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SEASHORE OCEANFRONT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
PURPOSE
This Policy memorializes the recommendations of the Seashore-Oceanfront
Comprehensive Plan conducted between August 1992 and December 1994. This Policy
sets forth ongoing administrative actions not only to maintain the improvements made
during the plan process but also to seek further improvement to the area.
THE PLAN PROCESS
The Comprehensive Plan was developed in accordance with a work program approved
by the City Council in August 1992. An Executive Steering Committee supervised an
extensive process including nearly every City department and which included public
surveys, town hall meetings, brainstorming sessions, goal setting, staff
research/analysis, alternative selection, recommendations, approvals and
implementation.
PROBLEM DEFINITION
The work program for the comprehensive plan included the following introductory
paragraph:
"Prompted by overcrowding and lawlessness during holiday weekends, the City
desires to address a wide range of year long problems occurring in the West
Newport area along the oceanfront. Widely known as a haven for young people
to congregate, the area is becoming increasingly raucous and dangerous.
Municipal services, particularly Public Safety and General Services, devoted to
the area are becoming increasingly expensive and burdensome to the detriment
of the remainder of the community."
To more specifically define problems, a series of questionnaires, community forums and
Executive Steering Committee meetings were conducted. The overwhelming problem
measured by both the number and intensity of responses was noise, including loud
parties, skateboarders, traffic, loud music, motorcycles, car radios and similar items
often associated with a congested beach area.
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The second most often cited problem was congestion, related to automobile traffic,
automobile parking and the mixture of pedestrian/bicycle/skateboarders/
rollerbladers on Seashore Drive. The narrow streets and alleys are overburdened by the
demands of residents, tourists and passersby.
The last major problem related to the cleanliness and the general repair of the area,
including trash cans, building repair, debris in yards and miscellaneous street,
sidewalk, drainage, curb and gutter repairs.
While many incidental problems were discovered during the process, those described
above represent the major items selected for attention.
GOAL SETTING
Based on the problems outlined above, the Executive Steering Committee using the
public participation process, arrived at the following three goals:
Quiet the party atmosphere
Relieve congestion
Clean and repair
SELECTION OF ALTERNATIVES
Guided by the goals, residents of the area, City staff and the Executive Steering
Committee engaged in extensive brainstorming to derive every possible means of
achieving the goals. Every alternative regardless of who suggested it or what it
involved was analyzed by staff and the Executive Steering Committee for a variety of
factors including cost, legality, practicality and potential results. From the master list
the alternatives described in the next section were chosen for implementation.
ONGOING ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
It is the policy of the City Council not only to maintain the improvements occasioned by
the Plan but also to seek continual improvement to the Seashore-Oceanfront area.
Accordingly, the City Manager shall direct the activities of City staff to perform the
following:
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A. General and Administrative.
Maintain in the City's files the chronology and history of the Seashore-
Oceanfront Comprehensive Plan.
Periodically review the progress and status of the improvement programs in the
area.
B. Police Activities.
Continue the community oriented and problem oriented policing programs in
the West Newport area.
Continue the high level of police presence in the area including bicycle and
pedestrian patrols.
Continue the Neighborhood Watch and Community Pride programs in the area.
Continue strict enforcement and recommend changes as necessary to the new
noise and party control ordinances.
Continue July 4th deployment to control riotous conditions and pursue
additional solutions to minimize the need for massive deployment.
Continue enforcement of scavenging laws to minimize the strewing of refuse in
search for recyclables.
Pursue additional policing activities to improve the livability of the area.
C. Revenue/Licensing Activities.
Continue strict compliance with the new Short Term Lodging ordinance.
Continue to work with rental agents and landlords through the license renewal
process to remind them about the noise and other issues in the neighborhood.
D. General Services Activities.
Continue summertime twice per week trash pickup and bulky item pickup as
budgetary considerations permit.
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Continue a high level of street sweeping in the area.
Continue to enforce all refuse container ordinances as staffing permits.
Continue to coordinate the July 4th barrier installations.
Pursue the establishment of adopt-a-street programs among residents.
E. Planning Activities.
Continue to promote owner occupancy by processing condominium conversion
applications under the new ordinance.
Pursue hiring or retaining of personnel to serve as a Code Enforcement Officer to
enforce planning, building, trash and property improvement ordinances.
Pursue zoning amendments, density bonuses and other means to promote owner
occupancy.
Pursue retraining a staff member to become qualified in the newly recognized
field of neighborhood planning.
F. Public Works and Traffic Activities.
Continue improvement and landscaping of street ends.
Continue activities to underground utilities.
Pursue curb and gutter, landscape and other streetscape improvements in the
area.
Pursue traffic and bicycle measures on Seashore Drive to increase safety, reduce
liability and relieve congestion.
Pursue solutions to parking problems such as resident permits and meters.
Adopted - May 8, 1995
Amended - March 9, 1998
Amended – September 27, 2011