HomeMy WebLinkAboutSS2 - Draft Housing Element - CorrespondenceI
B an11111g Ranch
Received After Agenda Printed
June 8, 2021
Item No. SS2
Officers:
June 3, 2021
Terry Welsh, M.D.
To the City of Newport Beach
President
The Banning Ranch Conservancy (Conservancy) is a local 501(c)3 non-profit
Suzanne Forster
Vice -President
organization with the mission of conserving the Banning Ranch property as a
permanent public open space, park and coastal nature preserve. The Conservancy is
Deborah Koken
writing to the City of Newport Beach (City) concerning the City's attempts to meet its
Secretary
Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) numbers. This letter focuses on
Carol Lind
Banning Ranch.
Treasurer
The City has long prioritized the preservation of the entire Banning Ranch property as
Melanie ExecutSchlotive
Executive Director
Director
open space, as described in Land Use policy 3.4 in the 2006 General Plan amendment:
p p � p y
L U 3.4
Banning Ranch: Prioritize the acquisition of Banning Ranch as an open
Board Members:
space amenity for the community and region, consolidating oil operations,
Diane Silvers, Ed.D.
enhancing wetland and other habitats, and providing parkland amenities to
serve nearby neighborhoods.
Rick Huffman
The last two years have seen tremendous progress towards the acquisition and
Paul Waggoner
preservation of the Banning Ranch property, including the incredibly generous $50
Jan vandersloot, M.D.
million donation of Frank and Joann Randall. That gift, combined with the option
In Memoriam
agreement to acquire the property negotiated between the landowners (Newport
Banning Ranch, LLC or "NBR") and the national conservation nonprofit The Trust for
Public Land, along with very promising efforts to secure the remaining funds needed
to purchase the property, have finally brought us all to the doorstep of this decades -
Mailing Address:
long regional goal, as captured in Newport Beach's Land Use policy LU 3.4.
P.O. Box 15333
Newport Beach, CA
It is realistic to expect an escrow closing date in 2022.
92659-5333
This is a "once in a generation" opportunity to preserve the largest parcel of
unprotected coastal open space remaining in southern California, and we encourage
the entire community to continue to rally and offer whatever help they can to get
Phone:
across the finish line.
(714)719-2148
We respectfully encourage the City of Newport Beach to look at locations other than
Banning Ranch to meet its RHNA goals.
E -Mail Address:
Sincerely,
info@Banning Ranch
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Conservancy.org
" ��
Terry Welsh
President, Banning Ranch Conservancy