Newport Beach City Council bans use of public spaces at harbor as bathrooms

Rules of conduct for Newport Harbor, maintaining shade at public parks, streamlined permitting for the installation of telecommunications infrastructure and increased waste management costs were among the topics tackled on the Newport Beach City Council’s consent calendar at their meeting earlier this month.

The new rules for the harbor that ban public urination or defecation, require vessels to have a properly installed marine sanitation system and also prohibit cleaning or cutting fish and bait on public benches or railings will go into effect on Aug. 13.

Part of the updates to the city’s municipal code make it illegal for people to relieve themselves “on private property in an area exposed to the public view, in or on Newport Harbor,” according to a draft of the update presented at the council meeting. It also bars people from placing “any fish, mussel, bait or other marine animal” on benches, seats or railings at any public dock or ocean pier.

Another section of the amended ordinance requires any boat where people “may stay aboard overnight,” to have a portable sanitation device or a permanently installed sanitation system to manage human waste. One public commenter suggested that the clause may be overly broad and possibly misinterpreted to prevent some smaller boats from legally operating in the harbor.

New shade structures

With summer heat blasting Southern California, the Newport Beach City Council approved up to $413,600 in spending for new shade structures at six public parks during its July 14 meeting.

The new awnings, gazebos and pavilions will replace existing ones that have become worn out. The structures will go up at Arroyo Park, Bonita Canyon Sports Park East, Buffalo Hills I Park, Buffalo Hills II Park and Channel Place Park.

The contract for the project was awarded to Placentia-based Micon Construction Inc. They have 40 days from the project’s approval to submit plans and drawings for it, and another 80 days from that point to get the job done. Work is scheduled to begin this fall.

Trash hauling increase OK’d

Councilmembers approved an increase to the rate the city pays for trash hauling services.

The contractor providing the service, Stanton based CR&R, requested the price bump due to a significant rise in landfill disposal fees implemented by county officials. The city will pay them $9,958,229 for this fiscal year, which is 19.2% more than the $8,377,467 they had been contracted for.

Finance officials had been expecting the price increase, and the added costs were already factored into the city’s 2026-27 budget.

Cell network installations

Another item approved by the city council earlier this month makes it easier for telecommunication companies to install cell network infrastructure on public property.

Previously, companies were required to get a permit for every installation they wanted to put up, creating a “regulatory barrier for investment in such infrastructure,” according to a report by city staff.

The new provisions adopted by the City Council empower the pubic works department to set up guidelines for where such infrastructure can go, and allows companies to maintain a “templated master license agreement” applying to future installations.