NEWPORT BEACH : City to Close Beach at 10 Each Night

The City Council gave final approval this week to a 10 p.m. beach curfew that will go into effect just before the Memorial Day weekend.

Before the 5-2 vote Monday night, two council members voiced misgivings about the curfew, saying that it will chip away at people’s freedoms.

“This will affect only the law-abiding citizens,” said Councilman John W. Hedges, who voted against the 10 p.m. curfew. “The people who support this have not thought it out completely.”

Councilwoman Evelyn R. Hart, who also voted against the curfew, said police should crack down on those breaking the law rather than closing the beach to everybody. Newport Beach currently closes its beaches at 11 p.m. each night.

Hart and Hedges were joined in dissent by several residents who provided council members with their viewpoint.

“I am extremely disappointed someone would want to close down the beach at 10 p.m.,” said Ken Jacobsen, a longtime city resident. “It is our beach . . . and we live in Newport because of the beach.”

But representatives from three homeowners associations said residents up and down the coast generally support the 10 p.m. curfew. And acting Police Chief Jim Jacobs told the council that beach facilities have been getting painted with graffiti on a weekly basis.

The ordinance goes into effect in 30 days. During that time, city officials will begin posting signs to notify beach-goers that the beach will be closed at 10 p.m.

The city is following the lead of the state, which began closing Bolsa Chica State Beach and Huntington State Beach at 10 p.m. earlier this month. The city of Huntington Beach then followed suit, also closing its municipal beach at 10 p.m.

Newport Beach officials decided that to prevent late-night party-goers from crashing their beach, they should impose a 10 p.m. curfew as well.