City Staff Says Rehab Home Operator Hasn't Cleaned Up Its Act

The operator of several substance abuse rehab homes in Newport Beach continues to violate its zoning agreement with the city, despite having been given a month to clean up its act, according to a city staff report.

In the report, city staff recommends that the City Council terminates the agreement with Morningside Recovery LLC. Council members will consider the action during their Tuesday meeting.

to send Morningside written notice detailing how, according to city staff, it has failed to comply with the agreement, which includes conditions pertaining to occupancy levels, noise and secondhand smoke.

“I am appalled by the negative impact Morningside has had on our community,” Councilman Rush Hill said at the time of the vote.

Morningside operates facilities on River Avenue, Ima Loa Court, Via Antibes and Via Lido Soud, according to a city report.

City staff reported in June that Morningside received 21 written warnings, 17 notices of violation, nine administrative citations and two parking citations between Sept. 28 and May 27—what City Attorney David Hunt called “a significant pattern of ongoing and repeated violations." Morningside was given 30 days to fix the problems.

Violations have continued during that time, according to the staff report. Between June 15 and July 17, the city issued 15 administrative citations and four notices of violation to Morningside, according to the report. Also, the report says, Morningside has not paid $7,271 in fines from citations.

The latest violations include deliveries being made outside of specified hours, not having sufficient staff on hand, illegal parking, and a client using profianity in a local retail shop, among others, according to the report.

Morningside attorney Mary Helen Beatificato argued in June that the city had issued warnings and citations without proper investigation of complaints and that Morningside “has demonstrated good-faith compliance.”

The City Council meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday at . See the full agenda here.