EDITORIAL:

After being at odds with Newport Beach Mayor Ed Selich the last few months over the City Hall in the Park initiative, it’s nice to know we are in lockstep agreement with him over what could be the next big city purchase.

Banning Ranch has for years been under discussion as a prime piece of real estate on the west side of the city, bordered by Costa Mesa to the north, Coast Highway to the south and the Santa Ana River on the west.

Costa Mesa officials had hoped to annex the 480-acre ranch for their use, but the local government agency charged with deciding such matters recently ruled that the ranch would fall under Newport Beach’s sphere of influence.

Currently, 400 acres of the ranch sit in county territory. Newport Beach, which owns a little more than 50 acres now, will need to purchase the rest of the property before making any decisions on its fate.

Here’s where we find ourselves agreeing with Selich.

In his speech at the annual Speak Up Newport Mayor’s Dinner, Selich said he believes most, if not all, of the Banning Ranch should be preserved as open space.

We agree with the mayor that is a worthy goal.

Currently, plans are in the works to develop parts of the Banning Ranch for residential, hotel and commercial uses. But the largest pieces of the parcel are being left alone, and that’s a good thing.

Newport Beach and Costa Mesa residents already bear a huge burden from traffic and development. City streets are clogged and overused. Adding a massive development of housing, hotels and commerce will only increase those problems.

But a small development at Banning Ranch in exchange for a lot of open space would certainly not make us uneasy, although we also, like Selich, would not mind seeing the entire parcel turned over to the public for parkland to be used in perpetuity.

With its proximity to the Santa Ana River and nearby trails, Banning Ranch has the potential to be one of the most beautiful coastal parks in the county.

We say potential because we know in its current state, it has a long way to go. But we’re glad to know that Mayor Selich sees the potential, and we’re glad to be arm and arm with him in this debate.