Will Newport’s new Marina Park be overrun by beach parking? Residents seek city’s reassurance
As the opening day for Newport Beach’s $36 million Marina Park draws nearer, Balboa Peninsula residents’ concerns over parking at the site continue to mount.
More than 50 West Newport residents attended a town hall meeting Monday evening hosted by Mayor Pro Tem Diane Dixon to hear updates about the Marina Park project, which encompasses 10.5 acres along Balboa Boulevard and includes a public park, a 24,000-square-foot community and sailing center, a 23-slip marina and a marine-themed playground.
Crews are wrapping up construction on the project, which is expected to open Dec. 5. The city will offer free classes Dec. 7 to 13 for guests to sample course offerings.
While many residents appeared to be enthusiastic about the prospect of participating in classes such as yoga, art and paddleboarding at the community center, discussion became heated when the topic turned to how the city plans to enforce parking rules.
“We’re expecting parking to be our biggest problem,” said Recreation and Senior Services Director Laura Detweiler.
Resident Denys Oberman questioned how the city will monitor the parking lot to ensure that people don’t park there all day, making it difficult for others who want to use Marina Park.
Oberman wrote in a letter to the City Council that “with the capacity of the facility and the many events and venues already planned and programmed, it is highly unlikely that residents of the community will be able to park at and potentially make regular use of the Marina Park community center. This is unfair at best.”
City Manager Dave Kiff said many visitors likely will try to use the lot for all-day beach parking but that officials will rely on the community and the city’s enforcement efforts to combat that.
During a council meeting last month, city leaders postponed voting on a staff-suggested parking plan after listening to community concerns about potential problems caused by visitors using the lot and the planned prohibition there of master and annual permits, which many residents buy to simplify parking in the city.
A master parking permit entitles a vehicle to occupy a space in any metered area or municipal lot without payment of a fee. An annual parking permit allows a vehicle to be parked in designated areas without payment.
“We’re trying to balance our residents’ needs while also allowing the lots to be used for their intended purpose — Marina Park activities,” Detweiler said.
In response to the concerns, city staff revised the plan to allow master permits and a maximum of 15 annual permits at a time in the parking lot, which has 177 stalls. Officials expect 215 street parking spots will serve the project as well.
The City Council is expected to vote on the plan Nov. 10. If it is approved, the Marina Park lot will be open from 6 a.m. to midnight and will charge $1.75 per hour for up to six hours of parking. After six hours, visitors will have to insert a credit card into the pay station to add more time.
However, city officials said they are considering an app that would enable people to add more time and pay via their smartphones.
Parking will be free for anyone enrolled in a class at Marina Park, officials said.
