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, [email protected] PREPARED BY:
Liz Westmoreland, AICP, Principal Planner - 949-644-3234, [email protected] Joselyn Perez, Senior Planner - 949-644-3312, [email protected] 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:
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 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, 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.
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
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
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