No decisions yet on Greenlight

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- For now, only one thing remains certain about

Greenlight’s guidelines: City officials and supporters of the slow-growth

initiative want to work together to put the measure in place.

Just when they will is up for debate.

Both sides presented their guideline proposals at a City Council study

session Tuesday, but council members could go no further than to decide

to continue discussions at a future meeting.

Greenlight -- overwhelmingly approved by voters in November --

requires citywide elections on any general plan amendment for a project

that adds more than 100 peak-hour car trips or dwelling units, or 40,000

square feet more than the plan allows.

The text of the initiative, which became law Dec. 15, encourages

council members to adopt guidelines for Greenlight.

City Atty. Bob Burnham, who prepared a report on possible guidelines,

described Greenlight’s so-called “look-back” provision as “maybe the most

difficult [of those guidelines] to define. The provision requires

consideration of previously approved general plan amendments to see

whether a new project triggers an election.”

Burnham suggested setting Dec. 15 as the provision’s starting date, a

proposal supported by Greenlight supporters.

But while council members said they would favor such a date to prevent

unnecessary elections, some among the council said they were concerned

because the initiative’s text on the ballot called for a consideration of

amendments during the preceding 10 years.

“I’m still wrestling with the look-back provision,” said Councilman

Steve Bromberg, adding that he still hoped to hear a convincing argument

that would allow him to vote for the 2000 date.

“I think it’s a reach. I think it’s a stretch,” he said. “But I think

it’s a legitimate stretch. Possibly.”

Burnham said that while a starting date reaching back 10 years would

be more consistent with the initiative’s text, it would also be the most

conservative approach and push any amendment in six of the city’s 49

distinct neighborhoods to a vote because those areas had already reached

development levels that would trigger an election.

Greenlight opponents have said a 2000 starting date could open the

initiative to legal challenges.

Council members also addressed issues surrounding definitions for

“peak-hour trips,” and “floor area” and asked city officials to prepare a

table that includes various options for them for the next meeting.