By Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager
Beginning next week, the Newport Beach Police Department will broadcast emergency messages exclusively through our new public notification system, Newport Notified.
If you have not yet signed up for Newport Notified, I encourage you to register today.
As of Friday, April 12, the Police Department will no longer send messages through Nixle, the previous platform. Current Nixle subscribers will need to subscribe to Newport Notified to continue to receive alerts.
The new system will be used to alert subscribers about emergencies and other community safety issues such as traffic and crime advisories. The system allows the Police Department to notify subscribers through their choice of text, email and voicemail.
Newport Notified will be used for emergency notifications related to incidents such as power outages, fires, evacuations, tsunamis and other hazards where public safety is at risk. It will also alert subscribers to major traffic accidents, neighborhood crimes and other community safety updates.
Subscribers do not have to live or work in Newport Beach; visitors and those with family in the city are also invited to sign up.
You can sign up for Newport Notified at this link: https://newportbeach.genasys.com/portal/en.
For more information on the new system and FAQs, please visit www.nbpd.org/notified.
City Inspects Property Following Back Bay Landslide
City building inspectors responded to a landslide that occurred on Thursday, April 4 at about 4 a.m. in the 1400 block of Galaxy Drive near the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve.
Most of the backyard of one property slid down the hillside toward the bay. The home was yellow-tagged by City inspectors, along with the two adjacent properties, to limit access as a safety precaution while the slope stability is further assessed.
Fortunately, there were no injuries and no apparent damage to the homes’ structures.
The Galaxy Drive neighborhood experienced a landslide previously in March 2023, which resulted in the eventual demolition of one home.
Celebrate National Library Week
Ready. Set. Library! Join us April 6 – 14 as we celebrate National Library Week with events including the launch of our new Seed Library, special story time guest readers, a magic show, musicale and much more. Complete details on our website at www.newportbeachlibrary.org.
Little Library Reconstructed at Mariners Park
The “Little Library” community book exchange at Mariner’s Park, 1300 Irvine Ave., was recently rebuilt and rededicated following an act of vandalism.
Last year, the City’s Public Works Department assisted with the installation of the lending library, which was donated by a local Girl Scout troop. Sadly, it was recently vandalized.
However, the “Little Library” was then reconstructed with materials donated by Heather Ignatin of the City’s Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission. The Girl Scout Troop painted it and handed it off to City staff to assist with the re-installation. Troop members planted daisies around the base.
Goldenrod Footbridge Makeover Completed
The City recently completed a series of improvements to the historic Goldenrod Footbridge in Corona del Mar.
The upgrades were completed in two phases: In the first phase, in October 2023, the City replaced the planters, irrigation system, and wooden arches and installed new lighting. A fresh coat of paint last week was the last step to prepare the iconic bridge for its centennial celebration in 2028.
Newport Beach Students Invited to Apply for College Scholarships
The City is accepting scholarship applications from college-bound seniors and transfer students until Monday, May 6, at 5 p.m. to earn up to $700 for educational expenses.
The City’s Ackerman Scholarship Program was established to assist qualified students in obtaining a higher education. Funds for the program are provided through an endowment from the Ackerman Trust. Scholarships may be used for tuition, books, laboratory and/or academic fees.
This year, there will be seven $700 scholarships awarded. Students must meet both criteria A and B:
- Be a child residing in Newport Beach OR be a child of a regular, full-time Newport Beach City employee.
- Graduate from a high school in 2024 and are accepted to attend an accredited two-year community college or four-year college or university OR are transferring from a two-year community college to an accredited four-year college or university in fall 2024; AND have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.
The criteria used for selection includes financial need, scholastic standing, school or community leadership, school and/or extracurricular activities, and career and life plans.
The deadline to apply is Monday, May 6 at 5 p.m. Apply here: https://newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/human-resources/2023-scholarship-program.
OASIS Volunteers Invited to Annual Recognition Luncheon April 17
The OASIS Senior Center will host its annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon on Wednesday, April 17, at noon.
If you have volunteered at OASIS within the past year, you are invited to attend and enjoy a delicious catered lunch. Please RSVP by Thursday, April 11 by calling (949) 644-3244.
The lunch will be held at the OASIS Senior Center, 801 Narcissus Ave.
Teens Ages 13-16 Invited to Apply for Summer Leadership Program
The City is offering a Teen Leader Program for teens ages 13-16. The program gives teens an opportunity to work side by side with City recreation staff in the two youth summer camps, three ACTIVE Kids after school programs, and at special events.
Participants can earn service credits, get involved in the community, develop and enhance life and work skills, and gain valuable job experience.
For more information or to apply, click here: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/recreation-senior-services/youth-teen-programs.
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 works closely with the City’s police and fire departments.
This week, the Be Well team:
- Transported a person to a hospital for treatment and a shelter intake appointment.
- Transported a person to a medical detox facility.
- Transported a person to the Yale Navigation Center for an intake.
- Transported two people to the Be Well sobering station for treatment.
- Transported two people to homeless services providers.
- Collaborated with the Newport Beach Police Department to place a person into psychiatric care.
- Collaborated with the City of Huntington Beach’s Be Well team to locate and return a person to an assisted living facility.
- Collaborated with a medical facility to provide a rideshare home to another county after the person was discharged.
The mobile crisis team is dispatched through the Newport Beach Police Department. To request service, dial 911 or call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at (949) 644-3717.
Homelessness Update
This week, the City’s homeless outreach and response teams:
- Placed a veteran in housing at Mesa Vista Apartments after a stay at the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter. The veteran had experienced homelessness for one year.
- Placed three people in permanent housing from the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter. They had experienced homelessness for 1-4 years.
- Continued to shelter people. Twenty-three people who had been experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach are sheltered in the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
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.
Click here for information on the City’s Good Giving program: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/trending/community-issues/homelessness/how-you-can-help.
Updated Draft Housing Element Documents Available for Public Review
The City is seeking public input on draft documents related to implementation of the General Plan 6th Cycle Housing Element, which will guide residential development in Newport Beach through 2029.
In August 2023 and January 2024, the City released the draft Land Use Element revisions, the draft Housing Opportunity Overlay Zoning Districts, and the draft Objective Design Standards for public review and comment. Based on input received, these drafts have been revised and are now available for public review. In addition, initial drafts of the required Local Coastal Program amendments are also available for review.
Residents are invited to provide comments and feedback on the updated and new draft documents, which are available online here: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/community-development/planning-division/general-plan-codes-and-regulations/general-plan-update/6th-cycle-housing-element-implementation. Written comments can be submitted to [email protected].
City Seeks Resident Input on General Plan Update
The City’s General Plan is being updated to reflect the community’s current needs and future aspirations. The General Plan contains goals that establish values and direction, policies that guide decision-making, and programs that carry out the actions needed to achieve these goals. The last comprehensive update of Newport Beach’s General Plan was in 2006.
A core part of updating the General Plan is engaging with residents and other stakeholders to capture and articulate a shared vision for the city for the next 20 years.
You are encouraged to visit the project’s website at www.newportbeachca.gov/gpupdate to learn more. To provide input through the website, please visit: https://newporttogether.mysocialpinpoint.com/we-want-to-hear-from-you.
