Newport weighs $66.6M spending for sea walls, pier eatery teardown, harbor, streets, more

A $66.6 million proposed capital improvement budget that includes projects for streets, facilities, parks and beaches in the upcoming fiscal year will get a look from the Newport Beach City Council on Tuesday.

For several months, the council has been weighing in on which proposals should receive funding in fiscal 2015-16, which begins July 1. The capital improvement budget is adopted annually along with the city’s operating budget.

Street and drainage improvement projects make up 43% of the planned capital budget, followed by facilities improvements, which make up 16%. Parks, harbor and beaches projects make up 14%.

Some construction projects, such as replacement of the Balboa Island sea walls, development of the Lower Castaways area of Newport Harbor, street improvements in Balboa Village and demolition of the former restaurant building on the Newport Pier are slated to receive funds.

Others, like the much-debated refurbishment plan for the Balboa Performing Arts Theater, have been halted. The council is expected to direct city staff Tuesday to begin the process of selling the theater, according to a staff report.

The city bought the property at 707 E. Balboa Blvd. in 1988 for $480,000. The space once hosted an array of theatrical productions and movie screenings, but fell on hard times and closed in the early 1990s.

For decades, the city and public debated how to use the theater. Last year, the city proposed turning it into a city-run fine-arts center. However, transforming the aging venue would cost about $5.8 million, money that many in the community felt could be put to better use.

Council members floated the idea of selling the property during a study session last month.

For projects that are on the list for 2015-16, being in the budget doesn’t mean they will be completed that fiscal year.

“A project can take several months or several years to finish,” according to budget documents. “As such, capital spending can span multiple fiscal years.”

Projects listed in the spending plan are funded from ongoing revenue such as dock fees, the state gasoline tax, utility enterprise fees and city general funds, according to the staff report.

Tuesday’s meeting will be one of the last opportunities for council members to share their thoughts about the proposed projects before the list goes before them for final approval in May or early June.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 100 Civic Center Drive.

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Study session

The City Council will discuss water conservation efforts, the city’s master arts and culture plan and use of the city seal for political activities and other non-city business during a study session preceding the regular meeting. The study session will begin at 3:30 p.m.