CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

China Cove Volleyball Court Decision Postponed

A last-minute question about beach access for disabled people led to a continuance of the Coastal Commission’s decision on whether to allow volleyball back on the beach at China Cove.

“The relocation of the volleyball court in China Cove makes the public beach at China Cove inaccessible” to disabled people, said Julia Gold, a lawyer and disability rights activist.

Gold told the Commissioners at the meeting on Friday that China Cove is the only sheltered public beach in Newport Beach, making it appealing to families and those with disabilities who might find it intimidating to have to pass through a volleyball game to get to the water.

The Coastal Commission appeared to be ready to approve the new court, which replaced a court that closed last year after being on the beach for three decades.

Some commissioners said they should go ahead and approve the court and let Newport Beach city officials worry about compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Clark E. Parker said that it would be impossible to make a sandy beach comply with the ADA Act. “It’s sand,” he said. “Once someone gets to the sand, they’re at the mercy of the elements.”

After a half hour of discussion, however, the commissioners agreed to postpone a decision for one month while Newport Beach studied the access question.

The volleyball court on China Cove has been in the works for more than a year since the old court equipment broke. When players tried to get permission to relocate it to a different area of the beach, the city discovered that no permits were ever in place for the court, sending the city to the Coastal Commission for permission. The city’s Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission held several public hearings and met on the beach, working with neighbors who thought the players were too noisy and aggressive. Eventually, all sides agreed to move the court to an area that had been covered by non-native plants, away from the water’s edge, and to limit the hours of play. Read our earlier story here.

The next Coastal Commission meeting will be held March 10-12 in Santa Cruz.