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Council certifies referendum and rescinds general-plan amendment for Snug Harbor Surf Park after citizen petition
Summary
After staff confirmed sufficient signatures on a referendum petition challenging the Snug Harbor Surf Park general-plan amendment, council members voted 6–1 to rescind the amendment rather than order an election. The decision followed robust public comment from opponents and supporters.
The Newport Beach City Council on Jan. 27 certified a referendum petition challenging a general-plan amendment for the proposed Snug Harbor Surf Park and then voted to rescind the original amendment itself, avoiding the cost of an election.
Staff told the council that the Orange County Registrar of Voters had confirmed the petition contained the required number of valid signatures to qualify as a referendum. Staff presented three options: (1) repeal the council’s prior resolution approving the general-plan amendment (no cost to the city); (2) place the matter on the Nov. 3, 2026 municipal ballot (estimated additional cost $8,500–$17,000 if consolidated); or (3) order a special election (estimated $113,000–$143,000). The contested resolution was identified as Resolution 20 25-71, which increased the allowable development limit for anomaly number 58 from 20,000 square feet to 59,772 square feet on a site associated with the Snug Harbor project.
Public commenters strongly urged rescission. Benny Hallock, volunteer chairman of the Save Newport Beach Golf Course Efforts, told the council, "In just 21 days, volunteers collected over 9,600 signatures to referendum your wave pool approval," and urged either repeal or consolidation of the measure with the November ballot if the council did not rescind. Other speakers raised land-use, neighborhood and open-space concerns; supporters of the project also addressed the council earlier in the process (on other agenda dates), but the Jan. 27 public comment featured sustained opposition.
In council debate, several members said rescinding would respect the referendum process and avoid election costs and further community division. Council member Weigand moved to accept the certification and repeal Resolution 20 25-71; Council member Weber seconded. The motion carried 6–yes and 1–abstain (Council member Blom). Council directions included accepting the certification of signatures from the county registrar and reversing the earlier general-plan amendment vote.
What happens next: With the general-plan amendment rescinded, staff noted the underlying zoning for outdoor recreational uses remains; the rescission affects the allowed buildable square footage authorized in the previously adopted amendment. The city will not hold a special or consolidated election on this question because the council chose to repeal the amendment.
