As a Proposed Road Portends Possible Development

BY Terry Welsh
Banning Ranch Needs Your EIR Comments by Dec 11.

The current proposed Sunset Ridge Park plan has many commendable aspects, including hiking trails, and areas to picnic and enjoy views.

However, there is a very worrisome aspect to the proposed Sunset Ridge Park plan.

A draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Sunset Ridge Park, in Newport Beach, was released for public review on 10/27.

Sunset Ridge, a 14-acre parcel of property on the corner of Superior Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) that shares a border with Banning Ranch.

Sunset Ridge was once surplus California Department of Transportation property, originally considered for sale to developers. In 2006, the property was sold to Newport Beach and slated to become permanent park space.Everyone, and especially local open space activists, cheered on that day.

The current Sunset Ridge Park plan includes a stoplight on Pacific Coast Highway and a large road extending off of Pacific Coast Highway and climbing up Banning Ranch, before turning onto Sunset Ridge.

Banning Ranch open space activists, including the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Banning Ranch Park and Preserve Task Force, are opposed to the portion of the Sunset Ridge Park plan that includes this road.

The road is not compatible with the preferred vision of Banning Ranch in the Newport Beach General Plan. The Newport Beach General Plan was passed by voters in 2006 and calls for the entire Banning Ranch to be preserved as open space as its first priority for the property.

Secondly, this large road, extending off PCH, follows the same route as the proposed entrance route for the 1375 home development being promoted by the owners of Banning Ranch.

It is difficult not to interpret this large road as a major step towards the possible development of Banning Ranch.

With the release of the draft EIR, the public has the opportunity to review this document and comment on it. Comments must be submitted by 5 p.m. on December 11.

The Newport Beach City Council will vote on whether to approve the EIR on January 26.

There is still an opportunity, with significant input from the public, to create a better Sunset Ridge Park project that still includes the benefits of having a wonderful park at Sunset Ridge, but doesn't contain a large road on Banning Ranch. Your active participation is necessary!

Please review the draft EIR. It is an intimidating and quite lengthy (1327 pages) document and consists of about 20 separate PDF files. At least, please review the file labeled Executive Summary.

The link for the draft EIR follows:
http://www.newportbeachca.gov/index.aspx?page=1347