An Interesting, And Probably Long, Meeting Tuesday
COULD BE A LONG ONE
The Costa Mesa City Council will meet on Tuesday, November 3, 2015 beginning at 5:45 p.m. for the open session, which will be preceded by a closed session beginning at 5:00 in which two (2) potential litigation issues will be discussed. You can read the agenda for the full meeting HERE.
CONSENT CALENDAR
There are eight (8) items on the Consent Calendar - those items that are "routine" in nature and, theoretically, can be voted upon in one vote. However, there are a couple things worth commenting upon.
UNUSUAL WARRANT
Item #3, Warrant 2545, HERE, has some interesting entries. I won't give you all of it - you can review it yourself - but these captured my eye:
PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
Item #7, HERE, is interesting because it's a request to spend $940,000 in Project/Construction Management staff support for many Capital Improvement Projects. It seems we are six (6) positions short in the Engineering Division, which would normally oversee these kind of projects, but without consulting support those projects would grind to a halt. This request includes a request for a budget adjustment of $450,000 to help cover the costs. That money comes from unspent, but budgeted, salary dollars as a result of the vacancies. Interesting.
There are four (4) Public Hearings and I suspect the first two will each take awhile.
DESTRUCTION OF THE COSTA MESA MOTOR INN
Public Hearing #1, HERE, is the highly-controversial request for a General Plan Amendment, a Rezone and Zoning Code Amendment and Master Plan for 224 apartments at 2277 Harbor Boulevard - the site of the Costa Mesa Motor Inn. This issue generated lots of discussion at the Planning Commission hearing and has been the subject of two (2) public demonstrations over the past week. I have no reason to believe this one won't also draw MANY speakers to express their views on each side of this issue.
GROUP HOMES ORDINANCE
Public Hearing #2, HERE, is the first reading of the equally controversial Code Amendment to tighten up control on group homes in zones other than R-1, which were taken care of last year. I expect there may be a few speakers on this issue, too - from both sides of it.
PRIVATE HELIPORT NEAR JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT
Public Hearing #3, HERE, is Kevin Coleman's much-delayed request by Leading Edge Aviation to install a helistop - a private helicopter landing site - on the roof of a building near the perimeter of John Wayne Airport. The Planning Commission approved it despite significant outcry from contiguous neighbors, airport activists and the City of Newport Beach. There are attachments included in the staff report that clearly outline the opposition. This should be interesting.
EASEMENT VACATION
Public Hearing #4, HERE, should be a quick one. This is a request for the vacation of a portion of sidewalk and landscape easement at 580 Anton Boulevard.
SEGERSTROM TOWN CENTER EXTENSION
The remaining item on the agenda is Old Business #1, HERE, the second reading of an amendment to a development agreement for Segerstrom Town Center. I thought the first hearing might be a piece of cake, but it turned out to be more complicated than most anticipated. You may recall that the applicant wanted a 20 year extension - to 2035 - but his majesty, Mayor Pro Tem Righeimer, demanded - and got- a reduction of that time to 10 years with an automatic 5-year extension if they have construction started on at least 30% of the project by that time.
NO PREDICTING THE TIME ON THIS ONE
There's no way to predict how long this meeting will last, but considering the controversial nature of several items, it could take us to midnight - again. I sure hope not.
The Costa Mesa City Council will meet on Tuesday, November 3, 2015 beginning at 5:45 p.m. for the open session, which will be preceded by a closed session beginning at 5:00 in which two (2) potential litigation issues will be discussed. You can read the agenda for the full meeting HERE.CONSENT CALENDAR
There are eight (8) items on the Consent Calendar - those items that are "routine" in nature and, theoretically, can be voted upon in one vote. However, there are a couple things worth commenting upon.
UNUSUAL WARRANT
Item #3, Warrant 2545, HERE, has some interesting entries. I won't give you all of it - you can review it yourself - but these captured my eye:- Costa Mesa Conference & Visitor Bureau - $233,007.31 - BIA receipts for August, 2015
- Jones & Mayer - $25, 163.24 - Legal fees for two items. Noteworthy because of the small amount.
- Liebert Cassidy Whitmore - $390.00 - Legal fees, 2014 Fire Negotiations (?)
- Arthur J. Gallagher & Company - $50,000 - Annual Fee - Insurance Broker Svc.
- G4S Secure Solutions, Inc. - $63, 232.80 - Jail Svcs, Aug. 2015
- White Nelson Diehl Evans LLP - $17,500.00 - Audit Svcs for FY 2014-2015
- Liebert Cassidy Whitmore - $818.00 - POA Negotiations 2014
- Safe Moves - $8,325.00 - Bicycle Education Services
PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
Item #7, HERE, is interesting because it's a request to spend $940,000 in Project/Construction Management staff support for many Capital Improvement Projects. It seems we are six (6) positions short in the Engineering Division, which would normally oversee these kind of projects, but without consulting support those projects would grind to a halt. This request includes a request for a budget adjustment of $450,000 to help cover the costs. That money comes from unspent, but budgeted, salary dollars as a result of the vacancies. Interesting.There are four (4) Public Hearings and I suspect the first two will each take awhile.
DESTRUCTION OF THE COSTA MESA MOTOR INN
Public Hearing #1, HERE, is the highly-controversial request for a General Plan Amendment, a Rezone and Zoning Code Amendment and Master Plan for 224 apartments at 2277 Harbor Boulevard - the site of the Costa Mesa Motor Inn. This issue generated lots of discussion at the Planning Commission hearing and has been the subject of two (2) public demonstrations over the past week. I have no reason to believe this one won't also draw MANY speakers to express their views on each side of this issue.GROUP HOMES ORDINANCE
Public Hearing #2, HERE, is the first reading of the equally controversial Code Amendment to tighten up control on group homes in zones other than R-1, which were taken care of last year. I expect there may be a few speakers on this issue, too - from both sides of it.PRIVATE HELIPORT NEAR JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT
Public Hearing #3, HERE, is Kevin Coleman's much-delayed request by Leading Edge Aviation to install a helistop - a private helicopter landing site - on the roof of a building near the perimeter of John Wayne Airport. The Planning Commission approved it despite significant outcry from contiguous neighbors, airport activists and the City of Newport Beach. There are attachments included in the staff report that clearly outline the opposition. This should be interesting.EASEMENT VACATION
Public Hearing #4, HERE, should be a quick one. This is a request for the vacation of a portion of sidewalk and landscape easement at 580 Anton Boulevard.
SEGERSTROM TOWN CENTER EXTENSION
The remaining item on the agenda is Old Business #1, HERE, the second reading of an amendment to a development agreement for Segerstrom Town Center. I thought the first hearing might be a piece of cake, but it turned out to be more complicated than most anticipated. You may recall that the applicant wanted a 20 year extension - to 2035 - but his majesty, Mayor Pro Tem Righeimer, demanded - and got- a reduction of that time to 10 years with an automatic 5-year extension if they have construction started on at least 30% of the project by that time.NO PREDICTING THE TIME ON THIS ONE
There's no way to predict how long this meeting will last, but considering the controversial nature of several items, it could take us to midnight - again. I sure hope not.Labels: affordable housing, Costa Mesa Motor Inn, Group Homes, Segerstrom, Sober Living Homes
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 10/30/2015 11:20:00 PM
4 Comments:
Interesting that the golf-course adjacent Costa Mesa Motor Inn was hounded into redevelopment while the much tackier looking Tahiti Inn was left alone. Location, location, location.
@Casual Viewer: contribution, contribution, contribution
unusual warrant:
$3860.91 to CDW Government, Inc for:
Apple iMac 27" (excellent graphics for videos and gaming!),
Apple USB superdrive (play and burn CDs and DVDs!),
Color printer for BCC (Balearic Community Center?),
surge pro for WSS (Westside Sub Station?).
this plus the iPad Air purchases at Christamas?
The Costa Mesa Motor Inn was always old and worn out and has always had problems, but never was the issue it is now until Righeimer wanted it for development. Then, all of a sudden, he has convinced everyone that its a drug hang out, criminals abound, and there may be some of those as the jails release there, or at least did, but even then, its been a joint effort by the councilmen to convince the city it needs to be redeveloped. Once that happens, then Righeimer will target another one with the same story, until he has his developments in place for all of them. Then Mensinger takes over as the "property manager". People are being played like a fiddle.
I would really like to know also what the iMac 27" is for. Seems unnecessary for work. But then so do iPads and yet, we bought them for them, didn't we?
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