What is Residents for Responsible Development?

RFRD is a group of concerned neighbors living in Corona Del Mar and Newport Beach. RFRD believes that this property is an important coastal bluff protected by the provisions of the City of Newport Beach Coastal Land Use Plan and the General Plan. RFRD believes that nearly 62,000 square feet is too massive for a neighborhood consisting of single family homes and small scale multi-family units. The largest development in the area is the Channel Reef building built in the 1960s which does not meet current standards. See the attached site drawings and the Fact Sheet for specifics.

RFRD is NOT opposed to development of this property and NOT opposed to Richard Julian as developer. The group is IN FAVOR of responsible development of this protected coastal bluff and IN FAVOR of development in keeping with the size and scale of the existing neighborhood.

What is the General Plan?

General Plan: Residents for Responsible Development believes that the Aerie project fails to meet the standards and provisions established by the General Plan. The Coastal Land Use Plan (CLUP) contained within the General Plan, requires developers to ‘design and site new development to minimize alterations to significant natural landforms, including bluffs’ and to ‘minimize alteration of coastal bluffs to the maximum extent feasible’.

 Link to the General Plan on the City website
 Link to Chapter 4 of the CLUP (specific information)

Why is RFRD Concerned?

Both the Planning Commission and the City Council have reviewed plans and stated general approval for the project. But the City had not required an Environmental Impact Study until recently. That report has just been issued. The project will now go back again before the Planning Commission and then the City Council. With the exception of Commisioner Toerge, the Planning Commission has not voiced any concerns over the size and scope of the project, even when it was originally presented at nearly 74,000 sq ft. The City Council has been more considerate of the concerns of the public, especially as to the overall size, but there is concern that the that the applicant now deserves to have his approvals because of the changes he has made. The applicant and architect are both sophisticated professionals aware of the requirements of the General Plan. RFRD believes that both have ignored existing policies, public concerns regarding size and scale, destruction of the bluff, and environmental concerns over development of Carnation Cove.

RFRD believes that too few local residents are aware of the ramifications of this development for the community of Corona Del Mar. These concerns are not being adequately addressed by the City. RFRD is also very concerned that the massive size of this proposed development will set a dangerous precedent for future projects in CDM. As developers begin buying several adjacent properties and building huge structures on the combined lots, it will change forever the nature of the beach community of Corona Del Mar.

This is an ambitious project and RFRD is very concerned about the financial viability of the project. No cost estimates for the project have been provided to the public for review. The City has indicated that it will require a “completion bond”, but no details have been made available regarding what is required by the developer or what the bond will cover should he be unable to complete the project. If this project is approved and the developer is unable to complete the construction the environmental and safety consequences would be devastating to the surrounding community.

What is the planned construction route?

The plan is for trucks to come off PCH at Marguerite, turn right onto Seaview, follow Seaview to Carnation and then return along Ocean Blvd to back to Marguerite. The developer estimates that the excavation of the bluff alone will require a minimum of 2,105 truck trips.

 See the Construction Route

How big is 61,709 square feet?

To put the size into comparable terms, here are some equivalents. The proposal is for 8 condos within a building footprint totaling nearly 62,000 square feet. That is the equivalent of 8 homes/condos of 7,750 square feet each. The square footage of all current existing structures on Carnation bluff added together is approx 47,000 sq feet. Even if you add 25% more to that number for decks, garages, etc….the total for all structures, including the existing property at the Aerie location is less than 60,000 sq feet. Aerie alone is larger in square footage than all the existing properties along Carnation on the bluff.

To put this size in perspective, the Bloomingdales Home Store in Fashion Island is approximately 63,000 square feet. The largest home in Los Angeles County is the ‘Spelling’ mansion. It is 56,500 square feet, has 123 rooms and is situated on 6 acres. Drive down to Carnation and Ocean and look at the site and imagine 62,000 square feet on this site. Is this feasible without complete destruction of the bluff?