Last Update:  01/05/2012

COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU—2012
At the top of the list for Newport in 2012, as it is every year, JWA and doing everything we can to minimize its impacts. Other things on the horizon:

    Dredging—One of the big benefits of the Rhine Channel dredging was the availability of the Port of Long Beach Project for dredge spoils unsuitable for offshore disposal. Without the port project we would have had to truck it to a hazardous waste site. $$$$ We had another small dredging project on the books, thanks to some federal funds, but finding that additional space at the port is available, we are expanding that project to get rid of more of the problematic spoils. Look to see the dredging barges around for a while.
    City Hall—the Revitalization Committee is working on a number of areas, but the one that is sure to get the most attention is the current city hall site. Stay tuned for that one.

PLANNING SESSION
As for other issues: Every year we do a planning session, setting the priorities for the coming year. In the past, the planning sessions have been on Saturdays, but we were into February before we could find a Saturday that all council members could attend, so we’re going to do it in the evening this time — Monday, January 23, 6:00 pm, Friends Room, Central Library. Everyone’s welcome to attend, but if you can’t and have thoughts, send me an email.

BUCK GULLY UPPER AND LOWER
Work to stabilize lower Buck Gully is nearing completion. If you go halfway down the road to Little Corona you can look over and see all the gabions. A lot of vegetation was removed, and it looks quite stark, but as we have seen on Morning Canyon and at 5th Avenue, it doesn’t take long for new vegetation to take hold. Meanwhile, upper Buck Gully is temporarily closed so that the trail can be improved, including bridges over the deeply-eroded water course. Once completed, this will be a wonderful hike — as long as hikers know how to identify poison oak and avoid it.

BICYCLE COMMITTEE
The Bicycle Committee is supposed to sunset but will be asking the council to extend its term to complete its work. A year-end report summarizes the accomplishments to date including a new cycling brochure, a new map identifying various bike trails (in draft form on the city’s web site), a place to report road hazards, also on the web site, new downhill signage to caution motorists on certain Newport Coast roads, and improved striping at certain intersections on PCH to improve interaction between cars and bikes.
 

Last Update:  01/05/2012

CHICKENS
Every so often a topic comes along that generates all sorts of attention quite out of proportion to its importance (think fire rings). This year, it could well be . . . CHICKENS. It’s always a little embarrassing to expose one’s ignorance, but that was my experience when a reporter called to ask me about the chickens. “What chickens?” was my penetrating response. That’s when I found out that someone a few blocks from me has some chickens. From the reporter I also learned that someone had complained about the chickens (noise, lack of containment) to Code Enforcement which generated a counterwave of support for the chickens. Here’s my take on it: I think it’s difficult to make single exceptions. However, I don’t know why we shouldn’t review the chicken ban to see how our residents feel about it and what other cities are doing. Chickens have one large advantage over pets like dogs and cats. If they don’t work out, instead of burdening shelters, you can eat them. (Unless you’re a vegan please don’t protest that comment.)