The California Coastal Commission has had some reservations about granting the City of Newport Beach approval to remove bonfire rings at beaches. Among the cited reasons in a report are: 1. The City said air pollution was a major factor in requesting removal, yet they failed to provide any testing. 2. Removing fire rings in this city would set a precedence for removal in other cities with fire rings. 3. An included petition with over 500 signatures and many positive comments in favor of keeping the fire rings is being taken into account.

COMMENTS FROM A PETITION TO KEEP THE NEWPORT BEACH FIRE RINGS:

The Beach is a resource that belongs to the people of the State of California - to enjoy. Not to be restricted by rules by people of my generation who have outgrown their youth and their tolerance for the antics of the beach - and the beach if full of antics!!

My mother's family has been having campfires at the beach in Orange County since before there was an Orange County (it was still part of Los Angeles County until the late 1800s), and Big Corona and Balboa have been the best places for that since at least the 1930s. Roughly six months before he died, my father told me the story about how late in junior high school and early in high school he and a guy named "Bud" (later to became famous under his given name of "Marlon") Brando went to Big Corona with my grandmother and Brando's mother and grandparents. While the adults sat around the campfire, my dad and Bud climbed the cliffs. The fire rings were perfect gathering points for grunion hunts during my own teenage summer nights, and I would hate to see such a wonderful part of the cultural legacy of Southern California removed.

Enough "chipping away" at old Newport. What's next, kicking out the Dory Fleet fishermen and the vintage surfers from Blackie's? And erecting more mega mansions?

I am a vocal and voting citizen of Corona del Mar, Ca and have spent the last 23 years enjoying the beaches here in our beautiful city. We love the fire rings and use them regularly. Cub Scouts and Brownies. This is a ridiculous claim that the smoke somehow causes health issues for the residents of the beach. The folks that are complaining are truly wanting the beach for themselves. They want to limit the draw to the beach so the "Inlanders" don't have any reason to stick around and enjoy the beach at night.

As a longtime CDM resident, I want to preserve the fires rings as part of what has made that beach special ever since I was a kid visiting from inland OC. I hear all the arguments about smoke and safety, and I have to ask, "Since when?" From the under-the-breath comments I've heard over the years, I fear that part of this is a smoke screen aimed at reducing the number of inlanders (and particularly Latinos) at "our" beach. Shameful if true.

I have many fond memories as a child coming to Corona del Mar and staying warm by the fire rings roasting hot dogs and marshmallows. Now that I have children of my own we go and enjoy these fire rings as well. These rings should stay, not just for ourselves, but for the enjoyment of future generations as well.

Grew up in Orange County and spent many years on the beaches at Newport. This is just one more example of nanny statehood. I believe most people are capable of having a fire in a fire ring at the beach without doing harm to the greater populace. What a ridiculous regulation/law.

I have been going to these fire pits in balboa and corona del mar since I was a child! How selfish would I be if I didn't fight to save these for future children? This is a state beach. A public beach. Not a country club for the elite! If you are sensitive to fires, how about not moving next to fires in the 1st place! They took away the fun zone bumper cars. They took away the carousel! Now they want to take away our fire pits??? Not on my watch! Let's fight to preserve what history we have left in Newport Beach ! Let's not just sign this and say "I did my part". Let's make signs. Post them on bulletin boards, in store windows. Share again and again on Facebook! Let's save this for future generations! Utilize your talents!

GOD owns every grain of sand on that beach and it is his gift to us. If I want to play a song of praise to the LORD with my guitar around the fire, it's my GOD given right! If I want to take a date there for romance, it's my right. If I want to have laughs with some close friends or family that is my right also. This is an American tradition. Do not let them take this CCC. Please hear our voice! Thank you!

What is more Californian then cooking hot dogs with a group friends and children looking out over the Pacific. My Grandparents had the Balboa Pavilion for dancing - now gone. My brothers and I had the Fun Zone - now gone. What are we really gaining taking away the fire pits?

We need to retain something form our formative years to share with the next generation that brings joy, togetherness and a sense of family!! Our fun zone is being slowly dismantled by 'big brother' and NO RESIDENTS are happy about it. Keep Newport Beach a FAMILY FRIENDLY destination as opposed to the concrete jungle that is being created by corporate America!

Growing up in Irvine and Newport Beach, our family developed a tradition of having bonfire "corn roasts" for every major family event. - weddings, graduation, baby births, etc. We boil hundreds of ears of corn in sea water over a bonfire at the beach. Its still our favorite for when we come back to SoCal to visit my parents.

It is hard for me to believe that the City has voted to remove the rings. Besides being a wonderful amenity to the general public, they were placed there to control the misuse of portable coal burning stoves and protect the public from stepping on hot coals and keeps the beaches clean. It seems like we lose more and more of our freedoms every day.

Balboa is my home and so are these fire pits. Continuing to discourage people traveling to the peninsula continues to put hard working people out of business and turn our once thriving town into something I hardly recognize. We can't lose the merry-go-round and the fire pits in the same year.

This has been a tradition for generations of my family. I am saddened that future youth and families might miss out on this memorable activity that is part of growing up here and our local culture. What is next? Should we ban Boogie Boarding because it draws unsupervised long haired youth to the shoreline? Let's ban flip flops on the beach, because when you loose one they don't bio-degrade. City governments need to get a grip and spend their time on job creation and economic development, not restricting use of our beaches.