NEWPORT BEACH : Commission to Weigh End to Surfing Ban
With surfers lobbying on one side and a homeowners’ group on the other, the city’s Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission on Tuesday will consider recommending that a surfing ban on part of the beach be lifted.
For nearly 30 years, a yellow flag with a black ball in the middle has been raised to call surfers out of the water between noon and 4 p.m. from June 10 through Sept. 15. The ban was established to separate bathers from surfers in an effort to thwart injury.
Surfers have been pushing all summer for year-round privileges, and a special panel recommended two weeks ago that the city designate three four-block areas for all-day surfing.
But members of the West Newport Homeowners Assn. are insisting that the ban remain in effect, arguing that swimmers should not always have to make way for surfers.
The commission will meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 3300 W. Newport Blvd.
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