Attachment I
Coastal Commission Approval Letter and
Suggested Modifications
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY GAVIN NEWSOM, GOVERNOR
CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION
SOUTH COAST DISTRICT OFFICE
301 E. OCEAN BLVD, SUITE 300
LONG BEACH, CA 90802-4325
VOICE (562) 590-5071
FAX (562) 590-5084
May 15, 2026
City of Newport Beach
Planning Department
Jamie Murillo, Deputy Community Development Director
100 Civic Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
RE: REVISED City of Newport Beach Local Coastal Program (LCP) Amendment No.
LCP-5-NPB-24-0032-2, 6th Cycle Housing Element.
Dear Mr. Murillo,
You are hereby notified that the California Coastal Commission, at its April 17, 2026, meeting, approved the City of Newport Beach Local Coastal Program (LCP) Amendment No. LCP-5-NPB-24-0032-2 with suggested modifications. Amendment No. LCP-5-NPB-24- 0032-2, which was submitted pursuant to City Council Resolution No. 2024-52, incorporates changes to both the Certified Local Coastal Plan (LCP) and the Implementation Plan (IP) portion of the LCP to establish a Housing Opportunity (HO) overlay, on selected parcels within the coastal zone to facilitate residential development.
The Commission approved the LCP Amendment with suggested modifications. Thus, the Amendment will become final once: 1) The City of Newport Beach City Council adopts the Commission’s suggested modifications, 2) the City of Newport Beach City Council forwards the adopted suggested modifications to the Commission by Resolution, and 3) the Executive Director certifies that the City has complied with the Commission’s April 17, 2026, action. The Coastal Act requires that the City’s adoption of the suggested modifications be completed within six (6) months of the Commission’s action.
Pursuant to the Commission’s action on April 17, 2026, certification of the City of Newport Beach LCP Amendment No. LCP-5-NPB-24-0032-2 is subject to the attached Suggested Modifications (Attachment A).
Thank you for your cooperation and we look forward to working with you and your staff in the future. Please email me at [email protected] if you have any questions regarding the modifications required for effective certification of City of Newport Beach LCP Amendment No. LCP-5-NPB-24-0032-2.
Sincerely,
Dulce Cortez
Coastal Program Analyst
cc: File
Ben Zdeba, City of Newport Beach
2 Attachment A: Suggested Modifications to Amendment No. LCP-5-NPB- 24-0032-3
Certification of City of Newport Beach Local Coastal Program (LCP) Amendment No. LCP- 5-NPB-24-0032-2 is subject to the following modifications.
Text added by the suggested modification is bold and underlined, and text suggested to be deleted is struck through. Only those subjections of the LCP for which modifications are being suggested are shown below.
Suggested Modification 1:
CLUP Policy 2.1.11-1 shall be modified as follows:
Accommodate housing opportunities through the adoption of housing opportunity overlay coastal zoning districts or other land use regulatory policy. The following areas are intended to be consistent with the Housing Element’s focus areas. Properties within each overlay coastal zoning district should include, but are not limited to, sites identified in the Housing Element; however, not all sites must be included, and other sites may be identified in the future through rezoning unless precluded by state law. The City will reserve 25% of allocated dwelling units within the Coastal Zone until such a time as the City’s Local Coastal Program has been amended to allow for housing consistent with the implementation of the 6 th Cycle Housing Element. Following the City’s Local Coastal Program Amendment, priority for the reserved units will be given to sites located within the Coastal Zone. The goal is to ensure an adequate number of sites Citywide to accommodate the City’s allocation of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment:
Airport Environs: the intent is to support a density between 20 and 50 dwelling units per gross acre to accommodate up to 2,577 total dwelling units within the entire area, inclusive of those properties in the Coastal Zone.
West Newport Mesa: the intent is to support a density between 20 and 50 dwelling units per gross acre to accommodate up to 1,107 total dwelling units within the entire area, inclusive of those properties in the Coastal Zone. Newport Center: the intent is to support a density between 20 and 50 dwelling units per gross acre to accommodate up to 2,439 total dwelling units within the entire area, inclusive of those properties in the Coastal Zone.
Dover / Westcliff: the intent is to support a density between 20 and 50 dwelling units per gross acre to accommodate up to 521 total dwelling units within the entire area, inclusive of those properties in the Coastal Zone.
Suggested Modification 2:
CLUP Policy 2.1.11-2 shall be modified as follows:
Residential use of any property included within an established housing opportunity overlay coastal zoning district is allowed regardless of and in addition to the underlying land use category or density limit established herein. However, for properties with base designations of either Visitor Serving Commercial or Parks and Recreation, any
3 housing project shall be required to retain or replace existing higher priority Coastal Act uses with an on-site functionally equivalent use that maintains comparable visitor peak use intensity and public availability. Replacement of any existing priority use with a new priority use that provides lower -cost and/or no- cost coastal access is preferred. An amendment to the Coastal Land Use Plan is not required to develop a residential use within an established housing opportunity zoning overlay coastal zoning district. The maximum density specified for the various overlay coastal zoning districts specified in Policy 2.1.11- 1 is an average over the entire property or project site. For example, a portion of a development site may be developed at a higher density than specified by Policy 2.1.11- 1 provided other portions of the site are developed at lower densities such that the average does not exceed the maximum. Density calculations and total units do not include units identified as pipeline units or units permitted pursuant to State density bonus law.
Suggested Modification 3:
IP Subsection 21.28.070(A) shall be modified as follows:
1. Applicability. This section applies to properties located in one of the Housing Opportunity (HO) Overlay Coastal Zoning Districts, as identified in Part 8 of this title. This includes the following subareas:
1. 1. HO-1 - Airport Area Environs Area – The Airport Area Environs Area is located north of the Upper Newport Bay Nature Reserve, primarily around the John Wayne Airport.
2. HO-2 - West Newport Mesa Area – The West Newport Mesa Area is located near the southwest corner of the City and primarily consists of industrial properties along 16th Street, Production Place, and 15th Street.
3. 2. HO-3 - Dover-Westcliff Area – The Dover-Westcliff Area includes property on both sides of West Coast Highway and the west of Dover Drive. Properties in the Lido Village area are included.
4. 3. HO-4 - Newport Center Area – The Newport Center Area is generally bounded by San Joaquin Hills Road, MacArthur Blvd, Coast Highway, and Jamboree Road.
IP Table 21.28-1 shall be modified as follows:
TABLE 21.28-1
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR HOUSING OPPORTUNITY OVERLAY ZONES
Development
Feature
Housing Opportunity Subareas
HO-1 HO-2 HO-3 HO-4
Lot
Size/Dimension
Per Base Zone
4 Lot area
required per
unit (sq. ft.)1
Minimum:
2,178 (20
du/ac)
Maximum:
871 (50 du/ac)
Minimum:
2,178 (20 du/ac)
Maximum:
871 (50 du/ac)
Setbacks
Front 0 ft.(2) 10 ft.(2) 10
ft.(2)(3)
0(2)
Rear 0 20 ft. 20 ft. 0
Side 0’ (4)
Street Side 0(2) 10 ft.(2) 10 ft.(2) 0 ft.(2)
Height Per Base Zone
unless
otherwise
identified on
the map
65 ft. 65 ft.(5) Per Base Zone(6) (8) unless
otherwise identified on map
Building
Separation
10 ft.
Floor Area
Ratio (FAR)
No restriction(6)
Common Open
Space(7)
Minimum 75 square feet/dwelling unit. (The minimum dimension [length and width] shall be 15 feet.)
Private Open
Space(7)
5% of the gross floor area for each unit. (The minimum dimension [length and width] shall be 6 feet.)
Fencing See Section 21.30.040 (Fences, Hedges, Walls, and Retaining Walls).
Landscaping See Section 21.30.075 (Landscaping) and 21.30.085 (Water Efficient Landscaping).
Lighting See Section 21.30.070 (Outdoor Lighting).
Parking See Subsection (D)(2) below and Chapter 21.40 (Off-Street Parking).
Signs See Chapter 21.30.065 (Sign Standards).
(1) Minimum/maximum allowable density range may be based on an average density of the entire project site, excluding density bonus units.
(2) Any portion of the building that is over 20 feet in height shall be setback a minimum 20 feet from the street right-of-way.
(3) Except in the Mixed- Use Mariners Mile (MU -MM) Zoning District wherein residential uses are only allowed beginning 100 feet north of Coast Highway.
(4) The combined total from both sides shall be 15 feet. (5) The height shall be limited to 35 feet in the Shoreline Height Limit Area, as identified in Map H -1. (6) The FAR in this table only applies to residential floor area, including any supporting facilities. In mixed- use developments, the FAR for nonresidential is still applicable. (7) For purposes of this section, common and private open space in HO -1 may include enclosed shared amenities such as a clubhouse, swimming pool, tennis court, basketball court, racquetball court, weightlifting facility, children’s playground equipment, sauna, jacuzzi, day care facility, or any other recreational amenities/facilities as deemed appropriate by the Community Development Director. (8) “Base Zone” includes all height limitations by the Sight Plane Ordinance (Ordinance No. 1371 and Ordinance No. 1596).
IP Subsection 21.28.070(C) shall be modified as follows:
5 3. West Newport Mesa Area (HO-2). The following development standards shall only apply to projects with the West Newport Mesa Area:
a. West Newport Mesa Streetscape Master Plan. Any residential or mixed -use residential development shall implement applicable components of the adopted West Newport Mesa Streetscape Master Plan.
IP Section 21.80.032 (Housing Opportunity Overlay Districts Maps) shall be modified as follows:
HO-1 - Airport Area Environs Area (PDF)
HO-2 - West Newport Mesa Area (PDF)
HO-3 - Dover-Westcliff Area (PDF)
HO-4 - Newport Center Area (PDF)
Suggested Modification 4:
IP Table 21.14-1 shall be modified as follows:
Coastal
Zoning Map
Symbol Coastal Zoning Districts
Coastal Land Use Plan Designations
Implemented by Zoning Districts
Overlay Coastal Zoning Districts
MHP Mobile Home Park RM Multiple-Unit Residential
PM Parking Management All designations
B Bluff All designations
C Canyon RS, RM Single-Unit Residential
Multiple-Unit Residential
H Height RM Multiple-Unit Residential
HO Housing Opportunity Varies Varies
Suggested Modification 5:
Subsection 21.28.070(B) shall be modified as follows:
4. Residential supporting uses such as leasing/sales/property management offices, fitness facilities, recreation facilities, etc.; and
5. Residential uses permitted under this section shall harmonize with the Coastal Act’s priority uses, including visitor-serving, marine-related, public-serving, or recreational uses, and shall retain or provide functionally equivalent uses, as measured by comparable visitor peak use intensity and public availability.
Suggested Modification 6:
Subsection 21.28.070(C)(2) shall be modified as follows:
6 d. Housing Opportunity Sites 23, 24, 25 and 26. A residential or mixed-use development encompassing Housing Opportunity Sites 23, 24, 25, and 26 shall include a free to access public park or /public recreational opportunity, which shall comply with Subsection 21.28.070(D)(4) and that conforms to all the following:
1. A minimum 50 ft foot ESHA buffer measured from the outermost extent of the riparian or wetland vegetation, whichever extends furthest from the channel shall be provided. For a minimum 10-year period, the buffer shall be measured from the outermost extent of the vegetation established as part of the Santa Ana Delhi Channel Improvement Project proposed by the Orange County Flood Control District. The 50 ft foot buffer shall be consistent with
21.30B.30 (D); however, the exceptions criteria for smaller ESHA buffers shall not apply. Further, a path sited, designed, constructed and operated in a manner that minimizes impacts to ESHA and other coastal resources may be permitted within the 50 ft foot ESHA buffer where needed to maintain the channel and/or provide for public access and recreation.
2. An additional 50 ft.foot buffer measured from the outermost extent of the ESHA buffer shall also be provided consistent with 21.30B.30 (E). This transitional buffer may be used to accommodate a free, low-impact public recreational opportunity. At a minimum, such public recreational opportunity shall include a contiguous open space corridor along the entire length of the Santa Ana Delhi Channel located adjacent to the subject properties that is of sufficient width to accommodate a 100 ft.foot biological buffer, separately and contiguously, to protect habitat in and along the channel. Such recreational opportunity shall also provide public access and recreational open space that will accommodate passive and active public recreational opportunities including, but not limited to continuous pedestrian/cycling trail, benches, drinking fountains and/or water fill stations, picnic tables, shade structures and fitness/exercise equipment.
3. In the event the Santa Ana Delhi Channel Improvement Project does not occur there shall be a minimum 100 ft. foot wide corridor along the channel that extends from the top of the channel bank to be used for the free, low-impact coastal access and public recreational opportunity described in subsection B. above.
Suggested Modification 7:
Subsection 21.28.070(D) shall be modified as follows:
3. Visitor-Serving Commercial, Marine-Related Uses, or Visitor Accommodations. For sites with base designations intended for Visitor-
7 Serving Commercial, Marine-Related Uses, or Overnight Visitor Accommodations, any existing uses consistent with the intent of those designations shall be retained, replaced, or expanded where feasible, with a functionally equivalent use in terms of comparable visitor peak use intensity and public availability. No hotel, motel, or other overnight visitor accommodations shall be converted or replaced with residential use.
4. Parks and Recreation or Open Space- Uses. For sites with base designations intended for Parks and Recreation or Open Space, any existing uses consistent with the intent of those designations shall be retained, replaced or expanded where feasible, with a functionally equivalent use in terms of comparable visitor peak use intensity and public availability. When there is a proposed replacement of any existing priority use with a new priority use, a use that provides lower -cost and/or no- cost visitor -serving and coastal access is preferred.
5. All housing projects within the Housing Opportunity (HO) Overlay Coastal Zoning District shall demonstrate consistency with:
a. Section 21.30.015 (General Site and Development Standards); b. Section 21.30.030 (Natural Landform and Shoreline Protection); c. Section 21.30.100 (Scenic and Visual Quality Protection); d. Section 21.30.105 (Cultural Resource Protection); and e. Chapter 21.30B (Habitat Protection).