HomeMy WebLinkAbout00 - Insider's GuideInsider's Guide for the Newport Beach City Council Meeting on April 13, 2021
Our next City Council meeting is Tuesday, April 13. Items that may be of interest are highlighted below.
The entire agenda, and all reports, can be viewed here.
There will be a Study Session at 4 p.m.:
• The City's Public Works staff will discuss potential upgrades and cost estimates to improve the
storm drain system and manually operated tide valve system on Balboa Island. The proposed
drainage concept would protect the island from flooding up to a 100 -year rain event.
The Regular Meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. and the following are items of note:
On the Consent Calendar is:
• A $1.2 million agreement with the San Juan Capistrano -based firm Dudek to complete the
environmental analysis, permitting with state and federal agencies, and the preparation of
construction documents for a project that would replace four water mains and a sewer force main
that run beneath Newport Bay. The four water mains are scheduled for replacement in the City's
Water Master Plan as they are relatively old and/or currently out of service due to damage to the
pipelines. The sewer force main is currently out of service due to the damage to the pipeline. If
the agreement is approved, Dudek would also provide construction support services for all five
bay crossings. Construction would tentatively take place in the fall of 2024.
• Resumption of the Balboa Peninsula Trolley for the summer of 2021. The action would approve
the Peninsula Trolley operations between June 26 and September 6 (Labor Day weekend). The
trolley operates on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as holidays, to reduce traffic congestion during
the busy summer tourist season. The trolley is managed by the City and primarily funded with a
grant from the Orange County Transportation Authority. The resumption of trolley service would
include COVID protocols, such as mandatory mask -wearing and limits on the maximum capacity
of the trolleys.
Public Hearings and Current Business include:
• A resolution authorizing the submittal of a local coastal program amendment to the California
Coastal Commission regarding short-term lodging on Newport Island. The proposed amendment
would cap the number of short-term rental permits on Newport Island to 20, and require that all
short-term rental units be owner -occupied and managed by the owner of the owner -occupied
unit. Current permit holders for units that are not owner -occupied would have one year to retain
their permits. In 2020, the City Council adopted a series of reforms for all permit holders aimed
at reducing the impacts of short-term lodging, but recognized the unique characteristics of
Newport Island required a separate approach. Newport Island has limited parking, is only
accessible by a single bridge, and has had a significant increase in short-term rentals in recent
years, going from 3 permits prior to 2018 to 18 permits today (representing more than 11% of all
housing units on the island). The Council action, if approved, would authorize staff to submit the
proposed short-term lodging changes to the Coastal Commission to request approval.