Crystal Cove State Park: Part of Newport Beach or Laguna Beach? (Irvine: mobile home, school district)

[bowneline]

As anyone who has been there knows, Crystal Cove State Park is a very special place. It's a place that I am sure any city or resident of a city would love to lay claim to.

But, who can claim it as their own: Newport Beach or Laguna Beach. I know it is not technically in either city, but what are people's perceptions about where it is. I know many in Newport, consider it a part of their city. I have talked to people in Laguna who feel the same way.

It has a Laguna Beach post office box as a mailing address, and uses Laguna's "494" and "497" phone number prefix. But, with the development of Newport Coast, most of the park is directly across the street from Newport Beach. On Trip Advisor, it is listed under "things to do" in Laguna Beach's page, but I've regularly seen people post questions about it on the Newport Beach page.

Personally, I consider it part of Newport Beach. I know its not a big deal, but its a stupid thing I think about it.

[DewDropInn]

Hmm... I don't know anyone who associates Crystal Cove with Newport Beach. Including me.

[Nugget]

Originally Posted by DewDropInn

Hmm... I don't know anyone who associates Crystal Cove with Newport Beach. Including me.

Plus there is Corona Del Mar between Newport Beach and Crystal Cove.

[bowneline]

CDM is part of Newport Beach, as is Newport Coast- meaning that Crystal Cove is ringed by NB on two sides.

[dober1]

My vote goes to Newport. While working as a deputy in South County I had a high speed pursuit end in Crystal Cove and Newport PD along with north county OC Deputies showed up as back-up. No Laguna PD to be seen. Not conclusive evidence but police usually respond to their city's jurisdiction.

[OtherHand]

It's an interesting question and doesn't have the answer I thought it would.

The inland portion of Crystal Cove State Park (Morro Canyon and adjacent land) as well as the beach "Historic District" (the funky cabin cluster) are in unincorporated Orange County.

Here's the County's official map showing the city boundaries:
http://www.ocgeomatics.com/Documents...ies_Detail.pdf

The first interesting thing is that the beach areas of Crystal Cove (that section towards Corona Del Mar and below Newport Coast) are within the City of Newport Beach's limit. So the park is split.

The second interesting this is that unincorporated inland portion of the park is not in either Newport Beach's or Laguna Beach's ultimate sphere of influence. That sort of thing is determined by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO).

Here's LAFCO's Newport Beach sphere of influence map:
http://oclafco.org/docs/pdf/NewportBeach.pdf

And here's LAFCO's Laguna Beach sphere of influence map:
http://oclafco.org/docs/pdf/LagunaBeach.pdf

I suspect that since it's State Park or open space, neither of the two cities want it as it would provide no tax revenue and the cities might then be responsible for services. Technically the OC Sheriff is responsible for enforcement of the Penal Code (not counting any park ranger jurisdiction) but there may be an agreement in place with one of the two adjacent cities to handle it, due to its isolation.

So the answer is that a small bit of the beach area is in Newport, and most of it is unincorporated with neither city having any ultimate plans to claim that portion.

[recycled]

I pedal my bicycle southbound along PCH past Crystal Cove SP several times per month. Pedaling along the shoulder at 15 mph lets me see things that motorists whizzing by might not notice. Heading south from Crystal Cove SP, past the brand new campground at El Morro Beach (former El Morro mobile home park) you head up the hill above El Morro Beach. The sign for Laguna Beach city limits is at the top of the hill south of El Morro Beach, just south of the boundary of Crystal Cove SP.

[bowneline]

Going northbound, though, you will notice that there is a Newport Beach city limits sign at that same spot (right at the border of Emerald Bay and Crystal Cove), meaning that, according the sign, you are entering Newport as you are entering the park. But, we know that isn't accurate because the elementary school is further north and is in Laguna. Emerald Bay, however, is not in Laguna, but is unincorporated.

Another interesting thing is the school district situation. If you look at all the houses on the inland side, they go to Newport beach schools, except the very southern most community, the one with its entrance next to the Trader Joes. The parents there have the choice to send their kids to EITHER newport or Laguna schools.

But, I think the most interesting question is whether your average OC resident SEES Crystal Cove as being a Newport location or a Laguna location. In other words, if you were talking to someone who had never been there, and they asked you where in OC it was, would you say it's in Newport, or Laguna?

[bowneline]

I meant to say that Irvine Cove is at the border, not Emerald Bay. Irvine Cove is part if Laguna Beach.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by dober1

My vote goes to Newport. While working as a deputy in South County I had a high speed pursuit end in Crystal Cove and Newport PD along with north county OC Deputies showed up as back-up. No Laguna PD to be seen. Not conclusive evidence but police usually respond to their city's jurisdiction.

That is not fair. Laguna PD was stuck in traffic and could not get out of the city. They came, it was just an hour after you left.