNED, PRESENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE THIS PROMINENT & PRECIOUS HILLSIDE RESOURCE, RATHER THAN DESECRATE (TO DAMAGE SOMETHING SACRED) IT. I HAVE STUDIED HILLSIDE DEVELOPMENT FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND, IN FACT, WAS SENT BY THE IRVINE COMPANY IN 1987 TO THE MEDITERRANEAN TO STUDY HOW TO DESIGN MORE PICTURESQUE DEVELOPMENT IN HILLSIDE AND COASTAL LOCATIONS. -7- THERE ARE MANY LESSONS LEARNED FROM WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN OTHER PICTURESQUE SETTINGS. THE AERIE LOCATION DESERVES AN APPROPRIATE AND BALANCED BLEND OF THE NATURAL AND MAN -MADE ENVIRONMENTS. WE COULD EASILY BE DOING THE DEVELOPER A FAVOR IF HE IS RESTRICTED TO 3 LESS LEVELS, AS THE COST OF GOING SO DEEP, IN MY EXPERIENCE, IS NOT COMMENSURATE WITH THE HOME VALUES THAT WILL BE ACHIEVED AT THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE STRUCTURE. I APPRECIATE YOU CONSIDERATION OF MY COMMENTS AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. SINCERELY, JOHN MARTIN 902 S. BAYFRONT, BALBOA ISLAND 239 CARNATION AVENUE, CORONA DEL MAR