Newport Beach property owners in four coastal subareas can now build housing on land previously zoned only for commercial or industrial use, after the City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 2026-05 at its Tuesday, June 9 meeting.

The vote completes the city's years-long effort to rezone for up to 8,174 housing units citywide, a buffer above the state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Assessment target of 4,845 new units by 2029. The overlay does not require anyone to build. It allows residential development on 26 designated parcels in the coastal zone at densities of 20 to 50 units per acre.

All seven council members were present: Mayor Lauren Kleiman, Mayor Pro Tem Noah Blom, and Councilmembers Barto, Grant, Stapleton, Weber, and Weigand. Staff did not present a separate staff report; the council opened and closed a public hearing after public comment.

Where the units could go

The Housing Opportunity Overlay covers four subareas:

  • HO-1 Airport Area Environs: up to 2,577 units near John Wayne Airport
  • HO-2 West Newport Mesa: up to 1,107 units along 16th Street and Production Place
  • HO-3 Dover-Westcliff: up to 521 units on both sides of West Coast Highway west of Dover Drive, including Lido Village
  • HO-4 Newport Center: up to 2,439 units bounded by San Joaquin Hills Road, MacArthur Boulevard, Coast Highway, and Jamboree Road

The California Coastal Commission approved the underlying Local Coastal Program Amendment on April 17, clearing the way for the council's final action. That approval imposed a 100-foot habitat buffer near the Newport Beach Golf Course along the Santa Ana-Delhi flood channel.

Jim Auster of Save Newport Beach Golf Course told the Coastal Commission in April: "We've been fighting to save our golf course from development for the last five years since the owners put that property on the housing element list."

Why it matters

Newport Beach's previous state housing allocation was just five units. The jump to 4,845 reflects a new state methodology that hit coastal cities hard. Non-compliance carries penalties of up to $600,000 per month and could trigger "builder's remedy," letting developers bypass local zoning entirely.

Speakers during public comment at the June 9 meeting warned the overlay is only a planning tool and that market conditions may prevent affordable units from actually getting built. The city's Housing Element FAQ states its role is to provide zoning that creates opportunities for housing, not to build or require property owners to develop.

November election formally called

At the same meeting, the council passed Resolution Nos. 2026-35, 2026-36, and 2026-37, formally calling the Tuesday, November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election. Four council seats are on the ballot: Districts 1, 3, 4, and 6, each for four-year terms.

The ballot will also carry a General Plan Amendment measure asking voters whether to allow 2,900 new affordable housing units at densities of 20 to 50 units per acre across five areas: Dover/Westcliff, Newport Center, West Newport Mesa, Airport Area, and Coyote Canyon.

The nomination period for council candidates opens Monday, July 13, and closes at 4:30 p.m. Friday, August 7. Vote centers open as early as Thursday, October 22 at the Civic Center Community Room, 100 Civic Center Drive, with additional locations opening Wednesday, October 28. Residents can submit public comments at upcoming City Council meetings or contact the City Clerk's office for election information.