Dear friends and neighbors,

Tomorrow is our moment to stand together for something truly special in our city.

We have the chance to show the Newport Beach City Council what’s really at stake—not just for families, but for our entire community. The Environmental Nature Center is more than just a preschool or educational space. It’s a rare and cherished sanctuary—one of the last green, natural spaces in the heart of our city, open to the public, serving students of all ages, and connecting people of all generations to nature.

Now, that space is under threat.

A proposal for three-story townhomes with rooftop decks at 1501 E. 16th Street would bring dense development right up to the ENC’s back fence.

• It would block the sky, replacing openness and wonder with towering concrete walls.
• It would raise safety and privacy concerns for children and educators.
• It would add traffic, noise, and pollution to an already congested area.
• And it would encroach on the only nature-based educational space in Newport Beach—a space that serves thousands of students from throughout the Newport-Mesa district.

Whether you have children at the ENC or not, this is about what kind of community we want to live in—one where nature, education, and well-being are protected, or one where every available inch is given over to development.

Please join us tomorrow, Tuesday at 4:00 PM at Newport Beach City Hall.

• Arrive early—we’re early on the agenda.
• Wear ENC shirts, you can buy one for $5 at the ENC gift shop, or a green shirt
• Bring your kids if you can.
• Speak if you feel moved—each person gets 3 minutes.

We don’t yet have the majority vote. But your presence—your voice—could shift everything.

Let’s show the council that this community values its natural spaces, its children, and its future. This is the first step.

With gratitude,

Katie Smith