Newport wants tsunami sirens

On the heels of a state Department of Conservation report showing how devastated Newport Beach would be if a tsunami were to strike, the California Coastal Commission is slated to approve the installation of tsunami warning sirens along the Balboa Peninsula.

According to the agenda for the Dec. 14 commission meeting, commission staff recommend that it approve three 50-foot-tall warning sirens along the peninsula, which would alert residents and beachgoers of a deadly wave headed to the coast.

A map released by the California Department of Conservation last month showed that if a tsunami were to hit the Southern California coast, all of the Balboa Peninsula and islands in the harbor would end up under water, affecting more than 40,000 people.

The sirens will be expected to save lives through early warnings.

According to the staff report, the sirens will be at 215 15th St., 5800 Seashore Drive and 2300 Channel Road on the Balboa Peninsula. All three are in public parks and at least 100 feet away from any homes. The sirens can get as loud as 128 decibels. With a base, the poles will stand just under 55 feet tall and must be tested on the first Friday of each month. The noise will get progressively louder until it hits to 65 decibels before being wound down, according to the report.

Out of the three proposed locations for the sirens, only the one on Channel Road has significant potential to obstruct ocean views, the report reads. It would be at The Wedge at the edge of the peninsula. The report claims that the two other poles would blend in with surrounding utility poles and trees and can be painted to conform even more.

Before construction can begin, city officials would have to meet several conditions. Among them, the city would have to offer at least two alternative spots for the pole at The Wedge, and it would have to ensure that none of the sirens affect nesting birds and that construction doesn’t harm nearby trees or water quality.

Newport Beach city leaders chose the sirens produced by American Signal over four others, which had plans that included up to 18 poles throughout the city.