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Newport Beach council hears 'Newport Beach 2050' study session, schedules June adoption hearing
Summary
Acting deputy community development director Ben Zadiva briefed the council on the Newport Beach 2050 general plan update, summarizing eight remaining elements, outreach work by community committees, and next steps including a June 23 adoption hearing and a forthcoming notice of intent to address an Airport Land Use Commission determination.
Ben Zadiva, acting deputy community development director, presented a study-session overview of the Newport Beach 2050 general plan update at the April 28 council meeting, telling the council the comprehensive update — the first in two decades — aims to set a policy horizon to 2050 and to modernize the city's 10-element plan.
Zadiva said council initiated a comprehensive update in 2019, paused to finalize the housing element that was adopted in 2022, and resumed the broader update in 2023. Staff outlined a phased process that included background analysis, community visioning, detailed policy drafting and technical review, and a current hearings phase that will take the draft through boards, commissions and final council adoption. He said the update was led by community volunteers and council-appointed Brown Act committees, including a steering committee chaired by former mayor Nancy Gardner and a 24–28 member General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) co‑chaired by Jeremy Evans and Arlene Greer.
The presentation summarized each draft element and key changes: an arts and culture element that adds culinary arts programming; a historical resources element proposing a legacy business program and stronger outreach; a renamed Harbor, Bay and Beaches element that explicitly includes beaches and coastal access; an expanded recreation element that integrates state requirements such as Senate Bill 1425 on open-space equity; a natural resources element that addresses sea‑level rise planning (SB 272) and habitat connectivity (AB 189); a forward‑looking noise element with construction and emerging‑technology guidance; and a safety element that emphasizes evacuation and resilience planning. Zadiva said the update includes a new implementation program with a crosswalk tying each policy to a timeframe and lead department to improve annual reporting and accountability.
Zadiva noted the planning commission last week unanimously recommended council adoption of the full update. He said staff intends to return on June 23 seeking council consideration of adoption and, separately, an agenda item to authorize staff to issue a notice of intent related to an Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) determination on consistency. He also demonstrated an online, fully searchable general‑plan platform with printable PDFs for accessibility.
Public commenters who had served on GPAC praised staff and committee leadership, called the process inclusive and thorough, and suggested a light‑touch follow‑up committee that would meet annually to review one or two elements and report back to council on implementation progress. Several commenters and council members urged continued outreach and clearer opportunities to review draft revisions before the June hearing.
Why it matters: the update resets policy across land use, coastal and natural resources, mobility, safety and implementation for the next several decades. It also identifies procedural and legal steps the council will need to complete — including CEQA review and a potential action on the ALUC inconsistency — before adoption.
Next steps: staff confirmed a public hearing later in the April 28 agenda and told the council they will return June 23 with an adoption item, and that staff will issue the proposed notice of intent regarding the ALUC determination as the council directed.
