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Home My WebLink AboutSS4 - Crystal Cove State ParkCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT Agenda Item No. SS 4 July 22, 2003 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: City Manager's Office Dave Kiff, Assistant City Manager 949/644 -3002 or dkiff @city.newport- beach.ca.us SUBJECT: Projects at Crystal Cove State Park ISSUE: Should the City of Newport Beach play any role in projects proposed for the Crystal Cove State Park region? RECOMMENDATION: Receive and File -- Information Only. DISCUSSION: Background: When the City annexed the Newport Coast in January 2002, it added most of the oceanward section of Crystal Cove State Park (CCSP) to our city limits. CCSP also includes land outside the city limits, but close enough to be used frequently by our residents and visitors. Crystal Cove State Park is administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). It has 3.5 miles of beach and 2,000 acres of undeveloped woodland, which is popular for hiking and horseback riding. The offshore waters are designated as an underwater park. Crystal Cove is used by mountain bikers inland and scuba and skin divers underwater. The beach is popular with swimmers and surfers. Visitors can explore tidepools and sandy coves. State Park Rangers conduct nature hikes in the winter. This Study Session will inform the Council and Newport Beach residents about three specific projects underway at and near CCSP: • The Crystal Cove Historic District (Cottages) Preservation and Public Use Plan. The PPUP, which was approved by the California Parks Commission in Crystal Cove State Park Projects July 22, 2003 Page 2 February 2003, describes how DPR will renovate and make available for public use the 46 cottages that make up the 12.3 -acre Crystal Cove Historic District. The District is registered on the National Register of Historic Places as a well - preserved example of Southern California vernacular beach architecture and terrain. The District retains the scale and ambience of a 1930's beach resort. The Historic District is within the Newport Beach city limits. The Restoration Plan is underway and fully funded by funds from Proposition 40 and Proposition 50. Crystal Cove Historic District • Conversion of the El Morro Village Trailer Park to a Public Campground. More controversial than the Historic District PPUP is DPR's plan to end current leases with the owners of 294 trailers at the El Morro Village Trailer Park on December 31, 2004. The Plan provides for environmental restoration of El Moro Canyon and Creek, day use parking, picnicking and beach access, and a 60 -unit campground. DPR claims that this Plan is consistent with the 1982 General Plan that was arrived at with a broad based and thorough public process. The Plan is controversial at least among current tenants at El Morro Village. They have raised money and hired advocates to propose an alternative to the DPR Plan that would keep the trailers in place. Proponents of the alternative plan say their plan will raise $1 million in extra revenue from increased fees for the leases and add to the region's supply of affordable housing. The Plan is fully funded for implementation in January 2005 by Proposition 40 and Proposition 50 monies. El Morro Village is outside of the Newport Beach city limits and within the sphere of influence (but not the city limits) of Laguna Beach. Local environmental advocates, including the Friends of the Irvine Coast (see attached letter) have asked the Newport Beach City Council to offer an opinion supporting State Parks' plan for the Village. Crystal Cove State Park Projects July 22, 2003 Page 3 • Active Park -- Newport Coast's Planning Area #6. The Irvine Company, as a condition of the development of the Newport Coast Local Coastal Program, 2nd Amendment, will construct an active park at the edge of the City's limits. This park, because it has been constructed with assessment district funds, is intended to be open to the public. TIC does not anticipate constructing the park until build -out is near for this portion of the Newport Coast (5 -6 years). The park will have ballfields, a tot lot, parking, and possibly access to the inland CCSP hiking and mountain biking region. Planning Area #6 Park Location (estimate) F a ° • PA #6 Park Site (est) t Committee Action: None. Environmental Review: N/A 'a••a.,. \ ��. F•: tit .�.. ..t ;�.�. � .. F a ° • PA #6 Park Site (est) t Committee Action: None. Environmental Review: N/A Crystal Cove State Park Projects July 22, 2003 Page 4 Public Notice: This agenda item may be noticed according to the Ralph M. Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the public meeting at which the City Council considers the item). Submitted by: Dave I 'ff Assistan City Manager Attachment: Friends of the Irvine Coast letter FRIENDS OFTHE NEWPORT COAST -- POST OFFICE BOX 671 CORONA DEL MAR CALIFORNIA 92625 JJId `y 1, T� ;2 `J3 June 10, 2003 Date b-11-03 Copies Sent To: Steve Bromberg, Mayor [iMayor City of Newport Beach Council Member_ 3300 Newport Boulevard Manager Newport Beach, California 92663 ❑ Attorn Subject: Request Support from the City of Newport Beach for the State Plans Morro Campground at Crystal Cove State Park ❑ Dear Honorable Mayor Bromberg: The Friends of the Newport Coast (formerly called Irvine Coast) have been working with the California Department of Parks and Recreation to develop plans for the conversion of the existing El Morro Trailer Park to a day -use beach facility and overnight camping. As you may be aware, for over 26 years the Friends have been successful at preserving open space and wildlife. habitat on over 77% of the 9,500 acres of Newport Coast lands. We have been an active participant in the public workshops and hearings for. the planning of development of the Newport Coast and future uses in Crystal Cove State Park. We are supportive of the conversion of El Morro Trailer Park for public beach use and affordable overnight facilities and want to see this project implemented as soon as the leases expire at the end of 2004. The El Morro tenants assert that leaving the State Park is a "Bad Idea" and are now proposing an alternative plan to allow them to stay On public land as tenants for another 30 years. The tenants propose that instead of the campground there be a vacation hostel built elsewhere in the park. They also propose a plan whereby they immediately provide the City of Laguna Beach, at no cost, 50 affordable residences for their local workforce — and, in 30 years, 272 affordable residences, the entire housing stock on public park land, inland of Coast Highway. Why should Laguna Beach be allowed to use public lands to meet their obligations for affordable housing? Perhaps Newport Beach is also entitled to use another portion of Crystal Cove State Park for their low -cost housing since it is directly adjacent to the park. I point this out only to emphasize what an inappropriate use this would be. The private use of parklands purchased by State Park funds sets a dangerous precedent for.other types of activities and uses that defeats the purpose of the park .system. and degrades the quality ofJife in the area. 1 am sure that,you. will agree the state parkland Should. be open for public use and not just for the few privileged tenants. FORMERLY FRIENDS OF THE IRVINE COAST Request for Support of El Morro Conversion to Campground June 9, 2003 Page 2 The way in which Crystal Cove State Park is developed and managed can directly affect the City of Newport Beach and its residents. We are looking for your support of the State plans for the conversion of El Morro to a campground and beach use facility and opposition to the tenant's alternative plan. Please adopt a resolution to that effect. Thank you for taking your time to consider this important project located at the southern gateway to Newport Beach. We hope that your seriously consider our request and conclude that over 20 years of planning for the conversion of El Morro should be supported. Sincerely, -5An Fug VIP Fern Pirkle, President Friends of the Newport Coast FP:sjp/FriendsAtr to NB re B Morro