NEWPORT BEACH – The California Coastal Commission’s staff is recommending that the commission deny Newport Beach’s request to remove 60 fire pits from beaches at Balboa Pier and Corona del Mar State Beach.

The Newport Beach City Council voted in March to remove the beach fire rings and sent an application to the Coastal Commission in May. The commission is set to vote on the matter during its March 6 meeting at the Bahia Resort Hotel in San Diego.

The fire pits issue has generated much controversy in Newport Beach in recent years, dividing the community into those who view the rings as part of the city’s history and nostalgia and others who say that the wood smoke from the fire pits is toxic.

The Coastal Commission staff report states that the fire rings have been “a part of the recreational experience in Newport Beach since the late 1940s or early 1950s.” The report also says that removing the fire rings would be inconsistent with the Coastal Act, which requires that low-cost recreational facilities that draw a diverse group of people to a “unique recreational area” must be preserved.

In addition, the staff report says the commission’s approval for the fire-ring removal could set a precedent for other cities along the California coast.

Newport Beach Councilwoman Nancy Gardner, who represents Corona del Mar, said she is disappointed at the staff recommendation.

“The fire rings cost the city $50,000 a year to maintain and are a huge liability issue,” she said.

Gardner says she understands the nostalgia factor among locals, but cannot relate to it.

“I grew up here with the fire pits around, but have absolutely no memories or sentiments about them,” she said. “What I do know is that we’ve gotten sued over them and have spent tens of thousands of dollars to fight these lawsuits.”

Above all, they pose a significant public health issue because of the unhealthy wood smoke that is generated, Gardner said.

“But, I guess, for the Coastal Commission, people don’t matter,” she said.

Michael Rolfes, a longtime Corona del Mar resident, says he has only good memories of the fire pits.

“The city can charge a nominal fee for use of the fire rings as they do when people reserve park space for birthday parties,” he said. “That money may help them cover maintenance costs. There is no reason to get rid of something the community has enjoyed for decades.”

Nadine Turner, a Newport Coast resident who lived in Corona del Mar for 50 years, says she cannot imagine the beach without the fire rings.

“That’s what you do, you go to the beach and have a bonfire,” she said. “There are so many memories I have of family gatherings at the fire pits. We celebrated our kids’ birthdays there. Removing the fire rings will take away one more thing that children can do in Newport.”

Among those who sent letters to the Coastal Commission testifying to the harmful effects of wood smoke include scientists from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the American Lung Association, Woods Institute for the Environment and the American Board of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care Medicine.

The commission’s report states that the city has presented no studies or clear evidence that the wood smoke is harmful to visitors or residents. Although the city cites a regulation adopted by South Coast AQMD to prohibit installation of new wood-burning fireplaces in residential or commercial construction, the rule adopted in 2008 exempts “campfires, beach bonfires and ceremonial burning,” the staff report states.

Corona del Mar resident Barbara Peters says the commission should listen to the advice of these experts and do what is right for everyone.

“There is a great deal of evidence in the form of scientific research that it provokes serious health problems such as asthma and heart attacks,” she said. “Even a short exposure can be extremely harmful.”

Peters said that although many cherish bonfires on the beach, the fire pits restrict others such as those with health issues from enjoying the beach.

“What we’re asking is that the fire pits be replaced with another amenity,” she said. “We live about 325 feet from the fire rings. On some days, the smoke even sets off our smoke detectors.”

Contact the writer: 714-796-7909 or dbharath@ocregister.com