March 11, 2025
Agenda Item No. 6
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
Sean Levin, Recreation and Senior Services Director - 949-644-3151, [email protected] PREPARED BY:
Justin Schmillen, Recreation and Senor Services Deputy Director - 949-644-3160, [email protected]
TITLE:
Resolution No. 2025-11: Waiving Section A.1. of City Council Policy B-13 to Allow for Alcoholic Beverages at Charity Polo Event Held at Peninsula Park, and Repeal of Resolution No. 2024-14 ABSTRACT:
The Celebrity Foundation for Children seeks special event permit approval to host a charity polo event at Peninsula Park. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-11 would waive Section A.1 of City Council Policy B-13 to allow for alcoholic beverages at Peninsula Park.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Find this project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15304 under Class 4 (Minor Alterations to Land) because it has no potential to have a significant effect on the environment; and b) Adopt Resolution No. 2025-11, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Waiving Section A.1 of City Council Policy B-13 to Allow for Alcoholic Beverages at Charity Polo Event Held at Peninsula Park., and Repeal of Resolution No. 2024-14.
DISCUSSION:
The Celebrity Foundation for Children (CFC) is a 501c3 non-profit whose mission is to protect and develop the health, welfare and education of children. CFC develops programs to strengthen the family and manages a ranch in the city of Hemet that caters to underprivileged, foster children and other deserving individuals.
CFC has submitted a special event permit to host the charity polo event at Peninsula Park (Attachment A). The proposed date of the event is Saturday, May 3, 2025. If adopted, Resolution No. 2025-11 (Attachment B) would waive Section A.1 of City Council Policy B-13 to allow alcoholic beverages at Peninsula Park for this proposed event.
Waiver of City Council Policy B-13: Public Use of Facilities, Section A.1, Regulations and Restrictions – Use of Alcohol (Attachment C) would allow for alcoholic beverages to be permitted at the event. Adoption of the resolution, in its entirety, would allow CFC to move forward through the special event permit review process this year.
CFC originally hosted this event at Peninsula Park in 2016, though no waiver of Section A.1 of City Council Policy B-13 was requested. In 2023, the Newport Beach Foundation (Foundation) took on the event, requested a waiver to serve alcohol, and was granted one by the City Council. Because of the Foundation’s success administering the event and the demand for the event to run annually, they were granted an indefinite waiver of Section A.1 of City Council Policy B-13 from the Council through Resolution No. 2024-14 (Attachment D). Due to an event administrative change, City staff recommends repeal of Resolution No. 2024-14 to review and approve CFC’s request for the alcohol waiver.
As part of the special event permitting process, CFC is required to submit supplemental materials with the special event permit application for City of Newport Beach staff review and approval. An alcohol service plan, outlining guidelines including the number of alcohol service locations, container sizes, types of alcohol, security personnel, event perimeter fencing, adherence to Alcohol Beverage Control restrictions and required training of alcohol service personnel, is required. In addition, the applicant must apply to the California Coastal Commission (CCC) to receive an event exclusion, which will allow the temporary event to move forward in the City’s approval process. CFC’s request for an event exclusion from CCC for the upcoming May 2025 event is still under review.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Special Event fees will cover the cost of permitting and applicant will be responsible for any costs to return the event site to its original state if needed.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
This project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15304 under Class 4 (Minor Alterations to Land) 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.
Class 4 exemptions consist of minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation that do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry or agricultural purposes, including the minor temporary use of land having a negligible or no permanent effect on the environment. This proposal is to waive City Council Policy B-13 to allow for alcoholic beverages in a City park, for a one-day event and Repeal of Resolution No. 2024-14, and thus qualifies for the Class 4 exemption.
The exceptions to this categorical exemption under Section 15300.2 are not applicable. The project location does not impact an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern, does not result in cumulative impacts, does not have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances, does not damage scenic resources within a state scenic highway, is not a hazardous waste site, and is not identified as a historical resource.
NOTICING:
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).
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – Letter from Celebrity Foundation for Children Attachment B – Resolution No. 2025-11
Attachment C – City Council Policy B-13
Attachment D – Resolution No. 2024-14
6-3
6-1
Waiving Section A.1. of City Council Policy B-13 to Allow for Alcoholic Beverages at Charity Polo Event Held at Peninsula Park, and Repeal of Resolution No. 2024-14 March 11, 2025
CITY OF CITY OF
CITY OF
CITY OF
City Council Staff Report COUNCIL STAFF REPORT City Council Staff Report COUNCIL STAFF REPORT NEWPORT BEACH NEWPORT BEACH City Council Staff Report COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
City Council Staff Report COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
NEWPORT BEACH
NEWPORT BEACH