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Newport Beach weighs razing part of sculpture park for new police station
Joggers run past the concrete white bunnies at the Newport Beach Civic Center Park: Locals call it "Bunnyhenge."
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Mark Boster
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Some Newport Beach residents may be 'hopping mad' over new police station plans
The coastal city is weighing plans to raze part of popular sculpture park for its new police station. Jill Replogle explains why some want to reject those plans.
The Newport Beach City Council is considering demolishing part of its quirky, beloved sculpture garden in Civic Center Park to make way for a new police station.
The city has been trying to figure out how to replace its aging police headquarters for years. It bought a property in 2022 with that intent. But an ad hoc City Council committee decided, controversially, it might be better to instead build a new station on the parkland next to city hall.
What’s so great about the sculpture garden?
The sculpture garden is a “museum without walls” treasured by art and nature lovers alike. It houses the quirky and once-controversial “Bunnyhenge,” included on the popular Atlas Obscura travel guide. Opponents of putting a new police headquarters on park grounds say it would compromise the environment, and decimate the sculpture garden.
What do supporters of the new station idea say?
Supporters say the current police station, built in 1973, is long overdue for an upgrade, and that the police force needs more space for things like servers to store digital evidence. The council ad hoc committee that studied the issue says the Civic Center parkland makes the most sense for a new building because the city already owns the land, and it would consolidate the city’s main services in one place.
Is it a done deal?
Far from it. The City Council is holding a study session Tuesday to present the plan publicly and gather input. If the council decides to go forward, the next step would be to hire a consultant to design the building and get started on an environmental impact report.
Here’s how to learn more and weigh in:
Sponsored message
Newport Beach study session on new police headquarters
When: 4 p.m., Tuesday, March 10
Where: 100 Civic Center Dr., Newport Beach
Remote options: You can watch the meeting (during or afterward) on the city’s website, or live on Spectrum (Channel 3) or Cox Communications (Channel 852).
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