Newport Beach City Council looks at vision plan for Ocean Boulevard

Plans to enhance Ocean Boulevard in Corona del Mar are beginning to take shape, the Newport Beach City Council learned in a study session Tuesday.

Initial discussions within the city began in June 2021 after Joy Brenner, then a member of the City Council, asked to add a presentation to the agenda on an Ocean Boulevard walkway before the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission.

Brenner, at the time, said the proposal came from the Corona del Mar Residents’ Assn., whose members hoped to enhance existing walkways and viewpoints.

The area proposed for improvements includes Little Corona, Inspiration Point, the scenic lookouts at Dahlia, Carnation, Larkspur and Iris avenues and Lookout Point.

In September 2021, members of the association presented their ideas for the boulevard, which runs along the coast between Carnation and Poppy avenues. Ideas have since been refined to those presented this week at a study session with further direction from the dais.

Of those ideas, the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission suggested the naming of scenic points all along the street as Ocean Boulevard Park. It also suggested linking the existing scenic viewpoints by providing wider sidewalks. Commissioners also discussed the importance of improving pedestrian safety in the area, especially near the Corona del Mar beach access ramp, which could be achieved by providing slope stabilization and a new scenic overlook point.

A woman walks her dog by Inspiration Point in Newport Beach.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

Other items under discussion included creating a uniform landscape palette to unify the walkway between these scenic points and for the commission to ensure no access is lost within the public right of way. Also suggested were improvements at the scenic points by providing seating and expanding some of the green areas consistently with the adjacent environment. Signage would also be needed.

Corona del Mar Residents’ Assn. President Debbie Stevens said she was thankful to the commission for refining the ideas of residents, adding that the association was getting the word out on the Ocean Boulevard project and so far hasn’t heard much negative feedback. But, she said, the organization was cognizant that more outreach was necessary.

“It’s important to protect that which is public, but it’s also important to protect that which is private,” Stevens said.

The commission recommended the City Council authorize the formation of an ad hoc committee to guide concept development, final plans and specifications and estimates for landscape and park improvements for public areas between Poppy and Carnation avenues, which bookend Ocean Boulevard. It also asked the allocation of about $60,000 for preparation of the plan, to secure a design consultant and approve the improvement recommendations as suggested.

Council members gave the go-ahead to roll forward with development of the plan.

Councilwoman Lauren Kleiman raised questions about pedestrian safety in the area. While no specific data was immediately available, deputy works director Jim Houlihan said the speeds along Ocean Boulevard are relatively low, especially during the summers.

A woman, left, jogs down the to Corona Del Mar Main Beach in Newport Beach.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

“It’s those interfaces where there’s crossings. We want to look at those for any opportunities that we can enhance,” Houlihan said, adding the street typically has slower traffic as it is often congested. “We’ll dig into that a little bit more, especially at [the Corona del Mar beach access] ramp and the other ramp at China Cove.”

Councilwoman Robyn Grant said she was glad to see that public workshops were being organized to gather input from residents and homeowners.

In his remarks on the item, Mayor Pro Tem Will O’Neill said, “I think it’s worth moving forward. I agree with Councilmember Grant. There’s a lot of room to kind of work through with residents on some of the touch points ... but one of the things, I went for a great walk with Ron [Yeo], and I had to keep up.” .

“I’d look at this project as kind of a short-medium-long-term. The short-term, we have some maintenance that badly needs it ... on the medium-side, I’m sure that there’s going to be a lot that we can do including building up a lot of the grassy area, and then in the long-term, I suspect we’re going to be talking about some of the entrance chokepoints — when we’re talking China Cove and the area down by Big Corona, that will take a little bit of extra work for sure,” O’Neill said.

“I think we can move forward pretty quick and make it look pretty nice in the short-term, very nice in the medium and then awesome in the long-term,” he added.

A group of women stretch their leg on a railing along the lower path at Inspiration Point.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

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