Newport council approves Lido hotel, denies marijuana shops
The Lido House Hotel, a 130-room boutique hotel slated to replace the former Newport Beach City Hall at the entrance to the Balboa Peninsula, cleared its final hurdle Tuesday night.
The City Council voted unanimously to approve changes to the area’s zoning, from one that only allowed public facilities to one that allows the property to be used for commercial and hotel purposes.
The city began looking into how to use the City Hall site in 2011, considering options such as a community center and residential and commercial uses before settling on a boutique hotel, which city leaders and nearby residents have said will be a vibrant addition to an aging area.
The city has been looking at projects designed to breathe life into the downtown area for several years. The Lido House Hotel as well as a townhome project along Via Lido and the revitalization of Lido Marina Village to include waterfront shops, restaurants and a gourmet market are in line with the effort, city officials have said.
In 2014, the council approved the four-story, 98,725-square-foot Lido House Hotel which also calls for a meeting and retail space, a spa, restaurants, a pool and recreation area and a rooftop bar on the 4-acre site. At that time members also gave preliminary approval to the zoning change. The California Coastal Commission approved the project and the zoning change during an October meeting in Long Beach.
The project is expected to break ground early next year, according to city staff.
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Marijuana ordinance passes second reading
Brick and mortar marijuana dispensaries and delivery services are now illegal in Newport Beach.
Despite protest from two public speakers Tuesday night, the City Council gave its final OK on an ordinance banning the cultivation, processing, distribution and delivery of medical cannabis in Newport Beach.
The ordinance, which was introduced and passed by the council first on Nov. 10, is in response to the state’s Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act, which Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law Oct. 9. The act, which becomes effective Jan. 1, will create California’s first statewide licensing and operating rules for pot growers, manufacturers of cannabis products and retail outlets since state voters legalized medical marijuana nearly 20 years ago.
The act also states that unless cities take immediate action to enact rules or bans for medical marijuana in their areas, the state will become the sole authority for licensing and regulation.
Newport Beach’s municipal code previously did not address medical marijuana, though dispensaries have not been allowed to operate in the city, according to City Manager Dave Kiff. Though there are no brick-and-mortar pot dispensaries operating in Newport Beach, several online services say they deliver marijuana to people in the city, according to an Internet search.
Frank Marino, CEO of MJIC, a Newport Beach cannabis investment firm, asked the council to reconsider banning marijuana delivery services as part of the ordinance.
“I know for a fact there are thousands of residents who hold medical marijuana cards,” he said. “Many of whom are unable to travel to get safe access to quality medical marijuana.”
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Eastbluff Park to receive fencing upgrades
The City Council on Tuesday also unanimously approved a contract with a Placentia-based engineering firm to upgrade Eastbluff Park, on Vista Del Oro near Eastbluff Elementary School
The city will pay Calpromax Engineering up to $165,000 to replace the existing fence with a taller, 40-foot fence and backstop, replace the drinking fountain with an updated bottle filler model and restore damaged areas of the field and sidewalk.
The aging fences at the park, which has a baseball field that is used by several local youth programs, present a possible safety issue given its proximity to the nearby playground, according to the staff report.
