Marina Park Gets the Green Light
By OCinSite At-Large on July 09, 2012 9:15 AM | Comments (0)
A new bayfront park—known locally as Marina Park—is one giant step closer to arriving on the Balboa Peninsula, between 15th and 18th Streets. The California Coastal Commission unanimously approved the Marina Park project’s coastal development permit on June 13, essentially clearing the way for construction to begin on the plan that has been in the works since 2004. The new public park will include a 23,832-square-foot community and sailing program building; greater accessibility to a public bay front beach; a 5,500-square-foot Girl Scout building; a new visitor-serving marina consisting of 23 slips and a 200-foot-long side tie area; park amenities including basketball half-courts, a children’s play area and new restrooms; and a public parking area. Currently occupying the site is a 50-year-old mobile home park. The residents of the park entered a settlement agreement with the city in 2007 in which the city purchased their coaches for $35,000 each and slightly lowered their rent for the remainder of their stay on the property. Construction on Marina Park is estimated to last about two years, and construction costs are estimated at $20-$28 million.
“A project designed to open up 10 acres of waterfront land for a public park is extremely rare in Southern California and we feel privileged to have this opportunity in Newport Beach,” Newport Beach Mayer Nancy Gardner says. “We appreciate the Coastal Commission’s support and are particularly grateful for the many residents who worked so long and hard on this project.”
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