City Council
Meeting Minutes
August 25, 2026, 4:00 PM
I. ROLL CALL - 4:00 p.m.
Present: Mayor Lauren Kleiman, Mayor Pro Tern Noah Blom, Councilmember Michelle Barto, Councilmember Robyn Grant, Councilmember Joe Stapleton, Councilmember Sara J. Weber, Councilmember Erik Weigand
Staff Present: City Manager Seimone Jurjis, City Attorney Aaron C. Harp, City Clerk Lena Shurnway
INVOCATION
The invocation was delivered by The Rev. Canon Dr. George Okusi of St. John the Divine Episcopal Church.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Pro Tern Blom.
I 1*14LIIV_II[sP►6*1
Library Foundation Check Presentation
Marilyn Krahe, Board Chair of the Library Foundation of Newport Beach, presented a check in the amount of $182,500 to the City Council in support of the Newport Beach Public Library, noting total annual contributions from the Foundation —including literacy funds and programming —exceeded $400,000. Jerold Kappel, CEO of the Library Foundation, expressed appreciation for the City's continued support and encouraged its growth.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA AND NON -AGENDA ITEMS
Nancy Gardner (representing Good Neighbor Newport) urged candidates to sign the election Code of Conduct, encouraging campaigns based on programs and principles rather than personalities and parties.
Teresa Hernandez spoke in opposition to relocating the police station to the City Hall property, citing the $200 million cost estimate and suggesting alternatives including remodeling the current station on Santa Barbara Street or utilizing the Dove Street property.
An unnamed speaker raised concerns about alleged communications between Mayor Kleiman, the City's public information officer, and Nextdoor regarding "problematic posts," and criticized the City's continued legal efforts to prevent citizen initiatives from reaching the ballot.
Mimi (Newport Heights resident, 14 years) opposed the utility undergrounding initiative in Newport Heights, citing financial burdens on fixed -income residents and questioning safety claims in favor of undergrounding.
Brent Linas (founder of Creek Team) commended the Council for moving forward on removing synthetic herbicides from public spaces, while cautioning that the proposed IPM policy's loophole allowing herbicide use in areas "not accessible to the public" could be exploited by industry.
Aria Norman (Newport Beach resident) expressed concern that residents were being denied their right to vote on City initiatives.
Michael spoke in support of the strict term limits initiative and called on the Council to close term limit loopholes and let voters decide.
Honesty Lawrence urged that taxpayer dollars serve the public and that ballot initiatives be placed before voters.
Cole Butler (Newport Beach resident) expressed support for relocating the police station to a more central location, citing statements from the Newport Beach Police Chief regarding operational efficiency.
Mike Henn (Newport Heights resident) spoke in favor of the undergrounding initiative, characterizing it as a democratic process conducted in accordance with state law, and refuted several claims made by opponents at prior meetings, including cost projections and petition irregularities.
Carole King (Irvine Terrace resident) proposed an alternative approach to public safety facility planning that she estimated would save $100 million, suggesting the jail and substation be built at Dove Street and the current police station be rebuilt vertically on its existing site.
Nancy Skinner (64 -year Newport Beach resident) reflected on the history of citizen - led conservation efforts in Newport Beach, including the protection of ocean views, the Back Bay, and Castaways Park, urging the Council to allow residents a continued voice in the city's future.
Lynn Lorenz (Newport Heights resident) opposed the undergrounding initiative, noting the financial hardship it would impose on owners of older homes and recounting that a previous community vote rejected a similar proposal.
Rick Weiss opposed the undergrounding initiative, alleging petition irregularities including digitally manipulated images and misleading safety claims, and disputed Mike Henn's characterization of past completed underground districts.
Jillian Norton (Port Streets resident, mother of three) urged the Council to vote in favor of eliminating synthetic pesticides from City fields, sharing that two of her children have been diagnosed with or are at risk for Type 1 diabetes, which she linked to endocrine - disrupting pesticide exposure.
Godfrey Little called for full governmental transparency in public meetings and public records.
Destiny King (longtime Newport Beach resident) demanded that citizen initiatives be placed on the November 2026 ballot immediately, calling the Council's resistance "un- American."
Langston Williams spoke in support of enforcing strict term limits, warning against the consolidation of political power.
Denys Oberman spoke on Item 20, stating that the Council's pattern of decision - making behind closed doors was unacceptable and that deferring citizen initiatives to 2028 was not a viable option for the community.
Sarah Pride criticized the Council for spending taxpayer funds on litigation to prevent residents from voting, and called for the initiatives to be placed on the ballot immediately.
Laura Curran addressed Item 20 in detail, presenting documentation from the August 20th court hearing in which Judge raised the possibility of an obstruction finding against the City, and argued that the City's own delays caused the compressed timeline now cited as a reason to postpone the vote to 2028.
Joy Brenner made an appeal to the Council to examine their priorities and place the initiatives on the November 2026 ballot, stating it was not appropriate to use taxpayer dollars to fight taxpayers' right to vote.
Eric Prendergast (escrow holder for 2700 Cliff Drive, Newport Heights) described a same -day reversal of a traffic engineer's approval for a driveway access plan and requested the Council direct Public Works to reconsider the application given urgent safety concerns ahead of the El Nino season.
Ryan Farsai commented generally on health and water quality and expressed support for constructing a new police station.
Jim Mosher advocated for better publicity of the Zoom participation option for City Council meetings, noting that the City's newsletter, website, and community association communications failed to mention the option.
CITY COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ORAL REPORTS FROM CITY COUNCIL
ON COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES
Councilmember Weigand reported a West Nile virus detection in the Orange County Vector/Mosquito Control District and urged the public to eliminate standing water; he also thanked the City Utilities team for overnight emergency repair of a water main at Newport Harbor High School.
Councilmember Grant reported on attendance at the OCTA long-range transportation planning roundtable, highlighting support for Newport's expanded trolley system and senior mobility initiatives; she also noted the Pacific Symphony's return to the Civic Center Green, the farewell to City photographer Ed Olen, the Battle of the Bay water polo competition, and the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce's naming of Jill Johnson Tucker as Citizen of the Year.
Councilmember Stapleton confirmed that Larry Tucker was co -named Citizen of the Year alongside Jill Johnson Tucker; announced a District 1 town hall on September 14th at Marina Park focused on public safety and Fourth of July issues; and noted his victory in the figure -8 race at the County Fair, as well as Fire Chief Jeff Boyles' win in the demolition derby.
Ill. MATTERS WHICH COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE ASKED TO BE PLACED ON A
FUTURE AGENDA (NON -DISCUSSION ITEM)
Consider establishing a Public Safety Council Ad Hoc Committee to develop and recommend public safety strategies for holiday and other City needs. (Councilmember Grant)
A straw vote was taken. The matter passed 3 votes in favor (Councilmembers Stapleton, Grant, and Barto), meeting the threshold of three votes required to advance for future consideration.
Consider holding a Study Session to discuss recent sand displacement/coastal erosion at the Wedge and seek potential solutions to restore conditions as soon as possible. (Councilmember Weigand)
A Straw Vote was taken. Motion to advance the item for future consideration passed unanimously 7—0.
IV. CONSENT CALENDAR
Councilmember Stapleton declared a conflict of interest on Item 3 due to a real property interest at 4100/4110 MacArthur Boulevard. Mayor Kleiman declared a conflict of interest on Item 8 due to proximity and interest in her personal residence.
No items were pulled from the Consent Calendar for separate discussion.
Public comments were received from Jim Mosher, who raised concerns about Item 2 (removal of the cost recovery table from the Municipal Code) and Item 3 (the $5,500,000 park fee waiver for a 7 -unit affordable housing component in the Dove Street Townhome project, questioning whether state density bonus law required the concession).
Laura Curran similarly questioned the fiscal transparency of Item 2 and drew parallels to inadequate financial analysis in other City projects.
Adam Leverenz objected to the characterization in the minutes of his prior statements as "allegations," and raised additional concerns regarding Items 2, 3, and 4.
Motion to approve the Consent Calendar, Items 1 through 18, with noted recusals, was made by Mayor Pro Tem Blom and seconded by Councilmember Weber. Motion carried unanimously.
The following ordinances were adopted and read by title only:
• Ordinance No. 2026-11: An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Amending Section 3.36.030 (Cost Recovery Percentages) of the Newport Beach Municipal Code and Repealing Exhibit A of Section
3.36.030 of the Newport Beach Municipal Code.
• Ordinance No. 2026-12: An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Approving a Zoning Code Amendment for a 132 -Unit Residential Townhome Project Located at 1200 Dove Street, 1300 Dove Street, and 4041 MacArthur Boulevard (PA2025-0170).
• Ordinance No. 2026-13: An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Approving a Development Agreement for a 132 -Unit
Residential Townhome Project Located at 1200 Dove Street, 1300 Dove Street, and 4041 MacArthur Boulevard (PA2025-0170).
The Consent Calendar items approved were as follows:
1. Approval of Minutes
Approval of Minutes for the July 28, 2026, Regular City Council Meeting.
2. Ordinance No. 2026-11: Amending Section 3.36.030 of the Newport Beach Municipal Code and Repealing Exhibit A of Section 3.36.030 a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and
b) Waive full reading of an Ordinance, read by title only, conduct a second reading and adopt Ordinance No. 2026-11, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Amending Section 3.36.030 (Cost Recovery Percentages) of the Newport Beach Municipal Code and Repealing Exhibit A of Section 3.36.030 of the Newport Beach Municipal Code.
3. Ordinance No. 2026-12: Approving a Zoning Code Amendment and Ordinance No. 2026-13: Approving a Development Agreement for the 1300 Dove Street Townhome Project (PA2025-0170) (Councilmember Stapleton recused) a) Find Addendum to the Newport Beach General Plan Housing Implementation Program Final Program Environmental Impact Report SCH No. 2023060699 prepared for the 132 -unit Residential Townhome Project located at 1200 Dove Street, 1300 Dove Street, and 4041 MacArthur Boulevard (PA2025-0170) in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State CEQA Guidelines, and City Council Policy K-3, and adopted by the City Council on July 28, 2026, by Resolution No. 2026-57;
b) Waive full reading of an Ordinance, read by title only, conduct a second reading and adopt Ordinance No. 2026-12, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Approving a Zoning Code Amendment for a 132 -Unit Residential Townhome Project Located at 1200 Dove Street, 1300 Dove Street, and 4041 MacArthur Boulevard (PA2025-0170); and
c) Waive full reading of an Ordinance, read by title only, conduct a second reading and adopt Ordinance No. 2026-13, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Approving a Development Agreement for a 132 -Unit Residential Townhome Project Located at 1200 Dove Street, 1300 Dove Street, and 4041 MacArthur Boulevard (PA2025-0170).
4. Ordinance No. 2026-14: Amending Chapter 5.95 (Short Term Lodging Permit) of the Municipal Code
a) Find the code amendment is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15060(c)(2) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3, which states that an activity is not subject to CEQA if "[t]he activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment"; and
b) Introduce Ordinance No. 2026-14, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Amending Chapter 5.95 (Short Term Lodging Permit) of the Newport Beach Municipal Code.
5. Resolution No. 2026-60: Accepting the Department of Homeland Security Operation Stonegarden Grant Funds Fiscal Year 2025
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly;
b) Adopt Resolution No. 2026-60, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Accepting the FY 2025 Operation Stonegarden Grant from the United States Department of Homeland Security, Administered by the County of Riverside, and Designating the Chief of Police as the City's Authorized Agent to Execute Grant Documents;
c) Accept the Department of Homeland Security FY 2025 Operation Stonegarden grant award in the amount of $130,000.00 and authorize the Chief of Police to execute the grant agreement; and
d) Approve Budget Amendment No. 27-003 to accept grant funds from the Department of Homeland Security, passed through CaIOES; increase revenue estimates by $130,000.00 in account 01035355-431453-G2720; and increase expenditure appropriations by $130,000.00 to various accounts in the Detective Division as outlined in the amendment.
6. Resolution No. 2026-61: Initiating Newport Beach Municipal Code and Local Coastal Program Amendments Related to Community Development Director Authority to Exclude Utility and Mechanical Equipment Rooms from Floor Area Ratio Calculations (PA2026-0159)
a) Find this project 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; and b) Adopt Resolution No. 2026-61, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Initiating Amendments to Title 20 (Planning and Zoning) and Title 21 (Local Coastal Program Implementation Plan) of the City of Newport Beach Municipal Code to Authorize the Community Development Director to Exclude Utility and Mechanical Equipment Rooms from Floor Area Ratio Calculations (PA2026- 0159).
7. Resolution No. 2026-62: Establishing "No Parking" Restrictions on a Portion of Irvine Avenue to Improve Street Sweeping Effectiveness a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and
b) Adopt Resolution No. 2026-62, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Establishing "No Parking" Restrictions on Designated Streets on Specific Days and Times to Improve Street Sweeping Effectiveness and Rescinding Resolution No. 2022-71.
8. Resolution No. 2026-63: Amending Council Policy L-6; Homeowners Association Security Camera Program within the Public Rights -of -Way (Mayor Kleiman recused)
a) Find the adoption of Resolution No. 2026-63 exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because the action will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and is not a project as defined by CEQA; and
b) Adopt Resolution No. 2026-63, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Amending Council Policy L-6 (Encroachments in Public Rights -Of -Way) and Adopting Associated Application Procedures to Allow Homeowners Association Security Camera Programs within the Public Rights -of -Way.
9. Citywide ADA Improvements - Notice of Completion for Contract No. 9943-1 (26R12)
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and
b) Accept the completed work and authorize the City Clerk to file a Notice of Completion for the project.
10. Fiscal Year 2025-26 Citywide Facilities Painting Project - Notice of Completion for Contract No. 9861-1 (26F02)
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and
b) Accept the completed and settled work; and authorize the City Clerk to file a Notice of Completion for the project.
11. Communication Devices, Health and Recovery Equipment Donation Agreement with the Newport Beach Fire Department Foundation a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly;
b) Accept a donation of communication devices and health and recovery equipment, valued at $65,534.01, from the Newport Beach Fire Department Foundation; and c) Authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the Communication Devices, Health and Recovery Equipment Donation Agreement with the Newport Beach Fire Department Foundation.
12. Purchase of 2027 Polaris XPEDITION ADV 5 Northstar Utility Terrain Vehicle a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly;
b) Approve the selection and purchase of one 2027 Polaris XPEDITION ADV 5 Northstar Utility Terrain Vehicle from Polaris Industries, Inc. using cooperative selection and pricing under Sourcewell Contract #091024 -PSI, for the total cost of $47,173;
c) Approve Budget Amendment No. 27-012 appropriating $47,173 in increased expenditures in the vehicle replacement fund, account no. 7529032-911016 from the Equipment Internal Service Fund (752) reserves; and
d) Authorize the Fire Department to retain a formerly frontline UTV unit as a reserve unit.
13. Amendment No. Two to On -Call Professional Services Agreement with Dudek for Consulting Arborist Services (Contract No. 7936-1) a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and
b) Authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute Amendment No. Two to On -Call Professional Services Agreement with Dudek for Consulting Arborist Services to increase the contract amount by $250,000 for a total not -to -exceed of $520,000 and extend the contract an additional three years to a new expiration date of October 1, 2029.
14. Fiscal Year 2024-25 Streetlight Improvement Project - Award of Contract No. 9754-1 (27V02)
a) Find this project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15302(c) (replacement of existing utility facilities involving negligible expansion of capacity) of the CEQA Guidelines, because this project has no potential to have a significant effect on the environment; b) Approve the project plans and specifications;
c) Award Contract No. 9754-1 to California Professional Engineering, Inc. for the total bid price of $545,430 for the FY 2024-25 Streetlight Improvement Project, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the contract; and d) Establish a contingency of $55,000 (approximately 10% of the total bid) to cover the cost of unforeseen work not included in the original contract.
15. Amendment No. Two to the School Resource Officer Program Agreement a) Determine that the action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because it will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and
b) Authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute Amendment No. Two to Agreement Between the City of Newport Beach and the Newport -Mesa Unified School District to Participate in the School Resource Officer Program.
16. Budget Amendment to Accept a Check from the Library Foundation of Newport Beach and Appropriate Funds to the Library's Fiscal Year 2026-27 Operating Budget
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and
b) Accept a check in the amount of $182,500 from the Library Foundation of Newport Beach and approve Budget Amendment No. 27-009 to increase expenditures by the same amount in Division 0106051 (Foundation).
17. Budget Amendment to Allocate Funds from the Restricted Programs Fund to the Newport Beach Arts Foundation Programming Budget a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and
b) Approve Budget Amendment No. 27-004 and appropriate funds from the Restricted Programs Fund Reserves in Fund 180 to increase expenditures in the Newport Beach Arts Foundation FY 2026-27 Programming Budget 1800013-841004.
18. Planning Commission Agenda for the August 6, 2026, Meeting Receive and file.
I'K.II1OO4kiIi ] 1lLII*11
19. Athletic Field Sod Management Program
Staff Recommendation: a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly;
b) Adopt an amended athletic field sod management program, discontinuing all synthetic herbicide use on City of Newport Beach athletic fields and instead implementing a regular sod replacement program; and
c) Approve Budget Amendment No. 27-013, transferring $500,000 in existing General Fund appropriations and appropriating $750,000 from the Parks & Community Centers Fund's unappropriated fund balance for a total of $1,250,000 to the Parks Division's Services Contract account (0108531-811017-AFSOD) to support the athletic field sod management program, which includes new sod removal and replacement on athletic fields and a consultant to assist in implementation and management of the program.
Municipal Operations Director Zac Gentry and Parks and Trees Superintendent Kevin Pekar presented the staff report, describing the history of the Buffalo Hills Park pilot program initiated in November 2025, which replaced synthetic -herbicide turf management with rotational sod removal and replacement. The program would expand to all 17 City -maintained natural grass athletic fields on a 3-5 year rotation, replacing approximately 650,000 square feet of hybrid Bermuda sod annually. Three artificial turf fields (Royal Park, Bonita Creek Park, and Grant Howald Park) are excluded from the program.
Jim Mosher raised procedural questions regarding the ad hoc committee's authority and the fiscal transparency of the staff report.
Brooke Lessman (Port Streets, mother of three) urged approval, citing extensive pesticide spraying -217 days per year —and specific chemicals linked to cancer and Parkinson's disease.
Tammy Belcher (7 -year advocate on the issue) expressed support and raised concerns about the gap between the City's stated organics -first policy and actual practice.
Michelle Feiner shared that her husband, a 50 -year -old non-smoker, had undergone three surgeries for lung cancer attributed to environmental exposure, and requested that spray schedules and chemical disclosures be posted publicly online. Additional speakers echoed the call for greater transparency and urged the Council to vote in favor.
Mayor Pro Tern Blom expressed strong personal support for the program, noting that the core insight was the simplicity of replacing grass without any chemical treatment.
Councilmember Grant asked about artificial turf fields; staff confirmed those three fields are excluded.
Motion to approve staff recommendation for Item 19 was made by Mayor Pro Tem Blom and seconded by Councilmember Weber. Motion carried unanimously.
20. Certification of Results and Review of Options for Three Citizen -Sponsored Charter Amendment Initiative Petitions
Staff Recommendation: a) Determine that this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because the action will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and is not a project as defined in Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines;
b) Accept the certifications of the Orange County Registrar of Voters regarding the verification of signatures for the Public Meetings, Public Records, Oversight, and Enforcement Initiative; Lifetime City Council Term Limits Initiative; and District -Only Voting Initiative;
c) By motion, decide whether the election should be called for Tuesday, November 3, 2026, March 7, 2028, or November 7, 2028;
d) By motion, decide whether to submit an argument against the proposed initiative (pursuant to Elections Code Section 9282) and, if submitting such an argument, designate the authors;
e) Adopt the following Resolutions: Resolutions 2026-64, through 2026-72 of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Calling for and Giving Notice of a General [or Special] Municipal Election to be held on [November 3, 2026, or March 7, 2028, or November 7, 2028,] to Submit to the Voters Initiative Measures Proposing to Amend the City Charter to: (1) Modify City Charter Provisions Related to Public Meetings, Public Records, Oversight, and Enforcement; (2) City Council Member Term Limits; and (3) Council Members Being Elected Only by Voters Residing within the District the Council Member Represents, and Requesting the Orange County Board of Supervisors Authorize the County Elections Official to Render Services Relating to the Conduct of a [General or Special] Municipal Election, as well the Accompanying
Resolutions Directing the City Attorney to Prepare an Impartial Analysis of an Initiative Measure to Be Submitted to the Voters at the General [or Special] Municipal Election to be Held on November 3, 2026, March 7, 2028, or November 7, 2028, and Providing for the Establishment of Deadlines for Filing of the Impartial Analysis and Written Arguments For and Against the Initiative Measure; and Setting the Deadlines for Filing of Rebuttal Arguments in Response to Direct Arguments Filed For and Against the Initiative Measure to be Submitted to the Voters at the General [or Special] Municipal Election to be held on [November 3 2026, or March 7, 2028, or November 7, 2028]; f) If November 3, 2026, is not selected as the date for the calling of the election, adopt Resolution 2026-73 Making Findings and Explaining the Selection of a 2028 Election Date for the Consideration of the Three Initiatives;
g) Review the draft arguments for the Three initiatives and NBSA's ballot arguments against the Three Initiatives; and
h) Authorize City staff to prepare and execute a budget amendment, as needed, to appropriate sufficient funds to cover election and administrative costs associated with the option selected by the City Council.
City Clerk Lena Shumway presented the staff report, summarizing the three citizen - sponsored charter amendment initiatives and the procedural history. All three initiatives were certified as having sufficient signatures by the Orange County Registrar of Voters. Staff recommended the November 7, 2028 election date, citing adequate time for impartial analysis, public review, and County coordination, as well as broader voter participation in a general election coinciding with City Council elections.
Walter Stahr detailed the City's year -long litigation history attempting to prevent the initiatives from reaching voters, and noted that just hours before the meeting the Court of Appeal had denied the City's emergency appeal filed the prior Friday.
Lauri Preedge (50 -year Corona del Mar resident) called on the Council to uphold residents' right to vote and place all initiatives on the November 2026 ballot.
Nancy Scarbrough provided a detailed procedural timeline of City delays and court rulings, characterizing the City's conduct as "shocking and disturbing." Carole King expressed disbelief that the Council would consider further delay after two court rejections.
Jim Mosher argued that staff's rationale for delay was unsound, noting that two of the three measures —term limits and district -only voting —were straightforward and did not require two additional years of analysis.
John Preedge warned that deferring the vote for two years would be a "cowardly" legacy for current Council members.
Adam Leverenz (via Zoom) criticized staff's strategy of delays and called on the Council to allow the citizens' vote to proceed without further obstruction.
Councilmember Grant stated her support for placing the initiatives on the November 2026 ballot, emphasizing the need for certainty, public confidence in the Council, and the broader context of state housing mandates already reshaping the city.
Motion: Mayor Pro Tern Blom moved to adopt staff recommendations A through D and F through H, selecting November 7, 2028 as the election date at which the three charter -amendment initiatives will be submitted to the voters; find that the City Council has reviewed the arguments for and against the measure and ballot questions as compelled by the Court's order of August 3, 2026; find that the City Council expressly reserves, and does not waive the City's appellate rights, objections or any other available judicial relief; adopts resolutions directing the City Attorney to prepare the impartial analysis as well as the action for setting deadlines for the impartial analysis and arguments, but removes from the resolution that decision whether the City Council will submit arguments against the measure and , if so who is designated to do so; the City Council adopts the resolutions related to rebuttal arguments, but as noted does not determine whether the City Council will author the arguments against, which will be considered at a future date; and incorporate into all resolution considered as part of this agenda item the operative language related to the City being compelled to act and not waiving the City's appellate rights, which was provided by the City Attorney to the City Clerk, City Council and Public this evening. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Weber.
Motion carried 5-2, with Councilmember Grant, and Councilmember Barto voting in opposition.
VI. MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION
No motions for reconsideration were brought forward.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON CLOSED SESSION
Jim Mosher requested that the Council publicly announce, following closed session, which Council members directed the ongoing litigation concerning the citizen initiatives and the responsible housing initiative, as required by the Brown Act.
VII. CLOSED SESSION
21. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION Government Code § 54956.9(d)(1): 2 matters.
A. City of Newport Beach v. Newport Beach Stewardship Association & Newport Beach Stewardship Association v. Lena Shumway et al. — Orange County Superior Court Case No. 30-2026-01559183
B. City of Newport Beach et al. v. Robert Page et al. — Orange County Superior Court Case No. 30-2026-01580961
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
City Attorney Harp reported that there was no closed session report. The meeting was adjourned at 6:42 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
In Memory of Cheong Kwon Lee
Councilmember Grant delivered a memorial tribute to Cheong Kwon Lee, a longtime Newport Beach community member who passed away on August 20, 2026, at the age of 94. Mr. Lee emigrated from China, established the Shanghai Pine Gardens restaurant on Balboa Island in 1969, and was the father of the founders of Wahoo's Fish Tacos. The Lee family was inducted into the Orange County Hall of Fame in 2024.
Meeting adjourned at 6:42 p.m.