Planning Commission Meeting Tonight

FINALLY...
The Costa Mesa Planning Commission will meet for the first time in a couple months - its February meeting was usurped by a special Charter meeting.





AGENDA INCLUDES "THE TRIANGLE" MASTER PLAN
The agenda tonight, beginning at 6:00 in council chambers at City Hall, is a long one. You can read it HERE. There are seven (7) public hearings scheduled, including a review of the conditional use permit for the recycling operations at the Stater Brothers market on Newport Blvd; an amendment of the hours of operation at Target and a Master Plan for "The Triangle" - formerly known as Triangle Square. This last one might get a few folks to attend since there is new signage that might offend a few neighbors. You can read that agenda item HERE.

CODE ENFORCEMENT
The meeting will kick off with a review of recent Code Enforcement activities - HERE. Then it will discuss Jim Fitzpatrick's request for a review of Code Enforcement staffing last December. You can read that very interesting staff report HERE. Based on the report by Willa Bouwens-Killeen, Chief of Code Enforcement, to meet minimum requirements the staffing needs to be increased significantly. That's no surprise, since the Code Enforcement staff is down from 7 full time and 3 part time three years ago to 3 full time and 3 part time (and a part-time Chief) today.

TWO MEETINGS THIS MONTH, FINALLY...
I also noted that, at the very end of the agenda, there is a note that the Planning Commission will hold its next meeting on March 26th. That makes two meetings in a month for the first time in more than a year. Because there has been limited demand for their service the commission has only been meeting once a month. However, they've still been collecting their $400 checks - among the highest of any planning commission in Orange County - while working half the time. Seems just a little inconsistent for such budget watchdogs like Colin McCarthy and Jimmy Fitzy, don't you think?