At the Tuesday April 2 meeting, the City Council will discuss the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance and whether to adopt in-lieu fees for some future housing developments.

The Council is also being asked to approve a contract for the site improvements to the Fire Station No. 4 Training Tower and will hear a mid-year budget review for Fiscal Year 2023-24 from the Finance Department.

Finally, the Council is scheduled to make new appointments to the Animal Services, Active Transportation, Finance and Pension Advisory, Housing and Public Service Grants and Mobile Home Park Advisory Committees.

Council meeting starts at 6 p.m. in City Council Chambers.

Mayor John Stephens paid a visit to Art of Jiu Jitsu in Costa Mesa on 17th Street. 

People from all over the world come to train here in the City of the Arts with Art of Jiu Jitsu leaders Gui and Rafael Mendes.

The students range from age 3 to black belt champions. 

Costa Mesa City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison announced that Brian Gruner, a 24-year veteran of municipal government, has been appointed as the new Director of Parks & Community Services.

“After conducting a nationwide search, Brian quickly became our top candidate to lead our Parks & Community Services Department,” Farrell Harrison said. “I look forward to working with him as we continue to provide high-quality recreational services to the Costa Mesa Community.”

Click here for more.

With rain expected this weekend, the city’s maintenance service crews have made sandbags available for free to Costa Mesa residents in the southeast corner of the City Hall parking lot at 77 Fair Drive.

The location is self-service and bringing your own shovel is suggested as supplies could be limited. The number of sandbags is limited to 15 sandbags per household.

❌ No commercial use please.

City crews will patrol potential flooding spots to make sure catch basins are clear of debris and operational.

Crews are also ready to respond to other weather-related incidents. 

Also, residents are encouraged to report flooding issues to the City's non-emergency line 714-754-5252 or on our Costa Mesa 311 mobile app.

Costa Mesa Public Works is once again teaming with Caltrans, Assembly Member Cottie Petrie-Norris and State Sen. Dave Minn to sponsor another Dump Day event on April 20 at the Costa Mesa Senior Center at 695 W 19th Street.

Caltrans staff will be on hand to collect all your bulky waste that is too big to fit in residential garbage bins - including mattresses, furniture and e-waste.

This event is free of cost for all OC residents and no appointment is necessary. It is first-come, first-serve and we will accept items until 11 a.m. or until we reach full capacity (whichever is first). We encourage attendees to arrive early.

The following items will NOT be accepted at this event:

❌ Hazardous materials (batteries, paints, oils, chemicals, pesticides, fluorescent lights)

❌ Concrete, dirt, rocks, brick, asphalt, or sand

❌ Treated wood

❌ Tires

The City of Costa Mesa is happy to announce the appointment of three new top-level government veterans, Patrick Bauer as the City’s new Deputy Director of Public Works, Delcie Hynes as the new Emergency Services Manager and Mark Khou as the new Budget and Purchasing Manager in Finance.

“I am so thrilled to bring aboard these three outstanding professionals who will fill critical roles here in Costa Mesa,” City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison said. “Their experience and background will help guide us for many years in public works, emergency services and budgeting and finance.”

Click here to read our news release.

The Costa Mesa City Council is currently seeking one resident to serve on the Planning Commission.

The Planning Commission functions as an advisory body to the City Council on issues related to the long-term growth and development of the community, on requests for general plan amendments, rezones, specific plans, environmental impact reports and amendments to the City’s Zoning Ordinance.

Click this link for more information.

Earlier this week, Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue held its annual Fire Captains and Chief Officers Leadership & Planning Workshop Retreat, and this year it took place at the Vans corporate offices and facilities in Costa Mesa.

To see more photos from the retreat click here.

The Fire Captains and Chief Officers Leadership & Planning Workshop Retreat provides an opportunity to bring all the department's Fire Captains and Chief Officers together in one meeting facility. 

The workshop provides the opportunity to discuss departmental accomplishments, challenges, progress and helps to identify gaps, as well as discussion for the vision for the organization moving forward.

The interactive leadership and planning workshop retreat was led by Fire Chief Dan Stefano and began with a memorable warm welcome by Van’s iconic leader, Steve Van Doren, the son of co-founder Paul Van Doren, and Steve’s daughter, Kristy Van Doren-Batson. Steve Van Doren provided a first-hand overview of Van’s history to CMFR’s leadership.

Following the welcome from the Van’s family, CMFR’s Chaplain Josh Harrison led the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Fire Captain and CMFR Honor Guard veteran Fred McDowell.  

The day was filled with different presentations and discussions, start to finish, including updates on the city’s joint (CMFR & CMPD unified command) Emergency Communications Center (ECC/Dispatch) and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) which are led by two impressive professionals and leaders in Jennifer Ruffalo (ECC Manager) and Delcie Hynes (EOC Manager), respectively. 

Thoughtful presentations that followed were provided by Battalion Chief Chris Coates, who introduced Fire Captains Mike Ruhl (Peer Support), Kevin Reddy (Chaplain Program, with introductions of Chaplains Josh Harrison and Samuel Carter), Captain Joe Noceti (Cancer awareness and prevention), Captain Chuck Torres (Wellness Program), who each highlighted different aspects the value and commitment the department places on fire service safety, wellness and mental health programs.

The balance of the morning included an overview of CMFR’s 2023 annual report, which will be officially released in the coming weeks, with a range of different presentations and topics including Community Risk Reduction (Fire Marshal/Assistant Chief Jon Neal), Operations (Assistant Chief Jason Pyle), Training, Safety & Professional Standards (Captain Chuck Torres), EMS updates (Captain Justin Horner) and an update on CMFR’s Fire Cadet Program (Captain Eliasar Maldonado).

For the last portion of the morning, we were fortunate to have City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison share citywide updates in an open discussion format, and she also introduced some of the amazing members of her core leadership team, including our new Assistant City Manager Cecilia Gallardo-Daly, Deputy City Manager Alma Reyes and Finance Director Carol Molina.

The second half of the day included status updates on CMFR’s Strategic Plan (2022-2027) by all of the section leads and mission focus and vision for the year ahead, which also included a breakout session for the Battalion Chiefs and Fire Captains to have some focused and dedicated time, led by Battalion Chief Tim Vasin. 

One of the highlights of the day came in the form of the high energy interactive workshop regarding mindful leadership, led by transformative communications expert Tracy Miller (www.traceymotivates.com), who did an exceptional job of sharing and incorporating some high value transformative leadership tools and communication skill sets that resonated loudly and apply to all levels, ranks and roles.

“Our Chief Officers and Fire Captains are collectively the absolute best in the business and a true reflection of all our professional men and women who make a positive impact in Costa Mesa every day,” shared Fire Chief Dan Stefano, “It remains one of my greatest honors to serve shoulder to shoulder with each and every member of our entire CMFR team, through all ranks and roles, and this year’s leadership workshop provided another valued opportunity to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to excellence, making progress every day, and making each other better every day - Iron Sharpening Iron!”

Our sincerest thanks go out to our valued community partners from the Vans Family Team for hosting us all and our 2024 CMFR Leadership and Planning Workshop, with a very special thanks to Steve Van Doren, Kristy Van Doren-Batson, “Captain Bob” Provost, and Angie Bailey, who went far above and beyond to welcome the Costa Mesa Fire Family into the Vans arena for the day. We are so fortunate to have incredible community partners like Vans in Costa Mesa! One additional thanks to CMFR’s Executive Assistant Lora Ross, who was instrumental in bringing the event together with the Vans Team.

On March 23 and into last weekend, the Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) participated in Baker to Vegas, an annual relay foot race for law enforcement.

The course begins 25 miles north of Baker, CA, and continues for 120 miles, with the finish line inside the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The runners cover the 120 miles in 20 separate legs from 10.7 miles to 3.2 miles in length.

This law enforcement relay race, which is 39 years old, just keeps growing. This year, approximately 258 teams participated.

The CMPD Baker to Vegas Team included 24 runners, 22 support staff, and a crew of MESAC volunteers. The Costa Mesa Police Association supports the Baker to Vegas Team

 financially as well as donors, businesses, and volunteers from the community.

In 2022, CMPD finished 78th overall. In 2023, the team placed 59th overall. This year, the team placed 52nd overall and 3rd out of 17 teams in their competitive category. They completed the race in 15 hours and 45 minutes, the best finish in the history of the CMPD B2V team.

Congratulations to the team and a big thank you to the support staff, the volunteers, and the officers who covered shifts during Baker to Vegas.

The Crime Prevention Unit kicked off the Spring 2024 Citizens Academy on March 27.

The first class included a welcome from Chief Ron Lawrence, an overview of CMPD by Deputy Chief Joyce LaPointe, presentations by Training & Recruitment, and Jail Operations which included a tour of the jail. 

Citizens Academy is a 10-week program that will run from March 27 to May 29.

There are 24 participants learning about Patrol Operations, Dispatch, Investigations and Specialty Units, CSI, K9s, SWAT, Traffic Safety, the Explorer Program, and Recruitment among other law enforcement topics.

Participants will also go on a ride-along with an officer and will participate in interactive exercises including dusting for fingerprints with CSI personnel and a Response to Resistance exercise, where students will have to respond to a “public threat” simulated incident in a controlled environment.

This exercise will lead to some great conversations and a better understanding of what it takes to be a police officer.

Citizens Academy is a great way for the community to meet their local police officers and professional staff, as well as learn more about the police department and how it is comprised of different Units working together to protect and serve their community.

In March, Officer Daniel Bruno and Officer Matt Richie wrapped up motor training after they were rotated into the Traffic Safety Bureau.

Big congratulations to Officer Bruno and Officer Richie for completing their rigorous four-week Motor Academy training. They’re now officially certified to ride solo to keep our community safe.

Join us in applauding their commitment and dedication.

In a world where the divide between those with resources and those without seems to grow wider every day, Bracken's Kitchen and Life On the Streets (LOTS) Ministry are beacons of hope, bridging communities and serving those in need with compassion and dedication.

Both organizations are partners of the City's Network for Homeless Solutions.

Bracken's Kitchen, founded by Chef Bill Bracken, is renowned for its innovative approach to combating food insecurity. With a mission to recover, re-purpose, and restore both food and lives, Bracken's Kitchen transforms surplus food into nutritious meals for the underserved.

What sets them apart is their commitment to dignity and respect, ensuring that every meal they serve is of the highest quality and presented with care.

Partnering with Bracken's Kitchen, Life On the Streets (LOTS) Ministry extends this impact by providing holistic support for individuals experiencing homelessness. Their dedication to genuine human connection and a non-judgmental approach fosters companionship and support, restoring dignity and hope to those who often feel invisible.

These meals are prepared at the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter Kitchen, exemplifying the City of Costa Mesa's collaborative effort in assisting those in need.

This partnership marks progress towards enhancing homeless services and solutions, thereby positively impacting the life outcomes of individuals experiencing homelessness.

As we celebrate the invaluable work of these organizations, let us also recognize the potential within each of us to make a difference in our communities.

Whether through volunteering, donating, or simply spreading awareness, we can all play a part in building a world where no one is left behind.

To learn how to be involved click here.

On Sunday, March 24, the Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue “drone team” consisting of Firefighter Corey Brean, Firefighter Ryan Kennedy, and led by Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) program manager Captain Aaron Davis held this first semi-annual team training. 

The training consisted of classroom and flight time testing, including incorporating the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) testing methods for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which has become an industry standard with drone use in public safety.

Both day and nighttime flying drills were used to evaluate and measure the proficiency and control of UAV piloting.

The City of Costa Mesa is searching for our first Poet Laureate.

This new and honorary position will represent and promote poetry and literacy in Costa Mesa, while also increasing appreciation for the reading and writing of poetry and self-expression.

This appointment includes an honorarium in the amount of $5,000 (two payments of $2,500), for a two-year term, which commences on Sept. 2, 2024 and concludes on Sept. 2, 2026.

The application deadline for this CostaMazing opportunity is Tuesday, April 30, 2024. So if you are a poet and want everyone to know it, visit www.costamesa.gov and apply soon!

Click here to watch our very own Angel Correa and Costa Mesa Arts Commissioner Charlene Ashendorf in this promo looking for our first Poet Laureate.

The City continues to expand bicycle parking across the City. During the past week, the Public Works Department installed three bike racks in Downtown Costa Mesa at the following locations:

• 110 Broadway 

• 124 Broadway 

• Outside of the Adams Room at Donald Dungan Library

As the Public Works Department continues to improve and develop bicycle facilities throughout the community, secure bicycle parking opportunities will continue to be implemented to encourage residents to access destinations by bicycle.  

Last year, the City launched a webpage to provide community members and business owners an easy way to request a bike rack in the public right-of-way.  To suggest a bike rack in the public right-of-way, please visit Request a Bike Rack | City of Costa Mesa (costamesaca.gov).

As always, the City recommends securing your bicycle to the rack with a u-lock to reduce the chance of theft.  

The Street Maintenance team recently started painting the curbs red with their new red curb truck.

The purpose of this is to clearly designate fire lanes, prohibit parking in front of hydrants, and indicate no parking or no stopping zones.

Red curbs serve as both a visual indicator and a crucial role in improving traffic safety. By establishing a distinct and highly visible boundary, red curbs improve visibility for vehicles and pedestrians.

This helps to reduce accidents and promote orderly traffic flow, ultimately ensuring safer streets for all.

Save the Date, Access Costa Mesa is hosting an ALL abilities friendly resource fair!

• When: Sunday, May 19, 2024
• Where: Costa Mesa Senior Center 695 West 19th St. 92627.
• Time: 10:00am-1:00pm

To become a vendor, visit our website here.

Feelin’ Wild & Free?

Access Costa Mesa is hosting an ALL abilities friendly Wild and Wacky Dance!

• When: Friday, April 19, 2024
• Where: Costa Mesa Senior Center 695 West 19th St. 92627.
• Time: 6:30-9:30pm

No registration required. Call 714-754-5300 for more information.