Sedge may have the edge in Castaways upgrades

S.J. Cahn

In the end, it will come down to the view, one way or another.

On Tuesday, the City Council will discuss the proposed renovation

of Castaways Park, which includes the city’s only open space with

vistas of the Back Bay, harbor and beaches. It is a debate that has

been going on for months, at times pitting the city’s environmental

activists against City Hall.

The discussion goes back to last year, when the city entered into

an agreement with the California Coastal Conservancy to accept a

nearly $100,000 grant to develop the park with native vegetation. But

earlier this year, City Council members and parks commissioners

proposed including in the plan about 2.5 acres of turf grass for

people to fly kites, play soccer or lay out a picnic.

The Planning Commission eventually voted to support the idea, even

though it would mean giving up the Coastal Conservancy grant.

Environmentalists protested, saying the area should be 100% natural,

as originally planned.

Then, last month, a compromise began to bloom: City staff came up

with a proposal that would use a native plant, California meadow

sedge, in place of nonnative, and less drought-resistant, turf grass

-- the type typically associated with soccer and baseball fields.

City officials hope it keeps with the spirit of the agreement with

the conservancy, and therefore keeps the grant money coming Newport’s

way.

Planting the sedge throughout the “meadow” part of the park could

cost $500,000, $230,000 of which would be covered by grants.

“It’s a little lumpy to be considered for sports use,” Councilman

Don Webb said of the sedge.

But it would more than do for picnics, kite flying and, important

in his mind, encouraging people to walk out to the park’s edge where

the best view is.

“I view Castaways Park as just that -- it’s one of the preeminent

view park opportunities the city has,” Webb said.

Mayor Steve Bromberg also said he’s leaning toward the sedge grass

proposal.

“I see it as a very, very meaningful compromise,” he said.

Environmentalists may be differing come Tuesday, however.

“The question has become: Will meadow sedge work?” said Jan

Vandersloot, who’s been among those opposed to the turf grass idea

and who continues to support the plan originally agreed to with the

conservancy.

Vandersloot questioned whether the sedge would get enough water

and do well in the park’s sandy soil.

An option, he added, might be to start with a small piece of sedge

to see how it thrives.

Sedge grows throughout the Southwest wherever there is sufficient

water, said David Niederhaus, the city’s general services manager.

Mowed or not, it will withstand heavy foot traffic, he added, and

not require near as much water as turf grass.

While opinions differ on what the city should plant in the park,

there is agreement that the park needs to be designed to encourage

people to walk through and see the views it offers.

“We want people to be able to walk around and enjoy the view,”

Vandersloot said.

Other options the City Council will consider at its 7 p.m. meeting

are planting a narrow strip of native grass; planting nonnative grass

with irrigation, which would involve terminating the grants; and not

making any landscaping improvements.

City staff are ready to get bids on the work out as soon as a

decision is made, Niederhaus said.

The staff report on the issue is set to be available on the city’s

Web site by Friday. The Web site is at

https://www.city.newport-beach.ca.us/home.htm.

* S.J. CAHN is the managing editor. He can be reached at (949)

574-4233 or by e-mail at [email protected].