Group rallies against building city hall on site

Opponents of a ballot measure to build Newport Beach’s city hall on an Avocado Avenue park site are urging voters not to sign petitions to get the measure on the February ballot. They’re even offering instructions on how to rescind your signature if you’ve already signed but had a change of heart.

Parks Are Priceless, the new group heading the effort, maintains that the 12.8-acre park site would require major excavation and has flooding problems that make it unsuitable for a city hall.

Members also say that because 60% of the land would remain wild, the city hall plan would swallow up the part of the park with the most user-friendly features, like grassy areas and seating.

A video of the park site and Parks Are Priceless members Allan Beek and Bernie Svaldstad discussing it can be seen at www.dailypilot.com/video .

— Alicia Robinson