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Home My WebLink About07 - Creating the Ad Hoc Committee on Utilization of Lower Castaways and Aquatic Center Site OptionsQ �EwPpRT CITY OF s NEWPORT BEACH `q44:09 City Council Staff Report May 13, 2025 Agenda Item No. 7 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: Seimone Jurjis, Assistant City Manager/Community Development Director - 949-644-3232, sjurjis@newportbeachca.gov PREPARED BY: Benjamin M. Zdeba, AICP, Planning Manager - 949-644-3253, bzdeba@newportbeachca.gov TITLE: Resolution No. 2025-23: Creating the Ad Hoc Committee on Utilization of Lower Castaways and Aquatic Center Site Options ABSTRACT: For the City Council's consideration is the adoption of a resolution to create the Ad Hoc Committee on Utilization of Lower Castaways and Aquatic Center Site Options. The ad hoc committee would be comprised of three Councilmembers, one Parks, Beaches, & Recreation Commissioner, one Planning Commissioner, one Harbor Commissioner, and one citizen member. The committee will be charged with assessing the potential uses of the Lower Castaways property and exploring suitable site options for a future community aquatic center. RECOMMENDATIONS: a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and b) Adopt Resolution No. 2025-23, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Creating the Ad Hoc Committee on Utilization of Lower Castaways and Aquatic Center Site Options. DISCUSSION: On February 27, 2024, the City Council established the Lower Castaways Park Ad Hoc Committee, and confirmed the appointments of Mayor Pro Tern Joe Stapleton, Councilmember Robyn Grant, and Councilmember Noah Blom. The committee was tasked to work with City of Newport Beach staff in evaluating additional capital improvements, harbor and beach uses, and/or recreational opportunities for Lower Castaways. It met several times between March and September 2024 and worked alongside City staff and on -call consultants to review potential concepts. Ultimately, the committee identified a community recreational pool facility with rich amenities, including a 50-meter pool, a therapy pool, a splash pad, a hand boat launch, and event venue, as the best use for Lower Castaways. 7-1 Resolution No. 2025-23: Creating the Ad Hoc Committee on Utilization of Lower Castaways and Aquatic Center Site Options May 13, 2025 Page 2 At the October 8, 2024, City Council Study Session, staff presented the committee's recommendations. At the conclusion of the item, including public comments and City Council discussion, the City Council unanimously supported pursuing the committee's recommendations. However, since that time, there has been continued community interest in the proposed use of Lower Castaways, as well as potential alternate locations for the proposed aquatic center. At the April 29, 2025, City Council Study Session, the City Council revisited the matter and voted unanimously to form a new ad hoc committee to re-examine the potential uses of the Lower Castaways property and to explore suitable site options for a future aquatic center. As outlined in the draft resolution attached to this staff report, the Ad Hoc Committee on Utilization of Lower Castaways and Aquatic Center Site Options will be comprised of seven members: three City Councilmembers, one Parks, Beaches & Recreation Commissioner, one Planning Commissioner, one Harbor Commissioner, and one citizen member. The City Clerk will issue a notice that the City is accepting applications for the citizen member position. Once applications have been received, Mayor Stapleton will make the final appointments for all committee members, subject to confirmation by the City Council. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact related to this item. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW - Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly. NOTICING: The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item). ATTACHMENT: Attachment A — Resolution No. 2025-23 7-2 Attachment A Resolution No. 2025-23 7-3 RESOLUTION NO. 2025-23 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA, CREATING THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON UTILIZATION OF LOWER CASTAWAYS AND AQUATIC CENTER SITE OPTIONS WHEREAS, Section 200 of the City Charter, of the City of Newport Beach ("City"), vests the City Council with the authority to make and enforce all laws, rules and regulations with respect to municipal affairs subject only to the restrictions and limitations contained in the City Charter and the State Constitution, and the power to exercise, or act pursuant to any and all rights, powers, and privileges or procedures granted or prescribed by any law of the State of California; WHEREAS, at the April 29, 2025, City Council meeting, the City Council voted to form an ad hoc committee to assess potential uses of the Lower Castaways property and explore suitable site options for a future aquatic center; WHEREAS, continued community interest in the proposed use of Lower Castaways, as well as potential locations for the proposed aquatic center, have prompted the need to establish a committee to review options; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to create the Ad Hoc Committee on Utilization of Lower Castaways and Aquatic Center Site Options to assess the best use of Lower Castaways, explore suitable site options for a future aquatic center, and make recommendations thereon to the City Council. NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Newport Beach resolves as follows: Section 1: The City Council hereby creates the Ad Hoc Committee on Utilization of Lower Castaways and Aquatic Center Site Options ("Committee"). The Committee shall be an ad hoc committee, with the number of members, term, qualification of appointees, selection process, responsibilities and other related rules set forth in Attachment "A," which is incorporated herein by reference. Section 2: The recitals provided in this resolution are true and correct and are incorporated into the operative portion of this resolution. Section 3: If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this resolution is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not 7-4 Resolution No. 2025- Page 2 of 2 affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portions of this resolution. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this resolution and each section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase hereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid or unconstitutional. Section 4: The City Council finds the adoption of this resolution is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly. Section 5: This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council, and the City Clerk shall certify the vote adopting this resolution. ADOPTED this 13th day of May, 2025. Joe Stapleton Mayor ATTEST: Leilani I. Brown City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: CITYjATTORNEY'S OFFICE Aaton C. Harp City Attorney Attachment A: Description of the Ad Hoc Committee on Utilization of Lower Castaways and Aquatic Center Site Options 7-5 AD HOC COMMITTEE ON UTILIZATION OF LOWER CASTAWAYS AND AQUATIC CENTER SITE OPTIONS AUTHORIZATION: Established by Resolution No. 2025- adopted on May 13, 2025. MEMBERSHIP: Seven (7) members as set forth below. Members will be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. TERM: Membership shall be indefinite, pending expiration or termination of the Committee. Committee members shall serve at the pleasure of the City Council, MEETINGS: Committee meetings will be held as necessary or convenient for the Committee. All meetings shall be held in such locations and at such dates and times consistent with the Ralph M. Brown Act. COMPOSITION OF Seven (7) members comprised of three (3) APPOINTED MEMBERS: Council members; one (1) Harbor Commissioner; one (1) Parks, Beaches, & Recreation Commissioner; one (1) Planning Commissioner; and one (1) citizen member. QUALIFICATIONS The citizen member shall be a City of Newport Beach OF CITIZEN resident. MEMBER: SELECTION OF APPOINTED Except as otherwise required by state law, the Mayor MEMBERS: (or his/her designee) shall have the discretion to determine the process for selecting members and shall not be required to form an "ad -hoc appointments committee" or comply with the procedural or timing requirements set forth in Council Policy A-2. 7-6 PURPOSE & A. Assess the potential uses of the Lower Castaways RESPONSIBILITIES: property; and B. Explore suitable site options for a future aquatic center. EXPIRATION: The Committee shall expire upon making its recommendations to the entire City Council at a noticed public meeting of the City Council, or December 31, 2026, whichever is earlier. 7-7