Politics & Government

City Council Approves Controversial Banning Ranch Project

Supporters and opponents of the Banning Ranch Project give the Newport Beach City Council an earful, while the Banning Ranch Conservancy announces a $5 million pledge from an anonymous donor.

The Newport Beach City Council gave its approval Monday night to the Banning Ranch development, following nearly four hours of public comment from project supporters and opponents.

More than 60 residents took their turn at the podium to voice opinions to the City Council. In the end, councilmembers voted 6-0 to support the plans to transform the 401-acre oil field in West Newport into a development with 1,375 homes, a 75 room hotel, commercial space, parks and open space. Councilman Rush Hill abstained from the vote due to a potential conflict of interest.

While the next step is for the project to get a green light from the California Coastal Commission, members of the City Council said the Banning Ranch Project will be a positive attribute.

Find out what's happening in Newport Beach-Corona Del Marwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Tens of millions of dollars in public benefit, in addition to dozens of acres of park, restored wetlands and opened to the public which are not now," Councilman Steve Rosansky said. "From just about every angle you approach this, there is a benefit to the public."

"I think it's going to be something the community is going to embrace and love when it is done,” Councilman Keith Curry added.

Find out what's happening in Newport Beach-Corona Del Marwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Some residents, including Alison Schweitzer, also lent support to the project.

"It will create more housing in a desirable coastal community, the developer will clean up the site that is currently an oil field and nothing desirable to look at and open space will be cleaned up and delivered to the community at no cost to the county," Schweitzer said.

But not everyone is looking forward to the development of Banning Ranch.

Leonard Davis, who has lived in Newport Crest since 1976, begged the City Council to oppose the massive project.

"This is in my backyard, literally," he said. "Think about it if it were over your fence and for 14 years of construction."

"The construction will start every morning at 7 a.m. and continue throughout the day until 6:30 p.m.  on weekdays, and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.,” Sharon Boles, a Newport Crest homeowner told the City Council. "Help us during this time of construction.”

Bryann Starr, of the Building Industry Association of Orange County, said that construction will create thousands of new jobs, but others raised concerns with light and noise pollution and impacts to protected species.

Steve Ray, executive director of the Banning Ranch Conservancy, told the City Council a resident and conservationist -- who wished to remain anonymous--committed $5 million toward the acquisition and preservation of Banning Ranch.

Rosansky called the donation an "Eleventh hour Hail Mary that came out of nowhere."

A city consultant hired by the city in the 2008 said the property's value was between $138 million and $158 million.

In addition to the California Coastal Commission, the Banning Ranch project also has to gain approval from several other regulatory agencies.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here