Visitors to Newport Beach might have to pack up their tents moving forward after city leaders adopted new rules cutting the maximum shade sizes almost in half.
The new rules were part of a package city leaders say are aimed at reigning in wild parties at short term rentals and the beach in town over holiday weekends, cutting down on parties where they say visitors have chained multiple EZ ups together.
“The City of Newport Beach has experienced increased calls for service and NMBC (Newport Beach Municipal Code) violations related to large gatherings, excessive noise, alcohol-related offenses, illegal fireworks, and violations associated with short-term lodging units,” wrote staff in a report to the council.
“The primary purpose of this ordinance is to strengthen public safety during periods of high visitor activity and major holiday weeks in Newport Beach,” the report stated. “Short-term lodging owners and operators are responsible for informing guests of applicable local laws and taking reasonable steps to promote compliance.”
The new rules limiting shade structures to no more than six feet wide or long apply to anyone visiting the beach, and include other rules like banning the linking of E-Z Ups and requiring any shade to be placed at least 50 feet away from a lifeguard tower.
While residents were broadly supportive of reigning in wild parties on the beach, many flagged concerns that the new rules would end up impacting people just trying to enjoy the day as well.
During public comment at Tuesday’s city council meeting, one resident displayed a photo of a birthday party and noted almost half a dozen different code violations under the new laws, including two E-Z Ups linked together and a cooler weighing down one of the corners.
“Do you really want to keep some girls from having a party on the beach?” the resident said. “There are generally existing laws in place to fix a lot of things. Noise ordinances, public drunkenness ordinances. To keep making new ordinances that haven’t been enforced previously … it’s just an exercise in looking good.”
Managers for short term rentals also brought up concerns that the new rules would make it borderline impossible for even good operators to stay in business if they had a bad tenant take over the space and throw a party.
The new rules make it so that if any guest at a short term rental violates the city’s codes or federal or state law twice in one year, the operator’s license can be suspended for six months.
In some sections of the city, like Corona Del Mar and other designated “safety enhancement zones,” set up around holidays, one violation is enough to get renters banned for a year or for them to lose their license altogether.
If a rental gets cited for “two or more loud or unruly gatherings” within two years, the permit can be suspended for a year or revoked altogether.
“We only received one parking citation for the entire year … I share that with you not for a pat on the back, but more out of fear,” said Robert van Dijk, managing director of Beachview Rentals. “We can do a lot of things right, but we’re not infallible and no one person or company is.”
City council members unanimously moved forward with the new rules, with several citing safety concerns that the shade coverings could end up interfering with lifeguards and other rescue operations when they blanket the beach.
“I’m fully in support of better safety down at the beach,” said Councilwoman Robyn Grant.
Councilman Noah Blom said that they couldn’t make people’s enjoyment of the beach their top priority.
“I get it. You want five shade structures to enjoy the beach and be in the sun. But we want to make sure we can get every emergency personnel we need there,” Blom said. “That is the basis and structure of this, so my full support is behind it.”
City Attorney Aaron Harp noted that the city’s code enforcement department would be responsible for enforcing the new rules, which also drew concern from residents about how strong enforcement would be given the department’s other responsibilities.
“They’re very busy taking care of other issues on the peninsula,” said one resident. “I really wonder if we’re going to have an effective use of this code change.”
Noah Biesiada is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at nbiesiada@voiceofoc.org.