Important Message from the Balboa Island Improvement Association

Happy New Year to our Balboa Island neighbors and friends!

As we begin a new year, I look forward to serving as the President of the Balboa Island Improvement Association and I am honored to work alongside an extraordinary Board to serve our community. On behalf of my family, the Board, and our dedicated volunteers, I wish you a healthy, happy, and fulfilling year ahead.

This past year reminded us what makes Balboa Island so special: people who care deeply about where they live and who willingly give their time and energy to make it better. Because of you, BIIA continued its core mission—advocating for residents, enhancing the beauty of the Island, and bringing our community together through cherished traditions. From concerts and parades to the Christmas tree and lighting celebration, the Bridge Newsletter and countless behind-the-scenes efforts, these programs are made possible by an incredible army of volunteers.

As we look ahead, I invite you to renew your BIIA membership and consider increasing your level of support. 2025 memberships expire on December 31. Your volunteer membership plays a vital role in sustaining our programs. For more than 100 years, BIIA has thrived because residents like you believed in giving back to this unique community.

If you would like to be part of something meaningful, I encourage you to consider joining our board, either as a future director, associate director or volunteer. If you are interested, please attend our next board meeting on January 27th to see what we’re all about. We welcome new ideas, and embrace positive change. There’s so much talent and enthusiasm on this island, and bringing more people into the fold will make us even better.

Also, please support our Museum, local businesses, and restaurants that keep Balboa Island vibrant year-round.

Thank you for your continued involvement, generosity, and pride in Balboa Island. I look forward to working together in the year ahead as we protect, preserve, and celebrate the place we are lucky enough to call home.

Sue Pearl, President-elect BIIA suepkid@hotmail.com

UNWANTED DOOR-TO-DOOR SOLICITORS

Recently, Balboa Island has had an issue with unwanted solicitors. In my case, an AT&T salesperson let himself through the gate of my rental after I had already told him the resident wasn’t home. Unfortunately, my renter (Mark) was not a fan of surprise visitors at 10 pm with ATT tags around their necks.

Newport Beach does not allow solicitors if you have a “No Soliciting” sign posted or if you’re on the City’s “no-solicit” list. If they don’t yield to the sign just call the police or snap a picture and send it off to Code Enforcement on the City’s online form. Make a Request : Quest

I highly recommend:

• A No Soliciting sticker on your door, gate ring camera or all of the above.
• A doorbell camera (nothing makes a solicitor retreat faster than realizing they’re on camera)

I bought some small stickers on Amazon that use the exact wording required to qualify. Here’s the link to the ones I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FC3WLMN3?.ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
Very important please help out your elderly neighbors by posting for them and/or getting them on the City list. On the Island, we take care of one another—especially our elderly neighbors. Too often they are the ones being targeted and taken advantage of by these guys.

The City Council has officially adopted a program to protect you from these culprits.

Go to link below to get on the do not solicit list. You can also find the rules on their web site. No soliciting after 9 p.m. (though honestly, it should be 8 p.m. Because I am asleep or in my PJ’s by 9). Do Not Solicit | City of Newport Beach
Long story short: the info is there, it works, and it helps protect you and your neighbors.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

As we head into January, we’re closing in on a big milestone for the Underground Utility Project. I’m happy to report that only one alley remains for conduit installation. All vaults are complete.

There’s still important work ahead: we need to connect our homes to the system based on the timing of the City schedule; the utility companies need to pull cable in the conduit and install transformers in underground vaults throughout the Island. Think of it as the final stretch of a very long marathon.

A street repair and alley replacement schedule is being prepared. My vintage three-wheel electric car recently fell into a hole on Park Avenue, and at this point we’re assuming it’s started a new life underground.

If you’re experiencing street/alley-related issues, please contact the City using the City of Newport link so they can be addressed promptly. Quest : City of Newport Beach

Thank you for your patience, good humor, and continued support as we wrap up this transformational project.

Lee Pearl

Online Membership Payments –

BIIA.org
Membership levels

Payment Instructions:
Mail checks to P.O. Box 64 Newport Beach CA 92662 OR WEB PAYMENT

B.I.I.A. | Membership

• After clicking on your preferred donation amount above, you will be re-directed to the payment page.
• It is very important to fill out all of the fields completely so we get your address to send out letters & decals.
• After submitting the required information a receipt will automatically be emailed to you.

QUESTIONS SUEPKID@HOTMAIL.COM
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!