Residents urge more public input on high‑rise plans and question lease extending potential police site; council approves consent calendar

Multiple members of the public used the April 14 public‑comment period to press the City Council for more transparency and direct engagement on development and property decisions.

Homeowner and Harborview Broadmore Community Association member Chase Wickersham said he and neighbors were surprised the Planning Commission approved two towers over 270 feet for the Edwards/Newport Theater property and asked whether the council or staff are considering selling the Santa Barbara site to a developer who could build a 300‑foot building. "Most of my neighbors were surprised that there was not a public hearing," Wickersham said, and he asked the mayor to meet with HOAs facing MacArthur to discuss potential impacts on views, traffic and open space.

Cynthia H., a lifelong Coron Del Mar resident, said she came to support neighbors worried about large tower projects and asserted those actions were occurring "prior to the vote" on a ballot measure (as stated in the record) and without full public disclosure.

Public commenters also questioned a consent‑calendar lease extension. Adam Levers said consent item 7 is a five‑year lease for a suite at 1201 Dove Street and warned that issuing a long lease at a property once intended for a police station could reduce flexibility to site a new police headquarters. Jim Roer reiterated those concerns and additionally flagged consent item 10, a plaque donation from the Newport Beach Foundation marking the nation’s 250th anniversary, saying the proposed agreement appears to waive the city's plaque policy and guarantees 100 years of maintenance contrary to current policy.

Council moved and approved the consent calendar (items 1–11) by a single motion; Council Member Stapleton seconded and the motion carried unanimously. Council did not record item‑level roll calls in the meeting transcript. Staff said that if council members want to pull an item for separate discussion, they may do so under the posted procedures.