Residents voice Big Corona concerns

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- Though their beach is perhaps in more dire need of

change than any other in the city, residents near Big Corona have voiced

a strong desire to keep change to a minimum.

City officials are reviewing comments from 180 residents who responded

to a survey about ways to best upgrade decayed facilities such as

roofless restrooms and impossible parking.

Residents’ clearest, most unified message: no new restaurants. Of the

176 who offered their input on food service at the beach, 109 said the

city should keep a single concession stand in the area.

“We don’t need more food vendors or restaurants to have even more

noisy, horrible traffic,” one respondent wrote.

Residents differed greatly on what types of restaurants could be added

that would best fit the area. Many envisioned an upscale restaurant --

“something very attractive with indoor and outdoor seating,” as one

wrote.

Others disagreed.

“I strongly feel that a full-service restaurant is not in the interest

of residents or beachgoers,” one wrote.

B.J. Johnson, chairwoman of the Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce,

said that while a restaurant would be a nice amenity for residents, it

would make a bad parking situation even worse.

“I just can’t see any way they could handle the parking,” she said.

Answers to the survey will help decide how the city spends the $1

million set aside to fix up the area. About half the money will come from

a settlement from the 1990 American Trader Oil spill; the other half will

be paid with a state grant.

“The most noticeable thing we’re seeing in the results is that people

don’t like change,” said Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff, who is heading

the city review of the survey.

But everyone agrees some changes are necessary and desirable. Topping

residents’ priority lists were requests for more trees and landscaping.

Added grassy areas and more restrooms were also high priorities.

“I think high on the list is to totally remodel the restroom

facilities and the concession stand,” said Councilman Dennis O’Neil,

whose district includes Big Corona.

Johnson added that increased permit fees and limitations on group

events on the bluffs could discourage overly large crowds from dominating

that public area for too long.

Kiff said results of the survey, which was sent to about 1,000 area

residents, will likely come before the Parks, Beaches and Recreation

Commission at its December meeting.

“Big Corona has probably the most dilapidated structures, including

the concessions and the restrooms,” Kiff said. “It’s a problem area that

needs some sprucing up, and we got residents’ input because we wanted to

do it right.”

He said it’s too soon to tell which priorities will prevail, but

there’s a good chance that initial work on restrooms could begin in April

or May. Other work will have to wait until after the summer swimming

season, he said, and could include some innovative parking solutions,

such as shuttle service.