By Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager
Our next City Council meeting is Tuesday, February 8. Items that may be of interest are highlighted below. The entire agenda, and all reports, can be viewed at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/68613/72.
Study session at 4 p.m. Agenda items include:
- The Council will hear an update on activities by the City Council Ad Hoc Redistricting Committee. The Ad Hoc Redistricting Committee has been reviewing proposed changes to the Council district maps based on 2020 Census data, in compliance with federal and state laws and the City Charter, to ensure equal population distribution among the City’s seven districts. Staff will present a recommendation from the committee on proposed Council redistricting maps for input. An updated map with revised districts may be considered by the City Council in March.
- City staff will discuss and seek Council direction on the continued use of public rights-of-way for outdoor dining by restaurants on Balboa Island and in the Newport Pier area.
- Be Well OC will provide an update on the implementation of its Newport Beach Mobile Crisis Response Unit. The Be Well OC team will be present in the community 12 hours a day, seven days a week, and will provide in-community assessment and stabilization of individuals experiencing mental health or substance use challenges. The team will also be responsible for providing information and referrals, and support and case management. The new service will work in concert with the City’s Police and Fire Departments and its homeless outreach team.
- Staff and representatives from Trellis International will present an update on the Community Impact Team Program. Trellis is working under a City grant to support community beautification projects within Newport Beach while closing the employment gap associated with homeless individuals. Trellis works with those experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity to develop the job skills necessary to re-enter the job market. During the past several months, Trellis’ Community Impact Teams (CIT) have been conducting various volunteer work projects within the city. Staff, as well as Trellis representatives, will present an update on the CIT program and some of the many volunteer projects completed to date.
Regular session at 6 p.m. Items of note:
Consent Calendar
- Award of a construction contract of $241,000 to Escondido-based Western State Builders for refurbishment of the Civic Center Dog Park. If approved, the project would replace worn-out synthetic turf, uneven sidewalks and fence screening, and add a new shade structure to the small-dog area.
Public Hearings
- The Council will consider a resolution to adopt the City’s Housing Element update for 2021-2029, which amends the Newport Beach General Plan. The proposed update will serve as a guide for implementation of City housing policies through 2029. As required by State law, the update examines current housing needs, estimates future housing needs, and establishes goals, policies and programs while demonstrating capacity to accommodate the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation of 4,845 new housing units. The Housing Element update has been in development for more than two years, a process that includes nearly 50 public workshops, meetings and opportunities for community input. The public is invited to review the latest draft of the Housing Element update at http://www.newportbeachca.gov/DraftHEUpdate.
- Potential approval of 10 outdoor sculptures and four alternates for Phase VII of the temporary sculpture exhibit at Civic Center Park. In January, the City’s Arts Commission formally recommended the 10 sculptures and four alternates, which were selected through a survey of Newport Beach residents. If approved, the Phase VII sculptures will be installed this summer and remain on display for two years.
City Council Meeting Information
The Newport Beach City Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of most months (the exceptions are August and December).
Typically, there is a Study Session that starts at 4 p.m. Study sessions are times for the Council to take a deeper look at a specific issue, or hear a presentation, that might eventually lead to a specific and more formal action. A closed session often follows the Study Session. Closed sessions are typically to address legal, personnel, and other matters where additional confidentiality is important.
The Regular (evening) Session typically starts at 6 p.m., and often has a specific listing of different items ready for formal votes. Items on the “Consent Calendar” are heard all at once, unless a Council member has removed (aka “pulled”) an item from the Consent Calendar for specific discussion and separate vote. If an item on the agenda is recommended to be “continued”, it means that the item won’t be heard nor voted on that evening,but will be pushed forward to another noticed meeting.
Public Comment is welcomed at both the Study Session and the Regular Session. The public can comment on any item on the agenda. If you want to comment on a Consent Calendar item that was not pulled from the Consent Calendar by a Council Member, you will want to do so at the time listed on the agenda – right before the Council votes on the entire Consent Calendar (it’s Roman Numeral XIII on the posted agenda). If an item is pulled, the Mayor will offer that members of the public can comment as that specific item is heard separately.
Additionally, there is a specific section of Public Comment for items not on the agenda, but on a subject of some relationship to the city government.
If you cannot attend a meeting and/or want to communicate with the City Council directly, this e-mail gets to all of them: citycouncil@newportbeachca.gov.
The City Manager also get’s a copy of the email, because in almost all cases it’s something that the City Manager follows-up on.
The Council meets in the Council Chambers at 100 Civic Center Drive, off of Avocado between San Miguel and East Coast Highway. There is plenty of parking in the parking structure. You are always welcome to attend in person, but you can also watch on TV, Spectrum channel 30 and Cox channel 852 or stream it on your computer.
This Insider’s Guide is not an attempt to summarize every item on the Agenda – just the ones that seem of specific interest to the City Manager. You are encouraged to read the full agenda if you wish.
