Graffiti a Common Occurrence at Corona del Mar State Beach

Corona del Mar State Beach is popular with swimmers, surfers and sunbathers, but it is also becoming a place where vandals commonly leave behind graffiti.

The most recent graffiti incident was reported last week when vandals defaced rocks, signs at trash cans near the west end of the beach parking lot, but it seems to happen often, according to Jim Auger, who works in the city's Municipal Operations department.

"On average, it’s been getting hit a couple times a week," said Jim Auger.  Lately it’s been on the stairs at the west end of the parking lot, but a lot of it’s been inside the men’s restrooms.

Residents who notice graffiti on public property are asked to call the city's graffiti hotline. Removals are done by Fox Painting and take about 24 hours to be completed. The hotline is not monitored over the weekend, so the calls are received on Monday mornings. The graffiti hotline receives an average of about five calls a day. Graffiti is also reported via email and can be reported through the city's online Quest system.

"It’s more eyes and ears to spot graffiti around town. The community’s help really does make a difference," Auger said. "The faster we stay on top of the removals, the better our city looks."

Along with community support, the Newport Beach Police Department also plays a major role in the city's graffiti abatement efforts. Kathy Lowe, spokeswoman for the NBPD, explained that while most calls go directly to the graffiti hotline, officers do respond to graffiti calls.

"As far as the penalty goes, if a person is caught in the act of painting graffiti, they can be arrested for vandalism. If the person is in possession of a graffiti implement (spray paint, marker, etc.) they can be arrested for being in possession of a graffiti implement," Lowe explained.

The fines and penalties are based on many factors, which include the age of the person committing the crime, prior criminal history, and cost to repair damage to the property vandalized.

City officials encourage residents to report defaced property to the city's graffiti hotline at 949-644-3333. Callers should give the location of the graffiti and their phone numbers where a city contractor can call if he is having a difficult time finding the graffiti.