What does ‘F’ mean for Greenlight?

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- The county’s landslide support for Measure F -- which

allows voters to decide on certain land-use issues -- has some city

officials wondering what it portends for Newport’s comparable initiative

set for the fall ballot.

“I would characterize Measure F as a no-growth initiative and I would

characterize Greenlight as a no-growth initiative,” said Councilwoman

Norma Glover. “I would say the fact that Measure F was successful in

curtailing growth is a signal that Greenlight might have as good a chance

as Measure F.”

Councilman Tod Ridgeway agreed, saying the two measures are very similar:

Measure F targeted growth of the airport, Greenlight targets growth of

the city.

Despite the similarity of the two measures, Measure F’s highest failure

rate in Tuesday’s vote was in Newport Beach, according to an article in

Thursday’s Times Orange County. The initiative passed by a 2-to-1 margin

throughout the rest of the county.

Insistent Greenlight supporters say that’s because the two measures are

in fact totally different.

“Measure F is set up to stop everything in the county,” said Greenlight

member Tom Hyans. “Greenlight’s intent is to only stop some things beyond

entitlements.”

Measure F requires two-thirds voter approval for new airports, hazardous

waste landfills and jails in residential areas. The attractively packaged

initiative was designed by opponents of the proposed $2.9-billion El Toro

airport.

The Greenlight initiative calls for a citywide vote on developments that

would require a “major” amendment to the city’s General Plan. “Major” is

defined as creating more than 100 peak-hour trips, more than 100 homes or

more than 40,000 square feet of floor area over what the city’s general

plan allows.

“Measure F clearly grew out of a flawed county process that led us to

conclude the people ought to take the final decision in their own hands,”

said Leonard Kranser, a supporter of Measure F.

Greenlight proponents have similarly said their measure grew out of a

desire to curb an out-of-control City Council that has approved too many

developments.

Still, the Greenlight group insists the two are not at all similar.

“I see no connection,” said Greenlight member Allan Beek. “[Measure F] is

an anti-El Toro airport thing. People have tried to establish a

connection, but those are the people trying to bad-mouth Greenlight.”

Chamber of Commerce president Richard Luehrs also agreed the measures are

very different, saying it was a stretch to link the two. He doesn’t

believe the overwhelming passage of Measure F means the Greenlight

initiative will pass.

Greenlight spokesman and Airport Working Group board member Phil Arst

argued that Measure F is different because it requires a two-thirds

majority and is multi-subject vote. While the Greenlight initiative is

about voting on major projects, Measure F is about defeating the airport,

he added.

At the same time, however, members of the group didn’t want their measure

to appear on the March ballot alongside Measure F. There was concern that

confused residents would vote yes on Greenlight and yes on Measure F --

thereby undermining the local El Toro campaign.

“We purposely stayed off the March ballot,” Arst said. “We didn’t want to

interfere with the campaign against Measure F.”