Mailbag:

The citizens of Newport Beach who voted to have Banning Ranch preserved as open space should be celebrating.

Banning Ranch is one of 14 projects still under consideration for Measure M money. One hundred environmental projects applied, and 14 remain in contention, but there is a rub.

The Banning Ranch Conservancy, which has worked for Measure M consideration for the last two years, still does not have “a letter from a willing seller,” something the conservancy needs by Monday.

The letter needs to come from Aera Energy LLC, a joint venture between Exxon Mobil Corp. and Shell Oil Co. Aera is one of three partner businesses that own Newport Banning Ranch LLC.

The two companies behind Aera have not been willing to sign such a letter, in effect saying they won’t sell at any price for the sake of preservation.

The city, which has been charged with preserving the open space, is doing nothing to help the conservancy.

Instead, the Newport Beach City Council is busy planning another Superior Avenue, a road to run parallel to the present Superior Avenue, a road that would connect Coast Highway and 19th Street, a road designed to open Banning Ranch to development.

Anyone who has pull with the city, please be aware of this urgent matter.

The council needs to be reminded of the will of the people who voted to preserve Banning.

With Measure M money as seed money, Banning Ranch has a good chance of attracting other donors.

Mark Tabbert

Newport Beach

Editor’s Note: Tabbert is a member of the Banning Ranch Conservancy board.