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HomeMy WebLinkAbout00 - League of Women Voters ReportL LEAGUE of WOMEN VOTERS' OF ORANGE COA51 Newport Beach City Council of November 4, 2025 General Meeting Information Did the meeting start on time? Yes Were all members present? Yes Did the members appear to have done their homework? Yes Were members courteous to each other and the public? Yes Brown Act Was the agenda sent/posted 72 hours before this meeting? Yes Did items clearly describe what was discussed? Yes Was there adequate opportunity for public input? Yes Was there the appearance that some action items were discussed in closed rather than open session? No Was background information available to the public? Yes LWV Action Item Were any issues on the agenda relevant to any LWVC positions or programs? No Do you recommend local League action on any of these items? No Do you have other concerns or comments? Yes Item of Current Public Interest: Ordinance No. 2025-35 and Resolution No. 2025-78: Adding Provisions Related to Bicycle and Electric Bicycle Activity in the Public Right -of -Way. Passed 7 to 0 From Staff report The Bicycle Safety Working Group has worked to identify four areas of enhancements to the NBMC Chapter 12.56 intended to capture electric bicycles within its regulations and improve safety. Specifically, the proposed ordinance would apply to electric bicycles and other motorized conveyance devices to specifically delineate behavior that is unsafe while riding, require helmets for all riders under the age of 18 years old, and provide additional penalties for violations by minors in particular. Specifically, at the discretion of the citing officer, all varieties of bicycles and electric bicycles may be impounded with release only to a responsible adult. Additionally, the penalty provisions would now provide a diversion program directed towards minors who are cited for violations of the chapter. If a bicycle safety training program is successfully completed, the citation may be dismissed. NBMC Section 12.56.030 establishes where bicycle riding on a sidewalk is currently allowed in the City pursuant to Resolution No. 82-148. Since its adoption, Newport Beach has experienced further growth. These sidewalks that allow bicycle riding are generally located on major arterials, collector roads, and dual pedestrian and bicycle paths. As some streets allowing sidewalk cycling have since been updated with on -street bicycle lanes as well, inexperienced cyclists still feel more comfortable riding on the sidewalk and not on the street adjacent to heavy traffic and high-speed roadways. Staff has identified an additional 23 miles of street segments that would be appropriate for sidewalk cycling as an alternative to cycling in the street. An updated map that shows all the street segment sidewalks where cycling will be allowed is attached to the proposed resolution. Was there discussion on homelessness or affordable housing? Yes Consent Calendar Item: Resolution No. 2025-77: Initiating an Amendment to Newport Place Planned Community Development Plan Related to the Minimum Percentage of Inclusionary For -Sale Housing within the Residential Overlay (PA2025-0196). Passed 7 to 0 Excerpts from Staff report On July 24, 2012, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2012-14, amending PC- 11 to create the Residential Overlay (Overlay). At the time, the Overlay was necessary to secure certification of the 4th Cycle Housing Element since it had greater potential to accommodate the City's Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) for lower -income households. The amendment implemented the 2006-adopted MU-H2 General Plan Land Use category for parcels within PC- 11. The Overlay included use and development standards for multi -unit residential projects, and it required 30% of the units in a development to be affordable to lower -income households for a minimum of 30 years. PC-11 is the only planned community in the Airport Area that requires inclusionary housing. On July 25, 2023, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2023-13, reducing the minimum inclusionary housing requirement of the Overlay from 30% to 15%. The amendment was necessary to implement the 6th Cycle Housing Element by mitigating the governmental constraints of imposing a high inclusionary housing percentage that rendered projects financially infeasible and to facilitate construction of housing for all income groups. On April 9, 2024, the City Council approved the necessary land use entitlements for the development of a 67-unit condominium project (Residences at 1401 Quail Street) by Intracorp Homes. This project is located within the Overlay and includes 8 affordable units, satisfying the required 15% inclusionary requirement (15% of the 52 base units). As an incentive for providing affordable housing, the project also received a 27.5% density bonus (15 bonus units) in compliance with State Density Bonus Law. Representatives of Intracorp Homes are requesting that the City consider lowering the required inclusionary percentage applicable to for - sale housing, as the approved project is no longer financially viable to implement (Attachment B). If the amendment is initiated, staff will conduct further analysis and recommend an appropriate change to inclusionary housing percentage applicable to for -sale housing projects in PC-11. Future public hearings will be required by the Planning Commission and the City Council.