Newport Withdraws Application to Remove Fire Rings

In a letter to the California Coastal Commission on Tuesday, City Manager Dave Kiff withdrew Newport Beach's application to remove the city's 60 fire rings.

The commission was scheduled to vote on the city's application, which requested permission to take out the 27 fire rings at Big Corona Beach and the 33 near the Balboa Pier, on July 11. Last week the commission's staff recommended rejecting Newport Beach's application. The South Coast Air Quality Management District, which originally proposed a ban on all fire rings in Orange and Los Angeles counties, is also slated to vote on July 12 on potential changes that would allow each city to remove its fire rings.

In the letter sent to Sherilyn Sarb, the commission's deputy director, Kiff said the city may revise its application after the two meetings are held next week. A possible amendment could include a pilot program proposing non-wood burning fire rings in Newport Beach.

"Yet any amendment to our application today doesn’t make much sense without knowing what the (South Coast Air Quality Management) District will or will not approve at the District’s July 12, 2013 board meeting," Kiff wrote. "Additionally, any substantive amendments to our application at this point cannot be thoroughly studied by your staff before the July 11 meeting."

The Newport Beach City Council voted in March 2012 to remove the concrete fire rings citing potential health and safety risks. Supporters maintain the fire rings are a long-standing Southern California tradition that signify the beach lifestyle and provide the community with low-cost recreation.

What do you think about Newport's move to withdraw its fire ring application? Tell us in the comments.

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