Council confirms commission nominees

Deirdre Newman

An attorney, a foundation president and an architect will vie for a

vacant seat on the city’s commission that recommends and decides the

fate of land-use issues.

The City Council Tuesday confirmed the nominations of Robert

Hawkins, Roberta Jorgensen and Michael Henn to fill the vacancy on

the Planning Commission created when Leslie Daigle was appointed to

the City Council in October. The three Newport Beach residents are

the finalists out of 25 who originally sought the vacant seat, which

comes with most of a four-year term to be fulfilled. An ad hoc

committee of council members had been set up to choose two of the

finalists. It selected Hawkins and Jorgensen. Councilman John

Heffernan suggested the third, Henn. The council is set to make its

final decision on which of the three to appoint to the commission on

Nov. 9.

None of the three finalists could be reached Tuesday evening for

comment.

Hawkins has lived in the city for nine years and owns his own law

firm, which deals with issues like water law, eminent domain and

environmental law. He is a member of the city’s Environmental Quality

Affairs Citizen Advisory Committee. In his application, Hawkins

listed several challenges he believes the city faces, including the

further expansion of John Wayne Airport and protecting water quality.

“I welcome the opportunity to serve on the Planning Commission to

continue to assist the city, its residents and its council in

developing rewarding solutions to these challenges, including

land-use issues, developing its resources to the fullest and

enhancing our quality of life now and in the next century,” he wrote.

Jorgensen has lived in the city for 14 years and is the president

of Robbins Jorgensen Christopher Architects in Cannery Village. She

is a member of Orange County Coastkeeper, a water-quality watchdog

group.

As an architect and land-use planner she has created master plans

and planning guidelines for college and university campuses, city

developments and state and federal properties.

“My background has prepared me to quickly understand land-use

planning requirements and opportunities, and I have the knowledge

required to suggest cooperative alternatives and compromises to

complex issues,” she wrote in her application.

Although Henn was not chosen by the committee, Heffernan felt he

should be in the running because the only calls he received about the

25 candidates were in favor of Henn, he said.

“He had outstanding credentials,” Heffernan said.

Henn has lived in the city for 10 years and is the president of

the Roger & Lilah Stangeland Foundation, a charitable foundation. In

his application, he touted his experience as chief financial officer

for KB Home. The job entailed making decisions on hundreds of

homebuilding projects in the state, including in Orange County.

“This experience gave me excellent knowledge of the land-planning

process and issues and the need to balance competing priorities in

the community,” he wrote.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers government. She may be reached at (714)

966-4623 or by e-mail at [email protected].