Drug recovery facilities on council’s agenda

For the first time, Newport Beach residents may get direct input into how the city addresses drug and alcohol recovery facilities.

The City Council has heard complaints about the facilities for several years and has tinkered with city rules that govern them, apparently with little result.

Now, council members likely will vote on whether to create a committee of city officials and residents to hash out the issue.

The drug rehabilitation facilities and their clients are at the root of what some residents say is an ongoing problem, generating noise, litter and sometimes crime in residential neighborhoods.

City officials have said state and federal laws limit their ability to control or block drug recovery homes.

Residents focused on the issue during recent City Council campaigns and have increased their demands that the city take action.

Bob Rush, a West Newport resident who has been leading the charge for more regulation, said Monday he is building support for a committee to address complaints and explore what the city can do.

On Friday, the board of the West Newport Beach Assn., which represents 300 commercial and residential property owners in the city, agreed to back the committee effort, association President Paul Watkins said. Rush is also on that association’s board.

Newport Beach City Councilman Steve Rosansky, whose district includes West Newport, said the council will vote on whether the city should participate in the committee and who would be on it.

He expected the committee to begin meeting by sometime in January.

“This is kind of a way to shine light” on the issue and be more responsive to the public, Rosansky said, adding that when people comment about the issue at council meetings, the council can listen but “nothing can really be accomplished at that kind of meeting.”

What remains to be seen is whether some residents, Rush included, can overcome their distrust and skepticism toward city officials, whom they say have ignored the drug rehab homes and allowed them to grow unchecked.

Details on the committee must still be worked out, and Rush said he’s concerned that the committee won’t accomplish anything if it’s overloaded with city officials.

“The problem to me is a lack of effort on the city’s part to address the problem,” he said.

Rosansky in November announced plans to hold a conference in Newport Beach to build support for state legislation on rehab homes.

Newport-Mesa Sen. Tom Harman has agreed to carry a bill for Newport in 2007, but a draft is not yet available.