Most would take new city hall over a park

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

During my more than seven years at the Daily Pilot, there have been a stream of hot-button issues in the community: Greenlight; the El Toro airport; how to develop the Westside; Home Ranch; the closing of El Morro and Crystal Cove; Costa Mesa’s immigration proposal; and the list goes on.

All of these issues have generated scores of letters, e-mails and calls to the paper. But nothing has unleashed such response in such a short period of time ? to one story and one question, in fact ? as Newport Beach resident Bill Ficker’s proposal for a new city hall on land above the Central Library, as detailed in Tuesday’s paper (“Free city hall has ‘greens’ seeing red”).

Because of the overwhelming response, the Daily Pilot is taking the unusual step today of running reader responses on the front page. Look for more responses on the weekend and Monday Forum pages as well. We also will compile all the responses on our website so readers can see the full list of responses as they are published.

? S.J. Cahn

I think Bill Ficker’s idea is fabulous. I think the City Council was way out of line to not even let the committee consider this property in its survey and to do away with eminent domain, which lets the Irvine Co. off the hook for any consideration of their property.

GARRET SMITH

Corona del Mar

I think the location should be left up to the engineers of city hall since they work there. I don’t like Bill Ficker’s design ? it looks really ugly; it will look really ugly in 10 years. I think we should go with a style of the area, like mission, like Newport Harbor High School. Something that is stately and something to be proud of; our city has a lot of landmarks. I think it should be built as a landmark that will be around for 100 or so years.

DENNIS HOLLAND

Newport Beach

At last a voice of reason. Leave it to Bill Ficker, who is one smart guy, to figure out a really good plan.

Gotta hand it to him. This makes sense.

We don’t need more parks.

ROY FREEMAN

Newport Beach

I feel sorry for the poor guy who might buy the city hall property. With the likes of all of our no-growth Greenlighters, what in the world would a developer be able to build on this property? In the Greenlighters’ thinking, nothing. Build a new city hall on the present premises.

GAIL ROSENSTEIN

Newport Beach

Throw my complete support to Ficker’s idea. I think it is a great idea.

VERN MONROE

Newport Beach

Why is there so often the suggestion “Let’s build a park instead,” in response to so many new building proposals in Newport Beach? We have miles of beautiful beaches, which are far more popular than any park. The proposal to build a new city hall on Avocado Avenue is a good one, so why do we need another park in that location?

Who would use a park so close to the commercial buildings around Fashion Island?

A centrally located new city hall is much more important to Newport Beach than yet another park.

GRANVILLE KIRKUP

Balboa Peninsula

Finally someone has come up with a reasonable solution to the city hall issue.

Now all we have to do is put it on the ballot, as I think the City Council made up its mind long ago.

LARRY SOMERS

Balboa