HomeMy WebLinkAbout06 - Initiating General Plan, Local Coastal Program, and NBMC Amendments to Implement Recommendations from the CdM Commercial Corridor Study (PA2024-0002)Q �EwPpRT
CITY OF
s NEWPORT BEACH
`q44:09 City Council Staff Report
February 10, 2026
Agenda Item No. 6
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Jaime Murillo, Community Development Director - 949-644-3209,
jmurillo@newportbeachca.gov
PREPARED BY: Liz Westmoreland, AICP, Principal Planner - 949-644-3234,
Iwestmoreland@newportbeachca.gov
Joselyn Perez, Senior Planner - 949-644-3312,
jperez@newportbeachca.gov
TITLE: Resolution No. 2026-10: Initiating General Plan, Local Coastal
Program, and Newport Beach Municipal Code Amendments to
Implement Recommendations from the Corona del Mar Commercial
Corridor Study (PA2024-0002)
ABSTRACT:
On August 22, 2023, the City Council directed staff to return with an item to study land
use and parking within the Corona del Mar (CdM) commercial corridor pursuant to Council
Policy A-1. Following a September 26, 2023 discussion of study objectives, staff issued
a competitive Request for Proposals and, on June 11, 2024, the City Council approved
an agreement with Dudek to prepare the CdM Study. Over the following year, the
consultant team documented existing conditions, evaluated comparable Southern
California "main street" case studies, conducted extensive community outreach, and
developed recommendations to support a reinvigorated and walkable CdM commercial
corridor while balancing parking needs and minimizing impacts to nearby neighborhoods.
At a November 4, 2025 City Council study session, staff presented the study findings and
recommended actions, and the City Council expressed support for all recommendations.
This staff report requests that the City Council initiate a comprehensive set of
amendments to the City's General Plan and Local Coastal Program (including the Coastal
Land Use Plan) and directs staff to begin developing corresponding amendments to the
Newport Beach Municipal Code, for future review by the Planning Commission and City
Council. Any Local Coastal Program amendments would require certification by the
California Coastal Commission prior to becoming effective.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
pursuant to Section 15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies) of the CEQA Guidelines,
California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3; and
b) Adopt Resolution No. 2026-10, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Newport
Beach, California, Initiating Amendments to the General Plan, Local Coastal Program,
Resolution No. 2026-10: Initiating General Plan, Local Coastal Program, and Newport
Beach Municipal Code Amendments to Implement Recommendations from the Corona
del Mar Commercial Corridor Study (PA2024-0002)
February 10, 2026
Page 2
and Newport Beach Municipal Code to Implement the Recommended Actions from
the Corona del Mar Commercial Corridor Study (PA2024-0002).
DISCUSSION:
At the City Council meeting on August 22, 2023, Mayor Lauren Kleiman requested that a
study of land use and parking within the Corona del Mar (CdM) commercial corridor be
placed on a future agenda pursuant to Council Policy A-1. The City Council unanimously
supported the request and directed staff to return with an item for consideration.
On September 26, 2023, staff returned to the City Council to discuss the scope and
objectives of a potential study. During that discussion, the City Council expressed interest
in exploring opportunities to foster a reinvigorated and vibrant CdM commercial corridor
with enhanced walkability and stronger connectivity to other villages, while carefully
balancing the parking needs of businesses, visitors and others so that nearby residents
are not unfairly burdened.
In response to this direction, staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking qualified
firms to assist the City with preparation of the CdM Study and development of a
"community plan" or other appropriate planning document for the CdM commercial
corridor. Through the competitive RFP process, Dudek emerged as the highest -ranked
consultant and the firm best positioned to advance the City's objectives. On June 11,
2024, the City Council approved a professional services agreement with Dudek to
conduct the CdM Study.
Over the following year, Dudek worked closely with City staff to document existing
conditions within the Project Area, evaluate three successful "main street" case studies
in Southern California, conduct extensive community outreach, and develop a set of
comprehensive recommendations for the CdM commercial corridor.
At a City Council study session on November 4, 2025, staff presented the findings of the
CdM Study and the recommended actions, including:
• Revising existing land use permitting requirements;
• Creating development standards tailored specifically to CdM;
• Allowing mixed -use development;
• Prohibiting certain uses;
• Implementing design guidelines;
• Waiving or reducing parking requirements for restaurants;
• Promoting outdoor dining on public and private property;
• Implementing a coordinated set of parking solutions to improve access to and
management of existing parking supply;
• Installing vehicular and pedestrian signage;
• Improving bicycle infrastructure; and
• Enhancing infrastructure along Coast Highway to promote pedestrian and
vehicle safety.
Resolution No. 2026-10: Initiating General Plan, Local Coastal Program, and Newport
Beach Municipal Code Amendments to Implement Recommendations from the Corona
del Mar Commercial Corridor Study (PA2024-0002)
February 10, 2026
Page 3
At the conclusion of the presentation, the City Council expressed support for all
recommended actions. Implementation of the CdM Study recommendations will require
a comprehensive set of amendments to the City's General Plan, Local Coastal Program
(LCP), and provisions of the Newport Beach Municipal Code (NBMC). While the full scope
of the necessary amendments will be refined through detailed analysis of applicable
policies and code sections, the draft resolution provided as Attachment A initiates
amendments to the General Plan, including but not limited to the Land Use Element, as
well as the Coastal Land Use Plan (CLUP). Amendments to the NBMC will also be
required, including but not limited to Title 5 (Business Licenses and Regulations), Title 12
(Vehicles and Traffic), Title 13 (Streets, Sidewalks and Public Property), Title 20 (Planning
and Zoning), and Title 21 (Local Coastal Program Implementation Plan).
If the amendments are initiated, staff will conduct further analysis and develop specific
amendments for consideration by the Planning Commission and City Council at future
public hearings. Amendments to the City's LCP will also require certification by the
California Coastal Commission before becoming effective.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact related to the initiation.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The initiation of zoning, General Plan, and LCP amendments are exempt from the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15262 (Feasibility and
Planning Studies) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14,
Chapter 3, because it has no potential to have a significant effect on the environment. No
final action on any amendments will occur at this meeting and the initiation of the
amendment does not have any legally binding effect upon future consideration of the
amendments themselves. The City will conduct an environmental review prior to the
consideration of approval of the amendments.
NOTICING -
The NBMC does not require notice for the initiation of amendments, however 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). Should the City Council initiate the
amendments, public notice will be provided for subsequent public hearings before the
Planning Commission and the City Council, as required by the NBMC.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A — Resolution No. 2026-10
Attachment A
Resolution No. 2026-10
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-10
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA, INITIATING
AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL PLAN, LOCAL
COASTAL PROGRAM, AND NEWPORT BEACH
MUNICIPAL CODE TO IMPLEMENT THE
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FROM THE CORONA DEL
MAR COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR STUDY (PA2024-0002)
WHEREAS, Section 200 of the City Charter ("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, on August 22, 2023, the City Council unanimously voted in favor of
placing on a future agenda, pursuant to the procedures outlined in Council Policy A-1, a
study of land use and parking within the commercial corridor of Corona del Mar ("CdM");
WHEREAS, staff returned to the City Council on September 26, 2023, to present
the objectives of the Corona del Mar Village Commercial Corridor Study ("CdM Study")
and seek input on its content;
WHEREAS, the City Council expressed interest at that time in researching
opportunities to create an active environment that enhances walkability and connectivity
to other villages while balancing the parking needs of businesses, visitors, and others and
minimizing undue impacts on residents;
WHEREAS, with direction from the City Council to proceed with the CdM Study,
City staff entered into a Professional Services Agreement with consultant Dudek, Inc.
("Dudek") including assisting City staff with summarizing the existing conditions within the
CdM commercial corridor ("Project Area"), evaluating three case studies of successful
"main streets" in Southern California, performing community outreach, and preparing a
series of recommendations for the Project Area;
WHEREAS, on November 4, 2025, staff presented the results of the CdM Study
to the City Council and highlighted key recommendations generally related to land use,
parking, and infrastructure improvements;
WHEREAS, at the conclusion of the presentation, the City Council expressed
support for the following recommendations ("Recommendations"):
Resolution No. 2026-
Page 2 of 3
a. revising existing land use permitting requirements;
b. creating tailored development standards unique to CdM;
c. adding allowances for mixed -use development;
d. prohibiting certain uses;
e. implementing design guidelines;
f. waiving or reducing parking requirements for restaurants;
g. promoting outdoor dining on public and private property;
h. implementing a suite of parking solutions to provide better access to and
management of existing parking supply;
i. installing vehicular and pedestrian signage;
j. improving bicycle infrastructure; and
k. designing infrastructure for Coast Highway to promote pedestrian and
vehicle safety;
WHEREAS, pursuant to the authority vested by the Charter, the City Council has
enacted ordinances with respect to municipal affairs which are set forth in the Newport
Beach Municipal Code ("NBMC");
WHEREAS, Section 20.66.020 (Initiation of Amendment) of NBMC provides that
the City Council may initiate an amendment to Title 20 (Planning and Zoning) of the
NBMC with or without a recommendation from the Planning Commission;
WHEREAS, Council Policy K-1 (General Plan and Local Coastal Program)
requires amendments to the City's General Plan and certified Local Coastal Program
("LCP"), including the Coastal Land Use Plan and those provisions codified in NBMC as
Title 21 (Local Coastal Program Implementation Plan) to be initiated by the City Council;
and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to amend the General Plan, the LCP, and
various pertinent titles of the NBMC to allow for the implementation of the
Recommendations from the CdM Study.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Newport Beach resolves as
follows:
Section 1: The City Council hereby initiates amendments to the General Plan,
including but not limited to, the Land Use Element; the Coastal Land Use Plan; and the
NBMC, including but not limited to Title 5 (Business Licenses and Regulations), Title 12
(Vehicles and Traffic), Title 13 (Streets, Sidewalks and Public Property), Title 20 (Planning
and Zoning) and Title 21 (Local Coastal Program Implementation Plan) to implement the
Recommendations from the CdM Study.
Resolution No. 2026-
Page 3 of 3
Section 2: The recitals provided in this resolution are true and correct and are
incorporated into the operative part 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
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
categorically exempt pursuant to Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3, Section 15262
(Feasibility and Planning Studies) Guidelines for Implementation of the California
Environmental Quality Act. Section 15262 exempts projects involving feasibility or
planning studies for possible future actions which the agency, board, or commission
has not approved or adopted.
Section 5: This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the
City Council, and the City Clerk shall certify the vote adopting the resolution.
ADOPTED this 10th day of February 2026.
Lauren Kleiman
Mayor
ATTEST:
Lena Shumway
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
ffarori C. Harp
City Attorney