At a Jan. 23 Newport Beach City Council meeting, Scott Peotter, city council member for District 6, discussed the possibility of a construction checklist when multiple building projects are happening on a given block to avoid parking issues and alleviate traffic.
If you’re a resident of Balboa Peninsula, you know this is far from a petty problem. Escaping from your home when construction looms all around can be much like that game when you have to move those tiny cars in a fixed matrix just to get one free. Sometimes, entire alleyways and roads are blocked due to large construction vehicles and often, the workers, however amiable, are not aware they can’t obstruct the roadway.
“I am envisioning a simple checklist that would be progressively harder and if other projects end up being built on the same block, inspectors would be able to upgrade,” said Peotter. In other words, under Peotter’s proposed system, when more than one construction project is located on a single block, stipulations could presumably halt work, or perhaps stagger construction, to alleviate congestion.
According to the Newport Beach Association of REALTORS®, the latest figures for median home value in Newport Beach place the number at $1,632,400, and year to date, home values have appreciated 6.3%. With such a high-priced market, it’s no wonder homes are being listed like crazy, scooped up and remodeled or else torn down entirely, making way for a whole slew of new-construction houses.
Peotter cited his personal annoyance, declaring with audible exasperation during the meeting he witnessed this dilemma in his own neighborhood of Corona del Mar, on Hazel Drive off Pacific Coast Highway.
“It’s ridiculous,” he said. “Basically the construction workers are pushing the residents right out of the neighborhood.”
Do you think a checklist would help solve the construction obstruction running rampant in Newport Beach? Sound off in the comments below.
