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Newport Beach City Council Meeting Announcement

Community engagement during a Newport Beach City Council meeting.

News Summary

The Newport Beach City Council will hold its next meeting on May 27, starting with a special session at 4 p.m. and the regular meeting at 4:30 p.m. Residents can participate in discussions, and a new ordinance banning bicycles and e-bikes on city beaches has been enacted to enhance safety and environmental protection. The ordinance has received strong community support.

Newport Beach – The Newport Beach City Council will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, May 27, beginning with a special joint session with the Finance Committee at 4 p.m. Following this session, a study session and the regular meeting will commence at 4:30 p.m. The complete agenda for the meeting is available online at the Newport Beach City Government website.

The City Council typically meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of most months, with exceptions in August and December. These meetings often start with a Study Session at 4 p.m. where specific issues are discussed, and presentations are made. A closed session may follow to handle confidential legal, personnel, and other matters. The regular meeting generally begins at 6 p.m., involving formal voting on various agenda items. Most items under the “Consent Calendar” are voted on collectively unless an item is pulled for individual discussion. Items that require postponement may be labeled as “continued” for a future meeting.

Public participation is encouraged, with opportunities for comments during both the Study and Regular Sessions. Residents wishing to comment on items on the Consent Calendar must do so before the votes are taken. For convenience, community members can communicate with the City Council via email at citycouncil@newportbeachca.gov. Additionally, meetings are held in the Council Chambers at 100 Civic Center Drive, with ample parking available in the nearby parking structure. For those unable to attend in person, the sessions can be viewed on television through Spectrum channel 30 or Cox channel 852, or they can be streamed online.

In other news, the Newport Beach City Council has recently enacted an ordinance prohibiting bicycles, e-bikes, pedicabs, and motorized scooters from the city’s beaches. This regulation became effective on May 13, following a unanimous vote during the Council meeting’s consent calendar. The ordinance was introduced in response to growing complaints regarding e-bikes and a rise in incidents involving riders on the sandy beaches.

Data indicates that the number of e-bikes stopped by Newport Beach police dramatically increased, with 292 incidents reported in 2024 compared to 139 in the previous year. The ordinance is designed to address safety concerns for beachgoers, as e-bikes can reach speeds of up to 28 mph, far exceeding the 8 mph speed limit on the paved boardwalk, where traditional bicycles are still permitted.

The ordinance also highlights environmental protection concerns, particularly regarding the preservation of sand dunes and habitats for endangered species. As part of the regulation, fines for violating the ordinance will start at $100 for first-time offenders and can escalate to $500 for repeat violations. Vehicles left unattended on city property could be declared abandoned and potentially impounded after a 90-day period.

Community feedback has shown strong support for this regulation, with residents acknowledging safety as a primary concern along with the need to manage unregulated riding behaviors that could endanger visitors to Newport Beach.