Coastal Approval Secured for Balboa Library Replacement and Newport Beach Fire Station

When the City of Newport Beach needed to replace a fire station and library dating back to 1929, the project faced community opposition, environmental challenges, and a California Coastal Commission hearing. Schmitz and Associates guided the project through the Coastal approval process in under 18 months, helping maintain the entitlement path and keep the project moving toward construction.

As a land use consultant and permit processing firm serving Southern California, Schmitz and Associates helps public agencies, property owners, and developers navigate complex approvals, discretionary permits, and Coastal development challenges.

The Project

The Balboa Library and Fire Station No. 1 Replacement Project involves full demolition of the existing structures at 100 and 110 East Balboa Boulevard and construction of a new two story, approximately 10,900 square foot facility. The approved replacement includes a new fire station, a new library, a playground, open green space, and a public outdoor area.

The approval process began in Summer 2024 and moved through City approvals, multiple appeals, and California Coastal Commission review before final approval in December 2025.

How Schmitz and Associates led the project to approval

• Schmitz and Associates helped guide the project through a complex entitlement and Coastal approval process by:
• Maintaining the project’s approval path through the California Coastal Commission appeal, preventing a denial and avoiding a full restart of the entitlement process
• Coordinating directly with Coastal Commission staff to resolve biological and landscape requirements
• Managing removal of the diseased Blue Gum eucalyptus and addressing heron nesting habitat requirements through approved mitigation
• Keeping alignment between City departments, consultants, and Coastal staff across multiple meetings, public hearings, and project revisions
• Taking the project from application to approval in less than 18 months

“At Schmitz & Associates, our team partnered closely with the City of Newport Beach and Coastal Commission staff to successfully navigate the complexities of the Coastal Commission process,” said Amy Ablakat, Special Projects Manager and Business Development Director at Schmitz & Associates.

“Through our proactive approach, constant engagement and deep regulatory expertise, we helped advance critical public safety priorities while upholding the highest standards of coastal resource protection.”

Schmitz and Associates provides land use consulting, entitlement support, and permit processing services for complex projects throughout Southern California.