By Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager
The City of Newport Beach places a high priority on transparency in all of our services to the community, including Newport Beach Police Department activities. Thanks to web and digital technology advancements in recent years, timely alerts and detailed information such as police response, calls for service and crime statistics are more accessible to the public than ever before.
For breaking news and alerts on criminal activity, significant traffic impacts, missing persons, or emergencies, you can subscribe to the Police Department’s Nixle alerts here: https://local.nixle.com/newport-beach-police-department. Or even more simply, text your zip code to 888777 to opt-in.
You can configure your Nixle account as desired to receive text messages, emails, and voice mails to cell phones and landlines. For less frequent, major Newport Beach and countywide emergency alerts, you can also subscribe to the AlertOC mass notification system here: https://member.everbridge.net/453003085613900/login.
On the Police Department’s web site, www.nbpd.org, you can find extensive information on monthly and yearly crime statistics for the entire City, or by the PD’s four geographic areas of service. On the calls for service dashboard, you can find highly detailed data by the type of call, neighborhood, council district or area of service, which can all be further segmented by date (today, yesterday, 7 days and 14 days). The latest department press releases can be found here: https://www.nbpd.org/what-s-new/press-releases.
Our PD also maintains an active social media presence on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, as well as YouTube, where you can see videos on safety and crime prevention and get to know the officers who serve our community.
CR&R Now Billing for Additional Trash, Recycling Carts
Beginning this week, some Newport Beach residents will receive a bill from CR&R, the City’s waste contractor, for additional trash and recycling carts above those allocated under the expanded recycling program.
The expended recycling program was implemented in January to help meet state mandates related to the recycling of organic waste. As part of the expanded program, residential households are allocated a set amount of solid waste collection in a combination of black trash carts, blue recycling carts, and green organics carts at no charge.
As of July 1, additional fees are being charged for extra carts, at the rate of $6.09 a month for black trash carts, $3.41 a month for blue recycling carts, and $4.11 a month for a green organics recycling cart. The first quarterly bills were mailed July 11.
If you would like to return extra carts, or request extra carts, please contact CR&R Customer Service at 949-667-4158 or email at [email protected]. You can manage all your waste and recycling services through an online account at https://oss.crrinc.com.
Progress Continues on Jamboree Pavement Rehabilitation, Reclaimed Water Project
A project to repave Jamboree Road between East Coast Highway and Ford Road, and install a recycled water irrigation system for the medians, is expected to be completed by the end of August.
The City’s contactor, All American Asphalt, has completed all concrete improvements, such as removing and reconstructing deteriorated concrete sidewalks and curb access ramps, and reconstructing concrete median curbs. This week, paving work began during nighttime hours (Sunday nights through Friday mornings, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) to minimize traffic impacts. Nighttime lane closures are required to complete the work in a safe and timely manner.
During daytime working hours (Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), crews will continue installing a reclaimed water line at Santa Barbara Drive and completing landscape and irrigation improvements. Intermittent daytime lane closures will be required.
The road paving is scheduled to be completed by August 11, and the overall project completion is anticipated by the end of August.
General Plan Circulation Element Now Available for Public Review
A revised circulation element of the City’s General Plan is now available online for public review: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/71904/637932267088500000.
The public is invited to submit written comments or questions by email through August 1.
The Newport Beach Planning Commission, City staff and its consultant team have been working with the community to prepare the update to comply with recent state mandates and reflect a community vision on transportation issues such as electric vehicles, rideshare services, public transportation, telecommuting, parking and parking lot management. The circulation element was last updated in 2006.
The draft includes updated goals and policies to support and encourage walking, bicycling, and transit ridership, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, plan for future technology, and improve safety. The City will accept public comments until August 1. The circulation element is expected to return to the Planning Commission for a public hearing September 8, and to the City Council on September 27.
Committee Kicks off General Plan Update
The City’s General Plan Update Steering Committee held its first meeting in the Civic Center Community Room on July 11.
Committee members introduced themselves to the community, selected former mayor Nancy Gardner as chairperson, discussed various considerations for the General Plan update and heard input from members of the community. City staff provided an overview of the anticipated schedule and consultant services, among other items.
Video coverage of the July 11 meeting is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f24lYMp4hc.
For additional information please visit the committee web page here: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/community-development/planning-division/general-plan-codes-and-regulations/general-plan-update/general-plan-update-steering-committee-active.
You can also view the full the General Plan Update webpage at www.newportbeachca.gov/gpupdate.
The next meeting of the General Plan Update Steering Committee will be August 8.
J22 Keelboat Race Training Now Available at Marina Park for Experienced Sailors
Experienced sailors are invited to register for the J22 Summer Racing Class at Marina Park to learn to race in a real-time, official regatta.
Orange Coast College instructors are on board with students as they learn racing fundamentals, including pre-start and starting tactics, right-of-way and the intricacies of positioning boats in the “chess-board” game of racing. The American Legion Yacht Club, which runs the Sundowner Series every Monday night during the summer, runs starts specifically for the Marina Park J22 fleet.
The next session starts August 1. Beginner and intermediate prerequisite courses are required.
The Marina Park Sailing and Boating Center offers a cost-effective opportunity to enjoy the Newport Harbor in kayaks, on paddleboards, or through a wide variety of sailing classes, youth camps, and sailboat rentals.
City Maintains, Improves Athletic Fields
City crews recently completed significant athletic field maintenance and improvements at park facilities throughout Newport Beach.
The work included dethatching, vacuum cutting, aeration, seeding and fertilization of the City’s athletic field turf. Dethatching and vacuum cutting reduces turf thickness for improved playability.
A significant field renovation was performed at Arroyo Park (pictured). Damaged turf was cut out and removed, and 47,000 square-feet of hybrid Bermuda sod grass was installed. Athletic field renovations, when implemented regularly throughout the year, promotes healthy, durable turf and a more enjoyable athletic experience.
Be Well Mobile Crisis Response Update
The Be Well mobile crisis response team operates in Newport Beach 12 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to mental and behavioral health crises. The mobile unit is staffed with mental health specialists and EMTs, and works closely with the City’s police and fire departments.
This week the Be Well team:
- Transported one person to the Be Well sobering station for treatment.
- Transported three people to the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
- Transported one person to an emergency room for treatment.
- Transported 10 people to services, shelter intakes, and appointments.
Homelessness Update
The City of Newport Beach provides a comprehensive response to address homelessness through a coordinated effort by City staff, contractors, partner agencies and nonprofit groups.
This week, the City’s homeless outreach and response teams:
- Enrolled a woman fleeing domestic violence into a transitional home, which provides counseling and mental health services.
- Completed assessments with three people experiencing homelessness to determine disabling conditions.
- Enrolled a couple into services and completed a housing assessment.
- Continue to shelter people. Eighteen people who had been experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach are now sheltered in the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
To donate to those experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach, please visit our Good Giving Program web page at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/trending/community-issues/homelessness/how-you-can-help.
Click here to view the latest homeless dashboard, which includes key monthly and yearly data on the City’s homeless response: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/trending/community-issues/homelessness/monthly-homeless-count.
