Council adjusts beach bonfire boundaries
The Coronado City Council has moved the boundary of South Beach about 550 feet north in order to mitigate smoke from beach bonfires. The former boundary was at Avenida del Sol; now, it will be at the tip of the rock jetty in front of the Hotel del Coronado.
The distinction matters because only propane-fueled fires are permitted on South Beach. Elsewhere, beachgoers can build fires in personal or city-provided fire rings, provided that wood-fueled fires use clean-burning wood as opposed to materials like pallets.
The change came in 2024 after residents near South Beach complained of consistent smoke flooding their homes. Lengthy discussion followed about the need to protect beach recreation and is covered here.
The Coronado City Council approved a first reading of the tweaked ordinance at its May 20 meeting. A second reading will be June 3. If approved, the changes will take effect July 3.
Council accepts FY 2025-26 budget
Applauding city staff for its fiscal responsibility, the Coronado City Council voted to accept the proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget. The budget is available here.
Staff presented a balanced budget that does not utilize reserve funds during the May 20 City Council meeting. The General Fund, which supports 67 percent of the city’s services and projects, has a projected revenue of $82.9 million, a $7.5 million increase from last year. Expenditures are projected at $82 million, leaving a positive margin of $945,000. The projected year-end balance of the General Fund is $84.5 million, including $39.2 million in reserves.
Property tax revenue is projected to increase by 6.2 percent, and sales tax is expected to increase by 5 percent to $5.1 million. Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) is expected to hit $22 million. Last year, the city allocated a conservative $16.5 million in TOT funds due to the the extensive restoration at the Hotel del Coronado, but TOT receipts ultimately hit $21.4 million. Because of this, and because the renovation at The Del is expected to be complete in June, the budget anticipates pre-renovation TOT receipts.
Total expenditures across all city funds are estimated a $123 million.
