Will Newport Beach Really Close the Frog House?

The Frog House is familiar to most anybody who has been through West Newport Beach in the past five decades.  With its mural and its billboard, it’s hard to miss.

Yet, the City of Newport Beach is considering closing this Newport Beach icon, the second oldest surf shop in Orange County.  This is the result of a zoning change from the 1970’s for which The Frog House was given a waiver on nearly 40 years ago, but now the City wants to enforce the zoning change.

TK Brimer, the owner of The Frog House says that though he can help you with your surfboard, he is “inept” when it comes to dealing with city government and zoning laws.  He only has until this month to apply for another waiver to the zoning law or the City of Newport Beach says it will enforce the zoning rules and force The Frog House to close or move.

I grew up blocks from The Frog House.  The City says the area is zoned residential only.  However, there are several businesses along that small strip of Pacific Coast Highway. 

Do we really need more residential right there?  Any body who lives there or bought there in the past 4 or 5 decades, knew The Frog House was there.  This is a landmark and icon of old Newport Beach and its surf culture.

Newport Beach has lost many of its landmarks in the last several years – The Arches, Ruben E. Lee and many others.  Do we really need to lose another to make room for more homes?

If you don’t want this converted to more homes or you just feel we should keep the few landmarks we still have, make sure you let City Hall know how you feel.

Originally published at Save the Frog House.