HomeMy WebLinkAbout00 - Insider's GuideReceived After Agenda Printed
April 11, 2017
Insider's Guide
From: Kiff, Dave
Sent: Friday, April 07, 2017 4:38 PM
Subject: Newport Beach Insider's Guide - Tuesday, April 11, 2017
A good Friday afternoon to you.
No rants today. Ok, maybe just a small one that's more of a critique on me. I must be writing too much. I've raised a
handful of issues the past months in my "Random Notes" section only to be asked by folks, "how come I never heard
about this?!?" All I can assume is that I'm getting a tad boring — what's the saying, "TLDR" ("Too Long, Didn't
Read")? I'm not sure what else to do — we live in a busy and, complex place and a busy and complex time. To me,
reading and learning about things going on in town is so important. But. I'll. Try. To. Be. More. Punchy.
More detailed Council meeting information is at the end of the Guide. I don't summarize every item on the agenda, so
make sure you look at the City Clerk's agenda page to read the whole agenda if you'd like.
Study Session starts on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. and has two items:
• Learning more about our recent work with FEMA regarding flood plain maps. This is an interesting one if you live
(like many of us do) between 0 and 3' above sea level (um, depending also on your sea walls). That's parts of the
Peninsula and much of Balboa Island. We hired a consultant to see that FEMA's work was reasonable, because
FEMA's work determines lots of things about flood insurance through a national program. Our consultant found
things that we need to work with FEMA about, and we'll talk about all of this on Tuesday. Please tune in.
• Also interesting is a presentation we'll make about possible changes to Mooring Administration in the Harbor,
which today the Orange County Sheriff does under contract to the City. We've looked at a way to do this differently,
maybe with some City staff, part-timers, volunteers, and contracts with local tow companies.
Regular Session is at 7:00 p.m. The items worth noting are:
• Changes to mooring regulations come back for 2nd reading. At the last meeting, the Council approved a bunch of
changes asked for by folks like the Harbor Commission and the Newport Mooring Association. Second reading
would ratify those changes, including a fee associated with transferring a mooring (that fee would be 75% of the
annual rental rate for the mooring).
• A new public dock may be coming to Central Avenue, near Lido Marina Village (close to the Elks Club). It'll be a
great place to take your boat then tie up and have a bite to eat at some of the great restaurants (like Nobu) in Lido
Marina Village. All part of a neat renaissance going on at that part of the Peninsula.
• The Anaheim Ducks have asked the City to again host (and hoist) a banner honoring the Ducks as they move
towards the playoffs. It went on the Newport Pier last year, and would again if Council allows it. I only note this for
two reasons — one is that the banner was, um, removed in an unauthorized manner a year ago (or was it two?) and
also that some folks complained about it being there and why I OK -ed it. So I am punting this one to my bosses, to
mix my sports metaphors.
• The Council's new role as administrators of the community's Local Coastal Program adds to the meeting's business
items, as the Council discusses more procedural changes to our LCP as it relates to commercial parking management
in Balboa Village, the summer trolley program, and oceanfront encroachments. This is more about the LCP than
changing those programs, however.
• Speaking of the summer trolley, it would start in a few months if Council OK's the contractor. It's funded in large
part through a competitive grant from OCTA associated with "hyperlocal" transit. It is geared towards visitors
primarily, but residents might find it useful too. Visitors would park at Hoag and hop on and hop off the free shuttle,
taking folks all the way down Newport Boulevard to Balboa Boulevard and the Balboa Pier area. Planning for this
has been in the works for a few years via the Balboa Village Advisory Committee. It will be over just 12 weekends
starting Saturday, June 17. Do we think it will work? We don't know. That's why it's a pilot program — one that will
last just one summer, maybe two. I'd gently encourage folks to keep an open mind and. see how it goes. Did]
mention it's a pilot program? O
Phase III of the Civic Center Sculpture Garden is up for consideration and funding. The Council had a good
discussion two weeks ago about arts funding, asking (generally) for a more robust private fundraising effort to help
match City general funds committed to the arts. Right now, the Civic Center's park has Phase 11's sculptures still
there (Phase I's being rotated out last year) as well as the Ronald McDonald House cows. Hey, if you haven't been
to the park lately, come see it. The wildflowers at the lower level of the park are pretty special. I was also out at
Buck Gully over lunch today—those wildflowers are amazing, even just about 1/3rd of a mile in from 5t" and Poppy.
counted one snake and lots of poison oak, but only the snake was near the trail. Have fun but be safe.
Random Notes (just two):
• So I did want to take a moment to talk about the proposed 15" Street Sidewalk. To refresh folks' memories, the
City has been working on ways to make the way to school safer for Ensign, Newport Heights Elementary, and NHHS
students. One of those ways is to finish the sidewalk along the south side of 15t" Street. While I wrote about it here
in advance of the Feb 14, 2017 Council meeting, not everyone read that far & We also did social media about it,
and I think it was in both the Pilot and Indy (and I know it was in Stu News!). We WILL be working more with
adjacent homeowners on 15t" to lessen impacts — but I think that safety warrants a good sidewalk there. It might be
smaller in some places (like down to 4') and we'll definitely be replacing the trees (sadly, up to 35 trees may have to
be removed). Again, I'd gently urge folks to keep an open mind and know that our good Public Works staff (call
949/644-3311 or email pwinfo@newportbeachca.gov) is happy to talk with anyone about this, or about specific
circumstances on your property if you live on 151h Street in the Heights. You can re -read the February 14 staff
report here.
Though it's the next weekend (not this one), a happy Easter to you all — there is the Mayor's Egg Roll tomorrow at
the Civic Center Green starting at 10:00 a.m. Additionally, it's the time of year to watch out for more visitors and
kids on the roads. If you have a kid who needs something to do, think about our great Spring Break Camps.
As always, thanks for reading. Please forward this Guide to family, friends and members of your HOA if you represent
one. I always like hearing from you, too, so please don't hesitate to ask a question or offer a comment.
Sincerely,
Dave Kiff
City Manager
dkiff@newportbeachca.gov
949-644-3001
City Council Meeting Information: The Newport Beach City Council meets on the 2nd and 4t" Tuesdays of most months
(the exceptions are August and December). Typically, there is a Study Session that starts at 4:00 p.m. Study sessions
are times for the Council to take a deeper look at a specific issue, or hear a presentation, that might eventually lead to a
specific and more formal action. A closed session often follows the Study Session. Closed sessions are typically to
address legal, personnel, and other matters where additional confidentiality is important. The Regular (evening)
Session typically starts at 7:00 p.m., and often has a specific listing of 20-40 different items ready for formal
votes. Items on the "Consent Calendar" are heard all at once, unless a Council member has removed (aka "pulled") an
item from the Consent Calendar for specific discussion and separate vote. If an item on the agenda is recommended to
be "continued", it means that the item won't be heard nor voted on that evening, but will be pushed forward to another
noticed meeting.
Public Comment is welcomed at both the Study Session and the Regular Session. The public can comment on any item
on the agenda. If you want to comment on a Consent Calendar item that was not pulled from the Consent Calendar by a
Council Member, you will want to do so at the time listed on the agenda — right before the Council votes on the entire
Consent Calendar (it's Roman Numeral XIII on the posted agenda). If an item is pulled, the Mayor will offer that
members of the public can comment as that specific item is heard separately. Additionally, there is a specific section of
Public Comment for items not on the agenda, but on a subject of some relationship to the city government. If you
cannot attend a meeting and/or want to communicate with the City Council directly, this e-mail gets to all of
them: CityCouncil@newportbeachca.gov. Please know that I get a copy of that e-mail, too, because in almost all cases
it's something that the City Manager follows -up on. It's my head -start.
The Council meets in the Council Chambers at 100 Civic Center Drive, off of Avocado between San Miguel and East Coast
Highway. There is plenty of parking in the parking structure behind City Hall. You are always welcome to attend in
person, but you can also watch on TV Time Warner / Spectrum 3 and Cox Channel 852 or stream it on your computer.
This Insider's Guide is not an attempt to summarize every item on the Agenda —just the ones that seem of specific
interest to Dave. I encourage you to read the full agenda if you wish.
3