Newport Beach braces for Fourth of July weekend with added safety measures
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With hopes of cultivating a family-friendly atmosphere, Newport Beach is taking added steps to ensure celebrations marking the United States’ 250th anniversary don’t get out of hand.
As thousands of residents and visitors are expected to gather, city officials are planning for a more controlled, and consequently tamer, holiday weekend next month as opposed to last summer, when Newport Beach police made 76 arrests.
Safety enhancement zones in West Newport Beach and the Balboa Peninsula — where fines for infractions like lighting illegal fireworks or drinking in public will be tripled — are to remain in effect for an expanded period, from July 3 through July 6.
The city also widened the zone covering Balboa Peninsula past Balboa Pier to B Street.
The new rules mandating how big and far apart beach shade coverings can be are embedded in an ordinance that beefed up other enforcement measures during spring break and summer holidays.
Earlier this year, the Newport Beach City Council strengthened the city’s hand by implementing its ability to revoke the permits of short-term rental operators should Fourth of July parties held at their properties become unruly.
With the holiday weekend arriving in less than a month, council members held a study session on Tuesday regarding the Fourth of July enforcement measures.
Newport Beach Police Chief Dave Miner reported his department planned to double mutual aid assistance from outside law enforcement agencies to more than 60 personnel. Coupled with his officers, about 200 sworn police are expected to patrol the city during the holiday weekend.
Officers plan to use Corporation Yard off Superior Avenue as a new staging area with a mobile booking station on-site.
Apart from the study session, the City Council also voted to give officers the authority to temporarily close city streets.
“We want to make sure that the public is safe and that —as emergency first responders, police, fire — we can get to where we need to go,” Miner said.
Potential traffic closures and detours could impact Back Bay Drive, the 100 block of Orange Street, San Joaquin Hills Road and Via Malaga.
Newport Beach resident Jim Mosher asked whether the increased staffing would continue throughout the entire four-day period.
Miner said there will be a “heavy deployment” of officers on the Thursday before the holiday through Sunday.
Citing big crowds and high-volume arrests, the Newport Beach City Council approved a number of measures aimed at enhancing safety during spring break and summer holidays.
Ahead of the Fourth of July, Newport Beach has sent postcard mailers to addresses within the safety enhancement zones as part of the city’s outreach efforts. A “Not in Newport” social media strategy, which first rolled out during spring break, aims to inform people outside of city limits of stiffer penalties for unlawful activities.
“I think this year is going to be a good year,” said Councilmember Erik Weigand. “[Fourth of July] falls on a weekend, so it’s challenging. A lot of people want to come to Newport for that extended holiday and it’ll be a challenge, but I think we’re up to the task.”
In addition to the enhanced safety measures, Newport Beach is hosting its own events for the Fourth of July. A morning bike parade on West Balboa Boulevard, a community festival at Channel Place Park and a Newport Dunes fireworks show are all set to celebrate the U.S.’ semiquincentennial.
