NEWPORT BEACH : Deadline Extended on Encroachments

A code amendment was approved this week that extends the deadline for applying for beachfront encroachment permits and establishes an appeals process for minor violations.

The City Council’s Monday vote extended the application deadline, which was Sept. 30, 1991, to May 30, giving homeowners extra time to file and receive permits. The code amendment also allows homeowners with small encroachments to seek a waiver from the Public Works Department.

The policy also establishes May 30 as the cutoff to distinguish existing encroachments from new additions.

Encroachments are improvements to beachfront homes--such as patios, decks, gates or fences--that extend toward the ocean on public land.

The city’s beach encroachment policy was a heated issue last year, when the city abolished the common but illegal practice of building additions on public beach land.

The new policy started in July, and the changes approved Monday are intended to clarify the new rules.

The policy details how much encroachment is allowed in specific neighborhoods and allows residents to keep their home improvements if they pay a fee for the encroachment permit.

Those permits range from $100 to $600 annually, depending on the encroachments, which range from less than 2 1/2 feet to 15 feet.

Since the new policy went into effect, about a third of the estimated 245 property owners with home improvements that encroach on public beachfront property have complied.

Those homeowners have submitted permit forms and fees. Those who have not yet complied must do so by May 30 or face penalties.