HomeMy WebLinkAboutIV(d) - GPAC Recreation and Natural Resources Subcommittee Memo with EnclosuresAttachment No. 5
GPAC Recreation/Natural Resources Subcommittee Memo with Enclosures
Community Development Department
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
100 Civic Center Drive
Newport Beach, California 92660
949 644-3200
newportbeachca.gov/communitydevelopment
Memorandum
To: Co-Chairs Evans and Greer, and GPAC Members
From: Benjamin M. Zdeba, AICP, Principal Planner
Date: April 25, 2024
Re: GPAC Recreation/Natural Resources Subcommittee Efforts
________________________________________________________________
The GPAC Recreation/Natural Resources Subcommittee met on Wednesday,
April 10 to review both the Recreation Existing Conditions and Background
Analysis Report and the Natural Resources Existing Conditions and Background
Analysis Report. Subcommittee Chair Klobe will provide an overview of the
Subcommittee’s discussion and any actions at your upcoming meeting on April 30,
2024.
Enclosed for your reference are the following materials:
1. Action Minutes from the Subcommittee Meeting on April 10, 2024;
2. PowerPoint Presentation from the Subcommittee Meeting on April 10, 2024;
3. Dudek’s Recreation Existing Conditions and Background Analysis Report;
and
4. Dudek’s Natural Resources Existing Conditions and Background Analysis
Report.
The GPAC Recreation/Natural Resources Subcommittee will be seeking feedback
on initial considerations for outreach and visioning related to Recreation and
Natural Resources. The information contained in the reports and supplemented by
the action minutes will be used as a tool to seek community input through the
outreach and engagement efforts.
Action Minutes: GPAC Recreation and Natural Resources Subcommittee
Meeting Date: Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at 3:30 p.m.
Location: Balboa Island Meeting Room at City Hall and online via Microsoft Teams
GPAC and GPUSC Members in Attendance: Ruth Kobayashi, Dennis Baker, Jim Mosher, Paul Watkins, Nancy
Scarbrough, Charles Klobe, Laird Hayes (Remote), and Nancy Gardner
Members of the Public: Charles “Chuck” Fancher
City Staff in Attendance: Jenny Tran, Oscar Orozco, Elizabeth Dickson (Consultant), Janet Rodriguez
(Consultant) (Remote), Rose Newberry (Consultant) (Remote)
Brief Discussion Recap and Action Minutes
City staff initiated the meeting by introducing Charles Klobe as the Chair for the subcommittee. A roundtable
was conducted for the purposes of taking attendance for the subcommittee. City staff provided the following
basic objectives for the meeting: 1) review the “Natural Resources Element Existing Conditions and
Background Analysis” document; 2) review the “Recreation Element Existing Conditions and Background
Analysis” document; 3) suggest any changes to the documents; and 4) to move the Natural Resources and
Recreation Existing Conditions and Background Report forward for GPAC consideration.
Discussing the Natural Resources Element Existing Conditions and Background Analysis
Elizabeth Dickson (Consultant) of Dudek provided a PowerPoint presentation. She went over why
background analyses are important by stating that it is important to understand the issues and opportunities,
according to the data and experts, to establish a baseline. In addition, it is important to inform interested
parties and City staff of key flndings and to provide initial recommendations based on flndings. Lastly, she
stated that it is important to guide discussions with community members during outreach and engagement
and inform future policy development.
She presented an overview of the conservation element requirements which include conservation,
development, and utilization of natural resources. The areas include Water (conservation and quality),
waterways, beaches, and shores. Forest soils, minerals, rock, sand, and gravel. Wildlife is also included.
Some other natural resource element components include air quality, open space, archaeological and
paleontological resources, visual resources, and energy.
Elizabeth then presented an overview of the natural resource’s flndings related to six topics: Air Quality,
Mineral Resources, Biological Resources, Archaeological and Paleontological, Rivers and Bodies, and Visual
Resources. Water conservation, quality, and energy were not covered because it was covered under the
resiliency meeting.
Throughout and after Elizabeth Dickson’s presentation, the Subcommittee discussed the following
highlights:
GPAC Recreation and Natural Resources Subcommittee
Action Minutes for April 10, 2024
General Input and Discussion
Natural Resources in Newport Beach
• The natural resources element covers the conservation element requirement. There are seven
required elements of General Plan per state law as well as environmental justice.
• Subcommittee member Charles Klobe added that at a tideland meeting he learned that city of Santa
Ana has a larger percentage of people who are disadvantaged, and their runoff goes into Newport
Bay. They have a plan to percolate runoff into the ground under facilities or parking or parkland or
even skate parks and get grants for it. Because they have disadvantaged community they got grant
for 100% cost. Newport Beach will not get that amount but maybe 50%, however, it might be a good
opportunity as listed below:
o Opportunity for Newport Beach to conserve runoff in the same fashion as Santa Ana
through percolation rather than runoff into the bay.
o Delhi channel – multiple projects in Santa Ana that contribute to the reduction of runoff.
o Aquifer opportunities in Newport Beach – the City used to use wells.
o Sand erosion – there’s a large amount of sand trapped in Santiago creek that belongs to the
City, commercial entities mine the sand in Santiago creek for proflt which means it never
makes it to the City beaches.
o As a City should we be laying a claim to that sand because the City is losing sand through
erosion
▪ However, we don’t want sediment coming into the Bay because it requires dredging
to clean it. What is the solution to have sand make it to the City’s beaches without
sediment making into the bay.
▪ Soil quality is also a determination of what can be thrown into the bay – should
there be a policy that is tied to the tidelands committee?
• Lack of monitoring of where the high-quality sand is going and the quality of sand that is making it
into the City beaches – also affects the amount of recreational areas we have in the City
• Air Quality
o Measured regionally, pollutants that exceed state standards that originate from cars.
o Existing actions – funding through air quality improvement trust fund and congestion
management program.
o Opportunities may exist through transportation demand management and EV
infrastructure.
o There was a request for a presentation from Dave Webb to speak towards renewable energy
and plans for improvements to air quality related to traffic.
o Dannis Baker added that the General Plan needs to convey preferences. Such as the use
language like shall, can, will, encourage, etc.
o Paulk Watkins mentioned that we should be cautious of extremisms in the General Plan.
The goals should not be statements such as “by 2026 we should…”, instead they should
state “the City should strive for….”.
o General comments were made stating that City probably has more pollution from the
airport rather than cars.
o Vision statement at the top – where you want to be. In 20 years…. To reach that, what are
our goals to reach that vision? Beautiful beaches and sustainable community then the goal
is to be 100% renewable (for example) then the policies will be used to help us reach those
goals.
GPAC Recreation and Natural Resources Subcommittee
Action Minutes for April 10, 2024
▪ Those policies will help guide the commissioners in decision making for future
projects.
▪ The General Plan should have objectives that are measurable – speciflc
measurable numbers, that are under the goal (e.g., reduce pollution by 80%) –
similar to implementing actions.
• Mineral Resources
o Oil drilling and methane collection in the city but it has declined. New extract is prohibited.
No fracking.
o City’s wells in Banning Ranch will need to be relocated – does the city charter prevent us
from moving those wells?
o Dennis Baker asked whether we consider areas like Banning Ranch that may become part
of the City – crystal cove state part?
o Objective/policy – regardless of who owns oil in the City, as those stop operating, the owner
should be required to cap them. Includes the ones not owned by the City but located in the
City.
o We also have a lot of oil transitioning through City property, pipelines underneath the City –
do we deal with these? – bring back to safety team?
• Biological Resources
o Endangered and threatened fioral and fauna in the City – ESHA – there are regulations to
protect these areas if there’s any development.
o Ruth Kobayashi mentioned that there is unauthorized overnight parking that dump downhill
into the back bay. She asked if there’s a possible way to protect the sensitive areas by
preventing overnight parking/ dumping.
o Possible confusion between study areas and sensitive areas
• Archaeological and Paleontological
o What is the GP’s goal? – touched on in arts, cultural, historical committee.
o This topic highlighted from a CEQA perspective.
o Another topic that is not required in natural resources element – if policies start to make
more sense in a different sub-committee, they can be moved.
• Rivers and Waterbodies
o Several subcommittee members mentioned that Orange Coast River Park is dissolved and
now overlaps with Coastal Corridor Alliance.
o Santa Ana River has a conservancy which is a state entity and has money and studies
involved.
o Banning Ranch conservancy is now the Coastal Corridor Alliance.
o They’d like to see more coordination with these groups as there’s a lack of participation with
new entities like OC parks.
▪ Orange County Flood, OC Parks, stakeholders, regulators.
• Visual Resources
o GPUSC Chair Gardner stated that visual resources were important in the last General Plan
and if they really want to protect these views then the language is critical.
o General comments:
▪ City Council tends to favor property rights.
▪ Language needs to be strengthened to protect views.
▪ Begonia Park – 30% impact to visual impact was considered insigniflcant for
example.
o Views from the harbor are not identifled and should be considered.
GPAC Recreation and Natural Resources Subcommittee
Action Minutes for April 10, 2024
o Mariner’s Mile – argument was made that housing overrides the view. There must be more
protections that are more absolute, otherwise views will be eroded.
o Pedestrian walkway on the waterside in Mariner’s Mile?
o General input from members to Identify the viewsheds and provide stronger language to
protect it.
Discussing the Recreation Element Existing Conditions and Background Analysis
Elizabeth Dickson’s presentation then transitioned into an overview of the open space element
requirements which include preservation and conservation of lands containing or used for natural
resources, production of resources (i.e. agricultural lands), outdoor recreation, open space for public health
and safety (i.e. watersheds, fiood plans). She added that there are new open space element requirements
which include equitable resident access to open space, coordination with the safety element and rewilding
opportunities. Lastly, the recreation element addresses open space recreation including parks and beaches,
marine recreation (i.e. boating, flshing, kayaking), bicycle and pedestrian trails and recreational facilities.
Elizabeths presentation then touched on the different types of parks in Newport Beach. These parks include
community, mini, neighborhood, view, greenbelt, open space, and public beaches. One flnding includes that
50% of households are within a 10 minute-walk from a park. There is a total acreage of 550 acres of
recreational area and based on the projected 2045 population, the City exceeds it’s local standard by 115
acres. While the total number exceeds the local standard, Elizabeth added that 8 of the 12 service areas
could be considered park deflcient based on the 2045 projected population when broken down into service
areas. Some are constrained and equitable access may be a challenge. Improved connectivity and value
over quantity may increase opportunities. Lastly Elizabeth added that households with children are
decreasing while use of recreational youth programs is increasing. Population of older adults is increasing
while use of senior transportation services is decreasing.
Throughout and after Elizabeth Dickson’s presentation, the Subcommittee discussed the following
highlights:
General Input and Discussion
Recreation in Newport Beach
• Open space element requirement
o Preservation and consideration of land used for natural resources, recreation, health and
safety.
o New state law regarding open space element requirement
▪ Must address equitable resident access to open space – such as increased
connectivity to open space which creates better access.
o County policy – cannot launch any vessels that are not hand launched – no motor vessel.
o There are places that can be identifled that allows for recreational hand launching of vessels
but there is a dearth of them, it would be bad to lose the few the City has.
• California Wetlands Recovery Project – the City has areas that are degraded but can become a
recovered wetland. Restoration opportunities:
o Avon in Newport Heights behind BMV dealership is a wetland.
o Senior Housing Center on Jamboree next to the dunes that has a wetland in the middle of it
as an example of one that was created as a condition of the housing project for the stie.
• General comment shared to the group by Dennis:
GPAC Recreation and Natural Resources Subcommittee
Action Minutes for April 10, 2024
o Southern California Water Research Project in Costa Mesa created a historical map of what
the California coastline looked like hundreds of years ago. That can help identify wetlands
and can be used as baselines for grants.
• In the airport area, the City is approving housing without parks. Rather they are paying in-lieu fees.
They do not require them to identify where the parks will end up being.
o Can we include policies that identify where the parks will end up since the Airport Area
Housing will be dense without parks?
• We want to highlight, as it relates to service areas, we may not see adequate park spaces in terms
of acreage to meet the local or state needs.
• Key thing to focus on is the idea that we have a park acreage calculation, citywide we are probably
flne. If we start thinking about service areas and access to parks, where do we see opportunity in
the group. We are seeing difficulty in creating new parklands.
o City should create a master plan for parks – if we just let developers build then we will not
create these new parks.
o There isn’t room for big parks in the City, maybe in the airport area after buildings are
demolished.
o However, we still do not have a master plan for parks.
o Bike connectivity from the airport area is challenging,
o Airport Area can attract young buyers who are open to different opportunities and policies
such as rooftop parks.
o Fashion Island, Airport Area, West Newport needs plans for parks?
• Resident Chuck Fancher: City should have a policy that you can’t live in parks?
o Drone policy for recreational use. Where could commercial drones be placed?
• Circulation, housing, and noise are not in Dudek’s contract to analyze.
• What’s been missing from the General Plan is “check offs” in the implementation. The General Plan
tends to be broad “this is accomplished through the Zoning Code…”
o Implementation is the focus – politically, we provide policies for the Council to approve and
then hopefully the committee can draft objectives/implementations to provide a way to
achieve the goals of the policy.
o Previously only staff created the implementation plan rather than the community. We can
say “we are going to seek grants for x, y, z” rather than “we are going to seek these speciflc
grants”
• Should be an obligation to ask the community their thoughts on private views. Does majority of the
public agree that property rights outweigh private views?
• We’re flnding that climate change is affecting what can be preserved, for example, maybe there are
some vegetation that can no longer survive in the natural climate and we may need to consider
migrating the vegetation/species from the City.
• Dennis Baker asked, “Is there any way to press the point that there’s a deflciency in planning?”.
• Elizabeth asked if the group support the document for the April 30th GPAC meeting?
o Approving as a framework – conditionally approving as it’s a live-moving document.
o Jim Mosher: endorse the recommendations in the analysis but open to more
recommendations added in the future.
✓ Action: GPAC Recreation and Natural Subcommittee members supported moving forward with
recommending the Natural Resources and Recreation Element Existing Conditions and Background
Analysis Reports, as amended, and these action minutes for the larger GPAC to consider moving
forward at the April 30, 2024, meeting.
GPAC RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE
APRIL 10, 2024
Purpose and Process for Background
Analyses
Understand the
issues and
opportunities,
according to data
and experts
Establish a
baseline
Understand
Inform interested
parties and City
staff of key
findings
Provide initial
recommendations
based on findings
Inform Guide discussions
with community
members during
outreach and
engagement
Inform future
policy
development
Guide
Why are Background Analyses Important?
Process for GPAC Feedback
•Acts as liaison to City staff
•Reports to larger GPAC
Subcommittee
Chairperson
•Shared with respective
GPAC subcommittee
•Optional meeting and
taskforce
•“Big picture” and
recommendations feedback
Draft Document
Review •Share draft documents
•Share subcommittee
feedback
o Actionable meeting
minutes
Full GPAC
Natural Resources in Newport Beach
Overview
•Conservation Element Requirements –conservation,
development, and utilization of natural resources
•Water (conservation and quality), waterways, beaches, and shores
•Forest, soils, minerals, rock, sand, and gravel
•Wildlife
•Other Natural Resource Element Components Include:
•Air quality
•Open Space
•Archaeological and Paleontological Resources
•Visual Resources
•Energy
Key Findings
•AIR QUALITY
•Measured Regionally -Pollutants that exceed standards originate from
cars
•Existing actions include:
•Funding through Air Quality Improvement Trust Fund
•Congestion Management Program
•Opportunities may exist through TDM and EV infrastructure
•MINERAL RESOURCES
•Oil drilling and methane collection has declined significantly in the area
•City’s Charter prohibits new mineral resource extraction activities
Key Findings
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
•Endangered and threatened flora
and fauna
•Zoning protects designated
environmentally sensitive
habitat areas –ESHA report
•County of orange
(central/coastal) natural
community conservation
planning
•Creates a subregional habitat
reserve system to manage
biological resources with
respect to the location of
development
•Local coastal program and
eelgrass protection and
mitigation plan
•Protect marine resources –
requires site specific surveys
and other provisions to regulate
development and activities
Key Findings
•ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND PALEONTOLOGICAL
•Geological formations of paleontological significance exist in the area
•Tribal history has contributed to archaeological sites
•Evaluation is required consistent with CEQA and Council Policy K-5
•RIVERS AND WATERBODIES
•Upper Newport Bay –designated nature preserve
•Back Bay Science Center provides education
•Santa Ana River
•Generally healthy quality except during and after storm events due to runoff
•Banning Ranch Conservancy provides clean up of trash
•Efforts to develop Orange Coast River Park
•VISUAL RESOURCES
•Designated view points
•State Scenic Highway Program protects views along SR 1
•Local Zoning regulations also protect public views –Visual Impact Analysis
required
Recreation in Newport Beach
Overview
•Open Space Element Requirements –Preservation and conservation of
lands containing or used for:
•Natural Resources
•Production of resources (i.e. agricultural lands)
•Outdoor Recreation
•Open space for public health and safety (i.e. watersheds, flood plains)
•NEW Open Space Element Requirement
•Equitable resident access to open space
•Coordination with Safety Element
•Rewilding opportunities
•Recreation Element –Addresses Open Space recreation including:
•Parks and Beaches
•Marine Recreation (i.e. boating, fishing, kayaking)
•Bicycle and Pedestrian Trails
•Recreational Facilities
Recreation in Newport Beach
•Types of Parks:
•Community, Mini, Neighborhood,
View, Greenbelt, Open Space,
Public Beach
•12 Planning Service Areas
•Assist with park planning and
assessing development impact
fees
•50% of households are 10-
minute walk from a park
Key Findings
•Park Acreage Standard
•Local –5 acres per 1,000 residents
•State –3 acres per 1,000 residents
•Total Acreage –550 acres of recreational area
•Based on projected (2045) population, the City exceeds it’s local standard by 115
acres
•Park Acreage by Service Area
•8 of 12 service areas could be park deficient based on 2045 projected
population
•Some are constrained and equitable access may be a challenge. Improved
connectivity and value over quantity may increase opportunities.
•Population Makeup
•Households with children are decreasing while use of recreational youth
programs is increasing
•Population of older adults is increasing while use of senior transportation
services is decreasing
Next Steps
•GPAC RECREATION/NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE INPUT
•Support this document for May 1st GPAC
•Outreach and Policy Considerations
•Key areas of concern or opportunity
•Transportation Demand Management
•Visual Resources
•Park Planning by Service Area
•Park investments compared to needs
•Additional considerations
Click to edit Master title style
Contact
NAME
TITLE
NAME
TITLE
P:
Email:
Website:
P:
Email:
Website:
Thank you!
Benjamin Zdeba, AICP
Principal Planner
P: 949-644-3253
Email: bzdeba@newportbeachca.gov
Jaime Murillo, AICP
Planning Manager
P:949-644-3209
Email:jmurillo@newportbeachca.gov
Recreation Element Existing Conditions and
Background Analysis
City of Newport Beach
General Plan Update
APRIL 2024
Prepared for:
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
100 Civic Center Drive
Newport Beach, California 92660
Prepared by:
27271 Las Ramblas
Mission Viejo, California 92691
Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled material.
APRIL 2024 i
Table of Contents
SECTION PAGE NO.
Acronyms, Abbreviations, Key Terms .............................................................................................................................. iii
1 Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................................. 1
2 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 2
2.1 Overview .................................................................................................................................................. 2
2.2 Recreation Element Purpose and Process ........................................................................................... 2
3 General Plan and Regulatory Review .................................................................................................................. 3
3.1 Recreation Element ................................................................................................................................ 3
3.2 Natural Resources Element ................................................................................................................... 3
3.3 Land Use Element .................................................................................................................................. 4
3.4 Harbor and Bay Element ........................................................................................................................ 4
3.5 Arts and Cultural Element ...................................................................................................................... 4
3.6 Regulatory Framework ........................................................................................................................... 5
3.6.1 State .......................................................................................................................................... 5
3.6.2 Regional/Local .......................................................................................................................... 6
4 Existing Conditions ............................................................................................................................................... 8
4.1 Planning Framework .............................................................................................................................. 8
4.1.1 Park Types ................................................................................................................................. 8
4.1.2 Planning Service Areas .......................................................................................................... 10
4.2 Existing Parks and Recreational Facilities ......................................................................................... 13
4.2.1 Public Parks and Recreational Facilities .............................................................................. 13
4.2.2 Park and Recreation Access ................................................................................................. 26
4.2.3 Recreation and Community Services.................................................................................... 30
4.2.4 Summary Park Conditions ..................................................................................................... 32
4.3 Private Parks and Recreational Facilities .......................................................................................... 33
4.4 Planned Park and Recreation Improvements .................................................................................... 35
4.5 Current and Future Population-Based Park and Open Space Needs .............................................. 37
4.5.1 Demographics Overview ........................................................................................................ 37
4.5.2 Current Utilization .................................................................................................................. 39
4.5.3 Needs Assessment ................................................................................................................ 41
5 Issues and Opportunities .................................................................................................................................. 43
6 Recommendations ............................................................................................................................................ 44
6.1 Create a Methodology to Identify Park Needs by Service Area ........................................................ 44
6.2 Develop a Process for Strategic Planned Improvements .................................................................. 45
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / RECREATION ELEMENT EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
BACKGROUND ANALYSIS
APRIL 2024 ii
6.3 Coordinate with School Districts......................................................................................................... 46
6.4 Engage the Community ....................................................................................................................... 46
TABLES
1 Parks and Recreation Areas by Type .................................................................................................................. 9
2 Existing Public Parks and Recreational Facilities............................................................................................ 13
3 City Park Walk Access ....................................................................................................................................... 27
4 Sport Offerings, Facilities, and Locations ........................................................................................................ 32
5 Parkland Acreage Needs .................................................................................................................................. 33
6 Private Parks by Facility Type ........................................................................................................................... 34
7 Planned Improvements by Service Area .......................................................................................................... 36
8 Newport Beach Population by Service Area .................................................................................................... 38
9 Newport Beach Population Age ........................................................................................................................ 38
10 Household Formation ....................................................................................................................................... 39
11 Age Cohort by Service Area............................................................................................................................... 41
12 Population Projections by Age .......................................................................................................................... 42
EXHIBIT
A Senior Transportation Services Participation. Annual Comprehensive Financial Report from fiscal
year 2005 to 2022 information on senior transportation services participation in absolute terms
and on a per capita basis. ................................................................................................................................ 40
FIGURES
Figure 1. Service Areas in Newport Beach .................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 2. Parks and Open Space in Newport Beach .................................................................................................... 24
Figure 3. City Pedestrian Park Access ........................................................................................................................... 28
Figure 4. Residential Pedestrian Park Access .............................................................................................................. 29
APPENDIX
A Newport Beach General Plan Update Recreation Element Economic Support Year 2023
APRIL 2024 iii
Acronyms, Abbreviations, Key Terms
Acronym/Abbreviation/Term Spelled Out Form
ADA Americans with Disabilities Act
City City of Newport Beach (administrative body)
Coastal Land Use Plan Coastal Land Use Plan of the City of Newport Beach Local Coastal Program
County Orange County
FY fiscal year
Newport Beach City of Newport Beach
OC Parks Orange County Parks Department
report existing conditions and background analysis
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / RECREATION ELEMENT EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
BACKGROUND ANALYSIS
APRIL 2024 iv
INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
APRIL 2024 1
1 Executive Summary
Recreational spaces create opportunities for people to take a break from work or walk out of their homes to enjoy
the sunshine, breathe fresh air, run or cycle along trails, enjoy the trees and nature, play sports, spend time with
family and pets, and get some exercise, while connecting to their community. These spaces are important land use
components in an urban environment, providing both visual relief from the built environment and contributing to
residents’ quality of life through recreation and aesthetic value. The primary purpose of the City of Newport Beach’s
(City) Recreation Element is to provide sufficient park and recreational facilities that are balanced with the
residential and business population.
This existing conditions and background analysis (report) provides an overview of recreation in Newport Beach,
including adopted recreation policies and the regulatory framework, and inventories existing and planned
recreational areas. Recreational areas assessed in this report include parks and recreation facilities, marine
protected areas adjacent to parks, and beaches. This report considers current and future recreational demands
based on population, demographic, and development trends. These trends are explored in detail in Appendix A:
Newport Beach General Plan Update Recreation Element Economic Support Year 2023, which includes information
on the City’s current and projected population growth and demographic information. The appendix also includes
information on the utilization of services and programming offered by the City’s Recreation and Senior Services
Department. Regulatory and programmatic requirements are also considered and include state, regional, and local
regulations such as the City of Newport Beach (City) Park Dedication Ordinance, which requires a parkland
dedication of 5 acres for every 1,000 persons.
The City divides Newport Beach into 12 service areas for the purposes of park planning and to administer parkland
dedications and fees provided by residential development. Newport Beach has a surplus of parkland to meet the
current and projected future population for the year 2045 based on the City’s parkland dedication requirement, but
most service areas experience a deficit. In addition to acreage disparities across service areas, park types are also
unequally distributed.
To plan for and manage the Newport Beach’s parkland land equitably, the City should engage the community to
revise the approach for identifying park needs. The methodology for identifying parkland needs should consider
access, physical geography, and developmental constraints and opportunities for each service area to identify
feasible parks types the environment supports, adequately identify resident’s needs, and capitalize on
Newport Beach’s vast and uniquely varying natural resources and landforms. Additional opportunities for
community engagement are included to understand the community’s recreation needs, as projected population
trends indicate a large aging population and a declining population of children, which may have a significant impact
on the City’s ability to adequately serve the needs of residents given that different age groups require different
programming, services, and recreational facilities. The City should develop a process to identify community needs
on an ongoing basis to strategically plan for improvements that address the rapidly changing environmental,
economic, and social conditions. The City should partner with local school districts to support the use of school
facilities’ recreational areas, because they play an important role in providing recreational opportunities in
Newport Beach.
APRIL 2024 2
2 Introduction
Parks, bicycle and pedestrian trails, recreational facilities, and coastal resources such as beaches play an important
role in the physical, mental, social, and environmental health of Newport Beach residents. As the community
continues to grow, sufficient access to recreational facilities will be needed to maintain a high quality of life.
Planning for and implementing measures that ensure that existing and projected populations have access to
recreational opportunities will greatly enhance the way residents and visitors interact with the built environment.
2.1 Overview
This report provides an overview of the provisions of the Recreation Element from the adopted City General Plan.
This includes a description of the framework for consistency with State and Federal regulations, the existing parks
and recreation facilities within Newport Beach, and a high-level overview of service needs and key issues and
opportunities for providing adequate park and recreational opportunities to all residents.
The City’s adopted Recreation Element fulfills the requirements of an Open Space Element, in accordance with
Government Code 65302. The element specifically addresses the required recreational provisions of the Open
Space Element, which includes information on open spaces for outdoor recreation. Such open spaces include
spaces intended for recreational purposes such as parks and beaches and areas that serve as links between major
recreation and open-space reservations. The Open Space Element must also include information that pertains to
the preservation and conservation of a jurisdiction’s open-space resources, which are addressed by the City’s
adopted Natural Resources Element.
2.2 Recreation Element Purpose and Process
The purpose of the Recreation Element is to plan for recreational opportunities and address issues and policies
concerning parks and recreational facilities, recreation programs, shared facilities, coastal recreation and support
facilities, marine recreation and public access, and the provision of parklands and recreation programs within the
City boundary for Newport Beach’s residents. More specifically, the primary purpose of the Recreation Element is
to ensure an appropriate balance between the provisions of sufficient parks and recreation facilities and the current
and future residential and business population of Newport Beach.
As a city’s population grows and the demand for more recreational space increases, developable land typically
becomes scarcer, often limiting the amount of open space available for recreational opportunities. For this reason,
this analysis considers the adequacy of dedicated parkland and recreational opportunities through two perspectives:
the first analyzes the number of amenities and acres of land per person, and the second views the issue through the
lens of the quality of amenities, accessibility, and meeting the needs of existing and projected residents.
Newport Beach’s landscape is made up of coastal, beach, tideland, reserve, and urban areas, creating an
opportunity for a diverse range of parkland and recreation types. However, additional consideration of the other
General Plan elements is also required, because recreational amenities and facilities may overlap with uses and
land regulated by the Harbor and Bay Element, Natural Resources Element, Land Use Element, and the
Safety Element, as well as the Local Coastal Program.
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3 General Plan and Regulatory Review
Federal, State, regional, and local policies and programs influence recreation in Newport Beach and must be considered
in the General Plan Update process (see Section 2.2, Recreation Element Purpose and Process). This chapter identifies
where recreation is addressed in the adopted General Plan, relevant regulations, and local programs.
The City’s adopted General Plan is organized into 10 chapters, or “elements.” Each element of the General Plan
presents an overview of its scope, summary of conditions, and planning issues, goals, and policies. However, while
the General Plan consists of individual elements, each of which addresses a specific area of concern, it also
embodies a comprehensive and integrated planning approach for Newport Beach. As such, this chapter provides
an overview of the adopted Recreation Element and other elements of the adopted General Plan that have goals
or policies that overlap with those of the Recreation Element.
3.1 Recreation Element
California state law requires that recreational uses, including recreational needs and opportunities, be inventoried
and assessed in the General Plan to determine present and future demand based on population, demographic,
and development trends. Starting in 1973, the General Plan had a Recreation and Open Space Element, which was
amended in a 1998 update to the General Plan. However, with the most recent 2006 update of the General Plan,
the adopted 2006 Recreation Element was prepared as a separate element to reflect its importance. The adopted
Recreation Element, which under statute is a component of the Open Space Element, contains only policies related
to recreation, while open space policies were contained within the Natural Resources Element.
The nine goals contained in the adopted Recreation Element address the provision of facilities, maintenance and
preservation, accessibility of facilities, provision of recreation programs, joint use facilities, and the provision of coastal
recreational opportunities, adequate support facilities, marine recreation facilities, and public access. Specific
recreational issues and policies contained in the Recreation Element include parks and recreation facilities, recreation
programs, shared facilities, coastal recreation and support facilities, marine recreation, and public access.
3.2 Natural Resources Element
In the 2006 General Plan, only policies related to recreation were included in the Recreation Element, while
conservation and open space policies were contained within the adopted Natural Resources Element. However,
some policies in the Natural Resources Element provide some general guidance for parks and recreation as they
pertain to the conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources. These policies include designing and
siting recreation areas to avoid impacts to dune habitat areas (Policy NR 12.2); managing public access to the
Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve (Policy NR 16.4); maintaining public uses of the Upper Newport Bay
Ecological Reserve (Policy NR 16.5); promoting facilities within Upper Newport Bay for educational purposes
(Policy NR 16.6); and providing public trails, recreation areas, adjacent to public view corridors (Policy NR 20.5).
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3.3 Land Use Element
The Land Use Element guides land use and development in the City, which includes land use policies and strategies
related to the use of open space. The element focuses on balancing residential, commercial, and recreational
needs, maintaining Newport Beach’s coastal character, and promoting and preserving open space. It also
addresses issues related to sustainable development, transportation, and community aesthetics to guide
Newport Beach’s future growth and development. Some aspects of the adopted Land Use Element address
promoting and preserving open space and supplement policies in the Recreation Element. These policies include
implementing a conservative growth strategy that enhances the quality of life of residents and balances the needs
of all constituencies with the preservation of open space and natural resources (Policy LU 1.4); protecting and
enhancing significant scenic and visual resources, including open space, mountains, canyons, ridges, ocean, and
harbor, from public vantage points (Policy LU 1.6); accommodating uses that support the needs of Newport Beach’s
residents including recreation and civic engagement (Policy LU 2.1); providing uses that serve visitors to
Newport Beach’s ocean, harbor, open spaces, and other recreational assets, while protecting neighborhoods and
residents (Policy LU 2.6); and prioritizing the acquisition of Banning Ranch as an open space amenity for the
community and region (Policy LU 3.4).
3.4 Harbor and Bay Element
California State law permits a General Plan to incorporate other elements that pertain to a municipality’s unique
characteristics or visions outside of the seven mandated elements. Although optional by statute, once adopted they
hold equal weight under the law as the mandated elements. As such, the adopted General Plan also includes a
Harbor and Bay Element. The goals and policies of the adopted Harbor and Bay Element are intended to guide the
content of regulations related to development and activities conducted on the water, as well as land use decisions
related to waterfront property around Newport Harbor and a wide range of recreational boating activities, and a
diversity of commercial and recreational uses. Some aspects of the Harbor and Bay Element that address public
access and administration overlap with policies in the Recreation Element. These policies include encouraging the
provision of visitor facilities in Newport Harbor (Policy HB 6.3); enhancing guest and public facilities, including those
that provide beach recreation opportunities (Policy HB 6.4); and providing adequate public coastal access
(Policy HB 6.1). In addition, the Harbor and Bay Element shares a common goal with the Recreation Element aimed
to maintain public access to Newport Beach’s coastal resources for recreational purposes (Goal HB 6; Goal R 9).
3.5 Arts and Cultural Element
Another element that pertains to a municipality’s unique characteristics or visions outside of the seven mandated
elements is the Arts and Cultural Element. The goals and policies of the adopted Arts and Cultural Element are
intended to be a guide for meeting the future cultural needs of the community by providing improved and expanded
arts and cultural facilities and programs to the community. The Arts and Cultural Element and the Recreation
Element overlap through various programming aspects, including the City’s Department of Recreation and Senior
Services, which provides year-round educational programs for adults and children in music, dance, arts and crafts,
and drama, as well as various festivals and events that occur throughout the year in Newport Beach, such as
Concerts in the Parks hosted by the City Arts Commission and other events held at public beaches and facilities. In
addition, some policies of the Arts and Cultural Element that overlap with aspects of the policies in the Recreation
element include encouraging the incorporation of public art into major public projects (Policy CA 1.1); promoting
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public awareness of and participation in the City’s cultural arts (Policy CA 1.3); encouraging the continuation and
expansion of cultural arts events and programs, such as Concerts in the Parks (Policy CA 1.4); partnering with the
community to strengthen arts education for children, youths, adults, and seniors in the City (Policy CA 1.5); and
exploring opportunities to accommodate cultural arts programs within existing and new facilities and considering
the potential for new facilities (Policy CA 2.1).
3.6 Regulatory Framework
The regulatory setting for parks and recreation can be found in California State law, the adopted General Plan (as
noted previously in Section 3.1, Recreation), and various local ordinances, as summarized below.
3.6.1 State
SB 1425 (2022)
SB 1425 (2022) requires all local jurisdictions to update the open space element of their General Plan by January
1, 2026. Specifically, this bill requires the open space element to include plans and action programs that address
the following:
Access to open space for residents in a manner that considers social, economic, and racial equity, and
aligns with environmental justice policies
Climate resilience and other cobenefits of open space, that are to be coordinated with the safety element
Rewilding opportunities aligned with the land use element that aim to preserve, enhance, and expand
natural ecosystems.
Public Park Preservation Act
The primary instrument for protecting and preserving parkland is the State Public Park Preservation Act. Under the
California Public Resources Code, cities and counties may not acquire any real property that is in use as a public
park for any non-park use unless compensation or land, or both, are provided to replace the parkland acquired.
This provides no net loss of parkland and facilities.
State Street and Highway Code
The State Street and Highway Code includes provisions for equestrian and hiking trails within the rights-of-way of
county roads, streets, and highways.
Quimby Act (Parkland Provisions)
The Quimby Act (California Government Code Section 66477, as amended by Assembly Bill 1359) authorizes the
legislative body of a city or county to require the dedication of land or impose fees for park or recreational purposes
as a condition to the approval of a tentative or parcel subdivision map, if specified requirements are met. For
projects that do not involve a subdivision, impact fees may be collected to pay for a range of applicable uses,
including parkland, park improvements, community centers, recreation facilities, trails, or open space.
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Parkland dedication standards associated with the Quimby Act require the provision of 3 acres of park area per
1,000 persons residing within a subdivision, unless the amount of existing neighborhood and community park area
exceeds that limit, in which case the city may adopt a higher standard not to exceed 5 acres per 1,000 residents.
3.6.2 Regional/Local
City of Newport Beach Park Dedication Ordinance
Chapter 19.52, Park Dedication and Fees, of the Newport Beach Municipal Code requires the dedication of land or the
payment of in lieu fees, or a combination of both, for park or recreational purposes as a condition to the approval of
residential subdivisions. In accordance with the Newport Beach Municipal Code, the park dedication standard is 5 acres
per 1,000 persons. Where a fee is required to be paid in lieu of land dedication, the fee is calculated by multiplying the
acreage of land that would otherwise have been required to be dedicated times the fair market value per acre.
In lieu fees collected may only be used for park or recreational facilities that serve the residential subdivision, either
through the purchase of land for the purpose of developing new parks or facilities or, if the City Council determines
that there is sufficient land available, for the improvement or rehabilitation of existing neighborhood or community
park or recreational facilities. The park dedication ordinance also provides for credit to be given against the required
dedication of land or payment of fees, at the discretion of the City Council, for the provision of private recreation
facilities within a new residential development or for the provision of park and recreation improvements to
dedicated parkland. If allowed, the private facilities or public improvements are credited against the dedication of
land and/or the payment of in lieu fees.
City of Newport Beach Circulation and Improvement Open Space Agreement
Another important agreement that contributes to the City’s development and acquisition of parkland and open
space areas is the Circulation and Improvement Open Space Agreement in conjunction with the Irvine Company. In
exchange for various building entitlements, the City of Newport Beach receives pre-payment of required “fair-share”
road improvement fees, a commitment to construct road improvements adjacent to the proposed projects, an
interest-free loan, and land for recreation and open space areas and potential senior housing sites.
2018 Orange County Parks Strategic Plan
The Orange County Parks Department (OC Parks) Strategic Plan was adopted by the Orange County (County) Board
of Supervisors in 2018.1 The Strategic Plan is a regional planning document that defines goals and objectives to
guide the extensive regional park system in the County for the next 10 years. The Strategic Plan highlights OC Parks’
core identity and values: Community, Commitment to Excellence, Service, Stewardship; provides a clear set of
objectives to guide planning and decision-making processes; and better positions OC Parks to take on the
challenges and opportunities of the present and in the years to come. Similar to city parks departments, OC Parks
provides significant, dynamic, and diverse parklands listed in the Strategic Plan, two of which are located in
Newport Beach, including the 140-acre Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve (surrounding the Upper Newport Bay
Ecological Reserve), and Bayside Beach within Newport Harbor. These County-owned park and recreational areas
in Newport Beach provide opportunities to advance policies in the Recreation Element that are focused on utilizing
1 OC Parks, 2018, OC Parks Strategic Plan 2018, accessed at https://www.ocparks.com/sites/ocparks/files/import/data/
files/82682.pdf.
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non-City recreational facilities and open space to supplement the park and recreational needs of the community
and interagency coordination to protect, expand, and enhance opportunities for recreational activities at County
and State beaches and parks.
Coastal Land Use Plan of the City of Newport Beach Local Coastal Program
The Coastal Land Use Plan of the City of Newport Beach Local Coastal Program (Coastal Land Use Plan) sets forth
goals, objectives, and policies that govern the use of land and water in the coastal zone within Newport Beach and
its sphere of influence, with the exception of Newport Coast and Banning Ranch.2 The Coastal Land Use Plan
addresses the California Coastal Act of 1976 in three chapters: Land Use and Development, Public Access and
Recreation, and Coastal Resource Protection. The Coastal Land Use Plan was derived from the Land Use Element
of the General Plan and is intended to identify the distribution of land uses in the coastal zone. The
California Coastal Act Goals for the coastal zone include the following:
Protect, maintain and, where feasible, enhance and restore the overall quality of the coastal zone
environment and its natural and artificial resources.
Assure orderly, balanced utilization and conservation of coastal zone resources taking into account the
social and economic needs of the people of the state.
Maximize public access to and along the coast and maximize public recreational opportunities in the
coastal zone consistent with sound resources conservation principles and constitutionally protected rights
of private property owners.
Assure priority for coastal-dependent and coastal-related development over other development on the coast.
Encourage state and local initiatives and cooperation in preparing procedures to implement coordinated
planning and development for mutually beneficial uses, including educational uses, in the coastal zone.3
Randall Preserve (formerly Banning Ranch)
The Randall Preserve is an important open space resource for Newport Beach residents. Several policies for the
acquisition and preservation of Banning Ranch (known today as the Randall Preserve) are included in the adopted
General Plan Natural Resources and Land Use Elements. Within the adopted Natural Resources Element, one policy
is included for the protection of sensitive and rare resources, and for consideration of the natural resources within
Banning Ranch if development were to occur (NR 10.9 Development on Banning Ranch). Policies within the adopted
Land Use Element also identify Banning Ranch as a priority site for acquisition of and preservation as an open
space amenity for Newport Beach residents (LU 3.4, 6.3.2) and several policies include considerations and direction
for the uses allowed, development and design priorities, and prohibited activities in the event the site would be
annexed and/or if acquisition of the property for the preservation of open space was unsuccessful (LU 2.7, 6.4.5,
6.4.10, 6.4.11, and 6.5.2). The open space relief Banning Ranch provides for Newport Beach is not included as
part of the total parkland acreage identified in the adopted Recreation Element or in this analysis as the focus of
the Recreation Element is for parkland that falls within the City’s boundary. Banning Ranch falls outside of the City’s
2 City of Newport Beach, 2018, City of Newport Beach Local Coastal Program Coastal Land Use Plan, accessed at
https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/community-development/planning-division/general-plan-codes-and-regulations/local-coastal-program/coastal-land-use-plan.
3 California Coastal Act, 2023, California Public Resources Code, Division 10, Chapter 1: Findings and Declarations and General
Provisions, Section 30001.5: Legislative Findings and Declaration; Goals, accessed at https://www.coastal.ca.gov/coastact.pdf.
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boundary and within the City’s Sphere of Influence (SOI), which is required to be considered in the Land Use Element
as is reflected by the policies included in adopted Land Use Element, discussed above.
As of 2022, the 13-acre oil field within Banning Ranch was acquired by the Coastal Alliance Corridor (previously
Banning Ranch Conservancy) and the Trust for Public Land4 renamed as the Banning Ranch Remainder5; and the
remaining 387-acre property is under the stewardship of the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority and
is now known as the Frank and Joan Randall Preserve.6 The site continues to remain as part of the City’s SOI and
therefore is analyzed as part of the update to the adopted Land Use Element. The SOI is considered in the
development of the Land Use Element because it encompasses the area most likely to be the ultimate physical
boundary and service area of local government agencies, as determined by the Local Agency Formation Commission
of Orange County (Orange LAFCO). While cities do not have jurisdiction within the SOI, a city may pre-zone
unincorporated territory to determine the zoning that will apply to that territory upon annexation to the city (Cal.
GOV. 65859). See the Land Use Element Existing Conditions and Background Analysis for a full discussion and
review of the City’s SOI.Existing Conditions
This chapter describes the existing conditions for the City’s parks and recreational facilities, including the park
planning framework, existing public and private parks and recreational facilities, planned park and recreational
improvements, and an overview of current and future park needs based on existing and projected population
and demographics.
3.7 Planning Framework
3.7.1 Park Types
The adopted Recreation Element defines seven park types classified by the type of amenities and facilities
available, and, in some cases, the population they are intended to serve. School park facilities are also included
in this discussion because they can serve the general public during weekends and after school. The park types
are as follows:
Community Park. Community parks serve the entire City of Newport Beach and are easily accessible via
arterial roads. Community parks typically include community buildings, parking, swimming, facilities for
picnicking, active sports, and other facilities that serve a larger population.
Mini Park. Mini parks are smaller parks and have two general purposes. Most mini parks typically less than
1 acre in size, serve a 0.25-mile radius, and are located within a neighborhood, separate from major
collector roads. Some mini parks serve the entire City of Newport Beach and are located as urban trail
heads along major trails or streets.
Neighborhood Park. Neighborhood parks serve all ages and are generally 1 to 8 acres in size. They are
located adjacent to public schools when possible. Neighborhood parks contain amenities such as turf
4 Los Angeles Times, 2024, Banning Ranch Conservancy rebranded as Coastal Corridor Alliance, January 2024. Accessed at
https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2024-01-31/banning-ranch-conservancy-gets-rebrand-as-coastal-corridor-alliance
5 Trust for Public Lands, Randall Preserve. Accessed at https://www.tpl.org/our-work/randall-preserve
6 Coastal Corridor Alliance, Randall Preserve. Accessed at https://coastalcorridor.org/coastal-corridor/randall-preserve/
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areas, active sport fields and courts, community buildings, play apparatus, and picnic facilities. Some
neighborhood parks may also include senior centers, youth centers, and aquatic facilities.
View Park. View parks are smaller passive parks at significant vistas or viewpoints. They are often located
on coastal bluffs and highlight ocean and bay views. Most view parks are between 0.5 and 3 acres in size
and serve the entire City of Newport Beach. View park amenities include improved landscaping, walkways,
and benches.
Greenbelt. Greenbelts are public or semi-public park types that include areas with limited recreational
facilities and primarily function as passive open space.
Open Space. Open space includes passive and active open space areas that do not function as public spaces
but do provide open space relief. Some open space areas are open to or accessible by the general public.
Public Beach. Public beaches serve a number of local and regional functions. In some neighborhoods,
beaches function as neighborhood or community parks. Easy accessibility, lack of entrance fees, and a lack
of other available parks has contributed to this function. Public beaches all include sandy beach areas
adjacent to the bay or ocean and may include active sports, snack bars, showers, drinking fountains,
restrooms, walkways, docks, benches, shade trees, and parking areas. Active beach area acreage is
measured 100 feet from the observed water edge into the water area based on the standard for shoreline
swimming and previous observations from the Newport Beach Technical Report.7
School. Public schools are a part of the recreation system in the City of Newport Beach because field and
playground areas can serve the general public during weekends and after school.8
Table 1 summarizes the acreage and number of public facilities by park type. The most common park type is view
park, followed by community and neighborhood parks; and while open space and public beaches are less common
park types, combined they account for more than half of the total park and open space acreage in Newport Beach.
No data was available to identify the greenbelt park type; therefore, this park type is excluded from Table 1. See
Section 4.2 for a comprehensive list of parks and recreation facilities offering passive and recreational opportunities
in Newport Beach.
Table 1. Parks and Recreation Areas by Type
Parks and Recreation Type Number Acres
Community park 18 131.6
Mini park 14 5.84
Neighborhood park 18 71.1
View park 22 100.02
Open space 6 2,477.72
Public beach 6 250.53
School 10 66.1
Total 94 3,102.91
7 American Planning Association, 1965, Standards for Outdoor Recreational Areas, January 1965, accessed at https://www.
planning.org/pas/reports/report194.htm.
8 City of Newport Beach, 2004, “Technical Background Report,” Volume 3 in City of Newport Beach General Plan Update, June 2004, accessed at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/PLN/General_Plan/Technical_Background_Report/NB_Final_TBR_(2004-06-03).pdf. GreenInfo Network, 2021, California Protected Areas Database, accessed September 7, 2021, at https://www.
calands.org/cpad/.
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Source: City of Newport Beach 2004; Urban Footprint Parks and Open Space GIS data.9
3.7.2 Planning Service Areas
The Recreation Element divides Newport Beach into 12 service areas for the purposes of park planning and to
administer parkland dedications and fees provided by residential development. The 12 park planning service areas
are as described below, and Figure 1, Services Area in Newport Beach, illustrates the service area boundaries. A
description of park types and recreational facilities within the service areas is provided in Section 4.2, Existing Parks
and Recreational Facilities.
Service Area 1, West Newport. The area covered by West Newport Service Area is generally bounded by the
Santa Ana River to the west, West 19th Street to the north, State Route 55 to the east, and the Pacific Coast
to the south.
Service Area 2, Balboa Peninsula. The area covered by Balboa Peninsula Service Area is generally bounded
by 19th Street to the west, the Pacific Ocean to the south, the harbor entrance to the east, and
Newport Channel to the north.
Service Area 3, Newport Heights/Upper Bay. The area covered by the Newport Heights/Upper Bay Service
Area is generally bounded by State Route 55 to the west, Lido Channel to the south, and Back Bay to the
east, and the northern boundary follows the city boundary to Monte Vista Avenue.
Service Area 4, Santa Ana Heights. The area covered by the Santa Ana Heights Service Area is generally
bounded by the city boundary to the west along Irvine Avenue, Upper Back Bay to the south, Jamboree Road
to the east, and Campus Drive to the north.
Service Area 5, Lower Bay. The area covered by the Lower Bay Service Area is generally bounded by the
West Lido Channel on the western boundary and northern boundary, along the southern edge of Lido Isle,
and Jamboree Road to the east.
Service Area 6, Balboa Island. The area covered by the Balboa Island Service Area is the entirety of
Balboa Island, with boundaries extending approximately 380 feet around the island into the surrounding
Newport Channel.
Service Area 7, Eastbluff/Newport North. The area covered by the Eastbluff/Newport North Service Area is
generally bounded by Back Bay Drive to the west, the southern boundary of Big Country Park to the south,
with Jamboree Road forming a portion of the eastern boundary south of Bison Avenue and along the city
boundary; the northern boundary of the service area generally extends to the intersection of Jamboree Road
and MacArthur Boulevard.
Service Area 8, Big Canyon/Belcourt. The area covered by the Big Canyon/Belcourt Service Area is generally
bounded by Jamboree Road to the west, San Joaquin Hills Road to the south, MacArthur Boulevard to the
east, and Sison Avenue to the north.
Service Area 9, Newport Center. The area covered by the Newport Center Service Area is bounded generally
by the eastern edge of Back Bay on the west, by Pacific Coast Highway on the south, by MacArthur Boulevard
on the east, and by San Joaquin Hills Road on the north.
9 City of Newport Beach, 2004, “Technical Background Report,” Volume 3 in City of Newport Beach General Plan Update, June 2004, accessed at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/PLN/General_Plan/Technical_Background_Report/NB_Final_TBR_(2004-06-03).pdf. Greeninfo Network, 2021, California Protected Areas Database, accessed September 7, 2021, at https://www.
calands.org/cpad/.
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Service Area 10, Corona del Mar. The area covered by the Corona del Mar Service Area is generally bounded
by Jamboree Road to the west, the coastline abutting the harbor entrance south of Pacific Coast Highway
to the south, the eastern boundary extends generally to Cameo Shores Road, and the northern boundary
is along Pacific Coast Highway west of MacArthur Boulevard and along 5th Avenue east of
MacArthur Boulevard.
Service Area 11, Harbor View. The area covered by the Habor View Service Area is generally bounded by
MacArthur Boulevard to the west, 5th Avenue to the south, Upper Buck Gully to the east, and the city
boundary to the north.
Service Area 12, Newport Coast. The area covered by the Newport Coast Service Area is generally bounded
by Buck Gully and San Joaquin Reservoir to the west, Pacific Coast Highway to the south, the city’s eastern
boundary, and San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor to the north.
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Figure 1. Service Areas in Newport Beach
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3.8 Existing Parks and Recreational Facilities
This section describes the existing parkland in Newport Beach offering recreational opportunities, access to parks
and recreation facilitates, services provided by the City Recreation and Senior Services Department, and an
overview of existing park conditions summarizing the deficit or excess parkland in each planning service area.
3.8.1 Public Parks and Recreational Facilities
The City has approximately 559 acres of existing parkland in Newport Beach, including 250 acres of beach
recreation acreage; approximately 66 acres of School District land under joint use agreements offering recreational
opportunities; and 2,478 acres of other recreational areas on open space and preserves. Table 2 lists public parks
and recreation facilities, including beach recreation, schools with joint use facilities, and other recreational areas
in Newport Beach by planning service area. The park/facility name, park types and facilities, acreage, Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) access, and general conditions and observations are provided in Table 2 and illustrated
in Figure 2, Parks and Open Space in Newport Beach.
Additional private recreational facilities that serve residents of Newport Beach, such as aquatic facilities, yacht
clubs, and golf courses are discussed in Section 4.3, Private Parks and Recreational Facilities.
Table 2. Existing Public Parks and Recreational Facilities
Park/Recreational
Facility Park Type and Facilities Acres
ADA
Access Conditions
Service Area 1: West Newport
Parks
38th Street Park Neighborhood park: active sports
facilities, basketball courts, play
area, picnic tables, restrooms
0.93 Yes No electricity: use
is limited to
daylight hours; street parking only
Channel Place Park Neighborhood park: 2 barbecue
areas, basketball court, 2 picnic
tables, play area; restrooms, view of
bay
1.28 Yes Street parking only
Gateway Park Mini park: limited to passive
recreation
0.28 Yes Street parking only
Lake Avenue Park Mini park: limited to passive
recreation
0.06 Yes Street parking only
Lido Park View park: view of bay 0.16 Yes Street parking only
Newport Island Park Neighborhood park: 1 barbecue,
basketball court, 2 picnic tables,
play area, view of bay
0.33 Yes Street parking only
Newport Shores Park Mini park: small play area 0.21 Yes Street parking only
Rhine Wharf Park View park: view of Newport Bay 0.01 Yes Street parking
only; no landscaping
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Table 2. Existing Public Parks and Recreational Facilities
Park/Recreational
Facility Park Type and Facilities Acres
ADA
Access Conditions
Sunset Ridge Park Community park: 2 athletic fields,
1 ball diamond, 2 barbecue areas,
4 picnic tables, play area, restrooms, view of ocean
1.08 Yes Parking lot with
64 parking spaces.
Sunset Ridge View Park View park: view of bay and ocean 0.80 Yes Street parking only
West Newport Park Lower Neighborhood park with a barbecue
area; basketball court; handball
court; parking lot; picnic tables; play
area; 4 tennis courts
3.23 Yes —
West Newport Park Mid Neighborhood park: play area;
parking lot; and picnic tables
1.61 Yes —
West Newport Park Upper Neighborhood park: with a play
area; parking lot and picnic tables.
1.55 Yes —
Beach Recreation Site
Beaches Public beach: swimming; beach
recreation; volleyball; sunning;
benches (calculated from a 2+ mile
stretch and 200 feet width of
observed passive and active
recreation within shallow water
edge), and Newport Beach Pier
58.9 — —
School Recreation Site
Pacifica Christian High School Community center gym: basketball court gym leased from school 0.4 — Open for public recreation use in the evenings;
parking lot
Service Area Subtotal 70.83 — —
Service Area 2: Balboa Peninsula
Parks
L Street Park Mini park: limited to passive
recreation
0.29 Yes Street parking only
M Street Park Mini park: limited to passive
recreation
0.06 Yes Street parking only
Marina Park Community park: basketball court, community room, kitchen, picnic
table, play area, restrooms, view
of bay
8.94 Yes Parking lot capacity for
145 vehicles;
minimal tree
coverage
Miramar Park Mini park: play area 0.12 Yes Street parking only
Peninsula Park Neighborhood park: athletic field;
3 barbecue areas, 5 picnic tables,
play area, restrooms, showers, view
of ocean
4.53 Yes Parking lot
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Table 2. Existing Public Parks and Recreational Facilities
Park/Recreational
Facility Park Type and Facilities Acres
ADA
Access Conditions
Veterans Memorial Park Neighborhood park: 1 barbecue,
view of bay
1.46 Yes Street parking only
West Jetty View Park View park: 1 picnic table, view of bay
and ocean
0.85 Yes Street parking
only; maximum
capacity of 20 in
the grass area, and
20 in the picnic
area
Beach Recreation Sites
Beaches Public beaches: 3 basketball courts,
sports field, blacktop recreation
area, play area, volleyball courts,
swimming, beach play, sunning,
walking and biking trail, Balboa Pier,
restrooms (approximate 2.6-mile
stretch encompassing sandy area
and 100 feet from the water edge)
163.26 — Parking lots
accesses from
Palm Street and
Oceanfront and
from Mc Fadden
Place and W.
Oceanfront
School Recreation Sites
Newport Elementary School Active facilities include a turf area,
basketball court, and play area
(located on beachfront sand area
leased from City since 1950)
3.3 — —
Service Area Subtotal 182.81 — —
Service Area 3: Newport Heights/Upper Bay
Parks
Bob Henry Park Neighborhood park: active facilities
include an athletic field, 2 ball
diamonds, play area, and a parking
lot, 4 picnic tables
5.10 Yes Landscaping
around the park
perimeter; sparse
shade due to the wide coverage of
the athletic field
Bolsa Park Mini park: passive facility with picnic
table and play area
0.19 Yes Picnic area
capacity of
20 people
Castaways Park View park: passive facility with
numerous trails, view of bay
and ocean
16.78 Yes Shared parking lot
with Newport
Harbor Lutheran
Church and
School.
Lower Castaways Park View park: passive parkland with
view of bay
5.53 — Parking lot; rough
terrain with access
to Castaways Park
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Table 2. Existing Public Parks and Recreational Facilities
Park/Recreational
Facility Park Type and Facilities Acres
ADA
Access Conditions
Cliff Drive Park East View park: barbecue area,
basketball court, community room,
picnic table, play area, view of bay
3.02 Yes Street parking only
Cliff Drive Park West View Park: View of bay 1.20 No Street parking only
Galaxy View Park View park: view of bay 0.94 Yes Street parking
only; maintained
grass landscaping
John Wayne Park & Theatre Arts Center View park: passive facility adjacent to community center, picnic table,
view of bay and ocean
2.13 — Accessible from two parking lots;
maintained grass
landscaping
Kings Road Park View park: passive facility with a
view of bay, view of ocean
0.4 No Street parking
only; minimal shade; maintained
grass landscaping
Mariners Park & JV
Community Center
Community park: active sports
facilities including athletic field, ball
diamond, basketball court, handball court, 2 tennis courts, play area, 4 barbecues, community center,
kitchen, 4 picnic tables
7.15 Yes Adjacent to
Mariners Branch
Library and Mariners Elementary School;
parking lot;
adequate tree
coverage
Westcliff Park View park: passive facility; view of bay 2.99 No Maintained grass landscaping; fence
around perimeter
as a buffer for
parking lot
Beach Recreation Sites
North Star Beach Public beach: swimming, beach
recreation, sunning, kayak and surf
equipment rentals at adjacent facility
11.25 No Parking lot;
adjacent to
Newport Aquatic
Center
School Recreation Sites
Mariners Elementary School Basketball and play areas to
accommodate overflow from
Mariners Park
1.67 — —
Newport Heights
Elementary School
Play areas and open space 4.9 — —
Ensign Intermediate School
(formerly Horace Ensign Jr.
High School)
Active facilities including volleyball
nets, basketball courts, gymnasium,
and athletic field
7.6 — —
Newport Harbor High School Active facilities including tennis
courts, basketball courts, swimming
pool, and play area
19.9 — —
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Table 2. Existing Public Parks and Recreational Facilities
Park/Recreational
Facility Park Type and Facilities Acres
ADA
Access Conditions
Service Area Subtotal 90.75 — —
Service Area 4: Santa Ana Heights
Bayview Park Neighborhood park: basketball court, play area, barbecue area, and
view of bay
2.00 Yes Street parking only; surrounded
by residential uses;
maintained grass
landscaping
Mesa Birch Park Mini park: passive recreation area with a picnic table 0.69 Yes Street parking only; located on a
heavily trafficked
area; maintained
grass landscaping
Uptown Park Mini park: passive and active facilities including barbecues, picnic
table, play area, restrooms
0.98 Yes Small parking lot
Service Area Subtotal 3.67 — —
Service Area 5: Lower Bay
Myrtle Park Mini park: passive amenities 0.05 Yes Street parking only
Service Area Subtotal 0.05 — —
Service Area 6: Balboa Island
Balboa Island Park & Carroll
Beek Community Center
Neighborhood park: 1 basketball
court, play area, community center
with kitchen, and passive amenities
0.28 Yes Street parking
only; maintained
grass landscaping
Service Area Subtotal 0.28 — —
Service Area 7: Eastbluff/Newport North
Parks
Eastbluff Park & Boys and
Girls Club
Community park: active sports
facilities including athletic field, ball
diamond, play area, and barbecue
and picnic table
13.71 Yes Adjacent to
Eastbluff
Elementary; tree
coverage and
maintained grass
landscaping;
additional facilities
in Boys and Girls Club; parking lot
Bonita Creek Park &
Community Center
Neighborhood park: athletic field,
2 ball diamonds, 1 basketball court,
play area, picnic tables, and
community center with kitchen
14.25 Yes Parking lot
capacity for
103 vehicles;
substantial tree coverage;
maintained grass
landscaping
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Table 2. Existing Public Parks and Recreational Facilities
Park/Recreational
Facility Park Type and Facilities Acres
ADA
Access Conditions
Big Canyon Park View park: view of Newport Bay with
walking trails in environmentally
sensitive area
39.10 No —
School Recreation Sites
Corona del Mar High School
& Marian Bergeson
Aquatic Center
Active facilities include basketball
courts, tennis courts, volleyball nets,
athletic field, and swimming pool
22.35 — —
Service Area Subtotal 89.41 — —
Service Area 8: Big Canyon/Belcourt
There are no public parks or recreation facilities located in the Big Canyon/Belcourt Service Area.
Service Area 9: Newport Center
Back Bay View Park View park: passive facility with trail
and a view of Newport Bay
10.64 Yes Street parking
only; open space
with limited tree
canopy
Civic Center Park Lower &
Civic Center Community
Room
Community park: passive facility
with picnic tables, parking lot, and
view of bay and ocean, walking trail,
and community center
6.26 Yes Landscaped grass
and features works
of public art;
parking for the
lower park located
in Civic Center
Civic Center Park Upper &
Dog Park
Community park: passive facility
with picnic tables, parking lot, and
view of bay and ocean, as well as a
dog park and walking trail
3.18 Yes Landscaped grass
and features works
of public art;
parking lot
capacity for
16 vehicles only
for park use
Service Area Subtotal 20.08 — —
Service Area 10: Corona del Mar
Parks
Bayside Park Lower Neighborhood park: passive facility
with a play area and walking path
1.51 Yes Street parking
only; park divided
by a street
Bayside Park Upper Neighborhood park: passive facility
with a play area and walking path
1.16 Yes Street parking
only; park divided
by a street
Begonia Park Neighborhood park: passive facility
with 2 barbecues, 2 picnic tables, play area, view of bay, view of ocean
2.13 Yes Street parking
only; limited tree coverage;
maintained grass
landscaping
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Table 2. Existing Public Parks and Recreational Facilities
Park/Recreational
Facility Park Type and Facilities Acres
ADA
Access Conditions
CDM Pocket Park Mini park: passive facility with
benches
0.02 Yes Street parking
only; majority
covered in concrete
Inspiration Point View park: passive facility with
benches and ocean view
1.39 Yes Street parking only
Irvine Terrace Park Neighborhood park: athletic field,
1 basketball court, play area, 2
tennis courts, 4 barbecues, 4 picnic
tables, view of bay and ocean
8.55 Yes Street parking
only; adequate tree
coverage outside
of active
recreational areas
Lookout Point View park: passive facility with
benches, a telescope, and views of
bay and ocean
0.84 Yes Street parking
only; maintained
grass landscaping
Old School Park Mini park: limited to passive
recreation
0.62 Yes Maintained grass
landscaping;
adequate tree
coverage
Beach Recreation Sites
Corona Del Mar
State Beach
Public beach: 3 barbecues, 5 picnic
tables, showers, volleyball courts
17.12 No Municipal parking
lot
Service Area Subtotal 33.34 — —
Service Area 11: Harbor View
Parks
Arroyo Park Community park: active facilities
including an athletic field, ball
diamond, basketball court, play
area, 8 picnic tables, and 2
barbecues
7.59 Yes Parking lot
capacity for
53 vehicles
Bonita Canyon Sports
Park East
Community park: active facilities
including 4 ball diamonds, play
area, barbecue area, and picnic
tables
13.72 Yes Parking lot,
maintained grass
and various plant
landscaping;
adequate tree
coverage
Bonita Canyon Sports
Park Mid
Community park: athletic field and
trails
4.77 Yes Parking lot,
maintained grass
and various plant
landscaping;
adequate tree
coverage
Bonita Canyon Sports
Park West
Community park: active facilities
including athletic fields, 1 basketball
court, play area, 2 tennis courts,
8.84 Yes Parking lot,
maintained grass
and various plant
landscaping;
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Table 2. Existing Public Parks and Recreational Facilities
Park/Recreational
Facility Park Type and Facilities Acres
ADA
Access Conditions
4 pickleball courts, picnic tables,
and barbecue area
adequate tree
coverage
Buffalo Hills Park Lower Community park: active facilities
including a basketball court,
athletic field
6.39 Yes Parking lot
available in upper
portion of park;
street parking also
available
Buffalo Hills Park Upper Community park: play area, picnic
tables, and barbecue area
11.15 Yes Adjacent to
Andersen
Elementary School;
picnic area
capacity for
75 people
Grant Howald Park &
Community Youth Center
Community park: active facilities
including an athletic field,
basketball court, play area, tennis
court, barbecue, picnic tables, and
community youth center
9.01 Yes Several parking
lots
Harbor View Nature Park Neighborhood park: passive
recreation with trails
10.04 Yes Street parking
only; several
entrances around
the park’s
perimeter.
Jasmine Creek Park View park: passive recreation with
view of ocean
0.21 Yes Street parking
only; maintained
grass landscaping
Lincoln Athletic Center Community park: active facilities
including athletic field, ball
diamond, 1 basketball court,
gymnasium, 2 volleyball courts
11.87 Yes Parking lot
capacity for 55
vehicles; minimal
tree coverage;
landscaped turf on
fields; adjacent to
Lincoln Elementary
School
OASIS Senior Center Community center: passive and
active senior center with fitness
facility, recreation classes, and
public garden
5.6 — Parking lot
San Joaquin Hills Park &
Lawn Bowling Center
Community park: active facilities
including 4 tennis courts, barbecue
area, picnic table, and community
center with kitchen
4.06 Yes Parking lot;
minimal tree
coverage;
maintained grass
landscaping
San Miguel Park Community park with active facilities
including an athletic field; 1 ball
diamond; 2 basketball court;
7.32 Yes Parking lot; picnic
area capacity for
150 people
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Table 2. Existing Public Parks and Recreational Facilities
Park/Recreational
Facility Park Type and Facilities Acres
ADA
Access Conditions
handball court; play area; 4
racquetball courts; and 2 barbecues; parking lot; 5 picnic tables
Spyglass Hill Park Mini park: passive recreation facility
with 2 picnic tables and play area
1.31 Yes Street parking only
Spyglass Hill Reservoir Park Mini park: passive recreation facility
with a picnic table and play area
0.96 Yes Street parking
only; adequate tree
coverage;
maintained grass
landscaping
School Recreation Sites
Andersen Elementary School Active facilities including basketball courts; volleyball nets; and athletic
field.
1.68 — —
Harbor View
Elementary School
Capacity for field sports 3.0 — —
Lincoln Elementary School Capacity for field sports 1.3 — —
Service Area Subtotal 108.82 — —
Service Area 12: Newport Coast
Canyon Watch Park View park: passive recreation facility
with trails and view of ocean
3.67 No Small parking;
maintained grass
landscaping; no
electricity; part of
the Buck Gully
Canyon
Coastal Peak Park Neighborhood park: active facilities
including an athletic field, ball
diamond, basketball court, play
area, and barbecue
11.16 Yes Parking lot
capacity for
39 vehicles; picnic
area capacity for
35 people;
maintained grass
landscaping
Harbor Watch Park View park: passive recreation facility
with trails and view of harbor and
ocean
1.53 No Street parking
only; no electricity;
part of the Buck
Gully Canyon
Los Trancos Canyon View
Park (Lower)
View park: passive recreation facility
with a picnic table and view of
ocean
4.06 No Parking lot
capacity for
30 vehicles.
Los Trancos Canyon View
Park (Middle)
View park: limited to passive
recreation
1.15 No Limited street
parking off
Newport Coast
Drive
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Table 2. Existing Public Parks and Recreational Facilities
Park/Recreational
Facility Park Type and Facilities Acres
ADA
Access Conditions
Los Trancos Canyon View
Park (Upper)
View park: limited to passive
recreation
2.62 No Parking available
on Lower Los
Trancos Canyon View Park
Newport Coast
Community Center
Community center: basketball court,
community room, gymnasium,
restrooms, and 2 volleyball courts
0.96 — Parking lot with
122 spaces
Service Area Subtotal 25.15 — —
Open Space and Preserves
Upper Newport Bay
Regional Park/Upper
Newport Bay Preserve
Nature preserve, passive recreation
on a nature preserves; offers
walking and biking trails, learning
center
140.56 — Managed by the
County; separate
parking lot for
trails and learning center; located
within several
service areas
including:
Santa Ana Heights,
Newport
Heights/Upper
Bay, and Eastbluff/
Newport North
Upper Newport Bay
Ecological Reserve
Wildlife viewing, fishing, hiking,
kayaking, canoeing, birdwatching,
tidepool viewing, biking (acreage
included from the State description)
752 — Managed by the
CAFW; located
within several
service areas
including:
Santa Ana Heights,
Newport Heights/Upper
Bay, and Eastbluff/
Newport North
Newport Dunes
Aquatic Park
Kayaking, canoeing rentals and-up
paddleboards, pedal boats, and Duffy boats
66.6 — Private managed
on County-owned land; located
within the Newport
Center Service
Area
Upper Buck Gully/Buck Gully Reserve Nature reserve with walking trails 296.56 — Small parking lot associated with
Canyon Watch
Park; located
within the Harbor
View/Newport
Coast Service
Areas
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Table 2. Existing Public Parks and Recreational Facilities
Park/Recreational
Facility Park Type and Facilities Acres
ADA
Access Conditions
Laguna Coast
Wilderness Park
Coastal Canyon offering more than
40 miles of trails through oak and
sycamore woodlands; over 7,000 acres (approx. 982 falls
within the City)
982 — Managed and
owned by the
County; located within the Newport
Coast Service Area
Crystal Cove State Park &
Marine Conservation Area
Backcountry and beach recreation
including mountain biking and
hiking trails, offshore underwater activities such as scuba and skin
divers and 3.2 miles of beach
access (State Park encompasses
2,400 acres of backcountry
wilderness and 240 acres of
Marine Conservation area that fall
within the City boundary)
240 — State owned and
managed; while a
portion of the Marine
Conservation Area
falls within City
boundary, it is not
within a service
area; abuts
Newport Coast and
Corona del Mar
Service Areas
Subtotal 2,477.72 — —
Subtotals per Park/Facility Type
Parks 308.56 — —
Beach Recreation 250.53 — —
Schools (Under Joint Use Agreements) 66.1 — —
Other Recreation Areas 2,477.72 — —
Total Parks and Recreational Facilities 3,102.91 — —
Source: City of Newport Beach.10 Notes: ADA = Americans with Disabilities Act. Open space and school acreages are not included in calculation of the population-to-parkland acreage needs. Refer to Table 5, Park
Acreage Needs, for a summary of park acreage calculated to meet the parkland dedication.
10 City of Newport Beach, 2023, Parks and Service Area GIS data, accessed from https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/city-manager-s-office/information-technology-city-division/gis-mapping/data-catalog. City of Newport Beach, 2023, Parks and Facilities Dashboard, Urban Footprint Parks and Open Space GIS data, accessed from
https://nbgis.newportbeachca.gov/gispub/Dashboards/RecreationFacilitiesDash.htm.
APRIL 2024 24
Figure 2. Parks and Open Space in Newport Beach
Parks and Recreational Facilities
The City has approximately 308 acres of parks and recreational facilities. Parks in Newport Beach range in size
from the 0.01-acre Rhine Wharf View Park to the 39.1-acre Big Canyon View Park and contain a variety of
recreational facilities offering opportunities for active and passive recreation, including walking trails, benches,
picnic tables, and barbeques. Recreational facilities in parks available for active recreation and organized sports
include soccer fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, volleyball courts, and basketball courts, as well as biking
trails and play areas for children. Other recreational resources in Newport Beach include seven community centers,
several multipurpose recreation centers, two gymnasium facilities, and a senior center.
Beach and Coastal Recreation Facilities
The City has approximately 250 acres of public beach recreation area, offering numerous opportunities for passive
and active beach and coastal recreation. There are more than 8 miles of sandy beaches in Newport Beach that
provide public facilities and opportunities for sunbathing, volleyball, swimming, surfing, windsurfing, and other
recreational activities. As discussed in Section 4.1.1, Park Types, public beaches include sandy beach areas
adjacent to the bay or ocean and may include active sports, snack bars, showers, drinking fountains, restrooms,
walkways, docks, benches, shade trees, and parking areas. Additionally, the City has two piers that provide coastal
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / RECREATION EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
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recreation opportunities, the 800-foot-long Newport Pier located at the end of Newport Boulevard (McFadden Place)
in McFadden Square and the 950-foot-long Balboa Pier located at the end of Main Street in Balboa Village.
In addition to the public beach recreation areas included in Table 2, a wide variety of other marine recreational
activities are available in Newport Bay and Harbor, including 13 City-owned public docks, which can be used for
boat launching and fishing, and substantial private recreational and boating facilities, such as private residential
piers, commercial slips and side ties, and bay moorings. Other recreational activities in the bay and harbor include
boating, diving, excursions, fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, parasailing, rowing, sailing, and windsurfing. Private
bay and harbor facilities are discussed in Section 4.3.
School Facilities with Joint Use Agreements
School facilities also provide indoor and outdoor recreational opportunities in Newport Beach on approximately
66 acres of Newport–Mesa Unified School District land available to the public under joint use agreements. School
facilities are typically open to the public during non-school hours and provide recreational opportunities for youth and
adult residents. Typically, elementary schools provide adjunct recreation opportunities to surrounding neighborhoods,
while junior high and high schools provide adjunct community-wide facilities. Recreational facilities available on school
sites include basketball courts, volleyball nets, gymnasiums, tennis courts, turf areas and athletic fields, and children’s
play areas, as well as a swimming pool and aquatic sporting facilities at Newport Harbor High School and the
Marian Bergeson Aquatic Center at Corona del Mar High School. Additional swimming pool facilities and aquatic
sporting activities are available through private facilities, discussed in Section 4.3. The Newport–Mesa Unified School
District also currently leases “dormant” school sites to the City for recreational purposes.
Other Recreational Facilities
Open spaces and preserves offer outdoor recreational opportunities in Newport Beach on approximately
2,477.72 acres of City, State, and County land. These open spaces and preserved land are open to the public and
provide walking and hiking trails and water and marine activities such as kayaking and scuba diving. Upper Buck
Gully/Buck Gully Reserve is City-owned land preserved as a nature reserve with walking trails. State-owned open space
lands and reserves include Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, which offers wildlife viewing, fishing, hiking,
kayaking, canoeing, birdwatching, tidepool viewing, and biking and is managed by the California Department of Fish
and Wildlife.11 The Crystal Cove State Park and Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area are managed by two
State agencies. Crystal Cove State Park, managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation,
encompasses 2,400 acres of backcountry wilderness,12 and Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area, managed
by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, includes 240 acres and 3.5 miles of beach that fall within the city
boundary.13 Open space and preserves owned by OC Parks include Upper Newport Bay Regional Park, which is a
nature preserve with a learning center and recreational areas.14 The Laguna Coast Wilderness Park is a coastal canyon
over 7,000 acres, 982 acres of which falls within Newport Beach, and forms part of the South Coast Wilderness area,
11 California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2023, “Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve,” web page, accessed at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Upper-Newport-Bay-ER.
12 California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2023, “Crystal Cove Marine Conservation Area,” web page, accessed at https://wildlife.
ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/MPAs/Crystal-Cove.
13 California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2023, “Crystal Cove State Park,” web page, accessed at https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=644.
14 OC Parks, 2023, “Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve,” web page, accessed at https://www.ocparks.com/parks-trails/upper-
newport-bay-nature-preserve.
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which encompasses other parks and open spaces totaling almost 20,000 acres.15 The Newport Dunes Aquatic Park
encompasses 66 acres of private managed aquatic facilities and rentals on County-owned land.16
Summary of Existing Parks and Recreation Facilities by Service Area
No one park type dominates across the 12 service areas. The number of park types within a service area varies
based on the nature of the physical geographic area; for example, a service area with a canyon or bay may have
more view parks than a more urbanized and developed service area. The following list highlights the dominant park
types by service area, excluding open space and schools:
Service Area 1, West Newport: neighborhood parks
Service Area 2, Balboa Peninsula: mini parks and public beaches
Service Area 3, Newport Heights/Upper Bay: view parks
Service Area 4, Santa Ana Heights: no significant trend; 1 neighborhood and 1 mini park
Service Area 5, Lower Bay: no significant trend; 1 mini park
Service Area 6, Balboa Island: no significant trend; 1 neighborhood park
Service Area 7, Eastbluff/Newport North: no significant trend; 1 neighborhood park; 1 community park;
1 view park
Service Area 8, Big Canyon/Belcourt: none
Service Area 9, Newport Center: community park
Service Area 10, Corona del Mar: neighborhood park
Service Area 11, Harbor View: community park
Service Area 12, Newport Coast: view park
Service areas where schools offer a relatively significant acreage to total parkland and recreational facilities include
Balboa Peninsula, Newport Heights/Upper Bay, and Eastbluff/Newport North.
3.8.2 Park and Recreation Access
Parks are a great public amenity, and the ability for residents to access parks without driving provides an outlet for
exercise, reduces traffic and air pollution. Promoting equitable access to parks can improve quality of life for
residents. To further understand park accessibility, a walkability analysis was conducted that connected each parcel
in Newport Beach with the nearest park entrance using the roadway network. This provided the length of time it
would take to walk to the nearest public park for each parcel, assuming sidewalks are adequate and the person is
moving at a speed of 3 mph. This type of analysis provides a more accurate portrayal of walk times than an analysis
that looks at walkability based on how the crow flies, using a mileage buffer around parks to understand how close
residents are to the park.
Table 3 identifies the percentage of the population and residential land within walking distance of a City park based
on five different time brackets. As you can see, many residents are able to walk to a park in under 10 minutes and
15 OC Parks, 2023, “Laguna Coast Wilderness Park,” web page, accessed at https://www.ocparks.com/lagunacoast.
16 Visit Newport Beach, 2023, “Back Bay: Newport Dunes Water Park,” web page, accessed at https://www.visitnewportbeach.com/
activities-and-attractions/newport-dunes-water-park/.
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almost 50% of residential land in Newport Beach is within a 10-minute walk to a park. While about 30% of
residential land in Newport Beach is 15 minutes’ walking distance or more from a park, less than 15% of residents
live within these areas.
Table 3. City Park Walk Access
Walking Time to a City Park
Percentage of
Population Citywide
Percentage of
Residential Areas
0–5 minutes 36.4% 26.2%
5–10 minutes 29.4% 23.6%
10–15 minutes 19.8% 19.5%
15–30 minutes 11.8% 20.9%
30+ minutes 2.6% 9.8%
Source: Urban Footprint Parcel data; Newport Beach Parks data.17
Figure 3, City Pedestrian Access, depicts park access across Newport Beach and Figure 4, Residential Pedestrian
Access, highlights park access from residential areas of Newport Beach. It should be noted that these figures are
not a perfect representation of park access, because private parks, schools with open recreation access, or parks
outside the city limits may provide additional access for some Newport Beach residents, and some land uses such
as open space, preserves, golf courses, or beaches may not count as a park for this assessment but can provide
overlapping benefits for residents.
The most pronounced pocket of reduced access is in the southeastern portion of Newport Beach; however, as
previously noted, this area is an example of access to parks that fall outside the city limits because it abuts
Crystal Cove State Park. There are other pockets throughout Newport Beach with less park access, generally falling
within the Newport Coast Service Area and in the Newport Heights/Upper Bay Service Area because those locations
include large swaths of conserved land and open space that may not be directly accessed by surrounding residents
and access points may fall within a farther walking distance. Overall, residents have very good city park access
within Newport Beach and as noted in Table 3, most of the residential land in Newport Beach is within 10 minutes’
walk of a park, as illustrated by Figure 4, and where park access is more limited according to the walkability analysis
there are generally nearby proxies that offer similar amenities to a park.
17 GreenInfo Network, 2021, “Urban Footprint Parks and Open Space,” California Protected Areas Database, GIS data, accessed at https://www.calands.org/cpad/. City of Newport Beach, 2023, Parks and Service Area GIS data, accessed at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/
government/departments/city-manager-s-office/information-technology-city-division/gis-mapping/data-catalog.
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Figure 3. City Pedestrian Park Access
Source: Dudek, Urban Foorprint Walkability based on Newport Beach Parks GIS data.
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Figure 4. Residential Pedestrian Park Access
Source: Dudek, Urban Foorprint Walkability based on Newport Beach Parks GIS data.
While access to nearby parks without driving has multiple benefits, consideration of parking availability is also an
important factor in analyzing accessibility to parks, given that some parks are intended to serve a larger population
(see Section 4.1.1), including tourists, who are likely not within walking distance. Parking availability is also
necessary to ensure equitable access for residents of Newport Beach who may want to visit park types that are not
within walking distance; for example, residents who live in a more urbanized service area and may want to access
a hiking trail at a view park.
This analysis considers parking adequacy for park types that are meant to serve a larger population or that are
specific to a geographic area; the specific criteria considered include community parks, neighborhood parks with
community facilities or access to trails, public beaches, and view parks with access to trails. Based on a review of
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Table 2 and the criteria described, most parks in Newport Beach have adequate parking access except for four
parks, three of which—Balboa Island Park, Harbor View Nature Park, and Harbor Watch Park—are limited to street
parking and one of which—Canyon Watch Park—has a small parking lot.
3.8.3 Recreation and Community Services
Programming at parks, community facilities, and schools offered within a city encourage a diversification of park
users; activate public spaces; and increase benefits, such as social interactions and other health benefits, for
residents. This section summarizes programming and services related to recreational activities by service groups,
including youth, seniors, and the general population based on the City’s Recreation and Senior Services Department
website.18 For more details related to other educational and arts and cultural programming, refer to the Arts and
Cultural Existing Conditions and Background Analysis.
The City’s Recreation and Senior Services Department provides a wide variety and substantial number of services
and programming to engage all residents both year-round and seasonally. The majority of the department’s
programming targets youth and senior populations, offering opportunities for recreational activities; educational
programming, such as music classes; and services such as tax assistance and transportation for the senior
population. However, there are also several programs available for all age groups. Programming and events are
also published seasonally through the Newport Navigator. The Newport Navigator also provides information on
programming offered outside of those listed by the City’s Recreation and Senior Services Department, such as
guided hikes and restoration efforts led by Irvine Ranch Conservancy.
Youth Centered Programming
After Class Enrichment. After Class Enrichment is a series of programs designed to enhance school curriculum by
providing instruction of recreational activities after school dismissal. This program runs during the school year, and
includes three seasons: fall, winter, and spring. After Class Enrichment occurs at elementary schools, including
Harbor View Elementary, Mariners Elementary, Newport Coast Elementary, Newport Heights Elementary,
Newport Elementary, Eastbluff Elementary, and Lincoln Elementary.19 The types of recreation programming vary by
school and include activities such as skating, volleyball, and tennis.
Aquatics and Water Sports. Summer swim lessons are offered at Newport Harbor High School and
Marian Bergeson Aquatic Center at Corona del Mar High School. This includes offerings for all ages, including
several levels for youth, preschool, and “parent and me” classes, as well as private lessons. There are also surf
lessons, stand-up paddleboard and kayak rentals, and sailing. Surf lessons are held at 28th Street, and all other
offerings are at the Marina Park Sailing and Boating Center (Balboa Peninsula Service Area). 20
Camps. There are seasonal camps offered for youth covering several different topics, including art and theater,
beach and bay, general day camp, special interests, sports and fitness, and STEM (science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics). There are also camps offered for preschoolers. Camps are held at the Newport Coast Community
18 City of Newport Beach, 2023, “Recreation and Senior Services Department,” web page accessed at https://www.newportbeachca.
gov/government/departments/recreation-senior-services.
19 City of Newport Beach, 2023, “After Class Enrichment,” web page, accessed at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/recreation-senior-services/ace.
20 City of Newport Beach, 2023, “Classes,” web page, accessed at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/
recreation-senior-services/classes.
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / RECREATION EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
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Center (Newport Coast Service Area), Community Youth Center (Harbor View Service Area), Corona del Mar State
Beach (Corona del Mar Service Area), and Marina Park Community Center (Balboa Peninsula Service Area).21
Senior Centered Programming
Senior Services/OASIS Senior Center. The City’s OASIS Senior Center offers many educational and recreational
classes, special events, and a variety of social services. Social services include health screenings, legal/tax
assistance, scam prevention, home assistance repair programs, and support groups. There is a fitness center
available with membership for people 50 and older. A transportation program is also available within
Newport Beach for people 60 and older who are no longer able to drive. Furthermore, a weekday lunch program is
provided at the OASIS Senior Center.22
General Population Programming
Classes. Each season there is a new slate of classes offered by City instructors. Classes are offered depending on
age levels and include preschool, youth and teens, adults, and older adults. The classes cover topics including arts
and theatre, dance, enrichment, gymnastics, health and fitness, and sports. Depending on the age group there are
also other offerings: youth and teens also have music classes; adults have dog training classes; and older adults
have foreign language, games, and technology classes.23
Classes for older adults all occur at the OASIS Senior Center, while the other age group classes have varied locations
depending on the particular class, including the Newport Coast Community Center (Newport Coast Service Area),
Marina Park Community Center (Balboa Peninsula Service Area), Community Youth Center (Harbor View Service
Area), Corona Del Mar State Beach (Corona del Mar Service Area), Newport Beach Golf Course, Cliff Drive Park and
Community Center (Newport Heights/Upper Bay Service Area), Westcliff Park (Newport Heights/Upper Bay Service
Area), Newport Elementary School, Lisa Albert Art Studio, Portal Languages School Costa Mesa, Odyssey Dance
Academy, and online.
Facility Rentals. The City picnic and grass areas within Newport Beach parks, as well as classrooms and banquet
facilities in various community centers, may be reserved. In addition, the City allows weddings at the beach on a
first-come, first-served basis with restrictions and also allows weddings at parks with reservations, certain
restrictions, and potentially a Special Event Permit.24
Youth and Adult Sports. The City offers several sports leagues for youth, adults, and participants with special needs.
For adults the sports include basketball, kickball, soccer, softball, volleyball, sand sports, pickleball, and tennis. For
youth, there is track and field, flag football, and specific classes like sailing, basketball, volleyball, cheer, tennis,
and more. For people with special needs, the City partners with Friendship Circle OC, which runs Basketball Buddies
and Soccer Stars. Locations for each sport vary depending on the facilities needed, and are provided in Table 4.
21 City of Newport Beach, 2023, “Classes,” web page, accessed at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/recreation-senior-services/classes.
22 City of Newport Beach, 2023, “OASIS Senior Center,” web page, accessed at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/
departments/recreation-senior-services/senior-services-oasis-senior-center.
23 City of Newport Beach, 2023, “Classes,” web page, accessed at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/recreation-senior-services/classes.
24 City of Newport Beach, 2023, “Facility Rentals,” web page, accessed at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/
departments/recreation-senior-services/facility-rentals.
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Table 4. Sport Offerings, Facilities, and Locations
Sport Offered Locations Service Areas
Basketball Eastbluff Boys and Girls Club,
Newport Coast Community Center,
West Newport Community Center
Eastbluff/Newport North,
Newport Coast, West Newport
Basketball Buddies (via Friendship Circle OC) Newport Coast Community Center —
Pickleball Indoor at the Newport Coast
Community Center, or Outdoor at
Bonita Canyon Sports Park
Newport Coast, Harbor View
Sand Flag Football Sand north of Balboa Pier Balboa Peninsula
Soccer Arroyo Park, Bonita Creek Park,
Grant Howald Park, Lincoln Park
Eastbluff/Newport North,
Harbor View (3×)
Soccer Stars (via Friendship
Circle OC)
Buffalo Hills Park Harbor View
Softball Arroyo Park, Bonita Creek Park Harbor View, Eastbluff/
Newport North
Tennis Bonita Canyon Sports Park, Grant
Howald Park, Irvine Terrace Park,
Mariners Park, San Joaquin Hills
Park, West Newport Park
Harbor View (2×),
Eastbluff/Newport North,
Newport Heights/Upper Bay,
West Newport
Volleyball Sand north of Balboa Pier Balboa Peninsula
Youth Track and Field Davidson Field at Newport Harbor
High School
—
Youth Flag Football Bonita Creek Park Eastbluff/Newport North
Source: City of Newport Beach.25
3.8.4 Summary Park Conditions
Newport Beach exceeds the State and City local parkland-to-population need based on a population total of
88,650 persons for the year 2045, as shown in Table 5, distributed by service area based on current population
percentages. The parkland excess of 115.84 acres considers the City’s current parkland dedication requirement of
5 acres per 1,000 persons, which is beyond the State requirement of 3 acres per 1,000 persons. Newport Beach
has an abundance of recreational opportunities, as shown by the totals identified below, which do not consider
other recreational opportunities such as school facilities, open space and preserves, and private parks and
facilities. Although eight of the service areas indicate a deficit in parkland acreage needs, the data does not reflect
the physical constraints based on the nature of the land the service areas cover. For example, the Lower Bay Service
Area has a significant deficit, with only 0.5 acres of parkland; however, land to expand parks is limited because it
is a built-out island surrounded by the harbor, with many boating and other private recreational facilities, and is
within close proximity to other service areas with a greater number of parks and recreational facilities. As noted in
Section 4.2.2, Park and Recreation Access, most parks serving the larger population have adequate parking access
and most residential areas are within walking distance of parks.
25 City of Newport Beach, 2023, “Recreation and Senior Services Department,” web page accessed at https://www.newportbeachca.
gov/government/departments/recreation-senior-services.
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Table 5. Parkland Acreage Needs
Service Area
Park Acres
Needed:
2045
Existing Parkland Acreage: 2023
Deficit (−) or
Excess (+)
Acreage Park Beach
Combined
Park and
Beach
1. West Newport 64.6 11.53 58.9 70.43 5.85
2. Balboa Peninsula 20.5 16.25 163.26 179.51 159.05
3. Newport Heights/
Upper Bay
69.6 45.43 11.25 56.68 -12.90
4. Santa Ana Heights 9.0 3.67 — 3.67 -5.34
5. Lower Bay 17.0 0.05 — 0.05 -16.96
6. Balboa Island 13.4 0.28 — 0.28 -13.11
7. Eastbluff/
Newport North
36.4 67.06 — 67.06 30.65
8. Big Canyon Belcourt 17.9 — — — -17.85
9. Newport Center 26.1 20.08 — 20.08 -6.06
10. Corona del Mar 42.2 16.22 17.12 33.34 -8.89
11. Harbor View 67.1 102.84 — 102.84 35.77
12. Newport Coast 59.5 25.15 — 25.15 -34.36
Total 443.25 308.56 250.53 559.09 +115.84
Source: Urban Footprint and Newport Beach Parks data26; Proforma Advisors population estimates (Appendix A).
3.9 Private Parks and Recreational Facilities
There are several private facilities within the city limits, as detailed in Table 6. These facilities are important
because, while they do not contribute to the City’s public parkland inventory, they generally offer additional services
to the public for a fee. For example, while Table 2 identifies that are no public parks in the Big Canyon/Belcourt
Service Area, the service area is the location of a country club. Table 6 lists a variety of recreational facilities
available in Newport Beach, including yacht clubs, golf courses, and country clubs. While some of these facilities
are for members only, others are open to the public for general use of amenities or for specific City-sponsored or
City-organized events that may not be possible in other facilities owned by the City. One notable example of this is
the Newport Aquatic Center, which has certain aquatic activities available to the public.
The Newport Coast Service Area has several private parks that function as semi-public parks open to the public.
The greatest number of private clubs and recreation facilities open to the public are available for youth and
family-oriented clubs such as gyms, community rooms, and active sports fields.
26 City of Newport Beach, 2023, Parks and Facilities Dashboard, Urban Footprint Parks and Open Space GIS data, accessed from https://nbgis.newportbeachca.gov/gispub/Dashboards/RecreationFacilitiesDash.htm. City of Newport Beach, 2023, Parks and Service Area GIS data, accessed from https://www.newportbeachca.gov/
government/departments/city-manager-s-office/information-technology-city-division/gis-mapping/data-catalog.
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Table 6. Private Parks by Facility Type
Name Description
Open to
Public? Service Area
Private Parks within Annexed Area
Crestridge Park Passive Neighborhood Park: Ornamental
landscaping, tot lot, walkway connection to Crestridge Road and Newport Coast Drive West
Yes Newport Coast
Newport Coast
Local Park
Active Neighborhood Park: softball fields,
soccer field, tot lot, basketball court, volleyball
court, jogging trail, pavilions, drinking
fountains, restroom, adjacent to Newport Coast Community Center
Yes Newport Coast
Newport Ridge
Community Park
Community Park: athletic fields, basketball
courts, sand volleyball court, tot lot, pavilions,
entry court, gazebo, picnic area, restrooms,
parking lot
Yes Newport Coast
Private Recreation Facilities – Yacht Clubs
Bahia Corinthian Y/C Marina, sailing docks, moorage, boat launch, clubhouse Corona Del Mar
Balboa Y/C Sailing lessons, sailing docks, moorage, boat launch, clubhouse
Balboa Bay Club Volleyball, gym, swimming pool, scuba lessons, sailing docks,
moorage, clubhouse, showers, beach area
Newport Heights/
Upper Bay
Lido Isle Y/C Sailing docks, moorage, launching, clubhouse Lower Bay
Newport Beach Y/C Sailing docks, clubhouse, showers
South Shore Y/C Races, parent/child class, volleyball, sailing docks, boat launch,
clubhouse, showers
Newport Harbor Y/C Sailing lessons, sailing docks, moorage, boat launch,
clubhouse, showers, beach area
Balboa Peninsula
American Legion Y/C Boating, sailing, racing, diving, snorkeling
Voyagers Rentals Electric boat rentals Balboa Island
Private Recreation Facilities – Golf Courses & Country Clubs
Big Canyon Country Club 18-hole course, par 72, 6919 yards — Big Canyon/
Belcourt
Back Bay Golf Course (at
Hyatt Newporter)
9-hole executive course, par 27, 645 yards Yes Newport Center
Newport Beach Country
Club
18-hole course, par 71, 6601 yards —
Pelican Hill Golf Course Two 18-hole courses, par 70 and 71,
6580 yards and 6945 yards
Yes Newport Coast
Newport Beach Golf
Course
18-hole course, par 59, 3180 yards Yes Santa Ana
Heights
Tennis Clubs
Peninsula Point
Racquet Club
2 tennis courts — Balboa Peninsula
Newport Beach
Tennis Club
19 tennis courts, 1 junior Olympic-size pool — Eastbluff/
Newport North
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Table 6. Private Parks by Facility Type
Name Description
Open to
Public? Service Area
Palisades Tennis Club 16 tennis courts — Newport Center
The Tennis Club at
Newport Beach
15 tennis courts, 31 pickleball courts —
Youth, Family, and Other Clubs
American Legion Hall (at
Veterans Memorial Park)
Clubhouse/activity center with multipurpose
room (leased from City)
— Balboa Peninsula
Argyros Girl Scout
Leadership Center (at Marina Park)
Clubhouse/activity center with two large multi-
purpose program areas, kitchen, bathroom, shower, and s’mores patio/outdoor area
(leased from City)
Yes
Boys & Girls Club (at
Eastbluff Park)
Gym, activity center, community room, and
classrooms (leased from City)
Yes Eastbluff/
Newport North
Newport Harbor Lawn
Bowling Club
Clubhouse and greens — Harbor View
Balboa Bay Club 1 tennis court, 1 racquetball court, 1 gym,
1 25-meter lap pool, 1 20-yard children’s pool,
1 exercise room, sailing docks, moorage,
clubhouse
— Newport Heights/
Upper Bay
Orange Coast College School of Sailing and
Seamanship
Hand-carried boat launching; crew rowing; restrooms Yes
Newport Scout Sea Base Multipurpose rooms, Aquatic Camp and
Summer day camp, classes in sailing,
canoeing, rowing, kayaking, science and skills, etc.
Yes
Newport Aquatic Center
(at North Star Beach)
Classrooms, weight room, locker rooms,
hand-carried boat launching, outrigger
canoeing (leased from City)
Yes
Newport–Mesa Family
YMCA
Weight and cardio equipment, outdoor soccer
field, playground, multipurpose courts,
multipurpose rooms, 1 25-yard pool, 1 15-yard
children’s pool
Yes Santa Ana
Heights
Source: Dudek—facilities captured through a Google search of private clubs, facilities, and parks that are within the city’s boundary. Note: Y/C = Yacht Club.
3.10 Planned Park and Recreation Improvements
Planned improvements include improvements to active and passive open space areas, facilities upgrades, and park
expansions. Table 7 lists these improvements by service area and provides summaries of the project descriptions.
The service areas with the most significant improvements include Newport Coast, Balboa Peninsula, and
West Newport, because these service areas’ planned improvements are adding new recreational space and
facilities. This includes the development of pickleball courts at Newport Ridge Park; development of a new
Junior Lifeguard Building at the Newport Beach Junior Guard Building; and construction of a new pedestrian/bicycle
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / RECREATION EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
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bridge across Superior Avenue, landscaping, and infrastructure improvements to increase access to Sunset Ridge
Park, including a new 129-space parking lot. Other planned improvements included in Table 7 include maintenance,
replacement, and upgrades of existing facilities and recreational spaces.
Table 7. Planned Improvements by Service Area
Service Area
Park or
Facility Project Name Project Description
Eastbluff/Newport
North
Bonita Creek
Park
Bonita Creek
Community
Center Improvements
This rehabilitation project consists of improvements to
the interior and exterior of the community center
including LED lighting, automated entry door, new flooring, upgraded restrooms and new paint throughout.
Construction projected to start in Winter 2023.
Harbor View Arroyo Park Arroyo Park
Synthetic
Athletic Field
The proposed project will replace the natural grass
soccer field and softball infield with synthetic turf
and retrofit the existing lighting fixtures to energy efficient LED. The synthetic turf footprint will have
designated lines for a 195- × 330-foot soccer field
and a terracotta-colored infield to accommodate
60-foot softball/baseball basepaths. Construction
timeline TBD.
OASIS Senior
Center
LED Lighting
Improvements
Upgrade to interior and exterior LED lighting
throughout the facility. Installation timeline TBD.
Newport Coast Newport Ridge
Park
Newport Ridge
Pickleball Courts
This project consists of the development of
8 pickleball courts: 6 courts maintained and
operated for public use and 2 courts with dedicated use for Newport Ridge Community Association
members. Courts will be designed to USA Pickleball
Association specifications and the site will be
furnished with shaded viewing areas, benches,
trash cans, a bike rack, and a bottle filling station.
The existing Newport Coast Community Center
parking lot (120 spots) and restrooms will be
utilized to support public use of the site.
Construction anticipated to start fall 2023.
Balboa Peninsula Peninsula Park Newport Beach
Junior Guard
Building
This project consists of the development of a new
Junior Lifeguard Building to support the 7-week
program operating annually from late June to early
August. With the continued growth of the
Junior Lifeguard program, the new facility resolves
existing program shortfalls by adding adequate
administrative and event space, expanded storage, a utilities space and running water, a secure
restroom area, and a proper locker room for
Junior Lifeguard staff. The 5,145 square feet of
usable interior space includes a 1,135-square-foot
meeting room and a 1,350-square-foot deck area.
The facility will also be available in non-summer
months for recreational programming, facility
rentals, and a community meeting space.
Construction to be complete summer 2023.
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Table 7. Planned Improvements by Service Area
Service Area
Park or
Facility Project Name Project Description
Peninsula Park Playground
Replacement
Removal of existing playground equipment and
replacement with new lifeguard-themed structure,
swings, ground elements, and rubber surfacing. Construction projected to start fall 2023.
Newport
Elementary
School
Playground
Replacement
(Proposed)
Newport–Mesa Unified School District has proposed
removal of existing playground equipment and
replacement with a new shaded structure, swings,
ground elements, and rubber surfacing. A permit application for development on this site is pending
before the California Coastal Commission.
West Newport Sunset Ridge &
Lower Sunset
View Park
Superior Avenue
Pedestrian
Bridge
This project involves constructing a new
pedestrian/bicycle bridge across Superior Avenue, a
new 129-space parking lot, retaining walls, earthwork and grading, storm drain, electrical,
landscape, and irrigation improvements. The
primary goals of this project are to improve
pedestrian and bicyclist safety, improve access to
Sunset Ridge Park, and increase parking availability.
Source: City of Newport Beach.27
Notes: TBD = to be determined.
3.11 Current and Future Population-Based Park and
Open Space Needs
This section analyzes historical growth trends, current utilization, and projected growth based on demographic trends in
Newport Beach to identify current and future population-based park needs from the market perspective. While assessing
parkland needs through a parkland-to-population ratio is helpful in determining acreage of parks needed to serve the
population citywide, analyzing needs based on the demographic trends such as age cohorts and household formations
provides a holistic approach to understanding whether existing park types, recreational facilities, and programming are
meeting the needs of the current and projected demographic makeup of the community.
3.11.1 Demographics Overview
Newport Beach has experienced low growth, with a current population of 83,411, only increasing by approximately
2%, a total of 1,700 people (or less than 100 people) per year, since 2005 (Appendix A). Table 8 provides total
population by service area based on 2020 census data.
27 City of Newport Beach, 2023, “Parks and Recreation Related Projects,” web page, accessed November 8, 2023, at https://nbgis.
newportbeachca.gov/gispub/Dashboards/RecreationProjectsDash.htm.
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Table 8. Newport Beach Population by Service Area
Service Area
Total Population (Year) Population Change
(2010 to 2020) 2010 2020
West Newport 12,914 12,411 −3.9%
Balboa Peninsula 4,361 3,933 −9.8%
Newport Heights/Upper Bay 13,729 13,372 −2.6%
Santa Ana Heights 1,483 1,732 16.8%
Lower Bay 3,091 3,269 5.8%
Balboa Island 2,848 2,573 −9.7%
Eastbluff/Newport North 6,870 6,998 1.9%
Big Canyon/Belcourt 3,552 3,431 −3.4%
Newport Center 3,390 5,024 48.2%
Corona del Mar 8,554 8,116 −5.1%
Harbor View 13,173 12,890 −2.1%
Newport Coast 11,220 11,437 1.9%
Total 85,185 85,186 —
Source: Proforma Advisors data (Appendix A).
Age characteristics comparison of Newport Beach from 2010 to 2020 indicate the population is aging; see Table 9.
The most prominent age cohort is 55 to 64 years and the largest numeric growth from 2010 to 2020 occurred in
the 65- to 74-year age range. Based on the latest 2020 census data, approximately 40% of the population in
Newport Beach is 55 years or older. Conversely, age groups younger than 54 years experienced a population decline
from 2010 to 2020; the greatest decline occurred in the 45- to 54-year age cohort, as shown in Table 9.
Table 9. Newport Beach Population Age
Age Cohort 2010 2020
Population Change
(2010 to 2020)
0–4 4% 4% −197
5–9 5% 4% −712
10–14 5% 5% −125
15–24 11% 11% −162
25–34 14% 13% −808
35–44 13% 11% −1,494
45–54 16% 14% −1,895
55–64 14% 15% 1,087
65–74 10% 13% 2,294
75–84 6% 8% 1,574
85+ 3% 4% 558
Source: Proforma Advisors data (Appendix A).
Newport Beach has historically consisted of households with fewer children. In 2020, households with children
made up about 19% of the total households, a 2% decrease from 2010, which is reflected in the average household
size of 2.21 people in 2020. The household formation type with the most children is married couple households;
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / RECREATION EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
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however, only 14% of married couple households have children, which is low considering this household formation
makes up 45% of total households (see Table 10). The next most common household formation type after married
couple households, female households with no spouse or partner, makes up 28% of total households, with most of
these living alone.
Table 10. Household Formation
Household Formation Type Number Percent
Married Couple
With children 5,525 14%
Without children 11,847 31%
Subtotal 17,372 45%
Cohabiting Couple
With children 270 1%
Without children 2,041 5%
Subtotal 2,311 6%
Male Householder, No Spouse/Partner
Living alone 5,504 14%
With children 515 1%
Without children 818 2%
No relatives present 1,184 3%
Subtotal 8,021 21%
Female Householder, No Spouse/Partner
Living alone 7,101 19%
With children 1,052 3%
Without children 1,161 4%
No relatives present 929 2%
Subtotal 10,698 28%
Total Households 38,402 —
Source: Proforma Advisors data (Appendix A).
3.11.2 Current Utilization
Annual Comprehensive Financial Report fiscal year (FY) 2005 through FY 2022 indicates that residents’
participation in co-sponsored youth organizations and senior transportation services are not reflective of the
population increases and decreases of the age groups they serve. The utilization trends for participation in youth
organizations have been rising even as the total number of people in the youth age cohort has declined; see
Appendix A, Newport Beach General Plan Update Recreation Element Economic Support. The trend suggests either
that there has historically been more demand than could be offered or that youth organization demand has
increased at a higher rate than population growth.
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / RECREATION EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
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Senior transportation services through OASIS Senior Center, which offers affordable rideshare transportation for
Newport Beach seniors over the age of 60 who are not able to drive, has also experienced a decline in services
even though the aging population is increasing. The largest visible dip in both per capita and absolute participation
numbers was in 2020 and 2021, with a slight increase in 2022; see Exhibit A, Senior Transportation Services
Participation. The data suggests the decline may be occurring for other reasons, such as the population over 60 still
being able to drive, decreased availability of shuttles, increased use of rideshare services, or other factors such as
an increase of online services during the COVID-19 pandemic, including virtual doctor’s appointments and grocery
delivery services.
Exhibit A. Senior Transportation Services Participation. Annual Comprehensive Financial Report from fiscal year
2005 to 2022 information on senior transportation services participation in absolute terms and on a per capita basis.
Source: Proforma Advisors data (Appendix A).
Table 11 provides the percentage of service area population by age cohort. The “Empty Nester” age cohort, ages
55 to 74, makes up the largest portion of the population in many service areas. However, in the Santa Ana Service
Area, there is an equal percentage of “Children and Young Adults,” under 24. In the Newport Heights/Upper Bay,
Eastbluff/Newport North, and Harbor View Service Areas, Children and Young Adults make up much of the
population, followed by the Empty Nesters and “Family Formation,” ages 35–54, as these age cohorts typically have
children or young adults living at home.
0.11
-
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
0.14
0.16
0.18
0.20
-
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000
Pa
r
t
i
c
i
p
a
t
i
o
n
p
e
r
C
a
p
i
t
a
Pa
r
t
i
c
i
p
a
t
i
o
n
Senior Transportation Services Per Capita Participation
Linear (Per Capita Participation)
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / RECREATION EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
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Table 11. Age Cohort by Service Area
Service Area
Name
Percentage of Service Area Population by Age Cohort (2020)
Children &
Young Adults
Under 24
Young
Workers
25–34
Family
Formation
35–54
Empty
Nesters
55–74
Seniors
75+
West Newport 23.0% 25.5% 22.1% 9.6% 23.0%
Balboa Peninsula 19.7% 17.9% 21.7% 28.6% 12.1%
Newport Heights/
Upper Bay
28.7% 13.2% 25.1% 24.6% 8.3%
Santa Ana Heights 25.9% 14.7% 24.8% 25.9% 8.7%
Lower Bay 15.6% 9.2% 19.2% 36.9% 19.1%
Balboa Island 15.3% 9.9% 16.6% 36.7% 21.5%
Eastbluff/Newport North 26.6% 12.1% 24.8% 25.3% 11.2%
Big Canyon/Belcourt 22.5% 5.5% 18.8% 33.7% 19.4%
Newport Center 13.8% 17.4% 27.1% 27.7% 14.0%
Corona del Mar 18.3% 10.7% 24.7% 33.5% 12.8%
Harbor View 27.5% 7.9% 24.0% 26.6% 14.0%
Newport Coast 28.7% 7.1% 26.0% 30.5% 7.7%
Source: Proforma Advisors data (Appendix A).
Most service areas meet the recreational needs of the existing population, offering a balance of passive recreation
with ADA accessibility and youth and adult sports facilities and play areas. However, there are three service areas
where there is a gap between the existing makeup of the community and the types of recreational facilities and the
age groups they serve. In Newport Heights/Upper Bay, which is the most populated service area based on Table 8,
the Children and Young Adults, Young Workers, and Family Formation age cohort make up about 63% of the service
area’s population but there is only one community park and one neighborhood park that include amenities that are
typically utilized by those age groups, such as sports fields and tennis courts, play areas, and gymnasiums. The
remaining recreational facilities include the view parks, public beach, and school park types. Newport Coast also
experiences a recreational gap because it has a large percentage of the Children and Young Adults age cohort
compared to other service areas and within its service area; however, there is only one facility with a play area and
active recreational amenities. Lastly, Balboa Island has the second-highest percentage of seniors compared to
other service areas, but there is only one park with active recreational facilities and a small community center.
According to Section 4.4, Planned Park and Recreation Improvements, Newport Coast includes planned
improvements to increase recreational opportunities but there are no planned improvements for the
Newport Heights/Upper Bay and Balboa Island Service Areas.
3.11.3 Needs Assessment
The projected population growth from the Southern California Associated Government’s (SCAG) 2020 RTP/SCS growth
forecast projects that Newport Beach’s population is estimated to reach 92,00028 by 2045. However, the growth
forecast was developed prior to the pandemic in 2020 which does not capture population impacts that have slowed
28 SCAG, Connect SoCal Technical Report, 2020. Accessed from: https://scag.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-
attachments/0903fconnectsocal_demographics-and-growth-forecast.pdf?1606001579
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / RECREATION EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
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APRIL 2024 42
down population growth throughout California (see Appendix A for additional information). Applying SCAG’s projection
methodology to current population estimates from the Department of Finance, shows that the 2045 population in
Newport Beach will likely to be closer to 88,650 people. The population of Newport Beach will grow about 4% from
2020 to 2045, based on the adjusted population total which is slightly higher than the County’s estimated growth of
about 3% (see Appendix A for County comparison data). Table 12 shows the 2020 to 2045 population change in total
population and percentage change. All age cohorts under the age of 55 are expected to experience a decrease in
population, with the greatest decline in Children and Young Adults. The Empty Nesters population is projected to
remain static, and the starkest change is projected in the “Seniors” age cohort (75 years and over), which will double
in size over the next 20 years. These estimates suggest that increased demand will occur for recreational activities for
older individuals.
Table 12. Population Projections by Age
Age Cohort 2020 2045 Change Percent Change
Children & Young Adults
under 24
21,377 18,422 −2,955 −14%
Young Workers
25–34
11,698 10,557 −1,141 −10%
Family Formation
35–54
24,131 23,948 −183 −1%
Empty Nesters
55–74
20,210 20,170 −40 0%
Seniors (75+) 7,770 15,553 7,782 100%
Total 85,186 88,650 3,464 4%
Source: Proforma Advisors data (Appendix A).
Based on the age projections in Table 12, all service areas except West Newport will experience a significant
increase in the Seniors age cohort because the Empty Nesters age cohort, which will transition to the Seniors age
cohort over the next 20 years, makes up a high percentage of the existing population. This is a significant
consideration for future planned improvements, because there is only one existing facility (OASIS Senior Center)
that primarily serves the Seniors cohort in the Harbor View Service Area. Additionally, many service areas’ existing
facilities will not serve the projected population. These service areas include Balboa Peninsula, because its existing
facilities are conducive for active recreation, including beach recreation, which may not be ADA accessible.
Balboa Island also has the largest percentage of Empty Nesters compared to other service areas, whereas it has
only one neighborhood park with a small community center. Additionally, Newport Coast’s existing passive
recreation parks and walking trails are not ADA accessible. Conversely, Harbor View has a high percentage of the
Children and Young Adults age cohort, which will experience the largest decline (14%) over the next 20 years;
however, most of the park types are geared toward youth and active facilities.
In addition to available population projection data, through the City’s adopted Housing Element, it is anticipated
that the City has an existing and projected need of 4,845 new housing units for the 2021-2029 timeframe. While
SCAG’s RHNA allocation methodology considers projected population growth to identify the housing need, the City
has proposed 5 Housing Opportunity Overlay Zones to accommodate housing beyond the housing need, which, if
approved, will accommodate up to 8,046 new units.
APRIL 2024 43
4 Issues and Opportunities
This chapter lists the issues and opportunities based on the existing parks and recreational facilities analysis in
Chapter 4. While the City meets its parkland provisions under the Quimby Act and the local Park Dedication Ordinance,
the analysis identified seven key issues and opportunities generally related to equitable park access and gaps in existing
parks and recreational facilities compared to current and future population needs. A high-level overview is provided below
and Chapter 6, Recommendations, will serve to help guide the City in addressing these issues and opportunities.
Varying Distribution of Park Types and Quantity by Service Area. The number and types of parks and
recreational facilities vary significantly across the various service areas, highlighted by the parkland
acreage deficit in 8 of the 12 service areas. Although the service areas are important to distribute funds
and closely analyze parks through a localized lens, there is no existing context for the physical geography
and environment within each service area that constrains a certain park type to account for the variation
in the number and types of parks available.
School Facilities as Reliable Recreational Areas. School facilities contribute to park access across
Newport Beach but often significantly supplement recreational opportunities in several service areas by
providing additional, or in some cases the only, play areas, pool facilities, gymnasiums, and sports fields in
the service area. Therefore, the availability and maintenance of these facilities is an important opportunity.
Parking Access. Most residential areas are within walking distance of a park. However, as noted above, there is
an unequal distribution of park types throughout Newport Beach, some of which are not within walking distance
of residents, depending on what area they live in. While parking facilities for park types that serve the larger
community are adequate, there are several view parks (Balboa Island Park, Harbor View Nature Park,
Harbor Watch Park) with access to trails that are limited to street parking and may not be accessible to residents.
Planned Improvements Gap. Most parks and recreational facilities adequately serve the existing population
makeup of the service areas, except for the Newport Coast, Newport Heights/Upper Bay, and Balboa Island
Service Areas. While there are eight planned improvement projects listed on the City’s website, only one of
these projects addresses the need identified in the analysis for the Newport Coast Service Area.
Inconsistent Trends between Youth Population and Utilization Trends. The Children and Young Adults age
cohort population has experienced a decline, but utilization of youth programs in Newport Beach has
increased. Additionally, the analysis highlights the City’s recreation and community services, and
programming is geared toward the youth; however, this age cohort is projected to experience the largest
decline (14%) over the next 20 years. This population-versus-utilization trend inconsistency is misleading
and may create disparities or overfund youth programs.
Underutilized Seniors Services. The population of adults aged 55 or older experienced an increase while
the utilization in senior services, available to those age 60 or older, has decreased. Similarly to the youth
population and utilization trends, the inconsistency in correlation between the number of older adults and
utilization trends may create issues for appropriately funding or tailoring services for the aging population.
Increasing Aging Population. The most significant population trend that will impact the City’s ability to serve
residents’ park needs from a population-served perspective is the doubling of the Seniors age cohort from
7,770 persons to a projected 15,553 persons aged 75 and older in 2045. The City has only one recreational
facility dedicated for Seniors but as noted above, utilization of services for Seniors has declined. Therefore,
the existing data does not identify any trends that may help plan for adequately serving the aging population.
APRIL 2024 44
5 Recommendations
This chapter provides recommendations to address the issues and opportunities identified in Chapter 5, Issues and
Opportunities. Four recommendations are included, which generally provide a high-level policy or program
recommendation or recommend a process for additional community outreach and input.
5.1 Create a Methodology to Identify Park Needs by
Service Area
As the community continues to grow, more park and recreation facilities will be needed to maintain a high quality
of life. With decreases in the availability of vacant public land and increases in the need for local recreation facilities,
new methodologies for determining when recreational facilities are sufficient to meet the populations needs should
be considered. While Newport Beach currently has a Citywide surplus of park acreage based on the local standard
of 5 acres per 1,000 people, many service areas are considered to be park deficient. Opportunities to reassess
current standards may exist, given that the City’s standard is higher than the required 3 acres per 1,000 people.
Because the current approach to identifying park needs and deficits considers population size and acres of
parkland, as the population continues to grow with limited opportunities for new parklands the majority of service
areas will continue to experience a parkland deficit. Additionally, park types are unequally distributed across service
areas because the service area parks framework does not consider physical geographic constraints and existing
land uses that limit the park types available.
While there is value in understanding a community’s recreational needs based on an acreage per population
calculation, there may be other ways to measure the value and adequacy of parks by considering how parks are
used by the community, what amenities they offer, and how easily they may be accessed. The City should consider
a methodology to determine park needs and deficits by service area that takes into consideration factors beyond
the acreage of parks. Additional factors considered could include park types each service area supports based on
its physical geography, existing land uses, and opportunities to capitalize on Newport Beach’s vast and varying
natural resources and landforms. The City could work with the community to understand population needs,
accessibility of park facilities, and park types that offer unique recreational opportunities that are important to the
community. The City could also seek out opportunities to capitalize on existing recreational facilities through
connections such as trails that that could create a comprehensive recreational network. A connected network of
recreational facilities could greatly increase the value of existing resources and the way that residents interact with
their community. Identifying key community values, needs, accessibility, and opportunities for a network of
recreational facilities could help the City tailor park and recreational improvements to the community, which could
in turn provide sufficient recreational opportunities despite a park acreage deficit.
The methodology for identifying park needs should consider how key park destinations within each service area are
accessed by the larger community and analyze those in terms of connectivity to neighborhoods and other
recreational facilities, walking conditions, biking conditions, and parking accessibility. For example, Harbor Watch
Park offers a unique recreational opportunity with access to trails abutting Buck Gully Reserve. Because there is
limited off-street parking and street parking is not currently permitted at this location, there may be opportunity to
increase the value of these facilities and the populations it serves through increased access.
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / RECREATION EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
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APRIL 2024 45
Further, members of the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) have expressed a desire for a comprehensive
approach to the development of parks and recreational facilities. As described in Section 3.6.2 the City requires
the dedication of land or the payment of in lieu fees, or a combination of both, for park or recreational purposes as
a condition to the approval of residential subdivisions. In lieu fees collected may only be used for park or
recreational facilities that serve the residential subdivision, either through the purchase of land for the purpose of
developing new parks or facilities. This approach does not consider the parks and recreation facilities that may be
available within the service area and the park and recreation needs of other service areas in the City. To more
comprehensively plan for park and recreation needs, the City could develop a parks master plan. This could include
a comprehensive assessment of park needs to help implement the General Plan and to determine the types of
parks and facilities needed, short-term and long-term projects to pursue, and cost assessments to help with the
allocation of funds.
5.2 Develop a Process for Strategic
Planned Improvements
There is a gap between parks and recreational needs identified in this report and ongoing planned park
improvement efforts. The current principles for Capital Improvement Program budgeting, which plans for the
provision of public improvements, special projects, ongoing maintenance programs, and implementation of the
City’s master plans, considers the following:
Keeping the community safe
Providing a quality mix of services that Newport Beach residents expect in a cost-effective manner
Keeping Newport Beach looking great
Maintaining a fiscally stable and sustainable City government
Providing government transparency to the citizenry.29
However, to guide decision making for strategically prioritizing planned recreational improvements, the City could
incorporate standardized project evaluation criteria into the capital improvement process to help provide planned
park improvements in a manner that aligns with policies and programs of the General Plan. Such criteria could
consider the following questions through the prioritization of funds:
Has the project been approved through a council approved plan?
Does the project conform to General Plan goals and policies?
How does the project implement one or more Council initiatives?
Was the project previously funded in a Capital Improvement Program budget?
Is the project needed to satisfy regulatory compliance?
Does this project connect to or build upon existing infrastructure to create exponential value in investment?
Are there restricted funds, such as grant funds, included?
29 City of Newport Beach, 2023, “Capital Improvement Program,” web page, accessed at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/
government/departments/public-works/capital-improvement-program.
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APRIL 2024 46
The planning process for developing the project evaluation criteria should involve input from residents, community
groups, and relevant City departments to inform the approach. The City could further build upon this process to
remain flexible as unexpected needs arise. To do this, the City could work with the community to reevaluate
recreational needs every 5-years. This could be done through updated data analysis and citywide surveys. Although,
changes in how funds are prioritized, should ensure consistency with the vision and goals of the General Plan.
5.3 Coordinate with School Districts
School facilities contribute to park access across Newport Beach and supplement recreational opportunities in
several service areas by providing access to play areas, pool facilities, gymnasiums, and sports fields in the service
areas. Agreements between the City and schools to allow public access to facilities is an efficient method for sharing
resources in a manner that keeps costs down and can contribute significantly to the community. Joint use
agreements provide public access to school recreational amenities. However, such agreements can expire. The City
should ensure that existing joint use agreements remain in effect, where possible. This can be done by maintaining
a database of existing joint use agreements that includes expiration dates. Where joint use agreements may expire
in the near-term, the City should work to secure extensions to joint use agreements. This can help ensure that
currently available facilities can continue to be accessible to the broader community. Additionally, members of the
GPAC have noted a need for joint use agreements with more schools to increase access to recreational facilities
and even facilities that can support the arts such as theaters across the City. Further, the City could pursue
additional agreements to build upon existing facilities, this could be through joint development agreements where
the City and school district would partner to build recreational facilities such as new playgrounds on existing parks
or purchase land to build upon existing facilities.
5.4 Engage the Community
There are several key issues and opportunities identified in the analysis that require robust community outreach to
identify and understand the community’s needs. Understanding community needs and priorities can help to provide
clarity on data trends, specifically, as it relates to informing the allocation of funding and resources for programs
and services targeted for youth and seniors. While available data shows a low population of children, there is high
utilization of programs and services for children. Conversely, while there is a high population of older adults and
seniors eligible for the City’s seniors programming and services, there is low utilization of such programs. As noted
in Chapter 5, the Children and Young Adults age cohort will experience the largest population decline (14%) over
the next 20 years and the Seniors population will double in size in the same timeframe. As mentioned in the
analysis, parks and programming offer benefits such as social interactions and other health benefits for residents;
therefore, understanding the actual need is critical information as it will impact the City’s ability to serve residents’
park needs, such as better connecting older adults to existing services. The City should consider policies and
strategies to modify existing programming or develop new programming to retrofit parks and recreational areas to
accommodate the growing aging population. The City should engage the community to understand the need for and
adequately fund programs and services for youth and seniors. This outreach process should form part of this
General Plan Update because these population trends should be considered in the development of policies and
implementation programs established in the Recreation Element.
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APRIL 2024 47
INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
Appendix A
Newport Beach General Plan Update
Recreation Element Economic Support Year 2023
memo
Pro Forma Advisors LLC Los Angeles Hartford Beijing www.ProFormaAdvisors.com
To: Janet Rodriguez - Dudek
From: Lance Harris - Pro Forma Advisors
Date: November 9, 2023
re: Newport Beach General Plan Update Economic Support – Recreation Element
Memo Organization
This memorandum includes three sections. The first section presents population growth and demographic information
that may impact the Recreational Element in the City of Newport Beach (Newport Beach). The second section uses
Newport Beach data to provide insights on the utilization and deliver of Newport Beach’s parks. Finally, the third section
projects future growth, by age cohort, to provide market information that might impact the future use of Newport Beach’s
recreational space.
Historic Demographics Trends
Population
Newport Beach experienced its greatest growth in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which preceded the adopted General
Plan. Since 2005, the year prior to the General Plan’s adoption, population in Newport Beach has increased by
approximately 1,700 people or less than 100 people per year.30 This historic growth is small, reflecting a compound
annual growth rate of approximately 0.1 percent. The following Figure 1 presents the Newport Beach population and
associated growth in comparison to Orange County (County). Total population increased by only two percent since 2005,
which is approximately a third of the growth rate of the larger County region.
Figure 1: Historic Population Growth (2005 – 2023)
Source: California Department of Finance (E-4)
Age Characteristics
30 Population estimates referenced are from the Department of Finance and reflect the Newport Beach population on as of January 1st of
each year.
81,678 83,411
102
106
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
100
102
104
106
108
110
Po
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u
l
a
t
i
o
n
Gr
o
w
t
h
I
n
d
e
x
(2
0
0
5
=
1
0
0
)
Newport Beach Newport Beach Growth Index Orange County Growth Index
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Comparing age data from the 2010 and 2020 Decennial Census, an important trend is noticed. Newport Beach’s
population is aging. As shown below in Table 1 all population age groups younger than 54 experienced a population
decline from 2010 to 2020, while the population over 55 grew significantly. The largest numeric growth occurred in the 65
– 74-year-old age cohort. Conversely, the greatest decline occurred in the 45 – 54-year-old age cohort. In total, those
people over the age of 55 represented 33 and then 39 percent of the population in 2010 and 2020, respectively. A
consolidated breakdown of age by Recreational Service Area is provided in the Attachment.
Table 1: Age Cohort Analysis in Newport Beach (Census 2010 and 2020)
Age Cohort 2010 2020 Index (2020 / 2010) Population Change
(2010 to 2020)
0 - 4 4% 4% 93.8
(197)
5 - 9 5% 4% 82.8
(712)
10 - 14 5% 5% 97.1
(125)
15 - 24 11% 11% 98.2
(162)
25 - 34 14% 13% 93.0
(808)
35 - 44 13% 11% 85.9
(1,494)
45 - 54 16% 14% 85.8
(1,895)
55 - 64 14% 15% 109.0
1,087
65 - 74 10% 13% 127.2
2,294
75 - 84 6% 8% 129.7
1,574
85 + 3% 4% 122.2
558
Source: US Census
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Household Formation
Newport Beach has historically consisted of households with less children. Examining decennial Census data, Newport
Beach had and estimated 21 percent of households with children in 2010, which declined to 19 percent in 2020. For
comparison, the County had an estimated 38 percent of households with children in 2010, which continued in 2020. The
smaller average household size in Newport Beach also reflects this dynamic (Table 2). A more detailed breakout of
household formation for Newport Beach is presented in Table 3.
Table 2: Household Formation Overview (2010 and 2020)
2010 2020
Newport
Beach
Orange
County
Newport
Beach
Orange
County
Households with Children 21% 38% 19% 38%
Average Household Size 2.19 2.99 2.21 2.92
Source: ESRI; US Census
In 2020, the city had 45.2 percent in married couple households, 6.0 percent in cohabitating couple households, 20.9
percent male householders with no spouse or partner, and 27.9 percent female householders with no spouse or partner.
The subsequent break out of those estimated to be living alone, with children under 18, without children under 18 (but
with relatives), and with no relatives present are provided. Census data also reports those 65 years or older that are living
alone as male or female householders with no spouse or partner. Based on 2020 data, 32 percent of male householders
with no spouse or partner (1,743) living alone are 65 years and over and 51 percent of female householders with no
spouse or partner (3,589) living alone are 65 years and over. Unique recreational activities for these households may
become more in demand as the population ages in the future.
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Table 3: Household Formation in Newport Beach (2020)
Number Percent
Married Couple Households 17,372 45%
With Own Children <18 5,525 14%
Without Own Children <18 11,847 31%
Cohabitating Couple Households 2,311 6%
With Own Children <18 270 1%
Without Own Children <18 2,041 5%
Male Householder, No Spouse/Partner 8,021 21%
Living Alone 5,504 14%
With Own Children <18 515 1%
Without Own Children <18, With Relatives 818 2%
No Relatives Present 1,184 3%
Female Householder, No Spouse/Partner 10,698 28%
Living Alone 7,101 19%
With Own Children <18 1,052 3%
Without Own Children <18, With Relatives 1,616 4%
No Relatives Present 929 2%
Total Households 38,402 100%
Source: ESRI; US Census
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Current Utilization and Park Space
Newport Beach Recreation & Senior Services
The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report provides information on the utilization of Recreation and Senior Services.
The fiscal years (FY) of 2005 through 2022 were used to identify any trends associated with residents’ participation in co-
sponsored youth organizations and senior transportation services. Both were analyzed in absolute terms as well as their
use on a per capita basis. As shown in Figure 2, participation in youth organizations has been rising even as the total
number of people in the youth age cohort has declined. The trend suggests that either there has been historically more
demand than could be offered or that youth organization demand has increased at a higher rate than population growth.
Figure 2: Historic Co-Sponsored Youth Organization Attendance (FY2005 – FY2022)
Source: City of Newport Beach and Department of Finance (E-4)
Given the increase in the population over 55 between 2010 and 2020, it could be expected that senior transportation
services would have also increased. However, as shown in Figure 3, this has not been the case. OASIS Senior Center
offers affordable ride-share transportation for Newport Beach seniors over the age of 60 who are not able to drive. This
transportation service, which falls under the Recreation Department, is available for trips needed for medical
appointments, shopping, and OASIS Senior Center classes and events. Again, while the data suggest that the rate of
usage is declining, it could also be occurring for other reasons such as the population over 60 still being able to drive,
decreased availably of the shuttles, increased use of ride share services, or other factors. However, it is interesting that
the utilization of these services appears to be opposite to the previously discussed near-term aging trends.
392,605
4.7
-
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
-
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
At
t
e
n
d
a
n
c
e
p
e
r
C
a
p
i
t
a
At
t
e
n
d
a
n
c
e
Co-Sponsored Youth Organization Attendance
Per Capita Attendance
Linear (Per Capita Attendance)
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Figure 3: Historic Senior Transportation Services Participation (FY2005 – FY2022)
Source: City of Newport Beach and Department of Finance (E-4)
Historic Park Delivery
Currently the General Plan uses a standard of five acres of parkland per 1,000 population. The Quimby Act provides for
the dedication of parkland, or the payment of fees in lieu of land, by developers as a requirement for residential
development. Using the Quimby Act standard, the service standard is three acres of parkland per 1,000 population.
Looking at the delivery of parks since the adoption of the General Plan, Newport Beach as added four new parks (Figure
4) and has continued to have one aquatic and 14 community centers (including leased properties).
Figure 4: Park Inventory (FY2005 – FY2022)
Source: City of Newport Beach and Department of Finance (E-4)
0.11
-
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
0.14
0.16
0.18
0.20
-
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000
Pa
r
t
i
c
i
p
a
t
i
o
n
p
e
r
C
a
p
i
t
a
Pa
r
t
i
c
i
p
a
t
i
o
n
Senior Transportation Services Per Capita Participation
Linear (Per Capita Participation)
61
65
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
Pa
r
k
s
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Projected Population Growth
The following data is taken from the Department of Finance’s Report P-3: Population Projections Race/Ethnicity and Sex
by Individual Years of Age, 2020 to 2060. The data, which was released in July of 2023, are the most recent population
projections at the County level. At the city level, the most recent long-term population projection is provided by the
Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). However, their data was published in 2020 (developed prior to
the pandemic). As such, it is likely that the estimates will be revised downward upon the next release of their next
RTP/SCS growth forecast. For the purposes of this analysis, we have applied the SCAG projected growth rate to the
most recent population projected by the Department of Finance.
Orange County Population and Age Projections
Like the trends in Newport Beach between 2010 and 2020, the Department of Finance projects that population growth
will be driven by older individuals. Their data has been simplified into various life stages, which would impact the utilization
of recreational facilities. As shown in Table 4 the only segment projected to grow are those individuals in the Senior age
category (over 75 years of age).
Table 4: Population Projection by Age for Orange County (2020 - 2045)
2020 2030 2040 2045 Change Percent
Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24)
1,028,153
958,035
930,242
922,308
(105,845) -10%
Young Workers (25 - 34)
417,984
387,965
378,290
372,655
(45,329) -11%
Family Formation (35 - 54)
800,483
764,807
780,838
785,592
(14,891) -2%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74)
715,126
751,804
723,884
708,473
(6,653) -1%
Seniors (75+)
225,443
338,750
470,557
511,433
285,990 127%
Total
3,187,189
3,201,361
3,283,811
3,300,461
96,622 3%
Source: Department of Finance (P-3); US Census
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Newport Beach Population and Age Projections
For comparison purposes, the 2020 Census data on population and age is presented in Table 5 in a format comparable
to the County projections. As noted, Newport Beach is indexing (total percent of the population’s age groups divided by
total percent of the County) lower in Children and Young Adults (under 24 years of age). The Young Workers and Family
Formation groups are comparable to the County while Newport Beach is over indexing with Empty Nesters and Seniors.
While there is no long-term population forecast by age for Newport Beach, it can be assumed that it will continue to have
a population with older residents relative to the County.
Table 5: Population by Age Comparison (2020)
Newport Beach Orange County Index
Number Percent of
Total Number Percent of
Total
Children/Young Adults (Under 24)
21,377 25%
1,028,153 32% 77.8
Young Workers (25 - 34)
11,698 14%
417,984 13% 104.7
Family Formation (35 - 54)
24,131 28%
800,483 25% 112.8
Empty Nesters (55 - 74)
20,210 24%
715,126 22% 105.7
Seniors (75+)
7,770 9%
225,443 7% 129.0
Total
85,186 100%
3,187,189 100% 100.0
Source: Department of Finance (P-3); US Census
According to the SCAG forecast, Newport Beach is estimated to reach a population of 92,000 in 2045. As noted, given
unprecedented impacts of the global pandemic and changes in people’s behavior regarding where to live and work,
growth has slowed in areas throughout California. Using the January 1st 2023 population estimate for Newport Beach
and applying SCAG’s 2016 to 2045 CAGR suggests that the population will grow to approximately 88,650 in 2045.
Assuming Newport Beach follows the County’s change in population by age, the following Table 6 presents a breakdown
of the projected population growth by age group. These estimates suggest that increased demand will occur for
recreational activities for older individuals due to Seniors doubling in population over the next 20 plus years. On a
percentage basis, the greatest declines are for those under 24 with relatively modest change in the Family Formation and
Empty Nesters life stage categories.
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Table 6: Population Projection by Age for Newport Beach (2020 - 2045)
2020 2045 Change Percent Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24)
21,377
18,422
(2,955) -14%
Young Workers (25 - 34)
11,698
10,557
(1,141) -10%
Family Formation (35 - 54)
24,131
23,948
(183) -1%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74)
20,210
20,170
(40) 0%
Seniors (75+)
7,770
15,553
7,782 100%
Total
85,186
88,650
3,464 4%
Source: SCAG; Pro Forma Advisors; US Census
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Attachment
The following data is provided for reference to better understand the population and age changes in the Newport Beach
Recreational Service Areas.
Attachment Table 1: Population Change in Balboa Island (2010 - 2020)
2010 2020 Percent Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24) 15.2% 15.3% 0.1%
Young Workers (25 - 34) 10.7% 9.9% -7.7%
Family Formation (35 - 54) 21.4% 16.6% -22.3%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74) 36.6% 36.7% 0.5%
Seniors (75+) 16.1% 21.5% 33.7%
Total 2,848 2,573 -9.7%
Source: ESRI Business Analyst; Pro Forma Advisors; US Census
Attachment Table 2: Population Change in Corona del Mar (2010 - 2020)
2010 2020 Percent Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24) 19.2% 18.3% -4.7%
Young Workers (25 - 34) 14.5% 10.7% -25.7%
Family Formation (35 - 54) 29.9% 24.7% -17.4%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74) 27.1% 33.5% 23.7%
Seniors (75+) 9.4% 12.8% 36.2%
Total
8,554
8,116 -5.1%
Source: ESRI Business Analyst; Pro Forma Advisors; US Census
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Attachment Table 3: Population Change in West Newport (2010 - 2020)
2010 2020 Percent Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24) 25.3% 23.0% -9.0%
Young Workers (25 - 34) 26.3% 25.5% -3.2%
Family Formation (35 - 54) 16.0% 22.1% 37.8%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74) 8.2% 9.6% 16.9%
Seniors (75+)
12,914
12,411 -3.9%
Total 25.3% 23.0% -9.0%
Source: ESRI Business Analyst; Pro Forma Advisors; US Census
Attachment Table 4: Population Change in Santa Ana Heights (2010 - 2020)
2010 2020 Percent Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24) 26.8% 25.9% -3.2%
Young Workers (25 - 34) 9.9% 14.7% 48.3%
Family Formation (35 - 54) 32.3% 24.8% -23.2%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74) 23.2% 25.9% 11.6%
Seniors (75+) 7.8% 8.7% 11.6%
Total
1,483
1,732 16.8%
Source: ESRI Business Analyst; Pro Forma Advisors; US Census
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Attachment Table 5: Population Change in Lower Bay (2010 - 2020)
2010 2020 Percent Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24) 13.6% 15.6% 14.3%
Young Workers (25 - 34) 8.4% 9.2% 9.6%
Family Formation (35 - 54) 24.1% 19.2% -20.5%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74) 38.1% 36.9% -3.4%
Seniors (75+) 15.6% 19.1% 22.2%
Total
3,091
3,269 5.8%
Source: ESRI Business Analyst; Pro Forma Advisors; US Census
Attachment Table 6: Population Change in Newport Heights/Upper Bay (2010 - 2020)
2010 2020 Percent Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24) 29.2% 28.7% -1.7%
Young Workers (25 - 34) 13.4% 13.2% -1.3%
Family Formation (35 - 54) 29.1% 25.1% -13.7%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74) 20.2% 24.6% 21.8%
Seniors (75+) 8.1% 8.3% 3.3%
Total
13,729
13,372 -2.6%
Source: ESRI Business Analyst; Pro Forma Advisors; US Census
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Attachment Table 7: Population Change in Newport Center (2010 - 2020)
2010 2020 Percent Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24) 14.4% 13.8% -4.6%
Young Workers (25 - 34) 23.0% 17.4% -24.0%
Family Formation (35 - 54) 23.2% 27.1% 16.8%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74) 24.5% 27.7% 13.0%
Seniors (75+) 14.9% 14.0% -6.0%
Total
3,390
5,024 48.2%
Source: ESRI Business Analyst; Pro Forma Advisors; US Census
Attachment Table 8: Population Change in Balboa Peninsula (2010 - 2020)
2010 2020 Percent Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24) 20.5% 19.7% -4.2%
Young Workers (25 - 34) 19.0% 17.9% -5.5%
Family Formation (35 - 54) 25.8% 21.7% -16.0%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74) 23.7% 28.6% 20.6%
Seniors (75+) 11.0% 12.1% 10.4%
Total
4,361
3,933 -9.8%
Source: ESRI Business Analyst; Pro Forma Advisors; US Census
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Attachment Table 9: Population Change in Big Canyon/Belcourt (2010 - 2020)
2010 2020 Percent Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24) 24.5% 22.5% -8.0%
Young Workers (25 - 34) 4.0% 5.5% 35.5%
Family Formation (35 - 54) 25.9% 18.8% -27.2%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74) 33.8% 33.7% -0.1%
Seniors (75+) 11.8% 19.4% 64.5%
Total
3,552
3,431 -3.4%
Source: ESRI Business Analyst; Pro Forma Advisors; US Census
Attachment Table 10: Population Change in Newport Coast (2010 - 2020)
2010 2020 Percent Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24) 29.5% 28.7% -2.7%
Young Workers (25 - 34) 7.8% 7.1% -9.6%
Family Formation (35 - 54) 35.7% 26.0% -27.2%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74) 23.7% 30.5% 28.9%
Seniors (75+) 3.3% 7.7% 133.4%
Total
11,220
11,437 1.9%
Source: ESRI Business Analyst; Pro Forma Advisors; US Census
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Attachment Table 11: Population Change in East Bluff/Newport North (2010 - 2020)
2010 2020 Percent Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24) 29.2% 26.6% -9.0%
Young Workers (25 - 34) 11.7% 12.1% 3.9%
Family Formation (35 - 54) 25.9% 24.8% -4.1%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74) 22.9% 25.3% 10.1%
Seniors (75+) 10.3% 11.2% 8.9%
Total
6,870
6,998 1.9%
Source: ESRI Business Analyst; Pro Forma Advisors; US Census
Attachment Table 12: Population Change in Harbor View (2010 - 2020)
2010 2020 Percent Change
Children/Young Adults (Under 24) 28.5% 27.5% -3.3%
Young Workers (25 - 34) 8.5% 7.9% -7.2%
Family Formation (35 - 54) 27.9% 24.0% -14.2%
Empty Nesters (55 - 74) 25.2% 26.6% 5.7%
Seniors (75+) 9.9% 14.0% 41.0%
Total
13,173
12,890 -2.1%
Source: ESRI Business Analyst; Pro Forma Advisors; US Census
Natural Resources Element Existing
Conditions and Background Analysis
General Plan Update
APRIL 2024
Prepared for:
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
100 Civic Center Drive
Newport Beach, California 92660
Prepared by:
27271 Las Ramblas
Mission Viejo, California 92691
Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled material.
i MARCH 2024
Table of Contents
SECTION PAGE NO.
Acronyms, Abbreviations, Key Terms .............................................................................................................................. iii
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................................... 1
1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 2
1.1 Overview .................................................................................................................................................. 2
1.2 Element Purpose and Process ............................................................................................................... 2
2. General Plan and Regulatory Review .................................................................................................................. 3
2.1 Natural Resources in State Regulations and Guidance ....................................................................... 3
2.2 Natural Resources in the Adopted General Plan .................................................................................. 4
2.3 Natural Resources in Local Implementation ........................................................................................ 9
2.4 Summary and Findings ....................................................................................................................... 11
3. Existing Conditions ............................................................................................................................................ 12
3.1 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................................. 12
3.1.1 Non-Attainment Pollutants .................................................................................................... 13
3.1.2 Sources of Air Pollution in Newport Beach ........................................................................... 14
3.2 Biological Resources ........................................................................................................................... 17
3.2.1 Natural Communities Conservation Plan ............................................................................. 17
3.2.2 Endangered Species .............................................................................................................. 17
3.2.3 Marine Resources .................................................................................................................. 19
3.3 Mineral Resources .............................................................................................................................. 27
3.4 Archaeological and Paleontological Resources ................................................................................. 29
3.5 Rivers and Waterbodies ...................................................................................................................... 30
3.5.1 Upper Newport Bay ................................................................................................................ 30
3.5.2 Santa Ana River ..................................................................................................................... 32
3.6 Visual Resources ................................................................................................................................. 32
3.7 Water Conservation ............................................................................................................................. 37
3.8 Water Quality ....................................................................................................................................... 37
3.8.1 Drinking Water ....................................................................................................................... 37
3.8.2 Recreational Water ................................................................................................................ 38
3.9 Energy Conservation ........................................................................................................................... 38
4. Issues and Opportunities .................................................................................................................................. 39
4.1 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................................. 39
4.2 Biological Resources ........................................................................................................................... 39
4.3 Mineral Resources .............................................................................................................................. 40
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / NATURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
BACKGROUND ANALYSIS
ii MARCH 2024
4.4 Archaeological and Paleontological Resources ................................................................................. 40
4.5 Rivers and Waterbodies ...................................................................................................................... 40
4.6 Visual Resources ................................................................................................................................. 41
4.7 Water Conservation ............................................................................................................................. 41
4.8 Water Quality ....................................................................................................................................... 41
4.9 Energy Conservation ........................................................................................................................... 41
5. Recommendations ............................................................................................................................................ 42
5.1 Research Implementation of Additional Transportation Demand Management Strategies........... 42
5.2 Additional Protective Measures for Biological Resources ................................................................ 42
5.3 Identification of Visual Resources ...................................................................................................... 42
5.4 Conservation Education ...................................................................................................................... 43
6. Conclusions ....................................................................................................................................................... 44
TABLES
Table 1. Natural Resources Element Relationship to Required Elements 3
Table 2. Natural Resources in the Adopted General Plan 4
Table 3. Local Implementation by Natural Resources Topic 9
Table 4. Air Pollutant Area Designation Status for Orange County 12
Table 5. Endangered or Threatened Flora and Fauna 18
iii MARCH 2024
Acronyms, Abbreviations, Key Terms
Acronym/Abbreviation/Term Expanded Form
µg/m3 micrograms per cubic meter
CARB California Air Resources Board
City City of Newport Beach
EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency
ESA environmental study area
ESHA environmentally sensitive habitat area
NOx nitrogen oxides
PFAS per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
PM10 respirable particulate matter
PM2.5 fine particulate matter
ppm parts per million
SCAQMD South Coast Air Quality Management District
SO2 sulfur dioxide
SRA Source Receptor Area
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / NATURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
BACKGROUND ANALYSIS
iv MARCH 2024
INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
1 MARCH 2024
Executive Summary
This report comprehensively assesses seven natural resource topics identified by the California Office of Planning
and Research to be addressed in general plans to enhance the management and conservation of natural resources:
air quality, biological resources, mineral resources, rivers and waterbodies, visual resources, water conservation,
and water quality. It identifies how the City of Newport Beach (City) is already addressing these natural resource
topics and how the City could further address natural resources through the General Plan Update, to preserve and
improve the quality of these resources.
The City implements the adopted Natural Resources Element though the Local Coastal Program including the
Coastal Land Use Plan and Implementation Plan, the General Plan Implementation Program, the Newport Beach
Municipal Code, and various other plans and policy documents focused on specific resource issues. Moreover, the
City works closely with other local, state, and federal agencies to address regional issues and implement State and
federal environmental laws. However, many of these plans and programs, including the General Plan, must be
updated to reflect rapidly changing environmental, economic, and social conditions, comply with new State and
federal laws, and respond to the needs and desires of the community.
To best manage natural resources, the City should partner with local agencies, nonprofits, and residents who
directly manage or support the conservation of natural resources. Air quality is most effectively addressed in the
General Plan Land Use and Circulation elements by encouraging walking, biking, transit, and electric vehicle use,
as well as a mix of accessible uses. Additionally, urban forestry policies implemented through the Recreation
Element can help improve localized air quality near stationary sources and major roads. Biological resources can
be addressed both by working with open space managers, including California State Parks, as well as adjacent
properties creating plant and wildlife corridors allowing species to expand their habitat and effectively migrate.
Biological marine resources are managed through a network of plans and additional State and Federal Laws,
including the Local Coastal Program and Newport Harbor Eelgrass Protection and Mitigation Plan. These plans may
affect protected resources and should be coordinated to maximize their effectiveness, without causing additional
or conflicting bureaucracy. Visual resources make Newport Beach a truly special place and should be thoughtfully
preserved without creating unnecessary barriers to development. The remaining resources discussed in this
element are primarily regulated by the State and Federal governments. Where State and Federal regulations are
sufficient, the City should maintain consistency in a manner that ensures effective response as regulations change
over time. By coordinating resource protection with the relevant cooperating agencies and non-profits, the City can
create clear and effective strategies that enhance Newport Beach’s natural resources for generations to come.
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / NATURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
BACKGROUND ANALYSIS
2 MARCH 2024
1. Introduction
1.1 Overview
The City of Newport Beach (City) is renowned for its diverse ecosystems, including Newport Bay, the Buck Gully
Reserve, and Crystal Cove State Park. These areas serve as popular recreational destinations, making the
conservation and development of the natural resources within each of these environments a priority for the City.
The Natural Resources Element of the City’s General Plan is one of the City’s primary tools that addresses issues
that threaten the protection, development, and utilization of the City’s biological, mineral, visual, and other natural
resources through targeted policies and strategies.
Last updated in 2006, the updated Natural Resources Element will identify and address existing issues and others
that have emerged since the previous iteration. This Natural Resources Existing Conditions and Background Analysis
provides an analysis of these issues and opportunities related to natural resources and provides foundational
information to guide the update to the Natural Resources Element.
While not a required element of the General Plan the City’s adopted Natural Resources Element fulfills the
requirements of a Conservation Element and some requirements of an Open Space Element in accordance with
Government Code 65302. Conservation Elements are required to address the conservation, development, and
utilization of natural resources including water, forest, soils, rivers, harbors and fisheries, wildlife, minerals, and other
resources. Open Space Elements are required to identify open space lands and actions for the preservation of open
space. Open space lands generally include lands used for the production of food and fiber, for the enjoyment of scenic
beauty, for recreation, and for the use of natural resources. The City’s adopted General Plan addresses the
recreational requirements of an Open Space Element within the adopted Recreation Element.
1.2 Element Purpose and Process
The City’s adopted Natural Resources Element combines policies to address general plan requirements of
conservation and open space, establishing goals and policies for the preservation, extraction, and sustainable use
of resources. While most policies in the adopted Natural Resources Element pertain to the conservation and
utilization of the City’s natural resources, certain policies also provide general guidance for parks and recreation in
relation to the conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources. Goals and policies contained in the
City’s Harbor and Bay, Recreation, and the Land Use Elements, as well as any resilience and sustainability goals
also support the Natural Resources Element and work together to guide resource conservation and development,
while also balancing community needs with environmental preservation and resilience. As a result, all of elements
of the General Plan must be consistent with each other.
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / NATURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
BACKGROUND ANALYSIS
3 MARCH 2024
2. General Plan and Regulatory Review
The City’s adopted General Plan and existing legislative and local regulations address many topics as they relate
to natural resources. This Section identifies where those topics are addressed in legislation, including
recommended guidance from the State and local regulations, and further identifies where those topics are
addressed in the adopted General Plan.
2.1 Natural Resources in State Regulations
and Guidance
All local governments in California must develop a general plan to serve as a long-range planning document for
shaping and guiding its future. The State of California Office of Planning and Research provides guidance on general
plan legislative requirements, as well as recommended policy guidance and available resources. The Natural
Resources Element fulfills the Conservation Element requirements of the 2017 Office of Planning and Research
General Plan Guidelines and is one of seven core elements that are required of all local governments’ general plans.
In accordance with California Government Code Section 65302, a Conservation Element must address the
conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources including water, forest, soils, rivers, harbors and
fisheries, wildlife, minerals, and other resources. The relationship of the Natural Resources Element to the other six
required elements is shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Natural Resources Element Relationship to Required Elements
Land Use
Element
Circulation
Element
Housing
Element
Recreation
Element
Noise
Element
Safety
Element
Relationship to Natural
Resources
Element
In Statute Related Related In Statute Not Applicable In Statute
4 MARCH 2024
2.2 Natural Resources in the Adopted General Plan
As required by the State, the City’s adopted General Plan1 includes programs and policies addressing natural
resources and their conservation. Table 2 identifies the adopted General Plan goals and policies related to these
efforts and includes a brief description of policy implementation measures identified in the Implementation Program
(Chapter 13 of the General Plan). Most of the programs and policies originate from the Natural Resources Element,
though related policies from other elements are also included.
Table 2. Natural Resources in the Adopted General Plan
Element Goal/Key Policies Implementation Measures
Air Quality
Natural Resources
Element
Policies under Goal 6 intend to reduce
mobile source emissions.
Policy 6.1, Walkable Neighborhoods
Policy 6.2, Mixed-Use Development
Policy 6.3, Vehicle-Trip Reduction Measures
Policy 6.4, Transportation Demand
Management Ordinance
Update and revise the General Plan
to reflect changing conditions and
visions
Review and amend the Zoning Code
for Consistency with the General Plan to enforce development
standards
Review and update the
Transportation Demand Ordinance
Provide public transportation
Maintain trails
Biological Resources
Natural Resources
Element
Policies under Goal 10 protect terrestrial
and marine resources from urban
development.
Policy 10.1, Terrestrial and Marine Resource Protection
Policy 10.4, New Development Siting
and Design
Policy 10.5 Development in Areas
Containing Significant or Rare Biological
Resources
Policy 10.6, Use of Buffers
Policy 10.10, Giant Kelp Reforestation
Collaborate with agencies with
jurisdiction and/or who are involved
with these activities
Review the Zoning Code for
Consistency with the General Plan to
enforce development standards
Review the City of Newport Beach
(City) Council Policy Manual to
ensure consistency with the
General Plan
Review and amend the Subdivision
Ordinance for consistency with the
General Plan
Review and update the goals and policies of Harbor and Tidelands
Improvement Plans
Policies under Goal 11 protect the
environmental resources in Newport Harbor.
Policy 11.3, Eelgrass Protection
Review and update the goals and
policies of Harbor and Tidelands
Improvement Plans
Collaborate with agencies with
jurisdiction and/or who are involved
with these activities
1 City of Newport Beach. 2006. City of Newport Beach General Plan. Adopted July 25, 2006. https://www.newportbeachca.gov/
government/departments/community-development/planning-division/general-plan-codes-and-regulations/general-plan.
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / NATURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
BACKGROUND ANALYSIS
5 MARCH 2024
Table 2. Natural Resources in the Adopted General Plan
Element Goal/Key Policies Implementation Measures
Policy 11.4, Interagency Coordination
on Establishing Eelgrass Restoration
Sites
Policy 11.5, Eelgrass Mitigation
Policies under Goal 12 protect the City’s
coastal dune habitats.
Policy 12.1, Exotic Vegetation Removal
and Native Vegetation Restoration
Policy 12.2, Dune Habitat Protection
Policy 12.3, Beach Sand Removal
Review and update the goals and
policies of Harbor and Tidelands
Improvement Plans
Maintain and update parks and
recreation facility plans
Maintain and improve parks and
recreation facilities
Review and amend the Subdivision
Ordinance for consistency with the
General Plan
Policies under Goal 13 protect, maintain,
and enhance the region’s wetlands.
Policy 13.1, Wetland Protection
Update and revise the General Plan
to reflect changing conditions
and visions
Review and amend the Zoning Code
for Consistency with the General
Plan to enforce development
standards
Review and update the goals and
policies of Harbor and Tidelands
Improvement Plans
Policies under Goal 16 are related to the
protection and management of natural
resources in Upper Newport Bay.
Policy 16.2, Big Canyon Creek
Restoration Project
Policy 16.3, Management of Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve
(UNBER)
Policy 16.5, Public Uses within Upper
Newport Bay Ecological Reserve
Collaborate with agencies with
jurisdiction and/or who are involved
with these activities
Maintain and update parks and
recreation facility plans
Review and amend the Zoning Code for Consistency with the General
Plan to enforce development
standards
Mineral Resources
Natural Resources
Element
Policies under Goal 19 aim to minimize
impacts from oil and gas drilling activities by
prohibiting new activities.
Policy 19.1, New Extraction Activities
Policy 19.3, New Offshore Drilling Activities and Exploration Work
Policy 19.4, New Onshore Support
Facilities
Review the Zoning Code for
Consistency with the General Plan to
enforce development standards
Review the City Council Policy
Manual to ensure consistency with the General Plan
Collaborate with agencies with
jurisdiction and/or who are involved
with these activities
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / NATURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
BACKGROUND ANALYSIS
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Table 2. Natural Resources in the Adopted General Plan
Element Goal/Key Policies Implementation Measures
Rivers and Waterbodies
Harbor and Bay
Element
Policies under Goal 7 emphasize the
protections and management of Upper
Newport Bay and its natural resources.
Policy 7.2, Management of Upper
Newport Bay Ecological Reserve
(UNBER)
Policy 7.3, Management of Upper
Newport Bay Ecological Reserve
Policy 7.6, Water Quality Study
Coordinate with several agencies
and organizations, including the
following:
- Orange County
- California Department of Fish
and Wildlife
- California Public Utilities
Commission
- United States Army Corps of
Engineers
- United States Environmental
Protection Agency
- Others with jurisdictional authority
such as the Santa Ana Regional
Water Quality Control Board
Policies under Goal 8 address water quality
in terms of chemicals, pollution,
groundwater contamination caused by
construction, sewage, stormwater drainage
and runoff, and the siting and design of new
development.
Policy 8.1, Chemical Uses Impacting
Water Quality
Policy 8.2, Water Pollution Prevention
Policy 8.5, Natural Water Bodies
Policy 8.13, Natural Wetlands
Review and amend subdivision
ordinance standards for storm
drainage and pollution runoff control
Review and periodically update
requirements for live-aboard vessels
pertaining to the integrity, quality,
and safety of harbor uses
Require permits consistent with the
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
Review Water Quality Ordinance
Review Water Quality Checklist
Maintain Water Quality
Management Plans
Natural Resources
Element
Policies under Goal 3 include measures to
protect the quality of the City’s natural water
bodies, such as coastal waters, creeks,
bays, harbors, and wetlands.
Policy 3.2, Water Pollution Prevention
Policy 3.5, Natural Water Bodies
Policy 3.21, Animal Impacts on Water
Quality
Review and amend subdivision
ordinance standards for storm
drainage and pollution runoff control
Review and periodically update
requirements for live-aboard vessels
pertaining to the integrity, quality,
and safety of harbor uses
Maintain and implement best
practices in urban water
management plans to encourage conservation
Maintain and implement Sewer
Master Plan
Maintain Storm Drainage Facilities
Review and update Harbor and
Tidelands Improvement Plans
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / NATURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
BACKGROUND ANALYSIS
7 MARCH 2024
Table 2. Natural Resources in the Adopted General Plan
Element Goal/Key Policies Implementation Measures
Safety Element Policies under Goal 2 intend to minimize the
impact of storm surge and seiches.
Policy 2.2, Shoreline Management
Plans
Policy 2.3, Use of Temporary Shoreline
Protection
Review and update the goals and
policies of Harbor and Tidelands
Improvement Plans
Policies under Goal 3 intend to minimize the
impact of coastal erosion and protect the
coastline.
Policy 3.6, Siting of Shoreline Protective
Devices
Review and update the goals and
policies of Harbor and Tidelands
Improvement Plans
Visual Resources
Harbor and Bay
Element
Policies under Goal 9 preserve the
recreational, residential, and commercial
character of the waterfronts.
Policy 9.2, Protection of Beach Profile
Policy 9.3, Structures Impacting Visual
Resources
Policy 9.4, Abandoned Vessels
Amend the Zoning Code for
Consistency with the General Plan to
enforce development standards
Review and revise Coastal Land Use
Plan for consistency with the
General Plan
Coordinate with Orange County and collaborate in program affecting
management of Newport Harbor and
Newport Bay
Coordinate with California Coastal
Commission
Review and update Harbor and
Tidelands Improvement Plans
Fund a joint City/County study to
evaluate costs and efficiency of
services in Newport Harbor
Land Use Element Policies under Goal 1 preserve and maintain
the City’s unique coastal and upland
neighborhoods.
Policy 1.6, Public Views
Review entitlements for consistency
with the General Plan
Natural Resources
Element
Policies under Goal 20 address the
preservation of significant visual resources
through requirements for new
developments and other techniques.
Policy 20.1, Enhancement of Significant
Resources
Policy 20.2, New Development
Requirements
Policy 20.3, Public Views
Policy 20.4 Public View Corridor
Landscaping
Amend the Zoning Code for
Consistency with the General Plan to
enforce development standards
Fund and construct public view sites
to include elements such as
observation decks, plazas,
benches, etc.
Maintain recreational trails and a
system of route designations for
non-motorized users
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Table 2. Natural Resources in the Adopted General Plan
Element Goal/Key Policies Implementation Measures
Policy 20.5 Public View Corridor
Amenities
Maintain and improve parks and
recreation facilities and implement
park improvements as specified in
the Recreation Element
Water Conservation
Natural Resources
Element Policies under Goal 1 address minimized
water consumption through conservation
methods and other techniques.
Policy 1.2, Use of Water
Conserving Devices
Policy 1.3, Tiered Water Rates
Examine and modify the City’s
Subdivision Ordinance to reflect
state-of-the-art land development
practices that enhance
environmental sustainability
Review and revise Title 15 of the
Newport Beach Municipal Code to
foster the use of “green-building”
techniques
Maintain and implement Urban
Water Management Plans and
encourage conservation
Policies under Goal 2 address expanded
use of alternative water sources to provide adequate water supplies for present uses and future growth.
Policy 2.1, Recycled Water Use
Policy 2.2, Advanced Water Treatment
Processes
Maintain and implement Urban
Water Management Plans and encourage conservation
Water Quality
Harbor and Bay
Element Policies under Goal 8 the General Plan
Harbor & Bay Element addresses water
quality in terms of chemicals, pollution,
ground water contamination caused by
construction, sewage, stormwater drainage and runoff, and the siting and design of
new development.
Policy 8.2, Water Pollution Prevention
Policy 8.13, Natural Wetlands
Policy 8.15, Street Drainage Systems
Review and amend subdivision
ordinance standards for storm
drainage and pollution runoff control
Review and periodically update
requirements for live-aboard vessels pertaining to the integrity, quality,
and safety of harbor uses
Require permits consistent with the
National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System
Review Water Quality Ordinance
Review Water Quality Checklist
Maintain Water Quality Management
Plans
Maintain Storm Drainage Facilities
Policies under Goal 7 address water quality
through policies that support the restoration
of Upper Newport Bay.
Policy 7.3, Management of Upper
Newport Bay Ecological Reserve
Coordinate with Orange County for
management of Newport Harbor and
Upper Newport Bay
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Table 2. Natural Resources in the Adopted General Plan
Element Goal/Key Policies Implementation Measures
Coordinate with the California
Department of Fish and Wildlife for
the protection and management of
Upper Newport Bay
Natural Resources
Element Policies under Goal 3 address enhancement
and protection of water quality of all natural
water bodies, including coastal waters,
creeks, bays, harbors, and wetlands.
Policy 3.2, Water Pollution Prevention
Policy 3.13, Natural Wetlands
Policy 3.15, Street Drainage Systems
Review the Subdivision Ordinance
for consistency with the General Plan
and amend the Newport Beach
Municipal Code to address storm
drainage and pollution runoff control
Review and revise relevant
requirements for live-aboard vessels
pertaining to the integrity, quality,
and safety of harbor uses,
environmental protection, and
impacts on the public, waterfront
owners/lessees, and adjoining
properties their consistency and
revisions prepared
Maintain and implement Urban
Water Management Plans and encourage conservation
Maintain and implement Sewer
Master Plan
Maintain storm drainage facilities
Source: City of Newport Beach. 2006. City of Newport Beach General Plan. Adopted July 25, 2006. https://www.newportbeachca.gov/
government/departments/community-development/planning-division/general-plan-codes-and-regulations/general-plan.
2.3 Natural Resources in Local Implementation
The City implements resilience policies as they relate to the community-identified resilience topics. Table 3 provides
an overview of local implementation steps being taken by the City to implement resilience.
Table 3. Local Implementation by Natural Resources Topic
Air Quality
The City of Newport Beach (City) has established an Air Quality Improvement Trust Fund to receive revenue
from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) and implement mobile source air pollution
reduction programs (Newport Beach Municipal Code Chapter 3.30).
The City has implemented the requirements of Orange County’s Congestion Management Program, which
intends to reduce the number of peak-period vehicle trips, promote alternative transportation modes, and
improve air quality through local requirements and procedures for project review and permit processing.
Under the City’s transportation demand management program, eligible new non-residential projects, mixed-
use projects, and employment centers are subject to development requirements that include carpool parking, bicycle parking, and sidewalk improvements.
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Table 3. Local Implementation by Natural Resources Topic
Biological Resources
The City has adopted ordinances that establish protections of environmentally sensitive habitat areas
(ESHAs), coastal dunes, coastal waters, streams, wetlands, estuaries, and lakes (Newport Beach Municipal
Code Chapter 21.30B).
- Per City regulation, any development in areas adjacent to ESHAs must be designed to prevent detrimental impacts to these areas, meaning projects may have to include protective open space
buffers, special lighting, and other design elements as required.
The City’s Local Coastal Program (LCP) details policies related to the protection of ESHAs such as dune
habitats and alkali meadows within the City and its sphere of influence; similar policies are included for the
City’s environmental study areas (ESAs).
The City is responsible for enforcing mitigation and conservation policies under the Orange County Central
Coastal Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan, which received an update to its
Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Plan in 2019.
Mineral Resources
The Charter of the City of Newport Beach prohibits any drilling activity originating from the ocean’s surface and permits drilling in specific areas for the production and processing of oil, gas, or other hydrocarbon
substances (Section 1401 of Article XIV).
Per the Charter, slant drilling outside of designated areas may be permitted, assuming this action is
approved by a majority vote in a special or general municipal election.
Rivers and Waterbodies
The Newport Beach Municipal Code includes provisions specific to the Santa Ana River that include
speed limits for marine vessels, as well as encroachment and setback limits for development adjacent to
the river.
Similar to the Santa Ana River, Upper Newport Bay receives protections enshrined in the Newport Beach
Municipal Code, including the Upper Newport Bay Recreation and Scenic Trail (Newport Beach Municipal
Code Chapter 12.55), which includes provisions related to the use of the trail that preserves and protects the Upper Bay Ecological Reserve.
The City has adopted ordinances that establish protections of ESHAs, coastal dunes, coastal waters,
streams, wetlands, estuaries, and lakes, including the Newport Bay Marine Park (Newport Beach Municipal
Code Chapter 21.30B).
Visual Resources
The City’s property development standards include regulations to protect visual resources. Such
regulations include ensuring that the design of development along the ocean and scenic coastal areas do
not obstruct public views of visual resources, and prioritizing public access to view points.
Under these public view protection regulations, protected views include those of the Pacific Ocean,
Newport Bay, Newport Harbor, Newport Pier, Balboa Pier, the Old Channel of the Santa Ana River, offshore
islands, designated landmarks and historic structures, parks, coastal and inland bluffs, canyons,
mountains, wetlands, and permanent passive open space.
The City’s LCP includes policies related to the protection of scenic and visual resources such as coastal
views and natural landforms, including coastal bluffs and coastal canyons; bulk and height regulations, as
well as regulations for signs and utilities in the Mariner’s Mile district and the Balboa Peninsula, are also detailed in the LCP.
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Table 3. Local Implementation by Natural Resources Topic
Water Conservation
Water service in Newport Beach is provided by the City, Irvine Ranch Water District, and Mesa Consolidated
Water District. Each agency maintains master plans for services, facilities, maintenance, and
improvements necessary to support existing and projected population growth and development.
Conservation practices are included within the respective plans.
- The City has adopted ordinances regulating the use of water. This includes regulations on water
conservation and supply, water efficient landscaping, and water quality. These regulations establish
water conservation and water supply shortage programs, promote the efficient use of water and prevent
water waste in landscaping, and prohibit non-stormwater discharges into storm sewers.
- The City’s 2020 Urban Water Management Plan provides projections of water demand and supply
through 2045. The Urban Water Management Plan is updated every 5-years and is further detailed in
Section 3 of this document.
- In response to Executive Order B-29-15 on April 1, 2015, the City adopted in its municipal code (Newport
Beach Municipal Code Chapter 14.17) prohibitions against wasteful practices relating to water use,
including using potable water to wash sidewalks and driveways, allowing more-than-incidental runoff when irrigating turf and other ornamental landscapes, and using hoses without automatic shutoff
nozzles to wash motor vehicles, among other restrictions.
Water Quality
City has adopted development standards to prevent water pollution during development and ensure that
development is sited in a way that minimizes impacts to natural areas that provide water quality benefits,
The City also operates programs to protect the quality of water in the harbor and bay, such as a street
sweeping program and the operation and maintenance of tidal valves. Street and drainage improvements
are identified through the City’s Capital Improvements Program.
In compliance with Federal requirements under the Clean Water Act, the City has adopted an ordinance to
improve water quality by preventing and controlling stormwater runoff. In part, the ordinance sets forth requirements for all new development and significant redevelopment within the city and establishes a scope of inspections and compliance enforcement and discharge permit procedures.
The City adopted an ordinance to update its Subdivision Code to implement the adopted General Plan. The
updated Subdivision Code includes drainage and flood protection requirements (Newport Beach Municipal
Code Section 19.24.090).
2.4 Summary and Findings
The City has demonstrated its commitment to the conservation of its natural resources, such as water and air
quality, through local policies and ordinances enshrined in the City’s municipal code, many of which are detailed in
Table 2. The City also coordinates with other agencies and local governments to manage its natural resources.
The Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, for example, is protected by local policies and policies in regional and
State plans such as the Local Coastal Program. Specifically, the City’s municipal code includes protections that
prohibits camping, limits dredging, and regulates development near the Upper Newport Bay. The Local Coastal
Program also includes similar protection policies, such as one to remove unauthorized structures from the Upper
Newport Bay, but many are administrative in nature and are focused on maintaining partnerships and securing
funding for restoration and preservation activities. Diversity in local and regional policy areas have strengthened
efforts to protect and preserve the City’s natural resources.
12 MARCH 2024
3. Existing Conditions
3.1 Air Quality
California State law requires the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to establish, review, and update area
designations of ten air pollutants: ozone, suspended particulate matter (respirable particulate matter [PM10] and
fine particulate matter [PM2.5]), carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide (SO2), sulfates, lead, hydrogen
sulfide, and visibility-reducing particles. Each air pollutant is measured using the California Ambient Air Quality
Standards (CAAQS), which are used by CARB and air districts to determine the cleanliness of air. Similarly, the
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determines national area designations for these air
pollutants using the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), with the exception of sulfates, hydrogen
sulfide, and visibility-reducing particles.
CARB and EPA analyze standards for each air district and if it is determined that air quality does not meet State
or Federal standards, it is considered polluted, and the area is designated as a “nonattainment” area. Table 4
indicates these designations per pollutant in Orange County. The “nonattainment” designation refers to areas
where air pollution levels have exceeded either the State or national ambient air quality standard thresholds; the
“attainment” and “unclassified/attainment” classification refers to areas where the quality standard thresholds
are met; and the “unclassified” standards refer to areas where a status cannot be determined due to insufficient
data. Although many other air pollutants exist, ambient air quality standards, with the exception of the ten
identified by CARB and the seven identified by the EPA, have not been established for other air pollutants as they
are not of regional significance.
As shown in Table 4, in Orange County, three pollutants—ozone, PM2.5, and PM10—are in non-attainment of either
the State or Federal standard. The following subsections provide a review of each of these pollutants. In Orange
County ozone, PM2.5, and PM10 all exceed the State’s air quality standards and both ozone, PM2.5 exceed the federal
air quality standards.
Table 4. Air Pollutant Area Designation Status for Orange County
Pollutant Federal Designation State Designation
Ozone (O3) Nonattainment Nonattainment
Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Nonattainment Nonattainment
Respirable Particulate Matter
(PM10)
Attainment Nonattainment
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Unclassified/Attainment Attainment
Lead Unclassified/Attainment Attainment
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Unclassified/Attainment Attainment
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Unclassified/Attainment Attainment
Sulfates Not Federally Measured Attainment
Hydrogen Sulfide Not Federally Measured Unclassified
Visibility-Reducing Particles Not Federally Measured Unclassified
Source: California Air Resources Board, November 2022. Maps of State and Federal Area Designations | California Air Resources Board
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The City is situated within the South Coast Air Basin, which includes the Counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside,
and San Bernardino. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (District) is responsible for regulating air
pollution sources throughout the region and regularly monitors pollutants to enforce healthy air quality levels
through a daily air quality index (AQI) forecast for all jurisdictions within the basin. AQI forecasts are calculated
based on data received from District monitoring sites throughout the region. However, not every jurisdiction
contains a monitoring site, resulting in AQI forecasts that do not capture local data for some areas. Because
Newport Beach does not have any local regulatory monitoring facilities, AQI forecast data is captured outside the
City’s boundaries based on the closest regulatory monitors and existing air quality model data.
The nearest active monitoring site in Orange County is located in Anaheim. In 2022, the most recent year data is
available, ozone exceed the State and National standards. No exceedances of PM2.5 or PM10 were measured in
2022, however, both pollutants exceed the National and State standards respectively in 2021.
While the air quality monitoring sites do not capture data within the City’s boundaries, the City must abide by all
regulations and policies administered by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (District) given that the
basin is in non-attainment for certain pollutants. For this reason, the City must do its part to help reduce air pollution
across the region. It is important to note that the City also benefits from supportive programs and policies managed
by the District, which has helped implement programs to improve air quality throughout the basin, specifically by
providing local governments with revenue intended for pollution reduction programs. For example, the City’s Air
Quality Improvement Trust Fund receives revenue from the District, which has funded projects such as employee
rideshare programs and electric vehicle charging stations throughout Newport Beach.2
3.1.1 Non-Attainment Pollutants
The following sections provide information on the non-attainment pollutants that have been identified in Orange
County. Although precise data on these pollutants does not exist for Newport Beach, these pollutants remain
present in the City’s atmosphere and may pose significant health risks to certain individuals.
Ozone. Ozone is a highly reactive and unstable gas capable of severely harming or killing living cells upon contact
and forms in high quantities during hot, sunny days due to the chemical reaction caused when sunlight interacts
with vehicle emissions such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds. Unlike stratospheric ozone,
which reduces the amount of ultraviolet light in the atmosphere, ground-level ozone is produced on the surface and
can result in severe health issues, including breathing difficulties, inflamed and irritated airways, asthma attacks,
and heart disease. These significant health impacts may result after prolonged exposure to ozone.
Common sources of ozone include cars and diesel engines; industrial facilities such as power plants, manufacturing
facilities; and oil and gas production plants; and landfills. Many of these sources emit NOx, volatile organic
compounds, and other compounds such as methane, all of which generate ground-level ozone when combined.
Cars are the most common source of ground-level ozone in Newport Beach, which is bordered by two State highways
that serve as major entrance and exit points to the City. Although the City is served by several public transportation
routes, most individuals use private cars to get around, thus contributing a significant amount of ground-level ozone.
2 SCAQMD (South Coast Air Quality Management District). 2019. Annual Report on AB 2766 Funds from Motor Vehicle Registration Fees for FY 2017-18. November 1, 2019. http://www.aqmd.gov/docs/default-source/transportation/ab2766-motor-vehicle-
subvention-fund-program/fy-reports/ab-2766-staff-report-fy-2017-2018.pdf?sfvrsn=10.
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These emissions can be reduced through transportation demand programs and through regulatory measures and
policies that may impose new or revised emission standards, clean fuel requirements, or other standards.
Fine Particulate Matter. Fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, is a type of airborne particular matter, a mixture of several
chemicals and substances with no defined size shape, or chemical composition. PM2.5 refers to particles that have
a diameter of 2.5 or less microns. PM2.5 is often emitted during the combustion of gasoline, oil, diesel, and wood,
but it may also form in the atmosphere through chemical reactions of other pollutants such as SO2 and NOX.
PM2.5 can be inhaled, and prolonged exposure to these particles can result in detrimental health effects that include
premature mortality, especially among individuals with chronic heart and lung diseases. The California Ambient Air
Quality Standard, used by CARB, for the annual average of PM2.5 is measured at 12 micrograms per cubic meter
(µg/m3). The National Ambient Air Quality Standard, used by EPA, is measured by an annual average, also measured
at 12 µg/m3, and a 24-hour average, measured at 35 µg/m3. Any particulate amount above these averages may
result in severe impacts to human health.
Motor vehicles are most common source of PM2.5 since the internal combustion of gasoline and diesel releases
particles into the atmosphere. As noted above, policies and programs can reduce emissions through regulations on
these vehicles. The use of heavy machinery in local and regional construction activities and oil production also
generate a significant amount of dust and particles that can travel long distances, especially under windy
conditions. While these activities are limited in the Newport Beach, similar activity in nearby jurisdictions can result
in local exposure to these particles. Implementation of best practices for dust control on construction sites can
reduce the amount of particulate matter that is released throughout the region, through it is clear one strategy may
not be sufficient to contain emissions exposure. Other potential emission control strategies include the use of
vegetation and green infrastructure to trap particles and previously mentioned regulatory measures.
Respirable Particulate Matter. Similar to PM2.5, respirable particular matter, or PM10, is a type of airborne particulate
matter. Particles have a diameter of 10 or less microns. Due to its smaller size, PM2.5 also makes up a portion of
PM10. PM10 shares many similarities to its smaller variant in terms of sources, composition, and health impacts,
though there are traits specific to this type of particle.
Short-term exposure to PM10 is also linked to the aggravation of existing respiratory illnesses, such as asthma and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The California Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2.5 is measured at 20
µg/m3 for the annual average and 50 µg/m3 for the 24-hour average. The National Ambient Air Quality Standard
only measures PM10 exposure on a 24-hour average, measured at 150 µg/m3.
PM2.5 and PM10 share similar sources, including cars, construction sites, and wildfire activity. Strategies to control
PM2.5 emissions also apply to PM10.
3.1.2 Sources of Air Pollution in Newport Beach
Major Roadways. Two major highways run through Newport Beach, Highway 1 along the coast and Highway 73
along the eastern boundary. Additionally, Jamboree Road and MacArther Boulevard connect these routes. As shown
in Figure 1, census tracts surrounding these routes have the highest level of traffic, and therefore are most exposed
to air pollutants. It is important to note that air pollution from major roads is most concentrated within 1,000 feet
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE / NATURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
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of the source and influenced by wind and topography.3 Additionally vegetation buffers can mitigate air pollution
impacts from major roads and lessen the real air pollution experienced by nearby residents.
Aircraft Pollution. In addition to motor vehicles, construction activities, industrial and manufacturing facilities,
aircraft operations contribute air pollutants that impact residents and visitors of Newport Beach and contribute to
regional air quality issues. Aircraft engines emit water vapor, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, sulfur
gases, soot and metal particles formed by the high temperature combustion of jet fuel during flight, and small
amounts of nitrogen oxides (NOx). These NOx emissions are a precursor to ground-level ozone, or smog, which
affects human pulmonary and respiratory health, as mentioned above. When NOx reacts with other chemicals in
the atmosphere, it also forms PM2.5, causing further detrimental health effects. While many of these emissions
take place during flight to and from other localities – outside of Newport Beach - take-off and landing procedures
from and into John Wayne Airport (JWA) involve considerable and localized air pollutant emissions. Further, aircraft
engines that use leaded aviation gasoline, which is commonly used for smaller piston-engines, have been found to
cause air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health and welfare. Recent findings
from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have determined that air pollution caused by leaded aviation
gasoline may be an issue with regard to the Clean Air Act. If the EPA issues final findings that emissions of lead
from certain classes of engines used in certain aircraft cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably
be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare, the EPA then becomes subject to a duty to propose and
emission standards pursuant to the Clean Air Act.4
3 Zhu Y, Hinds WC, Kim S, Sioutas C. Concentration and size distribution of ultrafine particles near a major highway. J Air Waste Manage Assoc. 2002;52:1032–1042
4 EPA. Finding That Lead Emissions From Aircraft Engines That Operate on Leaded Fuel Cause or Contribute to Air Pollution That May
Reasonably Be Anticipated To Endanger Public Health and Welfare. 10/20/2023. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/10/20/2023-23247/finding-that-lead-emissions-from-aircraft-engines-that-operate-on-leaded-fuel-cause-or-contribute-
to#:~:text=Pursuant%20to%20section%20231(a,endanger%20public%20health%20and%20welfare.
16 MARCH 2024
Figure 1. Traffic Concentration
17 MARCH 2024
The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulates emissions from aircraft nationwide. In August 2020,
EPA proposed greenhouse gas emission standards that apply to certain new commercial airplanes, including all
large passenger jets5, which operate out of JWA. These standards mirror the international airplane carbon dioxide
(CO2) standards adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2017, in an effort to provide global
consistency on aircraft emissions standards. These standards update EPA’s previously adopted standards in 2012.
3.2 Biological Resources
Newport Beach is generally a developed area with some large areas of natural open space. The city abuts the Pacific
Ocean to the west and is dissected by San Diego Creek, which flows into the Upper Newport Bay and then the Pacific
Ocean. Biological resources in Newport Beach include special status endangered and threated species, regulated
by the Natural Communities Conservation Plan and marine resources, both special status and non-listed, regulated
by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the California Coastal Commission.
3.2.1 Natural Communities Conservation Plan
In 1991, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and numerous public and private partners created the
Natural Community Conservation Planning Act as a cooperative effort to protect habitats and species while also
streamlining the permitting process for development projects that could potentially impact said species and
habitats. This act allows local and State agencies to work with developers to create Habitat Conservation Plans and
Natural Community Conservation Plans, which outline how development projects will minimize impacts on sensitive
habitats and species. Natural Community Conservation Plans are enforced when a development project is proposed
in an area with sensitive habitats and species, as these plans explain how development can proceed while
protecting and conserving natural resources. To protect these natural resources, developers are required to
implement specific mitigation measures included in the plan and are penalized when measures are violated.
The Orange County Central/Coastal Natural Community Conservation Plan Subregional Plan was created in 1996
and covers almost 38,000 acres in southern California. This plan was created in collaboration between State and
Federal resource agencies, local governments, special districts, and private property owners using a multispecies
habitat conservation approach. This approach does not focus on individual species but instead protects entire
valuable native habitats. The City of Newport Beach is the responsible entity for enforcement of mitigation measures
and other policies within this plan as it relates to Newport Beach.
3.2.2 Endangered Species
The California Natural Diversity Database lists many species that have been known to occur within and around
Newport Beach that fall under this category (see Table 5). There is a total of six plant species located in the City
that are classified by State or Federal agencies as endangered, threatened, or a combination of both. Of the six
species, two are classified as threatened, three are classified as endangered, and one is classified as both
endangered and threatened by separate agencies. There is a total of 23 animal species located in the plan area
that are classified by State or Federal agencies as endangered, threatened, or a combination of both. Of the 23
species, 14 are birds, including 5 threatened species, 8 endangered species, and 1 species classified as both
5 US EPA (2021) “Control of Air Pollution from Airplanes and Airplane Engines: GHG Emission Standards and Test Procedures – Final Rulemaking” https://www.epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/control-air-pollution-airplanes-and-airplane-
engines-ghg
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endangered and threatened by separate agencies. In addition, 2 insect species are classified as endangered, 2 fish
species are classified as endangered, 2 crustacean species are classified as endangered, 1 mollusk species in
classified as endangered, and 2 mammal species are classified as endangered.
Table 5. Endangered or Threatened Flora and Fauna
Flora or Fauna
Scientific
Name
Common
Name State Status Federal Status CDFW Status
Fauna Charadrius
nivosus
western snowy
plover
None Threatened SSC
Fauna Phoebastria
albatrus
short-tailed
albatross
None Endangered SSC
Fauna Polioptila
californica
coastal
California
gnatcatcher
None Threatened SSC
Fauna Sternula antillarum
browni
California least tern Endangered Endangered FP
Fauna Laterallus
jamaicensis
coturniculus
California black
rail
Threatened None FP
Fauna Rallus
obsoletus
levipes
light-footed
Ridgway’s rail
Endangered Endangered FP
Fauna Enhydra lutris
nereis
southern sea
otter
None Endangered FP
Fauna Coccyzus
americanus
occidentalis
western yellow-
billed cuckoo
Endangered Threatened ND
Fauna Riparia bank swallow Threatened None ND
Fauna Passerculus
sandwichensis
beldingi
Belding’s
savannah
sparrow
Endangered None ND
Fauna Vireo bellii
pusillus
least Bell’s vireo Endangered Endangered ND
Fauna Branchinecta sandiegonensis
San Diego fairy
shrimp
None Endangered ND
Fauna Streptocephalus
woottoni
Riverside fairy
shrimp
None Endangered ND
Fauna Eucyclogobius
newberryi
tidewater goby None Endangered ND
Fauna Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus
pop. 10
steelhead – southern
California DPS
Candidate endangered Endangered ND
Fauna Bombus crotchii Crotch bumble
bee
Candidate
endangered
None ND
Fauna Haliotis
sorenseni
white abalone None Endangered ND
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Table 5. Endangered or Threatened Flora and Fauna
Flora or Fauna
Scientific
Name
Common
Name State Status Federal Status CDFW Status
Fauna Agelaius tricolor tricolored
blackbird
Threatened None SSC
Fauna Empidonax
traillii
willow flycatcher Endangered None ND
Fauna Empidonax
traillii extimus
southwestern
willow flycatcher
Endangered Endangered ND
Fauna Perognathus longimembris pacificus
Pacific pocket
mouse
None Endangered SSC
Fauna Haliaeetus
leucocephalus
bald eagle Endangered Delisted FP
Fauna Euphydryas
editha quino
quino
checkerspot
butterfly
None Endangered ND
Flora Eryngium
aristulatum var.
parishii
San Diego
button-celery
Endangered Endangered ND
Flora Nasturtium gambelii Gambel’s water cress Threatened Endangered ND
Flora Chloropyron
maritimum ssp.
salt marsh
bird’s-beak
Endangered Endangered ND
Flora Orcuttia
californica
California Orcutt
grass
Endangered Endangered ND
Flora Verbesina dissita big-leaved crownbeard Threatened Threatened ND
Flora Dudleya
stolonifera
Laguna Beach
dudleya
Threatened Threatened ND
Note: CDFW = California Department of Fish and Wildlife; SCC = Species of Special Concern; FP = Fully Protected; ND = No Data; DPS = distinct population segment.
3.2.3 Marine Resources
Marine Resources have additional protections from the California Coastal Commission and the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These resources are addressed comprehensively and are not limited to
only special status species. The City implements the management of natural resources through the Local Coastal
Program and Eelgrass Protection and Mitigation Plan. The City must also comply with the Marine Mammal Protection
Act in its management of coastal areas where humans and marine mammals interact.
Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas. The City contains 13 environmental study areas (ESAs), defined by the
City’s Local Coastal Program as undeveloped areas with natural habitats potentially capable of supporting sensitive
biological resources and functioning as wildlife migration corridors. These ESAs benefit from protections and
regulations from the City and the California Coastal Commission and include the Semeniuk Slough, North Star
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Beach, West Bay, Upper Newport Bay Marine Park and DeAnza/Bayside Marsh Peninsula, San Diego Creek,
Eastbluff Remnant, Mouth of Big Canyon, Newporter North, Buck Gully, Morning Canyon, Newport Beach Marine
Conservation Area, Castaways, and the Newport Harbor Entrance Channel Kelp Beds (see Figure 2). Local
regulations include Chapter 21.30B.030 of Title 21 of the Municipal Code, which requires a site resource study for
coastal development permit applications when the site is located within 100-feet of an ESA; as well as a policy (NR
10.3) to require a site study for any development within or contiguous to an ESA. In addition to serving as habitats
for the City’s biological resources, unique environments such as the salt marshes of the San Diego Creek ESA and
the steep bluffs of the Eastbluff Remnant ESA also contribute to the City’s visual resources.
Portions of the ESAs within the Coastal Zone that contain sensitive species or habitats, contain rare vegetation
types, or are particularly sensitive to human disturbance may be classified as environmentally sensitive habitat
areas (ESHAs). Due to the nature of these sites, a site-specific biological survey must be conducted to definitively
determine whether an ESA contains an ESHA. These areas are protected by the California Coastal Act, which
contains provisions regulating development and other activities adjacent to these sites to ensure compatibility with
the ESHAs and avoid significant disruptions to their biological resources. Many of the ESAs described above contain
one or more sensitive species and may be eligible to receive ESHA designation. In the event that an ESHA is
identified within the ESA, these sites will be subjected to stricter development regulations and measures for
protecting resources detailed in the California Coastal Act, in addition to other local and regional protections such
as those defined in Chapter 21.30B (Habitat Protection) of the Newport Beach Municipal Code.
Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)6 of 1972 protects marine mammal
species, regardless of endangered or threatened status, from harassment, hunting, capture, collection, or killing.
The MMPA also safeguards marine mammal habitat as well as regulates the import, export, and sale of marine
mammals and marine mammal products. As part of its regulatory measures, the MMPA requires stock assessments
and conservation plans for marine mammal populations. Under certain conditions, the MMPA provides exceptions
allowing activities that have the potential to incidentally harm or disturb marine mammals, such as scientific
research, public display (such as in aquariums), national defense, and maintenance of public safety. A notable
allowable disturbance to marine mammals is in Newport Harbor where rules are in place that require boat and dock
owners to install and maintain effective and humane deterrents to prevent sea lions from making themselves at
home on vessels and structures, because of MMPA these structures must not harm the sea lions.
6 NOAA Fisheries (2023) “Marine Mammal Protection” https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/marine-mammal-protection
21 MARCH 2024
Figure 2. Environmental Sensitive Areas in Newport Beach
22 MARCH 2024
Eelgrass Protection and Mitigation Plan. Eelgrass (Zostera marina L. and Z. pacifica) – seagrasses that occur in the
temperate unconsolidated substrate of shallow coastal environments, enclosed bays, and estuaries – are
recognized as a foundation species that form marine habitats and provide numerous ecosystem services. While
eelgrass itself is not listed as a threatened or endangered species by the CDFW, it is designated as a habitat area
of particular concern (HAPC) per the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). This is
because it serves as an essential fish habitat and has experienced significant decline due to pollution, warming
seas, and coastal development7 The National marine fisheries Service (NMFS) has established a California Eelgrass
Mitigation Policy8 recommending no net loss of eelgrass habitat function in the State. In cases where loss of existing
eelgrass habitat function is unavoidable and mitigation measures have been pursued to the maximum extent
practicable, NMFS recommends compensatory mitigation measures. These includes comprehensive management
plans, in-kind mitigation, mitigation banks and in-lieu fee programs, and out-of-kind mitigation, though in-kind
mitigation is preferred. Compensatory mitigation should ensure that a greater amount of eelgrass is created than
was lost, and mitigation should be performed contemporaneously or after impacts have occurred. The City
established the Eelgrass Protection and Mitigation Plan in 2015 to ensure dredging activities in Newport Harbor do
not impose undue impacts on eelgrass habitat (Zostera marine species). The area within Newport Harbor that the
Eelgrass Protection and Mitigation Plan is concerned with generally includes the bulkhead to pierhead line plus 20
feet bayward, where maintenance dredging is expected to occur. Allowable dredging may not exceed 75,000 cubic
yards per year, nor may exceed 8,000 cubic yards per dredging event. Moreover, the Plan specifies the percentage
of eelgrass present that is allowed to be impacted by dredging activities according to three zones and three
accompanying tiers (see the Plan for more details9). Those standards are as follows:
In Stable and Transitional Zones, impacts to up to 5% of the eelgrass population/year in Tier 1 and up to
3% in Tier 2 are allowed; in no case, however, may the total impact to eelgrass in Stable and Transitional
Zones within any year be greater than 1% of the total abundance of eelgrass in Newport Harbor.
Any impacts to Tier 3 eelgrass populations are only allowed with standard California Eelgrass Mitigation
Policy (CEMP) mitigation, such as transplanting, mitigation ratios, and performance standards.
To monitor eelgrass populations under this Plan, the City conducts a Plan Area survey every two years and a Harbor-
wide survey every four years. This assessment is used to determine the tier levels for present eelgrass habitat,
which in turn determines the allowable impacts to eelgrass for maintenance dredging. Areas that are assessed as
Tier 3 for two consecutive survey periods require additional action from the City, including working with other
relevant agencies to determine the cause of habitat decline and to initiate actions to restore habitat in specified
areas.
The 2022 Eelgrass Survey mapped a total area of 205.4 acres of eelgrass beds in Newport Bay, which included
109 acres of shallow water eelgrass habitat and 96.4 acres of deep water eelgrass habitat. Figure 3, Eelgrass
Habitat, shows the locations of shallow water and deep water eelgrass habitat; Figure 4, Eelgrass Zones, shows
where stable, transitional, and unvegetated eelgrass habitats are located.
7 NOAA Fisheries (2014) “California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy and Implementing Guidelines”
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/california-eelgrass-mitigation-policy-and-implementing-guidelines
8 NOAA Fisheries (2014) “California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy and Implementing Guidelines”
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/california-eelgrass-mitigation-policy-and-implementing-guidelines
9 City of Newport Beach (2015) “Newport Harbor Eelgrass Protection and Mitigation Plan” https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/harbor/harbor-resources/harbor-resources/dredging-permits-
information/eelgrass-and-caulerpa
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Since eelgrass habitat surveys began in 2003, eelgrass cover has, on average, increased. Shallow water eelgrass
habitat has increased from 30.41 acres in 2003 to 102.21 acres in 2022; deep water eelgrass habitat has
increased from 19.90 acres in 2006 to 62.20 acres in 2022. The total eelgrass habitat has therefore increased
from 42.97 acres in 2006 to 164.41 acres in 2022 – an increase of 282.62%. However, during this same period,
average eelgrass density has been variable, and even decreased since 2004.10
Sand Resources. Beach nourishment, a coastal management practice involving the addition of sand to eroding
beaches, is primarily employed to combat coastal erosion, a growing concern due to rising sea levels and increased
storm intensity11. In Newport Beach, sand nourishment projects are critical for addressing coastal erosion, which
affects recreation, tourism, ecosystems, and protection against groundwater intrusion and flooding.
The ecological impacts of nourishment are complex. Beach ecosystems harbor diverse assemblages of burrowing
invertebrates and larger animals that nest and feed in the intertidal zone. Properties of sand such as texture, size,
moisture, and organic matter; slope elevation, width, and relief; and interactions between biological productivity
and predation all shape beach habitats. Sand nourishment can impact beach habitats by making it more difficult
for predators to detect pray and, if sand gets transported offshore through storms and wave action, it can bury coral
reefs. If the sand is high in silts and clays, it can suffocate animals that live in sediment of the ocean floor by
clogging their gills.12
Nourishment sand steepens and widens the beach, which alters currents, waves, wind, and sediment transport.
New sand moves offshore or onshore, and up- or down-coast, from the placement area, resulting in beach
narrowing, decreasing steepness, and evening of the coastline. Sand redistribution is greatest when large volumes
of sand are placed on the above-water beach only, causing a very steep profile that leads to a rapid decrease in
beach width. Hard structures such as groins and breakwaters can reduce sand loss post-nourishment by reducing
downdrift erosion; placemen to these structures should consider the direction of sand redistribution. Remote
sensing imaging systems, including fixed platforms on towers or rooftops and mobile platforms, such as drones,
airplanes, and satellites, can provide long time series data at a low operational cost. These technologies aid
accurate mapping of sand redistribution and can be used for ongoing monitoring and assessment of sand
nourishment projects.13
Groundwater and flood protection services benefit from beach nourishment, as wider beaches can act as natural
barriers, reducing saltwater intrusion in groundwater and absorbing wave energy to protect inland areas from
flooding. To the extent that sand nourishment increases the coast, it can increase groundwater infiltration of
precipitation, aiding in groundwater recharge. However, sand loss during storms can reduce these benefits over
time, so to maintain these groundwater benefits ongoing sand nourishment may be required.14
Recent beach nourishment initiatives in Orange County have seen funding, such as the Surfside-Sunset Beach Sand
Replenishment Project, which aims to add 1.1 million cubic yards of sand to bolster the coastline at a cost of $23
10 City of Newport Beach (2023) “2022 eelgrass Monitoring in Newport Bay, Newport Beach, California” https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/harbor/harbor-resources/harbor-resources/dredging-permits-information/eelgrass-and-caulerpa
11 Ranasinghe, R., Callaghan, D. & Stive, M.J.F. (2012). Estimating coastal recession due to sea level rise: beyond the Bruun rule.
Climatic Change 110, 561–574. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-011-0107-8
12 de Schipper, M.A., Ludka, B.C., Raubenheimer, B. et al. (2021). Beach nourishment has complex implications for the future of sandy shores. Nat Rev Earth Environ 2, 70–84. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-020-00109-9
13 Ibid.
14 Ibid.
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million. Spearheaded and funded in large part by the Army Corps of Engineers the project is receiving Federal, State,
and local funds including funding from the City of Newport Beach. Nourishment sand deposited upcoast at Sunset
Beach is expected to be transported downcoast by currents and swells to the Bolsa Chica wetland, Huntington
Beach, and finally Newport Beach. This sort of sand replenishment is designed to occur every five to seven years.
As part of this initiative, the City is separately adding 100,000 cubic yards of sand from the Santa Ana River between
groin jetties in West Newport.15
The Santa Ana River, which feeds directly into the Pacific Ocean at the City’s westernmost boundary (see Section
3.5), is a natural source of sediment for the coastal areas of Newport Beach. Although habitat restoration typically
aims to reduce sediment flows downstream, historic accumulation of sediment presents an opportunity to
coordinate sediment removal with sand nourishment efforts. Coordinated projects with the Santa Ana River
Conservancy, established through Senate Bill 1390 (2014) within the California Coastal Conservancy, to transport
sediment from the riverbed to Newport Beach’s coast could supplement sand nourishment activities, as was done
as part of the Surfside-Sunset Beach Sand Replenishment Project.
15 Connelly, L. (2023). Officials celebrate long-awaited sand project in Surfside. The Orange County Register,
https://www.ocregister.com/2023/12/14/officials-celebrate-long-awaited-sand-project-in-surfside/
25 MARCH 2024
Figure 3. Eelgrass Habitat
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Figure 4. Eelgrass Zones
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3.3 Mineral Resources
Oil is the primary mineral resource in Newport Beach. Historically, drilling for oil began in the early twentieth century
and became the primary mineral extraction activity in the area. Two different oil production and reserve areas exist
within the City’s Sphere of Influence. There are a total of 65 oil wells in the area, including 15 owned by the City,
not including the 1 injection well, with 14 still in operation as of 2023. Of the 65 wells, the West Newport Oil
Company owns 48 wells, 9 of which are still in operation today, and South Coast Oil owns 2 currently operating
wells. Oil production in the area has declined significantly since the 1980s as numbers have dropped from 60,000
barrels per year to only 20,000 barrels a year in 2020. the City has been averaging approximately $1.0 to $1.2
million in oil and gas revenue a year with operation and maintenance expenditures of approximately $600 to $800
thousand a year. Oil and gas revenue is deposited into the Tidelands Fund because the source of the oil is in the
tidelands area which the City holds in trust for the people of California. The Tidelands Fund may be used only for
eligible expenditures that support and maintain the tidelands, such as improvements to tidelands property including
dredging Lower Newport Bay, lifeguards, beach cleaning, and more.16
There are three methane gas collection and recovery systems located in Newport Beach, which were designed to
reduce noxious odors from the Hoag Hospital Campus and Pacific Coast Highway. Other than oil and gas mineral
resources, there is no active mineral mining in Newport Beach, as all Mineral Resource Zones are either classified
as containing no significant mineral deposits or are undetermined. No new mineral resource extraction activities
are allowed under Section 1401 of the City’s Charter.
Section 1401 of the City’s Charter prohibits drilling within the incorporated area of the City. However, the Charter
allows drilling for, production or processing of oil, gas or other hydrocarbon substances by vertical, slant or other
drilling method originating from the surface within the approximately twenty (20) acres of two identified areas Figure
5: Oil Production Areas (Exhibit A of Charter). The Charter does not prohibit the continuance of such activities within
the City if drilled from a location outside the City so long as it was in existence at the time the Charter took effect.
The oil production denoted in Figure 5 is located within the Randall Preserve (formerly Banning Ranch). Through
acquisition of the land by the Coastal Corridor Alliance, a 13-acre carve out of the property has been identified to
temporarily serve as a designated area of oil drilling consolidation.17
The California Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management Division is tasked with regulating the
drilling, operation, and eventual permanent closure of oil, gas, and geothermal wells. The eventual permanent
closure of these operations is consistent with the State’s goal to become carbon neutral by 2045.18 State law
governs the commencement, operations, and closures of oil drilling including post-closure maintenance pursuant
to the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976.
16 City of Newport Beach. https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/utilities/oil-and-gas. Accessed 4/22/2024
17 Coastal Corridor Alliance. https://coastalcorridor.org/coastal-corridor/banning-ranch-remainder/. Accessed 4/22/2024.
18 Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/11/16/california-releases-worlds-first-plan-to-achieve-net-zero-
carbon-pollution/. Accessed 4/22/2024.
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Figure 5. Oil Production Areas (Exhibit A of Charter)
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3.4 Archaeological and Paleontological Resources
Changes in geological land formations over time, due to tectonic activity, have resulted in a mix of aquatic and
terrestrial fossils underlying the City. The Miocene-age rock units (7 to 26 million years ago), particularly in the
Newport Coast area, are of high-order paleontological significance.
Deposits found in the Newport Beach area include a variety of marine mammals, sea birds, mollusks, and a variety
of vertebrate animals typically associated with the Ice Age (2.5 million years ago to 15,000 years ago). Local
paleontological sites, particularly near the Castaways, have yielded fossils of Ice Age horses, elephants, bison,
antelopes, and dire wolves. Also, a number of localities in the portions of the Vaqueros formation that underlie the
Newport Coast area have yielded a variety of invertebrate and vertebrate fossils, which are also considered to be
of high-order paleontological significance. Other areas with significant fossils and known paleontological deposits
include the Randall Preserve (Banning Ranch) area, which contains at least fourteen documented sites of high
significance, and Fossil Canyon, in the North Bluffs area, which is considered a unique paleontological area.
Newport Beach also contains many significant archaeological sites. In the Upper Newport Bay area, there is
evidence of the earliest human occupation of what is today known as Orange County, dating to about 9,500 years
before present. Over fifty sites have been documented, including the Newport Coast area and the Randall Preserve,
including burial sites. At least two and possibly three distinct cultural groups inhabited the area, including the
Tongva and Acjachemem tribes. The Tongva people occupied the entire Los Angeles basin and the islands of Santa
Catalina, San Nicholas, San Clemente, and Santa Barbara, while the Acjachemen people occupied the coastline,
valleys, and mountains spanning from what is today Long Beach to Oceanside, east to Lake Elsinore and west to
Catalina and San Clemente Islands. Both tribes are suspected to have occupied Newport Bay at some point in their
histories.19
Council Policy K-5, last amended by in August 2017, states that the City will ensure that potential public or private
development impacts to paleontological and archaeological resources are properly evaluated and mitigated in
accordance with the General Plan, Local Coastal Program, and CEQA. The policy outlines the procedures the City
shall take to evaluate and mitigate potential impacts to such resources, which includes determination of
paleontological or archaeological resources at the initial study level, a preliminary investigation report if resources
are known to exist, and an impact assessment report if resources are known to exist, as well as what to do if
resources are found on a construction site.20
Additional context on archaeological and paleontological resources can be found in the Historical Resources
Existing Conditions and Background Analysis.
19 Orange County Department of Education (n.d.) “Native American People of Orange County”
https://ocde.us/ito/Documents/NativeAmericanBackground.pdf#:~:text=The%20original%20inhabitants%20of%20Orange%20
County%20and%20the,San%20Gabriel%20Mission%2C%20but%20they%20call%20themselves%20Tongva.
20 City of Newport Beach. 2017b. “Paleontological and Archaeological Resource Protection Guidelines (K-5).” In Newport Beach City Council Policy Manual. Last updated August 8, 2017. Accessed October 9, 2023. https://www.newportbeachca.gov/home/
showpublisheddocument/2437/636385647487800000.
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3.5 Rivers and Waterbodies
The rivers and waterbodies of Newport Beach are a major contributor to the City’s ecological diversity and are
integral to the experiences of residents and visitors alike. As shown in Figure 6 there are freshwater, estuarine,
riverine, and lake ecosystems in Newport Beach. Members of the General Plan Advisory Committee have noted that
additional wetlands exist in the City beyond those identified in Figure 6, such as one location north of Marnier’s
Mile, near a BMW dealership. Of special importance and discussed in detail below are Upper Newport Bay and the
Santa Ana River. Upper Newport Bay has been designated as a nature preserve, representing the largest of only a
few remaining natural estuarine ecosystems, while the west end of Newport Beach is in the Santa Ana River
Watershed with the river itself bounding the city at the northwest tip.
3.5.1 Upper Newport Bay
The Upper Newport Bay is nestled within the heart of the city and is one of the largest remaining wetlands in the
region, spanning about 1,000 acres, which provide sanctuary to diverse fish, bird, reptile, plant, and other species.
Also known as the Back Bay, the estuarine ecosystem is a popular destination for many migratory birds, providing
many opportunities for birdwatching. The Upper Bay State Main Conservation Area covers an area of just over
1 square mile and includes lagoon, tidal flats, and coastal marsh habitat. This area protects a variety of small
mammals, fish, birds, and crustaceans, and other creatures, including some endangered species. The Upper
Newport Bay was designated a nature preserve in 1975 and continues to provide a popular recreation area for
biking, horseback riding, hiking, kayaking, birdwatching, and exploring nature.
There are several organizations based in the Upper Newport Bay that provide environmental education and
opportunities for locals to get involved in conservation efforts. For example, the Back Bay Science Center, developed
in partnership between the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the City, the Orange County Health Care
Agency, and the University of California, Irvine, is a hands-on, research-based science center that provides students
with opportunities to work with scientists and study Upper Newport Bay’s estuarine ecology. The 12,400-square-
foot development is located adjacent to Upper Newport Bay, with waterfront access to the largest remaining natural
estuary in Southern California. Providing education about the natural resources of Upper Newport Bay and the
surrounding region helps to promote conservation and stewardship throughout the watershed. Being located within
a State ecological preserve means this facility is primed to study protected fish and wildlife, monitor water quality
in the state-of-the-art testing laboratory, and offer other nature-related educational programs. Programs in this
center often target students in grades 7 through 12, but the center also offers research opportunities for college
students in the area. In addition to students, there are public opportunities to get involved as well, like with the
monthly Marine Life Inventories. Each year, more than 10,000 students and visitors participate with programs and
events at the Back Bay Science Center.
31 MARCH 2024
Figure 6: Rivers and Waterbodies in Newport Beach
32 MARCH 2024
3.5.2 Santa Ana River
The Santa Ana River is the largest river within the Southern California region, spanning nearly 100 miles across
various environments embedded in the counties of San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange. The river’s rich
biodiversity sustains a variety of ecosystems and provides habitat to several species of birds, reptiles, fish, and
mammals. The Santa Ana River shares a small boundary with Newport Beach, specifically the City’s westernmost
boundary where the river feeds directly into the Pacific Ocean. The City has imposed regulations near the river,
including a maximum speed limit of 5 miles per hour for aquatic vessels, encroachment limits for residential homes
adjacent to the riverfront, and other property development standards. These are intended to limit human impacts
to the river and any biological resources within it.
The river has generally healthy water quality and does not pose a threat to its biological resources or human health.
However, stormwater runoff following rain events may accumulate bacteria, pollution, and other debris from urban
areas, which may find its way into the Santa Ana River and may flow into Newport Bay and the ocean. This can pose
environmental hazards, particularly when combined with other trash and litter that may be illegally deposited into
the river. As the largest watershed in Southern California, there are many agencies and organizations involved in
improving water quality and flood control along the Santa Ana River. The extensive number of agencies and
organizations with interests in the Santa Ana River makes collaboration and cooperation necessary.
Another concern for recreational waters is trash. Significant amounts of trash end up in Newport Beach’s
recreational waters via the Santa Ana River. While the exact quantities of trash are unknown, volunteers pick up
trash along beaches and in Upper Newport Bay each year21. The Coastal Corridor Alliance, formerly the Banning
Ranch Conservancy, a non-profit land conservancy, organizes monthly beach and river cleanups based around the
Randall Preserve (formerly Banning Ranch), a 397-acre parcel containing a coastal mesa and wetlands.22 The
organization is one of several dedicated to the maintenance and conservation of the surrounding area.
3.6 Visual Resources
Visual resources are what we see and value in our surrounding landscapes. Newport Beach contains several unique
visual resources as it is situated near dynamic natural environments, including the Pacific Ocean, Crystal Cove State
Park, the San Joaquin Hills, and the wetlands and bluffs of Newport Bay. Visual resources include aesthetic
characteristics of an area and often refer to natural and built environments, as well as the attributes contained
within the natural and built environments, including the vegetation and the organisms that inhabit an area. Visual
resources contribute to a community’s quality of life and can help build a connection to an area. Public access to
visual resources is not only essential for connecting individuals to these resources, but is a key component to
ensuring that the preservation of such resources remains a priority for the community. To protect visual resources,
the City has identified and designated public view points to ensure that public access to visual resources is
preserved. Regulations designed to preserve public view points are detailed in Chapter 4 of this analysis and include
regulations to ensure that public views are not obstructed by development.
Due to its coastal nature, much of the City’s development, particularly along the ridgelines and hillsides of the
San Joaquin Hills, has been designed to capture picturesque views of the coastline, harbor, and bay. Additionally,
21 City of Newport Beach. n.d. “Make A Splash, Pick Up Trash.” https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/public-works/ocean-water-quality/make-a-splash-pick-up-trash.
22 BRC (Banning Ranch Conservancy). 2023. “The Santa Ana River Coastal Corridor PEER Program.” Accessed November 2023.
https://banningranchconservancy.org/peer/.
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many streets and highways in the area were also designed to provide view corridors to the ocean and bay including
State Route 1, which is eligible for the State Scenic Highway Program, as determined by the California Department
of Transportation for its picturesque views of the surrounding natural landscape. In the City, these landscapes
include the San Diego Creek, the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, the Buck Gully Reserve, and 237 acres of
beaches, including North Star Beach and Corona Del Mar State Beach. Furthermore, the City includes 450 acres of
parkland and open space and 47.7 miles of total coastline, all of which are also considered visual resources. Public
access areas providing vantage points that elevate views of the Newport Bay and Upper Newport Bay include West
Jetty View Park and Back Bay View Park, respectively. Figure 7 below shows public view points, coastal view roads,
existing and proposed beaches and parks, and proposed parks for West Newport area; Figure 8 shows the same
for Upper Newport Bay, and Figure 9 shows that of the harbor area.
34 MARCH 2024
Figure 7: West Newport Coastal Views
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Figure 8: Upper Newport Bay Views
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Figure 9: Harbor Area Coastal Views
37 MARCH 2024
3.7 Water Conservation
As further described in the Resilience Existing Conditions and Background Analysis, The City’s water usage is
relatively stable and the City stayed under its water use target of 207 gallons per-capita per day, achieving an
average of 160 gallons per-capita per day. The City’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan allows real-time water supply
availability assessments and strategic steps to respond to actual conditions..
3.8 Water Quality
The EPA sets water quality standards for drinkable, swimmable, and fishable waters as identified in the Clean Water
Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. Drinking water provided by the City’s Utilities Department is constantly
monitored and meets all relevant state and federal standards.23 Recreational water is generally swimmable and
fishable, however, stormwater negatively affects recreational water quality immediately following a storm. As is
typical for Southern California, people are advised to avoid recreation immediately following storms as roadway
pollution and litter are entering the water supply through the storm drains.
3.8.1 Drinking Water
Standards for drinking water, established by EPA and the California Division of Drinking Water, set limits for
pollutants that may affect consumer health or the aesthetic qualities of drinking water. The City’s drinking water
system consistently meets Federal and State standards to remove contaminants found in sources of drinking water
(e.g., rivers, lakes, streams), such as microbial, radioactive, inorganic, and organic chemical contaminants, as well
as pesticides and herbicides. Although the majority of drinking water to residents, businesses, institutions, and
other consumers is provided by the City Utilities Department, parts of the city are served by external water providers
such as the Mesa Water District and Irvine Ranch Water District; these districts are also compliant with applicable
Federal and State drinking water standards.
In recent years, concerns have been raised over the presence of a type of toxic contaminant, per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances (known as PFAS), in drinking water throughout the United States. These chemicals include
perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, and GenX, among others, and
are associated with manufacturing, fire suppression, and use on military bases. Although the use of these chemicals
is now banned, residual contaminants affect many drinking water supplies throughout the country. PFAS has been
detected in the Orange County Groundwater Basin, including one of Newport Beach’s groundwater wells. The
California Division of Drinking Water has instituted a monitoring order for all four of the City’s groundwater wells as
a result of this detection, requiring that the City tests groundwater wells on a quarterly basis for PFAS. Additionally,
the California Division of Drinking Water has set a notification level of 6.5 parts per trillion, at which point water
utilities must notify customers of the presence of the chemical, and has set a response level of 40 parts per trillion,
meaning the City would be required to eliminate the source of water containing the chemical. The City Utilities
Department detected PFAS at a level of 3 parts per trillion in one groundwater well.24
23 Coty of Newport Beach. 2023. Water Quality. https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/utilities/water-services/water-quality
24 City of Newport Beach. 2023. “PFAS and Drinking Water FAQS.” Accessed November 2023. https://www.newportbeachca.gov/
government/departments/utilities/water-services/pfas-pfoa-and-drinking-water.
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3.8.2 Recreational Water
Recreational quality is best when the weather is dry and worst during and immediately following rainy weather.
Stormwater runoff collects bacteria, pollution, and debris from urban areas. This runoff eventually flows into
Newport Bay and the ocean via creeks and rivers, including the Santa Ana River and San Diego Creek, as well as
stormwater drains and channels. For this reason, water quality tends to decline after it rains near the terminus of
the Santa Ana River and in Newport Bay where San Diego Creek, Big Canyon Creek, and other stormwater channels
drain.
Other risks to recreational water quality include potential sanitary sewer overflows (SSO). Newport Beach owns and
operates a wastewater collection system that collects residential and commercial wastewater and transports it for
treatment to the Orange County Sanitation District. Portions of the City receive wastewater service from Irvine Ranch
Water District (IRWD). Residences and businesses hook up private lateral lines to the City’s collection lines. Private
and public lines and the City’s pump stations have the potential to cause SSOs, which may lead to beach closures
in and around Newport Beach. In the past, beaches along the coast have been closed due to SSOs and these
closures have impacted the economy as it relates to summer beach activities.
To prevent SSOs, the City maintains a Sewer System Management Plan which establishes system performance
provisions, monitoring and management, as well as an overflow emergency response plan. Further, the City has
adopted regulations within the Newport Beach Municipal Code, establishing requirements to prevent discharges
into the wastewater system, require that sewers and connections are properly designed, ensure access for
maintenance and inspection, and enforcement procedures if violations occur.
Additional context on water quality as it relates to recreational water quality is detailed in the Resilience Background
and Existing Conditions Analysis.
3.9 Energy Conservation
The City has taken several actions to conserve energy resources. In 2013, the City finalized its Energy Action Plan
(EAP), a roadmap for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Its goals include reducing the
City’s overall carbon consumption, conserving energy at local government facilities, and raising awareness of energy
conservation in the Newport Beach community. Towards the goal of reducing energy consumption at local
government facilities, the EAP includes energy audits of major City facilities, including City Hall, the Fire Department,
Library Services, Municipal Operations, the Police Department. In addition, as a partner in the Orange County Cities
Energy Partnership, the City coordinates with SCE, the Southern California Gas Company, and neighboring local
governments to identify and create projects to improve energy efficiency and sustainability.
Another component of reducing the City’s carbon consumption is increasing the share of renewable energy that
supplies energy to the City. As the electricity provider for Newport Beach, Southern California Edison (SCE) is the
entity responsible for energy procurement. In 2022, SCE’s power mix included 35.8% renewables, which has
steadily increased over the past several years. Senate Bill 100 (2018) requires 100% of the state’s electricity retail
sales to be supplied by renewable and zero-carbon energy sources by 2045. SB 100 established interim targets of
90% clean energy by 2035 and 95% by 2040. Thus, SCE and other electricity utilities across the state must increase
their renewable energy supply significantly over the next two decades.
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The Resilience Background and Existing Conditions Analysis provides further details energy conservation and SCE’s
power mix.
4. Issues and Opportunities
4.1 Air Quality
Air quality in Newport Beach is generally good, although there are several pollutants with conditions that may pose
moderate health concerns for particularly sensitive individuals such as those with respiratory illnesses and
diseases. Ozone and PM2.5 emissions exceed both State and Federal air quality standards, whereas PM10 only
exceeds State standards. It is important to note that air quality is measured regionally and does not reflect uniform
air quality across Newport Beach.
All three pollutants exceeding State and/or Federal standards originate from cars, and as such, the City should
leverage existing support to further target reduction from these sources. Currently, the City receives monetary
support from SCAQMD via the Air Quality Improvement Trust Fund to implement mobile source air pollution
reduction programs; conforms with the Orange County Transportation Authority’s Congestion Management
Program; and manages a local transportation demand management program, which imposes development
requirements such as carpool parking, bicycle parking, and sidewalk improvements on eligible projects. The City
may be able to capitalize on their current pollution reduction efforts through implementation of additional
transportation demand management strategies such as congestion pricing, dynamic parking tolls, microtransit and
micromobility options, and the adoption of remote and hybrid work schedules, where possible. Additionally, the
rising popularity and market share of electric vehicles provides additional opportunities to reduce these emissions.
4.2 Biological Resources
There are extensive biological resources in Newport Beach that significantly contribute to the area’s natural beauty
and character. Biological resources in the area include the Upper Newport Beach Marine Preserve, Upper Newport
Bay State Marine Conservation Area, Buck Gully Preserve, Crystal Cove State Park, and other city parks and natural
areas. Many special-status species recognized by the California Natural Diversity Database exist in and around
Newport Beach (see Table 5). Issues arise when protecting these sensitive habitats and species as nearby
development and human interaction in these areas threaten the ability of certain species and habitats to thrive.
Additionally, these special-status species are not confined to jurisdictional boundaries, meaning that extensive
coordination between local governments, State and Federal agencies, and private land owners is required to
sufficiently protect said species. Well-coordinated protection strategies can allow endangered or threatened species
to return to their natural states as they have existed since before human intervention. Without coordination and
sufficient protection of said species, important biological resources in the area could be lost, which will negatively
impact the environmental and aesthetic value of the area that draws in residents and visitors alike.
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4.3 Mineral Resources
There are no significant issues related to the Newport Beach’s mineral resources. Although 14 of the 65 existing
oil wells in the City remain in operation, oil production operations are but a fraction of what they were in the 1980s.
This is likely a result of the City’s highly restrictive regulations on mineral extraction, which only allows slant drilling
in specific areas, prohibits all ocean-based drilling activities, and prohibits all new resource extraction activities. All
areas where extraction is currently allowed are remnants of the City’s past, and other than gas and oil extraction,
the City does not contain any significant mineral deposits. Thus, there are no present issues related to the
conservation of mineral resources.
4.4 Archaeological and Paleontological Resources
Impacts to archaeological and paleontological resources from development activities continue to be mitigated
largely through compliance with CEQA regulations and the City’s archaeological guidelines for development. If an
archaeological site is found to contain historical resources, as defined in section 15064.5 subsection (a) of the
CEQA Handbook25, CEQA requires for an environmental impact assessment, mitigation measures, public
participation, consideration of alternatives, and other provisions apply. When Native American human remains are
identified, or probable likelihood is determined, as part of an initial study, the lead agency must work with the
appropriate Native Americans as identified by the Native American Heritage Commission. Moreover, if accidental
discovery of human remains in any location other than a dedicated cemetery, no further excavation or disturbance
of the site may occur until the county coroner is contact, who determines if the remains are of Native American
persons, and if this is the case, the Native American Heritage Commissions then becomes involves to contact the
most likely descendent to determine proper treatment or removal of the remains.
In cases where significant archaeological or paleontological resources are found during initial study, or accidentally
in the site development process, the project may be delayed significantly as appropriate measures are taken to
mitigate impacts to such resources and proper treatment is given to any human remains. As present-day Newport
Beach, particularly Newport Bay, was the site of occupation of two major Native American tribes – the Tongva and
Acjachemen peoples – the likelihood of identifying archaeological or paleontological resources on previously
undeveloped land is somewhat high.
4.5 Rivers and Waterbodies
Newport Beach’s rivers and waterbodies are vital contributors to the region’s ecological and biological diversity. In
the case of Upper Newport Bay, the City has leveraged its partnerships with other agencies and organizations to
maintain the quality of the City’s largest body of water aside from the Pacific Ocean. Both the Upper Bay State
Marine Conservation Area and the Back Bay Science Center provide significant opportunities for environmental
education, research, and conservation in the City and collectively promote environmental stewardship. Educational
facilities and centers, such as the Back Bay Science Center, have the potential to play a greater role in the
25 Association of Environmental Professionals (2023) “2023 CEQA Statutes & Guidelines”
https://www.califaep.org/statute_and_guidelines.php
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conservation of Newport Bay. Additional educational programs and public workshops may be able to encourage
more active involvement from the community.
Community-driven initiatives can play a pivotal role in the conservation of ecosystems that may not receive as much
attention and financial support as other areas like the Upper Newport Bay. This is the case for the Santa Ana River,
where the Coastal Corridor Alliance’s (formerly Banning Ranch Conservancy) cleanup efforts and the continued
development of the Orange Coast River Park have been instrumental in addressing existing environmental hazards
and promoting the vision of a healthier and more sustainable river environment for both wildlife and the community.
4.6 Visual Resources
The City prides itself on its unique access to nature and has been proactive in preserving its natural landscapes,
particularly through development and property regulations that limit obstructions to its visual resources. The City
facilitates public access to these visual resources through access to view points that provide picturesque views of
the coastal sunsets and the City’s landmarks such as the waterfronts of the Newport Bay and Newport Harbor and
the rugged hillsides of Crystal Cove State Park.
The State Scenic Highway Program provides the City with an additional opportunity to further protect the character
of its coastline, particularly along the State Route 1 corridor. The program, managed by the California Department
of Transportation, protects designated scenic highways and adjacent corridors through a Corridor Protection
Program, which includes all relevant local and regional ordinances, zoning policies, and other planning tools
intended to preserve the quality of the designated highway. Specifically, the program requires regulations in five
areas: land use and development density, detailed site planning, outdoor advertising, landscaping, and design and
appearance of structures and equipment.26 The segment of State Route 1 that traverses through Newport Beach
is eligible for the program, providing the City with an opportunity to capitalize on the existing protections of its visual
resources, should the City desire to pursue it.
4.7 Water Conservation
Refer to the Resilience Existing Conditions and Background Analysis for additional information.
4.8 Water Quality
Refer to the Resilience Existing Conditions and Background Analysis for additional information.
4.9 Energy Conservation
Refer to the Resilience Existing Conditions and Background Analysis for additional information.
26 Caltrans (California Department of Transportation). 2023. “Scenic Highways: California State Scenic Highways.” Accessed
November 2023. https://dot.ca.gov/programs/design/lap-landscape-architecture-and-community-livability/lap-liv-i-scenic-highways.
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5. Recommendations
The City has demonstrated its commitment to the conservation and protection of its natural resources by
implementing multiple measures and strategies across various resource areas, including air quality, biological
resources, and visual resources. In addition to its conformance with regional and State policies such as the Local
Coastal Act, the City has channeled additional resources to support these efforts. One notable example of this
additional commitment is exhibited through the City’s system of view parks, which were developed specifically to
enhance access to its visual resources. This is reflective of the City’s understanding of the value that natural
resources bring to the City and the greater environment. However, despite the City’s effective implementation of
strategies to conserve its natural resources, there are additional opportunities for policy focus through the General
Plan Update.
5.1 Research Implementation of Additional Transportation
Demand Management Strategies
As mentioned in Section 4, Existing Conditions, the City faces challenges in meeting air quality standards,
particularly with emissions of ozone and both types of particulate matter exceeding acceptable levels as determined
by the State and Federal government. Given that all three of these pollutants share a source in cars and similar
vehicles, the City should research, identify, and implement policies and strategies that provide residents and visitors
with more diverse mobility options. These can include providing a mix of land uses with park-once strategies,
improving upon public transportation, promoting active modes of transportation such as cycling and walking, and
implementing micromobility options.
5.2 Additional Protective Measures for
Biological Resources
Several species that inhabit ecosystems within the City and areas around it have been designated as endangered
or threatened by State and Federal agencies, indicating an urgent need to enact policies and ordinances that
regulate the ecosystems where these species live. These resources are valuable to the City, and this is especially
pertinent given the City’s unique balance of the natural and built environments, a distinctive quality for which the
City is known for. The City should explore opportunities to build upon its foundational policies and enact additional
measures that preserve the safety of and access to these resources. Such measures may take the form of additional
protective policies, formation of new partnerships, or funding support for existing non-profit organizations and
agencies dedicated to these causes. This could include working with private land owners, including homeowners,
to increase natural habitat for native and endangered species migrating northward as a result of climate change.
This could also include increasing habitat and education on City-owned property.
5.3 Identification of Visual Resources
While public view points have been identified, the City could utilize the General Plan Update process to engage the
community on prospective additional view points. Visual resources and potential view points could be discussed
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through the outreach and engagement program, providing interested parties with the opportunity engage with the
City on what existing view points mean to them and where additional view points may be needed. To identify view
points, natural resources valued by the community should first be identified such as steep terrain, waterways, trees,
mountains, or other resources. Once these valued resources are identified, view corridors or locations that provide
clear views to the resources can be identified. This should be carefully balanced with an understanding of planned
land uses and intensity, so as to not create new standards that could limit potential development in a manner that
is inconsistent with the City’s goals.
5.4 Conservation Education
Much of Newport Beach’s identity is rooted in it’s natural resources where residents and visitors alike can recreate
and seek refuge at the beaches, on the bay, and in open spaces. Given the community’s strong connection to
natural resources, this offers the City with a distinct opportunity to connect with and educate the community on
nature and conservation. Educational programs can take shape in many forms, most notably through interpretive
signs and displays in key areas such as along trails, at public view points, and at beaches. Education programs
related to conservation can help the community forge a stronger connection to its natural resources, adding value
to the user experience and instilling a sense of responsibility for ensuring the long-term conservation of natural
resources.
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6. Conclusions
The natural resources of Newport Beach are cherished and valued assets, as made evident by the City’s extensive
efforts to preserve and protect these resources. Local regulations and ordinances governing the built environment
and human activity has made the City’s commitment clear. City policies have reduced deliberate harm to its natural
resources and, in many instances, actively emphasize their protection. These policies have facilitated the ability of
the City’s residents to coexist alongside all of its natural resources and thereby crafted a careful balance of the built
and natural environments. Recommendations made to improve the City’s protection of its resources highlight its
capacity to do more than meet State and Federal requirements, as demonstrated by the City’s previous and current
efforts.
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