From: Garrett, Errica
Sent: April 14, 2025 7:48 AM
To: City Clerk's Office
Subject: FW: Remove 1501 e. 16th st. from housing element
Errica Garrett
Administrative Assistant to the Mayor and City Council City Manager’s Office Office: 949-644-3004
100 Civic Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
-----Original Message-----
From: Heidi Jamison <[email protected]>
Sent: April 11, 2025 2:54 PM
To: Dept - City Council <[email protected]> Subject: Remove 1501 e. 16th st. from housing element
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Dear NB City Council,
I strongly urge you to remove 1501 E. 16th Street from the Housing Element, as its inclusion threatens the Environmental Nature Center (ENC) and ENC Nature Preschool.
We feel fortunate to have been long time supporters of the ENC and had four boys go through nature camp there, and the youngest attended preschool there. They all still love nature, exploration, hiking, camping and being outside even with nothing to do but wander around thinking. I grew up in CdM and remember when there were still wild areas around. Sadly most of these areas are now covered in cement and houses, and only things like a buffalo statue remain to remind us of what once was.
Please save a little bit of nature in Newport by not building a tall structure next to a preschool. The height blocks the view of the children to be able to look at the sky, imagine the clouds as something else, and not see cement/manmade structures. There are so few places left where this opportunity for creativity is possible. When you’re at the ENC you feel like you’re not in a city because you only see the natural world. Everyone always talks about the rights of the homeowners having an ocean view, what about the rights of children to safely play and not have an unobstructed view needlessly taken away?!
Received after Agenda Printed
April 15, 2025
Item No. VII
(Unfortunately, in this day and age, we have to worry about predators looking down on children from windows above.)
Isn’t the ENC considered a historical part of Newport and shouldn’t extra efforts be made to preserve it as is, including sight lines? Shouldn’t the ENC itself have a “protected view”?
There are plenty of empty strip mall parking lots to be reimagined into multi story housing that don’t sacrifice nature.
The ENC brings in many underserved and low income children who never get to experience nature except for their time at the ENC. Please don’t be short sighted and allow others to build in their sightline and destroy one of the last natural places left in the area.
Of course there is also parking, congestion, safety with kids walking/biking to school, construction dust, etc. Everyone talks about how they care about education and families, and the creativity that comes from escaping a city environment, well, here is a chance to show it and not just talk about it. Thank you for considering this.
Sincerely,
Heidi Jamison