John Stephens Fundraiser Sunday

IT'S CAMPAIGN SEASON!
Just a reminder that Costa Mesa City Council candidate John Stephens is holding a fundraiser on Sunday, July 31, 2016.  It will be held at 1503 South Coast Drive, Costa Mesa, 92626 - In The Atrium.  There is plenty of parking available.

GET TO KNOW JOHN STEPHENS
Stephens is an outstanding candidate to fill one of the three positions that will be contested in November.  I encourage you to find your way to this event, spend some time getting to know John, and contribute to his campaign.

DETAILS BELOW...
Here's the flyer announcing this event.  Click on the image to enlarge it for easier reading.

Julie Mercurio Bails Out

 RUMORS CONFIRMED
As more than a few of you already know, sources tell me that City Council Candidate Julie Mercurio used her platform on the Costa Mesa Public Square to confirm recent rumors that she has withdrawn from the race.

CAN'T RAISE THE CASH
In her announcement she cites her inability to raise campaign funding  in sufficient quantities to conduct an effective campaign.  That's probably true - it costs a load of money to run a successful campaign, even it little old Costa Mesa.   She told those who can read the CMPS that she doesn't hang out in the right social circles to generate enough campaign cash.  Interesting, since I suspect there was plenty of cash to be had if those guys running the show really wanted her to stay in the race.

WAS PRESSURE INVOLVED TO HELP MANSOOR?
However, more than a few of us around town wonder if at least part of her decision came from pressure from the "powers-that-be" in town asking her to step aside to make former councilman Allan Mansoor's campaign less complicated.  He's told us he's running again - a second bite of the apple.  His first tour on the council resulted in a divided city, with Latinos, in particular, feeling unsupported by his regime.

LEADERSHIP?  NAH! 
Actually, that word - regime - may be too generous.  It implies that he was the leader of a movement, but his leadership skills are so marginal that nobody would consider him the leader of anything.  And, his tour in the State Assembly was a disaster, where he showed no leadership at all.

BYE-BYE!
So, we bid a fond adieu to Ms. Mercurio as a candidate.  She may now return full time to her role as the High Priestess of the Costa Mesa Public Square, where only the anointed are permitted to participate and dissenting voices will continue to feel her wrath.  Oh, yes... she closed her announcement with a recruitment plea - gotta run those CMPS numbers up no matter what!

WE'LL BE WATCHING
In the meantime, we get to watch her serve our city on the Parks & Recreation Commission - that high-visibility position to which she was recently appointed to raise her municipal image.  We hope she takes her term seriously, even though it will likely be a short stint.  Her term expires in February.

Meetings, Meetings and More Meetings...

THE WEEK AHEAD
It's going to be an interesting week at City Hall. The City Council, the Planning Commission and the Parks & Recreation Commission all have meetings scheduled, which is going to tax a diminished staff even more.





SPECIAL PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TODAY
Today a Special Meeting of the Planning Commission - the final one that Jim Righeimer will Chair - will be held in Council Chambers beginning at 6:00 p.m. As previously reported, there are 5 items on this agenda, a few of which will have special interest.

SENIOR HOUSING AT MESA VERDE CENTER
First, there is the proposal by Mesa Verde Partners to carve out a section of Mesa Verde Center for a 224 unit Senior Housing facility. It seems like an excellent project, located in the right place and certainly will fill a part of the shortage of Senior Housing we have in our city. The Staff recommends approval. You can read the staff report HERE.

WALDORF SCHOOL EXPANSION
Next comes the proposed expansion of the Waldorf Private School by 9,600 square feet, which the Staff also recommends for approval. The staff report is HERE.

WYNDHAM HOTEL PERMIT
Third will be a modification of the Wyndham Hotel on Avenue of the Arts, which the Staff recommends for approval. The staff report is HERE.

SPECIALIZED PHYSICAL THERAPY PERMIT
Fourth will be a conditional use permit for a facility on Airway Avenue for a specialized physical therapy facility that will deal with spinal cord injuries, also recommended for approval. The staff report is HERE.

TRIANGLE SQUARE
Finally, former mayor Peter Buffa will once again throw on his power suit and represent his clients for an amendment of the Triangle Square Master Plan amend the Conditional Use Permit for a deviation from shared parking requirements and a new Conditional Use Permit to allow a health club in the basement and on the street level of Triangle Square. No mention is made (yet) of the LED lights. The staff report is HERE.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY
CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS REPLACING CITY MANAGER
Tuesday evening the City Council will hold it's final meeting conducted by Mayor Allan Mansoor before Jim Righeimer and Wendy Leece are seated on the council on December 7th. The 10-page agenda begins and ends with personnel-related issues. At 5:00 p.m. the Council will adjourn to a closed session to discuss " Public Employment, Title: City Manager, pursuant to California Government Code section 54957." As you know, City Manager Allan Roeder has notified the City that he will retire in March of 2011, ending more than three dozen years of exemplary service to our city. The council needs to get cracking to find a suitable replacement, so I assume this item is to craft a strategy for his replacement.

OPEN SESSION AT 6:00
Once they reconvene in open session at 6:00 or thereabouts they will deal with 19 items on the Consent Calendar - including the issue of obtaining Commercial Credit Card Accounts through Commerce Bank, N.A. to facilitate accounts payable and to provide a little income to the city as a by-product.

INOPERABLE VEHICLES
There are three (3) Public Hearings, which are scheduled to begin at 7:00, and cover a variety of important and provocative issues. The first will involve a new ordinance about storing inoperable vehicles. If passed it will prohibit the parking or storing of inoperable vehicles on driveways leading to garages. Storage of such vehicles will be only permitted in garages or behind a 60foot high permanent solid fencing or wall on a paved area that is not within a building setback area adjacent to a street. I expect there may be more than a few interested parties stepping up to speak to the council about this one. The staff report is HERE.

EXTENSION OF REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY TIME LIMIT
Next comes a resolution extending the Costa Mesa Redevelopment Agency Downtown Redevelopment Project time limit for redevelopment activities and the time to collect tax increment by two years. Even though the California Redevelopment Association is recommending agencies delay adopting a redevelopment plan extension under Assembly Bill 26 until a lawsuit they filed has gone through the appeal process, Costa Mesa is moving forward with it's resolution. The staff report is HERE.

INCREASE IN PARKING TICKET FEES
The third public hearing deals with an increase in the fine schedule for parking violations required by state mandate. There is an additional charge of $3.00 that is a pass-through to the County and State for certain parking infractions. You can read the staff report HERE. It includes an exhibit of the new fine structure, which is far from the most easily-understood exhibit I've ever read.

OLD BUSINESS
Old Business will include the following:

NEW MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY ORDINANCE
The adoption of a new Medical Marijuana Dispensary ordinance - a very strange piece of municipal legislation, indeed. For example, one of the sections in this ordinance says, "Whereas, the City of Costa Mesa has never criminally prosecuted medical marijuana dispensaries for any violation of the City" Zoning Code; does not intend to do so in the future; and desires to clarify the City's Zoning Code to make these facts explicit;". You can read this entire ordinance in the Staff Report, HERE. It's actually very amusing.

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE BUDGET REDUCTIONS
Budget reductions for the Administrative Services FY 2010-2011 for 1)Downtown Community Pool operations, 2) Recreation on Campus (ROCKS) Program, 3) Amendment to CDBG-R for Whittier School site ROCKS Program. The staff report is HERE.

REVOCATION OF GARCIA RECYCLING CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS
Staff recommends approval of the revocation of the conditional use permits for Garcia Recycling at it's current location. The staff report is HERE.

MEMBERSHIP IN THE AOCC-OC
The City Council will consider whether or not to participate in the Association of California Cities - Orange County (AOCC-OC) and whether to include just under $21,000 in the budget for membership. Without such membership, and because we no longer have employees dedicated to government relations and legislative oversight, the City will no longer belong to any forum or organization to facilitate establishing positions on legislation, etc. The staff report is HERE.

NEW BUSINESS
The council will consider two items of New Business

BAN FISHING, WATER CONTACT AND ANIMAL FEEDING AT TEWINKLE PARK
A proposal has been made to eliminate fishing, water contact and animal feeding at TeWinkle Park due to damage caused to the infrastructure of the lake and overfeeding of waterfowl and other critters. The staff report is HERE.

OPTIONS FOR FILLING COUNCIL VACANCY
Finally, at the very end of the meeting, the council will consider options to fill the anticipated vacancy on the City Council created when Katrina Foley resigns to take a seat on the Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board. Her last day on the council will be December 14th - the day she takes the School Board seat. You can read the entire staff report HERE, but the short version is that the council has 30 days to appoint a replacement or a special election must be held "on the next regularly established election date not less than 114 days from the call of the special election." That date would be June 7, 2011 - way, way too long for there to be only four members on the City Council dais. And, the election would likely cost more than $200,000! You can read the staff report HERE. You will recall that I addressed this issue earlier this month, HERE.

PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING WEDNESDAY

At it's scheduled meeting - the final Parks & Recreation Commission meeting for the year and the final one conducted by Chairman Mike Brumbaugh - the commission will consider several interesting items.

YOUTH BASKETBALL PROGRAM
The first one is on the consent calendar that involves a proposed new youth basketball program, replacing the city program and saving over $20,000 annually. You can read the report HERE.

HOMELESSNESS IN COSTA MESA
Under New Business the commission will address the request to create a Task Force to study homelessness in Costa Mesa. The staff report is HERE.

MODEL ENGINEERS EXTENSION PROPOSAL
They will also consider a proposal from the Orange County Model Engineers to extend its license in Fairview Park for 50 years and their request to build a facility that will house a museum and meeting rooms. You can read the report HERE.

FAIRVIEW PARK ANNUAL REPORT
They will also hear the Fairview Park Annual Report, HERE.

COSTA MESA HIGH SCHOOL UTILITY FIELD RENOVATION
And, there is a recommendation for the rest and renovation of Costa Mesa High School Utility Fields, HERE.

Chris Bunyan Drops Out!

BUNYAN DROPS OUT
Just received a note from Christopher Bunyan informing me that he's not going to run for a city council seat this time around. That leaves only one "Chris" left - Chris McEvoy. Bunyan will be missed in this race - his mature, reasoned viewpoints have enhanced the debate in the past. And, Banning Ranch loses a champion.

SIX CANDIDATES REMAIN - MAYBE
As it stands right now, to the best of my knowledge, the remaining candidates for the two seats being contested are incumbent Wendy Leece; Planning Commission Chairman and municipal carpetbagger Jim Righeimer; Chris McEvoy; newcomer to Costa Mesa Susan Lester; Jeffrey Chapman and someone named Chad Petschl, who apparently just pulled papers today!

DEADLINE IS TOMORROW
The deadline for turning in the completed packages is tomorrow, August 6th, so this roster may change if we have others change their minds.