UPDATE - NBSTRA Hails Significant Progress on City’s Safety Enhancement Proposal - Urges Members to Still Contact City Hall
Update on the Safety Enhancement Ordinance – A Real Step in the Right Direction, and Why Your Voice Still Matters
Over the last two weeks, NBSTRA has been pushing hard to make sure the City’s approach to Spring Break safety is targeted, fair, and workable for responsible STLP permit holders and professional managers.
Here’s the good news: we secured a meaningful clarification of the City Council’s intent in the February 24 staff report. This is not a full fix to every concern we raised about the ordinance text itself, but it is a significant improvement – and it happened because NBSTRA engaged directly, stayed constructive, and worked with City leadership to get the record clear.
What this “intent language” means (in plain English)
At the February 10 first reading, Councilmembers made clear from the dais that the goal is to protect public safety and focus serious consequences on true bad actors – not to punish responsible operators who are acting in good faith. We appreciate the Council’s direction to the City Attorney to work with NBSTRA so that intent is now clearly reflected in the staff report for final adoption.
That matters because staff reports become part of the legislative record – and that record guides how policies are interpreted and enforced going forward.
In particular, NBSTRA views as a significant improvement the staff report’s recognition that:
enforcement should prioritize violations that directly threaten public safety;
responsible STLP operators may encounter guests who refuse to comply despite good-faith efforts; and
severe penalties for STLP owners are intended to apply where an owner/operator fails to fulfill the obligations of a responsible operator – including taking reasonable measures to ensure compliance and taking immediate and effective corrective action when unlawful or unsafe conduct occurs.
What hasn’t changed
We still believe the ordinance was introduced with insufficient collaboration with the STLP industry and contains some black-and-white language that can create unfair outcomes if applied rigidly. NBSTRA will continue working to improve implementation, clarify standards, and build a better process through the working group.
Our posture remains the same
NBSTRA and responsible operators support Spring Break safety enhancements and strong enforcement against true bad actors.
Any threats, harassment, attacks, or disruptive conduct toward NBPD officers or City staff is unacceptable. We support NBPD and want to work with the City to prevent these incidents.
But if crowd behavior in public areas (boardwalk/pier) is the issue, scapegoating all STR operators is not a solution. Solutions have to be targeted and operationally realistic.
What you should do now
Based on this improvement, NBSTRA has sent a follow up letter to the City (which you can download here) showing gratitude for the progress and making clear we’d appreciate better collaboration going forward.
Even with this improvement, it is critical that Council hears from permit holders and local managers in your own words – in the same constructive tone as NBSTRA’s letter: thank Council for clarifying intent, support public safety, and urge collaboration and targeted enforcement.
1) Email written comments (recommended)
Submit written comments to cityclerk@newportbeachca.gov by Monday, Feb. 23 at 4:00 PM to be included in the agenda packet. Comments received after that deadline – and before 2:00 PM on Feb. 24 – will still be provided to Council.
You can also email citycouncil@newportbeachca.gov to reach all Councilmembers.
2) Show up and speak if you can (especially if you’re local)
The regular meeting begins Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 4:00 PM in the City Council Chambers at 100 Civic Center Drive. You should speak in the section for public comments on consent calendar items.
Suggested talking points (keep it short and respectful)
Thank Council for putting its intent on the record in the Feb. 24 staff report.
Reinforce that you support Spring Break safety and strong enforcement against bad actors.
State clearly that any abuse or attacks on officers is unacceptable and you support NBPD.
Ask Council to work collaboratively with NBSTRA going forward (through the working group).
Encourage targeted, prevention-focused tools and fair enforcement that distinguishes bad actors from responsible operators.
Important: Document your guest-screening and compliance during Safety Enhancement Periods
We will have more to say about this after next week, but one additional, important point.
As you are booking and managing guests during Safety Enhancement Periods, you NEED to document your best practices to screen guests, ensure a responsible adult is there at check-in, and that you stay in touch with guests during their stays and make sure they are complying with the rules, and RESPOND QUICKLY if there is an incident at your property. Following these best practices are your best defense against losing your permit
This is exactly why NBSTRA exists
This intent-language improvement didn’t happen by accident. It happened because NBSTRA exists to keep responsible permit holders organized, engaged, and credible at City Hall – and to push for policies that keep Newport safe without unfairly penalizing the people trying to do the right thing.
If you’re not yet a member – or your management company isn’t a member – please join/renew. The stronger we are, the more members we have, the more effective we are.
(Links for background and prior updates)
