It's Going To Be A Long Month...

MAKES MY HEAD HURT
June is going to be a very, very busy month in the City of Costa Mesa.  A quick peek at the city calendar makes my head hurt!  As you glance down the image below (click on it to enlarge it), you'll see more meetings than you can shake a stick at.  Actually, shaking a stick at some of them sounds like a pretty good idea.

LOTS OF COUNCIL EVENTS
For example, we've got two City Council meetings - June 7th and June 21st -  AND a study session - June 14th -  scheduled for the first time in a very long time.

PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS
Of course, we've got the normal two Planning Commission meetings - on June 13th and June 27th -  and a Parks and Recreation Commission meeting - on June23rd - on the calendar, but we also have a special Senior Commission meeting scheduled on Thursday, the 9th.

SCHEDULING CONFLICT
We have two meetings scheduled on the same day at the same place - the Bikeway and Walkability Committee and the first Open Space & Recreation Master Plan Community Workshop, both scheduled tomorrow, June 1st, and both at 6:30 p.m. at the Costa Mesa Senior Center.

The second Open Space & Recreation Master Plan Community Workshop is scheduled a week from tomorrow, June 8th, is at the Lindbergh School, 220, 23rd Street from 6:30-9:00 p.m.

FOUR VERY IMPORTANT MEETINGS!
There are four (4) Voter District Formation Community Meetings scheduled throughout the month.  Here's that schedule:
Thursday, June 2, 2016, 7:00 p.m. at the Neighborhood Community Center, 1845 Park Avenue.
Saturday, June 4, 2016, 10:00 a.m. at Halecrest Park, 3107 Killybrooke Lane.
Wednesday, June 15, 2016, 7:00 p.m. at St. Joachim Catholic Church, 1964 Orange Avenue
Saturday, June 18, 2016, 10:00 a.m. at Balearic Community Center, 1975 Balearic Drive.
These are critical meetings for all residents of this community.  The results of the information gathered will produce the item that will appear on the November, 2016 ballot and will, one way or the other, change the way municipal representation is selected in our city forever. 

COINCIDENCE?
By the way, I just realized that the two meetings scheduled in closest proximity to the Latino population of our city on the Westside - and the one's theoretically for whom this entire exercise is being conducted - have been schedule for the evening of workdays in the middle of the week while the other two are scheduled on Saturdays in areas with the least dense Latino population.  Perhaps just a coincidence?  Nah, there are NO coincidences in politics.

TWO CHANCES FOR SNUGGLING WITH STEVE
And for those of you that really want to get up close and personal with the mayor, there are two opportunities to do so this month.  On Sunday, June 12th at 2:00 p.m. you can waste part of a perfectly good day off and spend a couple hours with him on the 5th floor of City Hall.  And, you can also join his crony crawl for the Walk with the Mayor opportunity beginning at 5:30 a.m. on Friday, June 17th.

AND, THE FISH FRY THIS WEEKEND
And, don't forget, this weekend is the Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club Fish Fry, which, for the first time will include the First Friday Roadshow - all at Fairview Park beginning Friday evening and stretching through Sunday night.

GONNA BE A VERY BUSY MONTH
We'll visit many of these venues and report on them.  Mark your calendars.

Short Week, Thin Agendas And The Fish Fry

SHORT WEEK
This week in Costa Mesa has an abbreviated schedule of official meetings.  The City Council has a Special Closed session Wednesday, HERE, (NOTE: The special closed session has been cancelled.. no quorum!) in which negotiations with the two Fire organizations will be discussed, but you can't attend.  The Parks and Recreation Commission meeting originally scheduled for Thursday has been cancelled, but we're not sure why.  The Finance Committee meets tomorrow, but few actually care about it or attend the meetings.  If you really want to attend, the meeting is in Conference Room 1A and begins at 3:30 p.m.  The agenda is HERE.

PLANNING COMMISSION

However, we DO have a Planning Commission meeting scheduled on Tuesday, May 26th, at 6:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers.  You can read that agenda HERE.  There are only five (5) items on the agenda.

PACIFIC ARTS PLAZA REVIEW
First is Public Hearing #1, HERE, is the two-year review of Pacific Arts Plaza, an area bounded by Bristol Street, Anton boulevard, Avenue of the Arts and 405 Freeway.  The staff recommends approval.

PLUMS EXPANSION
Next up is Public Hearing #2, HERE, a request from Plums Cafe, 369 E. 17th Street, Suite #8, for a conditional use permit for 1) valet parking service during peak hours on Saturday and Sunday, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and 6 p.m.- 11 p.m. and, 2) an amendment to a zoning application to expand their use of space and deviate from the Shared Parking Requirements.  Staff recommends approval.

NEWPORT ITALIAN STORE
Public Hearing #3, HERE, is a request for a conditional use permit for sale/outdoor display, and repair services of motorcycles within 200 feet of a residential zone and use of storage containers and a planned signing program at 1536 Newport Boulevard.  Apparently the operator has been operating in violation of codes for more than two years and has been cited several times.  The staff recommends approval.

MORE VERTICAL HOMES
Public Hearing #4, HERE, is a planning application and tentative parcel map for four (4) detached residential units at 2068 Maple Avenue.  This is another of the three (3) story plus roof deck developments popping up all over the Westside like so many mushrooms.  This one includes deviations in lot size and front landscape setbacks and appears to meet the parking requirements.

ANOTHER TATTOO SHOP
Public Hearing #5, HERE, is a planning application for a conditional use permit for a tattoo shop at 2052 Newport Blvd., Suite 11.  This is another request from a business that has been operating in violation of code.  According to the staff report, the Planning Commission has previously approved CUPs for a dozen such tattoo shops in the past.  There's a chart in the staff report on handwritten page 3 listing those.  The image below shows the location of each, including the one proposed in this request. (Click on image to enlarge)

*****

FISH FRY STARTS FRIDAY NIGHT

That's it for this meeting.  However, Friday, May 29th, begins the 68th annual Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club Fish Fry and Carnival at Fairview Park.  You can learn all about it by clicking on their website, HERE.  Once there you can find out how to receive a coupon for $1.00 off on a Fish Dinner.  So, plan to spend at least part of your weekend at Fairview Park, for rides, food, entertainment and lots of fun.

IT'S FISH FRY TIME AGAIN!

KICKING OFF THE SUMMER
In case you've missed it, tomorrow, Friday, May 30th, is the first day of the 2014 Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club Fish Fry!

THE FUN STARTS FRIDAY
Tomorrow, from 6 - 10 p.m., is the Carnival Only.  Saturday and Sunday it's the full megillah - fun, games, food, baby contest,  entertainment... just what you've come to enjoy for 67 years!

SEE YOU THERE...
Club President Mike Scheafer and his whole team invite you all to a memorable weekend of fun.  For more information go to the Lions Club website HERE.  See you at Fairview Park this weekend!

Fish Fry Fun In The Sun

ANOTHER GOOD YEAR!
I don't have any final attendance numbers for the 66th annual Costa Mesa Newport Harbor Lions Club Fish Fry yet, but informed sources tell me that it looked pretty darn good again this year.  Reports are that they hoped to raise somewhere in the area of $30,000 for local organizations again this year.

KIDS LEARNING TO SAVE LIVES
My lovely and patient wife and I stopped by Fairview Park Saturday afternoon and, while the crowd was sparse at that time, I understand attendance really picked up in the evening.  She wanted to learn the "Hands Only CPR" technique, so we found Fire Protection Specialist Brenda Emrick of the Costa Mesa Fire Department instructing two young ladies on the procedure.

AND OLDER FOLKS, TOO...
Then she taught my wife the procedure in about a minute.  Everyone should learn about this and, as I mentioned in an earlier post, Diane Hill will be at the City Council meeting Tuesday to make a presentation In Honor Of Paul and will also have a table outside council chambers for interested parties to learn about this life-saving CPR method.

S.W.A.T. TRAINING
Of course, now that she knows how to save lives, my wife immediately skipped over to the Costa Mesa Police Department Swat booth and had a chance to fondle an AR-15.  She seemed to be having way too much fun with that assault weapon!

HAIL TO THE CHIEF
Lions Club President Mike Scheafer seemed to be everywhere Saturday afternoon.  We caught up with him here, near the fish frying venue, looking very dapper in his Fish Fry t-shirt and his hat.  I think he was telling us that the fish dinners cost ten bucks...

FRYING UP SOME LOVELY GRUB
Lions Club stalwarts were tending to the job at hand.

 

KIRK AND SANDY SERVING, AS USUAL 

And were joined by Councilwoman Sandra Genis and Estancia High School Principal Kirk Bauermeister.

THEY'LL LET ANYONE BEHIND THAT TABLE! 

Volunteer Bruce Krochman was also seen behind that table, although I'm not quite sure what his job was - maybe performing magic tricks, because he was hiding something behind his back.  Or, maybe he was guarding that bucket.  Thanks to him and all the volunteers for a job well-done.

60TH CELEBRATION BOOTH 

There were lots of booths operated by many organizations this year again.  Here is one being tended by folks promoting the 60th Anniversary Celebration, which is coming up the last weekend of June.  More on that in the coming weeks.

 

HOPING FOR A LONG TRIP DOWN UNDER 

And here's a booth peddling cookies and other sweet stuff by the bright young Estancia High School kids who are hoping to make a trip to Australia later this year.

SOMEHOW APPROPRIATE 

I saw uber-booster Greg Ridge "supervising" the corn-on-the-cob roasting, too.  He was watching while that young woman did the roasting.

CONVENIENT PLACEMENT 

And, of course, there were many folks penned-up in the Beer Garden, sitting and sipping in the shade and enjoying the day.  I did notice the convenient location of the portable outhouses - good planning.

STAYING IN TOUCH 

I'm not sure what these three fellas were up to, but they sure were focused... a sign of the changing times, I guess.

CMTV ON THE SCENE 

Brad Long (behind the camera) and Dane Bora (with the mic) from Costa Mesa Television are shown here interviewing another volunteer fish server, former Mayor and current Costa Mesa Sanitary District Director, Arlene Schafer.  Bora and Long were omnipresent during the day, capturing the fun all over the venue for later viewing.

MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC... 

One of the great bands that played throughout the day and evening, keeping toes tapping and people smiling and singing along.

STAND-UP AND PRIZES, TOO 

Just before we left President Mike jumped up on the stage - well, maybe "jumped" is a generous term -  and held a drawing for some pretty darn cool prizes.  He did a great job, but is going to have to work on his repertoire of jokes.. don't quit that day job, Mike.

IN MEMORY OF ROLLO... 

Before I close, please note that this edition of the Fish Fry was dedicated to the memory of long, long time Lions Club member Rollo McClellan, who passed away not too long ago.  For more than six decades the members of the Costa Mesa Newport Harbor Lions Club have served our community and Rollo was a big part of that effort -  manning the fry tanks and doing whatever was needed to make the Fish Fry a success.  He set the bar high for all those hard-working volunteers who have followed him.  Thanks to them all...

It's Fish Fry Weekend!

IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN!
The 66th annual Costa Mesa Newport Harbor Lions Club Fish Fry launches Friday and runs through the weekend at Fairview Park, and this year it includes the Costa Mesa Community Run on Sunday.  President Mike Scheafer invites one and all to enjoy this event.

THE FUN STARTS FRIDAY - FISH ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Friday the carnival will be open from 6 to 10 p.m. and the yummy fish will be fried on Saturday and Sunday starting at 11:30 a.m.  Read all about it below and/or go to the Lions Club website, HERE:

COSTA MESA COMMUNITY RUN
For more information about the Community Run, read the following or go to the website HERE.

A PERFECT WEEKEND FOR FUN IN THE SUN
It's going to be a perfect weekend for these events, so drag your family over to Fairview Park and have a great time for a great cause.  With any luck you'll be able to rub elbows (or bump chests) with local dignitaries - if you really want to, that is.

SEE YOU AT THE FISH FRY!

More On The Week Ahead

MORE STUFF GOING ON!
You'll recall that I mentioned last week that this coming week is going to be hectic.  Well, it just got MORE hectic.  Taking it from the top...


TUESDAY, MAY, 28TH
Budget Study Session
At 4:30 p.m. the City Council will hold a Special Study Session on the 2013-2014 Preliminary Budget in Conference Room 1A.  A meeting of the Finance Advisory Committee, scheduled for earlier in the day, has been canceled so those members can attend this study session.  Finance and Information Technology Director will lead a discussion to look for ways to resolve the current $12 million deficit.  This meeting, usually anticipated for 90 minutes, may run much longer.. which leads us to the next meeting.

City Council Closed Session

Scheduled at 6:00, but will probably be held immediately following the Budget Study Session, the City Council will hold a Special City Council Closed Session meeting to hear from labor negotiators.  The public may not attend this meeting.

Planning Commission

The Costa Mesa Planning Commission, led by Chairman Jim Fitzpatrick, will hold a regularly-scheduled meeting at 6:00 in City Council Chambers.  The agenda for that meeting is HERE.  Of particular interest may be the possible creation of a 4th Neighborhood Improvement Program, HERE;  The upcoming Capital Improvement Programs, HERE; The proposed Public Nuisance Ordinance, HERE and the General Plan Housing Element, HERE.  Regarding the latter, you can find the entire schedule of meetings involving the update of the General Plan HERE.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 29TH

Pension Oversight Committee
The Pension Oversight Committee seems to have a full agenda for its meeting Wednesday in Conference Room 1A, HERE.  I'm still curious about the precise mission of this group, since there is virtually nothing they can do about our pension situation.

THURSDAY, MAY 30TH
Meet The Mayor?
It's unclear whether Mayor Jim Righeimer will, in fact, hold another in his series of "Meet The Mayor" events at a venue somewhere in town.  When that is confirmed I'll announce it for you.

FRIDAY, MAY 31ST - SUNDAY, JUNE 2ND
Fish Fry
The 66th Annual Costa Mesa/Newport Harbor Lions Club Fish Fry at Fairview Park kicks off Friday night for rides only.  The famous fried fish and games continue on Saturday and Sunday.

Costa Mesa Community Run
On Sunday, June 2nd the Costa Mesa Community Run will be conducted, also at Fairview Park and in conjunction with the Fish Fry.

HOW IS THE STAFF HOLDING UP?
Just a thought... all these meetings take up a heck of a lot of staff time, both for the preparation and attendance at the meetings themselves.  I find myself wondering just how exhausted these staffers must be these days.  And this doesn't even take into account those council members and commissioners who prowl the corridors of City Hall, taking up valuable staff time with inappropriate requests.  It's clear that the city policy that specifically forbids council members from giving direction to members of the staff is being ignored by more than one such person.  Somebody - CEO Tom Hatch - should set them straight and do so promptly.