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 Community Horse Arena cost estimate $250K This arena idea has been tossed around for as long as I can remember, but it started to take shape in about 2000 and we have been working on it since. Making slow progress as we work our way through the bureaucratic process. Be sure and look at the archive links above for history on this project. Here is the latest update..... 02/04/09 Horse Arena- Jayne Jones reported that after years of preparing for the arena to be constructed in the Delhi channel the county flood control department has decided that their project to widen the channel has been moved forward with a “possible” date of 2016. This date is now too close for county to justify spending money for a temporary arena in that area. Dave got involved back in 2000 Earlier Costal Commission permit expired and the city picked up the project in 2003. Upper bay got involved and worked with regional control. We had to go through the entire costal commission process at about that point then Regional Board said they will not approve the project now because the mitigation and planting habitat comes after the flood control project is finished. Mario pointed out the county’s point of view is that the project has been delayed too long and the county is not inclined to spend money on something that has to be removed in 6 or 7 years. The county supervisors understand how important this project is to our community even though some Supervisors don’t believe in redevelopment; this project was passed with a 3 to 1 vote with one abstention. Mario reminded us that Redevelopment, by law, is all about mitigation of blight and blight is what the funds are to aid. These projects have included soundproofing homes, undergrounding electrical poles, the fire station construction and park. Mario also stated that the county is still committed to putting in the arena and they want to continue to work with City Council and PAC to find other options. Mario assured us that the county has not foreclosed on this project. County Engineer Nadeem Majaj was introduced by Mario. Nadeem gave a presentation as to what plans are in place for the expansion of the Delhi channel and he provided an aerial map of the project area with the Horse Arena plans overlaid. He stated that the Flood Control District has an obligation to finish this project. A statewide law makes it necessary to provide improvements to protect from the 100 year flood. The channel is a regulatory condition and was planned to be completed in the mid 90’s. Once the bankruptcy occurred this project stalled and Flood Control focused on other areas that were more severely in danger of flooding. Nadeem went on to say the Delhi channel area was low on their priority when they were approached by the City of Newport regarding the arena and because the area was not being used they were in favor of the project. Then the priorities shifted and the arena never got around to being completed from first meeting in 2007. Recently the Regional Water Control Board sent Flood Control a letter asking them to finish the project. Now it is believed that, at best, the project will be stalled to 2015. The whole area will be used for the “new channel” and require mitigation, although there maybe room for a trail. It was asked if even more temporary poles could be constructed until flood control starts their project. Dave Kiff explained that any pole is considered a project to the coastal commission and they would have to give their permission. With this information presented Tim Stoaks asked if moving the arena to Bayview Park would be supported by county. Dave Kiff said the park might not be a good location because it’s still in the costal zone and will have similar requirements as the channel project. He also suggests that neighbors may raise concerns about an equestrian arena being next to their homes. Dave also feels the park may be reaching outside of the horse community. Dave suggested we write a letter to the city and it will have to go through the parks commission. Holly Jarvis stated that an equestrian facility is included in the specific plan and several properties have been identified over the years but were never purchased because the county didn’t move fast enough. With the delays the project gets shrunk. She reminded us that we have kids here in therapeutic programs and after school lessons and an arena is needed for these programs. Jayne Jones added that the equestrian community was cut in half when redevelopment occurred and decided to put commercial buildings in this area that once was a larger equestrian area. This is considered blight to the equestrian community. Because of this blight the equestrians were promised an area where they could ride in an arena and board horses in exchange for taking away so much of their community and she feels that this promise should be completed. Newport City Council member Daigle was asked if she would support the relocation of the arenas. She stated it was unfortunate the project didn’t pan out for the Delhi channel and she will have to look at the project locations and see what part of the community would be in favor of it before she can say she will support it. 07/28/08 Dave Kiff reported: “As of mid-July, two environmental review efforts are nearing a public comment period. These are the Resource Management Plan (the plan that is required when any sensitive habitat area is disturbed by construction and by the arena itself) and the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND). The RMP is intended to show how the restored area will be maintained once the arena and the restored bluff top are done - who will maintain it, what the maintenance includes (like irrigation, removal of non-native pecies, trimming, plant species, storm water protections, etc.), and the estimated costs of the maintenance over time. If the City of Newport Beach adopts the RMP, it must also either decide to do the work or tell who is going to do it. The MND is a document prepared under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) that describes the environmental impacts of the arena project. Issues like noise, dust, views, water quality, and air quality are all covered in an MND. The MND is intended to allow the public to see these impacts in advance, and to judge whether or not the arena project is meritorious despite the impacts. The "M" part of MND means that the document also shows how some environmental impacts will be mitigated to reduce or eliminate the impacts (like a dust control program for the arena, a manure management program, and the water quality bioswale to reduce storm water pollutants). Interested readers will want to review and comment on the MND during the prescribed comment period, which is about to be set. If you would like more information or to be notified of the release of the MND, please contact Rosalinh Ung in the City's Planning Department.“ 12/10/07 Dave Kiff reports that costs incurred and billed within this period are $24,549.20 and include more detailed design, engineering and environmental permitting costs than initially expected. This project has not yet been approved by the Coastal Commission. Update 9/27/07 Keeton Kreitzer is currently acting as overall project manager to oversee the Arena project through the City's approval process and, subsequently, the CDP through the Coastal Commission process. He will be meeting with Rosalinh to discus the next steps to complete the plan preparation and environmental review process before proceeding to the Coastal Commission. City Staff and Contracted Engineers met with the resources agencies last month. Based on that meeting, the City will be preparing a "mini" Resource Management Plan (RMP) to specifically address the proposed equestrian facilities because a portion of the site is located within the Orange County Nature Preserve designated area. Such facilities, as it currently stands, are not addressed in the State's and/or County's planning program for the area. As a result, we will update the environmental document to address the RMP and re circulate the proposed MND before proceeding to the Newport Beach Planning Commission and City Council. Once the project is approved, we will proceed with the CDP approval process with the Coastal Commission. Once Keeton has met with Rosalinh to discuss the changes to the scope of work and project management responsibilities. They will also embark on the preparation of the RMP. After it is established who will prepare the RMP and the timing of that document, a revised schedule will be prepared. Update 8/7/07 George Berger reports: "We have received and are processing through the ten comment letters received from agencies and individuals from the Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration. Among others, we received letters from the California Coastal Commission, and the California Department of Fish & Game; staff from the latter agency requested an extension of the comment period so that they could meet with our project team. Essentially, work on the project has been delayed a bit so we can accommodate their request. That meeting will be held at the end of next week. Following the meeting with CDF&G staff, we will amend the schedule and put it up on the City's website." Update 7/23/07 Blue Prints and Maps of the Equestrian Arena Area were displayed at the Back Bay Equestrians General Meeting on July 10, 2007 (thank you to George Berger at the city of Newport for providing these documents) The BBE Board is currently drafting an operations plan and a manure maintenance plan for the arenas to be submitted to the City of Newport for approval. Discussion of a few arena rules and regulations are also being considered. The BBE is looking for a club member that would like to volunteer as the Facility Coordinator once the arenas are complete. The BBE is expected to play a very important part in the maintenance, operation and overall use of the facility. The club is very grateful to the city of Newport and the County of Orange for the opportunity to do so. Working on this project has been a pleasure and a privilege for the BBE Board members and the PAC Arena Sub-Committee. Richard Moriarty is now a member of the Equestrian Sub Committee: Update June 4, 2007 Per George Berger at the City of Newport Beach the arena project's draft environmental document (the initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration) that was prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) should be ready to go out on June 11, 2007. The city has received and incorporated a number of comments from the County's flood Control District. The Flood Control District has done an excellent job of coordinating opinions and comments from a number of agencies within the county system. We all appreciate their ongoing efforts to support the project. Update April 3 2007 in February there was a meeting with the Coastal Commission staff. Keeton Kreitzer, Mark McKeehan and George Berger met with Commission staff Fernie Sy and Karl Schwing; they outlined the project using the conceptual grading (Fuscoe) and landscape (Pederson) plans and the current aerial photo of the area site. George also gave staff copies of Dave Pederson's revised landscape plan that incorporates the plant palette changes provided by Coastal Commission field staffer Matt Yurko. the next step is to review once again the lapsed (2000) Coastal Development Permit (CDP) to ensure we've accommodated all the conditions we can meet ahead of time, and finish the CEQA documents. We're scheduling a second meeting with the OC Flood Control District staff to go over what are (on the basis of our positive initial meeting with the CCC) the final concept plans, and to try to get a draft City/County agreement started. Then it's on to the City approval process, the County approval process, and finally to the Coastal Commission for hearing and approval. In the meantime, we will be drafting operating and maintenance agreements. At about the time of the Coastal Commission hearing, we'll be working the Public Works Department into the mix, so they can begin drafting the construction bid package. Mario Mainero suggests Then Dave Kiff and the City Attorney should draft a City/County agreement that provides for the funding of the construction of the horse arena. |
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