Coastal Commission OKs Newport’s half-wood, half-charcoal fire rings plan

The California Coastal Commission on Thursday gave the city of Newport Beach permission to reconfigure 64 fire rings along the beach, allowing half of them to burn wood and the other half to burn charcoal.

The vote ended roughly two years of debate among Newport Beach residents, city leaders and other government agencies over the placement and number of fire rings in the city.

In late January, the city submitted seven possible arrangements of 60 fire rings as part of its application to the Coastal Commission. Changes to the configuration or the density of the fire rings requires commission approval.

“It’s a big weight off our shoulders,” said Newport Beach Mayor Ed Selich. “The whole situation hasn’t been good for the dynamics of our city.”

One of the main issues has been whether to burn wood or charcoal.

Several neighbors of the fire rings urged the commission to continue the charcoal-only policy, citing respiratory problems and carcinogens stemming from smoke.

However, other residents rebuffed the idea of sitting around on a chilly evening by a fire pit burning charcoal.

“Nobody wants to huddle around a Weber,” said Balboa Peninsula resident Mike Glenn.

The commission voted 9 to 1 to authorize the city’s permanent plan, which includes 16 wood- and 16 charcoal-burning rings in the Balboa Pier area and eight wood-burning rings at the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina.

Commissioner Mark Vargas dissented on grounds that he didn’t want reduce the overall number of wood-burning rings.

“We’re not just talking about the city of Newport Beach, we’re talking about the public that comes here,” he said. “This will be a severe limit on the traditional way Southern California residents enjoy these beaches.”

The city also plans to place 16 wood and eight charcoal rings at Corona del Mar State Beach. While the majority of the commission approves the idea, the legislative body decided to postpone formal approval until the California Department of Parks and Recreation has the chance to review conditions of approval and placement of the rings.

The California Department of Parks and Recreation leases the state beach to the city. Parks staff indicated in a letter that the Coastal Commission does not have the authority to issue permits for a state-owned beach.

The commission said that Coastal Commission staff would be able to sign off on the permit within 90 days without another hearing.

Newport City Manager Dave Kiff said he is confident the agencies will be able to work out their issues.

The challenge over how to configure the fire rings in Newport Beach was sparked in July 2013, when the South Coast Air Quality Management District amended its Rule 444 to require a 700-foot buffer between bonfires and homes and designate “no-burn days” when fine particulates are at unhealthy levels.

The policy is a softened version of a proposal that would have banned all beach bonfires in Orange and Los Angeles counties.

In response to the AQMD’s actions, Newport Beach began enforcing an ordinance that limited fuel in fire rings to charcoal, which the agency considers cleaner burning than wood.

However, the Coastal Commission said at the time that it did not approve of the change because charcoal is more expensive than wood and might deter people from using the rings. One of the agency’s charges is to maintain low-cost activities on the coastline.

Newport Beach has been stuck in the middle of arguments between the two agencies.

Commission staff said Thursday that although a charcoal fire-ring experience is not the same as a traditional wood bonfire, the city is trying to balance keeping fire rings as a low-cost recreational activity under the mandates of the California Coastal Act and to comply with the AQMD’s rule that the rings be spaced far enough apart that they don’t affect air quality.

The AQMD indicated it approves of the city’s plan.

“It’s a reasonable compromise,” said Commissioner Greg Cox.

The finalized plan will be presented to the city for final approval during a future council meeting.