NEWPORT BEACH : Backpacker Hostel Plan to Be Heard

A plan to convert a nondescript brick building in the city’s Cannery district into an international inn for backpackers and other young travelers will come before the Planning Commission tonight.

Australian investors want to spend thousands of dollars to transform the two-story structure on 32nd Street into a 40- to 50-bed hostel complete with sleeping areas, a kitchen and community rooms where travelers can plan day trips and get to know one another.

Some Newport residents are expected to oppose the plan, fearing the inn would bring noise, traffic and rowdy young people into the neighborhood. If the project is approved, the city may limit the number of days people can stay at the hostel.

The developers admitted that they need to dispel residents’ stereotypes about backpacking and educate them about what their project is really about.

“We are not going to be bringing drug abusers or young skaters in here,” said Philip Boston, an investor from Perth.

Boston said many backpackers are either taking time off from college or already hold degrees. They are lured to the United States from Europe and Australia by low-priced airline tickets that allow them to travel around the world, spending several weeks at each of a dozen or so destinations.

Some travelers even use suitcases, he said.

The Newport Beach inn would be independently managed. It would be associated with a national backpacking group that helps local hostels with worldwide promotions.

Lodging at the inn would cost about $12 a night. Boston said the hostel would also sponsor day trips to amusement parks, museums, Catalina, Yosemite and other attractions. More “adventure-oriented” activities such as bungee jumping and scuba diving would also be offered, he said.

A key goal of the inn is to create a comfortable social environment that allows guests to meet other travelers. Boston stressed that the inn will not host wild parties or allow drugs on the premises.

At other hostels, guests stay for two weeks or longer. But the city could limit the stay of Newport Beach inn guests to just a few days.

The Cannery area’s zoning allows for such an inn, said James D. Hewicker, the planning director. But the developers need a special-use permit from thePlanning Commission, which could vote on the proposal tonight or postpone a decision, Hewicker said.

Newport Beach was selected as the home for the hostel because of its central location to beaches, amusement parks and other attractions, Boston said.

He acknowledged that some nearby residents are concerned about the proposal, but said that their fears should be soothed when they understand how the hostel would work.

“We have a lot to offer the community,” he said.