A proposal to bring a wave pool to Newport Beach passed a major hurdle this week, earning approval by the Planning Commission, moving it on to the City Council for consideration in October.
Planning commissioners voted unanimously Thursday night, Sept. 4, to approve the environmental impact report and conditional use permit, agreeing with staff recommendations to send the plan ahead to the City Council for an ultimate decision on whether the wave pool can be built on the north end of the beach town.
About 20 speakers voiced opinions about the project, a mix of those who want to see the Newport Beach Golf Course remain intact and others vocal about supporting the surf pool, which would be located near the John Wayne Airport.
City Senior Planner Joselyn Perez went over the Snug Harbor wave pool project, proposed to replace the middle section of the golf course, where three holes, a driving range, restaurant and bar and a pro shop currently sit.
The project would build a three-story, 50-foot-tall building for a surf academy, shop and restaurant, with a second floor for a fitness and yoga area with locker rooms and lounge, and a third floor dedicated to office space and VIP music recording studio. The basement would have golf cart and surfboard storage.
Another 40-foot, 2-story building would have athlete accommodations with 20 rooms.
While the project needs a major site development review, it is consistent with the general plan with respect to the physical and environmental characteristics of the site, Perez said. The architectural style is also compatible, using wood, whites and earth tones.
Traffic was detailed during the presentation, with existing uses generating about 1,810 trips. The surf pool anticipates 1,996 trips, with fewer than the golf course in the evening hours.
There would be an estimated 1,400 visitors daily, about 388 at any given time, with 70 employees, 25 on site at any given time, Perez said. Parking would offer 351 spots, 95 for golfers of the remaining 15-hole course.
The surfing lagoon that is proposed would have two 5.1 million-gallon basins. The surf pool would have a bi-annual draining, with water captured into the county recycling and reuse program.
Construction would take about 18 months.
Shawna Schaffner, project manager for the development group Back Bay Barrels, described the project in more detail, noting that the Wavegarden technology is one of the quietest on the market, as well as the most energy efficient.
Solar panels are expected to generate nearly half the energy required for wave making and circulation.
The wave pool would be expected to use 28 million gallons of water annually, 15 million to be returned to the Orange County Water District supply via groundwater replenishment system, Schaffner said.
By comparison, an 18-hole golf course uses 150- to 200-million gallons, with the three holes to be eliminated producing about 25- to 30-million gallons.
Community benefits include kids camps, a place for high school surf teams to use, as well as a place for first responders to do training in a controlled environment, Schaffner said.
The wave pool could hold an estimated 72 surfers, with an average of about 42 expected. There would be eight lifeguards stationed around the pool, as well as a control tower, with an estimated 25-second response time.
Benny Hallock, volunteer chair of the Save Newport Beach Golf Course group, said an estimated 7,500 community members have signed a petition against the project.
“It’s a community beacon,” he said of the course, noting for it to be PGA certified, it needs 18 holes. “The community doesn’t want it.”
Heather Cieslak, operations director for the Newport Bay Conservancy, noted that the nearby Newport Bay is one of the city’s most precious resources.
Cieslak voiced concern about the construction, urging surveys and work be done outside of the nesting season. She also said the project should eliminate non-native plant species and instead use native, drought-tolerant species.
Huntington State Beach Lifeguard Andy Cox said the Snug Harbor planners have talked to nearby agencies about year-round training potential.
“We don’t have a consistent way of going over things. If there was more consistency adding to our training, it’s just going to make it better, save lives,” Cox said. “Having a controlled environment to train in will save lives in Huntington and Newport, absolutely.”
Planning Commissioner Mark Rosene noted the project preserves golf, but also adds a new, unique experience, and made the motion to approve the application, which was approved 6-0 by commissioners.
The proposal went before the Airport Land Use Commission on Aug. 7, which found the project inconsistent with airport operations.
The next steps include the City Council considering a notice of intent to override the ALUC decision on Sept. 9, and then voting on overriding the inconsistent land use decision on Oct. 28, at the same meeting voting whether to certify the EIR and deciding whether to approve the project.