Committee appointments, street improvements, Buck Gully rehab greenlit by Newport Beach City Council

The Newport Beach City Council signed off on the completion of two separate projects to rehabilitate streets throughout the city at its meeting Tuesday.

One contract was awarded to All American Asphalt in January. It involved maintenance in Newport Center and Corona Del Mar.

Crews removed and replaced worn pavement on Pacific Coast Highway between Jamboree Road and MacArthur Boulevard, and on San Miguel Drive from Newport Center Drive to MacArthur. They also improved drainage on Evening Canyon and Shorecliff roads.

That work was completed in November at a cost of $5,968,019.29.

The other set of recently completed street improvement projects included the repair of cracks and application of a protective coating on roadways in Beacon Bay, Irvine Terrace, Corona del Mar, Shore Cliffs, Cameo Shores, Mariners, Dover Shores, Bay Knolls and Newport Heights.

That maintenance was also completed in November by Roy Allan Slurry Seal, Inc., at a cost of $2,492,684.74. However, at least one resident who lives on one of the streets that was sealed said more areas may need to be revisited.

“Less than a year later I can say that the street is smoother than it was a year ago,” resident Jim Mosher said during public comments. “But the cracks are really pretty much back as they were before the job was performed.”

Mayor Joe Stapleton said crews would be directed to inspect areas Mosher and other residents noted.

Also on Tuesday, two new members of the Finance Committee were appointed to briefly fill vacancies after the departure of former Mayor Will O’Neill and Councilman Brad Avery.

The committee is comprised of three City Council members and four civilians appointed by the remaining council members. In December, the city adopted an ordinance requiring committee members to vacate their seat if the council member who selected them leaves office.

O’Neill and Avery’s absence, combined with councilman Joe Stapleton’s appointment to mayor resulted in two vacant citizen’s positions on the body with terms that end June 30. Councilwoman Michelle Barto appointed William Kenney Jr. to the committee, and Councilman Noah Blom chose Kory Kramer.

As part of the consent calendar during the meeting the City Council approved an eight-year plan to reduce the risk of wildfire and restore habitats at Buck Gully Reserve in Newport Coast.

The plan would include the replacement of flammable, nonnative vegetation with with less fire-prone cacti, coastal sage scrub and grassland vegetation. It would also entail the creation of 4.8 acres of habitat for the California gnatcatcher and 2 acres of habitat for the coastal cactus wren.